Helen Stam - The Miracle Baby

In 1933 John and Betty Stam became official missionaries to China. A year later, in September 1934, their daughter, Helen Priscilla, was born. Soon after her birth the province where the Stam’s were stationed was overrun by Communist soldiers. On Dec. 6, 1934, John Stam wrote a letter to the mission headquarters in Shanghai with the news that they had been taken hostage by the Communists who were demanding $20,000 in ransom money. He told his captors that he doubted the mission would pay the money. The Communists taunted them by discussing when they were going to kill the baby to be rid of it.

The next day, the Stam’s were forced to walk twelve miles to the neighboring town of Miaosheo, where they spent the night in an abandoned house. On the morning of December 8, John and Betty were paraded through the city to their execution. When a local Chinese merchant pleaded with authorities to spare the couple, soldiers searched his home. Finding a bible and hymnbook among his possessions, they arrested the man and killed him the next day. The Stams were forced up a hill outside Miaosheo, where they were executed by decapitation at the summit. Betty was 28 and John was 27 years old. Their bodies were left behind by the evacuating soldiers.

John and Betty Stam

And what of their young daughter? When the Communists took John and Betty away, they left baby Helen behind in the abandoned house. A day later a Chinese evangelist, Pastor Lo, found her still in her sleeping bed, alive and well. He also discovered several clean diapers and two five-dollar bills packed with the child. Pastor Lo carried baby Helen in a rice basket through the mountainous regions of China, using the ten dollars Betty concealed with Helen to buy powdered milk for her. On December 14, nearly a week after the Stam’s murder, Pastor Lo delivered the baby to the mission station in Shanghai. Within hours, the Betty and John family in Paterson, New Jersey received a three-word telegram: “Stam Baby Safe.”    

Remember that ransom letter John Stam was forced to write? His last written words were, “The Lord bless and guide you—and as for us—may God be glorified whether by life or by death.”

The Stam’s sacrificial deaths are often cited as galvanizing a new generation of missionary candidates, including 700 young people at Moody Bible Institute, the Stam’s alma mater

I think we learn something important about the ways of God from this story. A family friend wrote these words concerning the miraculous deliverance of Helen Priscilla: “Everything about her deliverance tells of God’s love and power. If the Lord could bring a tiny, helpless infant through such dangers to perfect safety, surely He no less could have saved the lives of her precious parents had that been in His Divine plan.”

As Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced the fiery furnace they said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). But if not…

We all hope and pray to live long lives in peace and safety. No one wants to be a martyr for Christ. But each of us should be prepared to face the fire of persecution. Our God is able to deliver us. But if not, may we be found faithful to Christ, even unto death.  -DM

Sources: 

Ray Pritchard, "But if Not," Keep Believing Ministries, 5 December 1999 <https://www.keepbelieving.com/sermon/1999-12-05-the-martyrs/>

"Stam Baby Safe: Remembering John and Betty Stam," Wheaton, 3 December 2019 <https://fromthevault.wheaton.edu/2019/12/03/stam-baby-safe-remembering-john-and-betty-stam/>

Could Your Faith Survive a Famine?

Famine is a word that few in America or the West are acquainted with personally. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly disrupted supply chains and made commodities – like gasoline, toilet paper and meat – difficult to get for short periods. We could shrug these inconveniences off as “first-world problems.”

However, third world nations have been impacted worse by the economic downturns, government shutdowns and scarcity that accompanied the virus. Right now, The United Nations World Food Programme is reporting that “acute hunger is at a five-year high as famine looms for millions.” According to this source, at least 155 million people in 55 countries faced acute hunger in 2020-2021.[1] Additionally, as many as 11 people are likely dying of hunger and malnutrition each minute. This is more than the current global death rate of COVID-19, which is around seven people per minute![2]

The sad reality is that while Americans are fighting the Federal Government for the freedom of medical choice, vast swaths of humanity are more concerned with a struggle even more basic: a fight that’s as old as civilization, finding the next meal.     

