Left in darkness
Blindly running
Toward an horrific end
Carelessly rebelling
Against the Lord Most High
With only wrath
Awaiting them
They are utterly hopeless & helpless
Left on the outside
Distant & far off
Who are they?
They are
The Unreached
Those who've never heard
And have not seen
Of Christ
The One who is
Redemption
Hope
Light
The Way, Truth, & Life
Yet here we are
We are the people of the Cross
Children of the Living God
Citizens of a kingdom
That has come
And is coming
And Jesus Christ
Our King & Lord
Has commissioned us
To go make disciples
Of all nations
To be His witnesses
To the ends of the earth
Preaching His Gospel
Proclaiming His Name
And redemptive
Rule & Reign
To all peoples
To those who worship idols
Instead of the One True God
So brothers & sisters
Let us not get comfortable
Becoming lazy & complacent
Being self-focused
And oblivious
To the world around us
Deny ourselves
Take up our crosses
Dying to all
Comforts & luxuries
All that's familiar
Dying to our
Ambitions, goals, & dreams
And go with boldness
Fearing nothing but our God
Being empowered
By the Spirit of Christ
Clinging to His promises
Proclaiming this Good News
So that the unreached
May become reached
With the willingness
To suffer & die
So that they can have life
And have it more abundantly!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Remember Calvary
We all have those days, where at the end of it, we feel like we've struggled greatly. Days, where that were just terrible, filled with pain, losing the battle to sin left & right, brought almost to despair. I mean c'mon! Life on this side of eternity for believers and unbelievers alike is rough. It's unavoidable and undeniable. Maybe it's could be a week or 2 filled with physical suffering, spiritual dryness, everything seems to fall apart. Gosh, I know I've had plenty of those for sure.
So what is the remedy to those times? The Gospel of Jesus Christ. On this side of the Cross, we as followers of have no guilt in life and no fear in death. So take heart weary, worn, and bruised saint! Remember and take hold of the Gospel, and the and the rich blessings & promises that flow from it!
Remember Calvary
And the old rugged Tree
The place where
His love was displayed
Remember the blood poured out
And the crying out
"It is finished!"
Our debt has been paid
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." ~Psalm 103:8-12
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." ~ Romans 5:8
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," ~Eph 1:7
"And you who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach before him," ~Col 1:21-22
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." ~1 Tim 1:15 (my favorite)
"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he pour out on us richly through Jesus Christ, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." ~Titus 3:3-7
For in those moments and days of distress, despair, suffering, and dryness; look to the Cross and remember. The Gospel can and will bring: healing, joy, restoration, refreshment, and renewed zeal and passion. Don't lose heart, my brothers & sisters! Remember Calvary!
So what is the remedy to those times? The Gospel of Jesus Christ. On this side of the Cross, we as followers of have no guilt in life and no fear in death. So take heart weary, worn, and bruised saint! Remember and take hold of the Gospel, and the and the rich blessings & promises that flow from it!
Remember Calvary
And the old rugged Tree
The place where
His love was displayed
Remember the blood poured out
And the crying out
"It is finished!"
Our debt has been paid
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." ~Psalm 103:8-12
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." ~ Romans 5:8
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," ~Eph 1:7
"And you who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach before him," ~Col 1:21-22
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." ~1 Tim 1:15 (my favorite)
"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he pour out on us richly through Jesus Christ, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." ~Titus 3:3-7
For in those moments and days of distress, despair, suffering, and dryness; look to the Cross and remember. The Gospel can and will bring: healing, joy, restoration, refreshment, and renewed zeal and passion. Don't lose heart, my brothers & sisters! Remember Calvary!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Expanding....Vision -- The Horn of Africa
Oooh...Somalia! Ha! For those who know me, and have spent time with me, know full well the heart the Lord has blessed me with for the Somali people. For about 4ish years now, I've had this heart and burden for Somalis; that they may come to know Christ. I've even come to the point recently that if God wants me to go to Somalia itself to do Gospel ministry there then...so be it! Oh, and If I perish....I perish, cause I know to who I belong!
