byers-mel-june-1961-thailand.pdf

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Property i>iL I B H -i'*'.

OZARSL C-OXaLfuO'i'Jopiin. Mr-THE GREAT COMMISSION REkiNDER

Among ihe Tribes of NorthernThailand

"Ooye/nfo Ql/iheworid,andprcachfhe^osper

Published andmailed free byMEL and JUNEBY&RSTalai Chtenqkam,Chanqwat Chiengrei,

Thailand.Asia

Vol. l l i December, 1961

'And t h e h c o f h e n s h a l lknow that /am th eLord,w h e n l s h a / I b e s a n c f i f i e dQ inyou bfffbre theireyesT^ erCK 96-23

h Forwarding AgentMR.andMR&GEO. KEADY6 4 0 5 S.E.I7th.Ave.Portland 2,Oregon

U.S.A.

N o . 2

" and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe

Two young people from the Leper v i l l a g e , playingthe p a r t of Maiy and Joseph i n the Christmas play.


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THE El OR THE BEGINNING OF HOPEI n the course o f conversat ion a missionary asked avisiting Thai, "Where did man come from?" Indifferantly

the Thai answered, "I d o n ' t know, man j u s t came to be Iguess .""Where does man go a f t e r he dies?" continued themissionary.

"No one knows," replied the Thai "man Just dies andthat is t h e e n d . ""Well then, why i s man on the earth?"

"I d o n ' t know, man i s J u s t here and t h a t i s a l l thereis t o it.""Don't you think it i s important t o know, a r e n ' t youi n t e r e s t e d ? ""No, I d o n ' t thinlc it i s important and I am notp a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t e d . Man i s here, he i s born in to theworld, he dies - why worry about anything else?" We can notchange our c ircums tances , therefore , l i v e the b e s t you canand w a i t f o r d e a t h . "

Buddhism i s b a s i c a l l y f a t a l i s t i c . . The ult imate goalof the Thai i s "Nirvana" (eternal nothingness) but no oner e a l l y believes t h a t it i s at ta inable . The Buddhist i s ahelpless victim o f p a s t incarnat ions and i s powerless toa l t e r the events o f h i s l i f e . Nothing i s able to stop h i s"karma" from working i t s e l f out , therefore, why f i g h t it,why t r y to change? He neither Icnows nor cares why he wasb o r n o r w h a t h i s e n d w i l l b e a f t e r d e a t h . T h i s s o r t o ff a t a l i s m l e a v e s him without hope. His l i f e i s meaninglessand i s l i k e an empty void. He accepts it humbljr and waitsf o r death . This s o r t of complacent philosophj/ i n the l i f eand c u l t u r e o f t h e T h a i is a direct result o f B u d d h i s t i cf a t a l i s m .

The Bible says, "We have as an anchor of the soul ahope both sure and steadfast ." Heb. 6:19 (A.R.V.) Gods e n t h i s Son i n t o t h e world t h a t mankind might have t h i shope. But how o f t e n the message o f s a l v a t i o n and hope gounheeded. Once again the Christmas season i s here andt h i s message of hope i s revived. Will we as Chris t iansallow this message of man's only hope - the babe of


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Bethlehem to be obscured by oiir observing Christmas j u s t' fo r a time of fes t iv i t ies , pageantry and commercialism?May God help us , A world without hope i s a t s takeunless the message o f Christmas becomes rea l . Many wi l lcelebrate Christmas, but how many wil l actual ly experience

i t ? Many things , some of which have been mentioned wil la l l but rob Christmas of i t s message of hope. Let us notbe as the Christmas t ree with a l l i t s decorations jus t tobe discarded the day a f te r Christmas and then forget a l labout it. Let us carry the message of Christmas to a l o s tworld every day o f the year .

Today, s inful man in h is unbel ief and heathenism i sal ienated from t h i s "anchor o f the sou l . " His days a reswif ter than a weaver 's shut t le , and come to the i r endwithout hope." Job 7:6. He dr i f t s aimlessly on the vastocean o f unbe l ie f and specula t ion. He has t r ied a l l sor t sof theories and beliefs yet he s t i l l seems to be wanderingaimlessly about . The law of the jungle i s revived and eachma.n seeks se l f i sh ly fo r h is own survival .

