God's protection

Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.

Dear Lord, we thank You for always being there to protect us. Help our prayers be faithful for the protection of others and ourselves. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

When God urges, PRAY

Jeremiah 29:12 (ESV)

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them later"? Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you to pray for me, I have this need"? After teasing the following story -- it may change the way you think about prayer, the way you pray and when you pray. I hope you will be blessed by this as much as I was.

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan...

"While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies.

This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight.

We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards. At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.

We don’t always know the circumstances when we are urged to pray.  We just have to be willing to listen to God’s tug on our heart and to pray.

Dear Lord, help our hearts and ears be open when You speak to us. Help us to not put it off but to pray right away when You tell us to. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper

Isaiah 54:17 (ESV)

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,

    and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord

    and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.

As we each struggle with the thing surround us that happen every day here is a good reminder that God is still at work.

A missionary in the New Hebrides Islands described his experience with God's divine angelic protection. Hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night, desiring to kill him and his wife and burn the place down. All through that terror filled night, they prayed that God would deliver them from this evil. When daylight came they were amazed to see the natives leave, looking frustrated.

One year later, the chief of that tribe gave his life to the Lord. Remembering what had happened that terrible night, the missionary asked the chief what had kept him and his men from burning down the house that night. The chief replied in surprise, "Well, he said, all those men were there with you! “What do you mean?” asked the missionary, "There were no men there, just my wife and I." The chief argued that the tribe had seen many men standing guard -- hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords in their hands. They seemed to circle the house, so they were afraid to attack.

Fear not! You are engraved on the palm of His hand! Thousands may fall at your side but you shall not be harmed. You are loved and cherished, and no weapon formed against you shall prosper!

Dear Lord, we thank You for the power of prayer. Help us to pray believing that You will accomplish what You will for us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

A true homecoming

Isaiah 40:10 (ESV)

 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,

    and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

    and his recompense before him.

Isaiah tells us that the LORD'S Arm shall rule for Him and that He is coming with reward -- and a similar passage in Revelation declares that the Lord Jesus is coming to reward His saints.

We live this earthly life recognizing that we are “strangers and pilgrims” [Hebrews 11:13] in this world -- but are working now in full expectation of a heavenly future. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world!"

We know we were made for another world, where the treasure we have stored while working here will neither rust nor corrode, nor be stolen. If you're looking for a pat on the back now [not that praises shouldn't be given or received], you've missed the point of ministry.

This reminds me of a story I read once. There was a husband and wife who served many years in the ministry as missionaries in a faraway land. As they returned to the States, the arriving ship was greeted by a brass band. Their initial thought was that this was an arranged greeting to honor them -- but soon discovered that a dignitary was also on the ship. They collected their luggage and booked a cheap motel room. While sitting on the bed, the husband started to cry and said, "We've served God for many years. We've got no money, no house, and when we've returned home, there's not even anyone to meet us!" His wife looked at him and said, "Hon, we're not home yet!"

We're not home yet! Don't believe for a minute that your work in this world is going unseen in Heaven. "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister." [Hebrews 6:10] Let's be earnestly seeking His praise that when we see Him face to face, He may say to all of us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" A true homecoming...and a true reward!

Dear Lord, help us to continue to serve You knowing that we are not home. Thank You that You have a great reward for us someday in Heaven. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

We are called to be missionaries

Ephesians 1:18 (ESV)

Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

In the famous Louvre Museum in France, there is a painting by Bartolome Murillo called, "The Miracle of San Diego". In the painting, two noblemen and a priest enter a kitchen and watch the kitchen maids at work. One handles a pot, another a cut of meat, another a basket of vegetables, and one tends the fire. The men look surprised to find that the maids are not people but actually angels.

I like this. These weren't just kitchen help -- they were angels! All of us have a job to do, be it in our warehouses, our offices or our kitchens. Even the Lord Jesus was a carpenter by trade!

Not everyone is called to go abroad into the mission field but I can tell you this. We are all called to be missionaries! We are all called to spread the wonderful truth of God's great mercy toward us everywhere we go!

