A Missionary’s Heart
Scripture
Romans 10
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Observation
Kathy and I had just come home from Richmond, Virginia on Saturday and I had my heart attack the next Monday night. We went to Richmond to be approved to go out as missionaries with the International Mission Board and we were pretty sure that we were going to be approved to go to either to India, Turkey, or Mali and serve for the next 3 years. If you cut either Kathy or myself we would bleed missions. Only missionaries would truly understand what I just said. Since 1973 when God called me to serve Him, missions and reaching people for Christ has dominated our lives.
I know that with this heart condition our going out as a missionary with the IMB is not going to happen and I totally understand. As I read this passage this morning it reminded me of the fact that people do not have the opportunity to be saved unless they hear the Gospel message. The reason there are so many lost people in a place like India is that there are not enough believers and not enough missionaries to share the Gospel. It is the darkest place spiritually on our planet and that is why Kathy and I wanted to go to India.
Once I get well we will look at ways to involve ourselves in taking the Gospel to those who have not had the chance to hear! Maybe God will speak to your heart as well. Have you ever gone on a mission’s trip? Do you even have your passport? Some of you may have gone on multiple cruises why not use that money instead to go to some other country and tell somebody about Jesus.
I am convinced after spending so much time intensive care at the hospital that our church needs to be like an intensive care unit. I was so impressed with the team work and the commitment to save my life and of course to save the lives of others that were also in the unit. It was an army of people with one solitary focus and that focus was to save my life. Kathy just read the report to me that we got from the surgeon about how difficult and how complicated it was to try to repair my heart and that team of people worked against unbelievable odds, they never gave up …they saved my life. Now don’t get me wrong I know that it was the prayers of everyone that prayed for me that got me through, but God also used this team of doctors and nurses to save my life. Doctors worked together along with the nurses with one focus – we are going to save James Williams (nobody told them to call me Eddy!)
It is sad but so often we have forgotten that we are called to save lives. The church for some is more like a social club than a hospital. That is why you hear some people gripe about the music, or how long the service was, or the Pastor preaching on tithing too much, or that they can’t sit where they want to sit etc. These are the ones that tend to get up and leave early and they are not there at the end of the service to celebrate with those that have found Christ!
I love our church. Our focus is reaching the unchurched. Pastor Bruce is focused on helping people hear the Gospel and giving them the chance to say yes to Jesus. It is like the intensive care unit at the hospital and that is the way it needs to stay. It is not about us! It is all about the people in our city that have not been reached yet! I am proud of our staff. I am proud of our church. I am so proud of everyone that is serving at Christ Fellowship!
Application
I will never give up on being a missionary to those that need to hear about Jesus.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You have shown our church how they can come together and pray to save a life. Show them that they have the same power to reach our city for Christ. If they prayed for the lost like they prayed for my life to be saved just imagine what would happen in our city. I believe you are doing a mighty work in our church. I am alive and I know it was a miracle. I am alive only because you honored the prayers of your saints. You will do the same thing when we cry out to you in prayer for the lost around us.
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