Pastor's Conference: Dr. Paige Patterson

Dr. Patterson is sharing a testimony about Christ's victory in spite of opposition. Unfortunately, I came in just at the last minute and have missed several of the points. I'll share some impressions:

1. He spoke of the difficulty of seeing one's spouse suffer for ministry. Now there's somebody who knows whereof he speaks.
2. "I'm the worst possible genetic combination—part Irish and part Texan. That means that I'll meet you in the parking lot any day any time." But Christ works to change that in him.
3. The only way to learn to exercise the Christian graces of loving your enemy is to have an enemy...to pray for those who despitefully use you is to have people who despitefully use you.
4. God's graces are always abundant beyond heartache and opposition.

At Adoniram Judson's spot of imprisonment in Myanmar, Dr. Patterson lay on his back with his feet in the air. There Judson's feet were hoisted on the stocks with his feet in the air for his imprisoners to beat the soles of his feet. He kept himself entertained by translating the Burmese Bible while being punished. Judson died with only 7 churches to show for his work, greatly opposed and apparently a failiure. But his work became the seedbed out of which the entire nation came to Christ. "The glory that shall be revealed is greater than all the suffering!" Dr. Patterson quoted a passage that I had reason to quote recently: "The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." I am continually amazed at the restraint that this godly man demonstrates in the face of great opposition.