Oh Buddha!

I love this song sung by the Imperials and I hope you enjoy it as well!

What happened to my blog music?
I have removed it for the time being, and I'm hoping to add new songs to the playlist soon.
Plus, I figured it's easier to listen to video clips with out the extra music playing in the background.

No Complaining - time is short! Get busy!

Thought I'd share this with you - just a friendly reminder that we shouldn't complain about being a shy and not able to witness to others because we tend to be quiet. I used that excuse for a while, but after reading these verses things changed.....

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

God made our mouths.

If we allow ourselves to be molded and shaped into a vessel fit for our Master's use, He will give us the words to say and give us many opportunities to witness.

Christmas Love

CHRISTMAS LOVE....

Joy To The World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Joy To the World -Words: Isaac Watts, 1719 Music: Lowell Mason, 1848
Originally named "Antioch," Mason's original score said "from George Frederick Handel."The tune is named after the city of Antioch, Syria, where believers were first called "Christians";(Acts 11:26).

It is now December and many people are planning for the holiday season. I just wanted to remind you that this opens up great witnessing oppertunities for those of us celebrating the true REASON for the season (the birth of Christ) to share with those shoppers, cashiers, and others that we will meet this month. You can bake Christmas cookies to take to neighbors with a Christmas card and gospel tract. If you have children let them help bake, decorate and deliver the cookies. Again, remember that many people that tend to refuse things from adults will take things from a child.

My youngest sister who is 8 years old, is always reminding us to take tracts every time we leave the house. Just the other day she was out shopping with my mom. She had her purse loaded with tracts and went straight up to a lady shopping in the store and said, "Hello" and gave her gospel tract. The lady asked, "What is this?" and my sister replied, "It's a gospel tract."
Sounds simple doesn't it?

I had surgery two weeks ago on my hips and just had my sutures removed this week. Well, since I knew I wouldn't be seeing the doctor and his staff until after Christmas I decided to make some fudge to give to them. Of course I had already put tracts inside the little snowman tin along with a bunch of fudge. On my way out the door for my appointment, my sister asked me if I had tracts to give them, but I was already one step ahead of her!

Here is the fudge recipe:

Two-Tone Fudge

Ingredients:
1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1/2 cup butter, softened
divided 2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, milk and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; stir in the marshmallow creme until melted and blended. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour 2-1/2 cups into a bowl; stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts until chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Add the butterscotch chips to the remaining marshmallow mixture; stir until chips are melted. Pour over the chocolate layer and gently spread to cover.Refrigerate overnight or until firm. Using foil, remove fudge from pan; carefully peel off foil. Cut into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-3/4 pounds.

Spread the love of Christ with others this season!

Send care packages or Christmas cards to missionaries that are living far away from family & friends. Tell them you're praying for them and their ministry.

"I like your religion...."

I'm so sorry for those of you that read my post on my "www.faith-love-patience.blogspot.com" blog a couple days ago. I signed out of my last post with..."now, I'm going to post something on my missions blog."

Well, to tell you honestly, I did type something up for this blog, but then felt that I wasn't suppose to post it. It's still in my draft folder though and perhaps sometime I'll feel led to post it.

Anyway, after getting home from our evening church service I just had to sit and post something that I find very amusing, yet sad all at the same time.

At one of my chiropractic appointments in the beginning of this year I met a very interesting person. As I was sitting in the waiting room, one of my chiropractor's patients comes walking by me and of course, I give her a smile. The lady stopped, and in a waiting room full of people says to me, "I like your religion!"

I was thinking, What?!?!!? You like my religion?!?!"

I must have given her a confused look (I honestly had NO IDEA what she was talking about), because she then began to explain to me that she used to be part of my religion, wore skirts all the time, etc. I continued to smile but I wasn't able to reply, except for a breif "thank you", before I was called back to my room.

I tried to sum everything up to the best of my knowledge as I tried to figure out the lady who had just talked with me had said. I came up with the following points:
if you smile, have long hair, and/or wear a skirt you are placed in the "religious" category.

