GOD HAS A GLOBAL CONCERN
God called Abram ( Gen 12 , 1-3 ) in the early Biblical record, when he said, .
" I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, and make your name great. You shall be a BLESSING. I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. " God is extravagant in all HIS promises. Only the living God could bless all the families of the earth through a descendant of Abraham.
We live in immediate families, and have our extended families. For example, our six children have married, having 16 living children. So God’s gracious promise applies to them. The ripple in the pool of God’s influence broadens with each generation.
For centuries, Nepal was closed to the life-giving gospel. Pastors were imprisoned for years for preaching and baptizing, while converts to Christ were also imprisoned. Now there is freedom to tell the good news and to receive the Saviour. The Lord had called medical, agricultural and engineering teams to pave the way -and plant good seed. Heaven joys over such harvest.
God planned a PROPHET to the nations. He would be a one-off Person. Deut 18:15 described Him, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like ME from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear. " How exciting that He would be just like the Father. Yes, our Lord Jesus was and is that person, for He said, " I and My Father are one." Another important factor in this one-off Person is His likeness to His people, as Moses records, " I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among your brethren. I will put My words in His mouth, (He is a Man with speech and all human faculties and perfectly-human likeness) and He shall speak to them all that I command Him." His name is Jesus Christ and He is your Lord.
This one-off Person is God and man. This is the incarnation (or God in bodily form). God planned that He would bless every nation. One hundred years ago the Bible was introduced into North Korea. Lives were changed and God sent a mighty revival. Although Korea was torn by wars with Japan, China, Manchuria, and Russia the Word of God grew. The nation divided, leaving Communist North violently opposed to the South, where the Christian faith took root and flourished. Seoul with ten million people has 40% believers. Few nations have developed so vigorously. They have such a missionary vision, that 80,000 this year vowed to prepare for missionary work by the year 2000. While another 100,000 promised God one year of witnessing for their Saviour in North Korea, the most regressive regime of our day. Their parents pledged to support them.
David in his second psalm tells of raging nations, kings of the earth, and rulers taking counsel together against the Lord and His anointed, Who is our Messiah Jesus. The Lord said to Christ, " You are my Son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of Me and I shall give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. " The Father always had every nation of the earth in His planning, and to reveal His Son’s supremacy among them. However, those nations must hear this glorious Word, spoken with human lips.
China has raged against the church of Jesus Christ. In 1949, Communists drove out every Christian missionary, leaving only a million believers, as many were tried falsely, thrown into prison, and numbers executed. Surely the church was doomed.
While Bibles and hymn books were destroyed also in the Cultural Revolution, God’s people met in the houses of China. The gospel came by radio from FEBC in the Philippines and from Kedju in South Korea, welcomed by ravenously hungry Christians. Bibles were smuggled into the nation until 9 years ago a Christian printing press eased some of the pressure for God’s word. Today 75 - 90million Christians follow the dear Son of God, being willing to be tried in the fire and perish if God’s will be so. The greatest growth of the Christian church in its history is in Communistic China. 800 million radios are open to God’s word.
Psalm 22 is the exceptional song of our dear Lord’s cross sufferings. In verse 27 it reads, " all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord. And all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules among the nations. " One thousand. years before the Lord Jesus left heaven for earth, David revealed these prophecies of the One, Who would rule the nations. The Lord depended on human resources to do His work.
. Communist Russia had 11 time zones, thus demanding the manufacture only of short-wave receivers, so that they could tune into Moscow. However God’s wisdom decreed that during the 72 years of harsh restraint of all Christians, the powerful transmitters in Ecuador, the Philippines, and Monaco daily penetrated the ionosphere bouncing the life-giving Word over the iron curtain into the countless homes of Russian and Siberian peoples. In the despised underground church groups, the Word of God was preached. Our great Creator had preserved the ionosphere to filter ultra-violet rays to safeguard our skin from scorching, while reflecting short-wave transmission back to earth. 80% have radios. What a wise God and kind!
