IS MISSION PLURAL OR SINGULAR?

This Sunday is World Focus Weekend. We hold WFW four times a year as our way of partnering with the work of mission around the world. Mission? The use of the singular is not a mistake. While we usually use the plural it is in fact a singular mission that we take part in. It is the work of mission, the one purpose, the singular task given to us by our Lord Jesus in the Great Commission of Matthew 11:28. Mission is not one ministry in our Church, it is OUR MINISTRY. Its the reason we exist. Mission is one call, one activity that flows out from where we are extending to the furthest parts of the world. Our mission is the see the return of Our King. According to Matthew 24:14 Jesus promised to return when this gospel has been preached in all corners of the world. So, how important is WFW? It is extremely important because it reminds us of who we are but also involves us in who we are. Each time we hear from a missionary we have one more opportunity to advance the kingdom just all the more forward. As the Holy Spirit stirs us during these weekends, he also invites to pray and to give. Lets take these events extremely seriously, not something else we do. It is what we do!

JESUS SHALL REIGN, JESUS DOES REIGN!

Its been fascinating watching events unfold in the mideast. I remember feeling relieved when long time dictators such as the iron fisted Mubarak in Egypt, and that villainous Gaddafi in Libya came toppling down under the relentless pressure placed on them by the common people. If you responded like I did, you probably sighed with relief that finally; justice will finally be carried out, people will enjoy freedom, and a dawn of a new era will begin. Have you watched the news this past week? In Egypt, Christian are facing a level of persecution never seen under Mubarak's reign of terror. In the span of just three weeks over 30 Christian demonstrators were mowed down by storming tanks. In Libya, Jews are being targeted and attacked and forced to flee, something unheard of under Gaddafi's maniacal rule. None of this makes me long again for repressive regimes, but it does make me wonder about the state of our world particularly in those nations surrounding Israel. Zechariah in his prophecy speaks over and over of a Day that will come where pressure and attacks against Israel and against God's followers will increase but so will the motion of God's hand against His enemies. Read Zechariah, as I did again this past week, and one exciting truth surfaces to form a banner headline over a messed up world. The worse things get in our world, the more God will begin to move to establish His reign. In chapter fourteen, the chapter we will be looking at this Sunday as we consider Jesus the Coming King, God lures His enemies to Israel to destroy them and finally bring an end to all opposition and once for all establish His reign. The world is very unsettled today, but as followers of Jesus we have a lot to look forward to.

Healing - The Elephant in the Room

The issue of healing can be the elephant in the room that no one is really willing to talk about. Does God heal? If so, why are so many sick? Why do we rarely see true miraculous healings, I mean the kind that is a total and complete reversal to a medical situation that has absolutely no other explanation? I don't struggle at all with Jesus being the Healer. That conviction is sound. It's settled and rooted deep into my belief. My struggle is what I observe. Fortunately I do not base my convictions on experience, but rather on Biblical truths. While I might not see God heal all that often, I still go to Him for healing. And I do it with expectation. He is still the only one who can heal, therefore I run to Him. My experiences and observations about healing have not rattled one bit that sound conviction that God can heal and does heal. With that comes a deep trust that he knows what is best.

Pastor Mitch