My Heroes.

Our Lord is doing so many things, in so many places, with so many people!.

Today, I had the joy of spending a few minutes visiting with Jim and Diane Clair, 34 year veteran missionaries to Uganda, and founders of the Alpha-Omega Seminary. Their work is providing much-needed Biblical and ministry training to Africans who are already engaged in effective ministries. What an incredibly visionary ministry!

My heroes are men and women who stay the course over the long haul – men and women like the Clairs. May their tribe increase!!

Ruthe and I hope to be able to work with Alpha and Omega in the future.

By the way, the Clairs work under the auspices of the very fine missions organization, Global Outreach, based in our home of Tupelo, MS. GO serves almost 200 missionaries serving in 30 countries.

Today

I interrupted a series on the Ten Commandments in order to speak on the most thrilling, urgent and important macro-topic I know – speeding the coming of Jesus by linking up with his goal of getting the gospel to every people group on earth.

Anytime I study the issue or preach on missions, I find myself asking the question, “Does the Lord want us to go to an unreached people group now? I’m 55 – I’ve got 20-25 good years left – Do I invest them in raising funds, learning a new language, seeking to be a part of a church-planting movement? What is the most strategic place for me to invest my one and only life?

At this point, it seems God is calling me to be a sender – I think my heart would break if I could not challenge and lead people to give themselves to furthering the cause of God’s global purposes.

I was very grateful to see dozens of people come forward for prayer this morning, indicating their sense that God was stirring them to deeper involvement in cross-cultural efforts. Our lives will never be the same!

Satan hates what happened this morning! He will throw every kind of discouragement, distraction, and passion-quenching frustration in the way of those who pursue God’s calling. The Evil One wants us to second-guess our calling and commitments. Satan’s plan for our life – drift back into lukewarm spiritual apathy or become passionate about things that ultimately do not matter.

Here are a few encouragements:

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:11-12

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life. Luke 21:16-19

A Bible Storybook for Children

Like many parents, Ruthe and I read books to our children when they were small. Lots and lots of books. We did have the advantage of living in another country where…

We were learning to speak the language, so entertainment options were limited

We did not have a television, and would not have understood programming, had we had one.

We had no computer or internet.

We played lots of games together, play-acted, talked, wrestled, argued, and read to each other. For example, in one year, I read the entire Chronicles of Narnia to our children.

Today, I would read the Jesus Storybook Bible. The subtitle is intriguing: “Every Story Whispers His Name.”

Check out these wonderful lines from the book:

The Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done.

No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story… You see, the best thing about this Story is — it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

The center of the story is a baby who is like the missing piece to a puzzle that makes all the other pieces fit together.

The illustrations are really nice – easy to show to children, and attractive to look at.

I bought the Jesus Storybook Bible for my grandchildren, and I recommend it to adults.