Excerpts from the Book

"The Life and Calling of a Missionary"

By Rev. Gary Priem

 

 

INDEX:

 


CHAPTER 1 - MY INTRODUCTION TO MISSIONS

 

Having graduated from RBTC in 1992, I was expecting to pastor somewhere in the US in the near future. This was my thinking and also was the only plan that was in my mind. It was very interesting to me however, that as I thought about starting a church some where, that I would get a very uncomfortable feeling in the “pit of my stomach”. I did not associate that “feeling” as a leading from the Lord that I would not be a pastor in the US, so I continued my line of reasoning and thinking about starting a church until I was just about to graduate from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

When I was in the final days of training in a “pastoral class” the Lord spoke to me, in my spirit, it was by an audible voice. He said these words (and I have never forgotten them since that day); “You are not going to Pastor a church like you think you are when you graduate from Rhema.” When the Lord spoke to me in this manner it completely caught me off guard and I bowed my head to ask what I was going to do. Although he did not answer my question then and there, as I continued to pray and seek his face the answer came to me concerning missions. I had never in my life previously considered missions, neither had I a desire to go to any mission field and certainly did not feel qualified to go and be a missionary for the Lord.

A missionary venture or opportunity opened for Rhema students to go on a 12 day missionary trip to Russia, so I prayed about going on this trip. The Lord definitely wanted me to go on this trip for His own purpose and reasons.

He stirred by heart about going and I thought this must be his will, to go on a short missionary trip. My wife and I did not have the money and had no idea where we would get the money to go, so I committed the trip to the lord and told him that if he wanted me to go He would have to take care of the finances. I also ask the man who was inviting the student body at Rhema to come on this missions' trip about me personally ministering the Word of God. He looked at me and said, “Oh no, we have seasoned pastors who are already scheduled to minister there.” I again ask the Lord about going because it was going to be over $3,000 dollars for each individual to go on this trip. Even though I did not know what the Lord was going to do, or how he was going to do it I was obedient to continue in faith trusting completely in him.

The Lord assured me that I was to go on this trip and trust him. The next week I had thoughts about the meeting with the minister who had given the invitation to go to Russia. Each time I would think about our conversation, even while I was at work, the Holy Spirit would assure me by the witness of His Holy Spirit that I was to go.

Just to give you some background information about our finances, we both had been working part time jobs in Oklahoma just to make financial ends meet. We had tried to sell our house before we had left Florida to come to Oklahoma, but it just would not sell. When I had done everything that I could possibly do, I just trusted the Lord for the trip to Russia in 1992. He miraculously sold our house in Florida, and had the money in our hands in 10 days!

I went To Russia with other families and Christians, all going for their own reasons and purposes for the trip. While we were there, there was to be a 3 day conference held in Minsk, Russia and each speaker was selected for their part in the conference. Being a student and just coming to the meeting at the very last moment, I was not approached to prepare for the meeting .

Several days before the 3 day conference was to start we were in a Pentecostal church, listening to a former graduate from Rhema. He was definitely an evangelist and very fiery. I was sitting on the front row of what appeared to be something like a theater of some sort, when the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. He said “pay attention,” when he said those words I began to watch more attentively to what both he and the interpreter were saying and how they were delivering the message. I noticed that if he would go too long, then the interpreter would not be able to follow and if he was too short in his sentences then it would sound very choppy and very disjointed. I had no idea why the Lord spoke to me this way.

On the second day of the conference in Minsk the 3rd speaker was up and had been speaking for about 45 minutes. They only had 3 speakers scheduled that morning and the coordinator of the trip, Dave was probably some what concerned about not filling all the time with speakers. Dave came up to me as I was in the back of the church helping out with ushering and said that there might be an opportunity to speak. He then ask me, “Do you have anything from the Lord?”, and without thinking or even having a second though about ministering in front of “seasoned pastors and ministers” I said yes I do. He affirmed that he would get the interpreter and return so I could give the scriptures to her. I had no idea whatsoever what the Lord wanted to do, but I did know that he was the one that wanted to speak and if he did, then he would give me the message. I bowed by heart and head to hear what he might say to me. He spoke softly to my heart and said, “Speak to them on Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever.” I was overjoyed and challenged in a moment of time. Why did I say that I would preach to this people, did I really have anything to offer them? Never the less, Jesus had prepared me and this was my first moment as a missionary in another country. I began to think, what about the scriptures? Where would I find all the scriptures that I needed for this message? The Lord led me to all of them by his Spirit and when the interpreter came I gave her what she needed.