God has each of us placed where we are for a specific reason -- to fulfill the great commission! Let's pray and ask the Lord how we can best fulfill the great commission where we are and allow the Lord to show us how we can impact our world for the Kingdom today!

Dear Lord, we pray that we would each answer the call to be missionaries. Help us have the heart to reach those that our in our path each day. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Recapturing the heart of the prodigal

Daniel 12:3 (ESV)

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Most people have never heard of the first overseas missionary from America to Burma, Adoniram Judson. Judson was a brilliant man who learned to read when he was only 3. He went to college when he was just 16. He graduated valedictorian of his class at the age of 19. He was the son of a pastor, having been raised with Godly values, however while in college, he met a student named Jacob Eames, a deist who denied the miracles of the Bible. By the time Judson finished college he had turned completely from the Lord. For a short while, he lived a vagabond and reckless life, until a series of God-incidences turned his life inside out.

During this time, he left to visit his uncle, but instead, unexpectedly encountered a pious young man who amazed him by his strong Christian convictions, yet without being austere or dictatorial. The Lord placed this young man in the path of Judson to recapture the heart of the prodigal.

The very next night, he stayed at a small village inn where he had never been before. The innkeeper apologized that his sleep might be interrupted because a critically ill man was staying in the next room. The following day, as Judson was leaving, he asked the innkeeper about the sick man, and was informed that the man had passed during the night. Judson then asked the innkeeper, “Do you know who he was?” The man replied, “Oh yes. Young man from the college in Providence. Name was Eames, Jacob Eames.”

Upon hearing it was his old friend that just passed, Judson could hardly move. He stayed there for hours pondering death and eternity. He thought, if Jacob Eames was right, then his death was just a meaningless event. Judson could not believe it, and said, “That hell should open in that country inn and snatch Jacob Eames, his dearest friend and guide, from the next bed-this could not, simply could not, be pure coincidence.”

From that moment forward, Judson knew God was real. He rededicated his life and became a missionary in Burma for nearly 40 years. Before he died, he translated the Bible into Burmese, and planted over 100 churches.

Perhaps God will place someone in your path today because He wants you to be a light so that his or her life might be turned around! With the greatest harvest fast approaching, each of us is called to the mission field – the one right outside our door!

Dear Lord, we pray that You would bring someone in our path today so that we can share your love with them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

We all are on the mission field

Luke 8:15 (ESV)

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

An official of a mission board, who knew it takes more than just desire to make a missionary, was appointed to examine a candidate for the mission field. He told the young man to be at his house at six o'clock in the morning. The young man complied and arrived a six o'clock sharp. The examiner kept him sitting alone in the room until ten. Then he finally came in and said abruptly, " Young man, can you write your name? A little taken aback by the simplicity of his question, the man paused. Before he could get a word out, the examiner blurted, "What, you don't know what it is?" The mission board official put him through a series of questions of that nature and then went to report to the mission board.

"Okay," he said, "he will do." I tried his patience for hours and hours and he did not break down; Then I insulted him and he did not lose his temper. This candidate answered with patience, fortitude, and gentleness. His faith was vindicated by the very quality of his character. He will make a good missionary."

Whether we realize it or not -- we all are on the mission field. Our patience is bound to be tested in ways we've never imagined and we'll most likely find it unfair and unkind at times. But standing strong in the Lord in the face of offensive treatment and enduring seasons of long-suffering is a testimony in and of itself -- and that will win souls!

Are you weary from the walk? Get your second wind! Count it all joy! You have endured much and you will see victory! Not only here on earth but when we meet the Lord!

Dear Lord, help us to be patient with all that comes our way. Help us respond in a manner that is pleasing to You.  In the Nam eof Jesus, Amen. 

