The "why" of mission!

This is why we go or at least it should be.
this is part of the sermon I recommend that people hear the whole message.

Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead
Judges 17

"Now I ask you; What is the Philosophy of Missions? What is the Philosophy of Evangelism? What is the Philosophy of a Christian? If you’ll ask me why I went to Africa, I’ll tell you I went primarily to improve on the justice of God. I didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to Hell without a chance to be saved. So I went to give poor sinners a chance to go to heaven. Now I haven’t put it in so many words, but if you’ll analyze what I just told you , do you know what it is? Humanism. That I was simply using the provisions of Jesus Christ as a means to improve upon human conditions of suffering and misery. And when I went to Africa, I discovered that they weren’t poor, ignorant, little heathen running around in the woods looking for someone to tell them how to go to heaven. That they were Monsters of Iniquity! They were living in utter and total defiance of far more knowledge of God than I ever dreamed they had! They deserved Hell! Because they utterly refused to walk in the light of their conscious, and the light of the law written upon their heart, and the testimony of nature, and the truth they knew! And when I found that out I assure you I was so angry with God that on one occasion in prayer I told Him it was a mighty little thing He’d done – sending me out there to reach these people that were waiting to be told how to go to heaven. When I got there I found out they knew about heaven, and didn’t want to go there, and that they loved their sin and wanted to stay in it.

(Brother Paris speaks with great passion in this paragraph) I went out their motivated by humanism. I’d seen pictures of lepers, I’d seen pictures of ulcers, I’d seen pictures of native funerals, and I didn’t want my fellow human beings to suffer in Hell eternally after such a miserable existence on earth. But it was there in Africa that God began to tear through the overlay of this humanism! And it was that day in my bedroom with the door locked that I wrestled with God. For here was I, coming to grips with the fact that the people I thought were ignorant and wanted to know how to go to heaven and were saying, "Someone come and teach us!", actually didn’t want to take time to talk with me or anybody else. They had no interest in the Bible and no interest in Christ, and they love their sin and wanted to continue in it. And I was to that place, at that time, where I felt the whole thing was a sham and a mockery, and I had been sold a bill of goods! And I wanted to come home. There alone in my bedroom as I faced God honestly with what my heart felt, it seemed to me I heard Him say, "Yes, will not the Judge of all the earth do right? The heathen are lost, and they’re going to go to Hell, not because they haven’t heard the gospel. They’re going to go to Hell because they are sinners, who love their sin! And because they deserve Hell. But……I didn’t send you out there for them. I didn’t send you out there for their sakes." And I heard clearly as I’ve ever heard, though it wasn’t with physical voice but it was the echo of truth of the ages, finding it’s way into an open heart. I heard God say to my heart that day something like this, "I didn’t send you to Africa for the sake of the heathen, I sent you to Africa for My Sake….They deserved Hell! But I love them! And I endured the agonies of Hell for them!!!! I didn’t send you out there for them! I SENT YOU OUT THERE FOR ME… Do I not deserve the reward of my suffering? Don’t I deserve those for who I died?" And it reversed it all!! And changed it all!! And righted it all!! And I wasn’t any longer working for Micah and ten shekels and a shirt! But I was serving a living God! I was not there for the sake of the heathen. I was there for the Savior that endured the agonies of Hell for me, who didn’t deserve it. But He deserved them, (the heathen). Because He died for them.

Do you see? Let me epitomize, let me summarize. Christianity says, "The end of all being is the glory of God." Humanism says, "The end of all being is the happiness of man." And one was born in Hell, the deification of man; and the other was born in heaven, the glorification of God! And one is a Levite serving Micah, and the other is a heart that’s unworthy serving the living God, because it’s the highest honor in the universe." (highlights are mine)

meaningful activity?

10 Signs of a Great Preschool

If your child is between the ages of 3 and 6 and attends a child care center, preschool, or kindergarten program, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) suggests you look for these 10 signs to make sure your child is in a good classroom.

1. Children spend most of their playing and working with materials or other children. They do not wander aimlessly, and they are not expected to sit quietly for long periods of time.
   
   
2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day. Look for assorted building blocks and other construction materials, props for pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as matching games, pegboards, and puzzles. Children should not all be doing the same thing at the same time.
   
   
3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend all their time with the whole group.
   
   
4. The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and stories dictated by children to teachers.
   
   
5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. The natural world of plants and animals and meaningful activities like cooking, taking attendance, or serving snack provide the basis for learning activities.
   
   
6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Worksheets are used little if at all.
   
   
7. Children have an opportunity to play outside every day. Outdoor play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.
   
   
8. Teachers read books to children individually or in small groups throughout the day, not just at group story time.
   
   
9. Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Teachers recognize that children’s different background and experiences mean that they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.
   
   
10. Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel secure about sending their child to the program. Children are happy to attend; they do not cry regularly or complain of feeling sick.

What's good for the preschool is good for the Home school!

Meaningful activity breeds contentment and harmony.

Psalms 133:1 "...how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony."

Harmony is the new watchword for our family. I've often prayed for a peaceful home, but peace without harmony is the recipe for a Cold War! America had peace with Russia but no harmony.
Gwyn said that harmony requires activity. You have to be singing or playing to create harmony. You also need focused direction. An orchestra while warming up has no direction and no harmony. However, when the director raises his baton there is harmony.
Our kids, and me too, thrive on structure. An organized environment filled with meaningful activity breeds contentment and harmony! Peter and his friends were sinking their boat and tearing their nets and despite the adversity they were in the middle of "meaningful activity" so they were happy and content. We must focus on the positives (fish) and not dwell on the negatives (sinking boat). The Lord made sure that there was another boat nearby to come and help Peter with the catch so he would not sink under the blessing.
Now comes the hard part! How do you fill your days with "meaningful activity"?
I'll try to let you know when I find out.

torn nets, sinking ships and the blessings just keep on comming

Pastor Jamie preached last week on the "wheat and the tares (weeds). He said that blessings and adversity often grow together in our lives. Today when I read the story of Peter's great catch I was reminded that once again blessing and adversity came in the same package.

Luke 5:4-11

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. (highlights are mine)

How to be content is a real struggle for me. Perfectionism is an act of futility in a fallen world full of inpetfected poelpe. People just can't be right unless they give themselves away and trust in Jesus' righteousness imparted to them in faith. But righteousness still does not feed my desire to be good at everything. I am an all or nothing kind of guy and if I'm not the best I tend to lay down and give up. Parenting is therefore my greatest challenge cause most of the time I am not sufficient for the task and want to give in and go back to bed! I can't though!!!! Three little lives are dependent on my success of course that is no pressure, NOT!
Jesus told Peter to "...go out where it is deeper...". We are definitely going deeper as we get ready to move to Costa Rica and then the DR to build Restoration Ranch. Daily I feel like my boat is sinking and my nerves are stretched to the breaking point. Lord Jesus help us to keep our eyes on the "catch". Only then can we have joy in the midst of this adversity. Of cource they ended up with a bigger vision that made to catch pale in significants because the Bible says they left it to follow Jesus!