January 2024
Dear Praying Friends,
Years ago, I knew a pastor who had spent 13 years in the gulags of Russia for the testimony of Christ. He said, “When they arrested me, the first thing they did was take away my Bible. It wasn’t long before I realized how little of God’s word I had because I had not memorized much of the Scriptures. I vowed to the Lord that if He ever allowed me to be freed, I would memorize as much of the Bible as I could so that the next time I am imprisoned, I will have more of God’s Word with me!”
His testimony convicted me; how much of God’s Word had I memorized? How much of the Holy Scriptures would I have if they confiscated my Bible? I determined to strive even more to memorize God’s Word while I had the opportunity. I recently read that the only Bible North Korean Christians have is what they have memorized and passed on to other believers. In the Communist translation of the “Bible”, the names of their dictators replace
God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit!
As we begin this new year, may we each value God’s Word as the eternal treasure that it is! May we strive to read and obey the Bible daily and memorize more and more of it so that we can share the good news of Jesus Christ with our dark and hopeless world!
So thankful for God’s Word!!
Mark Hale
