1. “But I don’t feel called.”
• “It will not do to say that you have no special call to go to China. With these facts before you and with the command of the Lord Jesus to go and preach the gospel to every creature. You need rather to ascertain whether you have a special call to stay at home.” – J. Hudson Taylor
2. “But my parents would never let me go.”
• “Obedience to the call of Christ nearly always costs everything to two people, the one who is called, and the one who loves that one.” –Oswald Chambers
3. “But I am not spiritually ready to go.”
• Once a person goes and catches a real vision for the nations realizes the incredible task at hand, they will see an increased intimacy with Christ. If the goal before us is small, or dependence on the Lord will be small. On the other hand, is our aspirations are great, our reliance on the sufficiency of God will be great. “All the resources of the Godhead are at our disposal.” –Jonathan Goforth
4. “But I don’t have that kind of money.”
• Lack of money is never a reason; it’s an excuse! “God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.” –J. Hudson Taylor
5. “But what about the needs here?”
• Is there need for believers to spread the word of God in America? Absolutely. But since America has only 5% of the World’s population, then only about 5% of the believers would really be called to stay in this country as a witness (that’s only 1 out of 20) while the rest of us should go into parts of the world where there are almost 0% believers. In reality, 95% of believers will stay within the United States. Are there needs within the US? Without a doubt, but we need to look for those where the needs are not being met.
• “A tiny group of believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story.” –K.P. Yohannon
6. “But isn’t the mission field a dangerous place?”
• Numbers 14:1-3 “That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
• It’s a matter of our priorities. Do we look at temporary or the eternal in making our choices? The question should not be, “Will I be kept safe wherever I go?” but rather, “What is on the Lord’s heart for me to do?”
• If Jesus decided to go the way of least pain, He would have never gone to the cross.
7. “But I am not ready for that kind of sacrifice.
• Jesus becomes Lord to guide us in HIS agenda, not just to offer council about OUR agenda.
• Luke 14:28-33 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
• “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” –C.T. Studd
liz.
Everytime I read your posts the Lord
convicts me and reveals himself to me. Every Sunday I sing that song, no turning back, no turning back during the invitation and it wasn’t till I read that and really meditated on it that I realized the true meaning. The follower is not forsaking all he has ad going alone He is humbly giving it all to the Lord so that he may use it to glorify Him and He is leading the follower. Why turn back when our Guide is in front of us. I’m praying for you lizzy and your team mates. I know God is using you and all the characteristics and talents he has blessed you with to further expand His kingdom. Not to ourselves but God be the glory!
Katie