Being a Silent Witness

#6 – Biblical Convictions are a Silent Witness

Holding to moral or ethical convictions based on God’s Word can be a powerful silent witness to point others to God. An individual life of conviction cannot be ignored when it stands in sharp contrast to a world of humanistic relativism. It might be argued against, rejected, or hated, but it will persist as a beacon of light in a dark world.

Daniel the prophet, and his three friends exiled to Babylon, changed the direction of a nation and its king because they held to convictions of conscience based on Scripture. Three such instances come to mind:

(1) Daniel was a man who lived according to his convictions such that when he spoke about his God the king listened. As a young man of royal Jewish blood, he and his three friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) chose to obey God and not sin against their consciences regarding the Law of Moses. They made it clear to their Babylonian captors that trusting God in dietary matters was so important that they were willingly to put themselves at risk of death rather than disobey their God. (Daniel 1:11-13) When Daniel and his friends thrived on the diet prescribed by God they had opportunity to demonstrate their wisdom and thus found favor with King Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 1:15-20) Later, Daniel stood out from all the pagan advisors and revealed the king’s dream. The king acknowledged that “your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings”. (Daniel 2:47)

(2) King Nebuchadnezzar erected a golden image some time later and required everyone in the kingdom to worship the image. (Daniel 3:10-11) Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (by then called by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) had no problem respectfully standing as citizens before a national symbol. However, they refused to fall down and worship an idol. (Daniel 3:12) Their conviction was that they could not disobey their God. (Daniel 3:16-18) When they emerged unscathed from the fiery furnace it was their conviction and miraculous deliverance that prompted Nebuchadnezzar to call them "servants of the Most High God," proclaiming “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-ego.” He rightly concluded, “there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” (Daniel 3:28-29) He then promoted them to government posts in the province! (Daniel 3:30)

(3) Many years later, Daniel’s testimony (the same Hebrew word as “witness”) was so strong in the then Medo-Persian empire that his jealous detractors could find nothing about which to accuse him; he was esteemed by everyone to be faithful to his king and lived a life without error or fault. (Daniel 6:4) Daniel’s opponents crafted a law requiring all petitions to be directed to the king and forbade anyone from praying directly to their god. (Daniel 6:7-9) They knew Daniel to be a man of godly principal and conviction so they reasoned that he would be executed when he held to his faith. Otherwise, he and his God would be discredited if he hypocritically obeyed the law. Either way they would rid the Empire of Daniel! Knowing this was a trap aimed specifically at him, he still chose to continue his daily prayers of thanksgiving and petitions to God rather than obey the king’s law forbidding it. (Daniel 6:10) Like his three friends years earlier, His simple obedience to God resulted in arrest and condemnation to death. As we know, God protected him (Daniel 6:22) and King Darius issued this proclamation: “…that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for He is the living God…and His kingdom …shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6:26-27)

Sometimes there is a price for holding fast to Biblical convictions. The choices we make are sometimes especially far-reaching when serving in a foreign country. What is a “cultural difference” requiring flexibility and adaptation for the sake of the Gospel? What is a matter of conscience requiring steadfast conviction? God’s wisdom, based on Scripture, is needed to make the right choices. Each of us will eventually come face-to-face with situations when we must chose between obeying Scripture or men’s rules. In the examples of Daniel and his friends their convictions resulted in persecution then led to a verbal witness. In each case they didn’t know what the outcome would be. But they still held to their convictions.

When we silently obey God we open an opportunity to point others toward “the Most High God.” More people notice this than we may ever know. Our choice to not offend our conscience before God in a seemingly inconsequential matter could cause someone observing us to think about who God is. Our choice in a matter of worship speaks to others of our concept of who God is. Even a silent prayer – bowing to thank God for a meal in a restaurant – could cause another to think about God and change the direction of their life.

A silent witness of moral and ethical conviction in public is certainly powerful. Our silent witness among families and friends who know us might be more persuasive. More on that in our next installment.

Being a Silent Witness

#5 – Good Works are a Silent Witness

A silent witness – one who points another person to the Savior – can be any Christian who lives a life to honor God without saying a word. Our Lord came as the Light to the World (John 1:9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46) and likened His followers to “lights” in the world. (Matthew 5:14) He explained what He meant by that light: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) An individual believer’s “light” in the darkness of an everyday world is what God considers “good works” or fruit that brings glory to Himself.

I was recently reminded of the power of good works in the testimony of a young missionary woman who sometimes became discouraged on the field seeing little evidence of numbers of souls saved or believers growing in grace. Ministry was difficult when friends suddenly rejected her and believers walked away from the Lord. But as this missionary continued her daily interaction with shopkeepers, neighbors, and unsaved friends she came to understand that God’s larger purpose is to make Himself known in a culture that never thinks about God or even acknowledges that He exists. She came to see that it was her “ordinary” godly life that grabbed people’s attention and pointed them to God. By quietly showing honesty, kindness, faithfulness, care, and love to those around her she was a living light for God in their midst! (Philippians 2:15) That God is glorified by an individual’s faithful light is a great comfort and encouragement in the face of rejection and heartache. The One who was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3) knows our frailty (Hebrews 2:18) and ever lives to intercede on our behalf. (Hebrews 7:25)

Good works as a silent witness have a fundamental place in our lives. Good works are His purpose for us and a reflection of the Master Craftsman who saved us:

• For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
  
  
• That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10)
  
  
• [May God] Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:21)
  
  
• The Scriptures were given so we might be, …perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (II Timothy 3:17b)
  

What kind of silent witness are you? Is your life among friends, coworkers, and neighbors a light in darkness? Do you get discouraged if they reject efforts to tell them about Jesus Christ?