We are not accustomed to empty stomachs and hunger pangs, but when you study the Bible, you discover the theme of famine is strong throughout. Sometimes famine occurs as the natural result of life on a fallen, sin-cursed planet, and other times famine is a remedial judgment from the hand of God upon a stiff-necked and rebellious people. Here’s just a few highlights. 

·         A famine drove Abraham down to Egypt where he faced his first test of faith (Gen. 12:10).

·         Seven years of Joseph’s career as the Prime Minister of Egypt was occupied with collecting grain so that the nation could survive a God-predicted famine (Gen. 41:35-36).

·         On the eve of his death, Moses warned Israel that if they failed to obey God’s commandants in the Promised Land that they would suffer famine as divine punishment (Deut. 11:17).

·         The book of Ruth begins with a famine which caused Elimelech and Naomi to go in search of food in Moab, where one of their sons would marry Ruth (Ruth 1:1).

·         Don’t forget the prophet Elijah who pronounced a 3½-year drought on the land of Israel for Ahab’s idolatry, which eventually led to a famine (1 Kings 17:1).

·         The obscure, but prophetic book of Joel describes a locust invasion upon Israel which devastated crops and caused a food crisis (Joel 1:10-12).

·         Even worse than a famine of physical food is a famine of spiritual food. Because Israel rejected the prophets, God promised a severe judgment: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD’” (Amos 8:11).

·         Finally, during the Tribulation period Jesus predicted that worldwide famines would be a sign preceding His return (Matt. 24:7). Likewise, in Revelation 6:5-8 we read that two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will be able to devastate ¼ of the world population with economic inflation, hunger, war and beasts of the earth.

Could we ever see famine in America – the land of plenty? Prudence would say that the “that-can’t-happen-here” mentality is not a wise approach. In the wake of Tyrant-in-Chief Biden’s recent vaccine mandates for business over 100 emplyees, there have been many in the workforce who have already contemplated quitting their job rather than take the jab.

What if those who decide to walk away are those in the food industry? One journalist and blogger, Leo Hohmann, does some out-loud thinking when he writes:

“One of the most important functions of any society is food production. That industry is also about to be decimated by Biden’s vaccine mandates. Liberty Counsel, a public-interest law firm that is providing legal help to hundreds of Americans now under threat of losing their jobs, announced Sept. 10 it has sent a demand letter to Tyson Foods, the giant meat-packing company, on behalf of dozens of Tyson workers who are being threatened with termination if they don’t get Joe’s jab. Think of the impact this will have on food stocks if all of the major food-processing and trucking companies follow the order handed down Sept. 9 by Dictator Biden: Every company with more than 100 employees must fire those who refuse the jab, Biden said, or face fines of up to $14,000 a day. This could easily entail 20 to 30 percent of a company’s workforce. It’s not difficult to imagine bare store shelves within a few weeks of when these terminations take effect, which could be as soon as November. Prepare accordingly.”[3]

I’m not trying to peddle fear or be a doomsday prophet. But I am pointing out what many in the US are starting to realize - as a nation in decline we will have to think about facing new challenges that we never thought we’d have to in our lifetimes.

Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure - God’s sending or allowing famine upon Israel was always a sure-fire way to gain His people’s attention through their stomachs. As we draw closer to the last days, we should expect shortages to be more frequent as world conditions are being prepared for the unfolding of Bible prophecy. Physical and spiritual famine should point us to Christ, for He is “the Bread of Life” (John 6:35). In Christ there is no shortage of truth, grace and hope. Just as the people of the world flocked to Joseph for bread during a 7-year famine, may the people of today be compelled to Christ for salvation before the Tribulation hits.

