Jym Shorts

Jym Shorts - August 24, 2017

by Jym Gregory on August 24, 2017

As we inch closer to September and the conclusion to our summer series through Romans 8, we begin to turn our focus toward missions and our annual Missions Emphasis. We have scheduled this year’s emphasis for September 17, 24, and October 1. Each year at LifePoint, we take a few weeks to highlight our missions work and the missionaries we support in that endeavor. The emphasis culminates during our final Sunday worship with our Faith Promise collection, which goes, 100% of it, to support our missions efforts for the year. I encourage you to be praying now as to how you will participate in this year's Faith Promise.

We do not talk a lot about money at LifePoint – maybe to a fault. Stewardship is part of our worship, a demonstration of our obedience to God and a display of our gratitude to him for providing us with everything we "own." Because we do not take up an offering each Sunday, this can easily be put on the back burner for some, robbing you of the blessing of giving and robbing the local church of the funds it needs for effective ministry. In truth, for the size of our church, our budget is quite small. We make up for that by being frugal, as we should. Therefore, here is a gentle prod that you may or may not need. Be a good steward of all that God has given you, including your finances, and prayerfully consider how you will support both missions and our general budget for the 2018 fiscal year. No two ways about it, the church needs your faithful giving in order to complete the ministry that we are called to do. Missions (in the context of LifePoint Church) as we know it will not happen without it, and the church family will miss out on a tremendous opportunity and blessing.

As I prepare for our Missions Emphasis, I plan to re-read one of my favorite missionary biographies in September, The Life and Letters of Henry Martyn by John Sargent. Martyn was a missionary to Persia in the early 19th century. He gave up comfort and scholarship in his mother England, a chance to marry the woman he loved, and ultimately his own life in pursuit of something he found far more important: the opportunity to share the gospel and translate the Scriptures so that the Persian Muslims might find hope and life in Jesus Christ. He was a tireless missionary, translating the entire New Testament and Psalms into Urdu, Persian. He died a premature death at 31 years of age in Tokat, Turkey, during an overland journey to visit numerous mission stations on his way back to England, which he had left six years prior. He was heard to say during the last week of his life, “Oh! When shall time give place to eternity? When shall appear that new heaven and new earth where only righteousness dwells? Let me burn out for God!” His story gives me courage and lights the fires for gospel ministry in my bones.

You might consider taking a few hours in the month of September to read a good missionary biography, too. I am happy to make some suggestions for you if you have an interest, just shoot me an email. Our church library has some good selections from which to choose. There are some wonderful biographies out there - for men, women, and children. Find a good biography, pick out a quiet corner in your home, and get lost in the real life adventures of the missionary of your choice. You will both increase your knowledge and enliven your soul in the process. Better yet, read one to your children if you are a parent, and share the experience!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Jym

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