Guns for Bibles - From Captain's Blog

Thanks to Captain Rob Reardon - his link is on the left "Captain's Blog". Here is a re-post of his article. God is good!
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Salvation Army Helps Tribes in Papua New Guinea Exchange their Guns for Bibles
Wed at 9:17am

TWENTY-SIX years of tribal fighting in a remote region of Papua New Guinea have been brought to a close thanks to a Salvation Army programme that involved warriors swapping their guns for Bibles.

The fighting, which began after an accusation of sorcery, took place between two groups of Zugu, Taro and Tawansaru villages and the Amusa, Tarotu, Fusa and Takaitu villages of Okapa District. Because of the area's remoteness, government authorities, community leaders and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were unable to bring peace. The only people who could enter the villages were pastors from various churches.

Male children were raised to fight. Mothers were frustrated and saddened by giving birth to baby boys and raising them, only to find that later in life they would take up arms and fight like their fathers. Some even took the drastic step of killing male babies in the hope that this would stop the endless fighting.

In recent years the warring tribes heard about The Salvation Army Community Advancement and Reform Enhancement (CARE PNG) programme operating out of its Misapi outpost. The officer (minister) from Misapi, Captain Michael Hemuno, and CARE field officer Danny Glendumu visited the warring area and raised awareness of the possibility of peace.

In November 2008 The Salvation Army arranged a week-long peace training programme, facilitated by students from Divine Word University. Some 40 men and women leaders from both tribes attended. They all stayed in the same house for seven days and nights, eating, talking and sharing together. It was a challenging test for the beginning of a new era. Active warriors and the most influential Okapian sorcerers were among the group.

The leaders ended the training with a Highlands mumu, symbolising an end to fighting and beginning of peace. This was the start of the peace process involving each tribe deciding whether or not to have peace.

Almost a year later a peace ceremony was held, signifying a final end to the conflict.

Salvation Army leaders travelled to the ceremony by helicopter – the only realistic way to get to such a remote setting. Luggage was very limited so 300 Bibles were delivered by villagers from Misapi via a three-day foot journey.

Guests of honour were Lieut-Colonels Hans (Chief Secretary) and Marja van Vliet. They were accompanied by Major James Cocker (Secretary for Personnel), who had previously walked to the village on another visit, and Major David Temine, the divisional commander in charge of Salvation Army work in this portion of the Highlands.

More than 1,000 people made their way to the ceremony, some travelling for days.

Lieut-Colonel Hans van Vliet told everyone that this was a fresh start for the region, but that laying down weapons and items used in sorcery was not enough. 'You know what tribal warfare is all about. Many relatives have died,' he said. 'Leaders, you are making the promise not only in front of us but also in front of God. You must change within your mind, heart and soul.'

He said the new chapter in their lives should be one of love and care for their neighbors. Then two live pigs were presented, one to each of the warring groups as a token of appreciation for their peace efforts.

During the exchange process, one man accompanied his young son, who was carrying a gun. The man explained with tears in his eyes that he did not want his son to have to use such weapons and live the kind of life he had experienced, but he wanted him to be able to live in peace with other tribes. Both father and son left with a Bible.

Tribal leaders from both factions called on the national and provincial governments to allocate their share of development funds to the three main churches in the area – New Tribes and Lutheran churches and The Salvation Army – with the idea that these could build health centres and schools for the local people.

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Thanks Rob, thanks for sharing. God is amazing!

Ephesians 2:13-17 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

Take the message of peace with God through Jesus Christ - to someone at war with Him today!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Reading your Bible Facts... not enough time?

Did you know it takes very little time in God's Word each day to read it through each year.

· If you read 1 chapter each weekday (m-f) you will read the whole New Testament in one year
· If you read just 2 chapters a day you would read all of the New Testament, Proverbs, and the entire book of Psalms in one year
· If you committed 3 chapters a day a day and 5 on Sundays, you will read the the whole bible through completely every year
· If you will give God and yourself the privilege of 4 chapters a day, you could read all of the Bible through as well as either the Psalms or the whole New Testament a second time, EACH YEAR.

God has written out instructions for you to govern your life by, has advice for everything relating to life and godliness, speaks to all situations, and promises that if you apply it you cannot help but be blessed. MAKE TIME FOR HIS WORD THIS YEAR.
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Some Bible trivia - the middle Chapter of the bible is Psalm 118 (there are 1189 chapters in the Bible). Psalm 118 is after 117 (which is the shortest chapter in the Bible) and is before 119 (which is the longest chapter in the Bible).

The middle verse of the Bible is Psalms 118:8 which reads... It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
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Enjoy God's Word this year!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Quote by J.C. Ryle passed on by my friend Bryan Lowe...

Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master's book, I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul. Do not let newspapers, novels, and romances be read, while the prophets and Apostles be despised. Do not let the exciting and sensual swallow up your attention, while the edifying and the sanctifying can find no place in your mind. --J.C. Ryle

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It's a new year - pick a bible reading plan - Any bible reading plan - and start reading daily to do whatever you read.

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Live holy, preach Jesus!

Have you read your bible today?

How are your daily rations?

If you had to describe how you have gotten into God's Word in the past 7 days would you say you... Feasted on God's Word, ate some, snacked occasionally, or starved?

Spend time in God's Holy Word today, open it expecting God to pour out something new and relevant, let God speak to you, and read prepared to act on anything and everything you read and He leads you to do.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12-13 12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

James 1:22-25 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Feast on His Word today.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

The Anvil of God's Word

"Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith's door,

and heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then looking in, I saw upon the floor,

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time."

'How many anvils have you had,' said I,

'To wear and batter all these hammers so?''

Just one,' said he, and then with twinkling eye,

'The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.'"

And so, I thought, the Anvil of God's Word

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers gone."

-------Attributed to John Clifford -------

Why not spend some time in God's Holy and unchanging word today.

Live holy, preach Jesus!