And we're off! Honduras, December 2011

It is very early in the morning.  As I get ready to leave for the airport to go to Honduras and share the Gospel, I wanted to jot down this verse that was going through my mind last night:

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."  (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

For someone like me who is so unworthy, to still be blessed to be able to travel, preach and teach about Jesus, the Son of God is hard to comprehend.  Paul felt the same way and even explains the purpose for which he was put into service for the King of Kings.  To show how patient Jesus is in gathering all of His sheep.  Jesus even talks about this in the Gospels (Matthew 18:11-13, John 10:11-16 ).

This week will probably be hard being away from Katrina and Ryder.  It looks like rain in Honduras, for a trip that almost didn't happen; however, due to a generous financial donation, it appears that God has a plan for us to be there.  It is important for me to remember the verse and purpose above ... God will bring in every, single one of His sheep (John 6:37), and God has chosen the foolishness of preaching the Gospel.(1 Cor. 1:18-21)

I am thankful that He is patient with me, as I clumsily try to follow Him.
Rodney

Are Missions Foreign?

Reprinted from Extreme Missionary Adventures "The Adventurer" magazine June/July 2011  www.XMAOnline.com


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When I was younger and heard the word “missionary”, it seemed as if people were referring to some far off, strange type of Christian. They were a special breed. We may have seen a missionary once per year, and then we would raise special funds for them around Christmas, but it really was not a part of the “norm” in my daily life. Should it be that way? If we study the New Testament, should traveling to other nations and sharing the Gospel be something out of the ordinary?


Paul is probably the most famous missionary recorded in the Bible. If you are like me, you may have dealt with some of the questions below. It helped me to consider how Paul addressed these same concerns.

• Am I called to go?
• But the Missions Board, or my local church, is not willing to send me!
• No one is paying me to go!
• I am not like Paul!

Am I called to go?


The more I study the Scriptures, it seems more logical to struggle with thinking God is NOT calling us to missionary work. After all, Jesus was speaking to His eleven disciples when He said, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations....”, but did that command end when that group of disciples died (Matthew 28:19)? If so, they had yet to make it to all the world.
Paul affirmed his belief that it was his responsibility to continue what he had formerly been trying to stop (Acts 13:46-48).

But the Missions Board, or my local church, is not willing to send me!

After Jesus called Paul to preach to the Gentiles, he did not seek the approval of other men, before obeying. Nor did he seek the approval of the other Apostles. Just the fact that his LORD had chosen, saved, called and given him a command was enough for him to obey (Galatians 1:15-17). Have you and I been chosen, saved, called and given a command to 'go'?

No one is paying me to go!

There are times when Paul used money from churches to carry out his ministry (2 Cor. 11:8-9), but most of the time, Paul worked to support himself and the others with him, so he would not be a burden to the churches he was trying to help (Acts 18:3; 20:34; 1 Cor. 4:11-12; 1 Thes 2:9). Paul was committed to do whatever it took to obey his Lord and not be a burden to other believers. In addition to spreading the Gospel, we have repeated examples of Paul delivering from one group of believers who had resources, to another group of believers who had nothing (Acts 11:29-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 9:1-15; Gal. 2:10; 1 Thes 4:10; Rom 12:13). Is that something you and I should also do?

I am not like Paul!


Neither were, Silas, Barnabus, John Mark, etc, yet they each went with him at various times. Unlike Paul, they did not have a grandiose record of their salvation and missionary call. They simply accompanied Paul in obedience to their Savior.

Maybe you and I are never going to be like Paul, but I contend that as believers, we are all called to follow Jesus' command to go and teach all nations about Him. If you cannot actually travel to carry out the mission, do you have the ability to help provide the resources necessary for those who can go?

Rodney Skyles

Heading to Zimbabwe Today!

While I am excited about this, I am also a little anxious!  I hate to admit that, for fear of looking less trusting than I should, while on a mission trip to tell others about the magnificence of God.

⁵Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:5-7)

It's just that leaving Katrina is hard enough for a week, but now we have Ryder!  I also have duties with my real job and don't want to let anyone down.  Okay, I got that out of my system.  Now to start my last bible reading and prayer time at home, before heading to the airport.  :)

A Painful Welcome

My son, Henry Ryder, was born 11 days ago.  We seem to be settling into a nice routine around the house now, but that was not before spending a week in the hospital (5 days for him) and most of that with him in the NICU.  Ryder was born about 3 1/2 weeks early.  Katrina suffered from pre-eclampsia, so both of them had a difficult birth.  As Ryder was in NICU, my wife was recovering from surgery.  I went back and forth, between their rooms about every two hours.

During the first two days, Ryder was lethargic from a Magnesium Sulfate IV that Katrina received for her safety during and after the delivery.  He also had low blood sugar and high bilirubin levels.  The only time Ryder woke, was when he was being poked with needles.

Besides the not knowing the status of my wife after surgery, one of the most difficult times I had was when Ryder was having his blood drawn for many lab tests.  During this test, they pricked his heal (one of many times) with one of those diabetes tools and then squeezed his heal to drain the blood.  This time seemed to take much longer than the previous tests.  He cried and cried.  The longer it took, I started to feel sick.  It was getting hot in the room and I just wanted it to stop.  I did not say anything, because I knew the tests were for the best, but I just wanted to hear the nurse say the words, "I am finished", or "That is all", or "All done".  Ryder would not know what that meant, but I would.  He is my only son.  I love him and just wanted the pain and suffering to stop.

Later, I started thinking about those words and why they sounded so familiar.  Then I thought about God the Father and His Only Son (John 1:18, 3:16, 3:18, 1 John 4:9) and the love He has for Him.  Our heavenly Father is a Father who is proud of His Son (Matthew 17:5, John 8:29).  Then I thought of Jesus.  He existed with God the Father in eternity.  He had the majesty of God in eternity, but then willingly set that aside and became like us.

 ⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
 ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
 ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
 ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  (Philippians 2:5-8) 

Then I thought of the suffering described in Isaiah 53 and how God the Father would be "satisfied" by the anguish of His Son's soul.  Not satisfied as in taking pleasure, but satisfied as in meeting the requirement of ransoming a people to Himself.

Finally, I thought about when Jesus was actually on the cross, after suffering brutal punishment.  So much torture that He did not even look like a man (Isaiah 52:14).  I can, to some small degree, imagine how relieved God the Father was to finally hear His Beloved Son, Whom He had with Him in eternity, utter those words "It is finished" (John 19:30).  The suffering was over, the exact price was paid to accomplish His plan and His Son was coming home (John 8:14).

I am so thankful for my son and already love him so much.  I cannot imagine giving my son to be punished and killed for what someone else had done, but then again, I am not God.  I am just called to be a believer in Him and His plan.  I am just called to follow the most humble and giving example I have ever seen.