Psalm 96 captures this majestic truth for we are commanded to
" Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples." ( v3 ) I told my Indonesian hospital staff that the living God would supply Chloromycetin for many typhoid patients, and He had guaranteed His Word by dying for our sins and rising the third day from the dead. They chuckled, but He marvellously supplied this drug for the poor village people, who now survived. Furthermore, they opened their hearts to the living word. Living in their village, showing compassion to them, promising them such medicines as only God could supply ( and for 2 ½ years after ) , we saw them learn to consider Him. This command " to declare His glory " applies to all God’s children wherever we live.
Within the mighty nation of Indonesia ( now 212 million ) and the largest Muslim nation of our day, God has moved in revival blessing in different manner in varying cultures and areas. For 350 years, the Dutch Reformed church had safeguarded the truth of the Word of God. Then, in their recent national independence, God’s Spirit blew mightily across this unique people.
In Turkey twenty years ago, there were only 5 believers. Today there is growing freedom to preach the gospel, even to open-air groups. God opens doors of His choice
Kurdistan. After WW11 Kurdistan lost her nationhood, and her borders of 4 great nations, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Russia. Many pray for this nation of 15 million. .
In Africa, despite corruption and AIDS and ‘ethnic cleansing’ as in Sudan, Rwanda, the Spirit of God is marvellously working. President Chilubra declared Zambia to be ‘a Christian nation’ on his induction to office. There will be more born-again believers in Africa at year 2000 AD than any other continent.
Singapore is thriving as a commercial centre, and in most of the disciplines. A growing percentage of believers have a compassion for South East Asia, where it is known as the Antioch of the area. Christians have reached top levels in every realm.
Latin America, formerly a Roman Catholic stronghold has joyfully received the gospel of God’s grace. Argentina produced one of the world’s great Spanish and English-speaking evangelists in Luis Pulau, who has preached to every Spanish-speaking nation in South America and the European continent and North Africa.
In the last 50 years, God has raised up some remarkable activities:
Wycliffe Bible Translators, with 5000 members and a vision of translating the Word of God for the Bibleless peoples, sought the world’s best linguists and literacy experts. International leader for many years, was Australian, David (Ruth) Cummings.
YWAM has 5000 serving the Lord in needy areas with potential for God, eg in Eastern Europe, India, Kosovo, Sydney Olympic. They have a University in Hawaia.
OM (Operation Mobilisation) has 2 ships, DOULOS, and LOGOS 2 which visit ports and widely present the news of His salvation. In Sydney this month DOULOS witnesses to thousands.
MAF commenced after the WW11, in Papua New Guinea. Small landing areas dug out with picks and shovels over many months preceded the flights of Cessna's. I have walked 3 days ( 12 hours’ non-stop ) across mountains in Papua New Guinea the flight required 5 minutes. How this transformed missionary life, enabling wives and children, medical supplies and food to enter. Emergency medical flights have saved countless lives in many countries. Support mechanics are prepared by Moody Bible Institute. Now BCV has its training school at Ballarat.
Max Meyer- ex RAAF fighter pilot transferred to MAF. Gifted aviator. Bible teacher.
Mountains of PNG warranted only the most skilful pilots. Now International director.
BGEA Billy Graham launched Los Angeles Campaign, Harringay England ( intense opposition), New York. Beverley Shea, cliff Barrows, pianists. TV, radio, press support. Every post-war President in US ( except Bill Clinton) has called on Billy to stay and pray. ‘What does God want me to do as President?
Decision magazine – best standard of our day in material and presentation. .
1959 Australia had greatest awakening. Bible teaching leaders of our nation were converted to Christ at this time e.g Moore Theological College, BCV. Wife of Principal BCSA. Missionary leaders were born again in 1959. Prayer meetings were commenced, for example, Gwenda and I called men and women to prayer, which have continued, by God’s good grace, until now.
850 million have seen the JESUS VIDEO in 700 languages. Many found Christ.
Radio directors plan to reach every people group of 1 million people by the year 2000
They have cooperated for this immense task, preparing the ground for His return.
