Good morning!
I made it to Trenton, Georgia yesterday afternoon. Thanks for your prayers and support. Each of you mean so much to us.
As I was reading this morning I liked this and wanted to share it with you. Made me think of us in someway, planting seeds where ever God takes us. It's from "The Sower."
SOWING SEEDS OF BEAUTY
Captain James Cook was one of the most famous British navigators. He sailed around the world many times. On each of his journeys he would take seeds of flowers that came from lovely English gardens. Whenever his ship reached a port, he would disembark with his crew. While the crew enjoyed the city, he would take some of the seeds he brought with him and plant them in a garden near the port. Everywhere he went, he left a reminder of his visit by planting seeds that brought beauty to the lives of the people who lived in that city. There is nothing more important for Christians to do than to share God's love and beauty. Wherever He leads us in our journey through life, He will give us many opportunities to "plant" seeds of His love, salvation and hope. Paul reminds us that we Christians must be clothed in God's love. His love adds His beauty to our actions and makes whatever we do attractive to others. No matter what other gifts God may give us, we can all share His love in every word and deed.
Prayer: Lord, help us to always be mindful of the great love You have for us and as we do, be willing to go to any extreme to give that Love to others. In Jesus' Name, Amen._
Scripture for Today: 1 Corinthians 13 - And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
May God Bless You and may you share His love with someone today.
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sunday's coming
Good morning this is my last week in Pharr, Texas I will be leaving monday to be with my darling wife to support her in these trying times. I pray you will continue to keep us in your prayers, for LaVon's mother , for my travels and for somewhere to preach while I am in Georia.
My sermon this week is based on: Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.Joke: A minister was speaking to a Sunday school class about the things money can’t buy. “It can’t buy laughter and it can’t buy love” he told them. Driving his point home he said, “What would you do if I offered you $1000 not to love your mother and father?” Stunned silence ensued. Finally a small voice queried, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”
Laughter is a powerful tool it can heal you but if used in the wrong way can be devistating. Many people tell off colored jokes. Let me ask, “What is your reaction?” Is it like the following.
Illus.: “The General Took His Stand” Fredrick the Great of Germany, was a scoffer, but his great general, Von Zealand, was a devout Christian. One day at a gathering, the king was making coarse jokes about Jesus and the whole palace was ringing with laughter. Von Zealand arose stiffly and said, “Your Majesty, you know I have not feared death. I have fought and won 38 battles for you and my country. I am an old man now. Soon I will go to be with the One who saved me from sin—the very One you are blaspheming against.” With trembling voice, King Fredrick replied, “General Von Zealand, I beg your pardon; I beg your pardon!” And the gathering quickly dispersed quietly.
I pray we will be that bold. May God Bless You, may you have laughter in your life today and be a bold witness for the Lord Jesus.
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sunday Is Coming
Good morning from Pharr,Texas. I ask you to be in prayer for us as we have to make some very important decissions. Thanks in advance.
As I was reading today this caught my mind and heart, I wanted to share it with you. It's from the Sower:WHEN SILENCE IS GOLDEN_
He was a new Christian. But it didn't matter: he wanted to be a witness for the Lord and let everyone know how grateful he was for his salvation. On the final night of a revival meeting, he went to his pastor and asked if he could give his testimony. The pastor was pleased and said that he would call him to the platform when it was time for him to speak. As the service progressed, George became rather nervous and fearful of standing before a group of people he did not know. But he smiled, asked God for strength and peace, and looked forward to the time to share his story. Finally, his moment came. He walked boldly to the pulpit, placed his hands on each side as he had seen his pastor do on many occasions, and said, "Brethren." And that was it. His fear overwhelmed him. Not able to remember what he was planning to say, the only thing he could utter was, "Will you please join me in three minutes of silence to honor our beloved Savior."
Our words of worship and witness need not be eloquent, only sincere. A genuine Christian is the best proof of genuine Christianity. Standing to honor our beloved Savior may, at times, be the best thing we can do.
_Prayer:_ _Father, there are times when our lives speak so loudly that words are not necessary. May we realize, however, that in word or deed, we witness for You. In Jesus' Name, Amen._
_Scripture for Today:_ Philippians 1:7-12 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday's coming
Good morning from Pharr,Texas. My prayer for you today is that you have a Happy and prosperous New Year.
