The Facts.

 This past week we learned about missions. There were interesting topics that were brought up during this week. One question that we were presented with is why do we resist giving up our lives to Jesus. There is a lack of completely letting Jesus be the Lord of our lives sometimes. Is it trust issue? Are you afraid that if you ask Jesus what he has for you in your life He is going to send you to some desolate country to live in a hut and mission? Are we afraid to let Jesus be Lord of our lives? These were all the thoughts going on in my head. But the facts are if He isn't Lord over your life what is? Or are you? Being saved is putting Jesus as Lord of your life. Trusting Him with everything and believing that He is a good and caring God that is going to put you on a path that is beyond your expectations. The only way to trust God is to look at Christ. He was and is God. The example of a shepherd with his sheep was given. The sheep cares for the sheep and the sheep trust him and know his voice. But a sheep that stray because he doesn't listen or hear his shepherds voice is dumb. I am trying not to be a dumb sheep anymore. 

A big issue for me was why God lets bad things happen. A pretty dumb thought one because God doesn't want them to happen but we watched video and talked about countless groups of people that are being hurt, oppressed, abused, and I would just question God everyday why is it happening. What do I tell these people when I meet them that you are a God of love and power and you don't want them to hurt but not have any explanation for why this happened. God spoke to me and simply made it clear to me that He isn't taking sides in this world. He doesn't see the men that are abusing young kids in the sex trade and take sides with the kids. He cries for them all. He cries for the kids and He cries for those men. This revelation was huge and really freed my anger that I was holding on God. There is evil in the world. We have free will and satan is constantly drawing people to do things that are sinful and it hurts others in the end. The root of all sin is selfishness. God weeps over all of it. His heart breaks with every decision made.

A big concept that we focused on this past week was in Genesis 12:2-3. It is when God is speaking to Abraham. He tells Abraham that He is going to bless him. Pretty sweet and I must say I like this part. Then he turns around and states and you will be a blessing. So you see - God blesses us - We bless others. It really makes sense. Sometimes I think we get it backwards. Kind of like the greatest commandment. Love your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Then love your neighbor as yourself. Sometimes our minds work by saying I have to love my neighbor so that I prove to God that I am good enough or so that I can impress God and He will then accept my love.  Luke 10:27 - This is the verse that spells it out. Love your God then Love your neighbor. You see the more you love God the more of His love He pours out into your life and then the more you pour out because it is almost a domino effect from the love He is giving you. So when God speaks to Abraham and speaks blessing over his life and then follows it up with now go and bless others, He is just laying it out for us; it is our calling. Be blessed then Bless others! 

I want to share some statistics that were shared with me. I find them eye opening, sickening, and unreal. I hope that they will impact your life and more importantly your actions. I know they have mine.

 There are 2 Billion people in the world that have no access to the Gospel.

 (97 % of the population lives in the 10/40 Window which is where the majority of these unsaved people are with no access to the gospel).

  http://home.snu.edu/~HCULBURT/1040.htm - This is a website to look up the 10/40 window if you aren't familiar with it.

 Christians in the world earn 12.3 trillion dollars a year. ( the majority of these christians live in the United States).

 1.7 % of the 12.3 trillion dollars goes to christian causes every year ( this includes tithe, ywam, salvation army, anything that associates it self with a base of christianity).

 5.4% of the 1.7 % of money goes to foreign missions.

 and 1 % of the 5.4% goes to the unreached people group of the 10/40 window.

 Only 1 in every 20,000 christians that are commissioned to go serve in missions go to the 10/40 window.

I don't post this to bash people or to try and make you feel bad. I really pray that this information is passed on in love and is used to change viewpoints. Action is required.  Pray about what action that is for you. It doesn't mean that you have to pick up and move to the 10/40 window unless God calls you to that but just pray about what action God has for you. 

Matthew 28: 18- 20

then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

This generation of christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth. - Keith Green.