Proclaiming the Gospel; Equipping the Saints; Mobilizing the Church

January 2023

Shalom and Greetings Dear Partner of WMO,

We are excited to enter into a new year with the joy of the Lord Jesus as our strength.

The Eternal Joy

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus had joy because He knew He had accomplished the eternal plan of redemption for mankind. That joy gave Jesus the strength to make it through the cross, all the way to the other side of death­­­–which is resurrection. He saw beyond the cross; He saw you in Him and He saw the world in Him, if they believe in Him. This is the greatest vision of God in Christ Jesus; redemption and new life.

As we serve the Lord Jesus around the world, we meet many people, both believers and non-believers.  We listen as they speak about being happy, but is being happy really the same as having joy? People often use the words happiness and joy interchangeably and while they may seem similar, they are actually very different. God promises joy, but He never guarantees happiness. Happiness is an emotion and emotions are temporary. Happiness is superficial and fleeting, but joy is internal, enduring, selfless, and sacrificial. The feeling of happiness is often determined by our circumstances, but joy is reliant on God and His character. Without even realizing it, it is the joy of the Lord that people are really looking for. The power of His joy is found in the Gospel as is made clear in Hebrews 12:2. One thing we know for sure is that the Lord rejoices in His redeemed people. He is in the business of redemption. The Lord desires that none would perish but that all would come to repentance–redemption is His plan. 

We met an unsaved woman named Lauren who seemed like a happy person, but after speaking with her she opened up about her 21-year-old son who committed suicide. She began to cry and the feelings of pain at losing her only child transformed her happiness to deep sadness, even despair. We shared Jesus with her, but sadly she rejected Him because her husband is Muslim and she said she couldn’t betray him. We pray each day for Lauren; her happiness is fleeting and only Jesus can bring her true joy and eternal life. 

Darlene and I have been thinking a lot about the Lord Jesus at the cross. Isaiah 53 gives us the deepest description of suffering. Humanly speaking, Jesus may not have been experiencing feelings of happiness while undergoing the ultimate process of pain and suffering on the cross, but as Paul put it, “…and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). This was sacrificial, but Jesus obtained what He desired, eternal redemption at the cross for the human race. 

Joy to the world, the Lord has come! We thank God for the privilege of bringing this joyful message to the world. As we partner together in this journey to bring Jesus to the world, we thank God for you! Your generosity helps us to take on this new year, 2023, for the Gospel of Jesus. As we serve Jesus in the world, we endure the message of the cross, and can truly say that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). His strength is what enables us to make it through this world until either He comes back, or He takes us home.

There is much work beginning this month. We appreciate your prayers and support as we prepare to conduct evangelistic outreaches in Costa Rica, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. We will keep you updated on these evangelistic outreaches as things progress. God willing, we will also be bringing a team to build the House of Prayer in Costa Rica. We truly thank God for you. May the Lord bless you and your family in 2023!

Blessings in Him,

Henry & Darlene