The harvest is fast approaching

Daniel 12:3 (ESV)

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those

I have been reading about some of the missionaries that have spent their life sharing the Love of the Christ.  Most people have never heard of the first overseas missionary from America to Burma, Adoniram Judson. Judson was a brilliant man who learned to read when he was only 3. He went to college when he was just 16. He graduated valedictorian of his class at the age of 19. He was the son of a pastor, having been raised with Godly values, however while in college, he met a student named Jacob Eames, a deist who denied the miracles of the Bible. By the time Judson finished college he had turned completely from the Lord. For a short while, he lived a vagabond and reckless life, until a series of God-incidences turned his life inside out.

During this time, he left to visit his uncle, but instead, unexpectedly encountered a pious young man who amazed him by his strong Christian convictions, yet without being austere or dictatorial. The Lord placed this young man in the path of Judson to recapture the heart of the prodigal.

The very next night, he stayed at a small village inn where he had never been before. The innkeeper apologized that his sleep might be interrupted because a critically ill man was staying in the next room. The following day, as Judson was leaving, he asked the innkeeper about the sick man, and was informed that the man had passed during the night. Judson then asked the innkeeper, “Do you know who he was?” The man replied, “Oh yes. Young man from the college in Providence. Name was Eames, Jacob Eames.”

Upon hearing it was his old friend that just passed, Judson could hardly move. He stayed there for hours pondering death and eternity. He thought, if Jacob Eames was right, then his death was just a meaningless event. Judson could not believe it, and said, “That hell should open in that country inn and snatch Jacob Eames, his dearest friend and guide, from the next bed-this could not, simply could not, be pure coincidence.”

From that moment forward, Judson knew God was real. He rededicated his life and became a missionary in Burma for nearly 40 years. Before he died, he translated the Bible into Burmese, and planted over 100 churches.

Perhaps God will place someone in your path today because He wants you to be a light so that his or her life might be turned around! With the greatest harvest fast approaching, each of us is called to the mission field – the one right outside our door!

Dear Lord, we pray that our eyes would be open to the harvest that is ripe around us. Bring someone into our path today. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Have you made any contributions to the society?

Matthew 20:28  (ESV)

Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

An elderly mother in Scotland had given up her son to the work of the Lord as a pastor and missionary.

One day she went to the missionary society that had sponsored him. At the door she was asked, "Have you made any contributions to the society?"

"I am afraid not," she answered. As this was a meeting only for those who had supported the society, she was refused admittance.

As she walked away, she thought of her son who had, years before, gone as a missionary to Sierra Leone in West Africa. His body was buried in that distant land. Quickly, she retraced her steps to the building.

She explained to the man at the door, "I forgot. You asked me if I had made any contributions. I gave my only son, and he is buried in Sierra Leone."

The doorkeeper removed his cap, bowed graciously, and said, "Come in." He led her to a front seat.

Today, we look at God's giving. We are talking about the giving of God's Son, who embraced death so that eternal death will no longer be a fearful and frightening thing.

Can you imagine how poor our lives would be if God had not sent His Son to die in the foreign land of Earth? Even those who are not Christians can understand their lives would be poorer, as they would have to think of a world without many of our universities and hospitals, the medicines left undiscovered, the social ministries never begun.

Truly, much has been done in the Name of Jesus who taught us how to serve.

But Jesus did more than teach us how to give. His entire life was a gift: a sacrifice that was made so many could be ransomed. Jesus died to free us from oppression, depression and fear. He died to give us eternal life.

For all that He has done, it is only right, it is only appropriate, only fitting the Savior should be welcomed into our hearts and be given the place of highest honor and respect.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your death to save us. Please live with us and never depart. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Rich are those who care for one another!

Matthew 25:40 (ESV)

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Carl Sylvius Volkner was a German missionary in New Zealand. His ministry began in August, 1861, and he worked with the Whakatohea natives. Under his leadership, a church and a school were built for the local people.

Unfortunately, he was not welcomed by everyone with open arms. The followers of a new religion named Pai Marire absolutely hated him, and in January, 1865, while in Auckland, he was warned to never come back to Opotiki.

