*DAILY DEW 8/DECEMBER/2022* *When Your Church’s Missions Heartbeat Has Flatlined* (III) _Key Bible Text:_ *"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"* (1 Corinthians 9:16 (KJV)) _Bible Insight:_ _Put Wow before Woe_ Jesus and the prophets employed the language of “woe” to issue their strongest rebukes. Paul employed similar tones at times as well. The Galatians flirting with another gospel deserved the sharpest words of correction. But Paul refrained from that tone in Philippi. Paul chose to rejoice, not rebuke. Rebuke would’ve been out of place as he felt an enormous amount of affection for these saints that had stood by him in some of his most desperate times. God was clearly at work among them. As leaders of our churches, we often see what’s lacking, not what God is indeed doing. Gratitude, not criticism, was Paul’s starting place. Is it ours? Paul chose to wow rather than issue the woe. *A casual attitude about mission stems from a casual affection for Christ.* Paul knew this, so he aimed at raising their adoration of Christ. “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21 ESV). Everything that rivaled Christ, Paul considered to be a loss in view of the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8b HCSB). In 2:5–11, Paul chose not to merely say “Jesus was humble,” but instead, he slowed down, revealing the stages of Christ’s downward descent so that Philippian souls might be shocked at such a God. *Revaluing Christ will correct a devaluing of mission.* I recently spent some time with a brother whose passion for the Great Commission never seems to wane. I wanted to learn from him how he sustains that passion, so I asked him. He simply said he thinks I don’t have an evangelism problem but a gospel one. I think Paul would agree. *A people not wowed by the good news of Christ won’t seek to woo others to embrace it.* Your extolling of Christ precedes your people extending Christ to others. Mission is the reflex of people rejoicing in Jesus. _MEDITATION:_ *“The plague of mission drift must first be addressed here, pleading with God to shape our minds so we might be sent on mission.”* *#Greg_Handley* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Guest_Message* *#Hello_DECEMBER* ❤ Links To Visit: *Register4HTP2022:* https://bit.ly/HTP2022_ACTIVATED *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.