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Missionaries: A Lifetime of Running the Race

I want to dedicate this article to the late Caroline Gross, who went home February 8, 2012 at the age of 88. She was a missionary to Nigeria for over many years with her husband, Paul Gross, who went home several years ago. Also, I want to dedicate this article to Phyllis Dibble who went home June 23, 2011. She was also a missionary to Nigeria with her husband, Spencer Dibble, who is still there doing the Lord’s work.

There are many elderly(though some of them would not say they are) men and women on the mission field awaiting the time they will finally see their Savior’s face. Awaiting the day that they will finally be called home, to heaven, to be with their Savior. For years they have served in foreign countries. They would rather die there, than give up their ministry and retire. What is the drive within them that makes them not give up when it gets hard or when something bad happens, but to continue on until the day they die? It is the fact that they serve the living God. They are followers of Jesus Christ and they believe the promise that He has given to us. That He will be with us always even to the end of the age. They cling to that and know that the God who made the whole universe will protect them and be with them no matter what happens. Whether they lose a child or something happens to their kids or to themselves, they continue on, because they know the God of the universe is in control. They know He will provide for their every need even though they do not know where the money or the next meal will come from. They have seen the Lord work and they are faithful to Him, because they love Him. They have watched His faithfulness to them over the years, as they have pursued Him. They do not need a fancy house or a nice car. All they need is what they have. They don’t need the latest technology to preach God’s word. All they need is their Bible and they may not even need that. My heart is filled with gladness when I see these elderly people who have been and still are on the mission field sharing the gospel, teaching the people, loving the people they are working with. They are showing the love of Christ to the nations. It brings me sorrow to see them leave this earth. They will be missed greatly, but it also brings me joy to know that they have run the race and finished it. They finally get to see the Savior face to face. What amazing examples they are for us and what great encouragement they are to remind us to continue on in the race.
Posted by Timothy Kerttula (TJ) at 11:49 PM 2 comments: 

The Word of God or Entertainment?

How many people have also read the Bible, before us and seen the truths we can now read for ourselves? Millions? They have held God's word in their hands or they have heard it and memorized it. How many went to great lengths for a copy of it, even for a week, to be with it and memorize it. God's word is a powerful thing and many people in other countries know it. Why is it that we, in the US, take it for granted? We have the Word of God right here in our hands and we act like it is the programs in the church that will change lives or a great speaker that will save people. The Word of God is more powerful than any of these things. Yet in sermons it might be mention once or twice. It is not the focus of the message; it has become a supplement to it. Many times there are more stories told then verses read. Many preachers* believe that people need to be entertained, not convicted. Many want the big crowds to flock to their local church; because that makes them look good. Many (preachers, teachers and believers) have no fear of God. They do fear man. They fear what man might think of them if they don't give him something entertaining or something to make him feel good. They fear that the masses of people church hopping might leave their church and go to another because the message was not entertaining enough or they don’t have the right program. They fear man more than God.

If they truly feared God, they would preach God's Word and would not stop even if everyone left. Scripture would be the focus of their teaching, instead of entertaining stories. People would remember the message not because of a funny story, but because they were convicted and they desired to changed. The example of God fearing preachers would go out and create a fear of God in the heart of man.

Many think that if you don't have a crowd of people then you must be doing something wrong. If you don't have a crowd of people many times you are doing something right and you are preaching God's Word and you have a fear of God in your heart. (This is not the case for all places, there are churches that preach the Word that have big crowds)

All the music and the programs and the elegant speech might bring people in, but is that why you want people to come? Or do you want them to come, because they desire to hear the Truth being preached and they have a desire to grow closer to God, by knowing what His Word says? Do you want to be the latest flavor church for a couple of months or do you desire to follow Christ and fear God and preach His Word? This is the sad truth of “Christianity” today. Many have taken their eyes off of Christ and put them on man and what he desires, not on what God desires.(Hebrews 12:1-2) Our eyes should be fixed on Jesus in such a way that they do not move away from Him. This is God’s Word to us, not just a study guide or something that might be useful every once in a while. This is what everything we believe is based off of and if it is not the basis for what we believe then there is something drastically wrong with what we believe.

*Note when I say preacher I am not making a distinction between teacher and preacher in this particular article.

** Note I am making a generalization when saying that many churches use programs and music and elegant speech to bring people in. This does not mean that every church that does this does not teach the Word nor does it mean that those things are bad. Rather, if they take the place of God’s Word and push it to a secondary position it becomes a problem.

*** Note I am not saying that small churches without programs are preaching from the Word or that a small church is preaching the Word. I am simply saying as I said before we need to be careful about falling into the trap of pushing the Word of God into a dark corner and very rarely looking at it.
Posted by Timothy Kerttula (TJ) at 6:36 AM No comments: Favorite verses Montana Sunset Gotta Love Montana Sunsets Right outside my font door Part of my family at Ministry of Mercy Orphanage Montana sun rise outside of my front door love this picture! Sunset outside our house Mirror lake mountains Sunset in Spanish Peaks beautiful sunset