Neighborhood Missionary {Day 8}
Yesterday I encouraged you to be willing to go if God calls you. I truly believe that a call to missions is a common occurrence among Christians who are really invested in missions through prayer and support. I don't know where the statistics in yesterday's video came from. I depend on The Barna Group for statistics about the spiritual state of Americans, and Operation World for statistics about countries. I'll be totally honest, I tend to just believe things like that when I see them. I am too trusting. That's bad, I know, but I am about relationships, not numbers. So while I am motivated by "large numbers of unbelievers," what I really care about is each individual person, and helping them see that the Bible has the answer to their need for salvation: Jesus Christ. When faced with such dire statistics, I remember two things and am all the more motivated to share the Gospel.
"There is more mercy in God than sin in us" (from a classic)
So, today I encourage you to remember that you too are a missionary. If you are engaging your unsaved family members, lost coworkers or friends, the enemy will try to thwart your work. You will be extra busy and unable to engage in conversations with coworkers. Tension among family members will make deep discussions awkward. (Hello politics!) Pray through those things. Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel and then share it. Don't be swayed by rejection (Mark 6:10-13), but persevere (Isaiah 52:7-10). Thank God for the freedom to worship Him in public, to speak His name to others, and boldly do so, remembering there are missionaries throughout the world risking their lives to share Christ's love in closed countries where it is illegal to go to church, preach the Gospel, or read the Bible.
   Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:19-25 ESV)
