It was only in 1998, when I started studying the Bible, that I realized God had found me in 1968.
A fellow college student told me there was room for only 144,000 people in Heaven. He then asked if I had accepted Christ as my savior.
At age 20, without ever having studied the Bible, I replied with a question. “So, with all the lives that have been lived, over the past thousands of years, do you think that there is still room for you?”
The student hung his head and walked away. I did the 1968 version of what today is called a “fist pump.”
In 1998, John 14:2 was revealed to me. And my eyes bugged open! Thirty years ago, I had been an instrument of discipleship.
In 1976, I joined a local church. Very shortly thereafter, the position of treasurer became my task. In serving in that position, many improvements became evident to clearly communicate to the members the finances of the church.
In implementing these improvements as a neophyte Christian, I naïvely stepped into the bad graces of one particular church group. Despite this, the changes were implemented after asking an “out of the blue” question that "came to my mind" that cause this group to acquiesce.
Upon further Bible study, He Showed me John 15:16 and Romans 8:31.
Throughout this local church experience, I have heard many prayer requests for specific outcomes. Thanksgiving is offered when the outcome matched the prayer. Many times, additional suffering occurred when prayers and outcomes did not match: doubt; fear; anger.
Through faith, it is clear that God is the Only Sovereign Being in all of Creation.
I stopped praying to change God’s Mind.
Comments
Thy will be done, not mine, please Lord, and the grace to accept graciously and with faith when You say "No", because You always know better.