{"id":11869,"date":"2014-10-27T09:35:11","date_gmt":"2014-10-27T13:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/?p=11869"},"modified":"2014-10-27T11:00:52","modified_gmt":"2014-10-27T15:00:52","slug":"the-method-of-missions-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/?p=11869","title":{"rendered":"The Method of Missions"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 class=\"entry-title\">Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . \u2014<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?version=31&amp;search=Matthew+28%3A19\" target=\"_blank\">Matthew 28:19<\/a><\/h1>\n<p><!-- .entry-meta --> <!-- .entry-header --><\/p>\n<section class=\"entry-content\">\n<div class=\"post-content\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HY3mpbE9SJ4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br \/>\nJesus Christ did not say, \u201cGo and save souls\u201d (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, \u201cGo . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .\u201d Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, \u201cDon\u2019t rejoice in successful service\u2014 the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me\u201d (see\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke+10:17-20\">Luke 10:17-20<\/a>). The missionary\u2019s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary\u2019s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ\u2014 \u201cDo you believe that I am able to do this?\u201d (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew+9:28\">Matthew 9:28<\/a>). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is\u2014 do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God\u2019s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God\u2019s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord\u2014 \u201cAll authority has been given to Me . . . . <em>Go<\/em><em>therefore<\/em>. . .\u201d (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew+28:18-19\">Matthew 28:18-19<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">______________________________________________________<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>October 27 2014<\/p>\n<p>Journal Entry for Today-JDV<\/p>\n<p>This devotional asks the question\u2026.<em>Do I have limitless confidence in Jesus Christ? <\/em>\u2026Lord the headline I read yesterday\u00a0 &#8230;\u201d<em>If I let Jesus take the wheel am I certain I will not crash?\u201d<\/em> got my attention. Like this devotional asks, am I willing to totally trust You in every situation? I think I am but then I hold back the urge to step out of the boat onto the crashing waves. I often hold onto the side of the boat afraid to step out and trust You completely. How can I build the trust and faith to take You at your word and surrender totally, all the time?<\/p>\n<p>And God says<em>\u2026\u201dThere are times when you have and will continue to surrender totally and trust Me completely. Here in this world, you have found yourself in circumstances and situations you cannot control, and you discovered that must trust Me. \u00a0You had no other options. These times have strengthened your faith and trust, and will continue to do so. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own ways and means or understanding and I will make your paths straight. And when you do not feel worthy or \u201cgood enough\u201d to receive My blessings or hope, remember that it is Jesus I see when I look at you or hear from you. \u00a0Jesus came to give you life and life more abundantly. As you discover and live this abundant life, you demonstrate the life I have given you to others. You can make disciples of the world by simply living out the life I promised and have provided. And when it does not feel \u201cright\u201d, when you do not feel worthy, faithful or sanctified, just recall that even when you do not\u00a0have the purity, \u00a0faith, hope or love needed for your circumstance, I will provide everything you need. \u00a0You believe and I will help you in your unbelief. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and everything else you need will be provided.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . \u2014Matthew 28:19 Jesus Christ did not say, \u201cGo and save souls\u201d (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, \u201cGo . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .\u201d Yet you cannot make disciples [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11869"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11869"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11876,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11869\/revisions\/11876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}