Terrified in Russia: Part 1

By Andrew McChesney

Unusual events began occurring at home after 16-year-old Almira signed up for courses on the supernatural in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan.

The year of 1992. The Soviet Union had collapsed the previous year, and public interest was high in once-banned religion. Two Russians from Moscow showed up at Almira’s school in the city of Sibay and offered extracurricular courses on extrasensory perception.

Almira’s parents forbade Almira from going to the courses.

Image © Pacific Press

The Russian teachers, however, promised to reveal amazing secrets, including how to heal illnesses. Mother had suffered headaches for some time, and Almira wanted to help her. So, she secretly attended the courses. She was taught that she was surrounded by invisible good and evil forces and, if she mastered them, could perform wonders.

Alone at home, she attempted to put into practice what she was learning. She carried out a one-sided conversation with unseen forces in her home, saying that she wanted to control them.

That night, when she turned off the light to go to bed, she sensed a presence in the room.

After a while, the presence manifested itself during the day when she was at home alone. Sometimes she noticed a shadow running past a window.

She was not afraid. She thought that she was strong and was on her way to controlling an invisible force.

As time passed, she realized to her chagrin that the force was stronger than her.

She could not control it.

Frightened, she stopped turning off the lights when she went to bed at night. She was afraid to sleep. When she finally slept, she had terrifying nightmares.

In desperation, Almira asked Mother to sleep with her. But Mother refused after a few days. She said she was having nightmares.

Over the next six months, Almira’s life turned was upside down. Her grades suffered, and she seemed to be in constant conflict with teachers, friends, and her parents. She grew terrified. She didn’t know where to turn.

Read more about Almira next week. Thank you for your mission offerings that help spread the gospel in Russia and around the world.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/inside-story-terrified-in-russia-part-1/

Further Thought:

 Underlying the Epistle to the Ephesians is a story that is often rehearsed in part or alluded to in it. The major events in the narrative are these:

1. God’s choice of the people “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4-5, Ephesians 1:11).
   

   Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

    

2. Their past, lost existence (Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 2:11-12; Ephesians 4:17-19, Ephesians 4:22; Ephesians 5:8).
3. The intervention of God in Christ to save them (Ephesians 1:7-8; Ephesians 2:4-6, Ephesians 2:13-19; Ephesians 4:1, Ephesians 4:20-21; Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:25-26).
4. Their acceptance of the gospel (Ephesians 1:12-13,  and implied elsewhere). Having once “no hope” (Ephesians 2:12), they now possess the “one hope” toward which believers move (Ephesians 4:4; compare Ephesians 1:18).
5. The present lives of the addressees as disciples. Though living at a time fraught with hazards and the opposition of the evil powers, they may draw on the resources offered by their exalted Lord (Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 2:6, Ephesians 3:14-21, Ephesians 4:7-16, Ephesians 6:10-20).
6. In the future culmination of history, the Spirit’s role as “guarantee” (Ephesians 1:13-14, ESV), or “seal” (Ephesians 4:30), reaches fruition. In this crowning moment, the addressees will be rewarded for their faithfulness by taking possession of the “inheritance” already granted to them in Christ (Ephesians 2:7; Ephesians 6:8-9); and, through their faith in Christ, they will be granted a place in the Christ-centered age to come (Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 4:13, Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:27).

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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Read back through Ephesians 2:1-10, focusing on Paul’s conclusion in verses 8-10. What points does he highlight as he concludes the passage?

In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul documents that the salvation of the believers in Ephesus does not occur because of their good behavior or winsome qualities.

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When the story begins, they are spiritually dead. There’s not a spark of life or worth in them (Ephesians 2:1). They have been utterly conquered by sin (Ephesians 2:1). They exhibit no personal initiative but are led around by Satan himself and by their own base passions and mental delusions (Ephesians 2:2-3).

Unknown to them, they are in a far worse position than simply being without spiritual life or virtue. In company with all humankind, they are the enemies of the true God and are moving toward a day of destiny and divine judgment. They are “children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:3, ESV).

Instead of being rooted in their own qualities, their salvation is rooted in God’s inexplicable love — a love that cannot be explained based on any worth in the object of that love. In mercy and love, God acts on their behalf in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4), resurrecting them from spiritual death. Because of God’s intervention, they experience an amazing itinerary that follows the trajectory of Jesus Himself. From the extreme depth of utter spiritual death and grinding slavery, they are resurrected and conveyed to the “heavenly places” and seated with Christ on the cosmic throne (Ephesians 2:5-6). This lightning-like, divine intervention, though, is no momentary phenomenon. It has real staying power, eternal durability, because God intends to exhibit His grace toward them in Christ Jesus throughout all eternity (Ephesians 2:7-8).

In his conclusion to , verses 8-10, Paul goes back over this ground, wishing to ensure that his point sticks: the salvation of believers is a divine work, not a human one. It does not originate in us but in God’s gift. No human being can boast of having sparked it (Ephesians 2:8-9). Standing in the grace of God, we believers are exhibits of His grace, and only of His grace. We are His masterpieces, created by God “in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10).

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/thursday-now-saved-by-god/