The Loss Of A Dear Missionary Friend. -By Paul Joseph

We have heard yesterday that Ruth Davidson, the wife of a very dear friend and fellow missionary Ben Davidson, at TheBibleForYou.com, has gone to her reward. Linda and I have done missionary work together with them for years. I first met Ben in Amsterdam where I first got saved in 1972, to give you an idea of how long we’ve known each other.

If anybody really loved Jesus, she did. We’re so happy for her as she is free from pain and physical difficulties, having gone through chemotherapy. The good news is that she’s now on the brightest side of the Kingdom.

When we first heard the news, our heart went into a pause as if God wanted us to take stock of our own life, and what we are presently doing for Him. We are all busy with so many little things that complicate our lives everyday. And God took that opportunity to cause us to reflect on what we are truly focusing on. We are commanded to “seek first” the kingdom of God, and such a pause made us wonder what we are really seeking FIRST, not overall in life, but every day.

Ruth’s sample always reminded us of God’s love for souls. She connected with people on a spiritual level. Whether they were new people or old friends, she was one that did not see people according to the flesh but according to the spirit. So many people noticed that about her. She lived that admonition from the apostle Paul: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh” (2 Cor 5:16-18). 

To get straight to the point, the Lord asked us this question:  “What is your life really all about; are you still focusing on souls, and particularly on soul winning?” Boy… that was a hard question that caused us to re-evaluate our priorities. Did you know that the famous parable known as the “parable of the talents“, is really all about souls. Allow me to go over it with you.

“He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (Notice here that Jesus is referring to Himself and to His return) 

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, ‘Occupy till I come’ (this is referring to us, and to the great commission, and the responsibility of soul winning). 

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (He’s referring to the religious who did not receive Him as King). 

And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, (Jesus’ second coming) then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. (referring to how we will have to give account on what we’ve done with the great commission of winning souls). 

Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, ‘Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities’. 

And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, ‘Be thou also over five cities.’ 

And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin (this man did nothing with the responsibility given him of bringing souls into the kingdom): For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 

And he saith unto him, ‘Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: (meaning that the Lord had given His servants the responsibility of sowing and reaping, before leaving). 

Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? (You could have at least given to missionaries so they could have multiplied His investment). 

And he said unto them that stood by, ‘Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds’. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 

For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. (He’s telling them that He’ll be looking for fruit when He returns and those who were busy winning souls and advancing the kingdom will be rewarded HANDSOMELY). 

But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” (Lk 19:12-27) 

WOW… we have related this parable to entrepreneurship, to the gifts and talents that he gives us to develop, to being fruitful in so many different ways, but this parable is really about the responsibility of multiplying souls for the kingdom of God.

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mat 6:19-21) 

He is basically saying that whatever you are focusing on and magnifying in your life is really your treasure and that’s what’s in your heart. The apostle Paul confirmed the same principle in Romans 6:16 when he said that you become the slave of what you are magnifying in your heart. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” 

There’s another parable which also calls us to be reaching out to the whole world. The master said, “go into the highways and byways. and compel them to come in“ (Lk 14:16-24). But for the sake of brevity, I’ll go over it with you in a different DAILY MEDS.

We can sometimes forget that our commitment as Christian believers comes with a great responsibility. We are not saved for the purpose of going to heaven only, but to bring as many with us, back to the Father. We are commissioned to the same ministry of reconciliation that Jesus had when sent by the father. His goal was to regain that which was lost; humanity lost in the kingdom of darkness, to be redeemed and restored back to full relationship with their loving Father.

Paul explains our purpose and destiny as believers on earth: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2Cor:14-21) 

May God help us all to be ambassadors for Christ and be soul winners for His kingdom.