What is the one thing most people have in common at the new year? Most of us make resolutions, don’t we? Ill. > One young boy asked his father what his new years resolution was, and his father said he was going to do everything possible in the new year to make his mother very happy.
The boy asked his mother what hers was, and she said, “To do everything possible to make sure your father keeps his resolution.”
Why do we make those things anyway?
We make them because there are areas in our lives we are either unhappy with, or areas in our lives we want to be better. They did a survey a few years back and the number one resolution in America was to lose weight.
ILL. > A wife came into the bathroom to see her husband standing on the scales with his stomach sucked in. She told him that sucking in his stomach wouldn’t make it any better. He said it would, because if he didn’t suck it in, he couldn’t read the numbers.
May God be blessed in your life today! Happy New Year and may you keep your resolutions far into the new year and May God get the Glory!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday Is Coming
Good morning from Pharr,Texas. We want to wish you and yours a very “Merry Christmas”!
Christmas story:
Wally was 9 and in second grade. He should have been in 4th grade. Wally wanted to be a shepherd or an angel in the Christmas play but Miss Lumbard assigned him the “important role” of the innkeeper. I think it was because of his size and it had very few lines.
And so it happened that the usual large audience gathered for the town’s yearly extravaganza of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stage full of squeaky voices. No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wally. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn’t wonder onstage before his cue.
Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the Inn. Joseph knocked on the door. Wally the innkeeper was there waiting.
“What do you want?” demanded Wally, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.
“We seek lodging.” “Seek it elsewhere.” Wally looked straight ahead. “The inn is filled.”
“Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary.”
“There is no room in this inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.
“Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.”
Now for the first time the Innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.
“No! Be gone!” the prompter whispered from the wings.
“No!” Wally repeated automatically. “Be gone!”
Joseph placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon her husband’s shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The Innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears. And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all others.
“Don’t go Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back.” And Wally’s face grew into a bright smile. “You can have my room.”
This season let’s make room for the Reason we celebrate Christmas.
May God be blessed in your life today!
Praise God today with us!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on. Don
Christmas story:
Wally was 9 and in second grade. He should have been in 4th grade. Wally wanted to be a shepherd or an angel in the Christmas play but Miss Lumbard assigned him the “important role” of the innkeeper. I think it was because of his size and it had very few lines.
And so it happened that the usual large audience gathered for the town’s yearly extravaganza of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stage full of squeaky voices. No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wally. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn’t wonder onstage before his cue.
Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the Inn. Joseph knocked on the door. Wally the innkeeper was there waiting.
“What do you want?” demanded Wally, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.
“We seek lodging.” “Seek it elsewhere.” Wally looked straight ahead. “The inn is filled.”
“Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary.”
“There is no room in this inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.
“Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.”
Now for the first time the Innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.
“No! Be gone!” the prompter whispered from the wings.
“No!” Wally repeated automatically. “Be gone!”
Joseph placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon her husband’s shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The Innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears. And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all others.
“Don’t go Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back.” And Wally’s face grew into a bright smile. “You can have my room.”
This season let’s make room for the Reason we celebrate Christmas.
May God be blessed in your life today!
Praise God today with us!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on. Don
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday's Coming!
Good morning from Pharr,Texas.
My sermon last Sunday was on Praise.
PS. 84: 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Illustration:
OREL HERSHISER, SINGER
A number of years ago Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had just won the World Series, and Orel had been named the most valuable player of the series.
One of the TV shows about the series showed him in the dugout just before the ninth inning started. He was leaning against the wall and his lips were moving. It was obvious that he was saying something to himself. So when he was a guest on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked him what he had been saying.
"I wasn't saying anything," Orel responded.
"Well, then, tell us what you were doing."
Finally, Orel replied, "I was singing."
"You were singing?" Johnny said. "I didn't know you were a singer."
"Aw," Orel said, "I'm not."
Johnny persisted, "What were you singing? Sing it for us now."
"Nah, I don't want to sing." But by that time the audience was chiming in with, "C'mon, sing it, sing it to us!"
Finally, Orel Hirschheiser started to sing, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below."
And Johnny Carson was speechless. The whole audience was dead silent. Then one person started clapping, and soon the whole audience joined in applause.
