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

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

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

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.

“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

Sunday's Coming!

Good morning again from Pharr,Texas.

My sermon last Sunday was on Encouragement, with Ephesians 6:20 and Hebrews 3:12-14 as the text.

I was reading this week and read the following:

Back in 1980, Cheryl Prewitt Salem became Miss America (<<click here to find out what she overcame to be Miss America). Cheryl is a beautiful person on the outside but more importantly, her inner beauty radiates God’s love in her life. When she was four years old she often hung around her father’s small country store. Almost daily the milkman would visit, and she would follow him around as he lined the display cases with shiny bottles of milk. He always greeted her in the same way: “How’s my little Miss America?” At first she giggled, but by about age 11 she became very comfortable with this idea of becoming Miss America. Before long it was her childhood fantasy and teenage dream. It became a prayer and a solid goal. Later she did become Miss America. She traveled the world spreading goodwill and, because Cheryl is a deeply committed Christian, the gospel of Jesus Christ. It all started because God used a milkman to speak a word to this young and impressionable mind. It was embedded in her subconscious. Her prayer became a reality.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. —Proverbs 18:21

Can God use your tongue to offer an affirming word to someone?

May God be blessed in your life today! Start each day by choosing to be an encouragement to others.

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual encouragement, 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

PS. For our friends in Arizona, Cheryl Salem will be in Mesa, AZ, Dec. 7th and 8th at the Living Word Bible Church.

We have never heard her, so this is not a recommendation, but if you're curious here are the:

Event Details

Living Word Bible Church Date: 12/7/2011 Time: 7:00 pm Location: Mesa, AZ Details: Living Word Bible Church 3520 E. Brown Rd. Mesa, AZ 85213 Contact: 480-964-4463

Sunday's Coming

[click on picture]

We are so thankful to our LORD for every blessing, whether it came in the valley or on the mountaintop.

We are also very thankful for each family member and every friend we have made along this journey.  In your own way, you have each enriched our lives so much.

Today, we are blessed and delighted to wish you a very

Happy Thanksgiving.

Just one of the blessings of this Thanksgiving season:

God Bless You and Yours!

Lord, so often times, as any other day
When we sit down to our meal and pray

We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks, amen. Now please pass the dressing

We're slaves to the olfactory overload
We must rush our prayer before the food gets cold

But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks to what I'm thankful for

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head

I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know

Thankful Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life's greatest treasure

That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place
And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided
And bless each and every person invited

Amen!

Sunday's Coming

Good morning again from Pharr,Texas.
It is getting back to normal around here. Many are coming back and the hospital visits are stepping up. There is always something to do, that is why God has placed us here and in this ministry.

My sermon last Sunday was on finding the strength to stand against the evil one. We start by appling all of God’s armor, Ephesians 6: 13-17.

I like the story about a teacher who injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and wasn’t noticeable at all. On the first day of the term, still with this cast under his shirt, this teacher was assigned to the toughest students in school. But he walked confidently into that rowdy classroom, opened a window, and then got busy with his work.
Soon a strong breeze made his tie flap. That’s when the teacher picked up the stapler from his desk and stapled his tie to his chest. He had no trouble with discipline that term.

That teacher had invisible armor, but so do we, and our armor is a whole lot stronger! And with these weapons, we can resist the devil, we can win over him, so, James says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
 
May God be blessed in your life today! Start each day by putting on the whole amor of God.

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