Miracles of Grace

As a child, Timo loved to look at the pictures in The Bible Story series, by Arthur Maxwell. He dreamed of being “up with the angels.” As he got older, he attended church and was active in Bible studies with a group of young adults.

As Andrew McChesney, the editor of Youth and Adult Mission quarterly, reported, Timo asked his parents about a book he saw on their dining room table. He was told it had been sent by a distant relative, and he was intrigued by what he saw on the cover of the book. The title was The Great Controversy, and it was subtitled, “Ancient prophecies are coming true.” Remembering the pictures from The Bible Story, Timo took the book and read it in just three days. He read the book twice more before attending a Daniel seminar at a local church. He was baptized months later and went on to become a church pastor. It was God’s providence that led Timo to find the book that would change his life. The Great Controversy has led many to faith in Jesus and to a deeper understanding of the Bible. Tracing the history of the great battle between good and evil that began at the origin of sin, The Great Controversy chronicles the advance of the gospel, culminating in the proclamation of the three angels’ messages and the return of Jesus to this world. Paul wrote to the Ephesian church that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesian 6:12). A jealous devil works with supernatural might to draw God’s people away from faith in Christ. But our heavenly Father works with unparalleled power to free those who are held captive in sin and reveal His love to the world.

God introduced thoughts of heaven to Timo when he was a young boy.

As an adult, he happened upon The Great Controversy at exactly the right time. God was at work at every step. He still works to bring people to faith in Jesus. Miracles of grace continue to happen.*