Volkner loved these people, however, and he could not just vanish from sight to please those who hated him. Two months later he was back with his beloved people, but his enemies were waiting for him. He was arrested for treason, he was hung from a willow tree near his church, and then he was beheaded. His murderers then drank his blood and smeared it on their faces, and as a last affront, the leader, Kereopa Te Rau swallowed Volkner’s eyes, earning for himself the name of “eye eater”.

Though Kereopa Te Rau was the one who robbed others of their sight, Volkner was the one who brought sight to those who were blind.

Two centuries later, the eye eater was eventually forgotten. Volkner, however, was not. His heroics and love for God and for these people motivated the natives to name an island after him: The Volkner Rocks.

Volkner was one of those who was truly rich, even though it cost him his life. He shared what was most precious to him, and in so doing, he brought many who were poor in spirit to the kingdom of God.

Richness means nothing if we cannot sh

\are it with others. What are we willing to do to share the Kingdom?

Dear Lord, help us take the things that You give and share them with those around us that are in need. In The Name of Jesus, Amen. 

No matter the circumstance He can use you

Acts 28:30-31 (ESV)

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Myrtie Howell was a devoted Christian woman who lived a hard life. Her family was very poor. When she was 10, she quit school and went to work in a steel mill for 10 cents a day. She married at age 17. But in early 1940, her husband was killed in an accident. And when that happened, she lost her home. And she had to go back to work to support herself and her three kids. Years later, her declining health forced her to move into an old, high rise nursing home. A few weeks later, her youngest son died. Then she fell into a depression.

She said, "Lord, what more can I do for you? I've lost everything that ever meant something to me. And now I'm stuck in this dark, dreary room. I have nothing left to live for! I want to die! I've had enough of this prison. Take me home." But then God spoke to her as clear as possible. He said, "I'm not through with you yet, Myrtie. Write to prisoners."

So she wrote a letter and sent it to the Atlanta Penitentiary. And this is what the letter said: "Dear inmate. I am a grandmother who loves and cares for you. I am willing to be a friend. If you'd like to hear from me, write me. I will answer every letter you write. A Christian friend, Grandmother Howell."

The letter was given to the prison chaplain. And he gave her the names of eight prisoners she could write to. Prison Fellowship gave her some more names. Soon, she was corresponding with up to 40 inmates a day. She became a one woman ministry reaching into prisons all over America.

She said, "I thought my life was over. But these past few years have been the most fulfilling years of my life! I thank Prison Fellowship! And most of all, I thank Jesus!" Myrtie Howell became a great missionary for God. Out of a one room apartment.

No matter what circumstances you find yourself, the Lord can use you for His glory.

Dear Lord, thank the You that as long as we are on this earth, You can use us for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God uses ducks to save the day

Romans 12:21 (ESV)

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A famous missionary, Christy Wilson, experienced fierce opposition in Afghanistan from the Islamic authorities during the seventies. However, just before harvest, a massive snail population explosion threatened the nation with severe crop damage. Sufficient quantities of poison could not be obtained in time to save thousands of tons of grain still in the fields. Then God gave Christy Wilson a brilliant idea. Perhaps his specially imported ducks could be distributed to farms as a feasibility test to see if they could naturally eradicate the snail problem. Desperate to try any solution, the agricultural authorities issued permission.

Within weeks visible proof of the ducks effectiveness became evident to all. Thousands of ducks were dispersed throughout the whole country. The nation was saved from a large scale famine through the missionary's ducks. Soon, the missionary was given special commendation from the President granting special powers to conduct his ministry without hindrance. God used the missionary's good will to overcome a hostile people, environment, and circumstance.

The forces of good, love & service are always greater than evil. 

Dear Lord, help us to always look for the good and to use the good we find rather than the evil. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God's protection

Nahum 1:7 (ESV)

The Lord is good,

    a stronghold in the day of trouble;

he knows those who take refuge in him.

In the 1850s, the tribes of the Sumatra interior were fierce enemies of the first missionaries. Von Asselt, of the Rhineland mission, pioneered the way among the Battaks. There was a darkness that could be sensed round about. More than once the missionary and his wife rose in the night to pray God to send His angels to be with them; so keenly they felt the presence of peril. Then they moved inland, where a tribe was more kindly. One day a chief came to see the missionary from the place where he had first settled. At last the chief said to Von Asselt:

"I have yet one request."

