Advance the Gospel

Highlighted Bible Reading: Luke 10:17-20

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Luke 10:17-20

What should we rejoice in? Maybe more appropriately, where do we find our worth? As I am on deputation to go to Argentina, it is very hard not to wrap myself up into what God has called us to do in Argentina. My success or failure is totally based on what happens when we get there. My worth will be seen through the lens of that ministry.

Jesus has something to say about this sort of thing. The disciples were so thrilled at the results of there ministry. Things were happening! Demons were even subject to them (10:17). So what was Jesus response to this? Jesus made very clear that they should not rejoice in the fact that the demons were subject to them, but they should rejoice that their names are written in Heaven (10:20). There ministry was not what Jesus told them to rejoice in, or identify themselves by for that matter. Their source of joy should not be in the fruit of ministry. There joy should be found that their names are written in Heaven, that they belong to Jesus!

Highlighted Bible Reading – Amos 4

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Bible Reading: Amos 4:6-12
Amos 4 gives us a detailed account of God’s “attempt” to bring Israel to repentance.
  • God brought a dearth of food (4:6)
  • God brought a drought (4:7-8)
  • God sent the “palmer worm” to devour Israel’s crops. (4:9)
  • God sent pestilence and death to Israel. (4:10)
  • God overthrew some of Israel. (4:11)
In all these things, Israel refused to turn to God. So what is left? Amos 4:12 tells us “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”
God did not bring these judgements on Israel to “punish” them but to cause them to repent. Their refusal to repent brings perhaps the most fearful thing that can be told to a people, “Prepare to meet they God.”  This is obviously not a good thing, but a judgement was coming that would break Israel.
The bottom line is that the pleasure of sin is not worth the cost.

Highlighted Bible Reading – Ezekiel 48

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Bible Highlight: Ezekiel 48:35
The book of Ezekiel ends with future prophecy. 48:35, the last verse of Ezekiel, gives us a most exciting prophecy. All of the city and temple that had been described, what is it called? “It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.” There is no better name!
There are a lot of cities in this world. I really enjoy many of them. On deputation, we have two favorites, San Francisco and Chicago. We have really enjoyed Cleveland, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Dallas as well. Each of these cities are special to me for different reasons. Obviously Atlanta is where I grew up and is special to me as well. We have lived in Arequipa and in Santiago. Both are special. We are giving our lives to serve God, reach others, train men, and plant churches in Buenos Aires. This is a most special city to me. There are lots of cities that come to my mind, but none of them have this name, “The LORD Is There”! The day will come when this city will be the most important, most special city in the world. It won’t be because the food, the weather or seasons, the landmarks, the sights, or anything else. The LORD Is There, that is what will make it the greatest city on earth!