A friend once asked me the age-old question: If I were stuck on a deserted island with only three items of my choice, what would they be?
The first two items I picked were survival tools like a water purifier and a box of matches, but I think the third item caught my friend by surprise: my Bible.
I learned early on in my Christian journey that I couldn’t live without God’s Word. It shaped who I was and how I lived my life. It gave me faith during my hardest times and taught me about my Savior.
As a Christ-follower, I couldn’t fathom life without my Bible. Yet, it’s estimated as many as 40% of Christians worldwide don’t have access to God’s Word.
Why Christians Don’t Have Bibles
Many people living in poverty or facing persecution don’t have God’s Word to comfort them
Christ-followers living in countries like North Korea, China, Iran, and Nigeria face extreme persecution for their faith. Bibles are either hard to find or outright banned. Others living in impoverished areas of countries like Peru, Guatemala, and Uganda simply can’t afford their own copies of God’s Word.
Instead of being able to read from the Bible every day, these Christians must often memorize Scripture or trade handwritten Scripture verses among themselves. Some have never even held a Bible in their hands.
For them, the gift of a Bible would be life-changing. Even a couple of new Bible verses would give them hope during their most difficult circumstances. That’s how powerful God’s Word is.
Here are five Scripture passages that remind us why God’s Word is so important for Christians, especially those facing persecution:
1. Psalm 119:11
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Christians who don’t have Bibles often memorize what Scripture they can access to keep it in their hearts. They often meditate on these passages during their most difficult moments. Even though they don’t have Bibles, God still supplies them with His Word to strengthen and encourage them.
2. Isaiah 40:8
Persecuted Christians take comfort in the fact that God is constant
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”
Christians living in poverty or facing persecution can be certain God’s Word will never change. They know they can rely on the Scriptures they memorize and share because God has promised they will never be altered or erased. Just as God is constant, unchanging, and true, so is His Word.
3. Psalm 18:35-36
“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You have a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.”
Even though many Christians don’t have the comfort of God’s Word, they have the promise of God’s love and protection. They can be confident that He is always at their side, fighting for them in every battle.
In addition, God equips Christ-followers for His work. With Him, they will never be moved or shaken. With His power, they can move forward confidently, unafraid of their circumstances.
4. Matthew 6:26
God always sees and protects every one of His children
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
God always provides for all His children. Whether they live in the United States, Peru, Uganda, or North Korea, He is constantly watching over them because He loves them.
Even when Christ-followers can’t access God’s Word, they can trust that God never leaves them alone. His eyes are always on them, and He provides everything they need.
5. James 1:17
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or show due to change.”
Many Christians dream of when they can hold their own Bible in their hands. They pray for the day they’ll receive the gift of God’s Word and be able to flip through the pages of Scripture.
Right now, you can be the answer to that prayer.
Every $30 you give will provide three people with their very own Bible. And since they will likely share their copies with family and friends, you will reach even more people with the Gospel!
Your gift of Bibles will transform lives and make an eternal impact!
Your support will be life-changing for Christ-followers and seekers living under persecution or in poverty. They will finally have the precious gift of God’s Word to strengthen them and help them when they need it most.
When you give Bibles, your impact will outlive you and last for eternity. Click the button below to provide someone with a Bible today.