All that is to say though....if that's where the Lord leads me. Really wherever Somalis are is where I want to be; and they are all over the place! Well over a million in Kenya and Ethiopia each in refugee camps, then roughly 98,000 in the U.K., 57,000 in Italy, 81,000 in the United States, and over tens of thousands in other countries around the world. So as you can see....there is a wide variety of where I can go here to do Gospel ministry to the Somali people.
Yet, as of a couple days ago, the Lord has reminded me of something. Since God shows no partiality, therefore the Gospel also shows no partiality too (Isa. 45:22). I share this because many people who want to be missionaries focus on a particular people group to do Gospel ministry among. Which isn't bad at all I'd say, but you think of the Great Commission....."Go make disciples of all nations...".
Paul is a great biblical example of a guy who wanted to take the Gospel to more than just one people group. Just take a look at what he syas in Romans 15:19b-20:
"--so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the Gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the Gospel, not where Christ has been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation."
The apostle had this holy ambition to proclaim the grace of God in the name Christ to those who've never heard of the Name. You can see this in the book of Acts. Paul didn't just stay in Damascus once after his conversion. No no, being led by the Spirit he went all over the place proclaiming the Gospel. Places like Antioch, Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus. By God's grace the Lord used Paul to start or be a part in starting churches in these places. Paul apparently knowing God's heart, that He desires all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth., and is spurred on place to place, nation to nation.
Now to give a modern day example. My older brother's pastor knows a missionary couple who have spent a good few years church plating down in Mexico (I believe). Upon the time of retirement age, instead of retiring these 2 saints instead went to Morocco to do Gospel ministry there. Boom! I love it! On mission, serving the Lord till there dying breath. That's how I want it to be! To be poured out, completely wrung out, up to my last breath; laboring with the Gospel among the unreached.
This brings me to the reminder the Lord has put in my mind these past couple days. Yes, my heart absolutely aches for the Somali people for sure, but...there are a plethora of other unreached peoples within the Horn of Africa. Like the Garre, Dabarre, and the Tunni in Somalia; South Asian general in Djibouti; the Rashaidi and the Dahalik of Eritrea; the Kebena and the Wolane of Ethiopia. Not to mention many much more.
So I ask myself yes I so much want to do gospel ministry to the Somalis, but all these other people groups too, who need the saving grace in the Gospel equally as much. Again the Gospel shows no partiality because God shows no partiality. Indeed Jesus died to purchase for himself a people from each one of the people groups I mentioned above. Then I ask myself, why stop with just the Somalis? Why not the Garre, and the Rashaidi, and the others. Paul had in mind Ephesus, Thessolonica, Corinth, and other places; so why not myself?
So yes, I still do have the particular focus of the Somalis; they indeed will always have a special place in my heart...so to speak. Yet I believe the Lord is expanding my vision and heart to all unreached peoples of the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and northern Kenya make up the Horn by the way)!
So please pray 1) for the unreached in the Horn 2) the Lord to raise up laborers to bear the light of the Gospel to the unreached in the Horn 3) and that the Lord would give me guidance and discernment on where and how He want me to make an impact with the Gospel among the unreached in the Horn. For I'm willing to die, so that they may have life and have it more abundantly!
All that is to say though....if that's where the Lord leads me. Really wherever Somalis are is where I want to be; and they are all over the place! Well over a million in Kenya and Ethiopia each in refugee camps, then roughly 98,000 in the U.K., 57,000 in Italy, 81,000 in the United States, and over tens of thousands in other countries around the world. So as you can see....there is a wide variety of where I can go here to do Gospel ministry to the Somali people.
Yet, as of a couple days ago, the Lord has reminded me of something. Since God shows no partiality, therefore the Gospel also shows no partiality too (Isa. 45:22). I share this because many people who want to be missionaries focus on a particular people group to do Gospel ministry among. Which isn't bad at all I'd say, but you think of the Great Commission....."Go make disciples of all nations...".
Paul is a great biblical example of a guy who wanted to take the Gospel to more than just one people group. Just take a look at what he syas in Romans 15:19b-20:
"--so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the Gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the Gospel, not where Christ has been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation."