May God be blessed in your life today! Praise God today!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, encouragement (e-mails, phone calls) and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
Click here to sing and praise God:
How Great Is Our God by Chris Tomlin
My sermon last Sunday was on Praise.
PS. 84: 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Illustration:
OREL HERSHISER, SINGER
A number of years ago Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had just won the World Series, and Orel had been named the most valuable player of the series.
One of the TV shows about the series showed him in the dugout just before the ninth inning started. He was leaning against the wall and his lips were moving. It was obvious that he was saying something to himself. So when he was a guest on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked him what he had been saying.
"I wasn't saying anything," Orel responded.
"Well, then, tell us what you were doing."
Finally, Orel replied, "I was singing."
"You were singing?" Johnny said. "I didn't know you were a singer."
"Aw," Orel said, "I'm not."
Johnny persisted, "What were you singing? Sing it for us now."
"Nah, I don't want to sing." But by that time the audience was chiming in with, "C'mon, sing it, sing it to us!"
Finally, Orel Hirschheiser started to sing, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below."
And Johnny Carson was speechless. The whole audience was dead silent. Then one person started clapping, and soon the whole audience joined in applause.
May God be blessed in your life today! Praise God today!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, encouragement (e-mails, phone calls) and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
Click here to sing and praise God:
How Great Is Our God by Chris Tomlin
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Sunday's Coming!
It's getting to be a lot like Christmas here in Pharr,Texas. It is 38 degrees as I write this today.
My sermon last Sunday was on Hope. Last week we began the Advent season by lighting the first Advent candle, the candle of hope. This candle reminds us of the hope God gave His people when He promised to send them a Messiah, a Savior, a Deliverer. The candle reminds us that this promise was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ. And it invites us to look forward in hope to the day of Christ’s second coming.
I was reading this week and read the following:
A missionary had arrived in a small Chinese town. After she arrived, she soon noticed that a gang of bandits had just destroyed the little town and everything in it. Then a native Christian, showed the missionary the ruins of his home; a burnt roof and structure, and furniture, all turned to ashes. Then, what appeared to be the last straw, the native Christian pointed to his hymnbook and Bible. He said, “They even burned my Bible and hymnbook!” And from the ruins, the native picked a single page of his Chinese hymnbook, the only thing to escape the flames! The missionary took up the piece of paper and it read “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” What an apparent mockery, a note of joy in the midst of total destruction. But the missionary went on to say, that if you could have gone to the little chapel and seen the light on the faces of those native Christians, that evening. Those who had lost nearly everything were speaking of the home that Jesus has prepared for those who love Him. “Yes”, the missionary claimed, “There is joy to the world, but only because the Lord is come!”
May God be blessed in your life today! Keep the Hope as we wait for His Coming!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you, your emails, phone calls, prayers, financial support and words of encouragement. We are grateful. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us as we share the Hope of Jesus with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
My sermon last Sunday was on Hope. Last week we began the Advent season by lighting the first Advent candle, the candle of hope. This candle reminds us of the hope God gave His people when He promised to send them a Messiah, a Savior, a Deliverer. The candle reminds us that this promise was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ. And it invites us to look forward in hope to the day of Christ’s second coming.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” –Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)
I was reading this week and read the following:
A missionary had arrived in a small Chinese town. After she arrived, she soon noticed that a gang of bandits had just destroyed the little town and everything in it. Then a native Christian, showed the missionary the ruins of his home; a burnt roof and structure, and furniture, all turned to ashes. Then, what appeared to be the last straw, the native Christian pointed to his hymnbook and Bible. He said, “They even burned my Bible and hymnbook!” And from the ruins, the native picked a single page of his Chinese hymnbook, the only thing to escape the flames! The missionary took up the piece of paper and it read “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” What an apparent mockery, a note of joy in the midst of total destruction. But the missionary went on to say, that if you could have gone to the little chapel and seen the light on the faces of those native Christians, that evening. Those who had lost nearly everything were speaking of the home that Jesus has prepared for those who love Him. “Yes”, the missionary claimed, “There is joy to the world, but only because the Lord is come!”
May God be blessed in your life today! Keep the Hope as we wait for His Coming!
LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you, your emails, phone calls, prayers, financial support and words of encouragement. We are grateful. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us as we share the Hope of Jesus with the world through the RV ministry.
Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don
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