The Power of the Word

Sherri · #1 08-02-2010, 08:24 AM

I've been reading a fascinating book called "These Words Changed Everything". It's about a couple that went into an unreached Indian tribe in southern Mexico in the fifties as Wycliffe translators. They had to live like locals, and learn the language, which had never been alphabetized or written down. Then they took years and years to translate the Bible into the Chamula language.

They had to hire locals to help them with understanding translations and passages, to make sure they would get it exactly right. NONE of these people were saved. As they would work on the Bible and translate it passage by passage into phrases that were understandable, the helper would start to weep as he was convicted of sin in his life or miraculously understood who Jesus is. This happened over and over through the years. Those hired helpers then would take the Bible (or what they called The Good New Words) to their people and that's how the Chamula tribe was reached.

The Wycliffe couple did not go there to evangelize, and they didn't preach or teach, except for one-on-one when questions were raised during translation. The Word did the entire work! When they went back at age 85 to visit one last time, there were thousands of Chamula Christians!! He stood before the huge gathering and quoted that scripture where Simeon said basically that now he could go on home because he had seen the fulfillment of what he longed for (Jesus). I know he was still alive at age 89, but he would be 91 now, so I don't know if God has taken him yet or not.

Anyway - I just wanted to thank God that the Word is powerful!!

Barb · #2 08-02-2010, 08:57 AM

The Word is indeed powerful, and this is a wonderful testimony to that fact. Thanks for reminding us once again what treasure there is in God's Word.

crakjak · #3 08-02-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

I've been reading a fascinating book called "These Words Changed Everything". It's about a couple that went into an unreached Indian tribe in southern Mexico in the fifties as Wycliffe translators. They had to live like locals, and learn the language, which had never been alphabetized or written down. Then they took years and years to translate the Bible into the Chamula language.

They had to hire locals to help them with understanding translations and passages, to make sure they would get it exactly right. NONE of these people were saved. As they would work on the Bible and translate it passage by passage into phrases that were understandable, the helper would start to weep as he was convicted of sin in his life or miraculously understood who Jesus is. This happened over and over through the years. Those hired helpers then would take the Bible (or what they called The Good New Words) to their people and that's how the Chamula tribe was reached.

The Wycliffe couple did not go there to evangelize, and they didn't preach or teach, except for one-on-one when questions were raised during translation. The Word did the entire work! When they went back at age 85 to visit one last time, there were thousands of Chamula Christians!! He stood before the huge gathering and quoted that scripture where Simeon said basically that now he could go on home because he had seen the fulfillment of what he longed for (Jesus). I know he was still alive at age 89, but he would be 91 now, so I don't know if God has taken him yet or not.

Anyway - I just wanted to thank God that the Word is powerful!!

That is so wonderful!

Pressing-On · #4 08-02-2010, 10:25 AM

How beautiful and awesome!!!!

Sherri · #5 08-02-2010, 09:46 PM

I thought we needed a HAPPY thread.

Barb · #6 08-03-2010, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

I thought we needed a HAPPY thread.

Amen to that, sister...!!

mfblume · #7 08-03-2010, 12:21 PM

Amen and amen. I love the Word. It is higher than God's own name for it IS GOD.

Aquila · #8 08-03-2010, 12:33 PM

Praise God!

Sister Alvear · #9 08-03-2010, 03:25 PM

Thank God for Wycliffe translators!

While so many lately it seems have so many stones to throw at those who believe different others are out there studying day and night working under unbelievable circumstances so that the word of God can be read in someone's own tongue...I weep to think of their sacrifices and hope I am not near any of them on judgment day...I fall far short...
Thank you Sherri for reminding us...

Sister Alvear · #10 08-03-2010, 03:43 PM

All my life I have worked in a Roman Catholic and Spiritist country...I shutter as I see hundreds of saints and gods...Yet on the other hand (and do not think for one moment I agree with their religion) however when I was 19 years old I spent the night in a convent (makeshift) beside the Xavante Indians and listened to the stories of the priest and nuns and 3 families from Rome that lived outside the tribe on no man’s land...I sat in their mass service and wept wondering where were I would stand in judgment...and vowed to spend the rest of my life as a missionary. All my life I have never forgot that great sacrifice from those people to get the knowledge of what they judged truth to a wild cannibal Indian tribe along the River of Death...

I stood in a leper colny at the priest's home...he had spent all his life in the city of the living dead taking Rome to the people...I wept as he handed me a peice of communion bread...I had not walked to his house to take communion..but happened to walk in as they were taking it...

He had grown old among the lepers preaching his version of Jesus....

I just wonder why we that claim truth are always so slow to reach the lost...We condemn others but many times their LOVE far surpasses ours to a cause that we claim we love above all others...

Weep my friends....weep....

Rejoice my friends rejoice that the Bible is being translated....