The apostle had this holy ambition to proclaim the grace of God in the name Christ to those who've never heard of the Name. You can see this in the book of Acts. Paul didn't just stay in Damascus once after his conversion. No no, being led by the Spirit he went all over the place proclaiming the Gospel. Places like Antioch, Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus. By God's grace the Lord used Paul to start or be a part in starting churches in these places. Paul apparently knowing God's heart, that He desires all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth., and is spurred on place to place, nation to nation.
Now to give a modern day example. My older brother's pastor knows a missionary couple who have spent a good few years church plating down in Mexico (I believe). Upon the time of retirement age, instead of retiring these 2 saints instead went to Morocco to do Gospel ministry there. Boom! I love it! On mission, serving the Lord till there dying breath. That's how I want it to be! To be poured out, completely wrung out, up to my last breath; laboring with the Gospel among the unreached.
This brings me to the reminder the Lord has put in my mind these past couple days. Yes, my heart absolutely aches for the Somali people for sure, but...there are a plethora of other unreached peoples within the Horn of Africa. Like the Garre, Dabarre, and the Tunni in Somalia; South Asian general in Djibouti; the Rashaidi and the Dahalik of Eritrea; the Kebena and the Wolane of Ethiopia. Not to mention many much more.
So I ask myself yes I so much want to do gospel ministry to the Somalis, but all these other people groups too, who need the saving grace in the Gospel equally as much. Again the Gospel shows no partiality because God shows no partiality. Indeed Jesus died to purchase for himself a people from each one of the people groups I mentioned above. Then I ask myself, why stop with just the Somalis? Why not the Garre, and the Rashaidi, and the others. Paul had in mind Ephesus, Thessolonica, Corinth, and other places; so why not myself?
So yes, I still do have the particular focus of the Somalis; they indeed will always have a special place in my heart...so to speak. Yet I believe the Lord is expanding my vision and heart to all unreached peoples of the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and northern Kenya make up the Horn by the way)!
So please pray 1) for the unreached in the Horn 2) the Lord to raise up laborers to bear the light of the Gospel to the unreached in the Horn 3) and that the Lord would give me guidance and discernment on where and how He want me to make an impact with the Gospel among the unreached in the Horn. For I'm willing to die, so that they may have life and have it more abundantly!
Friday, September 20, 2013
Never Familiar Always Fresh
Oh how familiar the Bible can be to us. Namely all the stories and accounts found in it, in both old and new Testament. We have in the OT the story of Noah and the ark, Moses as God's representative leading God's people out of Egypt, and others. In the New Testament we have Jesus healing the sick & physically impaired....oh and not to mention casting out demons. We also have the Apostles doing the same kind of things throughout the book of Acts. Yes, all of these stories and accounts are oh so familiar to us. Ha! For a lot of us, we have started hearing these such stories back in pre-school Sunday school class.
Yet earlier this week as I was spending time in the gospel of Matthew I read a "familiar" passage, an account of Jesus doing His things healing people and such. Matthew 15:29-31 was the passage to be exact, which says,
"Jesus went on from there and walked beside the sea of Galilee. And went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel." ~Matt 15:29-31
After I read this I went back in time (so to speak) and put myself in that spot, in that moment. Imagining that I was one of the many people in that crowd, witnessing the incredible healing power of the Son of Man. Ha! It seemed like instantly I was overwhelmed with joy, excitement, wonder, and awe! Just picturing myself looking around to see blind Bobbly, who had been blind from birth now seeing; Luke who had been lame from early childhood now walking; and mute Mary who had been unable to speak for 10 years, now shouting with joy! Man, I was just in awe of this awesome power of the Most High God being put on display for the crowd (and us readers) to see and behold! It seemed, for me, like the Spirit gave me fresh eyes to see this in such a familiar passage. This caused me to go on a praise walk, ha! Often I go on prayer walks around my neighborhood, but this praise walk was something new indeed! So out I went, praising God for power, glory, magnificence, wisdom, holiness, and so on!
