Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

We began our work here with the first Bible study in our building with our church family last night at Sycamores Community Chapel. Small in number but big in heart. Pray that we continue to grow when we open this to this community. As you can tell by the pictures, there is still much work to be done in the fellowship room and then there is more work to be done in the sanctuary portion beyond.

The sermon Sunday got me to thinking what we really should look like as a Christian.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
You Are the Only Jesus Somebody Knows By Jim Burns

There was a soldier who was wounded in battle. The padre crept out and did what he could for him. He stayed with him when the remainder of the troops retreated. In the heat of the day, he gave him water from his own water bottle, while he himself remained parched with thirst. In the night, when the chill frost came down, he covered the wounded man with his own coat, and finally wrapped him up in even more of his own clothes to save him from the cold. In the end, the wounded man looked up at the padre. "Padre," he said, "You're a Christian?"
"I try to be," said the padre.
"Then," said the wounded man "if Christianity makes a man do for another man what you have done for me, tell me about it, because I want it."*

You are the only Jesus somebody knows. Christ lives in you and will use you to help heal this hurting world if you'll let Him. The priest was willing to become uncomfortable for the sake of a dying man. Sometimes I don't feel like going out of my way to reach out to someone and sometimes I close the door. There are other times when I realize that I represent Jesus to the world around me and that I touch someone not with my love but with His love. And it makes a difference in their life and mine.
We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial. When I am down we receive one of the above from one of you and God reminds me He is still here and that each of you are here with us. So Thank You.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

Sycamores Community Chapel, mid-remodel.

 

 

The front fellowship hall. 

 

The kitchen area beyond the fellowship hall. 

 

The guest bedroom. 

 

The front door. Color is much more pastel than this picture shows. 

The Sycamores Community Chapel is located about a half mile from the RV park we are staying in and surrounded by many homes.

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,
 
Thank you all for the phone calls and face book inquiries on our safety during the storms here in Oklahoma. We are fine. The storms went by us to the north and south; all we had was rain and wind.

I was reading Adrian Rogers this morning and I felt compelled to share.

Grateful—for We Are Blessed!

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” - Philippians 4:6

Sometimes we complain when we shouldn’t.
I remember one time driving across the country with a gentleman. At the time, all of our children were in private schools and Joyce and I were “dying of maltuition.” I began complaining a little bit to the man about the great cost of sending a son to college.
He looked at me and said, “I’d give anything in the world if my son would go to college.”
I thought, “Oh, what an ungrateful spirit I have!”

Do you ever complain about dirty dishes? There are lots of folks in Oklahoma that would like to have some dirty dishes. We are to be thankful in all things. Today remember how good you have it and then pray for those that have lost so much.

Rejoice in God’s blessings in your life. Nip that temptation in the bud to complain and grumble about your life today.

We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial gifts. We are so grateful for your encouraging words and God reminds us that He is still here and that each of you are here with us. So Thank You.


Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

SUNDAY'S COMING

Good Morning,

We have made it back from a visit to Tulsa and the graduation of a granddaughter we are very proud of. We have now seen all the family and it is time to settle down and go to work. We decided last night to begin a Bible study on Tuesday night. We will move on from there to a Sunday morning service, so keep this and us in your prayers.

I was reading this morning and I felt compelled to share the following: by Adrian Rogers, a dear pastor who is now with the LORD:

True Peace and Satisfaction

“With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” - Psalm 91:16

I was witnessing to a man one day in front of his house. He said, “I’ve got a good income. You see that house? It’s paid for. You see that car? It’s paid for. My wife is in that house. She loves me.” He seemed completely satisfied.
I said, “Sir, I want to ask you a question. Will you be absolutely honest with me? Do you have peace in your heart?”
His chin started to quiver. His eyes brimmed with tears. He said, “No, I don’t have peace in my heart. How did you know?”
I said, “Because the Bible says, ‘There is no peace, sayeth my God, to the wicked.’ These things cannot fill the longing of your heart. You need Jesus.”

Pray for an opportunity to share today the peace you have in Jesus with someone who is lost and searching.

 We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial gifts. We are so grateful for your encouraging words and God reminds us that He is still here and that each of you are here with us.  So Thank You.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

We have made it back from a visit to the kids in the Houston, Texas area. As we begin this new work we appreciate your prayers and support.

