2017 SENT ONES

Tanzania mission trip update: I now know and am preparing to co-teach Biblical Theology to a certificate level class at the newly established East Africa Christian College. I also hope to take along a suitcase of reference books to donate toward building up their new library. Thank you for praying and continue to pray for this trip. Pray for safety and health, flying and connections, class preparations, and finances. Please pray for Malaki, a Tanzanian pastor who is translating the course material into Swahili. For donation information for this trip see <http://ron-east-west.blogspot.ca/2016/12/trip-to-tanzania.html>

Earlier this week I finished reading the Gospel of John. Toward the end of my reading I started to notice three things: 1) how the Jews are ready to stone Jesus for making himself equal with God 2) how Jesus often says the he is only saying and doing what God has told to him to say and do 3) And how often Jesus says that he is sent from God. So I am reading John again with pen in hand, underlining in different formats these three items as they repeatedly come up in John.

In John 20.21-22 Jesus says, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.^" And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." 
Let us see ourselves in 2017 as sent ones, sent by Jesus to bring the glory of God to this world.
As sent ones we need to daily maintain fellowship with our Father in heaven so that we might know God's will and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Daily prayer and meditation on God's Word is an important part of maintaining fellowship with the Father who sent us, so we can be conscious and aware of those he is sending us to. Read John 17 to see why Jesus was sent by God and what he desired to leave behind upon his return to the Father.
As sent ones we need to know God's message that offers salvation to sinners who repent and trust Christ to save them, and God's message that can sanctify the saints and conform them to Christ the firstborn son.
As sent ones we need to live loving and holy lives and live out a biblical worldview.
As sent ones we need to be familiar with the ways of our enemy the devil, to know how to rule over our flesh, and learn to live as dead to the world.
As sent ones we have received the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can be witnesses to Jesus but we are to make sure we are filled with the Spirit and walk in the Spirit.
Yes, we have a great calling upon us for 2017 as Jesus' sent ones but we are sent by the Father fully equipped and supported so let us take every opportunity as we follow the leading of God.

May 2017 be a year of deeper intimacy with the Father, of knowing a fuller love from the Father, of deeper insight into the Father's Word, of increasing faith in the Father's promises, and of bearing more abundant fruit through abiding in Jesus. As the world collapses around us let us bring glory to God in word and action.