Now as I've said before, it was the Spirit that given me the eyes to see the beauty and magnificence of Christ in this passage, leading me to worship the Savior. It makes me think how often we read over these stories, but never do anything with them. Yea, we may take a couple things from them to chew on or apply to our lives, but we never are struck with awe and wonder at the power, glory, and beauty of the gospel truths in the accounts and stories. We ought to pray from our hearts what that Psalmist in Psalm 119 :
"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." ~Psalm 119:18
I can imagine another way of him saying that is, "Lord may Your Word never become familiar too, but may it always be fresh to me!" At least that should be our prayer, whenever we read of the Lord parting the Rea Sea that Israelites can pass through on dry ground, or when Joshua and the people of Israel march around Jericho for 6 days and on the seventh make a ruckus of noise causing the city to crumble, or when Jesus feeds a crowd of 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Aaah, yes! I dare to say that one of the reasons we have accounts or stories like these in the Bible is so we can be in awe of and be lead to worship the God who does the incredible, according to these stories! For He is certainly worthy of our time spent reading about how He puts His power, majesty, and glory on display in stories like these that litter the Bible! May these biblical accounts and stories never become familiar or old to us, but may the Spirit give us eyes see afresh wondrous things from these stories that may lead us to worship and praise the Author of them!
Yet earlier this week as I was spending time in the gospel of Matthew I read a "familiar" passage, an account of Jesus doing His things healing people and such. Matthew 15:29-31 was the passage to be exact, which says,
"Jesus went on from there and walked beside the sea of Galilee. And went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel." ~Matt 15:29-31
After I read this I went back in time (so to speak) and put myself in that spot, in that moment. Imagining that I was one of the many people in that crowd, witnessing the incredible healing power of the Son of Man. Ha! It seemed like instantly I was overwhelmed with joy, excitement, wonder, and awe! Just picturing myself looking around to see blind Bobbly, who had been blind from birth now seeing; Luke who had been lame from early childhood now walking; and mute Mary who had been unable to speak for 10 years, now shouting with joy! Man, I was just in awe of this awesome power of the Most High God being put on display for the crowd (and us readers) to see and behold! It seemed, for me, like the Spirit gave me fresh eyes to see this in such a familiar passage. This caused me to go on a praise walk, ha! Often I go on prayer walks around my neighborhood, but this praise walk was something new indeed! So out I went, praising God for power, glory, magnificence, wisdom, holiness, and so on!
Now as I've said before, it was the Spirit that given me the eyes to see the beauty and magnificence of Christ in this passage, leading me to worship the Savior. It makes me think how often we read over these stories, but never do anything with them. Yea, we may take a couple things from them to chew on or apply to our lives, but we never are struck with awe and wonder at the power, glory, and beauty of the gospel truths in the accounts and stories. We ought to pray from our hearts what that Psalmist in Psalm 119 :
"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." ~Psalm 119:18
I can imagine another way of him saying that is, "Lord may Your Word never become familiar too, but may it always be fresh to me!" At least that should be our prayer, whenever we read of the Lord parting the Rea Sea that Israelites can pass through on dry ground, or when Joshua and the people of Israel march around Jericho for 6 days and on the seventh make a ruckus of noise causing the city to crumble, or when Jesus feeds a crowd of 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Aaah, yes! I dare to say that one of the reasons we have accounts or stories like these in the Bible is so we can be in awe of and be lead to worship the God who does the incredible, according to these stories! For He is certainly worthy of our time spent reading about how He puts His power, majesty, and glory on display in stories like these that litter the Bible! May these biblical accounts and stories never become familiar or old to us, but may the Spirit give us eyes see afresh wondrous things from these stories that may lead us to worship and praise the Author of them!
Friday, September 6, 2013
Life is A Stewardship
Hmm.....you know what comes to mind at this moment? Stewardship. You know what verses or quotes that come to mind when I think of stewardship?
