PRAY
Take time to pray for the Lord to direct your heart and mind in the steps you need to take to engage people and encounter experiences that will have eternal impact on your life. So many of us have in the past been involved in events or experiences that have been clearly directed by the Father to influence and impact our world! We all need to take the time to pray for our view of these experiences. We all need to pray for those we've met on this journey in those places of service and ministry.
If you've been out of your home context and served along side anyone on the mission field you know the impact that experience has had on your world. The Lord uses those times outside of our comfort zone to shake us up and help us see beyond the immediate world right around us and see His hand at work all over the world. Take time to pray for the workers in the field right now who are investing their lives for the sake of the Kingdom. Pray for the lives of those children you met and played with. Pray for the church in that local community that is struggling to be the light and salt to their neighbors. Pray for the pastors and missionaries who are helping to guide the church in disciple-making and evangelism. Pray for the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the field!
GO
As you pray for those around the world in the places of need and harvest, consider how you can go and be a part of the Kingdom work. If you've been you know the impact. If you have not been, listen to those who have been and believe them when they say it is a life-changing experience! Pray for the Lord to direct your path and your life in such a way that you are willing and eager to go to another context, outside of your home culture, and serve along side the church at work.
As you search for places to go, look for the work that is being done by organizations and churches to show and share the Gospel. Every bit of our work as a short-term missionary should be done to support and encourage the local church in its efforts to reach their community and teach the Word to those in their community. Look for those opportunities to invest your life in ministry that shows the Gospel and shares the Gospel intentionally. Organize your life in such a way to be able to go. Get your passport, plan your vacation time or time off from work and commit to going to the field to serve and share!
GIVE
If you have been on the field you know, especially those of us who live in the US, that God has blessed us with resources that are needed all over the world. In Psalm 67, we see clearly that the Lord will bless for the sake of His ways being made known and His salvation being shared! After walking along side missionaries, pastors and church members in a missional environment, you cannot help but see the overwhelming need they face every day. There is need for food, for shelter, for care to be given to children, medicine, teaching, and truth! The needs are unending and the task of meeting those needs is overwhelming to those on the ground serving daily. As you pray for those who are there serving and you go to visit them and serve along side them...come home and commit to give to support their work. Be involved in their work for the Kingdom through supporting their daily efforts of going on a regular basis. Get involved monthly, quarterly or annually with supporting the efforts of the local church, the pastor and the missionaries there to reach the world and teach His Word!
Take time today to consider how He wants you to PRAY, GO and GIVE so we can together Reach the world and Teach the Word!
In His Grip,
JT
