Missions Matter

MISSIONS MATTER

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.

Kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT: Luke 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, Father, that thou would send him to my Father’s house:

28 For I have five brothers, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

I ponder today, Can I make a difference? Can you?

I don’t think I can see I am making a big difference on a daily basis, but I know ---

Jude1: 22, And of some have compassion, making a

difference.

23, --- pulling them out of the fire.

I love 1 Cor. 16:15 --- and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.

Are we more addicted to the television than to the

church, the Bible, and prayer?

The pastor depends on you? Jesus depends on you!

Define MISSION?

-the act of going or sending.

-assignment to work

-sent to perform a service.

-entrust

I want to serve Jesus so habitually and obsessively that others may know.

I desire to be so surrendered to the cross that I care and no one will make the poor decision to choose HELL.

What is my mission?

Am I sent?

Do I care?

Am I commissioned?

"Why do missions?"

Am I trying to quicken Christian Faith?

I think one person can make a difference, we must send missionaries.

We must hear our calling.

Perhaps the first question of the Bible is still asked by many:

(Gen. 4:9) ....AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER?

This question was asked by a man running from God.

Another great question that should be studied ---

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

This second question was asked by a man seeking to

justify himself.

Ask yourself these two questions, and what am I doing about it?

I also ponder, what man had the greatest mission value in the Bible?

Well, many had a concern for the lost and hurting, but if I could only pick one with a concern for missions,

I would go to the book of Luke and find a man

willing to tell the whole world and how he carried a

vision for his lost family.

(Luke 16: 19--31.)

This man prayed a prayer that God would send out

workers for the harvest, and his vision expanded in

minutes from his foolish treasures on earth,

to 5 brothers headed quickly toward the torment in

which he now suffered ...

"lest they also come into this place of torment."

Hell has a cry for missions.

What a differencein his day could this man have made to the local preacher and his five brothers.

This missionary missed his opportunity.

Should we not seek a missions call for Macedonia and the uttermost parts of the lost?

Can we hear the cry for missions?

Come teach us?

Many say, Lord send me, but stay on the couch in front of the helevision.

What if we get a vision too late?

Let me share some alarming facts.(source unknown)

Less than 2.9% of Americans tithe faithfully.

In the USA, more is spent on dog food than given to

missions.

No wonder hell enlarges its borders daily.

The average church member has never witnessed to the

lost.

While the Bible is the most sold book in the world,

the average Christian reads less than three chapters

a week.

I am told that 60% of all pastors have never read

the Bible through from cover to cover.

Less than 10% of all pastors read their Bible though

in a calendar year.

Thousands attend seminars, healing campaigns,

singings and buy tickets, books, tapes and CD’s,

while prayer meetings and Sunday Schools are being

discontinued for the lack of attendance.

I am told that the average board member/deacon never

fast for the pastor, and rarely makes a visit to

ease the load of their pastor.

Many of the church’s official officers serve only in

titular titles, ...

with many offices existing in title only.

Few see their duty and responsibility in the light

of eternity.

Less than 20% of Sunday School teachers study their

lesson and are early to greet their class.

We need a new vision of HELL, that would launch workers into unified prayer and fasting for souls.

This vision must spur us into visitation and going into the highways and byways and compel others to seek Jesus.

Lord of all, or not at all?

This vision for lost souls must start at home, but it must reach into the billfold and saving accounts, to enable others to be a substitute for us, as we hold the rope.

If I cannot go, I can help send! B

ut the greatest need is a real, consistent prayer warrior mentality that will call faithfully on the throne of the most Holy God for the lost and those in the heat of the battle.