Picture yourself standing on the deck of a cruise ship. You are happy—and quite content. Well provided for, with all the meals you could want.
There are medical facilities on the ship available 24/7. There is even a chapel, a pastor and prayer team so that you are fed spiritually as well as physically.
GREAT SHIP, RIGHT?
Off in the distance, you spot several smaller boats, loaded with people.
You see individuals treading water, crying out to get into someone’s boat.
But their little boats are full. besides, they have no food. No message of hope. No prayer team… and no Captain.
Your heart longs to help them—but, how can you? You are just one person, right?
Then, others begin to join you at the handrail and suggestions are made to throw out the life preservers.
The Captain of the ship gives everyone something with which to rescue the drowning.
Some people just hold on to the life preserver in case they need it.
But many people lean over and throw it as far as it will go. You want to do the same, but you see that theirs didn’t go very far.
It was as if the Captain read your mind. He points you to a lifeboat and gives you a nod. The life preservers won’t reach them all, but if you can go to them, they stand a much better chance of being saved.
When we give to missions—
we are in essence doing more than just throwing out a life preserver. We are equipping missionaries with a lifeboat.
These lost souls cannot come to us—it is up to us to get to them.
God has called us all to go into all the world to preach the Gospel—if God has not burdened your heart to go –there are other ways…
If we truly want to reach the lost, but don’t feel called to serve in a foreign country —we can GIVE.
Giving to missions does far more than we could ever do—by simply staying on the ship.
So—what do you want to do? Go…or send?
You may think –well, I don’t have $100 or even $50 a month to spare. Do you have $20 or $10 a month? Whatever you feel led give—God will multiply it in the hands of the missionary. Trust me. We’ve been there. We know firsthand what a $20 a month offering can do.
Well, where can I give? Glad you asked! Our church (Evangel Church) and Focus Forward Ministries is playing a big part in building an orphanage in Uganda! (One of the hundreds of homeless children pictured here.) Partnering with COFAM (Children of Faith Ministries), it is our desire to give the homeless children a permanent roof over their heads. These children are homeless because they are parentless. Their parents either died or they just abandoned them. If you are local, you can give to any of the FFM team (Jeff, Chase or Floyd), drop it off at our church (Evangel Church, Marianna, FL) or mail it to Focus Forward Ministries, Inc., Post Office Box 573, Marianna, FL 32447.
Today, can I challenge you to consider joining us? Let’s leave the handrail watching, and get into action. Let’s head to the nearest LifeBoat and grab the life preserver with the longest rope…it is our desire to go to them, cast wide and save many!
With the exception of the last photo of the young child in Uganda, photos from this blog post are from pixabay.com, a website of free photos.
© Angie Knight 2023. All rights reserved.
Jeff & Angie 