First Things First

To successfully communicate to you all that is happening with Mission Mbale, we must begin at the beginning, with God and His gospel.  This good news of Jesus is central to the purpose of our mission.  Yes, meeting the physical needs of the Ugandan people and caring for them are a critical part of what we do, but this work and service is really the avenue by which we are able to show and share the great love of God.  And it would be just plain silly to overlook our opportunity to share this message with readers on our blog as well.  We pray that God will use this post to draw you to Him, and if you have any questions or concerns, you will contact us at Mission Mbale.  We would love to pray and talk with you.  We don’t have all the answers, but this we know for sure:

--The gospel is the good news about God.  The Creator of the Universe loves you and created you to know Him in a personal way.

   

Therefore you are great, O LORD God.  There is none like you, and there is no God besides you. 2 Samuel 7:22

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

--Because all people are sinful, we are all separated from God and cannot have this personal relationship with Him.  We are all guilty of rebellion against God, and we are dead without Him. 

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.  Romans 3:12

--But God had a plan and his name is Jesus.  Jesus, who came to earth as both fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life we couldn’t live, died a death we deserve to die, and by rising again, He conquered the enemy we cannot conquer, death itself.  Jesus is the one and only hope, the only way to salvation from sin and death.

   

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5

    

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

      

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

          

Jesus said the him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

--It isn’t enough just to know these truths.  The gospel is a call to repentance and faith.  It is a gift from God, and there is nothing you can say or do to earn it on your own.  When you accept this gift of salvation, your life will be transformed.  You will be reconciled to God, your sins forgiven, and adopted by God.  The Holy Spirit—God Himself—will be with you.   You’ll have a new family--the church, the body of Christ, and one day, you will see God face to face and live with Him forever in heaven.

   

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

              

For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:8-10

              

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  And he said to me, “It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” Revelation 21:3-7

If you know or feel God speaking to you, calling you to receive this gift of salvation, then you need only talk with Him about it through prayer.  God knows your heart and is not as concerned with your words, only the attitude of your prayer.  You can pray something like this:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally.  Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.  I open the door of my life and receive you as my Savior and Lord.  Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life.  Take control of the throne of my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be.  Amen.

So this is it.  This is the first thing, the central truth that we have been given to share and the reason for our mission to Mbale.  It is God’s great love story, His ultimate plan.  And for all of us here in the US, and for the people of Uganda and around the world, there is NO PLAN B.