GIVING & SHARING NEWSLETTER November, 1992 No. 20

Getting the WORD Out

A number of organizations are involved in publishing and distributing Bibles and Scripture portions around the world. There is a tremendous thirst for Bibles in poor countries. Because of efforts of Scripture distributors, the day is coming, if it is not here already, that many Third World peoples have a better understanding of the Bible, than Europeans and North Americans.

An American ministry serving people around the world is Old Paths Scripture Press, P.O. Box 1, Broomfield, CO 80038. As funds are available, they will send a Bible to any person who writes to them for one Bible for themselves. Do not ask them for a Bible if you already have one, and do not ask for more than one.

Another group is the Bible Foundation, P.O. Box 908, Newberg, OR 97132, headed by Jerry Kingery. Having retired from the sale of his business, Kingery heads a volunteer work of distributing free Scripture portions and used Bibles throughout the world. If you have used Bibles, even damaged or portions of Bibles, we encourage you to send them to Kingery for free distribution overseas.

These folks do NOT push any personal doctrinal agenda, but merely present the Bible to as many people as possible, and let God open up their hearts and minds. Truly, it is more blessed to give than receive, and we rejoice that there are other ministries such as these who want to help others with the Truth of God.

Online Bible Program

The Online Bible Program, for either IBM compatibles or the Macintosh, is available at minimal cost from: Online Bible Ministries, c/o Larry Pierce, 11 Holmwood St., Winterbourne, Ontario, N0B 2V0, CANADA, telephone (519) 664-2266 (afternoons), or Missionary Computer Fellowship, 106 East Church Street, Orlando, FL 32801, telephone (407) 422-9265.

Features of this Bible program are too numerous to mention. Write or call Online Bible Ministries for more information.

Doing the Right Thing

In talking about politics with others, I find that the average person “knows” what is wrong with our government. They know that you cannot forever spend more than you earn. They know that the government cannot always do for the individual what he can, and should, do for himself. They know that laws cannot continue to be flagrantly disobeyed and criminals unpunished, or sooner or later, we will face anarchy.

Yet, in spite of this knowledge, it seems that governments don’t always implement what the majority knows should be done. Why is this so? The average person knows the government can make laws, but cannot change hearts and minds. Wrong attitudes are the real cause of these problems. Who can change our attitudes so that these problems can be solved? Only God can!

If you talk about the Sabbath with others, you will find that the average person “knows” that the seventh day of the week is the Bible Sabbath. Catholic and Protestant theologians nearly unanimously agree that you can search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and find no authorization for Sunday sacredness.

Why, then, doesn’t the average person keep the Sabbath? For the same reason that our government problems of massive deficit spending, inefficient and ineffective programs, and spiraling crime, seemingly cannot be solved. It is a matter of attitude. Only the Lord can change hearts and minds!

You see, it is the other district’s politician who causes deficit spending. Our representative gets special perks for our district, and this is fine. All of the other representatives are the problem. Trouble is, our neighbors feel the same about our district representative!

Likewise, excuses abound for not keeping the Sabbath. “The Church has the authority to change Sabbath to Sunday,” some believe, even though this is not authorized by Scripture. “It’s for Jews only,” or “it was nailed to the cross,” or “it doesn’t matter which day we keep,” are some common reasons given for not keeping God’s Holy Day.

As in politics, we should admit that “the buck stops here.” We may not be able to change deeply entrenched political systems. But, with God’s help, we can adjust our own lives, making them more in harmony with God’s will. We have an individual responsibility to do the right thing.

Doing the right thing in politics, and religion, is a matter of attitude. We can know the right thing to do, but only with God’s help can we do the right thing. The good news is . . . that the bad news can be turned into good news . . . when you change your attitude! Ω