WHAT.
—
When a squadmate mentioned this morning that today was the 100th day of the race, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I’ve done and redone the math, and I still don’t think I completely believe it.
100 days. Unreal.
Over the last 100 days, I have…
Flown from Atlanta to Chicago to L.A. to China to Indonesia
Gotten kicked out of a campsite by the Indonesian Army
Shared my testimony. And the Gospel. In a mosque. During prayer time. With an imam.
Dressed up like Aladdin and attended an Indonesian wedding
Spent over 24 hours on one train commute
Surfed Cunta Beach
Eaten street food in Bangkok
Crossed the “no man’s land” border between Thailand and Myanmar on foot
Gone through the “should I just quit the race and adopt this kid?” crisis 27 times
Come arms length from a moray eel while free diving off the coast of a private island
Made all kinds of Indonesian, Thai, Burmese, Indian, and Nepali friends
Seen a church planted in Yangon, Myanmar
Served in two separate Mother Theresa homes
Seen God heal people on Indian streets and in Indian hospitals
Witnessed a monkey steal my team leader’s cell phone
Never recovered my team leader’s cell phone
Lived on top of a seminary library
Slept on the ceiling of an Indian sleeper train
Eaten pouri sabzi one hundred thousand times
Eaten mo mo’s one hundred thousand times
Eaten tandoori chicken one hundred thousand times
Worshiped on the tops of mountains
Profoundly experienced the Father’s love for me
Slept for 48 hours after profoundly experiencing the Father’s love for me
Had my chestpiece done at the world famous Mohan’s Tattoo Inn, Kathmandu
Climbed some Himalayas
Taught Pauline theology at a Bible College in Nepal
…just off the top of my head.
—
I want to thank each of you for all of your support. Truly, not a day goes by that I don’t realize how deeply appreciative I am for everything that each of you have done for me. From prayers to door-to-door t-shirt sales, it means the world to me that you care enough about me to support me in these ways. But much more, I praise the Lord for your willingness to make His glory known. I’m learning more and more every day what that means.
On my first day teaching at the Bible College here, I shared the story of how the Father saved me and how He brought me into the life of a missionary, and then, as an introduction to Paul’s letter to the Romans, we took the whole of Scripture to discover the true Heart of the Gospel. We found that it wasn’t fruit-bearing or signs and wonders or the law or the prophets or our doctrine, but that the Heart of the Gospel is the Cross.
The Law, the prophets, the epistles, the sermons of the apostles.
In Peter’s first sermon, the message is Christ.
In the introductions to Paul’s letters, the focus is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus Himself says (and Paul reminds us) that He is the fulfillment of all of the Law and the prophets.
After Paul writes about signs, wonders, and gifts of the Spirit, he urges the church to pursue more heavily love, “an even greater gift.”
When Christ teaches that we are the branches, He gives us the secret to bearing fruit: “abide in My love.”
“By this we know love. That Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” – 1 John 3:16
The heart of the Gospel is Christ.
The heart of the Law is Christ.
The heart of the prophets is Christ.
The heart of the epistles is Christ.
The heart of everything we do is Christ.
The heart of all history is what Christ did on the Cross.
Creation longed for His coming, and it longs for His return.
May we never forget the Heart of the Gospel as we present it to others, but moreover, may we never forget the Heart of the Gospel when ministering to ourselves.
—
Over the past 100 days, I have had some crazy adventures. Without a doubt the most ridiculous time of my life. But the most amazing thing that I’ve been able to experience is the Father’s love being poured out on people.
The Lord has used your support to afford me that opportunity. Thank you for being a part of this.
Salvations, healings, high-fives, smiles, hugs… I’ve had the joy of witnessing the Father put on display the Heart of the Gospel.
Love rescues people.
Love rescued me.
—
“But God shows His love for us in the while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
