byers-mel-june-1959-thailand.pdf

8/22/2019 Byers-Mel-June-1959-Thailand.pdf

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THE GREAT COMMISSION REMINDERAmong IheTnbes of Northern Thailand

Goye mfo a// iheworld,andpreach the


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MY ANSWER -The heathen rage and the phi losopher specu la tes and

from man's th inking comes fa i th despera te ly t ry ing tobe l ieve . The a rcha eo logis t la bo rs long hours searchingthrough h i s t o r i c a l accounts in search of a word, a brokenpiece of pot tery , a fragment of bone on which to es tabl i sh f a i th in God, Religious philosophers spend hoursin sp ecu la tio n, defying the laws of logic and dogma, exploring the mysteries of metaphysics, soaring in to worldsof outer space in search of ult imate t ru th , desperatelyt rying to forever blot out the ever present shadow ofdoubt and skept ic ism.

The wor ld o f t h e o r i e s and i d e a s seems t o have no beginning nor end but i s forever drif t ing through the agesof time, ever expanding. In t h i s , man seeks for fac tsand proof that God is God. Science i s shut up to i t sl i t t le world of cold materialist ic conception, seekingt o e s t a b l i s h l aws and d ed uc tio ns w i th in th e con f i n e s o fman's puny brain , leaving his emotions and sp i r i t cold.Therefore, many a man has doubted the exis tence of Godand the fa i th of many Chris t ians has been weakened . Theskeptic and jcri t ic delights J.n taking the loose ends ofa ll this speculation and building his own theory, therebycausing confusion and discouragement. From th i s mass ofconfusion we can s t i l l see the feeble hand of fa i th . Thesoul of a man longs for release from this bondage ofhuman philosophy, human logic, human proof. Concepts oftruth which during one age may be accepted and valid butonly be re jec ted a t another t ime as e r ro r .In t h i s day and age fa i th has been shattered and onefearful ly wonders i f fa i th can be found on the ear thtoday.To the wisdom of this corrupt age I found my answer.I t was out in a l i t t le village in North Thailand, whichin a measure i s s t i l l uncomplicated with the modem inventions and ideologies of man. Ify answer came from anold man, Mr. Ja la . Faithfully he has lived within thelimits of l ife as he found i t . For the past two yearshe has been a follower of the Lord Jesus. His learningand knowledge are very l imited for he is unable to read.Recently a number of unbelievers have been pressingMr. Ja la with questions which he was unable to answer.One day he was te l l ing me about these t roubles . "Somet imes," he sa id , "when the questions come so fas t andmy mind can no longer think, I simply give them my


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answer . " " I have be l ieved on th e Lord J e su s Chr i s t - -and my hea r t i s s a t i s f i e d , "

"Let every mouth be stopped fo r out of the darknessof heathenism the Holy Spi r i t has spoken through thel i p s of a humble and hones t man. Don' t say any morelDon't ask any more quest ions! I am but a poor i l l i t e ra te man - I can ' t answer - I only know t h i s one t h ing -*I have be l i eved - - and I am s a t i s f i e d ' , "

^There i s the wise man who can give the answer tot h i s man's hear t? What has philosophy to say concerning t h i s t ru th? I-Zhat more can science add to t h i sproof? Where i s the mocking skept ic who can laugh?Who i s able to re fu te the voice of the Holy Spi r i t int h i s man - " I have bel ieved - - and my hea r t i s s a t i sf ied ," Let the wisdom of t h i s age be si lenced ands t and in awe b e f o r e t h e u n a l t e r a b l e truth o f this man ' sv e r d i c t .

