READ: Psalm 80, Hosea 9, Luke 8, 1 Corinthians 15 GRACE LABORS Missions is a marathon, not a sprint. Current strategy puts undue emphasis on the rapid expansion of the church, yet that which grows rapidly does not tend to be as sturdy as that which steadily matures over years. When quantity is praised above […]
Region: Arab World
Abiding in Jesus: August 17
READ: Psalm 79, Hosea 8, Luke 7, 1 Corinthians 14 EDIFICATION OVER PROVOCATION Clever, active Christians must ever be on guard that they do not fall in love with provocative ideas and bold action. Many saints through time have gradually fallen out of love with Jesus as they fell in love with pioneering, cutting the […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 16
READ: Psalm 78, Hosea 7, Luke 6, 1 Corinthians 13 LIMITING GOD “Again and again they tempted God and limited the Holy one of Israel.” (Psalm 78:41) It seems unthinkable that we can handcuff God. How can the Omniscient be limited? One of the mysteries of God is that He sometimes limits Himself to the […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 15
READ: Psalm 77, Hosea 4-6, Luke 5, 1 Corinthians 12 THE DECREASE OF INCREASE “The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me.” (Hosea 4:7) There is something dangerous about wealth and knowledge. The smarter and richer a person is, the more he or she tends to trust self and personal resources. Jesus has no special […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 14
READ: Psalm 76, Hosea 1-3, Luke 4, 1 Corinthians 11 LIKE THE LOVE OF THE LORD Not many of us begin our missions career by being told to marry a prostitute. Old Testament prophets had it rough: walk around naked, cook on dung, not mourn the death of their wife, all the while speaking the […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 13
READ: Psalm 75, Daniel 10-12, Luke 3, 1 Corinthians 10 GOD IS FAITHFUL Trouble is normal for the dedicated Christian. If we continually experience long periods of quiet, we can be assured that we are no real threat to the enemy. The biblical pattern for those in active obedience to God’s will is prolonged seasons […]
FROM A MISSIONARY KID: LIVING DEAD, FOR ME, MEANS…
by Hannah Largent (not her real name). Hannah is 12 years old. She and her family have lived in two Arab countries for a total of 6 years. ___ As a third culture kid, I find opportunities to live dead, to live for God, that I would not have if I lived in America. I can […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 12
READ: Psalm 74, Daniel 7-9, Luke 2, 1 Corinthians 9 FOR GOD’S SAKE “For the Lord’s sake, cause your face to shine on Your sanctuary which is desolate.” (Daniel 9:17) God answers our prayers for His own sake. The heart of humanity longs to be the center of something, and the long journey to being like […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 11
READ: Psalm 72, Daniel 4-6, Luke 1, 1 Corinthians 8 HEAVEN RULES Democracy is a fallen, limited system. In the scope of eternity, democracy is a short blip on the radar, sandwiched with other fallen human constructs and bookended by the theocratic kingdom of God. Daniel knew this well and reminds us that “the Most […]
Abiding in Jesus: August 10
READ: Psalm 72, Daniel 1-3, Mark 16, 1 Corinthians 7 MASCULINE MISSIOLOGY The church and the missions sending agency have different purposes. It is a mistake of great consequence to organize and run mission agencies the same way we organize and run churches. Ralph Winter referred to the church as a “modality” and the mission […]
