Elisabeth Elliot: Just remember that we don't need to understand God, we need only to trust Him.

Lisa Barry: Last fall, one of the major TV networks featured a movie about Bible times. It was a wonderful change of pace from the usual parade of nonsense. But right after the show was over on came a news magazine program that featured so-called "religious experts." One by one they talked about which stories in the Bible were untrue and why no thinking person should ever believe otherwise. I just shook my head and thought, Why can't people accept the fact that there will always be things they can't figure out in this world?

Today on Gateway To Joy, Elisabeth Elliot expands on this important idea and reveals how a follower of Christ should respond to the unanswered questions of this world. It's all coming up next on this Wednesday edition of Gateway To Joy.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says, "and underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend, Elisabeth Elliot, talking with you again today about a pattern for good.

I read to you several portions from the Psalms and Proverbs, let me read those again. Psalms 121:7, "The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life." And we talked about the question of, "How can we say that He will keep us from all evil when we see such evil things being done?"

Then there is Proverbs 3:25 and 26, "Be not afraid of sudden terror or panic, nor of the stormy blasts and the ruin of the wicked when it comes. For the LORD shall be your confidence, firm and strong, and shall keep your foot from being caught." Isaiah 27:3, "I, the LORD, am its keeper; I water it every moment. Lest anyone harms it, I guard it and keep it night and day."

Those are unshakable promises from God. If we don't always understand their working out, just remember we don't need to understand God, we need only to trust Him. So these last three series follow our studies about what it means to be kept by the power of God.

One of last week's scriptures was that marvelous benediction in the Book of Jude, "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy--to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever!"

Julian of Norwich said, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." I love that and I love that Jude benediction. "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy--to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever! Amen." I cling to those words and I love the words of Julian of Norwich, "all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."

Are you dreading something you are going to have to face? Medical treatment? A conference with your boss? A scary new assignment? Loss of your job? Worry about your children far away? Old age with its diminutions, its fears of many kinds? Don't forget that you are kept by the power of God. In the little book called, Joy & Strength, compiled by Mary Wilder Tileston, this is the passage that I wanted to read to you today:

"The simple thought of a life which is to be the unfolding of a Divine plan is too beautiful, too captivating, to suffer one indifferent or heedless moment. Living in this manner, every turn of your experience will be a discovery to you of God, every change a token of His fatherly counsel. Whatever obscurity, darkness, trial, suffering, falls upon you; your defeats, losses, injuries; your outward state, employment, relations; what seems hard, unaccountable, severe, or, as nature might say, vexatious--all these you will see are parts or constitutive elements in God's beautiful and good plan for you, and, as such, are to be accepted with a smile. Take your burdens, and troubles, and losses, and wrongs, if come they must and will, as your opportunities, knowing that God has girded you for greater things than these."

Some of you have heard the name James Montgomery Boice. He was the pastor, for I believe 30 years, at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. I attended that church a number of times. I think I spoke there once or twice to different groups. And it was quite a shock because this man was, I think, just in his 50's when he died and it was a very sudden thing. He got cancer and it was known almost from the beginning that he had a very short time left to live. I see here his dates were July 7, 1938...so you can do the arithmetic, that's when he was born, died June 15, the year 2000.

And in the little brochure that was put out for his funeral, says, "To all who are spiritually weary and seek rest; to all who mourn and long for comfort; to all who struggle and desire victory; to all who sin and need a Savior; to all who are strangers and want fellowship; to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness; and to whoever will come--this church opens wide her doors and offers her welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"On Easter Sunday in 1968, Dr. James Montgomery Boice preached his first sermon as Pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church. Thirty-two years later, he preached his final sermon to the congregation on Easter Sunday, 2000. During the intervening years, he became a world-renowned expositional Bible teacher and statesman for reformation theology. Under his teaching and leadership, the church's attendance grew from 350 to 1,200, while it became a model for evangelical ministry in America's cities.

"In addition to a full range of adult fellowship groups and classes, specialized outreach ministries to international students, women with crisis pregnancies, the homeless, and those with HIV virus and their loved ones, Dr. Boice and his wife led the church in 1983 to establish City Center Academy, a college preparatory high school for inner-city youth. The annual church budget grew from $100,000 to over $2,000,000. Dr. Boice is survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, three daughters, his mother, three sisters and three grandchildren."

It was a blessing and a privilege to know him and to know some of his congregation. We are always kept by the power of God. Maybe you are one of those who received one of The Gatekeeper letters with a question on the back, "Trust God for This?" And it's always nice to have people return these cards. We suggested that perhaps something has happened that seems to have nothing to do with the will of God, but the Bible says that we're supposed to trust God because every thing that He allows fits into a pattern for good for those who love Him.

Now I wanted to read a beautiful hymn that Dr. Boice wrote. He wrote both the words and the music, I believe. I may be wrong about that. I know it was the words, anyway, so let me read you his hymn called, "Alive in Christ":

What is the race that God is calling you to run, the race which He has ordained you to do? Are you listening? "Oh, but I'm not a preacher like Dr. Boice." Of course not, but God has given you certain gifts and God expects you to make use of them. No matter how they may appear to be so small, so useless, God knows what to do with them.

There is always a pattern for good. May the Lord give us grace to accept that pattern and to trust Him and to glorify Him day by day.

Lisa Barry: Do you ever hear a story like today's and wonder what legacy you will leave? What tasks that you do every day will God someday point to and say, "That made a difference in My kingdom"? It's our prayer here at Gateway To Joy, that you find out exactly what God wants you to do. Not just as a career, but each day and each moment.

Did you know that the mission of this program is to challenge women to consider their roles and responsibilities in light of biblical principles? Our soul purpose is to help you grow spiritually and if that's happening, then I invite you to share the gift with someone else by investing prayerfully and financially in Gateway To Joy. You many never see the person you've helped, but she's out there. Thank you for doing your part.

To get involved, call us anytime at 1-800-759-4JOY. That's 1-800-759-4659. Or, our postal address is:

Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, NE 68501. That's Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, NE 68501. On the Internet we are at gatewaytojoy.org. Gateway To Joy has been a production of been a production of Back to the Bible.

Tomorrow, Elisabeth talks about a very important attitude that Christians need to have. Find out what that is the next time we meet for Gateway To Joy.