From the Desk of a Friend: Following Jesus Christ

Luke 9:23-25
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

The instructions given here come from the highest authority, Jesus Christ. It is vital to heed these instructions. The little word “if” indicates a possibility one would not follow Him. In fact, many do not follow Him. The high cost of a temporary gain produces a loss of life as a “castaway.” The right choice is to follow Jesus. God gives us guidance on how.

1. Deny self. Deny the personal gain and the temporary attractions of this world. We must disregard our desires of the flesh. Our desire should be to please our Savior. Our task may not be pleasant, or it may be very difficult. It could be to unpleasant or unfriendly people. Whatever or wherever the task, Jesus Christ knows all about the possibilities and the problems. He wants a submitted and committed follower – faithful.

2. Deliberate act. Often the statement of cross-bearing is misunderstood. Some people view this act as an adverse circumstance or uncontrollable hardship. The instruction here is to “take up his cross.” The follower deliberately and voluntarily picks up the cross in this step. The cross is not a very pleasant object to pick up and carry as Jesus did with His cross. But He did it voluntarily also. The system and desire to fulfill a task may cost one temporarily, but the benefits extend to eternity.

3. Daily process. The Christian life of service is not like a commitment to an eight-hour job. It is not a “try and quit if you do not like it” commitment. Service is a daily process in every waking hour for as long as we live. It is a commitment to follow His will and a responsibility to the instructions of our Savior. We must carry out the directions as He asks. This commitment may be a challenging one. But it is the process of following in the footsteps of our Savior.

4. Directed activity. Jesus does not give the assignment and then leave us to our own direction and schedule. Thankfully, He stays with us every step and every stage of our lives. His commission to go into all the world accompanies the promise of His presence unto the end of the world. The potential problem is that we get the instructions, pick up the cross, and take it the way we want or think best. God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ not only provide the tasks for us but the specific instructions: the precious Word of God and the presence of the Savior.

5. Delightful finish. Even if this commitment causes us to lose the favor and riches of this world, the great gain is an eternal reward far better than any temporary increase on the earth. It is better to give our lives for the sake of Christ and save others than to gain all the wealth of the world and lose our souls.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

If Bro. Hurst’s article is an encouragement to you, please email him to let him know. You may also visit ebarnabas.org to make an appointment with him for encouragement.

From Our President: October 2019

Danny Whetstone

I have heard that the difference between minor surgery and major surgery is whether or not it is happening to you! We understand that every health issue is important, and prayer requests should be taken seriously when someone cares enough to ask us to pray. Sometimes a need is more significant than others. I do not wish to minimize anyone’s need as I mention these two that are dear to my heart.

Brother John O’Malley is home from heart bypass surgery. It is of the Lord’s mercies that the doctors were able to find his problem and deal with it expeditiously. We know that healthcare in America is very costly; however, I want to thank the Lord that it is available in situations like this one. Brother O’Malley has been used of the Lord at WWNTBM for more than twenty-six years, and we all have been touched by his ministry. Please continue to pray for him as he recuperates at home.

Brother Russell Bell was recently released from the hospital following an episode of excessive bleeding. We give praise to our Lord that he made it to the hospital in time for them to help him. However, in that process, the doctor discovered that he has liver cancer. Brother Bell will see a specialist on October 9. Please pray that the doctor will be able to treat this cancer and prolong Brother Bell’s ministry on into the future. Preacher Bell would be the first to admit that our Lord has been gracious to give him life and ministry over the years. I do not wish to be selfish, but I pray that the Lord would see fit to raise this man of God one more time.

We serve a God Who can do beyond anything that we are capable of asking. We serve a God Who answers the fervent prayers of His people. We serve a God Who has invited us to His throne of grace when we have a need. Now let’s take time to approach Him for these two men and the families that stand with them.

I trust that our Lord will protect you from all harm and bless you with good health as you continue to serve Him faithfully. Many are counting on you today, and many are expecting you in the future. May we be prepared in every way possible to be what they need.

In His Service,

Danny A. Whetstone

If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. Whetstone here to let him know.

Prayer & Dates: October 2019

October Prayer/Praises and Special Dates

Click the link above to download a PDF of prayer requests and praises as well as the birthdays and anniversaries for October. Note: You will need to login to SecureCloud in order to view this document. Once you have logged in, click on Files, Shared, then Headquarter Happenings, then scroll to the month you would like to view. This step protects people with WWNTBM in restricted access fields.

From the Memo Board: October 2019

Dates to Know

October 14 – Most US Banks will be closed for Columbus Day.

November 1 – September Financial Reports will be due.

November 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Veterans Day.

November 22 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Thanksgiving.

November 28-29 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Thanksgiving.

December 1 – October Financial Reports will be due.

December 9 – All prayer letters should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them before Christmas.

December 18 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 23-27 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

January 1 – November Financial Reports will be due.

January 9 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 13 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2019.

January 31 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2019 year will be available.

Financial Report Reminder

As we enter the last quarter of the year, thoughts turn to year-end tax procedures. Many people begin thinking of last-minute deductions that will affect them. If you anticipate making large ministry purchases and you desire the purchase to be a deduction in the year 2019, you may wish to make the purchase by the end of November. Because of the way our 1099s are calculated, December expenses are “reimbursed” out of January income, so the tax benefit on your 1099 would actually be considered a 2020 reimbursement. Regardless of when the purchase is made, you will still receive a tax benefit. However, we wanted you to be aware of these deadlines as you plan your expenses over the next few months.

Please keep in mind the due dates for financial reports. With the holidays approaching it is easy to let these slip past, but our CPA has encouraged us we need to keep to the due dates, per IRS regulations. The best situation is for you to report all ministry expenses through WW, thus providing the fullest tax benefit. With the change to 1099s this year, if you do not submit a MFR on time, you can still submit it on your personal taxes on a Schedule C. If you are not currently submitting financial reports we suggest you consider this option. If you have questions about this, please contact Naomi Torberson.

Lodging Suggestion

Looking for an alternative to a hotel? Check out Airbnb.com. Depending on the location and length of time, this may be cheaper than a hotel, and can include benefits such as a fully-equipped kitchen.

New Baby

Lucy Charlotte Stelzig was born on October 8. She weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 inches long. Lucy is the second daughter of Nick and Lindsey Stelzig, who are church planters in the Boston, MA area. The Stelzigs have two older children: Gabe (4) and Ellie (2). Pray for them as they begin a new church plant in the coming months.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. These recordings for our missions family contain the Uplift calls in their entirety, including prayer requests and challenges to our missionaries. We hope they will encourage your heart.
Be Filled with the Spirit by David Price

Social Media by John O’Malley

Man-Pleaser or God-Pleaser? by Jeremy Lockhart

Visiting Small Churches by Gene Krachenfels

Woe, Low, Go by Daniel Fetter

A Proper View of God by John O’Malley

They Have Been with Jesus by Ernie Wyrick

Be Authentic! by Bro. Steven

Duty and Devotion by Stanley Cline

Rejoice! by Ernie Wyrick