OK, I can handle being "different" and I'm pleased to know that I'm a "religious" person. I still wonder what denomination or group she believed I was a part of. I wish I had had the time to ask her why she left her "religion".

That story above was just a side note of what I'm going to share with you, which has to do with my Sunday evening church service.

There is a lady who visits our church once in a blue moon (about 3 or so times a year). Well, as you know, I always enjoy greeting and meeting visitors. During the few times this lady visits we always strike up conversations - ranging from all sorts of topics, and tonight's conversation was no exception.

Before I go on you must realize three things.

1.I was homeschooled all my life.

2. This lady works in a very large city.

3. We attend a smaller church - it's a KJV Bible-believing, Baptist church, and we have about 20-30 families which attend on a regular basis - the majority homeschool.

I suppose that many people out in the world consider homeschoolers, "unsocialized" and see us as those who have never "seen the world", so to speak. Sigh. I don't think we'll ever convince them that we are very social people.

Anyway, the thing that I found very amusing tonight was that the lady I talked with believes that "we children" (hey, I'm in my 20's but I guess that doesn't make much difference) that attend small churches (not to mention we also homeschool) have no idea of what it's like in the "real world"!!!! EXCUSE ME!

She also believes that we don't have any type of relationship with Christ - that we small baptist churches are just a "religion" and that in the next four years, we'll really see a change in the church.

I didn't care to start discussing all that at that moment, plus for the fact I was the pianist for the service and needed to head to the piano, but I could have talked with her for a much longer period if I had had time.

So in case you are wondering....

No, I have not always attended a small, family friendly, KJV Baptist church all my life. We used to attend a large church. I also was involved with the youth group and no our family didn't always sit together for Sunday worship.

No, I have not always worn skirts/dresses.

No, I have not always had long hair.

No, I'm not an unsocialized church goer or homeschool grad.

Yes, I know what the "real world" is like, but I do not care to go join in their secular circles.

Yes, I was homeschooled from K-12 and have never regretted it!

Yes, I'm a happy person, filled with lots of smiles.

Yes, I am a born-again child of the God and I have a personal relationship with HIM.

Yes, I'm proud to be a Baptist.

and yes, I'm off to bed now!

Have a great week everyone!

Remember....

The Gospel According to You


There's a sweet old story translated for men,

But writ in the long, long ago

The Gospel according to Mark, Luke, and John

Of Christ and His mission below.



You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day,

By deeds that you do, by words that you say.

Men read what you write, whether faithless or true.

Say, what is the gospel according to you?



Men read and admire the gospel of Christ,

With its love so unfailing and true;

But what do they say, and what do they think

Of the gospel according to you?



'Tis a wonderful story, that gospel of love,

As it shines in the Christ-life divine,

And oh, that its truth might be told again

In the story of your life and mine!



Unselfish mirrors in every scene,

Love blossoms on every sod,

And back from its vision the heart comes to tell

The wonderful goodness of God.



You are writing each day a letter to men;

Take care that the writing is true.

'Til the only gospel some men will read,

That gospel according to you.


--Author Unknown

Depression, Discouraged, and feeling Down

You may wonder why I decided to write a post about 3D's. I have sensed a lot of people around me right now are depressed - health, money, family issues, the changes in our nation, etc.



Here are a few pictures of some things in life that might be depressing right now:

What exactly is depression?

"Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods.
True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time."

• Depression can affect people at any age or of any race, ethnic, or economic group.
  
• Clinical depression will affect more than 19 million Americans this year.
  
  
  You are probably now asking yourself why I'm posting about depression on a missions blog? It's simple - everyone - including missionaries can suffer from depression. It's also possible that you have a friend or a loved one that suffers with some form of depression and you would like to know how you as a friend or family member can help them. Perhaps you personally suffer from bouts of depression and discouragement. I'm in the process of compiling verses on the the subject and will hopefully, be adding to this post within the next couple weeks.

Pray for America

Please prayerfully consider your VOTE on November 4th, 2008.

Here are some quotes:

"Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime & pure, [and] which denounces against the wicked eternal misery, and [which] insured to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."
~Charles Carroll of Carrollton -- Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments."
~Benjamin Rush

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from tis unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one of more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

(Source: James Madison, The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, Max Farrand, editor (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1911), Vol. I, pp. 450-452, June 28, 1787.)

