Until All Have Heard
Until All Have Heard
Cutting Through Spiritual Blindness (Ep. 300)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Eyewitness testimony is the gold standard in court, but in matters of faith, it is hard to turn “seeing” into believing. How can we cut through spiritual blindness so souls can be saved? Join Ed and Wayne as they open the word to some key passages that address this question. They’ll share stories from listeners about the way they came to faith in dark times. Our prayer is this episode will renew your faith and give you confidence to share your story of turning from darkness to the light of God’s love… \Until All Have Heard.
Great to have you join us now for Until All Have Heard from the Far East Broadcasting Company. With Ed Cannon, Ed is president of FEBC. I'm Wayne Shepard. Ed, our theme now is I Once Was Blind, but Now I See that famous encounter with Jesus.
SPEAKER_01And isn't it interesting, Wayne, that all of us were once blind and now I see. Yes. We're going to talk about miracles and real blind people becoming able to see. But the deep meaning of that phrase is for everyone who was blind, and we all were at one point. And for those who see and have come to faith in Jesus Christ, that's the theme that we want to talk about today.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. In John chapter 9, we read the account where there, you know, this man is called back to give an account of Jesus healing his blindness. And uh in verse 26, they ask him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes? Actually, verse 25, he said, Whether or not he's a sinner, I don't know. One thing I do know, I was blind and now I can see. And uh that's just one of the most famous statements of all the scripture.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And you were pointing out earlier when we were chatting about that, then they said to him, Well, what? Yeah, you want us to be believed?
SPEAKER_00I think it's almost humorous. They asked him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes? I already told you, he said, and you didn't listen. Why? Do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. And interestingly, deep down in their heart, they didn't know it, but they were seeking to be able to see as well, just not understanding that it's not a physical seeing, it was a spiritual ceiling. So I do believe there's so many people who want to see but don't understand what that means.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell Well, we're discussing this because this is at the heart of FEBC, isn't it? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, this is exactly what we want. Our mission is to inspire people to follow Jesus Christ. And as in so many scriptural texts, in order to follow him, you have to be able to see him. Um we were just chatting earlier this morning about Zacchaeus, and it says Zacchaeus was short and couldn't see Jesus because of the crowd. But there's so many other reasons that people can't see Jesus in this life. And that's our goal. If we want people to follow him, we have to be able to show people who he is. And the beautiful part of that is that's what the New Testament is all about. That's what the whole Bible is all about. Who is Christ? The Son of God, and what is his message? Yep. And that's where we are, Wayne.
SPEAKER_00All I know is once I was blind and now I can see.
SPEAKER_01Why don't we read some testimonies from our listeners?
SPEAKER_00Okay. This comes from Moldova, and these uh testimonies really illustrate the point that we're trying to make here today. This person in Moldova, which is one of our newest uh fields of broadcasting. This listener says, I just got out of prison, wrote Alexandru from Moldova. I became a Christian while I was inside, but since I've gotten out, I've fallen back into sin. The temptation seems too great. I felt like I was unforgivable. But when I saw your video, I had such relief. Jesus forgives. Now I'm back on track, walking with God and no longer trapped in my sin.
SPEAKER_01So he was once blind. And now he sees. And now he sees. You know, Wayne, when I hear this commentary, I think about one of our dear friends, Pastor Don Cole, um, and a ver and a comment he made on the open line program, which I think you were probably the host of. Anyway, he uh uh a gentleman had called in and said to Pastor Cole, you know, I I've become a Christian and um I know that my sin is wrong, but I keep falling back into sin. Does that mean, Pastor Cole, that I'm not really a believer? Pastor Cole's answer was so beautiful. He said, No, the fact that you're struggling against your sin is the evidence of your faith. And that's so powerful because we all stumble, we all fall, just like this man coming out of prison. But the fact that he's trying hard and saying, Lord, please forgive me, the Lord will forgive him not seven times, but seventy-seven times seven.
SPEAKER_00And this fruit is coming from our newest field, which is encouraging to me. Aaron Ross Powell, Jr.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's right. Moldova is an interesting country. Quick quiz for you. What language do you think they speak in Moldova?
SPEAKER_00Oh, you're asking the wrong guy because I've been there, I know. So I'm not going to divulge it. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_01Well, the listeners don't know, so it's Romanian. Would you have ever guessed that? Uh they speak Romanian there, but also everyone there speaks Russian because of former Soviet Union. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_00They were under the uh the uh the the boot, right?
