| Papau New Guinea Tribesman |
It was an awesome week hearing of their work in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Randy is a pilot so he and David and Ethan shared some pilot- talk. What a privilege it was to extend hospitality to this precious couple who love people, all people, and who have given their lives to share the Gospel. I am sure I tired them out as they spent all day talking with students and then returned to our home to be interrogated by us, me mostly it seemed. I never tired of hearing about their work and the people of PNG. In fact, my heart only grew an even deeper desire to go to these people in far away places and to love them right to Jesus.
The Smyths told us that people groups in PNG are begging for missionaries to come and bring the Good News to them. How could they not be if they have seen their neighboring tribes receive Truth and such freedom? They desire it for themselves. I can’t help but wonder what I as a Christian would say if I ever were to go to people such as these of PNG and they asked me why I hadn’t come sooner to tell them this life-saving Truth. Would I say that other things were more important to me or perhaps that I didn’t want to leave my luxurious life here in America?
Would that paint a true picture of Christ for them? How as a follower of Christ can I not desire to share what I have received from Him, salvation? Jesus came to this earth and gave His life so that all people could be saved. Wherever we are at the moment and wherever the Lord may desire to send us, sharing the Gospel remains our hearts cry.
And speaking of hearts cry, mine was crying the other night as I heard another missionary speak about the people of Thailand. These people are Buddhists and they live in constant fear of spirits, talk about living on pins and needles! Their time is spent on appeasing spirits. I know it is hard for us to understand. We don’t tend to build a beautiful little doll-like house next to our own so that the spirits will want to occupy it instead of our home. And we don’t live our lives, at least I hope not, believing that the system we are born into in society makes us who we are for life.
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| Typical Thai Spirit House |
These beautiful people are chained up in lies. They are prisoners of the devil himself. And I almost chose to believe for myself that salvation, freedom, for them in Christ was hopeless. Wow! I was falling for the lie myself. My heart was so burdened for these people wondering how they will ever get out of their slavery to deception that I fought the covers all night it seemed - tossing and turning. When I finally pulled myself out of the battleground this morning and poured my heart out to God, He answered me through His Word!
That is so amazing to me that first of all the God of the universe hears my prayers and even wants to, and second that He answers, and third that His Word is POWER like no other. God encouraged me as I read Esther 7. What seems impossible in our eyes is not impossible for God. He has defeated our enemy, Satan, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ! All we have to do is believe the Lord, take Him at His Word and step out in faith. I know I make it sound so easy when our flesh is the largest catalyst to this. But our flesh can be crucified with God’s help of course. It is then that God can use us ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His Kingdom.
Esther saved herself and her people, the Jews, through her trust in God. What a picture of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who saved us all. I want to be like Jesus who gave of His very life - left the comforts, the security of heaven, to live amongst us and show us His love, a love so amazing that He took the punishment we so deserved. Jesus is Hope for the people of Thailand and for all people everywhere!
Happy Day to you all as you remember who it is that we serve and why we serve Him, the very One who came to serve us, to bring Hope to the hopeless! - Elizabeth
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