As we write this Eblast, our minds are reflecting on the life and recent death of Ravi Zacharias. You will be inspired if you take the time to read his obituary which is online. He was born in 1946 in Madras, India and has traveled the world, loving people and compassionately sharing Christian knowledge to those of all religions and isms. Following his death from cancer on May 19, we who are encountering the attack of the devil to remove the mind and heart of the souls of our nations and especially China, can receive comfort and encouragement from his journey.  

Google search reveals the following regarding him.
His family was Anglican but he was a skeptic until the age of 17 when he tried to commit suicide by swallowing poison. While he was in the hospital, a local Christian worker brought him a Bible and told his mother to read to him from John 14 which contains Jesus’ words to Thomas the Apostle. Zacharias said it was John 14:19 that touched him as the defining paradigm, “Because I live, you also will live,” and that he thought, “This may be my only hope: a new way of living, life as defined by the Author of Life.” He committed his life to Christ, praying that “Jesus if You are the one who gives life as it is meant to be, I want it. Please get me out of this hospital bed well, and I promise I will leave no stone unturned in my pursuit of truth.”

In reflection of what Ravi Zacharias stood for and the influence he had in stating the obvious facts, he has given renewed energy to those of us who are standing in the gap to guard the hearts and souls of those for whom the Lord has given us a passion. Could it be that as we carry out our passion for funding Bibles in China there are other Ravis the Lord will raise up to carry on defending the Bible and its truths to places that none of us will ever be able to go except by making sure they have the truth of His Word. Last year when we were sitting together in Wuhan with the church leaders, we were told that one of the hardest things that they are facing is the reality that the CP is trying to change the minds and hearts of the people. Our job as believers and followers of Christ is to do everything possible to keep the Bible and Jesus Christ central and in the forefront of those with whom we work. 

The challenge that we have as Christians today is to keep Christ and the truth of the Bible as our passionate mission which will give the ability to maintain truth through the Holy Spirit. Bibles for China is doing all we can to maintain the capability to fund Bibles which gives individuals the means of knowing that Jesus Christ exists and cares for them. God gave us His inspired Word so that we each can build our lives on the truth and authenticity of the Bible which is our only hope. We need your intercessory prayers and support in order for us to carry out the hope of the gospel. This is the “Good News.”

Psalms 37:4 reminds us to “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” In the midst of this difficult season we’ve been able to sense the peace of God in His provision. Before COVID-19, Bibles for China had trips planned to be in China to work with our team members that the Lord has miraculously given us. The devil works to thwart God’s plans through confusion and diversion. The devil’s plan is to remove Christ and His Word and replace it with humanism and secularism and a willingness to deny the existence of God.

Due to the global pandemic and confusion in China and around the world, the opportunity for us to work more directly with those we have spent time with over the last 10 years has opened up. This has provided us a commonality of issues and has given us an anchored confidence in the Lord. He reminds us in Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” What the devil was going to use — the Lord is using it for good. At the present time this is true and we are pleased to have this open door to make a difference for Christ. We are reminded that God’s Word enables us to do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth.