An Amazing Fact: Thousands
of hikers get lost in U.S. national parks each year. The resulting
search-and-rescue operations can be costly—up to $50 million annually. But
thanks to these well-coordinated efforts and advanced technology, most souls
are eventually found. However, about 2 percent of missing persons in national
parks have never been found.
Zachary hit rock bottom. Each choice he made seemed to dig
the hole ever deeper, leaving him trapped in a darkness he thought he could
never escape. But through you and your loving gifts, God sent a ray of light
into this young man’s heart that rescued him from darkness.
All of heaven was poured out through the gift of Jesus to
bring salvation to our rebellious, broken planet. And it amazes me that the
Lord invites us to cooperate with Him in bringing this everlasting gospel to
people like Zach! When you join the Amazing Facts search-and-rescue team,
you create Bible lifelines—like our popular sharing magazines—and become a
missionary sending the message of salvation around the globe every single day.
God used you to reach, find, and rescue Zach through Amazing
Facts publications. After Zach prayed for guidance, he received our sharing
materials, which led this lost soul into the light of truth. I’d like to share
how you can help create a vital new sharing resource—but first, let me tell you
more about how Zach was changed through your compassion …
Downward Into Darkness
When Zach was young, he liked going to church, but he liked
other things more—alcohol, drugs, and guns. As time went by, he became a thief,
a drug dealer, and a brawler, and he made his home with a dangerous
gang. As you might expect, Zach ended up in prison. In that dark, lonely
cell, bruised and beaten, the lost sinner took inventory of his life and was
afraid. At night, he was tormented by a demon of fear. Sometimes, it held him
so tightly that he could not move or speak.
Zach soon realized that his cell was not his only prison.
One agonizing day, he broke down and cried out to God. He explains, “I knew my
life was wrong and that my situation was a direct result of what I had done.
And I also knew nothing could save me but God.” So … Zach prayed. He told
God how sorry he was for all the evil he had caused and pled for divine
help. “In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me” (Psalm
120:1). Suddenly, it was as though the cement blocks of his cell had
been parted by an unseen hand, allowing the sun to shine down on him. And he
felt something he never had before—joy.
Have you experienced the joy of salvation? It’s the desire
of every sincere heart. God longs to find and rescue lost people. “For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Upward Into the Light
God had more in store for Zach, instilling in his heart a
growing desire to read Scripture. Not long after, Zach also found a book that
changed everything: The Great Controversy. In the back of the book
was an offer for Bible studies from a ministry called Amazing Facts. He quickly
sent in the offer and received the lessons, which he devoured as nourishment
from heaven.
Hungering for even more lifesaving truth, Zach sent away for
more lessons, magazines, and books. Zach was soon in awe of the truths God
used you to bring to him. He discovered from The
Afterlife Mystery—a magazine he especially loved—how the Bible clearly
teaches about resting in Jesus until the resurrection. The resources you put in
Zach’s hands changed his life forever. Praise the Lord!
A Powerful Witnessing Tool
If you or your church is thinking about handing out a
resource to encourage someone to consider Bible truth, I can’t think of a
better witnessing tool than an Amazing Facts sharing magazine. Praise God, you
have helped distribute millions of them all around this dark planet. They are
colorful, vibrant, and beautifully designed—and they explain truth in a
captivating yet easy-to-understand way.
Another person you helped, David, writes, “The magazines you
provide are chock full of good information. In fact, many questions I had asked
of other Christian groups didn’t have simple answers you provided in a clear
and factual manner in your publications.” He goes on, “I love your no-nonsense
approach to so many concerns. … You’ve presented the facts in easy,
down-to-earth language.”
Salvation is one of the most fundamental truths in the
Bible. It’s holy ground. Without this foundation, all other truths wouldn’t
matter. Amazing Facts has always had sermons and Bible studies on
salvation, but we’ve never produced a sharing magazine on this crucial topic.
If you’ve never helped create one of our magazines, this would be one of the
most important ones to help create and send out! This magazine will not
only cover the key steps in walking with Christ on a journey to the kingdom of
heaven—it will also identify the hazards of false gospels that often ensnare
new believers. We are praying it will be ready this summer!
Marvelous Light
Friend, God has used you to rescue people from darkness and
bring them into “His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). We want
to make this attractive magazine available to anyone and everyone searching for
God on our TV and radio broadcasts, as well as seekers on our websites, in
prisons, and in communities everywhere.
But we can’t do it without you! Will you join me in
proclaiming the good news of redemption so that the lost can be found? Your
loving gift today will help people be changed by reading this eye-opening
magazine and other Amazing Facts outreach efforts! You have made a
difference in Zach’s life—he is now an Amazing Facts “missionary” and loves to
give away sharing magazines. Will you join him in being a co-laborer with
Christ leading the lost into the marvelous light of truth?
Your search and rescue partner,
Pastor Doug Batchelor
President, Amazing Facts International