Friday, November 1, 2013

Paid in Full

There is one word that was uttered by my Savior before He surrendered His life on the cross, effectively paying my debt and purchasing my place in Heaven.  

"Tetelestai!"  Literally, it is finished.

This same word has been found stamped on receipts or business documents in New Testament times when a debt was paid or an account closed...  

"Tetelestai."  Paid for.  Completed.  Account settled.

Friends, please don't miss this.  Make sure you hear this.

Haven and Aaron's adoption has been Paid In Full.  With one single private donor who wishes to remain anonymous, God has brought this matter to a close.  




There will be no more fundraisers, no more puzzles, and there will be no applying to ABBA Fund for a loan or juggling money.   Let another family benefit from those resources.  

The last adoption was not like this one.  And I won't forget what we learned.  





In fact, one of the provisions God used to bring our Ethiopian children home during our last adoption was the sale of my wedding diamond in exchange for plane tickets and covenant loans from organizations which stood outstanding at 10K when we began this adoption.

You see, these children are our treasure.  They are our investment.  They are our retirement.  They are our security.  

It is the hope of Christ that drives us this way.

And for Him, we would sell everything we have to buy this field.  We would give up everything we own to dig out this treasure. 




This is our "financial peace".  
This is reckless.  
This is foolish.  
This is wasteful.  
This is beautiful.  
This is Jesus.  


This is the only thing worth anything.  

These things that I know to be true allow me to believe in foolish investments.  
Because I was once one of them, and Christ chose to invest in my life.  

In fact, Christ chose to TRADE His life for mine.  





And I am His Little Girl.  

Do you know of this treasure?  Do you know Jesus?  Do you hear Him calling you to do something insane?   Have you dared to give it a voice and share this calling with friends or family only to be made to feel foolish?  

Do you feel unequipped?  

Friends, He does not always call the equipped.  And His plans often sound crazy.  But I promise you with every ounce of my soul that I know this to be true:


He equips the called.  




What is He asking you to do?  Has He called you to adoption, to missions, to ministry, to evangelism, to give of yourself recklessly, to pour yourself out in His Name? 

Do you know Him?  
Have you surrendered?  
Have you REPENTED?

You see, before you step out and do even one thing FOR Him, there is an account that must be settled. 






WITHOUT Christ, 
you have a great debt to pay.

WITH CHRIST,
you have been paid for.  In Full.  
Your account has been closed.


If you are IN CHRIST, your works, your resources, your adoptions and your humanitarian projects do not add to this account.  

If you trust in your own good works for your Salvation, you are tossing pennies at the Cross and 
you are not trusting in Christ alone...AND THIS IS SERIOUS:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7


Whatever you do must flow from obedience and thankfulness 
of this closed account.



So if you have repented and have turned to Jesus, there is only one thing left to DO.  Follow Him.  

Whatever He has asked you to do, I implore you to do it.  
I dare you, in fact.  


Do it and do it now.






Is this safe, though?  Is HE safe?


I leave you with this, from the land of Narnia and the pen of C.S. Lewis...

"Safe?...Who said anything about safe.  'Course he isn't safe.  
But he's good.  He's the King I tell you."





Long live the King.


13 comments:

  1. Wow, what a blessing! Very happy for you.

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  2. Praise God!!!My heart flows with joy for your family.I feel God has made some confirmations for my family through your journey and now I ask for prayers for guidance in my journey to care for the fatherless.

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  3. You and yours? Blessed and a huge blessing in turn.
    Me? As usual, your blog in front of me, with a big smile and tears, thanking God I'm a tiny part of what He is doing.

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  4. Me also, in tears of joy and amazement.

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  5. Wow...just speechless. Beautiful words that God has put in your heart to share with us all. Thank you for you obedience to Him.

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  6. You two ladies have been everything to me on this journey. There is no tiny part. You will never know your part in all of this on this side of Heaven, but just trust me. Thank you Laura and Iris.

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  7. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful…..God is a God of miracles….or is this just a part of His Plan and it just looks like a miracle….anyway Thank You Lord for all Your Blessings.

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  8. I'm so humbled by your story of provision. We are in the process and having a hard time seeing how this will come together financially. Only he knows. They are worth it. He is worth it. Thank you fro sharing.

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  9. Wow. This is amazing. Brings so much faith to light!!! God Bless!!

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  10. Missy and Paul;
    You could not be more right - God sent God the Son into this world to purchase us for God.
    Paid in full is the debt of our sin and the provision of God's righteousness. We are God's jewels.
    That is the precious meaning of Christmas. God came because He loved the [people] world. John 3:16
    The gift is one to be received by faith putting your trust in Jesus Christ alone.

    People are indeed the treasure of God! I love this 19th century hymn that conveys that idea.

    William Cushing wrote in 1856 (this is public domain)
    When He cometh, when He cometh,
    To make up His jewels,
    All His jewels, precious jewels,
    His loved and His own. Refrain:
    Like the stars of the morning,
    His bright crown adorning,
    They shall shine in their beauty,
    Bright gems for His crown.

    He will gather, He will gather
    The gems for His kingdom,
    All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
    His loved and His own.
    Little children, little children,
    Who love their Redeemer,
    Are the jewels, precious jewels,
    His loved and His own.

    Brad Harbaugh

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  11. Missy and Paul;
    You could not have been more correct. People are the jewels of God. Christmas is that great moment when God entered this world to "pay in full" the debt that kept people from being able to have access and relationship with God. Jesus paid the debt of our sin by taking our sin upon Him on the cross and He provided God's righteousness for us by living a life that kept the Law of God without sin.

    Why did He do that? We are his jewels! For God so loved (people) the world. that He gave His only begotten Son.
    How is that gift received? Since it is paid in full, we cannot pay for it. It would not be a gift. It is to be received. The gospel of John tells us "but as many as received Him (Jesus Christ) to them gave He the power to become children of God." This is a faith that puts complete trust in Jesus Christ alone believing the very words of God that God will do what He says He will do!


    William Cushing wrote the idea of people being the precious jewels to God in the 19th Century
    When He cometh, when He cometh,
    To make up His jewels,
    All His jewels, precious jewels,
    His loved and His own. Refrain:
    Like the stars of the morning,
    His bright crown adorning,
    They shall shine in their beauty,
    Bright gems for His crown.

    He will gather, He will gather
    The gems for His kingdom,
    All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
    His loved and His own.
    Little children, little children,
    Who love their Redeemer,
    Are the jewels, precious jewels,
    His loved and His own.
    (Public Domain)

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  12. Thanks for stopping by my blog and introducing yourself. How neat that we are on the same time timetable! Was super excited for you to read this post. Congrats!

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Thank you for your words and support.