War and...Rest?

I'm in San Antonio at the moment on Thanksgiving break. It's proving to be a very good rest after doing front-line missions work amidst the Coicoyan people in southern Mexico. We had a really great trip. It was personally very sanctifying. God really used the trip as a catalyst for drawing me closer to Himself. God is doing a work in those people, drawing them to Himself. We did 4 days of dental and medical clinics, and we saw over 500 patients. God really used that clinic to beginning opening doors in the hearts of the people.

I drove up to San Antonio with Gabe on Friday night, and then I've been at the Wilkinson's ever since. Matt and I had a couple of really great opportunities to share the gospel on Saturday. They were doing a pancake breakfast event at their apartment complex and a guy came up to me and started talking about not having peace and joy anymore because he wasn't following God. God definitely was preparing his heart to hear the gospel and to be encouraged in that.

Later that night Matt and I were approached by a guy asking for gas money. We ended up talking to him for an hour or so, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with Him. We were praising God as we got back to the car for the opportunity that He had given us. I laughingly said to Matt "Man, how many more people are we going to have cry out for the gospel today? Normally you have to approach people, but we've just had people crying out to us!" Praise God!

In a sense, I feel like all I've done is change battlefields. I was making war in Coicoyan, Mexico on the front-lines, and now I'm back in the States sharing the gospel with those that God puts in my path. God has been teaching me more and more that this Christian life is a constant war. I need to be making war against my flesh. I need to be putting to death selfishness, deceit, lust, pride, fear of men, anger, and all other sin. I need to be striving to glorify God in every area of my life. I need to boldly love those around me. I need to boldly preach Christ. I need to boldly put sin to death. No, this life isn't easy. It is a constant striving. It is war. Praise God that He has called me to constantly strive to be more like the Wonderful, Holy God that He is!

When I was in Coicoyan I was looking forward to this time in San Antonio as a rest from the front-lines. I have found that I find the most rest, the most peace, and the most joy when I am serving him boldly. Praise God!