Remember my Chains

There are floods of thoughts running through my mind right now. The one cohesive thought that I can put together is - Missions.

I have recently listened to two of David Platt's messages from T4G. One being given last year, heard to be the most convicting message given ever at T4G, and the other a break out session from a couple years prior. I have also had on my mind the book Radical.

I have been reading through the Epistles. Tonight was the night to read Colossians. Many of these books have a similar feel. Paul is thankful for their dedication, desires to be with them, and strives to encourage them. I have so enjoyed reading these books thus far. Paul is in prison because he is a follower of Christ. His actions in following Christ lead him to a place of confinement, in an effort to limit his ministry. I am so thankful for Paul's prison ministry. God could have used Paul to write very similar letters without his presence in prison, but he didn't. I am thankful for the example that Paul is to us and the encouragement that he not only sent to others but provides for us.

In the closing of this particular letter Paul states, "Remember my chains". Paul is imprisoned because of the Gospel and lives because of the gospel. Paul did not let his circumstances hinder his ministry. Paul knew that we all have the knowledge of Christ in us. Not one of us is born innocent. If we are not sharing Christ with others, reaching out to people that don't know Christ. We are allowing people to die and go to hell without a second thought.

David Platt is known for his passion for missions. He is very clear that missions is not only an ocean away ministry but starts in the local church. Praise God for a man who wants to reach the unreached, and emphasizes the importance of the local church. In one of the sessions I listened to David drove home that there is no one in this world that is innocent. We are all born sinners, and we all have the knowledge of Christ in our hearts; whether or not the gospel has ever been presented to us. That means that the thousands, better yet millions of people that we consider unreached, literally the remote tribes of  10/40 will die and go to hell if we are not willing to share the gospel with them. I can't even explain the emotions that run through me, I am so privileged  I not only live in one of the richest countries in the world, I have the saving knowledge of Christ. There are people out there who have never heard the gospel. I know that God is revealed to us in multiple ways daily. All you have to do is look out the window in the morning. God's beauty radiates everywhere. Praise Him for showing Himself in His creation! Despite that truth that is seen daily there are people dying daily that have never heard the gospel and literally are going to hell. Hell is real place. The Bible speaks very specifically about hell. This is not a place you want to be, in fact imagine the worst place and things you can think of and it is infinitely worse. I want these people to hear the gospel. I have been blessed beyond belief with a new life because God chose me. Still in awe that God chose me, but He did. I want those people unreached people to have the opportunity I have, to live eternally with their creator, Father, Savior.

In David's book Radical there is a story and question that I ponder on often. I have mentioned it before and I will mention it again. This story and question is so thought provoking.

"I met a Christian brother from the Batak tribe of northern Sumatra in Indonesia. He told me the story of how his tribe had come to know Christ. years ago a missionary couple had come to his village to share the gospel. The tribe was 100 percent Muslim. Talk about sheep in the middle of wolves. The tribal leaders captured this missionary couple, then murdered and cannibalized them.
Years later another missionary couple came to their tribe and again began sharing the gospel. The tribal leaders recognized that the story he told was exactly what the former couple had shared. This time they decided to listen. After they listened, they believed. Within a short time, the entire tribe was converted to Christ. This believer told me that today there are more than three million Christians among the Batak tribe of northern Sumatra. "

"When I first heard this story, the immediate questions that came to my mind were Would I be willing for my wife and me to be that first missionary couple? Would I be willing ot be killed and cannibalized so that those who come after me would see people come to Christ?"

-Radical pg 165

As I have been thinking on missions and listening to sermons and reading Paul's letters it has provoked much thought. Am I willing to be like Paul or that missionary couple? Am I willing to be radical enough to do anything Christ asked of me, even if that meant imprisonment or death?

Praising God tonight for His grace in my life and desire to serve Him. Praising Him that He uses me despite me sin. Praising Him that He uses my sin to humble and teach me. Praising Him for my salvation.