"No free government now exists in the world, unless where Christianity is acknowledged, and is the religion of the country."
~Pennsylvania Supreme Court, 1824


"The most perfect maxims and examples for regulating your social conduct and domestic economy, as well as the best rules of morality and religion, are to be found in the Bible. . . . The moral principles and precepts found in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. These principles and precepts have truth, immutable truth, for their foundation. . . . All the evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible. . . . For instruction then in social, religious and civil duties resort to the scriptures for the best precepts."
~ Noah Webster

"By renouncing the Bible, philosophers swing from their moorings upon all moral subjects. . . . It is the only correct map of the human heart that ever has been published. . . . All systems of religion, morals, and government not founded upon it [the Bible] must perish, and how consoling the thought, it will not only survive the wreck of these systems but the world itself. "The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." [Matthew 1:18]

(Source: Benjamin Rush, Letters of Benjamin Rush, L. H. Butterfield, editor (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1951), p. 936, to John Adams, January 23, 1807.)

"We profess to be republicans, and yet we neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government, that is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by the means of the Bible. For this Divine Book, above all others, favors that equality among mankind, that respect for just laws, and those sober and frugal virtues, which constitute the soul of republicanism."

(Source: Benjamin Rush, Essays, Literary, Moral and Philosophical (Philadelphia: Printed by Thomas and William Bradford, 1806), pp. 93-94.)

Free Give-Away!

Hi all! A missionary friend of mine serving the Lord in Portugal is hosting a give-away for the readers of her blog. Since this is a mission theme blog I thought you all might enjoy checking out her blog (which is listed on the sidebar under: Missionaries I pray for). There is nothing like reading the every day life of a missionary wife/mother serving her Lord in a foreign country. Click HERE to check out her blog.

Celebrate The Glory

Yes, October is a busy month! Mom says that we really need two Octobers in order to fit in everything there is to attend and I agree! October weather is always so beautiful and the color of the changing leaves is lovely!

Today we left the house at 7:30am this morning to attend a conference called:
Celebrate The Glory which is hosted in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. We attended the conference for the first time last year and met many other wonderful Christian families. We attended their 2nd annual conference again this year and had a great time!

I wanted to share the links with you and invite you to keep this conference in mind for next year.

Here is a list of several of the speakers/ministries that attended Celebrate The Glory:

Bible Drama Pictures

• Unfolding Drama http://www.unfoldingdrama.org/ is a ministry sponsored by http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/ The Rozeboom and Brand families have the passion and gifting to make Bible stories come alive using stories and drama. The Rozeboom’s are from Colorado. The Brand family (daughter and son-in-law of Michael and Debi Pearl) are from Tennessee.Be inspired to read God’s Word more…love God’s Word more…LIVE God’s Word more in this great drama we call life.
  
  
• The Durocher Family (http://www.durocherfamilyministries.com/ ) from Minnesota will be providing the music gospel bluegrass style. They have a great love for God’s Word and family. Ten of their twelve children minister together in music. The parents, Paul and Judy, have done an excellent job discipling their children and winning their hearts. They desire all families to know of the joy of following Jesus together.
  

Naomi Durocher playing madolin with Amber & Curtis.
(Yes, I'm in the background with crutches, wearing 3 layers of clothing & FREEZING - it was so cold today!)

• Ken Jenkins (http://www.kenjenkins.com/) is a nationally known natural history photographer, writer, lecturer, and outdoor adventurer. For more than 30 years his photographs and articles have appeared in publications from National Geographic to Southern Living. Ken's galleries, Beneath the Smoke and Heaven's Eyes, are located at the west entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where he has been exposed to the 12 million visitors that enter the park since 1986.
  
  

October Mission Outreach

I'm sorry it has taken me a week to get this post written and posted, but I plan on doing several new posts today, so hopefully I'll have the time to post them all.

October has been a very busy month for us.

• We started the first weekend of October in West Virginia at a Way of the Master conference with Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron.
  