"You are not your own, for you were bought with a price."~1 Corinthians 6:19b-20
"and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sakes died and was raised." ~2 Corinthians 5:15
"Oh Father use this ransomed life in any way you choose, and let my song forever be, 'My only boast is You'!" ~All I Have is Christ by Sovereign Grace Music
There's really much I can say about Stewardship, and ya'll can feel free to put in your thoughts on the matter, but I guess I'd like to share how that look for me personally
Simply put my prayer as of late has been this:
Oh, Lord Most High
Use me up
Exhaust me
I want to be poured out
For the sake of Christ,
The advancement
Of Your Kingdom
And the building up
Of the Body of Christ
Amen
In regards to the Advancement of the Kingdom
Well, this simply mean evangelism & disciple-making. I wanna preach the Gospel, being so enthralled & dazzled by it that is flows out of my mouth; whether I'm at home, work, downtown Indy, at the grocery store, at a coffee shop.....ha, wherever!
Yet, the aim in preaching the Gospel is to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples and so on (Matt 28:18-20 & 2 Tim 2:2). Now that's where it's at! For the apostle Paul himself counted the task he was given of proclaiming the Gospel of God's grace more precious & valuable than his own life (Acts 20:24)! This is not just something I'm called to, but ALL followers of Christ are called to. No exceptions. No excuses.
In regards to the building up of the Body of Christ
As we know we're called to live out the Christian life in the community of other believers (Heb 10:25, 1 Cor 12:12-30, & Eph 2:19-21), because Christ has purchased for himself a people by His blood shed on the Cross and His resurrection (1 Pet 2:9 & Rev 7:9-10). We're also called to love one another, serve one another, encourage one another, build one another up, and so on. For me I see pouring myself into fellow saints on Sunday morning worship gatherings, in small group, and over coffee meets. Caring for those within the body (like the elderly, widows, handicapped, & others). Discipling those who are babes in the faith and the kiddos. Also using the gifts, talents, and the abilities the Lord has blessed me with to over and over point my brothers & sisters to the Cross & help them grow in Christ all the more! Simply loving others!
So what do you all think? Agree or disagree? My last thoughts are this- that Christ died so that we can live to make much of Him, to make Him look good, and to know Him and make Him known (1 Tim 1:15-17 & 1 Pet 3:18)! Yes, the Gospel frees us from living for ourselves to live for the Lord Most High!
"You are not your own, for you were bought with a price."~1 Corinthians 6:19b-20
"and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sakes died and was raised." ~2 Corinthians 5:15
"Oh Father use this ransomed life in any way you choose, and let my song forever be, 'My only boast is You'!" ~All I Have is Christ by Sovereign Grace Music
There's really much I can say about Stewardship, and ya'll can feel free to put in your thoughts on the matter, but I guess I'd like to share how that look for me personally
Simply put my prayer as of late has been this:
Oh, Lord Most High
Use me up
Exhaust me
I want to be poured out
For the sake of Christ,
The advancement
Of Your Kingdom
And the building up
Of the Body of Christ
Amen
In regards to the Advancement of the Kingdom
Well, this simply mean evangelism & disciple-making. I wanna preach the Gospel, being so enthralled & dazzled by it that is flows out of my mouth; whether I'm at home, work, downtown Indy, at the grocery store, at a coffee shop.....ha, wherever!
Yet, the aim in preaching the Gospel is to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples and so on (Matt 28:18-20 & 2 Tim 2:2). Now that's where it's at! For the apostle Paul himself counted the task he was given of proclaiming the Gospel of God's grace more precious & valuable than his own life (Acts 20:24)! This is not just something I'm called to, but ALL followers of Christ are called to. No exceptions. No excuses.
In regards to the building up of the Body of Christ
As we know we're called to live out the Christian life in the community of other believers (Heb 10:25, 1 Cor 12:12-30, & Eph 2:19-21), because Christ has purchased for himself a people by His blood shed on the Cross and His resurrection (1 Pet 2:9 & Rev 7:9-10). We're also called to love one another, serve one another, encourage one another, build one another up, and so on. For me I see pouring myself into fellow saints on Sunday morning worship gatherings, in small group, and over coffee meets. Caring for those within the body (like the elderly, widows, handicapped, & others). Discipling those who are babes in the faith and the kiddos. Also using the gifts, talents, and the abilities the Lord has blessed me with to over and over point my brothers & sisters to the Cross & help them grow in Christ all the more! Simply loving others!
