Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabis-cuit: An American Legend) is a must-read for every American—young and old. This is the true story of Louis Zamperini, troubled delinquent who grows up to became an Olympic athlete. Zamperini participated in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and had a personal audi-ence before Adolf Hitler who was taken by the talent of this young runner and had asked to speak with him.

Zamperini’s career as an athlete was abruptly inter-rupted by the attack on Pearl Harbor. He enlisted in the Army Air Force and served in the Pacific theater as a bombardier. In May of 1943, Zamperini and his crew were flying a rattletrap B-24 on a rescue mission when the plane fell apart and they had to ditch into the Pacific.

All the crew perished from the impact except Louie and two of his crew. Only Louie and the plane’s pilot survived until they were rescued by the Japanese after 47 harrowing days adrift in a rubber raft. The third member of their party died at sea of starvation, dehydration, exposure and negativism.

Zamperini’s story of survival at sea is an incredible one but his years as a POW in Japanese camps is gut-wrenching. Subjected to the most inhumane brutality imaginable, Louie’s fanatical physical training as an athlete bode him well. Even though singled out for particularly heinous treatment at the hands of a Japanese official, he remained unbroken until the end.

Upon return to civilian life in the States, Louie did not stand up so well. Prior battles with alcohol plagued him as flashbacks of his POW imprisonment tormented his soul. Enter phase 3 of Zamperini’s life in which he begins a skid downward that seems to have no bottom. The good news is there is also a phase 4 for Zamperini. Though it occupies a small portion of the book, you are not going to want to miss this one. Survival, resilience—and now redemption!

Even though I put Unbroken down for the last time several days ago, I am still reeling from the impact of this powerful, marvelous, awe-inspiring life-story. Hillenbrand does not refer to Zamperini as a hero, but this man is everything a hero should be. His battle with the trials and tribulations are impressive, but his triumph is glorious!

This is the story of the rise and fall, and RISE again of an American hero—in every sense of the word. It could be the story of any one of us. More than any-thing else, this is the kind of bravery every Christian and every American must aspire to.

In Genesis Chapters 1-2, we read God’s account of the creation. And in this account, we are told that we are created in His image. Obviously if this is true—and it is because all scripture is God-breathed and thereby truth since God is Truth—then why do we ever try to change those around us?

Of course, once sin entered into the world, this perfect image in which we were created deteriorated into something far from perfect. We became self-centered and arrogant. We began to do things God never intended us to do. We argued. We lusted after the possessions of others. We put other gods before Him. We even strived to become equal to God Himself.

Fortunately, God loved us so much that He refused to give up on us. He gave us the Law (the Ten Commandments and others) to make us righteous, and in that Law He included the consequences if we failed to keep any of its requirements. Unfortunately, we persisted in sin, thus marring our once in-the-image-of-God likeness almost beyond recognition.

God would certainly have been justified in giving up at that point, but instead He did the most incredible thing. He sent His Son into the world—the Perfect coming to dwell among us, to redeem those who loved Him by giving His life for the sins of all mankind. God made Him who knew no sin to become sin that we might become righteous. He made it possible for us to be perfect once again.

It’s difficult to understand the mystery. If we accept God the Son as Lord of our life, He comes to dwell within us. We are new creations, reflecting the image of God in all His glory, just as we were created in the beginning. We still have limitations, of course. As long as we are living in this sinful world, we cannot be perfect in the absolute meaning of the term. But we are deemed perfect by our heavenly Father be-cause He sees us through the blood of the perfect One living within us.

It should be obvious, then, that it is futile and sheer insanity for any of us to try and change another. The only One who has the authority to do this is the Father. He created us and He alone can change us. There is only one way to bring this about: we must accept His perfect Son as the Lord and Savior of our lives. Only then will we be able to begin the transformation from our sinful humanity to the perfection of His image once again.

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we
know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” —1 John 3:2

In November this year, we will bring a teaching to the pastors and missionaries in Philip’s organization who are able to travel to Yangon from outlying areas. At the conclusion of that seminar, we will travel inland again, this time north to Mandalay for a 3-day teaching to be held there. This is a brand-new location for our team.

This latter seminar will be held in conjunction with Brother Lalthlamuana ( Muana) with the Methodist Church in Mandalay. Our association with Muana stems from a meeting with the Director of Missions, Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa, during a training that Muana was attending here in the States.

