MODERN DAY MISSION TRIPS

MODERN DAY MISSION TRIPS

Exod. 39:43  “And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.”

Many modern day missions trips are for the express purpose of building projects instead of what Christ commanded in Matt. 28:18-20 as well as Acts 1:8. These are more of a conscience soother for poor moral standards they live as soon as they get back home. And most get a ticket to world travel they would have never had except for this opportunity. It does no good for local missions to leave a life style that needs serious work to go to another country for manual labor instead of spiritual work. Not all fit this scenario but most that I have witnessed need to seriously consider what the Lord desires instead of what they head out to do. Like the Israelites it does no good to build a building and then to return to immoral lifestyles that fail to do all He hath said to do.

God had insisted that they build the tabernacle and all its equipment precisely according to his instructions, and He had, through the Holy Spirit, provided all the skills that were needed to do this. The Lord’s enablings always are adequate to accomplish His commands, but this also requires willingness on the part of His people. In this case, at least, the people did fulfill their covenant when they had said: “All the words which the LORD hath said will we do” (Exodus 24:3). But it always seems easier to do physical jobs for the Lord (e.g., build church buildings) than to obey His moral law. The Israelites, who performed so capably in building the tabernacle (as they did many centuries later on Solomon’s temple) miserably failed again and again in keeping God’s moral commandments and in trusting Him.