Alaska will soon have Russian broadcasts. The Power of Russian Orthodox priesthood threatens local evangelism. Turbines, natural gas, generator, transmitter, antennae, best site in all N. America (VOA) is prepared for Powerful transmission for Moscow, Leningrad, Kiel in West, – Urals, Siberia, 400 Ml/ China 1200 Ml. Japan 120 Ml. Korea 46 Ml. The 34 year old vision will be fulfilled in one year.
Cununurra in WA has a vast flow of water, as basis for a hydroelectric scheme. HCJB plan to reach sub-continent of Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, East Africa, Middle East) South East Asia. Urgently needed are construction engineers, electrical and electronic graduates with a worldwide view of redemptive God at work.
Isaiah foresaw the flow of the nations into the house of the Lord. In the second chapter, verse 2 we read," The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it." Many people shall respond to this invitation. "He will teach us His ways." Does this resemble the expanding church in China, which meets quietly and cautiously in many house churches with 30,000 turning to Christ every day. The growth of the christian church to 75-90 millions is the most exceptional growth since Pentecost. All this when militant Communism took the lives of those who would not renounce their faith in the precious Lord Jesus.
Isaiah 11:9 prepares us for the day when " The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. " How can that possibly be? Is the Lord predicting short-wave radio, which is reflected from the ionosphere and bounced onto the land.. Yes, powerful transmitters cover most of the world through HCJB Ecuador, FEBC Philippines, TWR Guam and Monaco. The Lord waited patiently as thousands of years passed before Isaiah’s word appeared to make sense. The electronic and maintenance engineer, the station coordinator and language consultant as thousands of letters pour in, show that God is doing a new thing.
Tana Toraja in Indonesia has 90% Christian believers, who awakened me with their lively choruses at 4.30 a.m. Yes, every morning. They joyfully tune in to FEBC .for the Indonesian broadcasts. Short-wave is God’s great weapon in 3rd world nations.
In Prime Minister Daniel’s amazing vision, he saw " That the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed and it shall stand for ever. " Daniel 2:44. The King of kings must be proclaimed, so that the hearer shall know HIM.. His laws must be promulgated. His gracious pardon should be announced. What privilege to know His employ.
Four hundred years before the birth of our Lord Jesus, Malachi 1:11 foretold " For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My Name shall be great among the nations ( Gentiles ) ; in every place incense shall be offered to MY name, and a pure offering: for My name shall be great among the nations." God longed for His blood-washed children to spread such good news. Is this too much to do for the Lord Who loved us even till death.? Thank God for my wife’s German forefathers and my Welsh forebears, who endured the monotonous months of mountainous seas in the flimsy sailing vessels to bring the Word of God to our nation - and to us. They were a living link in God’s chain of fulfilment. So must we be in our generation. Our children with their partners have taken the gospel to Indonesia and other parts of South East Asia, USA, Belfast, South Sudan and Ghana. Plan for your family.
OUR LORD JESUS SPEAKS CLEARLY, DECISIVELY TO HIS CHURCH..
In Matthew 24:14, the Lord of life said, " This gospel of the kingdom ( Christ reigning in human hearts and in heaven ) will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end shall come." Christ forcefully shows us that all the world will hear this preaching, which will witness to all nations. Let’s accept the glorious word of our Lord and long for a part in this marvellous movement.
The Christian church must treasure these words which our dear Lord spoke. Here is a charter for our praying, training and our life direction. " Lord, please show me my part in this amazing programme."
The little-known Nagaland, Mizoland, and Manipur of North East India, bordering on Myanmar ( Burma ) are nations where all the people hear of our Saviour- 75-90% know their Lord personally. Eg A builder and visionary believer has kept one exceptional, missionary leader in Manipur for 22 years. Despite their poverty, these Christ-loving nations send their finest young preachers to other parts of India with the life-giving word. Women give part of their rice daily for missions.
