Today’s Thought “Missions: The Missing Church Standard” G. Ward

Matthew 16: ²⁶ For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul?

I’ve had many opportunities to visit countries whereby the predominance of its citizenry lives in abject poverty and whereas our arrival witnessed how impressed they were (with American visitation), even receiving us as if we were entertainers of sorts, both lining up in advance to ensure a seat, along with the food provisions we’d supply, my message to them and for this strange land remains - the riches of our Lord’s grace.

While some may pity some underserved and without, deeming them impoverished via common lack of goods and services, a best presentation will afford any a spiritual view (*necessary for endurance), introducing the Creator’s Sufficiency through Christ, forgetting a contrast so entirely temporal. Poverty, won’t always be indicative by how much one has, but how little they’ll realize is at hand. Moreover, and whereas idolatry is forbidden by the Almighty’s standard, it’s not the sole graven image theorizing as most propose, but the kind of neglect that won’t anticipate HIS presence over personal desire, along with refusal to being discipled, even refusing worshipful gathering with others of like faith to gain our Father’s consideration over things and people so temporary (The real spiritual definition of poverty).

And so, Father God, we ask on this day, that all our contemplations, be resolved to how contented we should be in knowing we have Your patient, lovingkindness this day to celebrate, but we cannot continue in being driven differently to how our Lord Jesus correlated to living in an spiritually impoverished world, whereby many a view was/is obscured by desire for wealth over faith in a Living Savior, to lead and guide us to an eternity where we’ll be overwhelmed in euphoric joy forever. We ask Your forgiveness, having fallen short of the joy of absolute dependence of Your Sovereign Control, All because of Jesus, Amen.