"And what is that?"

"I want to see your watchmen."

"But I have no watchmen."

"I mean the watchmen that you station round your house at night."

"But I have none. I have only a herdboy and a little cook."

The man looked unbelieving at the missionary. "May I look through your house?" He asked.

"Yes, certainly," said the missionary laughing.

The chief searched everywhere in vain, and then he finally explained: "When you first came to us, we resolved to kill you and your wife. Night after night we went to your house to do it. But when we came, there always stood round about watchmen with glittering weapons. Then we hired an assassin, and he laughed at us. 'I fear no God and no devil,' he said. 'I will get through those watchmen easily.' So we all came together in the evening, and the assassin, swinging his weapon about his head, went on before us. As we neared your house we remained behind. The assassin went on alone. But in a short time he came running back hastily, and said, 'No, I dare not risk it to go through alone; two rows of big strong men stand there, and their weapons shine like fire.' So we gave it up to kill you. Now, tell me, teacher, who are those watchmen?"

God has many ways that He protects us.

Dear Lord, Thank You for being there to protect us. Thanks for the angels that You send to watch over us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Flies stayed away

Matthew 21:22 (ESV)

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.

In her biography Go Home and Tell, Bertha Smith tells of traveling by rickshaw to a primitive village in China to devote several days to evangelistic work. Her living conditions were squalid; she shared a stall with an ox and with swarms of flies.

Finally she prayed, "Lord, I am one of Your spoiled children. All my life I have been accustomed to screened houses and clean food. Now, I just can't eat with those flies all over my food. Down in Egypt You had flies come and go at Your word. You are the same today…. Now please do one of two things for me: either take the flies away, or enable me just to go ahead and eat and not mind them. You then take care of any disease germs which they may put into my body... Whichever You wish to do will be good enough for me!"

Which do you think God did?

"Not a fly flew into that ox stall the remaining five days that I was there witnessing and teaching!" Wrote Bertha. "You will agree that was a miracle."

Dear Lord, thank You for the miracles that happen around us each and every day. Help us to take the time to notice that they are a work of Your hand. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What is on your scale?

Philippians 3:7-8 (NIV)

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

I read a story of a missionary family in China who was forced to leave the country sometime after the communists took over.

One day a band of soldiers knocked on the door and told this missionary, his wife, and children that they had two hours to pack up before these troops would escort them to the train station. They would be permitted to take with them only two hundred pounds of stuff.

Thus began two hours of family wrangling and bickering -- what should they take? What about this vase? It's a family heirloom, so we've got to take the vase. Well, maybe so, but this typewriter is brand new and we're not about to leave that behind. What about some books? Got to take a few of them along. On and on it went, putting stuff on the bathroom scale and taking it off until finally they had a pile of possessions that totaled two hundred pounds on the dot.

At the appointed hour, the soldiers returned. "Are you ready?" They asked. "Yes." "Did you weigh your stuff?" "Yes, we did." "Two hundred pounds?" "Yes, two hundred pounds on the dot." "Did you weigh the kids?" "Um, . . . No." "Weigh the kids!"

And in an instant the vase, the typewriter, and the books all became trash. Trash! None of it meant anything compared to the surpassing value of the children.

If only it were that easy for us. If we had to make a physical choice, the choice would be easy. What's worth more -- your child or a computer? If you could only take one with you, which would it be? That's easy; it's a no-brainer. But seldom does the choice come wrapped in such easy-to-open paper.

Too often, it sounds more like this: What's more important -- spending time with your family or staying at work a couple of extra hours to get caught up? "Don't ask me to make that choice! My family is important to me. It's just that I really need to get this done! After all, I'm only doing it for provide for them." Still, there are times when the question won't go away: Which is more important?

And there are times when we are forced to admit that we've been gathering hundreds of pounds of "trash" while neglecting that which is of greatest importance.