The f ac t of insp i ra t ion does not r e s t upon the a ttempts o f archa eo lo gy . The fac t of God's exis tence i snot dependent upon the f indings of sc ience . The hopeof immortali ty wi l l never be solved by the mundaneprobings of philosophy. To res t one 's convict ions uponth ese fin din gs i s not fa i th but in ve rs ely finds i t s e l fto be f a i th les sness . True f a i th ca l l s upon men to bel ieve the s tory declared in God's Word. Fai th does notask you to find proof and fac t s - it simply asks you tobelieve. Do not question i t - don' t ask i f i t i s possib le or not - jus t bel ieve . Believe with a l l your hear t .Unreservedly cas t yourself upon Him, who having notseen, i s to invi te the response of Him who i s there -even God. I cannot describe Him, I cannot present proofand f a c t s wi t h i n th e l im i t e d f rames o f human r e a son andlogic, nevertheless I know Him and my ent ire being dec l a r e s t h i s conv i c t i on , " I have be l ieved - - and I amsatisfied,"

Through a l l the searching of the archaeologis t , thesc ient is t , and the philosopher , there i s th i s one l i t t l ephrase from an i l l i t e r a te native which leaps fa r beyondthem a l l . To the intel lectual ism of th i s generation Iask no proo f , I have bu t one answer. " I have be l i eved- - and my hear t i s completely sa t i s f i ed , "


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HOW BIG IS YOUR "AMEN" -The word "Amen" is used a s a so l emn ratification

as of a creed or prayer. I t i s used to show conf i rmation of argument with what has been sa id . Thus whenwe pray according to God*s wi l l , we r ead i ly su f f ix ours ta tem en t w i th an "Amen" o r " so be it".

Within the comfort ing seclusion of a good prayermeeting most every Chris t ian i s capable of adding ahea r ty "Amen" in a f f i rma t ion to the wi l l of God, Yetwhen exposed to the lonely ci rcumstances of everydayl i v ing our "Amen" becomes weak and f a in thea r t ed andhardly a whisper f a l l s from our l i p s . Yet God deemsus worthy of an answer to our prayers .

I f we can say "Amen" to the wi l l of God and meanwhat we say - then x-je. have in essence claimed theanswer to our prayer . The Bible dec l a r es t h a t if we"ask anything according to His wi l l , He heareth us ,""Whatsoever ye sha l l ask the Father in my name, hewil l give i t to you," "l^atsoever ye sha l l ask inprayer , bel iev ing , ye sha l l rece ive ," When we prayin this manner we are in fact saying "Amen", A^n,Lord - so be i t ~Now, it i s one thing to say th i s in a prayer meeting and quite another thing to ident i fy one's se l fwith th is solemn affirmation in the f iery t r i a l s ofdaily l i f e . Yet these two are companions. The lackof a lus ty "Amen" in our dai ly l i fe annuls the boldness of our "Amen" during a prayer meeting. Thus ourprayers go unanswered simply because we f a i l to claimthe answer with a hear ty , loud, bold "Amen" in ourdaily l i fe . When i t is time for prayer meeting, Godis deaf to our enthusiastic "Amen" because God judgesi t s meaning by our dai ly l i f e and He knows tha t wereal ly don*t mean i t - we are but yielding to theemot ion of th e momento

We ask and r e c e iv e no t because we ask wi thou t adding a hear ty "Amen", We don ' t have boldness becausewe jus t d on 't b eliev e. We want our prayers to ascendbefore the throne of God; therefore , from our hear tle t us give a valid "Amen", Otherwise, our prayersbecome but a noisome wind in heaven. Let us put the"Amen" back into our prayers and our l i f e . Let usagain experience a "prayer - l i fe" which wi l l f ind expression in a good healthy "Amen" to a l l the wil l ofGod .


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Bal . Jan . 1RECEIPTS:January $FebruaryMarchApril __

T o t a lDISBURSEMENTS: ( S t a t e s )

1959 $ 2,153.62405 . 00634 . 86552 .07792 .99

Hous eho l d 112 ,,60Food 458 ,,22Travel (car repa i r s , gas .

lodging). . . 707 ,,42Suppl ies 701 ,.40P e r s o n a l 176 ,,36Fi lm, cor respondence 50 ,.84Clo t h e s ( S t a t e s & Tha i l andi) 430 ,.46T r a v e l to Th a i l a n d 1 ,000 ,.61Travel and res idence in Bangkokand t r ave l to Chiengkam 368 ,.85

The Pho to -L i t h Co, 40 ,.70Henry Pr in t ing Co. 22 ,.2 5

RECEIPTS;MayJ u n eJu lyAugust

T o t a l

Total

DISBURSEMENTS: (Tha i land)Household .Food . . . .Film, correspondenceBooks . . . .Emigrat ion ,Suppl ies . , . .Ministers l i fe & CasualtyCheck service charge.

