Hebrews 11:32-38 just came to mind as I was thinking of why we do not pursue a biblical model in our lives and in many things the church does, particularly in missions. As the account of each person is recorded, they begin with the words “by faith” (11:4-31). In other words, there was nothing else that motivated or supplied them with a reason to obey God and accept suffering, apart from their knowledge of Him and their faith in Him.
Why didn’t God deliver them from trials and suffering? I am finding with many I talk to that they have great difficulty applying ‘active faith’ to their situation. What I mean by that is; they have faith, but they experience great difficulty using or applying their faith when the assignment God has given them becomes painful or filled with disappointment and suffering. There is an unspoken feeling that ‘if we are doing good for God, He is going to give me a little easier life’. That thinking does not line up with the Word of God. Let me go back to my question; “Why didn’t God deliver them from trials and suffering?” Why does not God deliver us when we seek to obey Him and the path He chooses for us becomes rough or even painful. Look at the answer in verse 40; “since God had provided something better for us” and them. Here faith is required again. We must believe without seeing the final outcome that God has already planned and prepared something far better; something that will make us understand the “Why” we were not rescued from our situation. What God has prepared is glorious, and in it, He receives greater glory. Would you really want to miss this?
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I am deeply grieved and my heart is very sad at recent situations where church or denomination “budgets” stood in the way of an urgent need to take the gospel to an unreached people group. We were told that a simple trip to a certain area could not happen because it was not in the budget. More often than we like to admit, doors are closed because requests for money are more important than spreading the gospel or understanding God’s Word.
In a day of spiritual decline, Jude makes this earnest exhortation to an elder, “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (3). Jude continues by warning that “certain people have crept in unnoticed…ungodly people who pervert the grace of God” (4). Such people will attempt to exercise authority in the church so they can mislead undiscerning believers. Roland Allen gives a clarion call to the church “to contend for the faith” as far more important than maintaining authority or standards. I also find it necessary to remind the church today that truth sets us free (John 8:32), not forms or standards (2 Timothy 3:5). Be careful what you contend for. Make sure it is Christ centered, not man centered. Considering our own hearts and how often we pursue interests that are very different from the interests of Jesus, it is important to examine some of the statements Jesus made. The disciples said to Jesus, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”” (Mark 1:36–38). “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). If anyone knew His calling it was Jesus. No one and nothing would deter Him from the divine plan and purpose of becoming a man; “to seek and to save the lost”. Based on my experience, we are easily distracted by pursuits other than the one God has given us in Scripture. Distractions come from motives of the heart. Notice what is written about Jesus, “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” (Hebrews 10:7). Can you and I say with certainty why we are here? It will make a difference in what we give our time and resources to. As long as I have been saved, attended churches in many places, and been exposed to countless pleas for missionaries and seen hundreds of mission programs for spreading the gospel, all of them put together don’t come close to Paul’s method or the effectiveness of the Early Church. Yes, there have been a few missionaries whose hearts beat like Paul’s and were very effective, but we don’t see that same effectiveness today.
What makes the difference? There are many reasons, but I want to point to one in this blog that I believe is extremely important. Paul put his ear on God’s heart and knew those divine feelings toward men and women who are lost; “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions…This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1–4). For this reason, Paul’s life was consumed by preaching the gospel to those who had never heard (Romans 15:20-21) and establishing churches that would do the same. I will boldly say that there is no other method as effective as this. As you have read the statistics in the last few days, they should make us want to put our ears on God’s heart and hear His passion for people. It is very hard for Christians living in countries like America to grasp the destitute need of some people groups to hear the gospel when we have so many churches available to us. With approximately 450,000 churches in the USA, there is ample opportunity for persons to hear the gospel one way or another.
