November 24, 2010

While preparing a new Lottie Moon 2010 Prayer Nudge Photo Album* (option below for those who don’t visit websites!) this week and the new blog,  “JE! TUMEFIKA?  Lottie Moon 2010”**  last week to answer the question Southern Baptists will hear during their Week of Prayer for International Prayer, I’ve asked myself  another question:  Why do I feel so compelled to answer, “Are We There Yet?” ***   In my heart, I know the answer is much deeper than “Because IT IS MY JOB as a Prayer/ Missions Advocate.”  So today, I will try to answer why I MUST offer a full response to “Are We There Yet?”  from our part of the world!

~ I am a Christian, therefore I must meet my Savior’s challenge in Acts 1:8 – I must be His witness wherever I am!  I believe that making disciples, baptizing, and teaching all that He commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 is not just for some Christians, but all Christians –even those without a career title of “missionary”!

~ I want the “ALL” in Psalm 67:3 to become a reality - I want “all the peoples” of our world to be included in praising our God and claiming His love and salvation!

~ I was trained as a child by WMU’ers who taught me “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations” – “A story of truth and mercy … of peace and light…a song … that shall lift their hearts to the Lord … a message … That the Lord … Hath sent His Son to save us And show that God is love.”  Thankfully, I was also taught through WMU to personally claim our Father’s salvation and to be among those making certain “That all the world’s great people Might come to the truth of God.”

~ I must share my answer to “Are We there Yet?”  BECAUSE I CAN!  Many seeking to carry out the Great Commission to all nations cannot share freely and openly due to problems the world throws in their way and threats made to those who listen and respond to our Savior’s Good News.  I know that my story and prayer items are different from those of these fellow workers, but my prayer is that from my experiences you can learn new ways to pray and support those who cannot freely share.

~ I also know that Jack and I and our IMB colleagues must have the prayer, personnel and financial support of Southern Baptists to do our part of sharing our Father’s love and salvation with all People! I also know humans well enough to know that one is more likely to offer prayer/ personnel/ finances and continue to do so IF they are aware of the incredible returns of current gifts and the continuing returns that past gifts are continuing to reap!

~ I am absolutely certain that God has called Jack and me to be among his co-workers in East Africa.  I know that our Father didn’t only call us to be here, he prepared us and gave us adequate gifts to strengthen and encourage other disciples as we engage lostness together (Acts 14:22; Rev 14:6) – I seek to do this as I find stories/needs/praises that will lead others to prayer and Jack does it as he teaches/mentors those in our seminary, Bible Schools and in our Kenyan Baptist Churches.

As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, we are thankful for you – the ones who provide the prayer/ personnel/financial support we and our coworkers around the world depend upon as we seek to do our part in making certain that WE ARE THERE in reaching all of our world for Christ!  BERT YATES

PS:  We will celebrate Thanksgiving at a Spiritual Retreat with our Kenya and Tanzania mission family –THANKS to your support from Lottie!
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*      LOTTIE MOON 2010 Daily Prayer Nudge Photo Album from Kenya – Will be updated daily until January 1, 2011 – Three options:
- https://lottiemoon2010kenya.wordpress.com/  (Blog format which allows for subscribing for delivery of prayer nudges to your e-mail address)
- http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=333830&id=685050129&l=146c063c0c     (Photo Album on Facebook – open to all)
- If you among those who never hit a link, send me a note and I will send you a weekly e-mail with all the Prayer Nudges and photos added each week!

**    “JE! TUMEFIKA? Lottie Moon 2010” at:  http://lottiemoon2010-kenya.blogspot.com/

*** “Are We There Yet?”– http://www.imb.org/main/lead/page.asp?StoryID=7698&LanguageID=1709