Bal . Sep t . 1 , 1959

460 .93494 . 34568 . 45280 .51

153 . 47322 .6619 . 19

189 . 9118 . 26

192 . 00126 . 25

3 . 56

2 ,384 .92$ 4,538.54

4 ,069 .71468 . 83

1 ,804 .23$ 2,273.06

1 ,025 .30$ 1,2U7.76

In future news le tte rs we hope to have more space forindividual l i s t ing of contr ibut ions .


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"3

THE GREAT COMMISSION REMINDERAmong the Tribes of Northern Thailand

"Goyeinfo a///hcwoHd,andprcach fhe


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. THAT HE GAVE HIS ONIif BEGOTTEN SON

( This scene i s from the Christmas pageant presented by young people fr


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. 2 1H

I f .*

A FISHERMAN

'" '' i

\

K' '-1'iMS: ?

A WIFE

" t?

WIl y 1 ^ I. I ^ V,,, 4 ,^


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10/13

. . . BUT RAVE EVERLASTING LI FE."

O R C H R I S T( A b o m a g a in T h a i B e l i e v e r )

OR GOD WORSHIPPED I N TH E HEARTS OF MEN


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P I N A L I i Y BRE T HRE N PR AY F O R U S

4

m f t

tF o r DORTHY UHLIG a n d IMOGENS WILLIAMS ast h e y m i n i s t e r to th e p h y s i c a l ne e ds oft h e T h a i .


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For MEL as the Living Word is ministeredt o th e Churches .

CHRISTMAS - A CELEBRATION OR EXPERIENCEIn these pictures I pray that you shall once againsee the t rue meaning of Christmas, Here i s the WORDbecoming flesh. Here is the birth of Christ being dramatized in the re-birth of men. The Christmas story is

a missionary story. It is the story of God placing HisHoly seed into the dust and clay of lowly man and raising from this temporal soil "one new man" in the l ikeness and image of His Son,This is our intent and purpose for Thailand. Itis true that we are foreigners in this land, stronglyscented with the traditions of the West, products ofa materialistic and divided church. Nevertheless, webear an imperishable seed, the pristine Word of God,This seed is universal and accommodates i t sel f to thesoil of any nation or culture and in any age. Fromthis timeless supernatural seed we fervently pray thatthe miracle of Christmas shall be dramatized in Thailandevery day.The only way the Thai shall ever know Christmas isby experience - - not celebration.


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Bal. Sept. 1, 1959 . . $ 1,247.76 ^RECEIPTS - SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER:

T r e n t Church o f Ch r i s t .Church of Chr i s t , J i i l tnomahCoburg Chris t ian Church. .Ash l and Ch r i s t i a n Chu r ch .Vermon t Hills Chu r c h o f Ch r i s tNorth Pla ins Sunday SchoolMr. & Mrs. Jay C. Shie lds .Church of Chr i s t , Healdsburg,Church of Chr i s t , Gar iba ld iGrac e & Ge r t r u d e KowalkRockaway Chr i s t i an Church ,Chr i s t i an Church, Molal la .Church of Chr i s t , MilwaukieF r i e n d sDVBS, Los Gatos , Cal i f .Mrs , 0 . K. Hoba r t .Fr i end

Ca l .

To t a l .

$ 20 . 00100 . 0020 .00

182 .7110 . 0016 . 6125 . 0020 . 0020 . 00

100 .0010 . 0 029 .41

165 .0030 . 0069 . 3410 . 0 0

500 .00

DISBURSEMENTS - SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER:Household and repa i r $ 106.11Food 166 .52Film, pic tures and deposi t . 29 .18Correspondence. . . . 19 .05Persona l (medica l - books - t r a v e l ) 47 .46Remainder of p lane fare # 1 ,401 .71The Pho to - I i t h Co. . . . 36 . 70Taxes - Wi Ne Ma lot. 6 , 16Check service charge. . # 1 . 22

To t a l . . .Bal . Nov. 1 , 1959 . . .

1 ,528 .07

$ 2,575.83

$ 1.814.11$ 761.72$ 761.72

byers-mel-june-1959-thailand.pdf

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