Merry Christmas!

This is the last Christmas we'll get to spend with family and friends in the U.S. before our move to Bolivia. Every year during the Christmas season, we do our best to teach our kids that the reason we celebrate is that Christ came to the earth, clothed in humanity, to redeem us unto himself. This year, more-so than ever, we hope to teach our kids that because Christ came to us, "though He was rich, he became poor," we now, in obedience to Him, carry the gospel message to Bolivia. Are there people doing this already? Yes. Is there need here in the states for people to hear and receive the gospel? Yes. However, obedience goes much further than this.

We go because we want to be obedient to Christ, and also because we desire Christ. We long for our savior. We are joined with Him in our obedience to His word. That word to us, was and is: go. Submission to Jesus and suffering in the burdens that He lays upon us in our endeavors is how we will share in the suffering of Christ. It is in this sharing that we walk with intimacy with Jesus. Closeness with Him is our priority. We live "not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Life is in the word because Christ is life. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." When we hear and do His word, we unite ourselves to Him.

Isn't it amazing, that if we simply seek Christ, "all these things" are added to us. This has everything to do with ministry too. We don't have to seek Bolivia, or seek missions, or seek preaching, or seek people. We seek Christ, and those things come about as God's sovereign hand orchestrates it. In this season of Christmas, we take great joy and delight that our God is sovereign and is "working in us to will and to do good works" for His glory. The major component of that plan is to adopt sons and daughters. What joy we have knowing that we get to participate in births of sons and daughters of the kingdom.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." - Gal. 4:4-5

So, remember to seek "first His kingdom and righteousness and ALL these things will be added unto you." Want to be effective in ministry? In work? In life? Seek first Christ Jesus, and watch God use you effectively for the kingdom. Grace and Peace to you! Selah!