I spoke about 30-45 minutes with this young interpreter much to my amazement and also to the pastors who were listening; we ministered together as though we had been working for 20 years! They even ask me when I finished, “So, you have been using an interpreter before?” No, I said and their mouths dropped open in astonishment. I had begun to see God’s marvelous grace as a missionary for the first time!

The Choice

I truly believe that if we as the Christians and members of the Body of Christ would position ourselves in the “will of God,” we would be happier, healthier and more content than any other place that we could possibly imagine. This is true of any member of the body of Christ, no matter what your affiliation is or where you attend to worship the Lord.

True contentment is not in having things, money, position or even family with you. It is knowing that you are in the perfect will of God, doing what he has called you to do. This does not mean that at times your flesh will not want to “kick and scream” or will not want to give up on occasion but it means that the real you; a spirit man or woman will find contentment and peace in your heart. We will talk more about this later on.

My wife and I continued to pray about this mission field and believed as we continued to pray that it was the will of God for our lives. Even so, it was not an easy decision for us as we had never been on any mission field and Tulsa, Oklahoma was our first big move away from our own state. We moved with all of our belongings that we did not sell; traveling in a car and a moving van across the 5 states to reach our destination! It was an experience that none of my family will ever forget. When we reached Tulsa, Oklahoma we started looking for a place to live as well as jobs to pay the expected bills and tuition that would be needed to attended Rhema Bible Training Center and live in Oklahoma.

The strangest things were asked to us, at least that is what we though! Everywhere we would go looking for a place to rent, they would ask us, “Where do you work?” Our response would always be we are looking for jobs having just arrived in the area. They would just sort of look at us and shake there heads in unbelief. Then the same answer would come, we will call if something opens up. Then as we continued to look for a job in the first 4 or 5 days, they would ask where do you live or what is your address?

Sometimes, as people that are following the plan of God for their lives, we look a bit peculiar at times, especially to others who are what the world calls “normal people.” We all need to understand that we are not “normal people,” but are called a “peculiar people, a Holy nation. We are people that God has called for his own purpose and will to follow Him wherever he leads us and whatever He calls us to do for his own purposes and glory!

I believe that life offers us many choices as well as does our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. However with our choices concerning the Lord, each decision will lead to the next step that God has planned for our lives. If we choose to disobey what the Lord has for us in what we will call the small steps, we will never enter the “path ways” that are before us that lead us to the “God ordained call, ministry” and will of God for each of our lives.

I believe, as does my wife, that if we had never gone to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, we would never have gone to Kenya. We had to take the necessary steps away from our place of comfort to a new place without family, friends, or things that were familiar to us. That was truly Oklahoma, and it was very challenging for all of our family members who went with us.


CHAPTER 2 - WHAT IS A MISSIONARY?

According to the Word of God, a missionary is an Apostle or "sent one". Jesus was an apostle as we will later see in the scriptures. He was sent by the Father on a particular mission to a particular people; those who were on the earth, you and me.

A missionary is a man or woman called by the Lord Himself to go to a particular people, country, tribe, ethnic group or nation. A true missionary is not called of self or men. Men may or may not recognize the calling on the life of a man who is called to be a missionary, but they must be called by the Lord himself as he is the one who will equip the person for the mission field.

The Lord does not seem to mind what kind of education that you have, what kind of background that you come from, what you look like or what your financial status is. This alone will shock some of you because you have thought that only certain people you have 'selected in your mind’ are chosen for the mission field. The Word of God says that “many are called but few are chosen” or choice. This does not mean that they are in any way perfect, but they are the Lord’s choice for His own reasons and purposes.

Missionaries are called to accomplish various tasks on the mission field; such as starting churches, bible schools, clinics, hospitals, dispensaries, orphanages, training centers, and various other things that the Lord might want done on a particular land unto a particular people.

The one thing that Jesus emphasized was that we were to go and “teach and preach to all nations, baptize them, and make disciples.” Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you”. And in Mark 16:15-16, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” This is what most theologians believe is what has been called the “Great Commission”.