In contrast to this, consider the TOP TEN largest unreached people groups in the world. Look at the list below and ask, ‘why has this number of people in these groups had no substantial witness to the gospel or established churches?’ 1. Shaikh in Bangladesh 135,300,000 2. Japanese in Japan 120,700,000 3. Shaikh in India 89,200,000 4. Yadav (Hindu) in India 62,500,000 5. Turk in Turkey 55,400,000 6. Chamar (Hindu) in India 54,800,000 7. Han Chinses, Ziang in China 38,300,000 8. Sunda in Indonesia 37,600,000 9. Java Pesisir Lor in Indonesia 36,900,000 10. Persian in Iran 36,600,000 (1) Will you join us in prayer for God to send laborers into His harvest field (Luke 10:2)? “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” (Romans 10:14–15). (1) Joshua Project provided this information. They are a research initiative seeking to highlight the ethnic people groups of the world with the least followers of Christ. www.joshuaproject.net Have you ever asked the question; ‘where would Paul evangelize if he were here today?’ I think he would answer; ‘where the need is the greatest!’ How can we come to that conclusion? Notice Paul’s word in Romans 15:20-21: “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named…but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of Him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”
With these poignant thoughts from Paul, let’s look at some facts from the Joshua Project. These countries are listed in order of the “MOST UNREACHED PEOPLES”. 1. India 2,276 2. China 445 3. Pakistan 386 4. Bangladesh 293 5. Nepal 258 6. Indonesia 224 7. Sudan 131 8. Russia 115 9. Laos 112 10. Nigeria 95 What is it that ignites the church with passion for the lost. Is it just their need of salvation? Is it just being rescued from the fires of hell? When the Early Church faced the question of whether the Gentiles could be saved and made part of the church, they listened carefully to testimony of Barnabas and Paul. “After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for His name” (Acts 15:13–14). That became a strong motivation for the church to push the gospel out into people groups who had never heard. THOSE THAT ARE SAVED ARE A PEOPLE FOR HIS NAME! Along with the command to “GO”, this is the reason we must reach the unreached with the Good News – A PEOPLE FOR HIS NAME! As God leads us in this ministry, we are finding places around the world where the level of eagerness is far greater than we have ever seen before. Tim, who just returned from Vietnam, was sharing short videos and pictures of students who are eagerly finishing the manual and graduating with strategic plans to evangelize and plant churches in areas where none exist. There is no one forcing them or insisting they follow a certain plan. It is the Holy Spirit energizing them, giving them His vision for reaching the unreached, and establishing churches in their country. While the expansion of the gospel may be taking place in some places, why is this not happening in parts of the world we might expect it most? First, there must be in God’s people a love for His Word. “Now these Jews (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11). Second, there must be a longing for a deeper relationship with the Lord. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). If you are hungry and thirsty for this relationship, He will satisfy your eagerness in Himself. Where God is at work, you will find eagerness to do His will because God’s Word and its authority has laid claim to your heart. There is no reason why any follower of Christ cannot have this kind of passion. If you want to see God work in mighty ways where you are, ask the Holy Spirit to kindle a hungry heart and an eager mind for His Word and His power to strategically carry it out where you are. He will never fail to answer that request. Otherwise, you will remain empty and dissatisfied. One of the best ways to help others in the Body of Christ to prevent spiritual erosion is to follow Paul’s prevention method – strengthen and establish! “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Even as to those in the church who might be considered “weak”, Paul says, “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). And “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?” (2 Corinthians 11:29). He felt no shame in coming alongside persons who were weak in their relationship with the Lord, because he wanted to strengthen them so they would “stand firm” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
Another emphasis Paul made in his ministry was teaching the church to building up one another. This is essential to the proper functioning of the Body of Christ. Twelve times in Paul’s letters, he exhorts the church to build up one another. One example is: “So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12). There is no better investment you can make in others than to build them up with God’s Word, prayer and spending time encouraging them; as Paul said, “we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith” (2 Corinthians 1:24). There is a subtle attitude that often enters our hearts when we see a Christian brother or sister slowly being eroded in their faith and devotion to the Lord. We turn the other way and avoid the opportunity to help them stop the erosion. This attitude began with Cain. God asked Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”, he replied, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). Jesus demonstrated the very opposite principle in Luke 15 (the lost sheep and lost coin). The man “goes after the one that is lost, until He finds it” (15:4). The woman “lights a lamp…sweeps the house and seeks diligently until she finds it” (15:8).
Paul is equally concerned that we have the right attitude toward others in the Body of Christ who may be faltering in their walk with the Lord. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1–2). He makes the same point to the Ephesian Elders; “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28). James has the same mind as Jesus and Paul. “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19–20). All of these references show that spiritual erosion is the result of sin being allowed in some form to eat away at our faith and obedience to Christ. The responsibility of rescuing and restoring those affected by erosion is not just the responsibility of the pastors or elders, but all in the church. God wants to use you to stop the erosion in someone you know. Ask the Holy Spirit to pour a fresh filling of God’s love and care for others. He will equip you as you reach out with genuine care. |
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