God still answers prayers. We are in a real struggle, but not with flesh and blood alone. Thanks to your prayers, after several meetings and much prayer also from our side, it seems that we have made a major step forward in resolving some problems within the ladies group. We still face some major hurdles in the men's leadership, but we did see a significant breakthrough. One of our key young leaders, who is perhaps the most active and talented of our leadership, has had major problems working together with the older leaders. We finally had to ask him to step aside temporarily from the leadership until he learns how to better handle relationships with people. He seems to have taken the discipline well; we now await a change in his behavior. I gave him a book which can really help if he will read and apply it. So please continue to pray for our leadership, for true revival, and for Liz and myself to be faithful to His calling and experience His power in our lives.
Have you ever questioned if God loved you when you face problems? I will be speaking to our young people tomorrow night at their youth service. Many have come from broken homes, poverty, and being shunted from one relative to another. But it is often those very problems in our lives which God uses to accomplish in us His perfect plan for our lives. Joseph, the spoiled young son of Jacob, was sold into slavery and then thrown in jail after the lies of a disappointed woman. Yet after 13 years, God used him to save his people from starvation, and he rose to great prominence. David, despised by his older brothers, killed Goliath. He was repaid by King Saul's multiple attempts on his life, yet rose to be Israel's greatest king. Daniel was a teenage displaced slave in a foreign land, but rose to great prominence in Babylon. And Esther was the orphan Jewish girl cared for by her uncle who became queen of Babylon. I think of how God worked through my life during the three years we were in concentration camp in World War II, and then with limited finances, yet God opened the door for my education as a doctor. And Liz's parents were chased out of China, and her mother was sick a number of years afterwards. She did much of the care of the house as a young girl. These situations build character into our lives. So pray that the message will encourage our young people to move ahead for God.
Bible Institutes: I will promote the two Bible Institutes at three of our churches a week from Sunday. I am working hard on preparing materials. I have two months materials on leadership, and about one month material on missions thus far. Pray that the lessons will impact lives.
I am still burdened about reaching more of the lost. We are focusing on some necessary internal problems, but pray that we will indeed be faithful also in seeing the lost come to the Savior. Pray for reaching and discipling several new ladies attending church services. Also pray for a lady we counseled today who faces many problems, is discouraged and ready to quit.
Prayer requests:
Strength and health for the work
Spiritual growth and maturity
Independence of the churches - including self- support, self government, and self-propagation
Bible Institutes
Continued outreach through radio and television programs
Souls saved and discipled
In Him and Content Bob and Liz Patton Missionaries to Suriname