I was really touched by our service today.  As we were worshiping together through song I felt hungry.  Hungry for the experience of having the Lord’s will be done in my life.  As we sang Holiness (Take My Life) there were moments of concentrated supplication to the Lord for His mighty transforming power to work in my life so that just as the Father sent the Son into the world I would be prepared to go and represent the Son.

As Pastor Nathan walked us through the word in his message it was clear that we are truly made for the mission of telling people the good news that has brought about transformation for us.  No other life will satisfy us.  No other priority in our lives compares to the calling we have from Jesus Christ.  That just as the Father sent the Son, for the purpose of delivering his message of grace and salvation; the Son has sent us for this very same mission.  

Jesus was sent by the Father, not to do as He wanted, but to do the will of His Father. Jesus hungered for and more than anything else: not to do what He wanted, but to do what the Father wanted; not what He desired, but only what the Father desired. I have come to the place in my life where this hunger is consuming me.  I want to be able to share with each of you, each and every day that, My nourishment is only found in doing the will of our King Jesus Christ,  my Sender—I want more than ever to do only what Christ wants and desires for me. So I pray the prayer we have all prayed so many times with a new understanding; Not my will, but the will of Jesus Christ be done here on earth as it is in heaven, and done through me!

May we never forget that our primary mission is to please the God who sent us and to one day hear His "WELL DONE!"

 

 

 

May we never forget that our primary mission is to please the God who sent us and to one day hear His "WELL DONE!"

Christ was not sent to seek His own glory.  He came to bring glory to His Father. Jesus wanted no recognition.  He wanted no praise or attention to come to Himself. The goal of Jesus was for the Father to receive all the attention. Jesus was His Father's witness—pointing clearly and consistently to the One who had sent Him.   I pray that I will never fall into the trap of wanting recognition or praise for anything I am privileged to do for the Kingdom of God.  I pray my life will draw attention, not to the ugliness of myself, but to the wonderful beauty of my Lord Jesus Christ who has sent us. We are His witnesses! May our lives point only to Him!

Jesus said He could not accomplish anything apart from His Father. He was totally dependent upon His Heavenly Father. Since we have been sent by Jesus we need to fully understand that we are totally dependent upon our Sender Jesus Christ and apart from Him we can do nothing  The One who sent us is the One who must enable us every step of the way!  Anything we are able to accomplish for the Kingdom of God at New Life Christian will be fully provided by our sender Jesus Christ.  It’s not our strength, capabilities, ingenuity or abilities.  Apart from Him, our sender, we can do nothing.  With Him, our sender, we can move mountains for the Kingdom of God.  

As I think about the calling we have to this community and the world for that matter, I constantly slip into the questions of: "Lord, who will you send to us to accomplish all these things? How can the New Life Believers do it? We are truly excited that you have called us to this ministry at this time but how to fulfill the needs of this community we don’t know.

How can we get all this done?  Get a building for our people to gather, form a youth ministry to touch the lives of these little ones, pastor the people, develop disciples, be witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ, etc, etc. How can it be done? As we study the Gospel of John we make an amazing discovery. Not only has Christ sent us, but He has also sent Someone else: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you" (John 16:7). Apart from the Holy Spirit of God we could never fulfill our commission. Only from Him can we receive the POWER to rightly represent our King and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today is the day, this is the time, New Life Christian Believers need only the Holy Spirit of God in whose fullness we can continue to move this infant ministry forward and to fulfill our Lord's words: "As the Father hath sent Me, so send I you" (John 20:21).

 

On the journey, 

 

Travis