Missions Store

Missionaries strive to do something that many of us, sitting comfortably in the United States, are unable or lack the courage to try. They leave their families, their friends, their comforts, to live in a foreign country with a foreign language, different food, transportation, living styles. And on top of that, they choose to lead people to the Lord and establish churches. That alone is difficult when everything else is going well.

Missionaries are among the heroes of our day. It is our responsibility to love them, pray for them, and care for them as much as we can. I personally love the idea of treating the missionaries like royalty or celebrities. They are the heroes and we should make it clear that we really feel that way about them!

How can we be a blessing to the missionaries, especially as they travel on the road for deputation or furlough?

The Missions Store
A fun way to be a blessing to the missionaries is to set up a little closet or place for them to "go shopping" for supplies that they need on the road. Now let me stress a few things... The missionaries are on the road a lot. So when you are thinking of supplies, consider things that are useful on the road. (I heard of one church that asked for donations for their missions closet and received items such as lamps, large picture frames, and curtains.) Also many times the missionary families are living out of their cars, so you want to provide items that won't take up valuable real estate in the vehicle. A wholesale club-size bottle of body lotion would not be appropriate in most situations.

Another church that I spoke with is determined that they are only going to supply things that they can get for free. This is a good idea. Free is always a great price. So they solicit local companies to donate items. The local companies give generously, but the reality is the church ends up with expired products and dollar store cast-offs. Not really a great way to honor our missionaries or make them feel special.

Keep in mind that they are spending hours upon hours in the car as well. Here are some generic items that you can purchase at a range of prices.

• Car maintenance items - window washer fluid, Armor-all, Rainex spray
• Coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners (the kind that catches the pencil shavings until you can empty it in a trash can)
• Pens & pencils, various sizes of notepads 
• Crossword puzzles, word search, sudoku books
• Fresh set of quality earbuds - You can probably skip the cheap ones that you will often find at the dollar store or the check out aisles. Apple earbuds can be expensive, although they are quality and often preferred. There is an abundance of nice earbuds that range from $7-15. 
• $5-10 Itunes or Amazon gift cards for portable devices, so they stock up on some reading material or music
• Pocket hand sanitizers and lotions, Wet Wipes (in the individual packages)
• First aid kits or loose medical items that typically go in them, like bandaids and neosporin 
• Diapers and wipes
• Rolls of quarters - I personally have had missionaries request this!! Great for toll booths, car washes, and the laundry mat!
• Selection of fresh snack items, gum, mints, and 6 or 12-packs of water (don't forget the grocery bags that can be used for trash)

I would also like to suggest travel size or small toiletries items, but with this note: Toiletry items are personal products. Some people can only use certain brands for health reasons; some people will only use particular brands; and other people don't care at all. The travel size items would be helpful just to hold a family over until they are able to get to the store in a few days. So if you are going to have these items available, make sure they are decent brands and a reasonable size. 

Whenever you are choosing items for your own "store," be selective. Choose items that you would want to receive. Remember that these missionaries are special people, and they should be treated as such. 

How do you stock your closet if the church budget cannot afford it? Share your vision with the church family, then once a year ask the church family to donate these specific items or designate their offering to the "Missions Store." For those who are donating items, you could ask them to bring them in those fun reusable shopping bags. Then you could use the bags as shopping bags for the missionaries. 

More ideas for missions coming soon!

Happy Easter!

Today was a wonderful day! I loved the people, the music, the message. My husband and I often joke that my favorite songs are Easter songs - See What a Morning, My Jesus Fair, Jesus Saves, and many other similar songs. Today the song that spoke to me the most was sung by an excited men's quartet - My Hope Is In The Lord!

My hope is in the Lord

Who gave Himself for me

And paid the price

Of all my sin at Calvary.

And now for me He stands

Before the Father's throne

He shows His wounded hands

And names me as His own.

His grace has planned it all

'Tis mine but to believe

And recognize His work of love

And Christ receive

For me He died;

For me He lives,

And everlasting life

And light He freely gives.

Happy Easter! Rejoice for He is Risen!

Photo Courtesy: http://hdwallsource.com/tulips-12586.html

Boldly Pursue God

Previously we talked about sharing with God. Having a relationship with Him because He has done so much for us. He became like us and pursued us in an effort to open the door to that relationship, so that we could share our hearts with him.

But isn’t it so true, that we know God is right there ready and willing to pick up a relationship with us, but we feel so helpless and inadequate… Because frankly we are sinners. We know we are saved by God’s grace, our sins are forgiven, but deep down we are still sinners. Like little old me… having a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe?

Well Hebrews 4:14-16 has something to say about that.

Hebrews 4: 14-16

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We have a perfect high priest, who is like us. Because of this, we can boldly approach the throne.

First things first, what is a high priest?

• His responsibility to go to God, seeking the forgiveness of the sins of the people.

• He offered the blood sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.

• He was the leader of the church/tabernacle, and all of the other priests beneath him.

• He was the spiritual leader of the people.

• He had to be physically and spiritually pure before God.

{Ask} How does this compare to Jesus?

Hebrews 7:22-28

22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

·      Jesus had the same responsibility and roles, but instead of repetitively fulfilling the role and offering the sacrifices, He did it once completely.

·      Jesus was the great and final high priest. He is the last one.

 If we have a high priest, why is it important or necessary for us to approach God boldly?

The role of High Priest does not exist anymore. The job has been eradicated. Christ took care of it all on the cross.

Christ made a way that we can go directly to God. Remember when Jesus was on the cross and the veil of the temple was ripped in half from top to bottom? That was God saying that we do not need a high priest anymore.

Hebrews 10 says it well.

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect….

(The people who came to have their sins forgiven every year would never be able to stop, because their high priest was just a man. He could not permanently forgive sins.)

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

(Through Jesus Christ we are forgiven once permanently.)

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

(Every priest that offers a sacrifice for sins, as soon as he is finished, must get ready again – to offer another sacrifice.)

12 But this man (Jesus), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

(I love this – Jesus offered only one sacrifice and that did the job. Sins could be forgiven forever. And when He was done, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, waiting for Satan to be defeated and eternally forgiving men of their sins.)

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

(And on top of that, we have the Holy Ghost here ready to remind us of what Jesus Christ did.)

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

(Don’t be shy – you have Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost on your side, enabling you to approach God and enter into a fabulous relationship with Him.)

In other words, it is necessary for us to boldly approach God because He boldly pursued us. You know how it is, you can decide to be friends with someone, but if they don’t want to be friends with you, it is all in vain.

We don’t have to be the perfect Christian, or the perfect daughter, or the perfect friend, or the perfect whatever… Jesus has taken care of all of that. In God’s eyes, we are perfect. He just wants us to come to Him.

Do you ever find yourself making excuses for not being closer to God?

• I am not good enough.
• I am too young.
• It’s too hard.
• I am too busy.

Those types of things, but when you think about your excuse, and you think about Jesus and all that He has done… What happens?

What do you do about it?

1. Set aside five minutes each day for prayer. There are two places that I love to prayer. One is in the shower and the other is on my way to work in the morning. I can have a sweet time of fellowship with God in those moments when I am undistracted by the world.
2. Set aside 10 minutes to read your Bible.
3. Every day think about God. When you are considering how you should treat your mom, remember Jesus died for your sins. When you are struggling to be nice to a girl at school, remember Jesus pursued a relationship with you. When you are frustrated with life, remember that God is waiting for you.