-DM

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[1] James Belgrave and Peyvand Khorsandi, “Acute Hunger at Five-Year High, Study Warns, as Famine Looms for Millions,” The United Nations World Food Programme, 6 May 2021 <https://www.wfp.org/stories/acute-hunger-five-year-high-study-warns-famine-looms-millions>

[2] Nesrine Aly, “Six-Fold Increase in People Suffering Famine-like Conditions Since Pandemic Began,” OXFAM, 9 July 2021 <https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/six-fold-increase-people-suffering-famine-conditions-pandemic-began>

[3] Leo Hohmann, “Joe Biden is Not Incompetent: He is Doing Exactly What He Was Hired to Do — Collapse America,” 10 Sept. 2021 <https://leohohmann.com/2021/09/10/joe-biden-is-not-incompetent-he-is-doing-exactly-what-he-was-hired-to-do-collapse-america/>  

Where Was God on 9/11?

This year commemorates the 20^th anniversary of one of America’s darkest days – 9/11. Anyone who was old enough to remember that tragic day can probably tell you where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news that our nation had been attacked by terrorists. I know I can – I was a senior walking the halls of Enka High School. I vividly recall huddling around a television set with my classmates watching the horror unfold as we saw the second plane crash into the south tower of the World Trade Center.

In the days that followed we heard all kinds of stories – sad ones, courageous ones, amazing ones – all unforgettable. One of those that stuck with me was the story of Jennifer Sands.

Jennifer Sands knows how God works through evil to bring about good. Her husband, Jim Sands, perished on the morning of September 11, 2001 when the twin towers fell. His office was on the 103^rd floor of Tower One. She was in a dark pit in the aftermath of that tragedy. Jennifer said most of her anger was directed at God because he failed to protect her husband even though she prayed for him every day. 

That first Christmas after 9/11, her heart was broken as she trudged through the mall. But she dropped a dollar into the red Salvation Army kettle and received a card in exchange for her gift. She collapsed wearily into her car and read the card to find distraction from her heart’s pain. It bore a picture of the American flag, a silhouette of the towers bearing the words: “9–11–01 – We Will Not Forget You” and this scripture verse: “For I know the plans I have for you, not to harm you, but plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11).

Jennifer recalls, “It was the first time in my life– ever–that I had taken notice of a Bible verse. Sure, I had seen Bible verses before, but I never paid attention to them. The words ‘hope and future’ jumped out at me. More importantly, it seemed like God himself had just broken the silence and spoken to me. Because of that verse, I opened the Bible for the first time in my life and started reading it. That Scripture verse changed things.” Soon after exploring the Bible, Jennifer repented of her sins and surrendered her life to Christ.

Jennifer is certain that had it not been for 9/11 then she probably would have never taken time to listen to the Gospel. On her website she wrote, “Where was God on 9/11?  I can tell you now—without a doubt—that God was with me, even though I didn't see it back then. I didn't realize it until later . . . when I had calmed down . . . when I stopped screaming at Him . . . when I was able to stop and look and see Him there. Our grief blinds us to the reality of God's presence. When we're in pain, the pain is all we can think about—it's all we can feel. But I know that God was there with me on that day, just as He is with me right now.”[1]         

Jennifer Sands 

WOW! What a testimony of how God worked through the pain and tears of a victim’s grief to show His unfailing love and endless grace. 20 years ago, many Americas wondered, “Where was God on 9/11.” Yet, God was right there in the midst of our darkness. When you look at the cross, God took an evil form of capital punishment and turned it into a way for the world to have salvation through His Son – Jesus Christ. What man meant for evil, God turned into the greatest good. The God of the Bible knows our hurt, our violence, our grief and our pain.  

God has entered into problem of human suffering. The reason we can know that God is good is because Jesus has wounds, and by those wounds He reversed the curse of sin and emerged victorious on the other side. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (2:14-15).