Having your conversation [manner of life] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:12)

Friends, continue in good works and trust that they will speak quietly to others to point them to the One who loves them and died for them. (I John 4:9-10)

In future articles on Being a Silent Witness we will look at two examples of witnesses who silently pointed to God by actions in their lives: Daniel and his three friends; and a believer living among family.

Being a Silent Witness

#4 – All Creation is a Silent Witness

We are surrounded with innumerable silent witnesses pointing to God and showing what He is like – and yet we go about our everyday lives hardly giving them notice. The sun, moon, and stars move overhead in quiet precision to remind us of God’s infinite power and majesty. We need only open our eyes to things around us and notice that He is a very personal and caring God.

The Psalms (36:5-6; 90:2; 104:1-35; 114:4,6; 148:1-14) and Job Chapter 38 (see also Job 12:9-10) rehearse the wonders of God’s creation that remind us of His handiwork, whether in mountains, animals, insects, trees, flowers, rain or snow. They all “speak” about their Creator. We are surrounded with divinely-designed object lessons:

- Great mountains show us God’s enduring judgment and righteousness

- The lilies of the field and tiny birds demonstrate His care for the smallest details of life

- The complexity of the human body illustrates God’s purpose and marvelous workmanship

- The simple but unique, life-giving qualities of water speak of God’s sustaining care

- The unending variety of clouds in the sky are examples of His infinite wisdom

The invisible witness of creation speaks in a language that God designed especially to draw every human being who ever lived to Himself. Unregenerated mankind cannot honestly claim that God does not exist or that His hand in the world cannot be known. (Romans 1:20-21) God uses unique, and sometimes dramatic, characteristics of mountains, animals, trees, flowers, clouds, and the human body, to grab an individual's attention. If the individual responds then God gives him more truth of who He is. God’s desire is for all mankind to agree with the most basic truths of creation and to want more. Mankind’s hunger for more truth about the Creator will result in revelation of more spiritual truth.

Another daily witness is the providential cycle created by God to nourish and energize our bodies.[1] The wonderful self-sustaining cycle of life begins with the sun’s energy which plants miraculously combine with water and the earth’s minerals to reproduce and give edible fruit. Our human bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) so the same plants and their fruit are used in a complex metabolic system for the life-giving energy to sustain life. God created this providential cycle as a witness to His loving care for all mankind. The simple act of eating a meal should remind us of our dependency on Him.

Those who are born-again children of God are moved by the witness of creation to give glory to the beauty, majesty, and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is Creator and Sustainer (Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2) of all we need in this physical life. His daily provision now is but a foretaste of the “pure river of water of life” and fruit of the “tree of life” that will nourish us for all eternity in His presence. (Revelation 22:1-2)

Take time each day to “see” and “listen” to God’s silent witnesses that surround us. They are a persistent witness pointing to our loving God!

---

[1] Johnson, J.J.S., Our Daily Bread: How Food Proves God’s Providence, Acts & Facts, 40 (4):8-9, April 2011, Institute for Creation Research↩

Being a Silent Witness

#3 – The Heavens are a Silent Witness

Previous studies on what it means to be a silent witness showed that a witness may be a person or a thing that “confirms a fact which may be in doubt” or “reminds or points to another thing or truth.” A biblical witness is “a person or thing that points others to God.” God’s vast celestial realm is just such a witness.

God’s work on the fourth day of His good Creation is a silent witness on several levels of truth. The heavens (sun, moon, stars) were created for the specific purpose of being sources of light on the earth. (Genesis 1:15-18) But the Immutable and Eternal God also made them to function as reliable chronometers, marking the passage of time in seasons, days, and years so His creatures could live their temporal lives on earth. (Genesis 1:14) The same verse says that the celestial objects were also given to us for signs.

The word sign in this context means a representation of something else which cannot be seen. An object that is a silent witness points to a truth, in this case about God, that cannot be seen directly. What do the sun, moon, and stars say about God as witnesses to truth?

A universal truth about God is given eloquently by David in Psalm 19:1-3:

The heavens declare the glory of God;

and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.

Day unto day uttereth speech,

and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

The vast, complex, and enduring precision of the heavens are a silent witness to God’s manifold characteristics which are summed up by the psalmist in the word glory. God’s heavenly creation “speaks” in a language understood by all mankind about who God is and what He is like. (Romans 1:20)

Besides His glory, what are some other characteristics we can learn about God by observing the heavens? God uses the heavens as object lessons to show what He is like:

- God is infinite because the One who created the stars, which appear innumerable to us, has numbered and named each of them. (Psalm 147:4)

- For His reliability and faithfulness, God pointed to the stars in the heavens as His witnesses when He made his covenant with Abraham. (Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 26:4; Exodus 32:13) He repeated this illustration for the Davidic covenant by calling the sun and the moon as His witnesses. (Psalm 89:34-37)

- Not only is God faithful to perform what He has said, He also has the power to make good on His promises no matter what circumstances or difficulties develop on earth. This was evident when He changed the course of the heavens. (Joshua 10:13; Isaiah 38:7-8)

- God promised that the heavens would be witnesses to His judgment if Israel did not obey Him. (Deuteronomy 4:26) He would further demonstrate His wrath in the heavens in the latter days when the sun, moon, and stars would be darkened at His command. (Isaiah 13:9-10; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:31, 3:15; Habakkuk 3:11)

- Similarly, God will use the brightness of the sun and moon as instruments of His graciousness when His people turn to Him. (Isaiah 30:26, 60:19-20)

In the New Testament we discover that Jesus Christ is the Creator of all the heavens and their continued existence and motion is sustained by His power. (Colossians 1:16; John 1:1, 2, 10; Hebrews 1:2; Ephesians 3:9; Romans 11:36)

We stand in awe and admiration of the sun, moon, and stars – created by God, controlled by God, and pointing to God – as a universal example of a silent witness to God and His attributes. They are truly witnesses to His glory!