Gospel Illusions...






• Last week we spent our entire Saturday afternoon helping a local church with their October Fall Fest Children's Outreach. It was a lot of fun! Amber and I volunteered to help at the craft table to assist the children in making wordless bracelets. My dad and Curtis did a gospel illusion presentation, which the kids loved!

Our craft table - lots of beads for making wordless bracelets.

Click HERE for instructions for making a wordless bracelet.

Click HERE for step by step instructions "Corn Stalk" gospel illusion that you can do!

Yes, my favorite part of the day was holding the baby!

We decided to put into practice what we learned from the Way of the Master conference a week earlier by using the law to witness to children and their parents. Many of the children I helped were very young and I basically told them what each color stood for and asked them if they had ever disobeyed their mommy or daddy, told a lie, etc. and explained how we sin against God.

The most exciting part of the day was being able to talk to two mothers, who asked if they could sit at our craft table while their children did the various activities at the festive. We had a chance to talk to them about the Lord using the "are you a good person" test from Way of the Master. Amber did most of the talking with the moms and although I would chime in the conversations going on when the traffic at the craft table was slow, I tried to focus on the kids. I could overhear the conversations going on and I didn't want Amber to become sidetracked and not have a chance to talk with the moms about their spiritual condition.

One mom that Amber & I talked with believed that she was "good enough to go to Heaven". This lady told us that when God asks her the question one day of "Why should I let you into Heaven?" that she would say, "I did my best and tried to live a good life".... We explained to her that your best isn't enough and that she needed a Saviour.

As many witnessing conversations go along the 'victim (our unsaved friend)' will begin to feel convicted and you can sense they are starting to squirm inside and often will try to turn the topic another direction. I could see the look in the lady's eyes as Amber talked with her - instead of being the happy carefree person who had just sat down at the table minutes before she was now talking with an uneasy laugh and becoming to turn on her defences. She started getting judgmental (sign of conviction), saying things with a "do you think you're better than me!" tone like: "Why are you wearing skirts?, Why do you have long hair?, etc" - which of course was besides the point.

She also mentioned that she has friends that are Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and Catholics. Personally, I think this is great - - - everyone should have an unsaved friend and witness to them! Sadly, this lady thinks everyone will get to Heaven according to what each religion believes. For example, if her Catholic friend believes differently than her, it's OK....they'll both meet in Heaven-no matter what the belief may be.

Anyway, we had a very interesting afternoon last Saturday, but it was good to have so many opportunities to witness. We're now able to pray for those who we had the chance to witness to and I actually invited a family to come to our church with us that Sunday evening and they came!

They had bounce houses and other activities including puppets, skits, games, food, and music.

Witness Where You Are!

Far-off Fields?

We're concerned for the sinner in China
And the heathen in Mandalay,
But say, do we care, have we offered a prayer
For the lost one just over the way?

We say we would go with the Gospel
To lighten dark Africa's shore--
Have we spoken a word in the Name of the Lord
To people who live just next door?

The person who lives down the way,
Who looks so forbidding and grim;
Do we have a call to witness at all
Or speak of the Saviour to him?

We'd take the Gospel to Savages,
We'd cross the stormy tide;
But will we tell out what the Gospel's about
To the people who work by our side?

We'd tell of our wonderful Saviour
And His love we have found so sweet
To far-off ones, but what about
The folks we will meet on the street?


~Poems taken from Moments With The Book

Quotes...

Here are several quotes that I think you might enjoy reading:


"People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted."
-- Nate Saint, missionary martyr


"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map."
-- William Carey, pioneer missionary to India

"Go, send, or disobey." -- John Piper

Sympathy is no substitute for action.-- David Livingstone

"Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face."
-- Ronald Reagan 40th president of the United States of America

"Christians don't tell lies they just go to church and sing them" - A.W. Tozer

"I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God; first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done."
-- J. Hudson Taylor

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for."
-- Charles Spurgeon

"We have a God who delights in impossibilities." -- Andrew Murray

"Why do you need a voice when you have a verse." -Jim Elliot

Feel free to post a comment with your favorite quotes about missions. I love to read good quotes from missionaries and other Christians.