By combining a trip to Mandalay with a teaching in Yangon, we are able to reach considerably more people with the same travel expenses. It is our hope that we can do more of this in the future and thereby maximize your dollars for the Lord.

We are receiving invitations to teach from a number of different nations: Tanzania, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, in addition to others in Myanmar. Each request is prayerfully considered and decisions are made on the basis of what we feel God is leading us to do. We have neither the time nor the money to accept all the invitations, nor would it be prudent to do so. We are currently forming an association with a brother from Pakistan to have some of our teaching material translated into Urdu. Our mission is to accomplish the specific tasks that God gives us to do.

We are grateful to each and every one of your who make it possible for us to take God’s teaching to people who otherwise receive no outside help. Our goal always is to enable believers everywhere we go to read and study God’s word without the use of man’s commentaries. We believe this is the most effective way to minimize the risk of false teaching infiltrating their Christianity.

   One of the most noisome of mine–but the least frequently encountered–is my fear of heights.  Acrophobia. 

   Not that I’m actually afraid of being up high; it’s just that when I’m near the edge of anything, I feel like I’m being drawn over the side.  Walking along the edge of a swimming pool, this isn’t such a bad thing.  But walking along a precipice that drops to a thousand feet below, it’s vitally critical.  On the scenic overlook  atop the Empire State Building, for example, I couldn’t begin to peel myself off the interior wall to approach the telescopes for a look-see! 

   A number of summers ago, I found myself  in the mountains northwest of Taos, New Mexico.  I had been on a short-term mission to participate in a maintenance project at McCurdy School when the team ventured north to explore the remains of an obscure cliff dwelling in a National Forest nearby.  Sounded like a great idea to me and I tramped through the woods anticipating a fun day exploring native American antiquities.

   It’s true that my excitement waned a bit at the sight of the first of two ladders leaning against a sheer rock wall. One at a time, I told myself, and placed one foot above the other until I reached the top.  It wasn’t easy turning loose and stepping out onto the dusty path that would take us around and up to a second ladder.   At no time–either while on the ladder or the path–did  I allow an eye to wander down or back.  I probably would have kept both glued shut had it been possible to keep my footing without knowing where I was putting my feet!

   I don’t know how I ever managed to climb that second ladder.  Probably because several team members were behind me and I couldn’t bear to let anyone see how terrified I was.  Up another twenty or so feet and we were all at the top and convinced that we had discovered something most of the world would never see.   An exhilarating experience!  I was so glad that I had made it with the team.

   Then it was time to return to the canyon floor way, way down below.  No problem.  I’d made it up, I could make it down. 

  But at the first step towards the ladder, my feet balked.  In front of me, there was nothing but air.  That ole familiar sensation grabbed at my gut and I had the momentary sensation of falling.  If I took another  step towards the edge of the cliff, I was sure that something would grab me and drag me over the edge.

   The guy behind me didn’t hesitate.  Leaning forward, he took hold of my left hand and placed it on the shoulder of the person in front; then the right.  His lips at ear-level calmly whispered:  “Keep your eyes on Jesus.”

   I made it to the bottom without a hitch.

   Some time later, I was to give my testimony before an audience of  several hundred.  Frozen in fear would be an understatement of what I was feeling at the moment.  As I climbed over those on the pew between me and the aisle, a friend reached for my hand.  I could feel a scrap of paper being stuffed into my palm.

   My shakey knees delivered me up the three steps to the podium.  But when  I looked out over the sea of faces up-turned to hear me speak, words wouldn’t come.  I looked down at the scrap of paper that’d been shoved into my palm.

   “Turn your eyes upon Jesus!”

If this nation has ever needed Jesus, it’s now. The downward spiral of morality has not only caught up with us, but it’s taken us way beyond our ability to turn things around. Truth has lost its meaning, integrity is a forgotten art, people grow more egocentric by the day, greed runs rampant among adults and children alike. The nation is hopelessly stuck in its own muck and mire.

Lest you forget, take a look at the daily headlines: murder, rape, kidnappings, hatred in politics, vicious accusations thrown about, lie upon lie. Is there no end in sight?

