God's Word: Still Transforming Lives

NinevehThe Non-Israelite nation of Assyria was transformed when the Word of God was preached to them by the Prophet Jonah.

Once again the Lord spoke to Jonah, He said, 'Go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to the people the message I have given you.'  So Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to walk through it.  Jonah started through the city, and after walking a whole day, he proclaimed, 'I forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!'  The people of Nineveh believed God's message.  So they decided that everyone should fast, and all the people, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth to show that they had repented.  When the king of Nineveh heard about it, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat down in ashes.  He sent out a proclamation to the people of Nineveh: 'This is an order from the king and his officials: no one is to eat anything; all persons, cattle, and sheep are forbidden to eat or drink.  All persons and animals must wear sackcloth.

Everyone must pray earnestly to God and must give up his wicked behaviour and his evil actions.  Perhaps God will change His mind; perhaps He will stop being angry, and we will not die!'  God saw what they did; he saw that they had given up their wicked behaviour.  So he changed His mind and did not punish them as he had said He would - Jonah 3:1-10.

Saul
Saul, one of the great persecutors of the early Christians, was transformed into a new person by the Word of God.  He was turned from a great persecutor to a great preacher of the Gospel of Christ.

In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord.  He went to the High Priest and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogue in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.  As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed round him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?'  'Who are you, Lord?' he asked.

'I am Jesus, whom you persecute,' the voice said.  'But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.'  The men who were travelling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard a voice but could not see anyone.  Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing.

So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.  For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.  There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to Him, 'Ananias!' 'Here I am, Lord,' he answered.  The Lord said to him,

'Get ready and go Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul.  He is praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.'  Ananias answered, 'Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem.

And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.'  The Lord said to him, 'Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to the Gentile kings and to the people of Israel.  And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.' - Acts 9:1-6.

STILL TRANSFORMING LIVES
The Word of God is still transforming life today.  Many people of faith have come out publicly to proclaim transformations in their lives due to coming into contact with the Word of God, either through hearing it read, or reading it themselves.  Some of these testimonies told to our staff are recounted here:

1.    A Sick Woman in a Hospital is Healed (In Sefwi Wiawso)

'I had been ill for long and unable to recover.  Then one morning in my ward, a man entered with a machine called Proclaimer and played Sehwi audio on scriptures.  This was the first time I heard the scriptures in my own language. I tried to listen to the scriptures and prayed in my heart that God should me like the man at the pool of Bethsaida.  When the man finished playing and was leaving, I found put that I could move my body and was able to rise up, after three weeks of being ridden in bd.  To my surprise, I saw that I could stand and walk - a miracle indeed.  The medical staff of the hospital was really surprised to see we well suddenly.  This is the hand God in my life.'

2.    The Bible Has Helped Me A Lot (Bolgatanga)
The reason why I am writing this letter is that, the Bible has helped me a lot but I will like to express on two reasons why the Bible has helped me.  The following are reasons why the Bible has helped me.

Firstly, I have learnt that there is nothing impossible for God and it has made me stop stealing other people's things as it is said in the Book of Matthew 7:7-12, 'ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.'  And so I have stopped stealing and been asking God for what I need so I will receive.  This is one way the Bible has helped me.

Last but not the last, I have learnt that anything we have whether small or big we should share with others and it has made me not to be greedy as it is said in the Book of Matthew 14:17-21, 'All we have here are five loaves and two fish,' Jesus said.  He ordered the people to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven and gave thanks.

He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people.  Everyone ate and had enough.  The disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left over.  The number of men who ate were about 5000, not counting the women and the children.  And so I have stopped being greedy and (I am now) sharing what I have with people so that I may be blessed by God.  This is also a way the Bible has helped me.The Word of God will continue to transform lives as it has done from the beginning of creation.

STAY BLESSED!
Invitation to a Choral Concert: We are once again privileged to invite you to an exciting Evening with J. Ato Scott Bennin and J. G. Koomson two of Ghana's versatile and prolific composers of choral and classical music. On Friday – March 25, 2011 at the Kama Conference Centre, Labone @6:00pm prompt.  You can't afford to miss another time of thrilling Ghanaian choral music.  Come along with your friends and family!!!