What is on your scale?

Dear Lord, we pray that we would have our priorities right. We pray for wisdom to make the right decision about the use of our time. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God's Perfect Will

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God has a plan for the life of every Christian. Every circumstance, every turn of destiny, is for your good. It is working together for completeness. His plan for you is being perfected. All things working together for your good and for His glory. As a young Christian, a friend of mine from college, wanted to be a missionary, like his father and mother. But God had other plans for his life. Changing circumstances revealed God’s will to him, and he was happy where God had placed him. So many of us ask God to change the circumstances to suit our desires, instead of us conforming our wills to His. Don’t let circumstances distress you. Rather, look for the will of God for your life to be revealed in and through those circumstances.

Dear Lord, we often want to run ahead of Your leading. Let us trust You completely and realize that in the middle of all the events of this day and our life, You are working out Your will for our life’s. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Afraid? of What?

John 12:24 (NIV)

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

John and Betty Stam attended Moody Bible Institute a few years before me.  After they graduated from Moody Bible Institute they sailed for China as missionaries during a difficult time for missionaries. (They were actually married in China, Betty preceding John to the mission field by one year.) They knew the risks involved. The China Inland Mission was specifically recruiting laborers to work in dangerous Communist infested areas. But both of them had been inspired by a poem written after Southern Presbyterian missionary Jack Vinson was martyred in 1931. Vinson had showed no fear of death to his Chinese captors, telling them, "Kill me, if you wish. I will go straight to God." The calmness he showed inspired his colleague E. H. Hamilton to write this poem:

Afraid? Of What?

To feel the spirit's glad release?

To pass from pain to perfect peace,

The strife and strain of life to cease?

Afraid-of that?

Afraid? Of What?

Afraid to see the Saviour's face,

To hear His welcome, and to trace

The glory gleam from wounds of grace?

Afraid-of that?

Afraid? Of What?

A flash, a crash, a pierced heart;

Darkness, light, O Heaven's art!

A wound of His a counterpart! Afraid-of that?

Afraid? Of What?

To do by death what life could not­

Baptize with blood a stony plot,

Till souls shall blossom from the spot?

Afraid-of that?

With courage and faith, John had challenged the graduating class at Moody in 1932:

"Shall we beat a retreat, and turn back from our high calling in Christ Jesus; or dare we advance at God's command in face of the impossible? Let us remind ourselves that the Great Commission was never qualified by clauses calling for advance only if funds were plentiful and no hardship or self-denial involved. On the contrary, we are told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with it victory in Christ."

The day of reckoning came for John and Betty Stain. They were captured by Communists (their little baby, Priscilla, was miraculously spared), then painfully bound, stripped down to their underwear, and kept under guard for the night. The next morning, they were paraded down the street while being mocked and ridiculed, after which they were beheaded-baptizing with blood a stony plot, till souls have blossomed from that spot. They were not afraid of that!

As word got out about their martyrdom, the impact was dramatic, both in terms of new missionary volunteers, new student prayer meetings, and large monetary donations to the work in China. A missionary with the China Inland Mission wrote to Betty's parents: "A life which had the longest span of years might not have been able to accomplish one-hundredth of the work for Christ which they have done in a day." That is the power of martyrdom! Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24). One short act of obedience to death gave many others eternal life!

Will you be obedient to the Lord today?

Dear Lord, we thank You for those who went before us to share the gospel to a world that needs it. Help us each be willing to give our all to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Would You Pass the Faith Test?

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Rev. and Mrs. Robert Porteous were missionaries with China Inland Mission beginning in the 1920's. They ministered in Jianxi Province and they began an intensive Bible school. Beginning in the late 1920's, communist troops rose to power and began disrupting life in the province.

In 1931, the Porteous family was taken prisoner by the communists. They were led to a lonely spot on top of a hill where they were to be executed. The leader said, "This is the place." The executioner took a long knife from its holder and raised it above the necks of the courageous couple. Certain death seemed imminent.

