Over the past few weeks, my heart has been going through a transition of sorts. Things I’m learning about God’s heart are impacting my heart in a profound way. Much of it, however, is not celebratory. In fact, much of what I’m learning is increasing my burden for the lost. And, while that in itself is a good thing, it comes with a price. I’m now responsible for what God has revealed to me … responsible to do something about it and not simply store it in my memory banks.
Two words struck me this morning as I was reading: Discover and Disclose. Two “dis-” words with entirely different implications.
When I think of “discover”, I think of a mystery which waits to be uncovered. The mystery will remain a mystery until someone takes the initiative to search through all the clues and uncover the evidence which leads to solving the mystery. But, what if the clues were all around you but you didn’t understand what you were seeing–you had nothing with which to associate them. The clues would have been useless in your quest to solve the mystery.
Then, there’s the word “disclose”. The word means to reveal, divulge, unveil … to bring into the open that which was once hidden. Take, for instance, the mystery … the clues are all around you; you see them but you don’t understand how they are connected to the mystery. Someone comes along and unveils the mystery to you and suddenly all the clues make sense. The pieces all fit together. The picture is profound and your heart leaps because the mystery now becomes a revelation!
For years I thought that somehow those living in unreached people groups would somehow “discover” the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After all, the clues are everywhere. You can find God’s plan for creation in nature. You can see God’s heart in loving family relationships. You can understand God’s provision through seedtime and harvest. The clues to the reality of God and His love for mankind are everywhere. But the truth is that these lost and forgotten people have nothing with which to associate all these clues. They are useless to them in their quest to find the truth of the Gospel. In fact, they don’t even know there is such a thing as the Gospel! Not unless the Gospel is …
Disclosed! Someone has to reveal, divulge, unveil and bring into open the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When they hear the message and consider what they know, the Spirit of God will bring illumination on all the “clues” around them, fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together to confirm the Message of Truth!
Rom 10:13-14 clarifies my point: “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
How can we expect them to just simply figure it out? For those of you reading this who are believers, could you have simply figured it out without someone sharing the Truth of the Gospel with you? Think about it … no television, no radio, no Bibles, no Christian bookstores, no churches on every corner, no friends to share with you, no mamas praying for you, … in a society totally void of any reference whatsoever to the Gospel, how would you have known?
The scripture in Romans 10 goes on to say, “And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (v.15)
Heart of God International Ministries is SENDING missionaries, not only into areas who have heard the Gospel but who need teaching and discipling, but we are sending missionaries into the areas where the name of Jesus has never been uttered and the Gospel never been preached. God is opening doors and beckoning us to step into areas where He yearns to have someone “Disclose” the Gospel message, unveiling Truth, dispelling lies, and demonstrating His love to those who have never heard.
I would love to ask for your financial help; that is probably what you expect after all this! But that’s not the purpose of this article. I simply want to “Disclose” a stark reality to you while stirring your heart to pray that God would equip us and send us into more areas with the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. We want to impact the imbalance between missionaries focusing on the reached people groups (about 90% of all missionaries work in “reached” people groups) as compared to those going into new territories, establishing churches and discipleship/growth opportunities in people groups who are desperately in need of a Savior.
I want to hear from you! Are you moved to pray? Here are some specific points to use as you pray for HGIM as we respond to the call God seems to be stirring in our hearts:
- HGIM needs team members who understand the call and who are willing to be obedient;
- We need to strengthen our team of intercessors (Palal Partners) by adding to them, appointing a coordinator, and keeping all these matters in the forefront of the prayer list;
- HGIM is looking for full-time long-term missionaries who will be willing to go into an unreached people group to work;
- We need financial backing and/or corporate sponsorship to help underwrite the costs of outreach, travel, etc.
We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Our work in East Africa, Haiti, India, the military (Soldiers Bible Ministry), and elsewhere is growing and making a huge impact. But, that’s only the beginning … as long as there are 8,000 unreached people groups in the world, our work is incomplete!
“Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him-to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27 NIV) Note: “all nations” is the Greek word “ethnee” referring to ethnic group or people group.
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© Jan Ross
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