Praise ye Him, sun and moon: praise Him, all ye stars of light.

Psalm 148:3

Dental Evangelism in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

Testimony from Pastor Manuel Acedo


God is faithful! We give thanks to God for the marvelous things He does. God is pleased to use human instruments to accomplish His work. Among those is Dr. Mitchell, his wife, and a fine team he has to assist him. Thank the Lord for the past five years that the Lord has used them among us. We see the enthusiasm the have in serving the Lord. THEY SERVE THE KING OF KINGS: JESUS CHRIST!!

In those years we have seen people come to the feet of Jesus Christ. Now, our duty is to follow up with them so those souls become true followers of Christ.

In this past month of February [during a GDMMissons dental evangelism clinic] we saw approximately 26 souls saved. Pray that this is fruit that lasts! Please!

Thanks for each one of the participants in this group. They were very enthusiastic. May the Lord continue using them greatly among us, but first that God continues sending them to us each year in the month of February so that…God continues saving souls, and so His name is glorified!

The Living Hope Fundamental Baptist Church (formerly San Bosco) is supremely thankful for your help. Continue forward! Your labor “in the Lord is not in vain.” Many thanks!!

Sincerely,

Pastor Manuel Acedo and Family
Psalm 39:7 - And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee.

Being a Silent Witness

#2 – A Misunderstood Witness

A “witness” was defined in our last study as

“…one who has a personal knowledge of God, one who strengthens and confirms God’s testimony of Himself, who draws attention to the Lord.”

This definition is equally applicable to inanimate objects and helps us learn something more about a silent witness.

The Old Testament is replete with examples of inanimate objects intended to be silent witnesses to a truth. God used objects to represent or symbolize something that pointed to Himself or some intrinsic truth.

One example was a large stone to remind the people of Israel about God’s Word. After the tribes of Israel occupied the land of Canaan, Joshua rehearsed the Law of Moses by reading it aloud before them. He then used a large rock as an object lesson in the event people ever forgot the Law or someday denied that it was God’s Word. The large rock was meant to be an unchangeable silent witness to the truth; it would endure as a never-changing reminder even if the people changed. (Joshua 24:27)

Four times the tabernacle in the wilderness, which was designed by God and constructed by Israel for worship, (Exodus 25:9) is called the “tabernacle of witness.” (Numbers 17:7, 8; 18:2; 2 Chronicles 24:6) Its presence as the dwelling place of Jehovah God (Exodus 29:45-46) and place of God-ordained worship was a silent witness to Israel and the surrounding nations that Jehovah had chosen to dwell in the midst of a peculiar people.

Another example of a silent witness in the Old Testament is the stone altar described in Joshua chapter 22. When the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh chose land on the eastern side of the Jordan River for their inheritance, they promised Joshua and the other tribes that they would leave their families and land to fight side-by-side with their brethren and claim the Promised Land on the western side. They swore to fight as long as it took to subdue the inhabitants of the land. (Joshua 1:12-18) When the war was over and Joshua granted the nation rest they were honorably released from their promise and sent back to their families. (Joshua 22:1-9) When they reached the western shore of the Jordan River they built a large stone altar as a monument before they crossed over the river. (Joshua 22:10) Shortly thereafter, the other tribes in Israel heard that Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar on the edge of the Jordan and, thinking they had broken their promise to worship only Jehovah and had defected to pagan worship, the other tribes amassed an army to go to war with the two and a half tribes. (Joshua 22:11-20) Before civil war ensued the two and a half tribes explained their reasoning for the stone altar and assured their brethren they had not forsaken the Law of Moses. They repeated their dedication to the God of Israel and their unity with the other tribes. With the purpose of the stone altar finally made clear, a catastrophic civil war was averted, and everyone parted in peace. (Joshua 22:21-34)

The intended purpose of the stone altar was to be a silent witness to their commitment to the other tribes, their promise to never forsake the Law of Moses, and their bond to Jehovah the God of Israel. But this was not obvious by simply seeing the stone altar itself. Their commendable purpose – “…it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God” – could not be discerned by seeing the altar of stones alone. An explanation was needed.

Inanimate objects, whether a single large stone, written tablets of stone, a tent, or a pile of stones, can be misunderstood or not understood at all. A lesson for us as we consider what it means to be a silent witness is that a silent witness, whether a person or an inanimate object, can only make a partial or incomplete statement. A silent witness may be intended to point to God but it might be misinterpreted as something entirely different. Our best intentions and purest motives may need further elaboration before they can point the observer to truth about God.

Rather than discourage us from being silent witnesses, this should motivate us more to pray for an opportunity to explain why we do what we do (1 Peter 3:15) and how those who see our silent witness can come to know the One who is “…the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

To be continued…

Sowing by Grace - Winter 2011

Winter 2011 Issue Available Now
The latest issue of Sowing by Grace is available now by clicking on the title above. Two articles on Asia highlight how God used dental teams in India and a Southeast Asian country during 2010. Also, our newest Associate Missionary - Katrina Caturan, RN - shares her testimony and burden for medical missions. We've received great comments on the format and content of our quarterly newsletter and would like to hear from you. Send an e-mail to office @gdmmissions.org and tell us what you think!

Being a Silent Witness

#1 – A “Witness” Points to Truth

This series of short articles on “Being a Silent Witness” begins with some definitions of what the word “witness” means and develops a working usage for understanding how things (inanimate objects) and individuals mentioned in the Old and New Testaments were silent witnesses to the God of Truth and truth about God.

