Showing posts with label Service to others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Service to others. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Missions Budget

I read this in a missionary letter that I recently received.

Recently a Malaysian pastor told me a story which touched my heart. He told me of the Mizo tribe living in Northeast India, north of the Myanmar border. They were evangelized by missionaries from Wales in the early 1900s. As a result, there is today a Presbyterian church of one million members, and they have been able to support 10,000 missionaries of their own to various parts of India. How can a poor tribal people living in the mountains growing rice for a livelihood do this? The answer is their commitment to "Bu fai th'em!" which literally means "hand, rice, give".The wife will take a handful of rice three times a day, before adding any to her own family pot, and put the rice into a special jar. On Saturdays this jar full of rice is taken to the market to be sold and the money is given to the church as a designated gift for missions. Last year they were able to raise $4 million to support their missionaries!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Christmas Spirit II

More from Packer.

The Christmas spirit is the spirit of those who, like their Master, live their whole lives on the principle of making themselves poor - spending and being spent - to enrich their fellowmen, giving time, trouble, care and concern, to do good to others - and not just their own friends - in whatever way there seems need. There are not as many who show this spirit as there should be. If God in mercy revives us, one of the things He will do will be to work more of this spirit in our hearts and lives. If we desire spiritual quickening for ourselves individually, one step we should take is to seek to cultivate this spirit.
J. I. Packer,
'God Incarnate'
in Knowing God