Book That Would Not Burn

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heaven and Earth shall pass away but God's word shall never pass [Music] away to my Christian brothers and sisters in all the world I am rivo my country is the beautiful island of Madagascar my story is true and it must be remembered remembered not because of the sorrow and the suffering though many have sorrowed and many have suffered for many reasons but because of the glory not my glory nor ours but the glory which is for God [Music] Alone it was to have been the concluding day of my life mine together with those other Christians who had discovered that in Life or in death the word of our God can never be destroyed never yes Uncle fear is in my mind but peace is in my heart pray for me I was afraid yes yet there was peace in my heart I thank God that day for many things I thanked him for my mother for her faith her love her teachings and example what a wall of strength she was to me and I thanked my lord for rasal Lama that from childhood I had been privileged to know this great woman you're only a child now REO but every day I pray that you will learn more and more of our wonderful savior wife daughter right here rivo your uncle is here where did my favorite girl get this orange hurry small Parks has struck the next Village we must must offer a sacrifice to the spirits come on right now how it tore the very soul of my mother tested her faith would I follow the ways of my father and his brother the sorcerer or would I too become one of those who as did she walk in God's way before I had yet been born men from a far country came to our beautiful island whose ways were new and strange they printed books they printed the book the book that speaks God's words to the ears of men's hearts soon men all over the island were reading God's word slowly but certainly like seed planted and watered in the earth and warmed by the sun Hearts began to change people destroyed their Treasures of Darkness their idols and fetishes your highness our most gracious queen your humble Chief counselor is pleased to announce that all is ready childhood I remembered our great Queen ravala your carefully so very cleverly her Chief counselor began to prepare the Queen's mind for suspicion of the Christians when someone becomes a Christian he becomes is an entirely new person inside he's not the same anymore a new life has begun all these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Jesus Christ did has anyone something you wish to share of what the Lord has done for you my heart is full of praise God has truly made me a new person I rashal Lama once such a hateful person so unkind to my servant and now we're members of the same family truly our Lord is King above all [Music] Kings we must speak with you about something that is extremely important can it be postponed I don't believe so it is very important I bring some very disturbing news your majesty it may even prove to be a threat to your throne although we hope not your majesty we certainly hope not what is it your highness knows of the visitors who have come from far away and who tell our people of a new religion and I understood no one showed interest in this new religion so it was at first your highness but this is changing I've learned that even members of your Royal Court have become interested yes members of the Royal Court had become interested among them was a young Courier from the palace he was the cousin of my mother's good friend rasal Lama let us hear the word of God the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he makes me to lie down in Green Pastures he leads me beside the Still Waters he restores my soul he leads me in Paths of righteousness for his name's sake even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil you have to stop for what reason we do nothing that's wrong the queen isn't blind she knows there are men in her Court who will do anything to take advantage of others she herself does not want to cause trouble but I fear the chief counselor is convincing her that you Christians in turning from the religion of our country also threaten the throne that is not true the Bible teaches Christians to obey those in [Music] authority [Music] I much older now experienced in my own heart the conflict rising in our country I saw the love of Christians like rasal Lama I watched the courage of my mother her love and her patience as my father became more and more antagonistic he greatly impressed me to see the numbers grow of those who had turned from the old ways to follow the Living God though they knew persecution could break out at any time their courage like their numbers seemed only to grow stronger and desire like a great hunger came to my heart I too wanted to experience this truth This Joy but I was afraid oh so afraid Rashia Lama who is of the royal family has become one of the strongest leaders in the Christian Movement she claims your highness to be loyal to you why not test their [Music] loyalty as Queen raval Lona approached our village the Christians aware of her nearness gathered to worship love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and your neighbor as [Music] yourself my dear Uncle a good man even though a sorcerer was one of those who came out to greet the queen he was never seen with the Christians yet unknown to me conflict also raged in his heart not so my father he completely rejected the light of God's word The Queen Is Coming get ready hurry up the queen is coming get ready hurry up [Music] spe why was the queen Coming what should they do turn from