So what do you all think? Agree or disagree? My last thoughts are this- that Christ died so that we can live to make much of Him, to make Him look good, and to know Him and make Him known (1 Tim 1:15-17 & 1 Pet 3:18)! Yes, the Gospel frees us from living for ourselves to live for the Lord Most High!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Indy Somali Outreach
Dear Brother's and sisters,
Aaah! I've found it hard to contain my excitement since last night. The Lord has given me and another brother an opportunity for gospel ministry here in Indy! Now before, I was told that there weren't many Somalis here in Indianapolis; just a good few. Of course with that (to me) not being enough for long term ministry. That led to my aim of trying to move down to Louisville where a rough estimate of about 6,000 live. So until yesterday afternoon, that's what I was gonna shoot for- moving down to Louisville to do gospel ministry among the Somalis there (within 2 yrs).
Yet the Lord in His sovereignty allowed me and my friend (Austin Rogers) to meet up with a guy who heads up a team/ministry who reaches out to internationals in the city. Is was at one point he brought up the Somalis, sharing how some guys have a ministry reaching out to Somali taxi drivers in town. We then asked him how many Somalis are in Indy. Ha, he said about a rough estimate of about 1,500, in which a good majority of them live on the westside! He went on to share how there's a coffee shop in the area where they can be found where a bunch of Somalis hangout!
Later that day my friend shared with me a vision of pouring ourselves and the Gospel into these Somalis. Starting at this coffee shop building gospel-intentional relationships, with the hope of eventually seeing a Somali family get saved though doing a bible study with them, they start sharing with other Somalis around them, more get saved, and.....well you get the idea! Generational discipleship people (See Acts 18)!
Yes, as I have said before, I say again- I just can't contain my excitement! I'm stoked that the Lord provided this opportunity in His sovereignty, and by His grace given us a vision for this task, this mission! So I ask for your prayers, for without the Spirit present with us in our labors, and apart from the Lord working, we would be laboring in vain. Thanks for your time, and in advance, for your prayers!
"May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!" ~ John Leonard Dober & David Nitschman
"Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sigh of the nations." ~Psalm 98:1-2
Aaah! I've found it hard to contain my excitement since last night. The Lord has given me and another brother an opportunity for gospel ministry here in Indy! Now before, I was told that there weren't many Somalis here in Indianapolis; just a good few. Of course with that (to me) not being enough for long term ministry. That led to my aim of trying to move down to Louisville where a rough estimate of about 6,000 live. So until yesterday afternoon, that's what I was gonna shoot for- moving down to Louisville to do gospel ministry among the Somalis there (within 2 yrs).
Yet the Lord in His sovereignty allowed me and my friend (Austin Rogers) to meet up with a guy who heads up a team/ministry who reaches out to internationals in the city. Is was at one point he brought up the Somalis, sharing how some guys have a ministry reaching out to Somali taxi drivers in town. We then asked him how many Somalis are in Indy. Ha, he said about a rough estimate of about 1,500, in which a good majority of them live on the westside! He went on to share how there's a coffee shop in the area where they can be found where a bunch of Somalis hangout!
Later that day my friend shared with me a vision of pouring ourselves and the Gospel into these Somalis. Starting at this coffee shop building gospel-intentional relationships, with the hope of eventually seeing a Somali family get saved though doing a bible study with them, they start sharing with other Somalis around them, more get saved, and.....well you get the idea! Generational discipleship people (See Acts 18)!
Yes, as I have said before, I say again- I just can't contain my excitement! I'm stoked that the Lord provided this opportunity in His sovereignty, and by His grace given us a vision for this task, this mission! So I ask for your prayers, for without the Spirit present with us in our labors, and apart from the Lord working, we would be laboring in vain. Thanks for your time, and in advance, for your prayers!
"May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!" ~ John Leonard Dober & David Nitschman
"Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sigh of the nations." ~Psalm 98:1-2
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Who We Are!
