Important March News!

Dear Friends of Mission Surge, 

I know it has been a little while since I have sent out a newsletter, but that is about to change over the next several weeks.  There are several developing stories and needs that are coming about in Mission Surge that I am anxious to share with you.  I will attempt to be brief in this email and send a few other brief announcements out over the next few weeks.

First, over the past year, I have felt as though my work in the Dominican Republic has come to a close due to several circumstances.  I have been searching and praying over the past year for where God would have me to invest my energies.  Finally, it seems as though He has answered.  I will be traveling May 31-June 13 with two other men to a restricted nation in Asia to teach several different groups of house church leaders in several different cities around the country.  I anticipate learning more than I teach!  The trip will cost, roughly $3000.  God has so richly blessed that before I could send out this email, my trip was paid for!  The only thing left is the $250-300 VISA required!  Praise the Lord for His provision.  I ask you to please pray for us as we travel, as we teach, and for our families as we are gone.

I want to let you know about one more opportunity/need that has arisen for Mission Surge.  We have been invited to set up a booth at the Mississippi Home Educators Association in Starkville, MS in May.  We also have the opportunity to set up a booth at the International FIRE conference in Atlanta, GA in May and share about the work of Mission Surge with the people in attendance.  There will be several hundred pastors and missionaries gather at this meeting.  Being able to set up these booths will enable us to increase our newsletter list and audience exponentially.  It will help us to spread the word to more people and churches about Mission Surge.  It will take a measure of funds in order to have an attractive display and materials to distribute to the people at these two conferences.  If you would like to help us increase our prayer-base and resource-base by helping to offset the cost of these displays, we would be forever grateful.  A gift of any size would be helpful!  Learn how give online or by check here:  http://www.missionsurge.com/new-page/  Please note on your gift that it is for conference displays!  This will help us so much and enable us to pursue two more sizable display opportunities in the fall.  

Finally, I am still asking you to pray for opportunities for me to preach and share about the work of Mission Surge in local churches.  I am available for Harvest Days, Revivals, Family Discipleship Conferences, Mission Conferences or to come and share about our work in the world.  I am also free on most Sunday evenings and Wednesday nights, so pastor, if you need a break, I would love to come share with your people about Mission Surge.

Finally, if you have not seen The Oblivious Film, please take time to watch it and share it on Facebook, through email, etc.  obliviousfilm.com

Thank you for your faithfulness to pray and for your faithfulness to give.  

Have you left your first love?

The church at Ephesus had several things going for it in Revelation 2.  Jesus said, "I know your works (they were working for Christ!), your toil (they were laboring and toiling for Christ) and your patient endurance (they were persevering in the faith in the midst of trials), and how you cannot bear with those who are evil (they did not tolerate false teaching), but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.....so far so good.  They sound like the church we would want to join.  Doctrinally sound, disciplined, and persevering.  BUT  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. OK.  They had fallen out of love with Christ.  They were doing and believing right, but they were not feeling right!  Now notice what Jesus says.  If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."  

Please note that this is the only church that Jesus threatens to snuff out!  This is the only church He threatens to remove...and yet, they seem to be much better than some of the others.  Have you read the accounts in Rev 2 and 3.  Please do and please note that this is the only church he threatens with extinction...and why???  Not because they were a bit off doctrinally.  Not because they were stumbling and falling.  Not because they were weak.  But, because they were not in love with Christ! What does this say about our church?  And since churches are made up of people...what does this say about us?  Are you in love with Christ?  

What shall we do in order to love God aright?  Thomas Watson, offers the following three suggestions.

1.  Wait on the preaching of the Word.  As faith comes by hearing, so does love.  The word sets forth God in his incomparable excellencies; it deciphers and pencils him out in all his glory, and a sight of his beauty inflames love. 

2.  Beg of God that he will give you a heart to love him.  When king Solomon asked wisdom of God, it pleased the Lord.  So, when you cry to God, Lord give me a heart to love thee, it is my grief I can love thee no more; surely this prayer shall please the Lord and he will pour out his Spirit upon thee.  His golden oil will make the lamp of they love burn bright.  

3.  You who have love to God, keep it flaming upon the altar of your heart.  Love, like fire, is ever ready to go out.  Thou has left thy first love.  Through neglect of duty, or too much love of the world, our love to God will cool.  O preserve your love to him.  As you would be careful to preserve the natural heat in your body, so be careful to preserve the heat of love to God in your soul.  Love is like oil to the wheels, it quickens us in God’s service.  When you find love abate and cool, use all means to quicken it.  When the fire is going out, you throw on fuel; so when the flame of love is going out, make use of the ordinance as sacred fuel to keep the fire of your love burning.  

Let us all seek to return to our first love.  For, every man is right in his own eyes...but the Lord looks at the heart.  We should ask how our doctrine is and seek to be right...but maybe more importantly we should check our heart and seek to love.