However, instead of cringing and begging for mercy, the couple began to sing. The bandits stared open-mouthed as they heard this hymn. "Face to face with Christ, my Savior, Face to face-what will it be? When with rapture I behold him, Jesus Christ who died for me."

These two were ready for death and thought that would be their last song. But, no order was given for their execution. The executioner returned the knife to its place, and the couple was released and enjoyed another 40 years of ministry.

How would you do if your faith were put to the test?

Dear Lord, thank You for the strength You give to us, we pray specifically for enough faith for today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Act of Obedience

John 12:24 (NIV)

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

John and Betty Stam were graduates of Moody Bible Institute. They sailed for China as missionaries during a difficult time for missionaries. (They were actually married in China, Betty preceding John to the mission field by one year.) They knew the risks involved. The China Inland Mission was specifically recruiting laborers to work in dangerous Communist infested areas. But both of them had been inspired by a poem written after Southern Presbyterian missionary Jack Vinson was martyred in 1931. Vinson had showed no fear of death to his Chinese captors, telling them, "Kill me, if you wish. I will go straight to God." The calmness he showed inspired his colleague E. H. Hamilton to write this poem:

Afraid? Of What?

To feel the spirit's glad release?

To pass from pain to perfect peace,

The strife and strain of life to cease?

Afraid-of that?

Afraid? Of What?

Afraid to see the Saviour's face,

To hear His welcome, and to trace

The glory gleam from wounds of grace?

Afraid-of that?

Afraid? Of What?

A flash, a crash, a pierced heart;

Darkness, light, O Heaven's art!

A wound of His a counterpart! Afraid-of that?

Afraid? Of What?

To do by death what life could not­

Baptize with blood a stony plot,

Till souls shall blossom from the spot?

Afraid-of that?

With courage and faith, John had challenged the graduating class at Moody in 1932:

"Shall we beat a retreat, and turn back from our high calling in Christ Jesus; or dare we advance at God's command in face of the impossible? Let us remind ourselves that the Great Commission was never qualified by clauses calling for advance only if funds were plentiful and no hardship or self-denial involved. On the contrary, we are told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with it victory in Christ."

The day of reckoning came for John and Betty Stain. They were captured by Communists (their little baby, Priscilla, was miraculously spared), then painfully bound, stripped down to their underwear, and kept under guard for the night. The next morning, they were paraded down the street while being mocked and ridiculed, after which they were beheaded-baptizing with blood a stony plot, till souls have blossomed from that spot. They were not afraid of that!

As word got out about their martyrdom, the impact was dramatic, both in terms of new missionary volunteers, new student prayer meetings, and large monetary donations to the work in China. A missionary with the China Inland Mission wrote to Betty's parents: "A life which had the longest span of years might not have been able to accomplish one-hundredth of the work for Christ which they have done in a day." That is the power of martyrdom! Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24). One short act of obedience to death gave many others eternal life!

Dear Lord, help us be the witness for You that we should be.  We thank You that no matter what the circumstances You can use them . In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Kindness and the Making of a Missionary

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Recently I read a story about kindness and how it turned a life into a real tool for God.

If they gave out "Most Likely to Fail" awards in high school, Doug Nichols would have been handed his even before the vote.

Born in 1942-the same year his father left home for another woman-Doug was raised by his mother and grandfather. Before long he was known as a troublemaker, something that earned him a high school diploma six months earlier than his classmates.

"Hey Doug," said the principal one day, "have I got a deal for you!"

The tall skinny teen stood before his superior uneasily, wondering if the deal included a firing squad.

"You promise not to come back after Christmas, and I'll give you your diploma now."

Doug smiled. Laughed. And eagerly accepted.

By the time he entered college, Doug was majoring in two subjects: women and alcohol. His late-night exploits were well known, his reputation widespread. You want fun, talk to Nichols. Whatever he does, he holds nothing back.

One night during finals week, he returned to his room from a night on the town. With the help of both walls he stumbled down a long and shifting hallway.

There stood a classmate, Hank Jaegers.

