A Matter of Focus – (keeping the main thing, The Main Thing)

[Anyinam, Ghana – 27Sept. 2011 lt, Tuesday] Today was a long day for our team.  The morning school ministry saw Jeff travel deep into the bush, off the road into seldom-traveled areas.  The Rover turned off the dirt road onto a footpath, which became increasingly narrow.  The rains had washed out nearly any semblance of a trail.  They inched their way through ruts, streams, and creeks.  Again and again, Jeff related, “I thought there was no way for us to get through there.”  However, by God’s grace and prayer, our trustworthy Land Rover made its way through the rugged terrain.  Such is another day in the life of the missionary.

Oswald Chambers wrote, “The great essential of the missionary is that he remains true to the call of God, and realizes that his one purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus.”

Sometimes we are led to believe that we are in the business of working hard enough to persuade men and women to come to Christ.  Salvation is the TOTAL work of the Holy Spirit and if we ever think that we can “Go and Save Souls” we are theologically, personally, and divinely mistaken.

The salvation of souls is a supernatural work of God.  Those of us here in Ghana, and you the reader, have the divine assignment to “go and preach the Gospel” (Mk. 16:15) and disciple “all nations” (Mt. 28: 19-20).

The responsibility of all Christians is to remain in a constant and close fellowship with the Lord Jesus.  Over and over in our conversations here [on the mission field] people want to know what makes us leave the comforts of home and travel to such a distant land.  Our honest answers give us the opportunity to “disciple” people in Truth.  Remember, Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life …” (John 14:6).  Please pray that we always keep this MAIN thing … THE MAIN THING.