With all t h e c on f u s i o n o f so c a l l e d mode rn art andmusic, sensual i ty , sexaal and daring movies and obscenel i t e ra tu re of th i s space age i s cer ta in ly in dic ativ e o fman's empty hear t - a hear t void of "hope and without Godin th e wo r l d . " A momen t ' s reflection c au s e s one t orea lize th at h is world 's anchor i s n ot h old in g. How impor tan t it i s tha t we as the people of God get the r ea lmessage of Christmas to a l o s t world .Now i s the t ime to take our bearings - focus onheaven 's s t a r t ha t it may guide us back to Him who i s the

"hope of the world." Once again, grip the sol id rockwhich is steadfast and sure ( i t cannot s l ip , it cannotbreak down under whoever steps upon i t ) . I t is the hopewhich reaches fa r the r and ente rs in to the very ce r t a in tyof the Presence of God." (Heb. 6:18-19 Amplified)

"In t imes l ike these you need a Savour,In times l ike these you need an anchor.Be very sure - BE VERY SURE - your anchorholds and grips the so lid rock ."


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TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

Each y e a r t h e Thai c e l e b r a t e s the New Year with a"wate r th rowing" custom. For two or three days you arel i a b l e to get a good dousing wherever you go. There i smuch merriment i n t h i s symbolic washing which endeavorst o make people f o r g e t the p a s t and s t a r t out clean. Isuppose it i s t h e i r way of "turning over a new l e a f . "

At the beginning of each new year we are admonishedt o " t u r n o v e r a nevj leaf" a n d make some " r e s o l u t i o n s " a n ds t a r t on a fresh page and t r y to do b e t t e r . Basical lyt h e r e i s nothing wrong with making a f r e s h s t a r t . It i st h e kind o f courage and determinat ion we a l l need. Butwe cannot malce new y e a r ' s r e s o l u t i o n s w ith regard t ohabi tual s i n , thinlcing by some magic the subconsciousi s absolved of a l l i t s p a s t s i n s , cleansed and stimulatedt o s t a r t anew. This m i ^ t p a c i f y t h e s i n n e r , i n f l a t e h i sego and make him believe he i s a l l r i g h t . This s e l f - i nduced cleansing o f t h e soul may sound good but it i stheological ly wrong. It i s the t r i c k of Satan t o keepone 's soul i n a perpetual s t a t e of s i n and consequentlyi n a perpetual s e p a r a t i o n from God. If some o f our f a u l t sand habi ts are caused by s i n we cannot expect to overcomethem by "turning over a new l e a f r e s o l u t i o n . " We mustf i r s t "resolve" t o get r i d o f s i n by accepting Chris t asour personal Savour. To do anything l e s s i s but the workso f t h e f l e s h . L i k e t h e s a c r i f i c e o f t h e Israelites i t h a st o be repeated each y e a r . There i s no l a s t i n g c l e a n s i n g .Hence each year we come face to face with our s i n s , thesame problems, the same d e f e a t s . Each year we gather our"ego" t o g e t h e r and launch o u t on a "new r e s o l u t i o n campaign" and before one minute of the new year has elapsedthe "new l e a f " i s soi led by the ugly marks of s i n whichstill r e m a i n .

There i s only one kind o f i n t r o s p e c t i o n and d i s c i p l i n ewhich i s v a l i d i n regards t o s i n . Likewise there i s onlyo n e c u r e . Be n o t d e c i e v e d " t h e b l o o d o f J e s u s C h r i s tc l e a n s e t h f r o m all sin."


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J e s u s i s t h e a n c h o r o f t h e s o u l , s teadfas t and s u r e ,'Until you have griped this anchor of the soul - you haven o t - you c a n n o t - e x p e r i e n c e C h r i s t m a s .

^4Buddh i s t v er s io n o f J a c o b 's l a d d e r .Climb t h e s e s t e p s and you wi l l at ta in"Nirvana" ( e t e r n a l nothingness). Noo n e r ea l ly be l ieves t h a t t h i s i sDo s s i b l e .


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God d.oesn't turn a "new page" or look around fo r a "newl ea f" nor play "hide and go seek" w ith th e sub-con sc ious .God "cleanses" the soul from a l l s in . Beyond th i s therei s no sac r i f i ce . I f we re je c t th is in favor of "newreso lu t ions" we trample beneath our fee t the blood of thec o v e n a n t .