Well to start, I have a twitter. Yes. Now I share that because over time I would tweet these truths about Christians, who we are. So I decided to compile those tweets, and other truths into a little writing.....or whatever you wanna call it....
Dear brothers & sisters
Let's us not forget
Who we are
And Whose we are
For we are people
Of the Cross
We are those
Who were delivered
From the domain of darkness
And transferred into the kingdom
Of the Beloved Son
We are those
Who are sojourners in this world
And are citizens of heaven
Awaiting a kingdom that's to come
We are those
Who are no longer
Children of wrath
But are Children of the Most High
We are those
Who are no longer
Slaves to sin
But are now servants
To our Risen King
We are those
Who love our enemies
Blessing those who revile us
We are those
Who may be shamed by the world
But are unashamed of the Gospel
We are those
Who have our names graven
On our Saviors hands
And written on His heart
We are those
Who walk by faith
And not by sight
We are those
Who have no guilt in life
And fear in death
Seeing that to live
Is Christ
And to die
Is gain
We are those
Who base not only our beliefs
Off of God's Word
But our lives as well
We are those
Who found the Treasure
Hidden in a field
And sold all we had
To buy that field
We are those
Who do not fear
But take heart
Knowing to Whom we belong
We are those
Who have a friend
In the One who saved
Our souls from death
We are those
Who have a child-like dependence
On our Father
We are those
Who are in the world
But are not of it
We are those
Who will overcome
By the blood of the Lamb
And the word
Of our testimony
We are those
Who brag not in ourselves
But in the Lord Jesus
And glory in His cross
We are those
Who run toward the darkness & chaos
With the light of the Gospel
We are those
Who are chasing after Christ
Instead of chasing after
The filth of sin
We are those
Who are gracious, kind, patient, humble, & loving
Towards all people
We are those
Who aren't bitter & resentful
But forgive others
As we have been forgiven in Christ
We are those
Who count all things as loss
In comparison
To knowing Christ
We are those
Who are safe & secure
In the Father's arms
We are those
Who are considered
The scum of the world
But are precious
In the eyes of the Father
We are those
Who have been born again
To a living hope
We are those
Who chase not after
Our own glory
But the glory of our God!
Dear brothers & sisters
Let's us not forget
Who we are
And Whose we are
For we are people
Of the Cross
We are those
Who were delivered
From the domain of darkness
And transferred into the kingdom
Of the Beloved Son
We are those
Who are sojourners in this world
And are citizens of heaven
Awaiting a kingdom that's to come
We are those
Who are no longer
Children of wrath
But are Children of the Most High
We are those
Who are no longer
Slaves to sin
But are now servants
To our Risen King
We are those
Who love our enemies
Blessing those who revile us
We are those
Who may be shamed by the world
But are unashamed of the Gospel
We are those
Who have our names graven
On our Saviors hands
And written on His heart
We are those
Who walk by faith
And not by sight
We are those
Who have no guilt in life
And fear in death
Seeing that to live
Is Christ
And to die
Is gain
We are those
Who base not only our beliefs
Off of God's Word
But our lives as well
We are those
Who found the Treasure
Hidden in a field
And sold all we had
To buy that field
We are those
Who do not fear
But take heart
Knowing to Whom we belong
We are those
Who have a friend
In the One who saved
Our souls from death
We are those
Who have a child-like dependence
On our Father
We are those
Who are in the world
But are not of it
We are those
Who will overcome
By the blood of the Lamb
And the word
Of our testimony
We are those
Who brag not in ourselves
But in the Lord Jesus
And glory in His cross
We are those
Who run toward the darkness & chaos
With the light of the Gospel
We are those
Who are chasing after Christ
Instead of chasing after
The filth of sin
We are those
Who are gracious, kind, patient, humble, & loving
Towards all people
We are those
Who aren't bitter & resentful
But forgive others
As we have been forgiven in Christ
We are those
Who count all things as loss
In comparison
To knowing Christ
We are those
Who are safe & secure
In the Father's arms
We are those
Who are considered
The scum of the world
But are precious
In the eyes of the Father
We are those
Who have been born again
To a living hope
We are those
Who chase not after
Our own glory
But the glory of our God!
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