Building Hope Ministries

Written by: Rev. Keith Marston
Vice President, Building Hope Ministries
Missionary to South Asia

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

We have all made excuses.  Perhaps you even used some of these yourself:

My computer crashed.
My phone battery died.
I woke up late.
The dog ate my homework.

As Christians, we also make excuses about our spiritual life.  Missions is the perfect example. When raising funds for foreign missions, some well-meaning Brothers and Sisters have discouraged me from going.  I have heard them say, “Why do you have to go so far?” and “There are enough needy people here!”  The trouble is though, that these same individuals also have a negative attitude towards people in their own backyard!  A person with a hardened heart and self-serving attitude will never reach out to others whether at home or abroad.

Missions is not an either-or proposition and Acts 1:8 tells us so.  Jesus wants us to be His witnesses wherever we go.  He tells us to go to our immediate hometown (Jerusalem), our state or country (Judea and Samaria) and the world (to the ends of the earth).  Jesus did not tell us to go where we’re comfortable.  Your mission field might be in your backyard, or it might be another country.  Stop making excuses.  Regardless of where God calls you, seek HIS direction and GO!

Prayer:
God, give me guidance and direction to be Your witness wherever You call me.  Allow me to be open to Your Holy Spirit.