Alpha and Omega

Guess what's not in the Bible

NTM@work Magazine, Colombia

"A few years ago, as we prepared to do a magazine issue about NTM missionaries translating the Bible, I searched for verses we could use. And searched. And searched. 

The New Testament says a lot about sharing the gospel, teaching and discipling. It talks about prayer, giving and encouraging. It speaks of sending and serving. 

Not once are we told to translate the Bible. 

Does this mean we're not supposed to translate the Bible? Certainly not. 

In Jesus’ time, Greek was a common language, and the Old Testament had been translated from Hebrew into Greek. While it’s likely that Jesus read the Scriptures in the original Hebrew, some of the Scripture quotations in the New Testament come from the Greek translation. So the men who wrote the Gospels, inspired by God, had no problem with translation.  

More importantly, Bible translation fits with God's character..."  

Click here to keep reading at NTM Mission News

Grow my faith, Lord

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. -Matthew 9:23-25

Grow my faith, Lord

If you read the rest of Matthew you 9, you'll find that nowhere does Jesus rebuke this man for his honest words. He had faith and said so, but also realized that sometimes his faith was weak. He knew that the answer was far beyond his own abilities. He also didn't want to stay in that lack of faith.  He pleaded, "help thou mine unbelief."

Sometimes, although we have faith, its hard to trust God for the outcome in our situation or need. In those times, our prayer should be like that man who who brought his child to Jesus. When he responded honestly, Jesus met him where he was and gave him what he asked for. 

Do we really believe Jesus' words that all things are possible if we believe? 

Father, help us in our unbelief. Grow my faith Lord. Grow the faith of the person reading right now, I pray. Help us to trust You in all things, and especially in those things in which we have no answer, help us to remember that YOU do have the answer. Show us the possible in the situation we think is impossible. In Jesus' Name, Amen.