The Call to Missions

"...to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me." -Acts 26:18

A Godless city, but He has called me. Called me to proclaim His name in a city where it is ranked number eleven as the most "post Christian" city in America. He is sending me to Portland, Oregon, where 50% of its people:

1. do not believe in God
2. identify as atheist or agnostic
3. disagree that faith is important in their lives
4. have not prayed to God (in the last year)
5. have never made a commitment to Jesus
6. disagree the Bible is accurate
7. have not donated money to a church (in the last year)
8. have not attended a Christian church (in the last year)
9. agree that Jesus committed sins
10. do not feel a responsibility to “share their faith”
11. have not read the Bible (in the last week)
12. have not volunteered at church (in the last week)
13. have not attended Sunday school (in the last week)
14. have not attended religious small group (in the last week)
15. do not participate in a house church (in the last year) Statistics/Research: Barna Group

As it is with all of America, we have turned more and more away from God. However, let it be known God has and always will have a people! It's just up to those people to go and tell the world, and if we are told to shut up, don't. It is true that God is being pushed out, and that He is offensive but don't let it keep you from being told what to do by the World. God is the one who orders your steps, not the World. We shouldn't get offended at the World, neither should we shout hate at the World. This has been the biggest lesson I've had to continuously learn. But I've had to learn it through the heart and eyes of Jesus, and not the way the World presents love and tolerance. The Bible has just the perfect story to show and prove too. As I have answered the call to be a missionary, the Spirit prompted me late one night to read Jonah and Nahum. Since then I've been turning it's truths over and over in my head.
It is so amazing how God's message has never changed through the ages. People and the problems we face have never changed through the ages either. The Bible is still as applicable today as it was 2,000+ years ago. There is nothing new under the sun, that's why, when you catch God's vision above the sun thinking nothing is ever the same. Now, I thought I knew the story of Jonah and Ninevah really well, but God showed me otherwise. His Word is alive and active. Let's take a journey to Ninevah.
Ninevah was founded by Nimrod who we read about all the way back in Genesis 10:11. You'll remember Nimrod is the one who led the whole tower of babble building, and rebellion against God. Ninevah is the capital of Assyria, and Assyria was the strongest of military leaders. No one dared fight them or try to destroy them. They saw themselves as invincible, and while they might be unbreakable they were a wicked city, and the stench of their sin was reeking in God's nostrils. While you may be wondering why God didn't just go ahead and destroy them in their wickedness and rebellion, this is where God is really revealing who He is. He loves all people, but not sin. God is a just God, it wouldn't be fair for Him to destroy someone without first giving them the opportunity to repent and turn to Him. He already knew the outcome, but He is showing His grace, and patience. So God sent His prophet Jonah on a mission to Ninevah with a message of judgement if they did not repent and turn from the evil vile things they were doing. Yet, even God's chosen people mess up. Jonah hated the Ninevites and wished God would go ahead and kill every last one of them, they deserved it! He ran the other way. Even still we see God in His character shine through. The whole theme of the Bible is redemption. Every single story you will encounter redemption, and will see that what Satan and man mean for bad, God turns it into something for His glory. GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED! In this we learn that we can never mess God up, we can never miss His will for our lives, no matter what mistakes and choices, He is in the business of redeeming. We may take detours, but if we wholeheartedly seek Him, and answer Him when He calls, He will set us on the correct path. On the boat in the last part of chapter one, Jonah recognizes His sin, but also his other ship mates who were earlier praying to other gods recognized their own sin and the one true God Jonah worshiped, as a result they were saved. It's never to late to submit, if He's calling and you have air in your lungs, answer. After being thrown overboard, Jonah found he had his own repenting to do before the Lord. I love how it says in chapter two that Jonah inside the fish prayed CRYING OUT. Crying out is the beginning of revival. Revival starts with me, it doesn't happen in going to church expecting everyone else to change. I also love how Jonah saw it was the Lord who threw him overboard, he didn't blame his friends.
When Jonah finally made it Ninevah on the fish express, He preached God's judgement, that if they did not repent and turn away from the godless things they were doing God was going to destroy them. Deep in Jonah's heart he still wished God's wrath and judgement, that they wouldn't turn. Something happened among the people, their eyes were opened, they dressed themselves in sackcloth and sat in ashes, beating their breasts in remorse pleading for God to have mercy on them, a sinner. None of us deserve God's forgiveness. We read on into chapter four and it's amazing how Jonah knew who God was, he said, "I knew that you were compassionate, and loving, gracious, slow to anger. I know how easily you would cancel your plans to destroy. I KNEW!" How many times do we not do things because we know God, and His character. How dare God forgive that person, we say. Our focus must once more become God centered and not self centered. Jonah cried over his weed dying, but couldn't even muster up the tears to cry for the people who were about to be destroyed by God. When have we cried for the lost in our lives? We need to become sensitive to the spiritual needs of people, and ask ourselves the very question God asked Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about this?" God ends the book of Jonah with these Words: "Ninevah has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?" I replaced Ninevah with Portland, the city God is sending me to. I can replace it with Charlotte, the city in which I live. Whatever town or place, plug it in this verse. Greater things are still to be done!!