I believe before we can be truly effective, we must do the works of our Father in heaven and preach the gospel to the poor. Jesus said that he came not to do his own work but that of the Father. Should not missionaries do the work of the Father and preach the Good news of the Gospel of Christ. Jesus himself said in John 14:12 that “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father;”

In the books of Acts we see the Holy Spirit empowering men to do the Work of Christ and sending them out to the mission field. The Word of God says in Acts Chapter 13:1-3, “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

I want you to notice that the Spirit of God said “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” It was not man who called Barnabas and Saul, but the Holy Spirit who called them or Christ Himself! It was the brethren that recognized what the Holy Spirit had said and acknowledged the calling that they were called unto. Praise the Lord!

It is important to note that man does not call, but recognizes the calling. If a missionary is called to a place or people, there will be a gifting within for that people by the Lord Jesus Christ. If there isn’t any gifting or anointing then there is no calling! This may sound strange or even harsh but the fact of the matter is that with every calling there is a gifting, a grace and an anointing to minister on behalf of what Christ has for the body of Christ.

Once again let us go back to the Word of God for our reference. In Acts Chapter 9:15, we find the Lord speaking to Ananias “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel”. Jesus said that Saul, who was to become Paul, was a “chosen vessel”. God hand picked Saul, gave him a new name, and said that he was to bear, or speak His name, before the Gentiles, kings and children of Israel. This is exactly what Paul did as he went out teaching and preaching the Gospel of Christ.

In that same chapter we see by Paul’s own testimony that Jesus said unto him on the road to Damascus; “But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things which I will appear to you”. In verse 18 Jesus explains what Paul is to do; “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.”


CHAPTER 3 - THE MISSIONARY'S APPEARANCE

I don’t think anyone can look at a man or woman or even a child and determine if he or she is called by the Lord to be a missionary. They are ordinary people as we have said before called by Jesus to work in the mission vineyard. To themselves, they even appear as someone called a normal Christian. They don’t even seem much different than those around them in the local church but as they are being prepared there is something that God begins to do in the midst of their heart and life that brings a separation unto Himself. They still struggle with personal fleshly problems, self esteem and confidence, thinking surely God would not dare to use them for anything of real importance. Still the call is there even when we do not realize it.

One thought that we must keep in mind as Christians and potential missionaries is that though we are seemingly ordinary people, we are not serving and ministering to an ordinary or normal god, but He is the King of Kings and Lord of all the Lords and He is supernatural!

One of the clues that may help the reader understand more about the man or women who is called to be a missionary is that they will sense the anointing in a greater measure in their lives even before the mission field in whatever God has called them to do in the local church. When God is preparing a vessel, no matter where He is going to use this vessel He will prepare them as much as He can for the work of the ministry. This includes the anointing, words of knowledge and wisdom, gifts of the Holy Spirit and especially a hunger for the Word of God.

It has rightly been said that you don’t have to call yourself anything or give yourself a title. Those who hear and see the gift will themselves speak what they hear about your gifting and spiritual talent.

It is wonderful when those in fellowship with you recognize the Lord’s calling, but if they don’t then still you as a missionary must be faithful to what the Lord Jesus is calling them to do. Others may see you as a good person, zealous for the Lord, faithful to the work of God and many other possible adjectives. Some of them may see you as a possible candidate for the pastoral gift or some other gift. This is probably normal, as men do not call or see what God has put in the heart of his people for the works that He has personally called them to do.

When God is guiding the Christian in the pew, to step out into a ministry such as the mission field there will be times of uncertainty to be sure. Because you are given so much advice as to what “people think”, it can be confusing. This is when you must be spending quality time in the presence of the Lord and in His Word. When the Lord speaks to you, you must hide the ‘Rhema Words’ in your heart and not forget them. If necessary, you must write them down because in some seasons they will be the ‘lamp unto your feet’ that God has spoken to you that will be your guide in what seems to be dark places.

In conclusion concerning the appearance, I would say this to you pastors who hesitate to let your assistant pastor, superintendent, deacon, your worship leader or your elder who has served you for years go... Sew them in good faith! What do I mean by this? God sewed His son Jesus for a multitude of sons. It was not easy to give His Son to unrighteous men, but it was necessary to receive the fruit of the seed of Christ’s life. If you want the Lords’ blessing, then you too will have to sew into the earth those whom you hold dear to you. They may even come back to you a fine work in the Lord.


