Wednesday, March 25, 2009

A New Mission Vision Emerging?

Lately I've been digging deep into the Word of God and exploring what God is speaking to me through His text. I am also in the midst of taking a class on Missions and filtering what I'm learning there through what I see in today's society and the movement of our country.

My wife and I have a vision from God that we are to turn our small farm (actually His farm) into a place where missionaries can stop over during their furloughs to rest, relax and recharge. In addition, we see the farm as an opportunity to extend basic training in crop production and animal care to those that are in need of additional training.

Watching how our country is spiraling from a democratic republic towards socialism and beyond though has given me a new vision. Our focus thus far has been toward helping those that have been sent from the United States to other countries and are back in the U.S. on furlough. Could it be though that God actually wants us to stay put here while our country sinks deeper to be a stopover and source of support to foreign missionaries coming to the United States? Could the United States be the next big mission field?

No matter what the answer, we want to be obedient to the call. All we have is His and we want to use the resources entrusted to us for His glory and for His Kingdom. Time is short and the second coming of Christ is neigh. There are billions of souls out there that are destined to an eternity in hell if they do not hear and accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am ready to be used by God today, are you?

Friday, March 20, 2009

Spreading the Gospel is Not an Option

I went to my first 'Missions 101' class at my church last night. My church is big-time into missions and sends people constantly around the world on short and long-term missions. Although these trips many times are designed around a building project or whatever, the primary purpose of all missions trips is evangelism... spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19 says "go..." and it does not make it optional. Whether my mission field is local with someone I meet today or global via an Operation Christmas Child shoebox or a trip around the world, I am to spread the Gospel.

Until now I have always thought that I'll spread the Gospel when I am trained and yes, I should work towards that goal but I can still use the knowledge that God has given me to spread the Gospel today also. A person that I meet today may die tonight! If I do not allow God to reach them through me, their eternal life may be spent in hell! Oh my...

Today is the day of salvation. Christ Followers, today is the day to spread the Gospel. God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and strength (1 Timothy 1:7 - 12).

Today is the day.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

EACH Day is Precious

I found out last night that my father-in-law has cancer. The Big "C". That kind of news is common to many of you and you may even be the one with cancer. At work, my executive director will be having surgery (yet again) for cancer. Each day is precious...

Today, more that 850,000,000 people are either hungry or starving... a little under 1/6 of the world's population. Each day is precious... and critical for their survival.

Today, many people died without hearing about the ONLY way to heaven... by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Each day is precious...