Faith-Forward.Org
 

Friday, August 22, 2008

Next     Previous     Today

Pray, Pay, Go

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19).

I love missionary biographies.  I think that missionary stories are some of the best around.  I enjoy mission reports and hearing from missionaries and the slide shows/power-point presentations and all of that.  Especially as a young man growing up, I always wished that I could go and do adventures for God like they did.  And then life happened.  And I didn't become a missionary.  At the same time, I know that I have been blessed more than most, having had the opportunity to go on and even lead, many short-term mission trips with students to a lot of places in the world.  Still, I never thought that I was doing my part to fulfill the great commission.  And I wonder even now if I am doing my part.  You too?

Jesus has a mission.  It is part of the mission of God from the beginning of time to create a family of God, a multitude that no man can number.  It is why God sent Abraham and Moses, the judges, and the prophets.  It is ultimately why Jesus came to earth to reach out "to the lost sheep of Israel."  It is why the disciples were sent out two-by-two and later in the book of Acts to the Gentile nations as well.  And it is why missionaries down through the centuries since then have gone out into all the world.  We have been given, all of us who claim his name, a co-mission with Jesus.  He has gone on to heaven, however, and can't accomplish his mission without us!  And, until time is no more, our mission under Jesus remains.  To go into all the world and preach the good news.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).

I think that we have a missionary problem.  Many of us have assumed that because we are not on foreign soil, we have no choice but to be disobedient to Jesus command.  Not so.  And I want to encourage you today to pick up your part of Jesus mission and "go into all the world" without ever leaving your home.

The first thing that we can do is pray.  We can send our prayers out into all the world.  Jesus said that, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Luke 10:2).  Pray that God would raise up more young missionaries (and maybe even some older ones too!).  Pray for different countries of the world using a resource like that available at www.operationworld.org.  Get to know some actual missionaries that are out there and pray for them daily.  We really do not know how powerful a missionary force prayer is!  Send your prayers across the street and around the world!

The next thing that you can do is pay.  Give money to others so that they can do missions.  It does not matter whether it is young or old people in your local church or someone working in your town or country or somewhere else in the world.  Let me encourage you to give.  Generously.  As much as you are able.  And, it is always much better to give to someone specific rather than to "missions" because then your prayers can be more powerful and specific too.  Supporting others as missionaries is a way of our going into all the world!  It is called partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:5), and when we partner with those who are out there, we receive a share in their reward!  Scripture says that it will be "credited to your account" (Philippians 4:17).  Pay so that someone else may go and go by proxy and receive a share of the reward!

And finally, I want to encourage you to actually go.  You may not be called to be a full-time cross-cultural missionary.  Have you ever asked?  Would you want to know the answer?  What about if we just looked at ourselves a little differently and assume that God has called us to be exactly where we are.  Is there anyone around us that needs what we have?  Are there any opportunities to make a difference right where I am?  Could I do something?  Is there any local ministry that could use my help?  Do that.  And pray and look for opportunities to go somewhere else too.  There are so many short-term mission opportunities available these days.  Why not take advantage of what is available and what God has given you and actually go somewhere?  It doesn't have to be forever.  A day, a week, maybe a little longer.  The experience will change your life!

Next     Previous     Today