SPEAKER_01Right. And one of our most popular programs coming out of Moldova is in the Russian language. But what we've determined is that the million or so followers that are listening to this broadcaster's program are primarily in Russia. So it's a Moldovan broadcast, but it's proclaiming the gospel so you we don't care where they're coming from. Trevor Burrus, Jr. Absolutely, absolutely. Well, how about another testimony? Let me read one, Wayne. Uh-huh. This is from Indonesia. You know, Indonesia, I have said for years, is the largest Muslim country in the world, but interestingly, just in the last few months, that's changed. Now, the largest Muslim country by population is Pakistan.
SPEAKER_00Really?
SPEAKER_01So they've overturned Indonesia not only in the number of Muslims, but also in the total population.
SPEAKER_00I had no idea.
SPEAKER_01So Pakistan has passed, Indonesia has become the fourth largest country in the world. Indonesia's the fifth, with more Muslims than any other country. So when you think about, oh, it's it's the Middle East, it's Saudi Arabia, it's Iran, it's Iraq. No, no, no. The largest Muslim country in the world is Pakistan, and the second largest is Indonesia, where FABC is trying to bring blind people to be able to see through our broadcasts in both of those countries. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_00So what kind of ministry presence do we have in Indonesia?
SPEAKER_01Aaron Ross Powell Well, Indonesia, we own and operate seven large FM stations, but we have a network of local community FM stations that take our content through a cloud distribution system, and it's over 150 radio stations taking FEBC's content, the largest Muslim country, the second largest Muslim country in the world. Unfortunately, in places like Pakistan, uh broadcasting the gospel and the FM is absolutely forbidden. So we're having to use social media, shortwave radio, AM radio from outside the country. And uh I'll ask you to pray for our country of Pakistan, because it's really a tough place. And now that it's got such a prominent position in terms of the number of those who are seeking the truth. Right. Uh yeah, we actually but where was I? I was gonna read a testimony from Indonesia. Right. Uh our listener writes At first, I just enjoyed the songs because they sounded nice to my ears. But over time, the deep words about God drew me in. And I wanted to learn more about Christianity. Now I have received Jesus. I know that he is always by my side.
SPEAKER_00In other words, once I was blind, but now I see.
SPEAKER_01And um we get so many testimonies, Wayne, from Indonesia, um where the listeners say, you know, essentially I've been deceived for many years. So many of the people we hear say Jesus spoke about the coming of Muhammad, the next great prophet. And they grew up hearing that and understanding that. But as FEBC explains to them through our programs what the Bible says, so many listeners write in and say, Well, I thought that Jesus prophesied about the coming of Muhammad. And when we say, No, that's not what the Bible says, many of those people who were blind to the truth now see the truth that Jesus said no such thing. And I am the Messiah, and after me there will be nothing more that changes. So uh it's a great ability for us to point to the truth and the light in that dark country.
SPEAKER_00All right, let's move to the country of Ukraine. And this is such a troubled nation, of course, has suffered so much, and we're so grateful to be on the air in Ukraine with radio and also with uh podcasts and with counseling services. You know, I think it's uh a first time in history that I can think of where a Christian radio station has been on the air in wartime, ministering to people as the war goes on. I mean, even new stations going on the air during the war. That that's that's historical, I think. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_01It is. And and actually, Wayne, maybe I haven't even shared this with you, but um the large station that we have in Kiev was gifted to FEBC essentially through the government during the time of this war, where people recognized the impact of FEBC's broadcasts all throughout the country absent Kiev was making such a positive difference for people.
SPEAKER_00Offering hope.