CHAPTER 4 - QUALIFICATIONS OF A MISSIONARY

I believe that the number one qualification is that we must be willing and obedient! If there isn’t a willing heart and an obedient spirit, then we will never follow Christ to where he may be leading us. Isaiah 1:19 says “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:”

When the Lord spoke to my wife and I about coming to the mission field of Kenya, it was not an easy decision for my wife. We had recently had our first two grandchildren and she wanted to spend time with them because as she says, “I had waited a long time for them.” Though I love my grandchildren and my children very much, I love the Lord Jesus Christ for what he has done in my life and in my marriage. Without him, there would be no peace, joy and marriage as He saved our marriage when He saved our lives!

For those of you who are called to be a missionary and have not yet ventured unto the unknown lands before you, I would recommend if you have problems with your spouse and you absolutely know in your heart that you are called but your spouse is reluctant to go or they will go but their going is not from the heart and they are not with you in singleness of vision; then I recommend that you speak to the Lord! It sounds simple enough but it will take true faith on your part as the ‘one who is called’. You must then trust the Lord to speak to them and make things right in their heart. This is what I did and the Lord spoke some things to my wife Janet and then she ‘became willing and obedient’. She and some of you, because of your sacrifices to the call of God, will definitely eat the ‘Good of the Land.’

I also believe that each of you or those who are called should possess by the Spirit of Jesus an ‘Inward Gift’. This gift, whatever Jesus has put within you will be for the body and work of the Kingdom of God. If you are to build churches then you should possess a working knowledge of building churches or structures with your hands as well as the grace to work among the people where the Lord is calling you. If you are working in dispensaries or clinics you should have as a necessity the required skills to work with medicine and with people.

If you are called to preach or teach the ‘Word of God’ then you should have received some ministerial training and have had some ministerial experience as well as gifting to minister that word wherever and to whomever you are called to minister it to.

Although Paul himself did not feel worthy to be called an Apostle or sent one, he recognized the Grace that came with the calling for his life. He also says that Christ’s grace did not prove vain, but that he labored more than others, yet not himself but the grace of God within himself.

Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 12:4, “that there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all.” Vs. 11 goes on to say; “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

Each one of us has a vital part to play in the effective working of the body of Christ! We must not hide the talent that we have been given by the Lord himself and freely allow our gift to cause increase in the body of Christ as we allow it to flow out of our lives in an effort to build of the church of God in love.

So often we see the gifts of men being perverted to bring about self gain, position, or recognition in the local church or body. This was never the heart of Jesus; but rather to bring truth, revelation, blessing and strength to His church with each gift and gifting.

We have been competing with each other so long that we have forgotten what we have been placed in the body for and for the larger picture of the work of the whole body of Christ.

If you and I are going to represent Jesus as an Apostle or missionary on a foreign field then we should have a spiritual gift, a ministry to others and some effects that have been given to us by the Holy Spirit. These will not be for our benefit but for the body of Christ where we are sent as we have said.

If we are going to be successful in the work of the Lord, especially in ministering of the word of God, then we must be prepared to bring a good word that we know and also reveal with our lives. Many times ministers, preach a good word, but they are only preachers of the Word of God and not doers of it. We must endeavor to be doers of the Word of God because our lives will be read of others by what we are living not just by what we are preaching or teaching.

There has been much harm on the mission field where ‘false doctrine’ or erroneous doctrine has been preached because the ministers have not studied to show themselves a workman who is approved of God. The inward gift of teaching or preaching will make room for you on the mission field as God has called you and is calling you. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” This is one of those scriptures that should be hidden in your heart as God has made it real to you. This scripture was made alive to me many years ago even before I came to the mission field. Other scriptures will also become alive and very meaningful to you as well. Hide them in your heart and they will serve you well.

I believe that each one of us that are called to minister on the mission field, wherever the Lord would choose to call us, should truly study and allow the Lord’s Spirit to reveal His living Word to each of us. It must become more than an occasional interest if we are going to allow the knowledge of it to change lives through our ministry.


CHAPTER 5 - THE WALK OF FAITH

In this Chapter 11 of Hebrews we see in the 6th verse, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Many folks read this and mentally agree with the scriptures and say, 'Yes, I see what the scriptures is saying', but they only use their faith for salvation. That is to say, they believe that because of Jesus they have a place in heaven waiting for them when they die. That is a wonderful use of ‘Faith’ but none of us should stop there because if we are going to please our Father God, we must use our faith for all that the Lord Jesus has said belongs to us in the covenant.

