Letters From Grandpa #451

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 451

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about “crying out” to the Lord. That expression occurs four times in the 107th Psalm. (see verses 6, 13, 23, and 28). In verses 6 and 28 it is the Hebrew word “tsawak” and in verses 13 and 19 it is the Hebrew word “zawak”. Both words mean to “shriek” and “cry out”. In the first instance they were dying of starvation, in the second they were prisoners suffering in iron chains, in the third instance they were near death because of their sins, and in the fourth instance they were in a ship sinking from a violent storm. The psalmist tells us that these sailors “reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wit’s end” (Ps. 107:27). After they “cried out”, however, the Lord saved them from their distress. We are not told that they had faith, yet in each instance the Lord saved them from their distress when they “cried out” to Him!

A similar situation was faced by the apostles when their boat was in a storm and about to sink. The story is found in Matt. 8:23-27; Mk. 4:36-41; Lk. 8:22-25. Jesus was sleeping during the storm and “The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord save us! We are going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and there was complete calm” (Matt. 8:26)

Apparently, when we are so desperate that we “cry out” and “shriek” to God He pays more attention to us than when we merely pray with a calm and composed voice. Every parent knows the difference between a child that is “whining” and a child that is “crying out”! Apparently our heavenly Father also knows the difference.

Soviet Gen. Vycheslav Borisov provides another example of someone “crying out” to God and being saved from their distress. General Borisov was the commander of 100,000 Russian combat troops in Afghanistan. He was known as “General War” and was a feared military leader. According to his own testimony he had never prayed, never been to church, and never held a Bible in his hands. He did know, however, of 20 of his soldiers who were members of the “underground church”.

When General Borisov’s helicopter was shot down he immediately remembered five of his fellow generals who died in similar circumstances. He said: “As the helicopter plummeted toward the ground, I realized clearly that death was inevitable. I was desperately seeking for a way out, some kind of rescue.” That’s when the desperate General “cried out” to God for help. Miraculously, he was the only one who survived the crash. His injuries were so severe, however, that he spent several months in the hospital hovering between life and death. Thankfully he made a complete recovery and gave his heart to Jesus Christ!

Lowell and Judy Mason began ministering Russia in 1992. This was the age of “glasnost”— which means “openness,” and perestroika, which means “restructuring.” That’s when Russia opened up and they met General Borisov. They became good friends and when General Borisov came to America Lowell and Judy helped him give his testimony in churches throughout America. His goal was to provide Bibles for soldiers in the Russian military. Due to the generosity of American Christians 4 million Bibles were sent to Russia and 2 million went to the military. Highlighting the importance of the Bible in the daily life of Christians, he declared, “I am equipped with a weapon, the most powerful weapon on the face of the earth — the Bible, the Word of God. This is the weapon strong enough to overcome any enemy. It does not become obsolete. We need it like we need sun, air and water.”

When General Borisov was in the states he frequently stayed with Lowell and Judy in their home in Carl Junction. Lowell and Judy paid for his air fare and traveling expenses out of their ministry funds so that every dollar he raised could be used to buy Bibles. It was my good pleasure to meet General Borisov when he was at Lowell and Judy’s.

When the Mason’s were in Russia the General made sure they were welcomed. In fact, he even arranged for Lowell to pass out Bibles and teach to a room full of KGB agents. On that occasion Lowell taught for an hour through his translator on the Great Commission.

As you might expect, however, not everyone in Russia was happy that Bibles were being distributed. General Borisov’s grandson was severely beaten by a gang of ruffians for passing out Bibles in the market place. When he asked his grandpa what to do about it, the General replied “Go back and pass out more Bibles.”

You can’t fool God! “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7). Before a word is on your tongue God knows it completely (Ps. 139:4). “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13)

Perhaps that is why God pays attention to us when we forget about our pride and self esteem and “cry out” to Him in our time of desperate need.

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce

BENTON, Ark. (BP)-During the former Soviet Union’s war with Afghanistan, was the deputy chief commander of his nation’s 100,000 combat troops. Given the code name, “General War,” he was a feared communist military leader. But that was before Borisov met God. During the war, Borisov’s helicopter was shot down. Noting he “went through thousands of different variants of a rescue,” Borisov added, “My whole life played back in my mind.” As he remembered five of his fellow generals who had died in similar circumstances, he also recalled about 20 of his soldiers who had been members of underground churches.

Seconds away from apparent death, Borisov cried out to God. The lone survivor of the helicopter crash, the Russian general noted, “An interesting thought penetrated my mind, ‘The Lord God is there and everyone who calls on his name will be saved.'”

Following his life-saving and life-changing experience, Borisov spent several months in the hospital “balancing between life and death.”

“I’m happy because I came to know God’s love,” Borisov declared. Prior to his conversion, “I did not know how to pray. I had never been in a church. I had never held the Bible in my hands before.

“I did not believe in God. I was oppressing and persecuting Christians,” he acknowledged. “I cried out to God and he rescued me and gave me a second birth. I asked him to restore my health and he did that also.”