Return here for updates from our Missionaries!
|
|
|
Rogers Update 11/7/2024
November 7, 2024
Hi Everyone,
God, who continually demonstrates that He is smarter than the rest of us, often chooses to teach us truth not only in doctrine, but also through the lives of the people in the Bible. I discover myself relating to God's servants in a personal way because I find myself going through experiences now that are similar to what they were going through then. Often, they didn't like it any better than I do now. We all have our personal image we desire to associate with ourselves. I mean who doesn't want to be David slaying Goliath instead of Peter denying Christ. However, I have discovered we all tend to experience both aspects in our lives.
My current Bible example is the Apostle Paul. Now I need to clarify the following. I am not saying that I am of the quality of Paul when we examine his ministry... Wait a minute! Paul's ministry value was centered in the quality of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, Paul identifies himself as the chief of sinners. Therefore, because of Jesus, the quality of my ministry and what is accomplished through it is centered in the Lord Jesus just as Paul's was! That's a relief! This whole serving God thing is about who the Lord is, not who I am!
Okay, now that the issue of greatness is settled, let's continue with the example of Paul's life. He had a very exciting life of travel involving starting churches and developing them as well as encouraging many believers along the way. I am sure there were some scary moments, but overall, what a thrilling ministry! He was where the action was taking place!
Then Paul gets thrown in prison, not just once either. Ultimately, he is executed during his final stay in a Roman cell. I often wonder what he thought there. Did he feel like his ministry had come to an end? Did he try to explain to God how he could be more effective if he could travel again? Those would be easy conclusions to make from a human perspective. God's perspective is better!
A whole new ministry was being developed by God for his servant. He mentored believers all over the Roman Empire from his jail cell. He led people to the Lord he would never have met if he wasn't confined in prison. He counseled and taught people who left, carrying messages of hope to other believers in many places. How many times did he express in his writings that he wished he could be with fellow believers in person? Writing became a tool that God would use in his life to continue his ministry. God gave him the privilege to record truth in scripture that has been read by thousands. Excuse me, I believe the actual figure is in the millions!
When Paul ultimately arrived in Heaven, did he tell God that his ministry would have been better had God done it Paul's way?! Doctrinally, we know that is not true! Does our heart agree? All of us tend to view the world and ministry from our reference points and our way of doing things. God has a better view.
My prayer life for the last few months has been wrapped in the Apostle Paul and his life of ministry. For many years of God's ministry in my life, I traveled all over the United States and some places in other parts of the world. Then God allowed me to have serious health issues. I found myself in the "prison" of my home, unable to travel much at all. I did make a few trips, but the damage in my spinal column often prevented me from traveling.
However, God used the years of travel to open doors of counseling even though I was unable to go on many trips. Through Skype, Zoom, and phone calls, my counseling opportunities have actually increased. Just as Paul had a prison ministry, God has given me a hospital ministry. I have had many opportunities to share Christ with the medical world as well as friends and neighbors. Through emails, I have been involved in encouraging others. Obviously, I haven't written any new Bible scripture, but I get to write about the scripture of the Bible! I also finished a new novel about the second coming of Christ. It should be available the first of the year. I love writing books. Books allow me to minister to people even when I am not there!
One of the most encouraging aspects of experiencing ministry guided by God is His provision. We have been at 50% support for many years and honorariums have made up the difference. Being unable to travel at this time has reduced our income in a major way, but God has amazingly provided our needs. We have not been late in paying any bills including medical bills. I am so very grateful to those who are supporting us financially as well as prayerfully in all these challenges. It has given me a new appreciation for Paul's gratefulness to the Church at Phillippi who sent to his need while in prison.
Thanks for letting me share my heart! I want to thank all of you for praying for the BEM Small Church Conference that has just taken place the first of November. All the reports I have received indicate it was a great conference. I was unable to attend due to increased pain in my spinal column. (I have an aging spine with serious damage to a vertebra near my heart that involves a collapsed disk.) I have been meeting with specialist for almost two years without solving the issues. I am currently being scheduled with a neurosurgeon in the next couple of months. I have met with other surgeons, but this one has a reputation for solving issues. There will probably be several MRI's in the weeks ahead. One is already scheduled. Pray for God's guidance in the months that are to come. Pray for Beabea as she is busy with husband, grandkids, and serving God all mixed into one!
These years on earth seem overwhelming at times, but God has never been distracted by the challenges of life on a sinful planet. He is still God!
Serving our amazing God!
John (and Beabea) Rogers
jtrbem@gmail.com
Personal Contact Information:
John and Beabea Rogers
235 Carta Road, APT L1
Knoxville, TN 37914
Cell: (765) 753-0056
Mission Contact Information:
Barnabas Enrichment Ministries
P.O. Box 4
Goshen, IN 46527-0004
(765) 667-2532
www.barnabasenrichmentministries.org
|
|
|
