November 2018
Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,
In our August Prayer News we focused on what constitutes the Truth. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the truth” (John 14.6). He also said in his prayer to his Father, “I have given them your word . . .” (John 17.14) and “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17.17). We now know and are assured that the Bible is “the Word of Truth” (2 Cor. 6.7 -KJV).
As an example of how the rationale of the people of the world is in conflict with the plain teaching of Scripture, consider the future world population. People think that it will steadily increase, and that there will be no apocalypse; they think that, eventually, there will be wordwide peace. (They are right in expecting world-wide peace, but this will not be attained by human effort, as they suppose.) The Apostle Peter warns us that “in the last days scoffers will come . . . They will say . . . everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3.3-4). How terribly wrong they will be found to be!! The Scriptures tell us plainly that the world population (now approaching 8 billion) will be decimated as it was in the days of Noah (see 1 Pet. 3.20). There will be an apocalypse “unequalled from the beginning of the world until now” (Matt. 24.21), when vast numbers of people will be killed. Our readers should refer, for example, to Rev. 6.8 and 9.18. But in God’s time, the King of peace will come and establish peace on earth such as the world has never known.
However, our immediate need is to be made right with God by faith in the Lord Jesus. Those who put their faith in him TODAY can be assured that they have eternal life and peace with God; they can also be assured that they will be delivered from the terrors of the coming apocalypse (1 John 5.13; Rom. 5.1; 1 Thess. 1.10; Rev. 3.10). We should, therefore, be emphasising that there is no better time than NOW to be saved, and no better time than NOW to evangelise.
This is the reason for the work of QMBC, and we continually uphold our students in prayer so that they might be saved. The mail continues to come in fairly regularly from Hong Kong and Thailand, and a smattering from other countries, but sadly we are now getting very little from PNG. Unfortunately we don’t expect this to change in the near future, given the current situation in that country. On the other hand, it is pleasing to see that the number of students doing the lessons in Australia has increased over the past twelve months.
In our last Prayer News we mentioned that we had obtained quotes for painting the outside of the building at Yeronga. This work was undertaken over a period of four weeks, and we praise God that it has now been completed satisfactorily, and without accident or incident. The cost of this project was met from investments held with Stewards Foundation.
From time to time we provide a breakdown, by country, of the number of students who have returned lessons in the previous twelve months. For the twelve months to October 2018, a total of 1,263 students returned their lessons. The breakdown is as follows:
[Five new countries were added this year, and students from seven countries listed last year did not send back their lessons, the net result being that there were students from 23 countries this year, including Australia.]
Praise Points
- The dedication of the volunteers who maintain the work of QMBC.
- The provision of funds and the safety of workers during recent maintenance work.
- The encouraging letters from our students.
Prayer Points
- Provision of backup for existing workers.
- That younger people will be encouraged to join in the work.
- That those students who are in adverse circumstances will be encouraged to go on.
From our Students
Please take time to read the enclosed excerpts from some of our students’ letters and answers to assignments, which we are sure you will find interesting.
From students doing the basic courses:
Margarette, age 37, Hong Kong:
I received my Bible study last Thursday from you, and I thank God for bringing you into my life. I am really enjoying God’s Word, and I want to teach others. While here in prison I finally decided to give my life to the Lord, as for a long time before, I knew that He loves me, [but] I kept rebelling, So last November I decided to serve God, in my heart I prayed and accepted Jesus as the Lord of my life. But then I didn’t have enough courage to share it with anyone so I just kept it between me and God. As I kept reading His word and praying, God has taught me to have courage… and to confess to everyone that Jesus is Lord of my life.
Julius, age 44, Thailand:
I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour, and that I am saved. There is something that happened in my life in all these years I have been in this prison, that never happened to me when I was out there in freedom. When I was outside I didn’t know how to pray or praise and worship my God, but today the only thing that gives me joy here is to read my Bible, and pray at all times… I thank God every day for coming to prison. Your lessons and reading my Bible every day here in the prison, makes me know God’s plan for me, and I grow in God’s knowledge every day. All thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude, age 40, Thailand:
I thank the Lord for dying for me on the cross, for without Him I can do nothing. The life I live today is His, not of my goodness or righteousness. Your lessons have taught me a lot about Jesus and His wonderful promises upon mankind which never fail. Today I have accepted Christ as my Saviour and no turning back again to unprofitable desires and pleasures.
Emeka, age 27, Thailand:
I want to use this opportunity to thank you for all you have done for me…through these lessons, I have gained more knowledge in the Word of the Almighty God. Something nobody can take away from me. The Word of God made me understand in Romans 10:9 that if I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart the God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. Immediately I made that confession and I strongly believed that He has come to live inside of me. Secondly, the Word of God made me to understand in the book of 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old things have past and new things have begun in his life.
Onyekiekne, age 33, Thailand:
[The Lord Jesus] has come into my life and my heart because I chose to receive Him as my Lord and personal Saviour since I have found myself in the prison. When I was in the free world I used to go to Church, but never knew the magnificent and the powerful miracle of God in my life. Since I came to this prison He has been so good to me by providing and supplying all I needed.
Chinonso, age 38, Thailand:
I came to know God…in the prison. I strongly believe that this place is the best place for anyone who wants to change their life from evil way of doing things. God has changed me from bad to being a Christian. The more I go through the holy Bible, the more I have wisdom and knowledge of God. The Bible teaches me more about forgiveness and praying for your enemies as well. God loves me so much that He is always there for me ever since I accepted Him in the prison as my personal Lord and Saviour, my whole life has changed systematically.
Sally, age 69, USA:
I was invited to a prayer meeting one night and the preacher was preaching about Christ and salvation. My heart was convicted as a sinner, I was lost and undone, without God or His Son…the preacher explained the plan of salvation and I believed and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Praise God.
Luis, age 34, Thailand:
I am grateful to you all for sending me the letter [lessons] to know the Lord more, and the answers. Now I am sure that I have hope since knowing the Lord Jesus. I know that I’m a bad sinner, what I did in this life, perhaps through ignorance, maybe through choosing incorrect ways that cause one to make mistakes. Now I’m changing, sometimes I make mistakes but I’m trying to improve more and more with the support of our God. Nightly, at midnight, I pray to our God, I speak with Him, I sing about Him and I bless Him and I know that He listens to me. Finally I thank you all for praying for me.
From students doing the Panorama lessons:
Australia:
[In answer to where we can obtain good advice] We can obtain good advice from God’s Word (this is the most important), from Mother and Father, and from our leaders who keep watch over us [Heb. 13.17]. However, God’s Word is the most important; it lights up the path of life – it’s a lamp for us as we journey on the path of life to help us make wise choices.
Australia:
Whilst I may not have had a road-to-Damascus conversion, the Lord reveals himself to me in numerous ways through his Word and by the promptings of the Holy Spirit supported by his Word. Sometimes too it is the ‘still small voice’ [1 Kings 19.12].
Jackson, Hong Kong:
There have been times in my marriage when I have felt that the Lord Jesus would not be welcome – times when I tried to handle things on my own. But when things didn’t go my way and I invited him, things then worked perfectly to his glory.
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