Got IT Skills?

Today’s job market is wide open for those who have skills in the area of Information Technology. Businesses are crying out for network administrators, software developers, computer technicians, etc. The same is true in the world of missions. Currently NTM has needs not only here in North America but all around the world for people who are trained in the area of Information Technology.

Please pray that God would raise up people to meet those needs. Also if you know of anyone who has I.T. skills and a heart for missions, please pass on this link to them:

https://usa.ntm.org/go/find-opportunities/technology

Thanks!

 

How precious is God's Word to us???

When I read this from a missionary prayer letter, I had to ask myself, "How much do I value God's Word? How much of an effort am I making to spend time studying His Word?" The prayer letter describes some folks who live in a remote location. They do not have missionaries living with them at the present time, nevertheless they want to study God's Word with their missionary friends. The prayer letter certainly is a challenge to all of us:

 

"They had to take a dugout canoe for the first day of their trip out, and then walk a day and half for the rest of the trip to where they could catch a small plane to the city where they could get a bus and travel 14 hours to our place! They go to all that trouble just to study the word of God together with us. God’s word is that precious to them!"

 

Now that is commitment! That type of dedication makes my feeble excuses—such as I am too busy—look extremely pathetic!

Bagwido Bible Dedication

I just saw this video and was moved as I recalled my former students. It seems like it was only yesterday that Brian and Mark were sitting in my phonetics class. What a privilege it is to have played a part in getting God's Word into the Bagwido language through these dear brothers and their families. I am so thankful for all those who have supported me in the ministry of training missionary candidates to take God's Word to the ends of the earth! Thanks for your part in helping to get God’s Word into the language of the least reached people groups around the world. Your gifts and prayers are making a difference in lives of people with little or no access to the Word of God.

 

 

https://vimeo.com/108613838

Sitting with Job's Comforters

I was going through the book of Job and something popped out at me.

Job’s so called comforters, probably thought that they were the Theologians who had all their ducks in a row and were doing their utmost to defend the integrity of God.

After all the dialogue is over, God confronts Job.

At that point I wondered if Job’s comforters actually witnessed what God said to Job. Let’s say that they did, for the sake of argument. I could see them cheering on the sidelines as God takes Job to the woodshed. They might be shouting, “That’s right God! Give it to him good! We were right and he was wrong!!!”

And then we read:

Job 42:7  And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.

I could just see their collective jaws drop at that point! They were probably thinking, “Wait a minute! What?! We were just trying to defend You, God! We are the conservatives who are doctrinally correct!”

Sooooooooooo, I wonder how many times I have blasted someone else out of the water thinking that I am the one who has all his theological ducks in a row!!!

If they assign rows in heaven based upon theological smugness (or lack thereof), I just hope I don’t have to sit in the same row as Job’s comforters!!!

Jesus Took My Place

Last month I told you about Matt and Craig who are former MTC students. They work with a people group in a remote location in the Asia-Pacific region. After sharing the gospel with the people they are working with, many placed their faith in Jesus. Here are a few more testimonies from some of the new believers there.

Dori: “I am now connected with God. It should have been me on that tree paying for my sins, but Jesus took my place. I believe that so now he has taken away my sins!”

Am: “I believe that Jesus took my place and died for me. As he did that, he paid my sin price. I am now joined with him and will go to be with him when I die. What matters is that I believe what he has said and so because of that I am his child and his spirit lives inside me.”

Olotina (Am’s wife): “I am a sinner. Jesus came down to save me. When he died, his blood paid my sin debt. He paid for all my sins – past sins, present sins and future sins. I am so happy about this news. I just want to learn more about Jesus. I want to learn to read so I can read God’s word!”

Netiana: “Yesterday my heart was so heavy. But now it is light! God ripped the curtain from top to bottom, and when he did that he was saying, ‘You can come and be with me now!’ Jesus paid my price so now I can go to be with God! I am connected with him because of what Jesus did when he died.”

Anius: “I am a sinner. We are all sinners in God’s eyes. But God has taken my sins and has paid for them. He did that so that I could be connected with God. So now I am connected with God based on what Jesus did for me when he died in my place.”

Elena: “Jesus paid for my sins both past and future. Even if I sin in the future, Jesus has paid for that! I will still be God’s child!”

Yesterday in church were reminded of the Jewish Passover story. In Exodus 12:13 God said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” This is a beautiful picture of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. These new believers understand that message, because Matt and Craig laid a foundation by teaching through Old Testament stories such as the Passover, before presenting the message of the gospel. Because of the training they received here at the MTC another least reached people group have heard the good news of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

It is a privilege to have a part in the lives of those who are going overseas to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for all those who have partnered with me in this ministry.

Bob

* * *

Where Are You Looking?

If you want to be distressed, look within.

If you want to be defeated, look back.

If you want to be dismayed, look ahead.

If you want to be discouraged, look around.

If you want to be delivered, look to Christ.

If you want to be delighted, look up!