There i s only one kind of "new reso lu t ion" permiss ib l e . Resolve to repen t - confess - and seek c leans ing i n accordance x-jith th e prov is ions of th e new covenant .May we place our "attempts" and " reso lu t ions" beneath theblood. This process i s val id fo r e te rn i ty . We need notre turn year ly bu t by fa i th hold our pos i t ion with in theper fec t ion and fu l lness of Jesus Chr is t .Let ' s se t t l e the s in quest ion once and fo r a l l .

'T^y days are swi f te r then a weaver 's shu t t l e ,and are spent mthout hope." Job I'.S(Most of the Thai in the north s t i l l make the i ro^^m cloth in th i s manner)


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FINANCIAL REPORT - MY 1 THRU OCT. 31, 1961Book Balance - April 30, I96I 12,^29.19-Receipts:May $ 386.^0June 277*60July 291.69August 3^^.32September U^U.67October 26^*77Total to Account For $U^560,7UL es s D i s bu rs em e n ts :Household (food,supplies, repairs) $ 937.80

Correspondence 210,00Books (Thai, English, supplies) 228,00School (Children's books, supplies) 1^0.00Film & reprints ^8.83Customs & freight li9.26Postage 31.28Travel (motorcycle, trips to Bangkok)2^1i.U0Medical lUli,00Printing Bulletins 1^6.8^Taxes (property) 5.^6Clothes 80.00Miscellaneous 111,^U~|25307^2

Book Balance - Oct. 31, 1961 $2s2$3.22By the time th is bulle tin reaches the contributingchurches and many friends of Mr. & Mrs. Melvert Byers,Mr. & Mrs . Al l en R. Nicho l s -wi l l be es t ab l i shed in t h e i rnew home in Ashland, Mo.. Mrs, Nicho ls served so fa i thful ly for many years as the forwarding agent for the Byers.Let te rs and money gi f t s are s t i l l being mailed to theNichols ' Por tland add re ss . In the fu ture , please maila l l money gif t s and l e t t e r s to the new agents fo r Mr. &Mrs. Melvert Byers, Mr, &Mrs, George Keady, 6^0^ S, E17th Ave., Portland 2, Oregon. We wish to take th isopportunity to thank the many churches and friends ofMelvert and June Byers who have been contr ibuting tothe i r work in Thailand. They are doing a great work oftaking Christ to those who have never had the opportuni tyto know Christ and study God's Word.


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MEWS ITEMSOctober 6> 1961 -I have been la id up the l a s t month with a foot infection. I t started out jus t as a l i t t l e scratch on myankle. I t would jus t about heal up and then I would talcea t r ip out to a vi l lage and the roads are t e r r ib le - mudand water - and I would reinfect the thing. This l a s ttime it really flared up. I got a h i^ fever and thatbrou^t on my malaria so I was in bed for three days.Now I s i t around with my foot propped up but is s t i l lquite painful . I suspect it wil l turn into a small ulcerand then finally sloff off and heal. At any rate I amgett ing a lo t of writing done.

Dorothy Uhlig l e f t fo r home th is week. Her motheri s c r i t i ca l ly ill and the elders advised her to come homer i ^ t away. She was due for furlou^ in a few months anyway .

Miss Soubirou, our School of Missionary Medicineinstructor is taking a world tour and will be in Bangkokthe las t four days of this month. I would like to go outand see her but will have to wait and see what my foot i sgoing to do. I woTild have to go out by ox-cart and ittakes so long for a round t r ip .

November 30, I96IGreetings from Thailand. The sun has come out to stayfor awhile for the rains have stopped. Already the Thaiare out in the f ie lds harvesting the r ice and it won't belong and I suppose we wil l be f ighting the dust and theheat . Things here are going along nicely - slow but s t i l lprogress i s vis ib le . Sometime in January we hope to havea week's gathering fo r th e b eliev ers - sor t of a schooland t ry to get those in the fa r out vil lages acquaintedwith some o f the o the r s . This wi l l also be our Chris tmas.The Christmas season comes ri^t during the i r r ice harvestand many could not at tend i f we had it in December.The children are fine and busy with school. At presentRinda i s down with a s l igh t a t tack of malaria but otherthan that we are a l l well and happy.

byers-mel-june-1961-thailand.pdf

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