I remember one time, before I had gone to Rhema Bible Training Center, I was mowing our front yard with a head set on. The Lord spoke very clearly to my heart and said that “none of his children like to walk by faith but all of them enjoyed the benefits of it.” I certainly related to what he was saying and still do today. However the fact remains if we are to enjoy all of the benefits of Salvation and the finished work of Jesus on the cross, then we must use our faith in and towards Him in these last days. The Word of God tells us in Romans 1:17, “For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.

In other words, we must live each day looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father for our daily needs; not matter what they may be or how difficult they may seem for us to be God for. I have personally found that If I have the means to supply my desires by one way or the other then I am not truly using my faith; when I cannot meet my needs and the Lord is the only one who can, then my faith in God is truly being used and I see how mighty He really is and what he can truly accomplish even though my resources are completely exhausted.

In 2nd Cor. 5:6 it says, “Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord 7, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

I have found that in the life of a missionary I have greater opportunity to use my faith on a regular basis than in my own country, the US. I want to share with you that from the very beginning, what God had called my wife and I to do on the mission field would never been possible for us, by ourselves. Yet with Christ along side of us we could, and have, accomplished our needs and desires for the mission field.

I remember when we were planning on going to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to attend Rhema Bible Training Center after the Lord had spoken to me. We had not sold our home and it was getting closer to the time of leaving for Oklahoma. I had several well meaning folks ask me, “What is your plan B”? When I told them I did not have a back up plan for selling the house in Florida, they looked at me very strangely, like what tree have you fallen out of? I just believed the word that was spoken to my heart, “I want you to go to Rhema Bible Training Center!” I believe then as I do now, that If God calls you to a mission field He will make the provisions if we will walk with Him by faith!

Every week, those same well meaning folks came up to my wife and I and said the same things about another plan or basically, 'What are you going to do if God does not show up?' The answer was still the same as yours must be when you receive direction from the Lord... God will provide!

I remember preparing to go to Kenya in December of 1994. We were making plans to purchase the airline tickets and to get everything else in order. We desired to take along 10 extra boxes with household effects with us, but it was going to cost us, along with the extra suit cases, about $900 to $1000. We did not have this money and had no way of getting it.

I spent some time praying to the Lord about this and had an assurance in my spirit that He had taken care of the desire of taking extra boxes with us. We did everything that we could in labeling, weighing and making sure that the boxes were packed securely for the long journey. What happened next will shock some you because you have possibly never stepped out in faith and believed God this way. We did not tell our friends, our few supporters or even our family. We told God! Then just about 10 days before we were to fly to Kenya, Africa, I received a phone call from a friend and former Sunday School teacher, Sam. He said that he had some good news for us; that someone had just written a check for $1000 and had sent it to us! Praise the Lord, God’s Word works if we will work His Word.

On the mission field “Faith” becomes the way of living for most missionaries who believe that God can and does make a difference in the outcome of every day problems that we face. It becomes very “natural” to us because we are constantly using our faith in God for daily provision, and financial needs as well.

We have had many real tests of faith as we have said, especially on the mission filed of Kenya, Africa. I remember trying to leave Kenya in the year 1995, after we had been on the mission field for almost fifteen months. We were finished working in a local bible college and were trying to go home. Our support for first time missionaries was fluctuating so much that we had to move three times in the fifteen months. We could not stay in Kenya any longer and we could not return to the US as we did not have adequate funds. We were, as some say, ‘between a rock and a hard place’.

We had a decent vehicle that was ten years old, but every time I tried to go some place on a potential trip to sell it, the door closed or the person made themselves hard to find. Well, to make a long story short, I went in to my prayer closet and started talking to my Father. I told Him it was not my responsibility to make this sell happen, that it was His responsibility because He called me and my wife to the mission field. I know that some of you would never speak to the Lord that way, but when I did, there was such a peace, it came just as Philippians says that it would come. After I prayed, I talked to my wife and told her not to pray about the situation any more, that it was taken care of. I did not ask for a sign. I don’t believe in asking for signs, as we have the witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the Word of God tells us. However, a day or two later we went for a walk and when we came back we were just sitting outside and resting before we went in to the house. I happened to look up and saw the most awesome looking formation in the sky that I have ever seen in my life. It looked to me like the Lord had taken his right hand or arm and furled back a large section of clouds, just like we saw in the movie where Moses and the children of Israel walked on dry land after the Lord parted the Red Sea. When I showed my wife, she said did you get anything from the Lord? I said, “I am not sure, but it seems that God said that he had parted our Red Sea, and would part many more for us.” It did not end there. We were going to town the next day for something and we passed by a restaurant that was called the Red Sea restaurant! Unbelievably true, yet we have never seen that restaurant again to this day, and when any work is done in our small town everyone knows about it.