Encourage Others Like Jesus
by Ron Walters
Keith Miller, in The Taste of New Wine, relays the story of a busy executive who, during his private devotions one morning, prayed, “Lord, let someone see Jesus in me today.” Then, seeing the clock on the wall, he took his last gulp of coffee, jumped into his car and sped to the train station for his commute into the city. He couldn’t afford to be late to work … again!
Standing on the train platform was a young boy waiting for his commuter to school, his arms loaded with books, pens, papers and a small lunch pail.
It was morning rush hour and the platform was jammed.
As the train approached, the commuters began jockeying for position. As the doors opened and the crowd stampeded to get aboard, the schoolboy was pummeled and lost control of his supplies, spilling them to the cement—kicked away in every direction by the boarding masses.
The busy executive saw it and wanted to help, but he couldn’t miss that train. One more late arrival would jeopardize his job—a job he couldn’t afford to lose.
Then quickly, his prayer returned, “Lord, let someone see Jesus in me today.”
As guilt battled duty, the man gritted his teeth, laid down his briefcase, knelt to all fours and began gathering and reassembling the boy’s belongings … as his commuter train left the station.
The little boy stood in amazement, watching the man’s every move without saying a word. Carefully and neatly, the executive replaced the items in the boy’s arms. With glassy eyes spread wide, the bedazzled child finally asked, “Sir, are you Jesus?”
The busy executive, in telling the story later, said, “For that one moment, I was.”
As Christ’s ambassadors we represent Him in everything we do, even the things that can’t possibly benefit us. So go and be Jesus to someone today.

We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial gifts. We are so grateful for your encouraging words and God reminds us that He is still here and that each of you are here with us. So Thank You.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

We are in Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma set up and almost ready to start this new work. Yesterday was my birthday and God blessed me with so many great friends: some called, many of you sent a message on face book and some were here to celebrate with us. Let me just say my cup is overflowing. Thanks!!

I am told about this newspaper in England giving a reward for the best definition of what is a friend?
Thousands answered; the winner?

"A FRIEND IS ONE THAT COMES WHEN EVERYONE ELSE GOES."

They’re Cheering for YOU!
By Adrian Rogers

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” - Hebrews 12:1

A soft-spoken woman went to a high school football game. She’d been quiet the entire game until there was a fumble on the field. The substitute quarterback, a little scrawny kid, picked up the ball and started running past the other players toward the goal.
And this little lady exploded! She jumped up and said, “Run, baby, run! Run, baby, run!” He was her son.
That’s what the saints are saying, as they watch us on the playing field of life. They are cheering us on from the heavenly grandstand to “run with patience, the race that is set before us.”

Do you need a lift today? Imagine a grandstand the size of heaven cheering you on to victory!

We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial gifts. We are so grateful for your encouraging words and God reminds us that He is still here and that each of you are here with us. So Thank You.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

Thank you for your prayers and support. We are on the road headed to Oklahoma. We made it to Van Horn, Texas, but because there will have strong winds today, we have decided to stay put and move on tomorrow..

Trusting His Love to Provide

 

“And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.” - Psalm 9:10

 

After World War II, a group of humanitarians placed orphan boys in tent cities to care for them. But the boys would wake up in the night from nightmares. A psychiatrist surmised that their fear was because they had such an uncertain future.
He decided to feed the boys a big meal each night, then give them each a piece of bread. He instructed them to hold the bread in their hands so it could be their breakfast. Somehow just holding in their hand a piece of bread helped them to sleep all night.

When you go to bed tonight, I want you to have bread, not in your hand, but in your heart. He is the Bread of Heaven and His name is Jesus!

Take a walk with the Lord today. Tell Him your fears. Confidently place them before the Lord. Trust in His love to provide.

We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial. We are so grateful for your encouraging words and God reminds us that He is still here and that each of you are here with us. So Thank You.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

Thank you for your prayers and support. We are in Sunscape Park in Casa Grande, Arizona and will be here until the 22nd of April, then off to Oklahoma to begin a new work.

Have you ever felt like God is not listening to you? You pray and nothing happens. You feel like David in the following passage:
Psalm 22:1-2
1.My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
2. My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.

Then you come to realize He was there all the time, but it was you who wasn't listening.

Verse 24 says, "For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help."

I think we all need a lesson in listening.

Prayer: Teach Me to Listen
Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears." —1 Samuel 3:10
Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to Thee, "Speak, for thy servant heareth." Let me hear Thee speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of Thy voice, that its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of Thy speaking voice. Amen. {The Pursuit of God, pp. 82-83 "Speak, for Thy servant heareth. Amen."}
We want to thank you for your support through your prayers, calls, e-mails and financial. When I am down we receive one of the above from one of you and God reminds me He is still here and that each of you are here with us. So Thank You.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don