The Great Commission is well known. We remember it was spoken by the Lord after His devastating cross-suffering and burial with the triumphal bursting out of the grave in a glorious resurrection body.. Recalling this, we must allow His word to take on new force in our lives. ,
" All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." And then He added a promise exclusively for those who obey His command,
" Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. " ( Matt 28:18-20 ) William Carey responded to this command, translating 29 languages of India, while Hudson Taylor pioneered inland China to reach untouched millions, and Cameron Townsend founded Wycliffe Bible Translators so that the tribes should have God’s Word in their mother tongue. God has men and women of this calibre in our generation. Jeff was a champion volley-ball player, spending his vacations in the needy nations of Asia, climbing their mountains, including Everest in the Himalayas. With his bride he prepared to follow the Lord Jesus so that another remote people shall hear and many be eternally rescued.
Dr Luke prescribed the need for " Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and the preaching of repentance and remission of sins in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem ". ( Luke 24:46-48 ) The early disciples understood their heavenly Lord longed for them to reach every nation. While we are in the first generation in which we may travel to the ends of the earth within 24-36 hours, yet many delay and debate and disobey. And what additional support the Lord gave when He said," Behold I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." God the Holy Spirit was promised as a similar Comforter to what our dear Lord had been. Not a different One. All the divine resources, therefore, are in Him.
24% of all Argentina is evangelical, despite centuries of religious rituals. Hundreds of all-night prayer groups trust God for mighty works. For example, a church of 500 prayed for two months for revival. When a Spirit-filled man preached, blessing followed, with 20,000 added to the church. A delightful embarrassment. Another church has two hourly services each day during the entire 24 hours. This is what the Father promised Paul in Acts 26:14. Paul told King Agrippa how he heard a voice in the Hebrew language. So God used Paul’s actual language. The Lord briefed him in a seven-fold charter. " I now send you to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in ME. " How did Paul feel when the evangelism of the whole Gentile world rested with him? Paul accepted the task, saying, ‘I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.’
Mongolia did not receive the Christian gospel for centuries, until an Englishman went to Outer Mongolia, teaching ‘English as a second language'. He led one of his students to Christ, and she helped him translate the New Testament. While separated for years, he completed the translation, which was accidentally ‘deleted in error’ from his computer, demanding that he reconstruct the translation from rough notes. Many Mongolians have found the Lord Jesus as Saviour and Releaser after reading the life-giving Word.
Wycliffe Bible Translators aim to give the Bible to every language with over one million speakers, while providing the smaller tribes with some of God’s Word. Marvellously, they have completed 400 New Testaments and are working in 1200 additional languages. Little wonder that many of the finest linguists are among the 5000 Wycliffe Bible Translators with literacy workers, computer analysts and many support groups..
The Revelation has a powerful international flavour ( 5:9,10 ), where it reads, " You are worthy.....You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests unto God." God planned the precious gospel ( or good news ) to penetrate each diverse culture, and be known in every difficult language, from valley to mountain top.
Joan Rule, a brilliant Australian linguist, rejected repeated inducements to academic advancement and achievement. God called her. The languages of Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya are distinct and the most complex of the day, though the people were often primitive. God helped Murray and Joan breakthrough every 12-24 months , so giving ancient peoples their own written language, vocabulary and grammar, Ultimately they received the New Testament in their tongue as a treasured possession. I have seen near-naked men ( bows and arrows suspended over their shoulders ) painfully spelling out the Word of God letter by letter, engrossed in their reading, oblivious to me and my camera.
When Joan and Murray moved to another tribe, missionaries continued their research until they had completed the translation. In one generation, they had broken through more than 20 of the most diverse, complicated languages in the history of the human family. They devoted their unique linguistic skills to Christ. Are you a linguist? 3000 languages wait for you.
They recently retired and returned to their beloved Papua New Guinea. Like their Lord, they saw of the travail of their souls - and were satisfied.
Where are the Joan and Murray Rules of this generation? Surely languages fascinate and challenge some, while many peoples wait for the greatest story ever told. Or untold. And the greatest book ever translated. .
And the greatest salvation ever offered freely
And concerning the greatest PERSON. His command to you is still:
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,
Baptizing them in the Name of the Father- and of the Son –and of the Holy Spirit
LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD.’