2014 BFM Spring Conference: Theme & Featured Offering
CONFERENCE THEME:
“BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!”
2 Corinthians 6.2
This Gospel promise and command is so much more than just a stirring evangelistic message or compelling invitation. It is that for sure – but this is a message from Jesus Christ Himself, pressing and urging us to proclaim His saving Grace to all the nations of the earth…and that He will help us to do this!
This ‘time of acceptance’ and ‘day of salvation’ is ‘NOW…TODAY’…in this New Testament Gospel era.
In fact, in order to understand the full impact of this message, you must read it as it was originally and prophetically given to Jesus Christ in Isaiah 49.8:
Thus saith the LORD,
“In an acceptable time [time of acceptance] have I heard Thee,
and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee:
and I will preserve Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people,
to establish [raise up] the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate places…
The promise of this ‘time of acceptance’ and ‘day of salvation’ was FIRST given to Messiah Himself from His Father to assure Him that His own saving mission would be accomplished! The Father promised to ‘help’ The Christ, to ‘preserve’ Him, and give Him ‘for a covenant of the people.’
That ‘Day of Salvation’ is NOW…TODAY!
This is where we are…this is what we are doing!
Jesus Christ Himself is speaking prophetically in Isaiah 49 about His own Gospel mission. He is relating to us the salvation mission and message He, Himself, has received from His own Father, “The LORD,” to bring to the world when He came.
* Verse 1. He is prophesying His own birth and coming into our world ‘when the fullness of the time’ would come [Galatians 4.4].
* Verse 3. He promises He will ‘be glorified,’ just as the Father promised to glorify Him on His Cross [John 12.28].
* Verse 6. The Father promises Christ that He will gather not only ‘the preserved of Israel,’ but also that He will give Him ‘for a light to the Gentiles,’ that He will be God’s Salvation ‘unto the end of the earth’ [Luke 2.30-32]. His Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes – to the Jew first and also to all the Gentiles [Romans 1.16].
* Verse 7. When Messiah [Christ] comes, He will be despised by men and abhorred by His own nation as He certainly was [John 1.9-13 and Isaiah 53.3], but He will satisfactorily, sufficiently, and successfully save His people from their sins [Matthew 1.21].
Jesus Christ Himself is ‘The Day of Salvation’ – and that Day is NOW…TODAY!
So, what does that mean for us? It means that His mission is our mission! His purpose is our purpose! His message is our message! He is bringing us into His own “Day of Salvation” mission to be ‘workers together with Him’!
And, when we commit and give ourselves to this message of Gospel missions, God will help us, too! We need the help of God – lots of His help – to complete the mission and assignment He has given us.
But, the very reason Paul reiterates this Messianic covenant promise to the Corinthian church was to remind them – and all of us, His churches – that, in our Gospel ‘Day of Salvation,’ we are God’s ‘co-workers’ [‘workers together with Him’], and He will give us the Grace we need to faithfully and effectively carry our Great Commission mission to His purposed result.
But, we must not receive the Grace of God ‘in vain’ – meaning, we must fulfill our responsibilities to ‘preach the Gospel to every creature.’ And, with the help that God promises us – we will!
“BEHOLD! NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!”
The day and time to be involved in the mission of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation and person in the world is NOW…TODAY!
“NOW…TODAY” is the day for proclaiming God’s Gospel of His acceptance and salvation.
“NOW…TODAY” is the time and era when the grace of God is actively and effectively working. We are still ‘workers together with Him.’
“NOW…TODAY” is the day when God is fulfilling His covenant purposes in Christ. God is still saving sinners. That’s what Christ came to do – and died and resurrected to accomplish!
“NOW…TODAY” is still a time of great responsibility and pressing urgency. The Great Commission is still Jesus Christ’s mandate for His churches.
“NOW…TODAY” is the day for each of us – and all of us together – to commit ourselves to join Jesus Christ in His Harvest and personally participate in His “Day of Salvation”!
“NOW…TODAY” is the time Christ has assigned to us, and every day draws us one more day closer to the end of our opportunities. We don’t know when that day will be – but the day is coming soon when there will be no more “NOW…TODAY” of salvation opportunity – and everyone will know it.
Until then, we must continue to proclaim His Grace to the nations of the world: “BEHOLD! NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!”
We are asking you to come, and partner with us, and help us…NOW…TODAY!
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CONFERENCE OFFERING:
DESIGNATED FOR OUR ‘GENERAL FUND’
Our greatest need continues to be increased supplies for our GENERAL FUND. Our GENERAL FUND offerings provide for all the commitments we have made to our missionaries. For example, every month, we disburse AT LEAST $43,300.54 from the GENERAL FUND just for the Essential Maintenance Transactions which supply the essential and basic ‘living expenses’ commitments we have made to our missionaries. These include their salaries, standard ministry expense allowances, hospitalization premiums, and the publication of their newsletters we print and send to you each month to report on their ministry activities.
And, that is not including also the expenses paid for from the GENERAL FUND which finance the other commitments and benefits they receive each month or periodically through the year as they need them.
WE DO NOT ASK THEM TO ‘RAISE’ THESE SUPPORT FUNDS FOR THEMSELVES. But, if GENERAL FUND offerings are not sufficient to cover those disbursements, then we have no choice but to NOT GIVE THEM those same monthly commitments. That is why we are always emphasizing THE GENERAL FUND offerings.
So, we are asking you to give as generously as you can to our Conference Offerings which we will use to replenish their GENERAL FUND supplies.
If you cannot attend the Conference, but still want to give a gift, send it to our Treasurer:
Pastor George Sledd
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe FL 32747-1280
Or, you can contribute online either by check/debit or by credit card securely on the Donate/Support page of our website. Enter your designation for SPRING CONFERENCE OFFERING in the Memo field.
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