I will leave you with an excerpt from a favorite website of mine. “When thinking of September 11, we tend to forget the thousands of miracles that occurred on that day. Hundreds of people were able to flee the buildings just in the nick of time. A small handful of firemen and one civilian survived in a tiny space in a stairwell as the one of the towers collapsed around them. The passengers on Flight 93 defeating the terrorists was a miracle in and of itself. Yes, September 11 was a terrible day. Sin reared its ugly head and caused great devastation. However, God is still in control. His sovereignty is never to be doubted. Could God have prevented what happened on September 11? Of course He could, but He chose to allow the events to unfold exactly as they did. He prevented that day from being as bad as it could have been. Since September 11, how many lives have been changed for the better? How many people have placed their faith in Christ for salvation as a result of what happened? The words of Romans 8:28 should always be in our minds when we think of 9-11, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.”[2]

 

-DM

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[1] Jennifer Sands, “Where Was God on 9/11?” < https://jennifersands.com/> 

[2] “Where Was God on 9/11,” Got Questions <https://www.gotquestions.org/9-11.html> 

The Giant and The Image of the Beast

 

A recent Yahoo! news headline caught my attention, “Get a First Look at ‘The Giant’ Statue Coming to 21 Cities Across the Globe.” Here’s the details. A company in Ireland is hoping to bring the world's tallest moving statue to 21 cities in 2021, such as Phoenix, Montreal and Las Vegas. Called “The Giant” it’s a programmable, moving statue that’s 10-stories tall and covered with millions of LED pixels that allow it to take the form of any person — from Spider-Man to Beyonce to Albert Einstein. Each hour the Giant will transform into national heroes and global celebrities. Giant’s arms and head can move in multiple directions, sing, and speak, all for the entertainment of onlookers. The Giant can take on any image so you could even find yourself featured - talk about the ultimate selfie! Each “Giant” will cost $18 - $24 million to develop depending on the location and chosen size and the statue can be a permanent or temporary fixture and built in 18 months.[1]

The reason why I mention this story is because it reminded me of something prophesied in the book of Revelation. During the Tribulation period, Revelation 13 tells us about a coming global government ruled by a devilish dictator named “The Beast.” You probably know him better as the Antichrist. Satan’s CEO will be the physical embodiment of evil and he will rule over an economic, political and religious empire only dreamt of by ruthless leaders of the past like Hitler and Stalin. Central to the Antichrist’s power is the worldwide cult that will arise with him. The Bible says that the Antichrist will be aided by first lieutenant known as “The False Prophet.” The job of the FP will be to implement the Mark of the Beast and tie worship of the Antichrist to his regime. This includes an idol of the Antichrist which is referred to as “The Image of the Beast.”

Just read for yourself what John foresaw, “14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain” (Rev. 13:14-15).

Do you see the parallels between “The Image of the Beast” and “The Giant,” which hopes to be coming to a city near you very soon? Could it be that the FP will utilize this type of technology to bring “the Image of the Beast” to life for all the world to see? Only time will tell. Don’t misunderstand – I’m not saying that “The Giant” is “the Image of the Beast,” but what I am suggesting is that we are witnessing the development of the kind of technology that could be used during the Tribulation to deceive the masses. Bible prophecy is falling into place just as Christ, Paul, John, Daniel and others said it would.

I believe that Christ will come for the church and take all true believers out of this world before the Tribulation (otherwise known as the pre-tribulation rapture). So, I don’t believe that the church will be on the earth to see the emergence of the Antichrist’s one-world government. However, it’s exciting to think that we are living in the season prior to Jesus’ Second Coming, because this is just one of many prophetic signs that forecast the end-times. Stay watching and stay hopeful friends. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. -DM  

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[1] “Get a First Look at ‘The Giant’ Statue Coming to 21 Cities Across the Globe,” YAHOO!, 11 May 2021 <https://www.yahoo.com/now/first-look-giant-statue-coming133943020.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF1s4mJfCIPNr7xZcaAo3nBx_kxPoiqWGi2pG5PfMMAtC3tPW4O9H1XAdhr7iTSDPNdrk8Q2WFhAsJA7weF87LCKXDMloz6drIiXuaUR2DbtYGEYEQa0JCdWaUauIRc_e6DptS_hR-UET9Bciyx5YADmiF_q1fhsF8W-8XH6n7V>