February, 2007 

Behold, We Go Up To Jerusalem 

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again." (Luke 18:31-33)

The Lord Jesus Christ always attached his ministry to a place. Certainly he is the God of the universe, but he chose to come to earth. Certainly he is the God of all people, but he chose the people of Israel as his instruments and he chose the land of Jerusalem to be the focal point of his ministry. And so it is for the Church today. As Christians we are to reach the world for Christ, but we are to do so one city and one region at a time. For Saving Grace it appears that God has identified our "Jerusalem." The region and vicinity in which we are to minister has been localized to Queen Creek and now is further identified as the Ellsworth Road area. Should everything go well with the land acquisition process (pleas pray!) our ministry will soon have much-needed geographical focus.

The thing about Jesus Ministry was that nothing ever discouraged him on his way to Jerusalem. And nothing ever distracted him on that way either. He could have been tempted to linger in areas where he was well liked and well received, but he didn't stay at those places he moved toward his goal- toward Jerusalem. And he could have been tempted to hurry through towns and villages where he was persecuted and rejected. But he did not rush through them because they were the Lord's chosen Ministry for Him-at that time and for those people.

And now for us at Saving Grace we are on the way to our Jerusalem. We are on a journey that will bring us joys and challenges. It will bring opportunities to stop and linger or to hurry past. My prayer for us is that our driving force will be the Lord's will for our lives. That we will see each day and each step as an opportunity to trust in the Lord and to do His will. I pray that we will not be afraid by what our eyes perceive as obstacles nor will we be constrained by what our minds conceive as limitations. May we like Jesus simply march along the road to Jerusalem being faithful and loving each step of the way.

God's peace be with you,

Pastor Augie