An Army of Volunteers at Work:

I have the privilege of serving the Lord in a really great church.  One example of CBC's heart for ministry is this morning twenty-five CBC-ers are waking up in Schroon Lake New York.  Though the Adirondacks are a beautiful place to take a vacation, these folk aren't there to relax.  They are investing a week of their lives in the ministry of Word of Life.  WoL operates Bible Camps, a College level Bible Institute, and assists churches around the world in reaching and discipling young people.  I'm looking forward to hearing reports on what this crew accomplishes. The fact is, though, these people aren't the only ones from my church who are on mission.  I've got a day full of appointments, including one to encourage an old friend with serious health needs.  A number have already started their work day.  As I type kids are on the bus headed for school.  There are neighbors we need to reach out to, kids who need a mentor, folk everywhere crying out for someone to love them, opportunities to show the love of Christ in practical ways. Matthew 28:19 says the followers of Christ are to go and make disciples.  We tend to emphasize the "Go."  Really the going is kind of assumed.  Wherever you go be in the disciple making business.  Live deliberately in such a way that you point others to Christ. Wherever "here" is for you, for me, there is work to be done for the Lord.  I'm looking forward to hearing about how the Lord uses my church family wherever we are. It's Something to Think About.

Doesn't Jesus Die Every Year?

(Today's STTA was written by a missionary friend. It is a great Good Friday Meditation.)

"Doesn't Jesus die every year on good Friday?"
It was one of those teachable moments.
After sharing a short devotion before literacy class from Hebrews 10:12, we had gotten into an interesting discussion about things the [people my friend works with] do over Easter weekend. Some of the beliefs are quite strange (like not eating chicken because it turns into buzzard meat, or abstaining from alcohol until Sunday morning at 3:00 AM. Then you are supposed to drink and drink a lot.). I had wanted to get more
information about these ideas for some colleagues who are teaching about animism. After recording what was said, I kind of figured we were done with it, and forgot about it until the next day. Then the next morning we were about to start class when I remembered I had neglected to get a devotion ready for class.
"Oh well, repetition never hurts" I thought as I quickly flipped through my Bible to Romans 6:10 and shared once more how that Jesus only had to die once for all time, and that now he lives forever to God. As soon as I was done reading, it was then that one of my friends from the tribe asked his question. What a joy it was to be able to read the Scripture again, and then read from Hebrews 10:12 again as well and tell him that without a doubt, Jesus only died once. He was buried, and arose from the grave, never to die again. His work of paying for our sins was done, and it was ONCE AND FOR ALL.
On hearing the news, my friend nodded and said, "I'm glad you told us 'more straight.' I had believed wrong because that's what what my grandparents had always told me."
In spite of knowing the Lord for a number of years, Good Friday was still a blind spot for this man.
But then I asked myself, "What kind of blind spots do we have about all that Jesus has done for us?" Maybe our biggest one is just not thinking much about it. Did you thank Him for it today?

With thanks to my friend, and Praise to God for the gift of His Son . . .

It's STTA.