Perfection? What's THAT?

Today I have been thinking about my recent mission trip and the fact that SO many people just do NOT see the need for God or for forgiveness. They think they are good people and, therefore, they have no need of a Savior! This reminds me of an elderly man in the very first church my husband and I served as pastor and wife. He told my husband, "Oh, pastor! If we could ever get them lost, then we could get them saved!" Even way back then, this man was seeing this same problem. Lostness. If you can't find your way to a certain place, but you enjoy all the little side trips and diversions along the journey, you may not consider yourself lost at all! BUT, you are still LOST!!!

A couple of scriptures leap to my mind.

   " For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' 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? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!' "

                                                                                         Romans 10:12-15

   " Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

I believe there are LOT of people, even people who are Christians, who don't know that second verse. 

Those are the words of Jesus, telling us we are to be perfect. Well, we know that's not possible! Here most folks are walking around thinking, "I'm pretty good! God's going to accept me. I haven't done anything wrong."  What they don't know is just how high the bar is! The standard we must meet is PERFECTION!  Pretty good just won't cut it! The ONLY WAY TO BE PERFECT before God is through forgiveness and cleansing of sin that only JESUS can give!  

So. Lost people, not realizing they are lost, need to find out just how far off-track they really are! How are they going to see it? Enter Romans 10:12-15. Someone must TELL them; must SHOW them. It is my prayer that God will use me to tell and to show people the love, forgiveness, peace and purpose that only Jesus can give. A relationship with Jesus is the destination our hearts are searching for!  We never quite feel "at peace" until we are forgiven and freed of our sinfulness and begin a personal relationship with Jesus. Then, and only then, can a person truly become all he or she was meant to be!

What about YOU? Are you willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the world? That could mean talking to someone who looks or acts or thinks differently than you. It could mean going somewhere outside your normal travel plan - across the street, across the tracks, across the country, or across an ocean. There are many people who have heard the name "Jesus" but have no idea that He wants to have a personal relationship with them! Who will bring them the Good News of Jesus? Who will explain it to them? Who will pray for their eyes and ears to be opened? Who will pray for those who go? Who will financially support those who go? Who will say, " Here am I. Send me!" ?

Preparation and Prayer for Missions

During the last couple of months, I have discovered the book JESUS CALLING. It is an amazing devotion book that has facilitated my time with Jesus each day. My husband and I have seen the movie WAR ROOM three times already! Prayer or, more specifically, doing battle in prayer has moved to the forefront of my life. There are certain battles I have been praying about for a while, even years, but I wasn't fighting. I saw them as "issues", not battles. I now realize every issue truly is a battle in the heavenly realms and I must be more diligent to fight those battles in prayer.

The Lord has been teaching me this principle at this time for a reason. I have been charged with the responsibility of teaching women in Haiti while their children attend Bible club. I have asked the Lord to show me what to say; what they need to hear. This is it! We must realize that Satan is real and that he wants to wreak havok in our lives. He wants to steal our joy! It is our responsibility to fight back in prayer and trust God to fight for us. He is the victor!

So, for the next couple of days I will be praying and preparing. We leave next week! Would you please pray for me and for the women who will attend?
      Pray for - me, as I prepare
                     - the person who will translate
                     - the Haitian women, that  
                       nothing will keep them away.
                     - hearts to be open to the
                       gospel message
                     - Satan to be bound & tossed!
                     - the whole mission team, as
                       we evangelize, teach children
                       and lead in worship.
                     - safety & health.
                     - all luggage to arrive with us
                       and unharmed.
   

I say "Thank you", in advance,
          for your prayers!