Daily Treasure

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20a).

Key proponents within the changing paradigm of missions are nationals.”  These are native-born believers within a certain field or region. They do not have to learn language, move across the ocean or cross cultural barriers in order to share the gospel with the unreached. TWG study writer, Shirley Combs says,

“Individual missionaries cannot possibly give all believers the care they need.  So, we follow Christ’s example and concentrate ourselves on those who will be leaders in the church groups that are forming.  Jesus enlisted men who could bear witness to His life and continue after He returned to His Father.  Missionaries must enlist individuals who will faithfully bear witness to Jesus after they have left the field or gone on to other target groups.  Those who actively go, make disciples and baptize must teach their disciples ‘to observe all things’ Christ has commanded them.  This is a precious time for “partnering.”

These national church leaders have no ordination papers. Their spiritual knowledge may be limited. So missionaries must partner with them until the time they must turn the work of evangelism over to them.  We need to pray earnestly for national church leaders.  They are an integral part of God’s plan to share the gospel to every nation and tribe.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the director and staff of Free Will Baptist International Missions.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations… (Matthew 28:19a).

If you have had the opportunity to hear missionaries home on furlough, you know everything doesn’t just fall into place once they go to their field.  I love the way pioneer missionary, Shirley Combs, explained the necessity of making “contacts through friendship evangelism.”  Whether one has been on the field for many years, is a new appointee or a stay-at-home missionary, it’s important to patiently work with new converts.  These “children of the faith” need parenting.  Your goal should be to teach others so they can turn around and teach others.  This does take time and energy, but it’s worth the effort as you see them grow in Christ.

Of course, there is more to today’s verse. We really cannot forget the word “baptizing” as part of the Great Commission.  Once a person, wherever the field, is saved, you must explain the importance of following the Lord in baptism.  You may meet with resistance, but, if God hadn’t felt baptism was important, He would not have included it in His command to go and teach.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray today for NAFWB Executive Secretary Keith Burden and the staff of the Free Will Baptist Executive Office.

“Samuel then took a large stone and place it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer–the stone of help–for he said, Up to this point the Lord has helped us!” 1 Samuel 7:12 (NLT).

Today I’d like you to take a look backwards. Look back down the path you’ve walked since becoming a Christian. It might be a rather lengthy trail or one that’s just recently been started. Either way, look closely. Do you have any Ebenezers along that road?

You do know what Ebenezers are, don’t you? Well, let me fill you in!

Ebenezers are markers of faith. Ebenezers are memorial stones. Ebenezers are obstacles you’ve overcome and now use as trinkets from the adventure. Ebenezers are the souveniers of life on the path towards godliness. Ebenezers are not altars to be worshipped but reminders of who deserves your praise.

You do have some, don’t you?

The day you were saved deserves a boulder sized stone.

The day you stepped out in faith believing it was His will you were seeking, not your own? Have you placed a large rock there?

The moment you turned that burden over to Him for the last time–and He’s kept it for you? Is there an Ebenezer there?

The place at the altar in the church in which worship, do you have a stone there?

The hospital where He answered your prayers? Got a rock there?

Go ahead and look down the path you’ve taken. Look over the Ebenezers you’ve set up and allow them to bolster your faith. Let them encourage you to go onward and upward—you’ve got a lot more rocks to place before your trip is over.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Let’s blanket Free Will Baptists with prayer. If you will consider praying daily for the following requests, please leave a comment to let us know we are truly praying together.

“These are the names of the twelve he chose…”  Mark 3:16 (NLT).

You know the list, don’t you?  Simon (Peter), James and John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Alphaeus’ son James, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas.  The men selected to carry His message, touch those He couldn’t reach and speak in places He couldn’t be.  Workers chosen for an important task.  Apostles.  Disciples.  Missionaries.

An important list.  A chronicle of potential martyrs, soon-to-be considered saints and ordinary men set out on extraordinary missions.  We ooh and aah over their escapades, their zeal and their faith.  We model our lives after the power proved in the accounts of these twelve. We can trace their names through history, the Bible’s and the world’s, and find that what He sent them out to do–they did.

Did you know this list of those God has chosen is not an exhaustive list?  It doesn’t include everyone selected for the job.  It doesn’t, name by name, provide us with a detailed account of those called to do His will, share His message and use His power in ways that affect many…

How do I know?  Because it doesn’t include your name or mine.

We, having been saved from our sins by His blood, are chosen alongside these 12 to serve.  The fact that our names are not listed in Mark 3 does not, if we claim to be His, exempt us from service.  Our callings came at a much later time, perhaps at an altar of prayer, kneeling beside our parents’ sofa or in a Bible school classroom–but you can be sure we’ve been called to carry out the same mission.  As His, we’re on the list.

What are you doing with your calling?  Anything?  Anything, at all?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for WNAC vice president Shirley Jackson in her role as function coordinator for the 2010 WNAC Convention.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

As familiar as this verse has always been, I always find something new every time I read or study it.  There are various ways of interpreting this verse. In my writing preparation, I discovered that this verse encompasses the whole book of Acts.  All the places the apostles were to be witnesses are broken down throughout its chapters. The apostles had just watched their loving Savior ascend to Heaven; they were trying to grasp the command He left with them.  It seemed an overwhelming job to accomplish. However, our verse reminds us, no matter how staggering the task, we don’t go in our own power.  Just as the apostles waited to be equipped with the Holy Ghost, we must be just as endowed as we go and tell others about Jesus.

The world today has expanded greatly since the early church.  As we look over our own missions history as a denomination, we have seen the number of fields, as well as the number of laborers, multiplied. Paradigm changes have been prompted somewhat because of this growth.  However, factors like needing more workers and the economy are now affecting change as well.

We all have a missionary calling as we carry the gospel day to day in our corner of the world.  If  we don’t feel the call to a specific field within the world, we must strive to give financial and prayer support to those who are either on the field or getting ready to go.

In today’s economy, many can’t or won’t give as in the past. We sometimes neglect praying as we should. Many times our “go” won’t even be across the street to a neighbor. Be willing to give, pray and go anticipating what God will do as we work through the adventures and challenges of the changing paradigm of missions.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray God would provide needed funding for WNAC ministries. Pray that women would cheerfully give membership fees toward this end. Pray also for the WNAC Executive Committee as they meet today concerning a new leader for WNAC.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

Spreading the gospel in Rome was not a very popular thing to do at this time. It took courage to be bold in one’s witness.  Paul, the writer of Romans, wasn’t ashamed to share the good news of the gospel because he knew it was God’s powerful method of saving a perishing people. Yes, to the Jew first. This was Paul’s practice. But also to the Greeks. God extends His message of salvation to all nations.  Paul felt it a privilege to carry that message, knowing people would be saved if they embraced it.  We should have the same attitude as we take it wherever we go. It is the same message our missionaries have carried for years.  It is one we should pray will continue to go out, first at home, then onto the uttermost parts of the earth.  There are still people who need to hear the gospel message.  Are you willing to carry it?

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: April is the month for new growth in nature; let’s ask God to make it a month of new growth in our WAC group and in our prayer time.

“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16).

Jesus did have other sheep that were outside the Jewish realm. He looked ahead in time and as one commentary stated, “He gave us a glimpse of the future worldwide scope of the church, one flock with all having one Shepherd.” In His heart, the Gentiles were there, and in due time He would be bring them into His fold.  He looks to those of His fold to finish the work He has given us to do— to see that everyone has an opportunity for salvation while there is still time.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that God will speak to women attending district and state retreats or workshops scheduled this spring.