The reader is encouraged to do their own study of the word “witness” using a concordance to discover how words in the original Hebrew and Greek text were used of things and individuals in the Bible. Forms of the Greek word (as nouns and verbs) are particularly interesting as they are translated using other words in English than just the word “witness.”

The word “witness” in the Old Testament is very straightforward in its legal and covenant sense. A good witness is one who tells the truth and a false witness is one who tells a lie. The negative commandment to not bear false witness could not be more clear. (Exodus 20:16) One or more individuals gave their witness to a legal or covenant document to validate its truthfulness. (Ruth 4:9-11) Even an object was given great significance as a solemn testimony to the truth of God’s Word. (Joshua 24:27)

We will look at some New Testament usages of the word “witness” in another study, but even a cursory examination is enough to develop the following general definitions: [1]

“A witness is one who has a personal knowledge of something (or someone) and can therefore accurately communicate his knowledge to another.“

“A witness is one who confirms a fact which may be in doubt.”

“A witness is one thing which reminds or points to another thing or truth.”

“A witness draws attention to something [or someone] else.”

Beyond the word’s usage in a legal or covenant context, a witness was also one who saw or heard truth from God and by his testimony held others accountable when they too had seen or heard God’s truth. The prophet Isaiah, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reminded Israel that they had seen, heard, and experienced truth about God and would be held accountable as witnesses of this truth. (Isaiah 43:11,15; 44:6,8) God’s Word itself is called a “testimony” 23 times in Psalm 119; this is the same Hebrew word translated “witness” elsewhere.

Therefore, in a biblical sense,

“A witness is…one who has a personal knowledge of God, one who strengthens and confirms God’s testimony of Himself, who draws attention to the Lord...” [1]

In a very practical sense,

“A witness is a person who lives in such a way that those about him are forced to think about God.” [Pastor Carlton Helgerson quoted] [1]

What then, is a “silent witness”? How is it possible for a witness to truth to be “silent”? How is it that a person (or thing) can point to the God of Truth and truth about God without speaking or making a sound?

To be continued…

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[1] Bible Study notes, (undated), The Church – God’s Testimony to Men and Angels, Middletown Bible Church; http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/churchsdt/church02.pdf



For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

A Model for Medical and Dental Missions

An article titled A Model for Medical and Dental Missions was published on the SharperIron blog last month. This article was written by Michael Vetter, GDMMissions’ Latin American Field Representative and captures the essence of what makes medical and dental missions a powerful tool for field evangelism.

Click on the title above to read the article or go to the SharperIron blog:
http://www.sharperiron.org/article/model-for-medical-and-dental-missions

BTW - If you haven’t visited the SharperIron blog site we recommend it as one of the best biblically fundamental blogs for its edifying articles and informed discussion.

Sowing by Grace

Summer Issue Available On-line Soon

In a few days the Summer 2010 issue of GDMMissions' Sowing by Grace newsletter will be available by clicking on the Sowing by Grace link on our website.

This issue contains articles about our involvement in church planting and how dental and medical evangelism is used by missionaries and national leaders to start churches.

Look for the link to the Summer (July) 2010 issue and download the file in PDF format.

A TESTIMONY OF GOD’S GRACE – A Medical Story of God’s Work in the Life of a Missionary

I suppose this can be called a “medical missions” testimony since it is an account of how God worked in the life of a missionary though a serious medical condition that threatened to end his ministry.

It is a tribute to God’s providential care that the disease was finally diagnosed after many months of medical tests and attempted treatments. Medical professionals who read this blog will appreciate the difficulty in diagnosing David's illness. The rest of us marvel at how God brought the correct diagnosis to light. (Psalm 139) We trust that David and his family will soon resume their ministry to U.S. Hispanic churches and the Hispanic population in Lorain, Ohio; we pray for his complete healing.

A TESTIMONY OF GOD’S GRACE
by David Whitcher
(Missionary to Hispanics with Baptist Church Planters)

DISCOVERY

As you know, we have been looking into my health issues from every angle while asking for God’s wisdom and direction. It has been a long eight months while being very ill and with the doctors suspecting some serious illnesses. A couple of weeks ago we had an environmental inspector come and look at our home. We were curious especially about mold. He found no mold, but said that our furnace had a serious issue in that there was a gap in the piping of the flue. He recommended that we have someone come who is an expert in carbon monoxide. That carbon monoxide inspector came and sure enough, with the furnace on, he detected carbon monoxide (CO) in the furnace room. He also came upstairs and saw increasing amounts of CO fill our bathroom as the furnace ran. So, we were exposed to CO throughout the winter when the furnace ran. The CO levels were not enough to kill us, but high enough to cause health issues with long-term exposure. The inspector kept on saying over and over again, “You guys are lucky to be alive. Someone is watching out for you.” We have been having HVAC people come give us bids for a new furnace. All of them have been amazed when they see the issue and say the same thing, “You guys are lucky to be alive.”

DIAGNOSIS

That Sunday we mentioned the furnace leak to a physician’s assistant in our church. His first response was doubtful but he promised he would research it. By the time I looked at my cell phone that Sunday night, there were two messages from him saying that he thought that this had to be the cause of my health symptoms. He referenced a reputable physician’s website that talks about neurological damage which shows up three to four weeks after acute CO exposure. Two-thirds of the symptoms that were mentioned in the article are symptoms that I have including dizziness, vision problems, trembling, changes in gait (the way I walk), confusion, decrease cognition, etc. CO poisoning could also explain the vascular damage of the aortic aneurism.

While waiting to see my doctor, we were able to speak to a toxicologist from John Hopkins University who was recommended to us as one of the nation’s leading CO experts. He listened to my symptoms and exposure levels and said that it is very probable that CO has been the issue. He emailed a protocol and instructions to give to our doctor to do some specialized blood tests to see if there is still CO toxicity in my body. Indeed, the doctor’s office called and said, “You definitely have CO poisoning. All the blood levels are very high.”