"Hey, Doug," said Hank, "how about some coffee?" Inside Jaegers's room, between long sips of very thick liquid, Nichols listened as his new friend told him an old, old story. The story of Someone who would rather die than live without him. The coffee sobered Doug. The story changed his life. He sat in a folding chair, shaking his head. Jesus loves me? At 4:30 in the morning in a small dorm room in California, Doug got on his knees and asked God to change him for good. "I was full of coffee," he recalls, "but I understood that Jesus died so I could live with Him, so I trusted Christ."

For the first time in his life, Doug had a Father. The adventure had just begun. The next morning, the new convert to Christianity armed himself with a huge black Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, but soon discovered a problem. His marks had been slipping ever since kindergarten, and he couldn't read a paragraph. One year later a letter arrived from Hank Jaegers. He was studying at Prairie Bible College in Canada. "Why don't you join me?" Asked Hank.

But Jaegers had no idea what it would cost his friend. "By that time I was engaged to be married," says Nichols, "and my fiancée's father told me to make a choice. I could stay in California and have a brand-new Cadillac, a fancy house, and a prosperous business. Or I could go to Bible College up with the polar bears." When Doug decided on the latter, his fiancée turned her back and dumped him. "That Cadillac's in a junkyard somewhere," he laughs. "And I don't know about the girl."

His poor reading and writing skills nearly did him in at Bible college. But in 1966 he somehow made it to graduation, set his determined face toward the mission field, and ran smack into a major barrier. His soiled past and poor marks in school caused thirty mission agencies to turn him down. Finally one called Operation Mobilization said yes. "OM accepts anyone," jokes Nichols.

While learning the Tagalog language, the frustration continued. "Doug," said a teacher after hours of frustration, "do you know what `walang utak' means?"

"No."

"I didn't think so. It means `no brains'!"

But Doug was smart enough not to quit. During twenty years in the Philippines, together with his Bible college sweetheart, he learned a new language, started churches, and founded a new mission, Action International. Today its 130 missionaries feed, clothe, and love thousands of street children around the world, and Doug is on the front line in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

One day Doug was preaching in India and he began to cough. Diagnosed with acute tuberculosis, he was sent to a sanatorium to recuperate. Surrounded by starving and dying patients, he wondered how this could ever turn out for the good. Meanwhile, back in Canada, students at Prairie passed a hat around a room, collected about three hundred dollars, and sent it to Doug in an envelope. Nichols sneaked out of the sanatorium with the money and bought as much food as a shop owner could fit into his truck. Then Doug asked the man to back the truck up to the door of the sanatorium, and Nichols watched in delight as the patients hungrily devoured bread and jam and fruit.

But when he offered them gospel booklets, they refused. Dejected, the young preacher began to despair. One night as he lay awake, unable to sleep because of a raspy cough, he noticed an old man trying to leave his bed, only to fall back, exhausted and crying. The stench from the old man's bed the next morning brought loud insults from fellow patients. He had been unsuccessful in trying to get up and go to the restroom. Nurses roughly changed his bedding. One slapped him. Nichols watched as the old man curled up in a ball and wept.

The next morning about 2:00 A.M., Doug awoke again. The old man was trying to get out of bed. This time, without thinking, Doug left his bed, lifted the frail patient and carried him to the bathroom. When he had finished, Doug carried him back to bed. Jabbering in a language Doug did not understand, the old man smiled profusely, then kissed him gently on the cheek. In the morning, Doug awakened to a steaming cup of tea served to him by another patient who spoke no English. After serving the tea, the patient motioned to Doug that he would like a booklet.

"Throughout the day," says Doug, "people came to me, asking for gospel booklets."

There were nurses. Doctors. Hospital interns. Over the next few days, several came 'by to tell Doug that they had made the same decision he had one coffee-soaked night in California.

"I simply took an old man to the bathroom," smiles Doug. "Anyone can do that."

What act of kindness will you do today that will bring someone to the Lord? People all around us are looking for kindness, just to know that they are loved.

Dear Lord, help our eyes be open today for the opportunity You will place in front of us to show your Love with a kind deed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.