A few days later, God had a man come from a town about two hours away from Nakuru (where we stay) and brought his father with him. He drove the vehicle and we settled on a price. We were on the plane in ten days from the time that I had received by faith the provision of God and had gotten my priorities right and let the burden of leaving Kenya to the Lord, my Provider!


CHAPTER 6 - THE GRACE OF GOD

I have devoted this chapter to what the Bible calls the Grace of God. The word grace has had some different meanings put to it and we will discuss several of these and also relate how the Grace of God works with the missionary on the field.

The first definition that most of us are familiar with is ‘unmerited favor’. This is God's favor toward us because of our acceptance of His Son Jesus Christ. The moment that we accepted Jesus into our lives as our personal savior and Lord, God became our Father and we were accepted into the family of God. John 1:16-17 says, “And of his fullness have all we received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

So we see that God brought the Law in through Moses, however the Covenant of Grace came in through His Son Jesus Christ! This means that each one of us, having received Jesus Christ has come into a covenant of Grace by God’s gracious gift. Eph 4:7, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” So that which we have received has come as unmerited or underserved favor of God. Praise His name forever!

God is called the God of all Grace! He has called us into his glory by Jesus Christ. 1st Peter 5:10, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus”.

Another definition of Grace is: ‘God’s Riches At Christ Expense.’ In other words, everything that the Church or believer has today is because of Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary. In Ephesians 2:7-8 Paul says, “That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Paul also said in Romans 11:12, “Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” And again we read in Ephesians 3:8, “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.”

Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”

This message, the Word of God that we preach, was given by the Father by His grace and the Word of God is called the covenant of grace. “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”(Acts 20:32)

We were not only spared the wrath of God, but were saved by the expense of Christ’s death and shown the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness. The Word of God tells us that Jesus became poor that we, the body of Christ, those who have truly received him, might become rich. Though the word carries a spiritual connotation here, it also applies that God has become our source of help.

2nd Cor. 8:9, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” I truly do not believe that God is opposed to us being rich, rather He is opposed to us being covetous.

Someone somewhere said “If God can get it through you, he can get it to you.” I have come to believe that this is true. My wife Janet and I found out many years ago, that if we would let the blessings that come in the front door be shared and go out to those in need through our back door, we would never lack. This has been our motto through the years.

The last definition that we will look at concerning the word ‘Grace’ is what I call the supernatural ability or empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit working in and through our lives, so that we might effectively accomplish the will and work of God. This grace is seen in every believer’s life, but I believe that it is seen more or noticed more in a missionary’s life because of the calling and purpose of God that He desires to carry out. As we have stated before, an apostle or one sent of God. In Acts 4:33 we see, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”

One of the most wonderful and yet powerful spiritual blessings that have brought us through the work of the ministry here in Kenya is the grace of God. It has enabled me when I had to preach at night, with little or no light, with mosquitoes biting us, and staying in houses that had little or no roof. We have both slept together on a single bed, and had many sleepless nights because of the loud bars in the hotels, where we have had to stay in accommodations that allowed us to experience fleas, roaches or bed bugs.

We have driven on some of the worse roads in the world and have seen some horrendous accidents where 20 or more people have been killed because of a head on crash. Mostly it was due to the poor roads, bad judgment, alcohol or drugs and holes that literally cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

It has brought peace when we had to travel under extreme and adverse conditions! When the food was anything but desirable and we found strange things in it, God’s grace was and is abundant and sufficient. We have ministered here in Kenya on and off for over twelve years now, and I can truthfully tell you that if it were not for the Grace of God, we could not have been effective in presenting the Word of God.

When my wife and I started teaching and ministering the Word of God in the Church in the U.S. we never dreamed that God could or would use someone like us. It was never in our thoughts or imaginations. Truly, if you could see where the Lord Jesus has brought us from to where we are today, by His Grace, then you would understand the mystery of God’s empowerment on a person’s life such as Janet and I. We have stood before the tens and the hundreds, but it is still the grace of God that brings us to that place where we can be effective for His Kingdom and glory!

Paul said in Romans 1: 5, “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

It was by God’s grace and calling that the Apostle Paul and even Janet and I received the calling as missionaries here in Kenya. It was not by our own cunning, ability, wisdom, or insight that we are here, but by the hand of the Lord and empowering of His Holy Spirit.

