Pray! Give! Go! Pt. 3

      

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Ma. 28:18-20 NLT

      I have no idea how anyone can be bored with life. Frustrated…sad…stressed…these I can understand, but bored? The world is too wacky a place, just now, for anyone to be bored.

     As part of our Missions Convention this year Pastor Risto asked every member of our congregation to ask God how He would have us to go into the world and preach the gospel. This is a novel idea for many of our parishioners. Prayer is one thing. Giving is even esteemed as something every true believer should do. BUT GO!? That’s really scary!

    Well Christianity is nothing if not an adventure; So yes every Christian should find a mission and go! Nothing changes a person like a mission. I have had the privilege to counsel summer camp and to travel on missions trips to the U.K. and Mexico.  At home I have been involved in street outreach, Youth Alive in the school system, and FamJam. Every experience has drawn me closer to Christ and has definitely  kept me from being bored! And with all that there is to do in the world every one of us can find some mission that will fit our talents, health, and agility. My father-in-law’s ninety year old mother makes cookies for her church’s van outreach. If that ain’t mission I don’t know what is!

     This year I think I am heading back to summer camp. I asked one of our missionaries if I could help him with music next August. I’m already warming my voice up!

Where would God have you go?

Pray! Give! Go! Pt. 2

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Ma. 28:18-20 NLT

     Each of the flags along the back wall of our church represents a missionary we support somewhere in the world.

     My sister is a missionary associate heading to the Netherlands. I have watched her walk the road of raising her funds. It is most definitely a faith walk. How beautiful that the church of Jesus Christ gets the opportunity to invest in the lives of men and women called of God to bring the last days harvest.

     A wise man once said to me “show me your spending and I will tell you what you value.”

    Honestly at the time if I had shown him my spending habits he would have said I valued restaurants and Wal-Mart more than the last days harvest.

    God has been asking me to simplify my life over the last year. It’s a work in progress, but I do know that I am on track to meeting the giving goals God has spoken into my heart.

Tell me, what is God doing with your giving?

Pray! Give! Go! Pt. 1

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen. ” Ma. 28:18-20 KJV

     Every year our church holds an annual missions convention. It’s as much a part of our calendar as Christmas and Easter; But as I sense Jesus’ return drawing near, these conventions have taken on a new urgency in my heart.

     I live in a part of our country where something like 2% of the population believes that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. If the rapture should take place tonight 98% of New England would most likely be left behind.

     This year as Missions Convention rolls along I am keenly aware that I have a job to do and I am running out of time to do it in! Our Pastor has asked us to look at the mission in three areas: PRAY, GIVE, AND GO.

     I feel so overwhelmed as I look at the task ahead. Sometimes I sit in staff meeting and look at the job and just about crumble under the weight of what must be done. We are to reach how many? 98% of 11,000,000 people?!?!?!

    This is why we must pray. Prayer is not wishful thinking. It is accessing the supernatural power of God and releasing it into the situations we are concerned with. The church cannot accomplish the task at hand…but God can. He will use the church to do it. But it begins and ends in prayer.

    This year I am renewing my commitment to pray three times a week with our R.P.M. team. God has also called me to renew some private prayer commitments.

    Tell me, how has God asked you to pray?