DIFFICULTIES AND GOD-CENTERED VISION

The wedding photo and 25th wedding anniversary photo above show my amazing grandparents Grandfather and Grandmother Goble.

I consider it a very big blessing in my life that my cousin (who I have never met personally) recently sent me many pictures of my dad’s family. Previous to this I had seen very few photos of this amazing family of twelve children—my dad being the youngest. I have always been fascinated by the fact that my Grandfather was born in 1849 and he married my grandmother when she was 16 in 1873. Looking at these beautiful photos we might imagine a blissful simple life. But, it doesn’t take much considering of their lives before you can put together that they had a tough existence. Although their set of difficulties may have been somewhat different from ours, actually all through the ages people have faced very similar afflictions—and the real answer to dealing with those hardships continues to be the same as it has been from the beginning of time.

Only by keeping our eyes on God through reading His word and prayer can we have any hope for help and direction when we are going through times of trouble. He has a huge master plan that He is working out through all the ups and downs of our lives. Today I was in a conference with Steve Lawson and he told us that thinking of the Lord 10 times as much as we think about ourselves needs to be our plan. If we think about ourselves 10 times as much as we think about the Lord, then we will certainly sink under the burden we are experiencing.

This Thursday morning we will be discussing this very point as we study Psalms 102 and 94. This information is life giving! Don’t miss it. I’ll also be sharing a bit about our trip to Chile and the ministry opportunities the Lord opened for us.

GOD'S JOY PRODUCING GOODNESS

Yesterday we enjoyed seeing the Pacific Ocean from the Chilean vantage point. It was a beautiful warm fall day as Mark, Pippa, Naomi, and Caleb posed for a perfect four generation photo. Tomorrow (Wednesday) we all head for home after a wonderful time of ministry and being with family.

I’ve been looking at Psalm 81 and considering the delight we have enjoyed being with Jorge and Naomi’s church here in Chile. The incredible strong bond that unites all of us is that God has rescued our souls. Can there be anything more amazing than God’s faithful work in our lives? No matter where a Christian goes in the world, an immediate connection happens with others who know the joy of having their sins forgiven. “Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!” (Psalms 81:1) Spurgeon expounds on this a bit more. “Now if they, on their solemn feast-days, were thus to call to mind their redemption out of Egypt, much more ought we, on the Christian sabbath, to call to mind a more glorious redemption wrought out for us by Jesus Christ from worse than Egyptian bondage, and the many gracious answers he has given to us, notwithstanding our manifold provocations.” We are a highly blessed people.

This Thursday morning Patricia Hubbard will be leading the Ladies Bible Study in Psalm 81. Plan to study the lesson well and be prepared to participate in the discussion of this beautiful Psalm.

Mark and I will be home later on Thursday and look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday morning. Here is a short video of some of the happy time we spent with Jorge and Naomi’s church.

MORE THANKFULNESS TO GOD

When I took this picture we were on the border between Chile and Argentina and the passport control and customs office was directly behind me. We traveled on gravel roads like this for many miles before and after the border crossing and it felt a bit like we were actually on a logging road somewhere on the Olympic Peninsula.

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,”

(Psalms 92:1-2)

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,” or Jehovah. It is good ethically, for it is the Lord's right; it is good emotionally, for it is pleasant to the heart; it is good practically, for it leads others to render the same homage. When duty and pleasure combine, who will be backward? To give thanks to God is but a small return for the great benefits wherewith he daily loadeth us; yet as he by his Spirit calls it a good thing, we must not despise it, or neglect it. We thank men when they oblige us, how much more ought we to bless the Lord when he benefits us. Devout praise is always good, it is never out of season, never superfluous,..” Spurgeon

What beauty thankfulness to God brings into our lives. I’m confident that even for those of us who are thankful to Him, generally we miss more that we notice of His bountiful blessings to us. I’m encouraged by Psalm 92 to be more aware of what God is doing and more expressive to Him and others of my heartfelt thankfulness.

Currently Mark and I are seeing some of God’s amazing creation in Chile and Argentina. It is a part of the world most of us are unfamiliar with. As we traveled yesterday on gravel roads past beautiful lakes and through the rugged Andes mountains, God’s mighty hand was apparent. His mighty hand also is clear in the lives of our granddaughter and her husband (Naomi and Jorge) as He has given them a great desire to know and serve Him. Oh course, I must also thank God for our great granddaughter Pippa who cheers everyone with her calm little spirit.

Plan to be part of the discussion of Psalm 92 this Thursday morning as Ruth Rogers leads the discussion. Mark and I will return home next week. Please pray for us this weekend as we participate in a seminar on the family.