HINDSIGHT IS 20/20

Our first response was, “If it was carbon monoxide then why didn’t the rest of the family get as sick?” The professor from John Hopkins said that if one place one hundred people in a room and exposed them to carbon monoxide then each person would react differently to the poison. Then we got to thinking and remembering that the boys were having random episodes of throwing up in the winter. We just thought they had the flu or something. We thought it was odd, but it was not dramatic enough for us to think twice about it. Also, throughout the winter, Brittany was walking around in a daze. She has hypothyroidism so we thought her thyroid levels were off and began the process of getting her blood levels rechecked. Now we know why her thyroid levels came back fine, yet she still had those symptoms. Also, we remember that the winter months are when Melissa was having her severe migraines followed by vomiting. Now that we know what it is, Melissa remembers doing laundry downstairs and feeling very tired and nauseated throughout the winter. Melissa and the kids mostly appear to be fine now; however, we are planning to get them checked out as well.

As for me, I had mono or some other virus that they found in January. This would have compromised my immune system causing the CO to do more damage on me than the others. Plus, I was sick in bed for those first three months being only in our bedroom and the bathroom which is located immediately above the furnace. So, I was exposed to it continually whenever the furnace was on. It makes sense as Easter Sunday was the first Sunday that I felt well enough to be able to make it out to church. Coincidentally, that is when the weather began to get warm! During those winter months, I would get up and go take a bath. After the bath I was so week and dizzy I would stumble back to my bed and sleep for the rest of the day. It all makes sense now. I still have no strength and have several episodes a day of being dizzy and lightheaded. They say that the oxygen treatment will take care of that.

TREATMENT

The treatment is to be on 95% oxygen for two hours a day for four months. There may be more drastic measures needed such as a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, but since the poisoning is no longer acute doctors doubt the need for this.

Doctors tell us that I should begin to feel quite a bit better after just a week. Yet, it will take up to a month for the oxygen to saturate the tissues enough for symptoms to subside. It is interesting that when I thought I was getting better (at the end of March) was right after I spent a week in the hospital. I was on oxygen that whole time! Anyway, I will need to be treated for four months total before the toxicity is gone, the blood levels normalize.

PROGNOSIS

While a brain scan in February was negative, a recent MRI showed some spots beginning to develop on my brain. What CO does is it gets in your blood and attaches to the hemoglobin causing it to no longer be able to carry oxygen. During very acute CO poisoning, this lack of oxygen kills your body’s tissues (especially the brain and heart) within three to four hours. Since I was exposed to low levels for a long period of time, what they say happened is that my tissues were damaged but not immediately killed. The after effects unfortunately are that the tissues do eventually die within weeks causing damage to the central nervous system first. This is why many of my symptoms mock a neurological disease such as MS or Parkinsons.

We have read that two-thirds of patients completely recover. Others say that the tissues are damaged and there is no going back. In either case, it is unclear if and when the neurological symptoms will reverse. We’ll see how the oxygen therapy helps long-term. Some doctors are pretty confident that the brain will re-route itself and that I can experience a complete reversal of symptoms just as other patients do after suffering a stroke. The encouraging thing is that all my symptoms worsen with fatigue and exertion. So getting rid of the poison and fatigue may cause the neurological symptoms to disappear. It is in the Lord’s hands to do as He wills.

REASONS TO THANK THE LORD

- Praise the Lord that we travel a lot! We were not home much during the months of October, November, and December when the weather was getting colder and the furnace would have kicked in.

- We praise the Lord that our kids did not frequent the parts of the house where the CO was invading the most.

- Praise the Lord that it was not something worse! Carbon monoxide is of course colorless, odorless, and tasteless and often called “the great mimic” as its symptoms can appear to be a variety of diseases. Doctors feared and tested for some pretty nasty diseases. Praise the Lord that the prognosis looks good!

- Praise the Lord that this was found so that the problem would not be reoccurring this coming winter.

- Mostly, praise the Lord that the disjointed pipe off the furnace was never bumped. Each contractor who has seen the furnace said, “You guys are lucky to be alive.” We know that it is much more than that! We have been humbled to hear of those praying for us. It is amazing how many churches mentioned that we are brought up in every prayer meeting. Little did we know that all of these prayers were keeping us alive and protected us while an invisible poison invaded our home. God is so good!

CONCLUSION

It is so great to know that God is completely sovereign and in control of all things. His purposes are always perfect. We’ll see how the oxygen therapy works (after 5 days, it appears to be working well). There are still some unknowns and uncertainties. Ultimately, our hope is that I would regain strength enough to drive and to function again in ministry. At this point, it looks as though God will answer that prayer also. Please pray specifically for no long-term effects in our children. We need wisdom as we move forward.

Again, thank you so much for your love and prayers. We cannot express how God has used you to encourage us and sustain us this year. We are so very thankful for you and for your continued partnership. Thank you for considering with us what God is doing (Psalm 64:9).

Sincerely,

David Whitcher
http://www.whitchers.com/

Reason #8 For Taking a GDMMissions Field Team Trip

Reason #8, and the last in our series on 8 Reasons to Take a GDMMissions Field Team Trip, is a first-hand opportunity to participate in church planting.

We believe that GDMMissions is in a special place to help start local churches, without starting them ourselves. We work with missionaries and national pastors who know how to use us effectively in their church planting strategies.