SPEAKER_01That they offered us the radio station in Kiev, which was our prayer and our dream for many years. My most recent visit with Edward there, the director of FEBC Ukraine, we had a meeting with someone uh from the government who was in a position sort of like the Federal Communications Commission here in the United States, and he presented Edward with an award of the most impactful communications branch of all of Ukraine because of the difference they're making in the lives of people suffering from this war. Women who've lost their husbands or their sons, families that have been destroyed and wrecked, yet FEBC's offering that hope, and it's even recognized by the government there.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Ross Powell Well, we hear from a lot of people in Ukraine. Here's just one. I am so thankful to have found your programs online. When I was at my lowest moment, I was looking for anything to help. I found out so much about myself through your programs, I realized I was looking for my value in other people, looking to them for meaning.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Yeah. Um that was the past for the person. I was doing this. I was looking for other people for meaning. But then as he saw the light, it says at first you talked about the Bible, which seemed so foreign to me, but as you spoke about Jesus, something in me cried out. I didn't understand everything, but I prayed along with you to accept Jesus. He's healed so much of my heart. I'm still growing, but I'm seeing my transformation already. My daughter and I are reading the Bible together. I love that. Isn't that wonderful? And that would be the goal of FEBC, not that we want them just to hear our programs, but we want to point them to Jesus. And how do you know Jesus? Well, you read his word, you study his Bible, because the word of God is the only thing really that's going to change people's hearts, Wayne. Well, take us to Acts chapter 26, Ed. Yeah, we were talking a lot about that earlier, Wayne, and so I want to set it up. Uh in Acts chapter 26, Paul is standing before Agrippa and his wife Bernice, and uh he he's essentially at trial. And Paul has chosen to do his own defense. So starting in verse one of twenty-six, Agrippa says to Paul, You now have my permission to speak for yourself. And it says, and Paul stretched out his hand and made his powerful defense. He starts by saying, I consider myself fortunate to be before you, King Agrippa, and I'm gonna make my defense today. So skipping down to verse 15, Paul is recounting his conversion on the road to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him. And Paul said to Jesus, Who Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said to him, I am Jesus, who you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness to the things in which you have seen, and to those in which I appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you. Why? To open their eyes, so that they may turn from the darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Turning from the darkness to light, Wayne, so that the blind may see. In every one of these testimonies we read, we hear people saying, I'm turning from the dark side of my life. The temptation was so great to sin, but now I'm back on track. At first I only enjoy the songs, but now I've seen the light in Jesus, and I know he's on my side. The last one from Ukraine says, I didn't understand, but I prayed along with you to accept Jesus. He's healed so much of my heart, and I am growing in him. My daughter and I are reading the Bible together. They were in darkness, and now they see the light.
SPEAKER_00Transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God's dear son. Paul says that later in Colossians, right?
SPEAKER_01Amen. And that is FEBC's challenge, that's our charge, that's our mission. If we're to inspire people to see Christ, to follow him, we have to communicate that they're living in darkness and that Jesus provides the light. You know, that's our goal, Wayne, not just to provide that for people, but to give them the opportunity to share that light as disciples of Christ and place among you those who are sanctified by faith in me. That's what Jesus said to Paul, so that those people too can express their faith to others. As you listen to this program, I put that challenge before you. We have seen the light. God has given us that incredible gift to see the light. Can you shine that light into the darkness of other people's lives? That would be our dream. That would be our goal. Not just for FEBC and our listeners, but for those who are listening to this program as well, Wayne.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, perhaps you're a newer listener and have some questions about what is FEBC all about. Well, you just heard, in a nutshell, that's what we're about, helping people be transferred from that dominion of darkness to the kingdom of his son. Once I was blind, but now I see. That's that's our whole purpose, isn't it? Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_01You know, our producer Joe Carlson said to us earlier when we were chatting about this that an eyewitness testimony is the gold standard in court. So I just love that line. So if you think about a courtroom trial, when you've got somebody standing there saying, I'm an eyewitness to what has happened, that carries a lot of weight. So too the testimonies of people who were living in darkness and have turned to light. Nothing is more powerful than hearing from a person whose life has been radically changed by the gospel. We have that opportunity at FABC times a thousand, people writing us in and sharing these testimonies. Our programs on radio stations in 50 plus countries are basically about people's lives having been changed and having those eyewitnesses to that change talking about it on the radio.
SPEAKER_00And that message has not changed for the past 80 years since our founding. Well, Ed, thank you for this conversation here today. Very encouraging conversation, I might add. And we're gonna continue this next time as we bring you another report of what God is doing through the Far East Broadcasting Company. I hope you'll share this podcast with others who may not know we even exist. We're available on the website, febc.org. We're available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all those major podcast platforms is where you'll find us. Just recommend this to our friends, until all have heard. And thank you. Our producers, Joe Carlson. I'm Wayne Shepard. We'll see you next time for Until All Have Heard.