Thoughts on Missions

Church,
I just wanted to take a few minutes and share a few ideas on missions that will encourage you as you pray for our trip this next week. I hope these thoughts also encourage you to continually search for your role in missions. The old guys used to say that there are two ways you can be involved in missions; you can jump in the well, or hold the rope for the ones who have. Hope these are a blessing to you all…

“3 Declare his glory among the nations,his marvelous works among all the peoples!4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;he is to be feared above all gods.5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,but the Lord made the heavens.” Psalm 96:3-5
God deserves adoration from every people in the world! At this moment in Benito Juarez His name is not honored, He is not praised. My heart’s desire is that His name would be magnified in that place, and among those people! We will declare His glory for He is great and greatly to be praised!!! Pray for His name among the people of Benito Juarez!!
“67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless usand make his face to shine upon us, Selah2 that your way may be known on earth,your saving power among all nations.3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,for you judge the peoples with equityand guide the nations upon earth. Selah5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase;God, our God, shall bless us.7 God shall bless us;let all the ends of the earth fear him!” Psalm 67

God makes His face shine upon us because He turned His face from His Son. This makes me think of the old Hymn “Where You There When They Crucified My Lord”, this thought ought to make us want to tremble, and at the same time rejoice in His Grace! Pray that the Lord would be gracious to the town of Benito Juarez and that He would shine His face on them! And that that shinning would spur them on to sing for joy!!

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever." –John Piper
I was having a conversation with a man of influence in my life a little while back about the people in Benito Juarez and he told me that I may never see the fruit of our labor in Benito Juarez, but that His Word does not return void. This is so true, and often serves to us as a comfort, I can’t help but think it did for William Carey as he labored for seven years before he saw any fruit in India, but I also cling to the promise in Rev. 5:9 that tells us as that great chorus of the redeemed resounds in the heavens that there WILL be a representative from every tribe, tongue, and language in the world! God Will save at least one from Benito Juarez! His name Will be honored!!!! Please pray that we would trust this promise and as we preach, preach believing and expecting!!

I want to thank each and every one of you who will be so faithful in praying and supporting this work as His name will be proclaimed amongst those who have not heard. I will close this word of encouragement with the words of a song written by Matt Redman. It is a song of sending, and I think shares the true heart of missions. May this be a blessing to you all!


“ Let worship be the fuel for mission's flame We're going with a passion for Your name We're going for we care about Your praise Send us out Let worship be the heart of mission's aim To see the nations recognize Your fame 'Til every tribe and tongue voices Your praise Send us out You should be the praise of every tongue, Jesus You should be the joy of every heart But until the fullness of Your kingdom comes Until the final revelation dawns Send us out Every tribe, every tongue Every creature in the heavens and the earth Every heart, every soul Will sing Your praise, will sing Your praise Every note, every strain Every melody will be for You alone Every harmony that flows from every tongue We'll sing Your praise, we'll sing Your praise We'll sing Your praise, we'll sing Your praise”
-Matt Redman

We are being sent, we are going into the well…Please hold the rope!!!! May grace and peace be with you all!!
Here is a schedule so you can pray specifically for different aspects of this trip:
Sunday 24th- Leave Mexico City at 6 p.m.
Monday 25th- Arrive in San Cristobel at 8 a.m. then take a van to Comitan, then another van to Sabanilla (2 ½ hours of this trip will be on a dirt road going 10-15 mph). Around 6 p.m. arrive in Sabanilla.
Tuesday 26th- 6 a.m. Leave for Benito Juarez (about a 5 ½ hour walk, 9.5 miles, through the jungle). 12 p.m. arrive in Benito Juarez and begin proclaiming the Gospel.
Wednesday 27th- We will spend this whole day preaching in Benito Juarez.
Thursday 28th- 6 a.m. Leave for Chumzero (2 ½ hours walking through the jungle). Arrive about 9 a.m. and we will spend the morning and afternoon preaching here. 4 p.m. leave for Sabanilla and arrive at about 7 p.m.
Friday 29th- 3 a.m. Leave for San Cristobel and arrive around 10 a.m. We will spend a few hours resting here until we get on a bus back to Mexico City around 6 p.m.
Saturday 30th- 8 a.m. Arrive in Mexico City.