#8 – Participate in Church Planting
The goal of evangelism is to see souls saved, but those who profess Christ need to grow in the Lord and be part of a local church where they can mature, serve, and reproduce spiritually. With GDMMissions you will experience church planting first-hand in its basic, formative stages. This is something unique in short-term missions. Missionaries and national pastors use our dental and medical evangelistic clinics to “jump start” the beginning of new churches in neighborhoods, villages, and towns where there is not a fundamental, Christ-honoring witness. When we return to the same areas year after year we have seen that what began as a handful of new believers has become a healthy New Testament local church as a direct result of our dental and medical evangelistic campaigns. If you want to observe, and actually participate in, planting new churches, then a field team trip with us will introduce you to this amazing experience.

Item of Prayer: That God might burden your heart to participate in evangelism that brings forth fruit in the formation and growth of local churches; that God would use you as He continues His program to build His Body – the Church – in this age.

For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

Justification by Faith

The Message of Missions in One Verse (Galatians 2:16)
Our message is the Person of Jesus Christ - who He is and what He did on our behalf. The Good News is that salvation is by faith apart from works.
Psalm 107:2

Reason #7 For Taking a GDMMissions Field Team Trip

Reason #7 in our series on 8 Reasons to Take a GDMMissions Field Team Trip is the bonus benefit of getting to know and minister to missionary families.

The primary reason for a GDMMissions Field Team Trip is evangelism. To accomplish this we work with missionaries and national pastors to organize evangelism opportunities and take the Gospel to others. Fellowship with national believers is a cross-cultural blessing for the team. Often, we find that we can also minister to missionaries and their children as we spend time together.

#7 – Get to Know and Minister to Missionary Families

A priceless benefit of a GDMMissions field team trip is getting to know missionary families in their home setting. You don’t get to know missionaries as well when they visit your church for a few hours, show pictures of their mission field, then leave for their next church presentation. When you spend a week working side-by-side with a family you get a better glimpse of what it means to be a full-time missionary. If you live for one week with a missionary family and help them in their daily service for the Lord you form lasting bonds of friendship with them. You gain an appreciation for the passion they have to see souls saved. You also have occasions to encourage them in some of the difficulties of life on the mission field. As you see them pour out their lives in service to the Lord maybe, just maybe, you will be led by God to give your live for full-time service too.

Item of Prayer: That God would use you in the lives of missionaries during a short-term field team trip; that you would learn more about what it means to serve full time on the mission field.

For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

Reason #6 For Taking a GDMMissions Field Team Trip

Reason #6 in our series on 8 Reasons to Take a GDMMissions Field Team Trip recognizes that God wants all of us to use our talents and spiritual gifts to the utmost.

The context of the Apostle Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts in Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12 is the local church but these verses apply, I believe, to the Body of Christ universally as well. In a short-term ministry to another body of believers we should be open to use our humanly-developed skills and talents as well as our spiritual gifts to edify and build up the Body of Christ.

#6 – Use Your Talents and Spiritual Gifts
As servants (literally bondslaves) of Jesus Christ, God calls us to go forth and serve Him. Romans 12:1-2 exhorts us to begin by offering our bodies as a “living sacrifice.” Certainly God can use you regardless of your career specialty, physical training, or spiritual gifts. Field team trips with GDMMissions use talents and spiritual gifts in servants of any age or background. But if you have training and abilities in health care these demonstrate compassion for others and thereby open an opportunity to share the Gospel. Don’t think that all you can do for the Lord is simple labor (although there are plenty of those opportunities for everyone on a field team!) or that you will be relegated to make-work activity because a team is so large. A GDMMissions field team trip “stretches” you to apply talents and gifts that maybe you didn’t even realize you had. Our teams are usually small (fewer than ten people) so everyone is assigned multiple responsibilities for health care and evangelistic ministry. During our trip we also have opportunities to minister spiritually to one another every day.

It doesn’t matter what your talents or gifts are when you serve on a field team. What matters is your selflessness and faithfulness. Our team goal on a trip is for you to use your physical talents and spiritual fruits as you spend time laboring in His harvest field.

Item of Prayer: That God would develop in you a spirit of selflessness service (characterized by Romans 12:1-2) and a willingness to offer all you are to Him; that you would be willing to offer your physical talents and abilities, whatever they are, for God to use as He desires and for His glory.

For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

Reason #5 For Taking a GDMMissions Field Team Trip

Reason #5 in our series on 8 Reasons to Take a GDMMissions Field Team Trip places an emphasis on fellowshipping with like-minded believers.

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3

#5 – Fellowship With Like-minded Believers

GDMMissions works with missionaries and national believers who share our doctrine and goals for ministry. Not only do we agree doctrinally, but we find that whatever the culture we share the same general practices from God’s Word of conservative music for worship, modesty of dress, separation from the world, and a desire to share Christ with others. We enjoy wonderful fellowship with national believers specifically because their worship and evangelism approaches are in harmony with ours. When you take a missions trip with GDMMissions you will make lasting friendships with other believers who may speak another language and have very little materially but who have a great reverence for God’s Word and a desire to honor Him in their lives. The evangelistic zeal of many national believers can sometimes be convicting. Biblically knowledgeable, motivated, dedicated servants will challenge us to be better servants too. When you go on a missions trip with a desire to be a blessing to others you often end up being blessed yourself!

Item of Prayer: That you would choose a mission organization that emphasizes participation with like-minded churches and individuals; look for those groups who value national believers as their partners in God’s ministry; look for a mission that only fellowships with organizations and churches with whom you can agree doctrinally.

For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

Teamwork in Dental and Medical Evangelism: Partnership in the Dominican Republic

The Apostle Paul was not a one-man evangelism campaign. Wherever he traveled throughout the Roman Empire he relied on faithful men like Titus who he called his “fellowhelper” (II Corinthians 8:23) or Timothy his “workfellow.” (Romans 16:21) Sometimes his team included a mighty preacher like Apollos (Acts 18:24-28) but mostly it was made of men and women working in the background like Marcus or Aristarchus who were simply called “fellowlabourers.” (Philemon 1:24) Prominent evangelists, preachers, and pastors worked beside servants and labourers as an extended missionary team took the Gospel to the far ends of the Roman Empire. They were followers of Jesus Christ who shared a love for the Lord and a zeal to see souls saved.

