Greetings from Colombia. Julie and I pray that you’re strong in the Lord and living your life for and with our great King Jesus.
Years ago, Willie Nelson wrote a song entitled, “On The Road Again”. The repetitive line in the song is, “On the road again, I just can’t wait to get on the road again”. It was a hit song and became part of the sound track in the movie Forest Gump. Since age 12, I have always liked Willie and his music. Did you know that Willie was not the first man to have that theme and desire burning in his heart? The Lord Jesus himself seemed to be a man that could not wait to get on the road again. He traveled constantly throughout Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, to spread the message of the kingdom of God and bring healing and hope to those in need. He was motivated by his love for humanity and his mission to fulfill the will of God.
In Mark 1:38, Jesus says, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” This demonstrates his desire to spread the good news and bring hope to all people. In Matthew 9:35, Jesus says, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” This shows his compassionate nature and the reason for his ministry, to reach out to those who were marginalized and in need of healing and forgiveness. Overall, Jesus’ traveling ministry was about spreading the message of God’s love, healing the brokenhearted, and calling people to repent and believe in the gospel. Jesus was indeed the greatest evangelist.
The apostle Paul was the second greatest evangelist. He could not wait to get on the road again either. Paul was motivated by his love for God and a burning desire to share the good news of the gospel with others. He traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean region, preaching the message of salvation and establishing churches along the way. One of the key motivators for Paul’s traveling ministry was his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus recorded in Acts 9:3-9. He met Jesus on the road to persecute Him (His body of believers) and then stayed on the road to proclaim Him. He became a passionate and tireless preacher of the gospel, dedicating his life to spreading the message of salvation to all people.
Paul’s reasons for traveling were two-fold. Firstly, he wanted to reach people who had never heard the gospel so that they might receive the message of salvation and be reconciled to God. Secondly, he wanted to strengthen and encourage the new churches that he had established, helping them to grow and mature in their faith. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, Paul explains his mission to reach people with the gospel. He states, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” This verse encapsulates Paul’s heart for ministry, as he was willing to do whatever it took to reach people with the message of salvation. In Romans 10:15, Paul emphasizes the importance of preaching the gospel to all people, saying, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”. This verse highlights the significance of Paul’s traveling ministry, as he was bringing the good news of salvation to people who were far from God.
I believe that your support of us as missionary evangelists is critical to the advancement of the kingdom of God. Everywhere we go, you go. Every person we bring the healing of Jesus to, you bring healing to. Most importantly, every soul we reach with the gospel, you have reached! Thank you for your heart to send the gospel to those who have never heard.
So far this month I am teaching and preaching at Puerta del Cielo in Llanogrande. Also in Bogota at Iglesia Semillas de Vida. May the Lord strengthen both of these churches. Further, we are working on a crusade for the Spring in Villavicencio and also on a revival conference in Bogota for the later part of May.
We want you to know that we love you and are praying for you!
Charley & Julie
On The Road Again