What the world needs now is Jesus. The character of mankind has sunk to an all-time low and only the love of Jesus can soften a heart so hardened. This nation must have revival; its people must make a complete 180 if there’s to be any hope of survival.

According to Matthew 18:20, Jesus is in our midst when even just two or three believers come together. Our forefathers knew this—they founded a nation upon it. Coming together in prayer and pulling together the rudiments of a rational government, birthing a great Republic. Solidly planted on Christian principles.

The truth cannot be denied: we began as a Christian nation, we must continue as one. Let no one say it otherwise. We must return to the principles set forth in the Bible upon which these United States were conceived. In the words of President Ronald Reagan: “Within the covers of that single Book are all the answers to all the problems that face us today, if we’d only look there.”

Now is the time to look. Now is the time to gather in His name and open the Book. Before it’s too late.

“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” —Ronald Reagan

But there is good news. For everyone who is seeking, there is someone who knows exactly what that purpose is (Jeremiah 29:11) and He is willing to reveal it to us. All we have to do is ask—but He wants us first to make the effort to find it on our own.

Discovering life’s purpose is a major issue for us, because until we find out what ours is, the emptiness cannot be sated. It goes without saying, the first step is our accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but that is only the beginning.

After salvation, we are to do the good works God prepared in advance for us to do—that’s what the Bible teaches in Ephesians 2:10—so that is what we must do. And that means we have to determine what the good works are that God has in mind for us to do.

When you were a new believer, you may have been fortunate to have resources in your home church that helped you explore the role God planned for you. You may have discovered what Spiritual gifts He had given you. Even then, you may still be unable to determine the area in which He wants you to serve.

What can a person do, then, to discover his or her purpose and live the abundant life Jesus promises in John 10:10?

If you know your Spiritual gifts, that’s a great place to start. If you don’t, then simply ask a Christian friend, pastor or mentor what gifts they observe in you. What others see is usually more accurate than any test or Spiritual gifts inventory we could take.

God chose you and gave you gifts so you could serve in the capacity He planned in advance for you. So once you identify your gifts, take a good hard look at scripture and determine the jobs God had back then for people with the same gifts as you. Add to that the tasks you see today that require the specific gifts you have. Consider what you are naturally good at doing, and pray diligently for the Father to reveal His plans for you. Then the most important step of all: listen. Be still. And listen!

Our responsibility as believers is to persevere in our search until we discover God’s plan for our life. He has given us what we need. Now we must stay in the Word and develop a close relationship with Him in order to find out what it is.

We must never give up looking.

Jesus started early on in his ministry telling us that we must give up our earthly rights. He taught that we are to turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, and give to all who ask (and not just what they ask for, but more). In their place, Jesus has given us heavenly rights. Making us partakers of the divine nature. No longer walking with the world, but seated with Him in the heavenlies.

As believers we have the right to esteem others better than ourselves, to deny ourselves, to empty ourselves, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. Furthermore, we have the right to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, to use weapons of warfare that are spiritual and not fleshly. We have the right to love our enemies and pray for them. And we have inherited every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm.

How great it is that these Jesus-bestowed rights are not temporary, but are of eternal value. Because NOW we are new creations. With an inheritance that will not fade or perish. No longer operating in the flesh, so no longer desiring the “rights” we used to claim.

In fact, who could settle for the rights we once had? Certainly not after tasting of His Spirit How wonderful that—because Jesus died for us—we can trade the rights we once held so dear, for the rights of a child of the King. Not to be used for Self, but to be used for Him so that others will know we love Him and they can see that trading our old rights for His rights brings far more blessing than any right we ever thought we had before.

Time was, a man’s word was his bond. People could be trusted to keep their promise. Truth was valued as much as life itself, and good people told the truth no matter the consequences.

Where is that truth today?

Politicians lie, advertisers lie, the government lies, children lie, parents lie. It’s becoming harder and harder to separate the truth from the lie.

The other day I heard a man who was campaigning for national office boast of his war experiences in Viet
Nam—the truth was he was only in the National Guard and never served in active duty overseas. It used to be that people in public office tried to cover up anything shady they might have done in the past; now they are making up things and claiming to have done things they never did. It’s insane. Where does it all end?

The telling of lies is an act of rejection against God. Even so-called little lies! The Bible tells us that Jesus is Truth; that God cannot lie, that He does not lie. We are told that all liars eventually will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is eternal separation from God. When we choose to lie, then, we are choosing to separate ourselves from God, and from the Truth—for all eternity.

