Pictures In A Picture
The cover picture had many points of encouragement for me. And another picture was already in my mind as I snapped it. What things do you see in this image of a mission team having breakfast together on their first morning in-country?
Picture Of Encouragement: Today
An obvious point of encouragement is a mission team on site and ready to work. When we see fellow believers acting in obedience to the call and commands of Christ it should encourage us. There are team members I have worked with on prior missions. And it is good to see familiar faces and renew our relationships. But there are team members I have just met. They are not new to missions but they are new to me. It’s encouraging to meet more people who are willing to invest themselves in the Lord’s call to missions.
The setting for all these pictures is also encouraging. We are in Samana, Dominican Republic. I was here just a month ago with a group from another church. There are friends here. They are working hard for the Kingdom. It is a blessing to work alongside them. We all share the joy of iron sharpening iron. And we get to see what God is doing in all our labors, wherever they may be. So I see the joy and encouragement in the purposes and calling we all have in common.
Picture Of Encouragement: Tomorrow
All the above is true and good. But there is a better picture. And it’s the one this meal scene brought to my mind. Believers are moving to just such a scene. But it will be far greater and grander than we can possibly imagine. Based on Revelation 19:7, we know we will gather around God’s table. Scripture calls it the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. And there are similarities between that table we have not seen and the one in my picture.
We will gather with friends we have known. Our relationships will be remembered and renewed. But we will also sit down with new friends; people with whom we have shared the love and call of Christ. And according to the John’s vision, we will continue to have and share a common purpose. What purpose? We will worship, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ for ages without end. You see, at that feast He is the Groom and we are His bride. And it’s all about Him!
Picture Of Mission
So the picture of a mission team returns to its origin. The mission of Jesus is draw men unto Himself from every nation, tribe, and tongue. His agenda is to include all who will come in that heavenly celebration feast. And the good news for today is this: You can be a part of what He is doing! If you can’t think of another way, just spend a little time this week praying the mission team in Samana. Pray for the work of Mission: Hope in all its locations. And while you’re praying, lift up your pastors and the ministry of your local congregation. All will be thankful that you prayed. And your prayers will make you part of the picture of missions!
Soli Deo Gloria!
PS – It took a little longer than I predicted to get this out. My apologies. When I posted on Facebook Saturday my intention was for this to be up on Saturday evening. Physical limitations prevented that and I apologize.
Sunday was a great day with our friends in Samana. Thanks to all who prayed for our time and ministry. The Sunday worship was rich and the Lord blessed the preaching of His Word. Thanks again for your prayers. We have several days left, so please keep praying!
Are standards necessary?
His standards obviously apply to all people. None of us is perfect. But more particularly, His standards apply to every facet of the lives of His children. His standards are not applied randomly or haphazardly.
Absent in this prayer: 1) Personal requests, 2) Anything focused on Moses.
Hortencia, Alberto’s wife, was not home when we arrived. And it was not a surprise to learn she was ministering to another family that lived nearby. Some of the children went to get her.
The sky outside was overcast as you can see from this picture. But it wasn’t gray indoors! God was answering prayers. 
Computers need some set up. Again, that’s outside my expertise! But a friend and 
Missional living is our calling whether we are in a foreign country or here at home. The fact is, we are all in a foreign country. It’s called Earth! This is not our home. We travel through here as pilgrims on a journey to a real, eternal home. In fact, 
This is a bright spot in a challenging time. The lion’s share of donations still seem to be going for disaster relief (Harvey, Irma, Maria, etc.). So funding our various projects has been an uphill undertaking. But our Father is rich in mercy and grace will meet our needs. And He has done that through some of you. So my heart-felt 
Please pray for a good search and the elusive ‘good deal’ that everyone wants when buying a vehicle. And I’d appreciate your prayers over the next few days for those who would like to contribute but aren’t quite sure how to manage it. I understand that difficulty very well. A few dollars will move us from taking what we can get to being able to make the most of our Kingdom investments. In terms everyone can identify with:
I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to hear that people are concerned and praying for communities along Irma’s route. Friends, former mission volunteers, and church members have called or sent a text to let me know they are praying for people who are going through Irma’s fury. These are the ministry and mission supporters who have invested time and treasure in projects that now lie in Hurricane Irma’s wake. But those investments are not gone. And there’s a reason for that!
Have you ever noticed that God puts significant things in our path when we least expect them? If they were physical objects I think He would put them where we have to take notice or trip over them. My chat in the grocery store was like that.
I bumped into a person I hadn’t seen in quite a while. We did the usual catching up on our families. And then I was asked about all our work in the Dominican Republic, Belize, and other Caribbean locations. This individual keeps up with the work of 