SATURDAY July 22, 2023

Setting the Church Order

So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.
Acts 14:23-26

Think about it. Paul had been stoned by the Jews. They picked up large rocks to throw at him, not small, little pebbles. While he lay still, bruised and injured, seemingly dead, all of a sudden, the Lord revived him. What did Paul do next? He went straight back into the city to preach the Gospel (Acts 14:20). Paul was a very determined person. He never gave up! He had perfect persistence.

Neither did Paul became discouraged by his recent trials on the mission field. He never quit and went back home. Instead, he traveled with Barnabas another 60 miles to preach the Gospel in Derbe. As a result, many people became disciples of Christ. Having the gift of exhortation, Paul strengthened and encouraged these new believers to continue in the faith, knowing the Christian life was not always easy. He told them: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom” (Acts 14:22).

We also see that Paul and Barnabas, as missionaries, did everything in order. They set up elders in new churches and commended them to the Lord. Finally, they returned to Antioch, only when they had completed their God-given mission.

God gives a missionary or a man of God special gifting. The Lord will give His servants the ability to preach, to be bold, and to have discernment, humility, faith, teaching, exhortation and persistence in finishing the work of God. Missionaries make disciples. Being gifted administratively, they often plant churches and set up leadership so that the work of God continues from generation to generation.

This lost world will never be reached and brought back to loyalty to God, until the children of God wake up to the fact that they have a mission in the world. If we are true Christians we should all be missionaries.
~D.L. Moody~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!