Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind
of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.
In August 1961, Paul Toaspern was a theologian living in
West Berlin. Suddenly, the Soviets decided to erect the concrete Berlin wall
dividing East Berlin from West Berlin. Quickly recognizing the situation,
Toaspern took his young family and moved to East Berlin, the opposite direction
from the thousands of refugees who were pouring into the West.
Toaspern realized that the church in East Berlin would be
persecuted and would need his theological expertise and his passion for
missions. He quickly became one of East Germany's Christian leaders.
In 1986, American preacher Robert Roxbergh visited
Toaspern. Roxbergh asked: "How are your kids doing? Are they at
university?"
Toaspern replied: "Oh, they don't go to university.
My children are very bright and academically would go far in university, but
they will not join the Young Communist League, so they cannot go to university.
But praise God, they're all training for the ministry."
Roxbergh then asked: "How about your parents,
Paul?"
Toaspern answered: "Oh, my parents are dead. The sad
thing is that when they were dying, the government wouldn't let me back to see
them, so I had to shout to friends over the wall and ask how they were
doing."
Toaspern willingly gave up his freedoms to follow Christ.
Holiness and godliness have a price, but the price is
small in comparison to knowing Christ more deeply. Today in prayer, pursue
Jesus Christ in every area of your life and seek to live a holy and godly life.
Dear Lord we pray today that we would always strive to
pursue after You and the things that You have for us. Help us not waver in our pursuits.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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