Advance the Gospel

Here Is Some Advice: Be Patient

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On average we are in 12 churches per month. We have had the opportunity to learn from men who are serving God that come from very different backgrounds. We have shared our hearts and we have asked men of God to share advice with us. The counsel and advice I’ve been given these past months has been priceless! The topic of today’s post comes from another seasoned man of God. He told me, “Sanctification is a life-long process, be patient.” Sanctification is the “setting apart” work of God. In one sense, we are “sanctified” positionally because of what Jesus has done in dying for our sins. In another sense, are “sanctification” is an on-going process. We are becoming more and more like Jesus as we submit to Him.

We want to see folks saved, discipled, and trained to serve God. Often times, we can get in such a hurry that we lose patience with brothers and sisters in Christ. We want to see them “progress” much faster than they are. This turns into frustration very quickly. Remember to be patient with people. God is at work, love them and lead them. How can we be patient like this? Here are two things to remember…

  • Remember where you come from. I can be patient with others when I remember how God has worked in my life since the day I was saved. I can look back at the progression. At times it may have looked like I was at a “stand still”, but I wasn’t, God was still working on me (and He still is).  The night I believed on Jesus, I did not wake up the next day knowing all the Bible, knowing how to navigate this world, and knowing how to let go of sinfulness in my life. Truthfully, I was still a mess and didn’t even realize it. It took years before I even realized things needed to change. It took God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and a loving, patient church to build me and lead me to serve Jesus! Remembering how long it has taken me (or how long it is taking me) helps me remember that sanctification is a life-long process and I need to be patient wth others as they draw closer to Jesus!
  • Remember God is the One who sanctifies. God absolutely uses the local church to build and love His children to conform to His will, but it is God who does the work! God’s Word convicts us and changes us! Jesus prayed in John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jesus didn’t make this request to His disciples. He didn’t encourage Peter, James, John and the guys to sanctify those who are saved. They couldn’t do it and neither can we. Jesus asked God the Father to do so because this is a work that only God can do!

Being patient with people is not easy, but it is absolutely necessary. God is at work. As you and I serve Jesus in our local churches, remember that sanctification is a life-long process, so be patient with your brothers and sisters in Christ that you are discipling and training.

Quick Update: Continuing a Mission Conference

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We started a Mission Conference on Wednesday. This conference is different because we knew Pastor Butler before the conference ever started. We almost never know the Pastor or church members before we arrive other than on the phone. Pastor Butler was the Associate Pastor at our home church when Leslie and I were in high school. It has been great seeing him and Mrs. Butler. God is blessing them here in Greenville, NC.

Please pray that God continues to work here at Peoples Baptist Church. Thank you for your prayers.

Serving Together,

Patrick, Leslie, Lily, Piper, and Ivy Henry

Here Is Some Advice: Be An Encouragement

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Deputation affords us the unique opportunity to learn from pastors and church leaders from all over the country.  The truth is, deputation is all about raising funds.  This is the reason a missionary goes on deputation.  We go from church to church to church sharing our hearts in hopes that God will raise the needed funds for us to plant churches on the mission field.  I can say that our time on deputation has been a blessing.  The reality is, you have some meetings that go very well and some that do not.  One pastor gave me some advice about deputation.  He said, “you will have some meetings where churches will partner with, some will not, and some cannot.  You should resolve in your heart to be an encouragement to that pastor and that church, regardless if there is a chance to partner with a church or not.  God gave you that meeting with that specific church, you called but God gave it to you.  He has you there for a purpose, be an encouragement.”  This is advice I have tried to live by.  I strive to be an encouragement in every meeting we have with every church and with every pastor.  Even though this is in context of deputation, we should really try to be an encouragement in each encounter God gives us.  Here are a few ways I try to be an encouragement with every meeting God gives us…

  • God loves and cares for you.  As in any church you don’t always know what is going on in each individual life.  But, whether in the valley or on the mountain top it is good to remember that our God loves and cares for us.  It is all about who we are in Christ.  If you are in Christ you are loved, forgiven, accepted, and saved (Just to name a few things).  The wrath of God no longer abides on you.  Your God is not out to get you.  He loves you.  You are His child.  He is not waiting for you to mess up.  He is interested in you.  He loves you. (There are many verses in the Bible that explain this, read Ephesians 1-3 to learn about our wealth in Christ.)
  • The Bible is God’s Word.  With every opportunity I am given, we look to God’s Word for encouragement.  For those in Christ, God has not only saved you, but He has a plan for your life as well.  You may have missed out on something in the past, but God still desires to use you.  If you have a pulse, He has a plan!  For those who are not in Christ, God has a plan for them as well, and that is for them to believe on Jesus for Salvation.  (See II Timothy 3:14-17)
  • In each church we are in I try to encourage them by challenging them.  The challenge is three fold.
    • World Evangelism, getting the Gospel to every soul in our generation.  (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, II Peter 3:9)
    • To step out by faith, believe God and step out further than you have ever before.  (Hebrews 11 is a great chapter to challenge us to live by faith.)
    • Serve others, this is in the context of the local church, but can be manifested in other parts of our lives. (See Ephesians 5:21)

There are also specific ways to be an encouragement in the lives of others.  Some people may be going through a tragedy (we have seen that), some may be going through times of uncertainty (we have seen that too), some may have lost their job, loved ones, or may be losing their health (we have seen this too).  Others may be experiencing prosperity, every life has specifics and many times there is not a way to know until you spend some time with those people.

We all need encouragement.  We all can be an encouragement to others also.  That Pastor’s advice to be an encouragement to others has stuck with me.  Who can you be an encouragement to today?

Highlighted Bible Reading: Luke 10:17-20

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Luke 10:17-20

What should we rejoice in? Maybe more appropriately, where do we find our worth? As I am on deputation to go to Argentina, it is very hard not to wrap myself up into what God has called us to do in Argentina. My success or failure is totally based on what happens when we get there. My worth will be seen through the lens of that ministry.

Jesus has something to say about this sort of thing. The disciples were so thrilled at the results of there ministry. Things were happening! Demons were even subject to them (10:17). So what was Jesus response to this? Jesus made very clear that they should not rejoice in the fact that the demons were subject to them, but they should rejoice that their names are written in Heaven (10:20). There ministry was not what Jesus told them to rejoice in, or identify themselves by for that matter. Their source of joy should not be in the fruit of ministry. There joy should be found that their names are written in Heaven, that they belong to Jesus!