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Back to the Bible

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I once read a shocking article about a Princeton University professor of bio-ethics. The article said this Prof believes “parents should have the right to euthanize newborn children who have severe handicaps.” Did you catch that? He said, “Killing a defective infant is not morally equivalent to killing a person.” Talk about depravity – that is murder!

So how do you and I respond to this kind of blatant sinfulness? I believe we must get back to the Bible! Billy Graham once said, “Its either back to the Bible or back to the jungle.” The jungle, a world of moral chaos, is creeping up on us. But, the Word of God holds truth and power to transform lives!

Hebrews 4 tells us, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.”

So dont be discouraged! Instead, dive into the Scriptures, and encourage your friends to open the Word of God, and seek out the truth for themselves. Why not challenge someone you know to read the book of John, and discuss it over coffee? Ask the Holy Spirit to penetrate their heart with the message of forgiveness, and eternal life, through the cross of Christ.

Step of Faith

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Cameron Townsend was a missionary who was working on translating the Bible for a tribe in Guatemala but was frustrated that he couldn’t reach more tribes with Bibles in their languages. So he came up with an idea.

Dr. Townsend’s goal was to go into the jungles of South America with groups of linguists, learn the languages, form alphabets, teach the people how to read, and translate the Bible into those languages.

Now, Cameron Townsend had no funding, no linguists, no help of any kind. But he had faith that God would bring it all together.

Townsend went back to the United States to begin recruiting the finances and volunteers. Only a few months later, he returned to Guatemala with a group of linguists to start his project.

Essentially, that’s how Wycliffe Bible Translators began. Because of Cameron Townsend’s vision and faith, there are now people groups all over the world who have the Bible in their own language.

What is God calling you to do? Where is He calling you to go? Who is He calling you to serve? Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

So take a step of faith right where you are. Watch the Lord work in miraculous ways as you reach your world for Jesus Christ.

Mud Walls, Dirt Floors, and Jesus

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Bert and Colleen Elliot have had a wonderful life. They went to Peru when they were young and newly married. They lived in the jungle and life there was very, very simple. At first they lived in part of the living room of the senior missionaries. It was just a dirt floor and big, thick mud walls in a thatched roof house. No running water, no electricity, nothing really in the town. But it was good.

Then they bought their first house-for $40-and it was just basically a thatched roof. But they were excited because it was their very first home. They built rammed earth walls underneath the thatched roof and had just a dirt floor. Bert and Colleen learned that you can be very happy with next to nothing. They said, “We didn’t need a lot to make us happy.”

It’s an incredible testimony when we are content with what God has given us. The apostle Paul gives us an example in Philippians chapter 4. He says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Living like that is a great way to testify that life with Jesus is what makes us truly rich!

The Sixth Martyr

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You’ve heard the story of the five missionary martyrs in Ecuador. They were killed by a hostile jungle tribe in 1956. Well, there was another martyr you’ve probably never heard of: Tonio.

Tonio heard the Good News through two of the martyrs’ relatives: Nate Saint’s sister, Rachel, and Jim Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth. Both women went into the jungle after the killing and brought the Good News to Tonio and his people. But there were other tribes downriver who were still killing people. Tonio had family in them. So he decided to go and take the Good News Gospel to his family.

Well, they did not like the message. So one day, one of them killed Tonio. Still, Tonio had brought the truth to that people. Years later, a missionary couple I know saw one of the young men from the tribe that killed Tonio. He was preaching the Good News, and baptizing people!

God tells us in Isaiah 55, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” We can’t always see how God will work good out of tragedy. Even when it seems you’re at a dead end in your witness, be assured: God is still at work!