What A Sunday!!!!

There it is – that beautiful blue and white planet – half in darkness, half in light. It does remind me:

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:4-5 KJV)

I meet three families today who want to carry that good news into areas where it is not currently a familiar verse. One spoke in each of our services today, and I wish I could go with them, all of them.

First was Stefan Carlin. He spoke during what would have been our regular Sunday School hour. Raised in a Christian home, he still didn’t understand salvation until an adult. He succeeded in his dream to leave Romania, moving to Germany, becoming a businessman, marrying, raising a family – then hearing our Lord call him home to Romania as a missionary. He has a wonderful vision of working in his homeland.

Second was Randy Ashcraft. Our church supported his family’s ministry for many years, and we’ve seen fruit from their work for three generations.  One of his cousins, a missionary to Ukraine, is on my sideboard.  His father and grandfather served in Mexico, but Randy and his family have been called to work with Muslims in the far east.

Third, during this evening’s service, was Kirk Kirkland. Want to hear about a bus kid gone good? Well, this one certainly is. He is doing what the Lord has laid before him, and the world is missing out on a vocalist – unless they come hear him in church. His rendition of “Blessed Assurance” was moving. I heard the strength of Fanny Crosby’s beliefs in this man’s voice. He’s taking that story, that song, into the center city in Cincinnati. If you are near there, mark your calendar for Easter, 2013, to join him and his family as they open their doors to speak that story, and sing that song of salvation.

In the meantime, please keep each of these families in prayer as they move through deputation (that’s an Independent Baptist terminology – ask me about it) into their mission field.

Recently I wrote to another missionary:

… you get to go where God called you and not us, and we get to be there with you in prayer, seeing the pictures, reading the blog. You get to tell people about us and how much we love them and pray for them, too. Yep - our missionaries do have those beautiful feet and are important to those who send and those who receive. We love your service to our Lord.

We’re a team – those who send, those who go and those who receive the word. Become part of that team through prayer as they go and tell all nations:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:13-15 KJV)

Become part of the beautiful feet preaching the gospel.