It is of utmost importance that all of us realize that God is the one who calls, who equips, who anoints and who keeps those with the riches of His Grace. Paul again said, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me” (Galatians 1:15-16). “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2nd Tim 1:9).

Paul tells us that we were not only saved by this grace, but we were also called with a holy calling for His own purpose by this same grace. That is why I tell folks that have desired to come to the mission field, be sure of your calling, because with that calling comes a supernatural gift of grace for those that are called to the mission field. Without the ‘grace’ none of the missionaries would be effective in the Work of the Lord. The same grace that called Paul, Peter, James as well as other ministers in the New Testament is the same grace that brought effective leadership and ministry.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”. (1 Cor. 15:10).

We have been able to do the work of God because of the Grace of God upon and through our lives here in Kenya. Paul tells Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2nd Timothy 2:1). The trials, hardships, sufferings, and persecutions that we have passed through while being missionaries have been made possible because of the Grace of God that made us strong or able to endure them.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2nd Cor. 9:8).

To the degree that we have been any success here in Kenya and in other countries, it is because of His Grace! I know by now you are probably tired of hearing about ‘grace’, but without this amazing grace, not even this book will be written and published! It will take God’s grace and favor for it to come about.

There is not only a saving grace, and a work of grace but also a ‘keeping grace!’ The same Lord who began a good work in my wife Janet and I some 30 years ago now has kept us through many adverse conditions and situations.

“Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also” (2nd Cor 8:6). One of the things that I believe that God wants for each and everyone of us is that we finish our race, keep the faith, and accomplish what He has given each of us to do where He has put us. It is easy to quit! It takes courage, faith, determination, and our ability to rely on the Grace of God.

The Apostle Paul said “Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. (Philip 3:12-14).

Several things touched my heart when I have read this scripture that I hope also minister to you. Paul doesn’t speak as though he has reached the end of his ministry or place of perfection. He desires to press on, don’t you? He makes it his choice that whatever the Lord Jesus Christ has called him to do by His grace, Paul wants to achieve it!

This seemingly is going to take some effort on Paul’s part, as he has to forget the past; the failures, success, the heartaches, the pain, sufferings and the betrayals. Everything that he has passed through he must forget, forgive and then seemingly make an effort to press forward. This is an extreme effort, not something that is easily achieved on his part, but rather a choice to please Jesus Christ and to receive His reward from being obedient to the ‘High Calling of God.’

I also believe that Paul was as human as any of us, he had weaknesses and frailty of the flesh as we all have, but that he made godly choices each time circumstances challenged his faith. He then decided to allow the ‘grace of God’ to perfect that weakness of his own flesh and bring him through each challenging situation. 2nd Cor. 12:9-10: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul’s response was strong in faith toward the Lord; "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

I want to conclude this chapter on grace, by saying that the ‘Grace of God’ works with several attributes mentioned in the Word of God’s Covenant. The first attribute is Faith. I believe that when we truly believe that we are who God has said that we are in His Word, then we will allow the grace of God to work in and though each us. When we answer the call of a missionary or any other call, it is by faith that we answer that call. When we answer by faith, then the grace is there to accommodate us and to empower us to achieve his purpose in the earth.

We also need faith to come boldly to His presence, which is called the ‘throne of grace’. If we don’t have faith, it is because we don’t believe the Word in our hearts, or possibly it hasn’t been made real to our heart yet. Maybe we may have tried to come in our own ‘righteousness’ as well, which only brings disappointment and discouragement.

There is another factor that we need to mention here concerning ‘grace’, and I believe that factor is humility! It may seem strange to you and to me how humility works in a true connection with faith, but I assure you it does. We can aggressively come to the Lord God because of Jesus, but the stand of righteousness that we have is not because of our own human deeds or piety.

“Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). Pride says that God accepts us, rewards us, and hears us because of what we have achieved in our own selves. Humility says that we have accepted the work of God and that we are allowing God to work in and through us because of Jesus Christ.

Pride says I am a self made man; I am where I am because of my own abilities and talents. Pride says I am ‘God’s man’; I am not sure about anyone else. However Peter says, “Submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1st Peter 5:5).

If we are not careful, we will fall into temptations where the flesh will try to exalt itself and say it has become more than what Jesus has made or intended it to be. Paul explains that we should not think more of ourselves than we should.

“For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

- To be continued -

 

 

 

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