February 2021
Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,
Welcome to the first QMBC Prayer News for 2021. We trust you all had a blessed Christmas season. While we do not know what this year will bring, we know that we can trust our loving God to meet our need in every situation. Maybe this year the Lord will come to take His people home – what a happy prospect! In these times of great uncertainty and perplexity, we must turn to the Word of God for strength and encouragement. We can also sing Bible-based hymns and songs, like this one by Smith and Clarke:
I do not know what lies ahead, the way I cannot see; Yet one stands near to be my Guide, He’ll show the way to me. I know who holds the future and He’ll guide me with his hand; With God things don’t just happen, everything by Him is planned: So as I face tomorrow with its problems large and small, I’ll trust the God of miracles, give to Him my all.
When the Psalmist was downcast, he encouraged himself with the words: “Put your hope in God” (Psa. 42.11 and 43.5). When everything seemed hopeless around and within him, Habakkuk said, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour” (Hab. 3.18). And Paul’s exhortation from prison was: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4.4). And let us take to heart the words of the Lord Jesus, “Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21.28).
For several months during 2020 we received very little mail from overseas, and consequently we were not able to post out as much. However, we are very thankful to the Lord that we did actually receive and post out some mail every month. The following table shows a month by month summary. (Note: the outgoing mail is always much more than that which comes in, as it contains the new sets of lessons, rewards etc.)
There was no change in the volume of mail received as far as our Australian students were concerned. Thailand was closed for several months, and we received no mail at all from there for the months of June, September and October. In November we received a large batch of mail, and again in January. Flights out of Thailand are apparently few and far between at the moment, but we are thankful that the mail eventually gets here!
Note: As we go to print, we have today received another 76 lessons from Thailand, so it seems things may be getting back to ‘normal’ again!
We have not heard that any of our students have contracted the COVID-19 virus, nor any of our workers, a fact that we give much praise to God for.
We would like you to pray particularly for a permanent Director and younger workers for QMBC. All our volunteers are over the age of retirement, and if the work is to continue we will need younger believers to come forward to carry on the work.
Praise Points
- For the mail that has come through despite the pandemic.
- For preservation from the virus for our students and workers.
Prayer Points
- That a suitable (permanent) person will be found for the position of Director.
- That some younger believers will be exercised to help with the work of QMBC.
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:
Thomscol, age 15, Papua New Guinea:
My Sunday School teacher taught me about the time of judgment and I was very afraid. My teacher told me, don’t be afraid, just believe and you will be saved. I don’t know the date, but the day was Sunday, the year 2005 – that’s the time I received the Lord Jesus as my Saviour.
Eric, adult, USA:
I was saved on 1st June 2019…I got tired of living life my way and decided to give my all (body, spirit and mind) to Jesus Christ without holding anything back. I’m now saved, baptized and closer to God and Jesus than ever before. This is the best Bible lessons I’ve ever done! Please sign me up for all of your free correspondence courses by postal mail. They are a blessing and a light in a dark world. God bless all those associated with these Bible studies. Your work is appreciated
Nonso, age 35, Thailand:
Thanks for your lessons with the stamps and the Word for Today you sent to me. I am always so happy when I hear from you. May God Almighty continue to strengthen you for your good work. These lessons have made me to actualize the truth in the Word of God.
Frances, age 35, Thailand:
My heart is full of hope and appreciation for sending me all these Bible courses, it really makes a great impact in my life, in fact, I’m a changed man…especially towards the things of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for your help and God bless.
Chinedu, age 32, Thailand:
Gentle greetings and sincere salutation from me, it is my honour to be writing this letter of mine to you today. I took it upon myself to put it into complete and accurate writing concerning your good effort toward people, especially we prisoners, and I also want to thank you for the stamps you sent to me.
Aissita, age 33, Thailand:
Truly being born in a Christian home is not a guarantee to be saved or doing good works etc., but to love the Lord Jesus and follow His example. It is a daily fight to overcome the flesh, but how I feel when I read the Word of God, and when I pray shows me that my Lord Jesus is doing His work in me to bring me to perfection…when I meditate on His love and His faithfulness towards the work given to Him by his Father to save us, I love Him the more. No one is like Him, He is a good shepherd.
Dennis, age 44, Hong Kong:
Thanks for the wonderful courses that you always send me and I’m looking forward to the E Course too. These lessons have and are still helping me to push on with my life. I appreciate your prayers and believe that not a single prayer is wasted. I know that the Lord allowed this to happen to me [his imprisonment] for His own reasons, but also so that I can know deep in my heart that I cannot rely on anybody or anything else but Him and He will meet all my needs in Christ Jesus.
Andreza, age 29, Hong Kong:
The Lord Jesus, He is already my Saviour here in prison, He has come to my heart and I love Jesus because He loved me first.
Jonny, Hong Kong:
It is always a pleasure to receive [the lessons] from you. I am thanking you for the certificate given to me. This is a big encouragement and I bless God for you all. I am grateful to God for His mercy on mankind. Though the COVID-19 pandemic did a lot of negativity to the economy and lives, we must as well thank God our Father. Nothing comes for nothing. I believe God knows why, and I hope you all are safe and healthy. I got the Bible, I am very very pleased and I am now fully committed to the words of God as John 15:7 says. I am willing to serve God and I want to increase more in His words and knowledge.
Shapon, age 40, Hong Kong:
Yes the Lord Jesus has come to live in my heart, even though I have sinned, committed crimes, was hard-headed, full of pride, hard to trust and believe others, because of my past experiences in life. I’ve been so bad to myself and others, I don’t even know how to forgive myself and those people who hurt me painfully. I was imprisoned for my bad experiences and it was like a nightmare for me that I couldn’t even wake up [from]. But then I realized that I have sinned and He came to save me from the world. God sent me a Bible through my biological brother who is in a Christian ministry in London, and He sent you [QMBC lessons] for me to understand more about the Christian life.
Australian Student, age 12:
I accepted Christ as my Saviour on the 27th February, 2016…at a gospel meeting of a missionary from America. I had written him a letter telling him that I’d been struggling to complete my daily goals for school and that I knew the only way that I could get back on track was if I got back on track with the Lord. When he read the letter he called me over to him and told me what I had to do, and there, inside that lit-up Gospel meeting tent that night, I received Jesus Christ into my heart…I look back on that night as my happiest night ever.
From students doing the Panorama Courses:
Heidi, age 39, USA:
Yes! I am saved! The Lord has changed my life. I don’t look at it as I used to do. God has been so good to me.
Australian Student, age 31:
My housemate surrendered her heart to Jesus in church the other morning. Changes are happening in her life. Praise God! Please pray for her spiritual growth and her walk with the Lord.
Australian Student, age 40:
Yes, I pray for my husband’s grandmother, who is 85 and lives alone 500 km away. I pray for her to be well, and for God to look after her. I am concerned she is taken advantage of money-wise by people close to her. She is a righteous person who lives in a dangerous place, and is too stubborn to move closer to us.
Australian Student, age 31:
There are certainly a few ups and downs at the moment. But God is still at work. My housemates have been watching on-line church with me; a work colleague and I had a great conversation about the Gospel, and prayers from members in my church small group are being answered. God is so good. I am so thankful to have extra time to rest, focus on priorities, and spend solid time with God in his Word.
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