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Here Is Some Advice: Be Patient

October 14, 2015 by Patrick Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Argentina, Bible, Church Planting, Missionary, Missions, Patient, Patrick Henry, Sanctification

Highlighted Bible Reading: Luke 10:17-20

October 5, 2015 by Patrick Leave a Comment

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!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Argentina, Bible, Luke, Patrick Henry, Reading

Here Is Some Advice: Take Advice

September 23, 2015 by Patrick Leave a Comment

I remember my ordination. It was some 8-9 years ago. My Pastor had different men from around the community and from our church that had been in the ministry for decades. All of those men were ordained pastors who served in different ministries and churches. They all had experienced things that I have yet to experience. Before the end of my ordination, my pastor asked each man to give me some advice. This was invaluable! I learned about ministry, marriage, and just life in general from the men around that table.

I think in some ways, deputation is like an ordination council, in that you have the opportunity each Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night with men who have experienced what the young missionary hasn’t. This post is the beginning of a new series entitled, “Here Is Some Advice”. Over the next few weeks and month, I am going to endeavor to share with you some of the advice I have been given by these men. At times it may not be verbal, but exemplified (as in today’s post).

Here Is Some Advice: Take Advice/Critique/Evaluation.

I was in a mission conference recently where the pastor handed out to each missionary an “evaluation form”. He anticipated our thoughts. We are on deputation trying to raise support, any “evaluating” would be like “biting the hand that is considering to feed you”. Pastor quickly told us this is in an attempt to make them better. He wanted us as missionaries to evaluate the specifics of the conference so that it can be improved. This man is pastoring a spectacular church, a growing, thriving ministry. People are excited. The vision could not be made clearer. Pastor is incredibly organized and focused as well as very seasoned in the ministry. So what was going on in my mind was this question, “Why would a man that is so much more experienced and proven than we are ever take advice from lesser men who have not come close to where he is?” The answer is that he knew that the way to improve is to be able to take advice on how to do things differently/better.

What does the Bible say?  

  • A wise man will take advice. Proverbs 19:20 says, “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.”
  • A wise man will become wiser because of advice given. Proverbs 9:9 says, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
  • A wise man will even learn from those who are unwise. Proverbs 24:30-32 says, “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.”

Receiving such advice will make you better. What gets in the way? Our pride. We think we are above any criticism that we will not allow anyone an opportunity. But I learned this from the pastor I was with, grow by others sharpening you.

Here is some advice, learn to take advice/critiques/evaluations from others.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Advice, Argentina, Bible, Henry, Missionary, Missions, Patrick, Take

Highlighted Bible Reading: Mark 5:1-17

September 21, 2015 by Patrick Leave a Comment

It is amazing to me to think how people want God’s blessings, but not at any cost. A demon-possessed man, who spent his time around the tombs, came out to meet Jesus. After talking to the man (or the demons), Jesus cast out the demons. The demons were sent into the pigs, who ran off a cliff. This is a miracle. The people of that area should have been happy to see this, right? No.
“And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.” (Mark 5:17). Instead of expressing gratitude or worship to Jesus, the town’s people ask Him to leave. The cost of their pigs was too great (I will remind you that pigs were considered unclean animals under the old covenant). Their  relief of the demon-possessed man being healed was overshadowed by their dissatisfaction of the loss of their pigs. They were more concerned for their pigs than a man.
The grave mistake here is that people failed follow Jesus because it costs too much. Those who reject Christ on these grounds fail to realize how much it will truly cost them.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Argentina, Bible, Jesus, Missionary, Missions

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