Such is the case when GDMMissions takes the Gospel to a foreign country as part of a dental and medical evangelism team. Our core team of dental and medical professionals is reinforced by those of us with minor skills that God can use to form a unique team with a mission – to provide health care services that draw people out to hear the Word of God, some for the first time.

In the Dominican Republic in June (2010) our team of six from the U.S. was joined by national believers who complemented our skills to make us an effective witness for the Lord. Here are a few examples of team members we worked with who we lovingly call our “fellowhelpers” and “fellowlabourers.”

Pastor Hector Amparo and Family
Almost every day in the Dominican Republic we were joined by Pastor Hector Amparo and his family. (In photo L-R, Jaasiel, Pastor, Pura, Jocabed) They helped us in many ways during our time there. (I had met Pastor Amparo at a Fundamental Baptist conference in Puerto Rico the previous year and he was my contact in setting up the agenda of our 11-day trip to the island.) On our first day in the town of Bayaguana Pastor Amparo presented the Gospel to a number of people who waited to see the dentist. He then sat with 12-year old Armando who accepted Christ as his Savior. We rejoiced with the boy’s mother (a believer) who had brought him to have his teeth checked but it ended us that his heart was transformed by God! Pura (Pastor Amparo’s wife) and their daughter Jaasiel took on the job of patient organization and bringing order out of chaos to get the clinic started. Daughter Jocabed (a sophomore at Calvary Baptist Bible College in Puerto Rico) helped translate for Dr. Mitchell. By the end our days of clinics the Amparo family had become an indispensable part of the dental evangelism team. Their generous hospitality and willingness to do anything needed in the clinics was capped by kind gifts for each team member on the day before we left. Their help for us will be remembered as a refreshing island breeze.

Sulenny
We met Sulenny at our first dental clinic and she immediately attached herself to the team to augment our dental ministry. Sulenny (L in photo with Cuppy who sterilized instruments) is a student at the University in Santo Domingo with two years remaining for her dentist degree. She had heard about our ministry through the pastor of her church in the city and showed up to clean teeth. Her desire was to help in any way with the dental clinic. What stood out was her willingness to serve every day under difficult clinic conditions of extreme heat, noise, and the general hubbub of pressing crowds of patients. She was able to catch a bus from the city to meet us each morning at most of our clinics. Her cheerful disposition was a constant encouragement to us all. She would clean up her workspace and turn to the registrar, smile, and quietly say, “I’m ready for my next patient.” This continued all day, every day, and it was a blessing to have her as our “fellowhelper." When she graduates she wants to conduct dental evangelism clinics in local towns and villages through her local church.

Anna Luiza
We don’t appreciate how much little things mean until we face inconveniences in our lives. We don’t expect to get “American food” when we go to a foreign country. We know it’s going to be hot and that the mosquito population has been eagerly awaiting our arrival. But Anna Luiza (Center in photo in white shirt) arrived from one of our host churches in Santo Domingo to the camp where we were staying in San Pedro and informed us she would be there for most days to cook for us. We enjoyed some wonderful meals of traditional chicken and rice and beans (the Dominican national dish,) plantains, yucca, and fruit. Don’t get me wrong – the food was wonderful but when a few of our less-hardy team members began to suffer from “culinary shock” we asked Anna Luiza if she could cook oatmeal for us. She broke into a smile and said, “Ah, Si!” For dinner that night she made a huge pot of cinnamon oatmeal and it was just what we needed to recalibrate our stomachs and taste buds. We told her how much we loved it and she made it again for breakfast! It was great! Anna Luiza cooked other flavorful things for us during our stay but the cinnamon oatmeal and strong Dominican coffee for breakfast started our day just right. Anna Luiza joined us also at several clinics to register patients and witness to women about her Lord. Of course, it wasn’t the oatmeal and coffee that impressed us as much as this cheerful servant of the Lord who was willing to cook for us and join us in God’s evangelism program.



Euclides and Benoni
Two men worked as part of a larger evangelism team when we ministered in the country town of Quisqueya in conjunction with a local evangelism mission called Jesus Came, Lives, And Is Coming (initials MJV3 in Spanish.) On our first Saturday in the Dominican Republic we were joined by two dentists, five doctors, two pharmacists, and a large number of believers from churches in Santo Domingo. Out of this group several men and women were assigned the task of teaching the Bible to groups of adults and making sure everyone from the town who came to the dental and medical clinic heard a clear presentation of the Gospel. Euclides is a computer engineer and Benoni is head of Immigration at the Santo Domingo Airport (and a Colonel in the Dominican Armed Forces.) Both spent hours talking to groups with their Bibles open and sharing that God loves them and sent His Son to die for their sins. A number came to saving faith in Christ that day. These men, and others like them, were part of a bigger team for one day of evangelism as hundreds heard the Good News of salvation.

Our team of six individuals from the U.S. was complete in so far as God put us together from four churches in New England to go to the Dominican Republic with the Gospel. GDMMissions’ theme verse states our purpose: “that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” (3 John 8) In this short epistle the Apostle John exhorts his well-beloved Gaius to meet the needs of “the brethren, and…strangers” as they carried the Gospel forward and thereby participated with them in their ministry for the Truth. We rejoice that we were joined in our ministry by faithful brethren in the Dominican Republic and that we could have a part with them in sharing the Truth.