It is bad enough that so many lies are spread through the media, where a gullible public laps everything up without question. But the lies we tell as individuals—if repeated often enough—soon become pseudo-truth in our own hearts. Years ago, I worked with a young man who was standing trial for the murder of a young woman. I’ll call the man “Jimmy.”

Jimmy admitted to me that he was present at the scene of the murder. He acknowledged that in a fit of anger he had placed his hands around her neck—just to scare her. He went so far as to confess that he was so angry that he squeezed his hands together as hard as he could. And shook her. Violently. But he adamantly avowed that he did not kill her!

She passed out, he said, and dropped to the floor. It was an acquaintance with him that did the killing…he said. Once the girl was on the floor, the other guy kicked her in the neck. That was what killed her. He said.

Our minds all work the same way. Because the horror of what he’d done was too much to digest, Jimmy convinced himself that his actions only caused the girl to pass out—nothing more. Someone else was responsible for killing her. During the arrest and subsequent questioning, Jimmy told the lie so many times that he eventually believed it as truth.

As a people, we are losing our grip on reality. Lying is becoming so commonplace that we believe it more often than the truth. We claim there is nothing absolute, so what’s true depends on the circumstances. In other words, truth is a moving target. How can we possibly hit it?

Jesus boldly claims in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth and the life. The Bible also boldly claims that Jesus (who is God) does not change. Any way you look at it, that’s absolute truth. It’s something we can count on, now and forever more.

As you pray for the healing of our nation, pray also for the revival of truth.. We will never be “one nation under God” until we learn to value the Truth.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”—Colossians 2:8

Moral relativism, the belief that right and wrong are dependent upon the individual and situation, is rapidly sweeping our nation, and sadly, our church. In fact, according to a 2002 survey by the Barna Group, only 32% of Christian American adults believe in moral absolutes (that right and wrong exist, no matter what the situation is)! The numbers are even more staggering when it comes to teenagers. In that age group, only 9% believe in absolutes. Are the two beliefs compatible with one another?

The answer is: absolutely not! Jesus clearly states in John 14:6 that, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That is definitely absolute! The Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 20: 3-17) are absolutes. In fact, the entire Bible is absolute on everything! Nowhere in the Bible does God come even slightly close to implying that moral relativism is even remotely possible.

So how can we fight against this enemy? Perhaps the best thing we can do is to know God’s word through consistently studying the Bible. If we are to truly stand against relativism (or any other philosophy or religion, for that matter) we must have a firm understanding of what we believe, why we believe it, and why it is true. While many great apologetic resources exist, the best thing to read is the Bible. God gives us everything we need to know in His word, we just need to study it…and most definitely live it out in our lives.

Something else we can do is to pray. Prayer is vital to all Christians. Our battle is a spiritual one (Ephesians 6: 12) and prayer is the most powerful weapon we have! We can pray not only for friends, but for our entire nation as it becomes more engulfed in this dangerous philosophy.

And finally, we can live out a life that reflects the absolute truth of God’s Word. The best witness is sometimes not the one who speaks, but rather the one who is a quiet example. While moral relativism has been around for years and will probably exist until Christ’s return, we can still fight it. In the end, Christ will be triumphant because He always wins.

Word Within International is a teaching ministry committed to teaching the Word of God to believers worldwide, We teach both the Bible and how to study the Bible. But according to James, if we see a need and do nothing to help, then our teaching is for naught as far as our relationship with God is concerned.

How can we in good faith teach pastors in Southeast Asia how to study the Bible when these same pastors have no means of supporting themselves and their families?

For this reason, Word Within has started a program we call The Timothy Project. Through it, we hope to be able to supply start up funds for indigenous pastors and evangelists to begin home businesses through which they can feed and clothe their families. Through this fund, Asbury UMC has contributed funds for the purchase of a rice paddy for Timothy and Phoebe, two of our sponsored missionaries. We have also supplied Evangelists Timothy and Sui each with a motorbike for their travel into the remote regions of their country.

Now, we are working on funds for Sui and his wife to purchase a small plot of land for raising chickens. If you would like to be a part of this exciting project, note on your donation check: “Timothy Project.”

Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.