April 18, 2009
…for the Word of God is LIVING and ACTIVE
Last night at the store we ran into one of our Czech friends. When we asked him how he was doing, Honza responded with a big smile and said, “I’m completely exhausted.” His past ten days have been filled with newscasts, presentations, and interviews with journalists as he leads the debut of the new Czech Bible. He recounted how each journalist present at the release party in Prague was presented with his own Bible. For many, it was the first Bible they had ever owned. As the week progressed, Honza heard from one reporter after another that each had spent considerable time reading it.
Here is more news we received from a fellow missionary in Prague:
“Last Thursday night the new and only available modern translation of the Bible was publicly released in Prague. Over 400 people attended the event at Bethlehem Chapel in historic Old Town. I have never seen a gathering of this size in Prague for a Biblical or Christian topic. The event was full of press, young and old, Christians and non-Christians.
Sasa shared from his heart why he wanted to translate the Bible. He told how Jesus Christ changed his life. He explained how God asked him to translate the Bible 17 years ago just after the fall of Communism. It was powerful and it felt like everyone in the room was soft-hearted, willing to listen because of the respect they had for the work Sasa had done.
Then the denominational leader of the Moravian Brethren (the heritage of Jan Huss) taught briefly from Deuteronomy 8:3 .’…man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.’ He shared how hope, life, and truth which we cannot find anywhere else, are found in these pages of Scripture. His teaching also had supernatural tenderness that seemed to just enter straight into people's hearts.
Finally, some famous Czech actors did a series of dramatic readings from Scripture. This reading of the Bible in public, by celebrities, seems to be getting the most news coverage. It was powerful to see the message of God's redemptive love communicated simply to the people of the Czech Republic, from start to finish.
You have to realize... it is extremely rare for the average Czech person to hear a testimony or teaching like this at any single point in his life. I believe all of the prayer that has gone into this day, along with the work of the translation, created a strong foundation for the Word of God to be received.”
This all took place in one of the most atheistic nations in the world!
God’s Word is living and active.
Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates hearts.
Rejoice with us! Your prayers are making a difference. Please keep praying that “whenever we open our mouths, we will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel.”
God is on the move in Eastern Europe!