the presence of their lord and go out and bow before the queen they respected her as their leader but Jesus Christ was their lord they continued their worship what is that she hears it it's working it's as I said your highness the Christians obeyed the Queen's command they were not to gather in their public places for worship God's word teaches the mission to those in Authority it frustrated my father like some of the others he thought that the Queen's edict would silence and discourage the Christians forbidden to worship in public they began reading in secret we must never forsake our faith remembering the admonition of your word for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain the faith would not die how could it it is eternal life you must beware what's wrong the queen continues to hear of Christians who disobey her edict we try not to disobey but our loyalty to God must come before everything there is talk of death to the Christians how is it with your soul my cousin your faith is impressive but I don't think I could ever have the courage to become a Believer our Christ will give you enough courage But first you have to believe in him but suppose you face execution will you then trust in Christ oh my wonderful God I await with joy the first glimpse of your face I thank you for the privilege of giving my life as a witness For Your Glory the death of rasal Lama our first martyr in Madagascar caused many more to become Christians God be merciful to me a sinner your honor what did you find we are convinced the Christian church is growing your honor uhhuh and what do you suggest we do it's this book this book The Bible you must convince the queen to have all Bibles destroyed destroy all the Bibles there were only a few in existence it seemed a master stroke do you want me to put you out of the house sell you as a slave tell me where you hide that thing and many more Bibles were destroyed but thank God not all Gent what's going on those Christians were caught praying they're going to poison them I wish to speak with you tonight about the marks of a Christian even in these days of persecution it must be known of all men that we are Christ's people always be full of joy in the Lord I say it again Rejoice let every one of you see that you are unselfish and gentle in all things you do remember that the Lord is coming soon don't worry about anything instead pray about everything tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers if you do this you will know God's peace Which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand his peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts [Music] quiet that day as I watched my mind so full of questions I also had my first questions about my uncle could it be my uncle like me oh how I wanted that very day to open my heart to Jesus Christ but I was so afraid God will give you a clean heart oh rafar raavi I want to believe but I'm afraid even as you bring your sins to Christ you may also bring your fears to him he will give you courage rafar you must be careful my father tries to compel me to tell him where the Christians worship but I tell him nothing but you're not a Believer I am young I do not want to die but until you are prepared to die you are not prepared to live [Music] f are you ill reneo you have been quiet for days I am going to the place of secret worship REO please come with me it's so seldom your father is away on business so I can [Music] go where are you going answer me to rafar [Laughter] Bob so you are going to rafar vavi's house to read the Bible and pray you'll find no Bible at rafar vavi's she has been thrown in jail and so would you be if I hadn't protected you you must stop this worship and stop it now if either of you so much as speaks God's name I will kill you there was fear in my heart yes but spiritual hunger was now greater than mortal fear hey where are the finishes I have none you can't pronounce a curse with your bare hands my brother I cannot pronounce any curse at all what are you looking at my new brother come here come on up here this man is my brother for many months I have been troubled I've watched the Christians their words troubled me greatly then a few days ago you had me give poison to three slaves they were found praying together this man was one of them he alone did not die I was deeply moved by his courage his faith for many nights I could not sleep I tried to practice my magic but I could not at last I went to this man this this slave he has shown me the way to Faith he has shown me the way to the TR true God all have sinned and come short of the glory of God the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord Christ died for our sins it's true reneo even as you bring your sins to Christ you may also bring your fears to him God will give you a clean heart he will give you courage only we remain so it was only a short time afterwards after I too had openly proclaimed my faith that I was privileged to stand with my uncle at the martyr's cliff rivo are you afraid I am privileged to die for Jesus this girl is too beautiful to die let me have her what will you pay for her I will pay whatever price you ask no no let me die let me die Uncle go take her she's all yours be calm REO we must not betray our witness ask God for courage courage to live for Christ or to die for him to die for Christ or to live for him at whatever cost in my casee the slave of a wicked man only God could understand how great the cost oh God May our Liv our suffering our death let everything be P Glory may your living book touch every [Music] life