Reason #4 for Taking a GDMMissions Field Team Trip

Reason #4 in our series on 8 Reasons to Take a GDMMissions Field Team Trip places an emphasis on the experience being spiritually profitable for the individuals participating.

#4 – Grow Spiritually
Every GDMMissions trip is structured for spiritual growth. It’s been said by others that: “It is not so much what God does with you but what God does in you.” Even “veterans” of many GDMMissions trips relate how they continue to grown spiritually as team members interact with each other and with national believers and missionaries.
Sometimes we become so focused on getting things done and ministering to others that we forget how important it is for God’s Holy Spirit to be freely working in our own lives. In fact, the spiritual health and growth of team members is one of the reasons God brings together the unique individuals and team leaders that make each field team special.
Each day of a GDMMissions clinic begins with personal devotions and leader-taught team devotions before the team eats breakfast and packs vehicles for the day’s clinic ministry. Team members encourage and exhort one another during the day as they deal with new health care situations and the difficulties of working under sometimes austere or stressful conditions. God’s loving care is seen every day as spiritual and cultural barriers to the Gospel are broken down and physical obstacles such as broken equipment, unreliable electricity, sickness, or inclement weather are overcome. In the evenings the team participates in worship services for patients and visitors and has opportunities to share how God worked that day to accomplish His purposes in people’s lives.
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” II Peter 3:18

Item of Prayer: That your short-term trip would emphasize individual spiritual growth; that growth would be more than just a by-product of one trip but the primary goal of your Christian life.

For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

Reason #3 for Taking a GDMMissions Field Team Trip

Reason #3 in our series on 8 Reasons to Take a GDMMissions Field Team Trip distinguishes GDMMissions by combining health professionals with “fellowhelpers” to form a unique evangelistic team.

#3 – Be Part of a Unique Evangelistic Team

GDMMissions conducts dental and medical evangelism clinics but you don’t need to be a health professional to be part of this unique team approach. Everyone on a short-term field team has multiple important jobs that not only make clinics function on a medical level but also minister to the spiritual needs of patients. You will be active from early in the morning until late at night as you serve our Lord in many ways. (Although our field teams are not your typical summer “work projects” that doesn’t mean you won’t work hard!)
If you are a health professional then our team trips are special times to use talents and knowledge in your field to demonstrate the love of Christ to people who appreciate your help and whose hearts are made tender to hear the Gospel. When you see others receive Christ as their Savior in the waiting area before they even recline in your dental chair or sit for a consultation then you know you’ve already had a joyous part in building the Body of Christ!
Dental and medical evangelism combined with health professionals is a powerful combination that follows a biblical pattern of teamwork. The high-profile, “up front” individuals are supported in countless ways by faithful “fellow labourers” who minister to individuals in ways that are often not recognized. God uses everyone, regardless of their specialties or skills, as part of His team.
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15

Item of Prayer: Pray that God would use you on a short-term missions trip with an evangelistic purpose; that you would be motivated first and foremost to evangelize the lost.

For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org

Jonah's Attitude as a Missionary

We can learn from the Book of Jonah about a missionary's attitude since he embodies almost all that a missionary's attitude should not be. In an occasional series on this topic I suggest some areas where we should search our own hearts about how we view our mission field.

Jonah's disdain for the Assyrians bordered on outright hatred. He was trained in the culture of Israel in his day to look upon the Assyrians as those who had brutally treated his people and whose lifestyle was the height of wickedness (Jonah 1:2) The thought of even speaking to the Assyrians about turning to the God of Israel was revolting to him. He would rather see the city of Nineveh destroyed and thousands of women and children die than give them the benefit of hearing about God's offer of mercy. He made the clear choice to act on his prejudice and disobey God by running in the opposite direction. (Jonah 1:3)

The total destruction of a large city and all its inhabitants whose fate depended on him didn't seem to bother him. When the people did turn to the LORD he was angry with God because things didn't go as he thought they should have. (Jonah 4:1) The book ends with Jonah showing more compassion on a wilted plant than on people. (Jonah 4:9-11)

Is it possible that our prejudice could determine who we witness to or how far we are willing to go out of our way to share the Gospel? A missionary attitude is one that sees individuals as those in need of hearing about Jesus Christ, regardless of what they have done, what they look like, where they are from, how they are dressed, etc. How sad it is to visit a missionary in a foreign country and hear them speak about "those people" in a disparaging or condescending way. We can do the same thing when we rationalize avoiding certain parts of town in our door-to-door ministry or emphasize a preference for going to countries that are "like us" to share the Gospel. God is not a respecter of persons (II Chronicles 19:7) and desires that we see people the same way. (James 2:1; 3:13-18)

Lack of compassion is evident in Jonah’s ability to walk away from an opportunity to tell the people of Nineveh about the One True God who was willing to forgive them and spare them if they repented. The fact that he didn’t care is both amazing and puzzling. How could we look at such an opportunity and walk away in the opposite direction? As those who have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18-19) we must approach our mission field with real compassion and caring.

Beyond lack of compassion is Jonah’s attitude of insensitivity and indifference. He was open in his refusal to obey God and it was even a hindrance to his testimony before the pagan sailors. (Jonah 1:10) When we leave our country to go to a people for whom Christ died we need to be sensitive to their spiritual needs. When a people are steeped in a culture of immorality and enslaved to pagan religions systems we need to be sensitive to them as individual souls in need of a Savior. It might be easy to be so repulsed by a people’s sin that we think they are not “worthy” of our suffering to tell them how they can be saved from their sin. But that did not keep Jesus Christ from suffering death on the cross to pay for our sins, did it? (Romans 5:8)

What do you think about Jonah as a counter-example of a missionary? There are more things we can learn from him but let me know and I’ll post other thoughts later. Comment below or e-mail me at mvetter@gdmmissions.org