Reaching out to loved ones & friends

Did you know that airplanes were made for passing out gospel tracts?

The isle of a plane happens to be a perfect place to pass out tracts,
because there are people on both sides!

Here are some ideas to help you reach out to your unsaved loved ones and friends this week.

* Write a letter to a friend or a love one telling them how you got saved and how Christ has made a difference in your life.

Here is how Diego put it last week during Sunday School:

L-ove...remember to write the note in love - don't criticize or condemn the person whom you are writing to...the Holy Spirit will work on them.

E-mpathize - think about what they are going through in their live right now.

T-iming

T-ruth -remember to include the gospel!

E-nd strong - remember that post people will remember the beginning and ending of your letter.

R-emember to pray for the person receiving the letter (this the "R" I added) and to read and reread your letter over and over again to make sure it says what you want it to and that the gospel is clearly presented.


*You can also send an email using the "LETTER" tips, instead of writing a handwritten note.
Be a witness in all your correspondence - use scripture or quotes from Spurgeon, Bunyan, Wesley, and other great men of God.

*Make a phone call to an unsaved friend or loved one. Invite them to church and tell them about Christ. I created an answering machine message on my cell phone that gave the gospel....I can't remember exactly what I said, but I used the verse:

Romans 10:13: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

and used that to explain salvation....I wish I could remember exactly what I said.

Eight Reasons Why I Don't Share My Faith

In order to hear this video clip more clearly, you may want to click "pause" on the sound player found at the bottom of this page.

On Fire for God!

People waited in LONG lines to have their books signed
by Ray Comfort & Kirk Cameron.

The boys really enjoyed the conference!

Our Group

Getting On for God!

Notes taken from The Way of the Master Conference "Transformed" in

Charleston, West Virginia on October 4th 2008.

" If you get on fire for God people will come to watch you burn." ~C.H. Spurgeon

"Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn." ~Charles Wesley

Bill Bright with Campus Crusade for Christ once said, that statistics show that only 2% of Christians actively share their faith with others.

The Three Keys to Evanglism

1. Faith = Joy = Physical Energy -Romans 15:13

2. Love for God who redeemed us: We love Him because He 1st loved us. - Acts 20:21

3. Compassion (concern) for the ungodly. - Rev. 20:11

The 5 Signs Of A True Convert (Believer)

1. Fruits of Repentance - Matt.3:8

2. The Fruit of Good Works - Col. 1:103.

3.The Fruit of Thanksgiving - Heb. 13:15

4. The Fruit of the Spirit - Gal. 5:22

5. Fruit of Righteousness - Phil. 1:11

AW Tozer writes. "It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people. if not millions. have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ and they have not been saved.”

Ten phrases we use which lead to false converts...


1. “Hell fire preaching” - See Romans 2:4

2. “Just believe”

3. “Accept Jesus” - WE don’t accept Jesus, Jesus accepts us.

4. “God shaped hole” - Jeremiah 17:9

5. “Jesus +” …..prosperity . We give the unsaved the idea that if you come to Jesus all will be well - always happy & wealthy, which is not the case.

6. “Come to Jesus and get joy & goodies” … Fruits of the Spirit should not be used as a draw card.

7. “Decisional Regeneration” - a decision does not save you - Jesus saves you.

8. “Make Jesus your Lord & Saviour” - He IS Lord & Saviour

9. “Commit to Jesus” - SURRENDER ALL to Him

10. “It’s easy to believe” - No it’s not!

A great preacher once said, "Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel. To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope."

"Ask Jesus into your Heart"

-is not found anywhere in the Bible

-leaves out repentance

-leaves out "believe"

-presents Jesus as a beggar, waiting at our heart's door. We are not in control HE is!

Remember: WDJD

W-ould you consider yourself to be a good person?

D-o you think that you have kept the 10 commandments?

J-udgement day. According to God's standard will you be innocent or guilty?

D-ensitiny. Are you going to heaven or hell?

Many people have excuses as to why that can't share their faith with others.

Would you be interested more in sharing your faith if you got $1,000 each time you told someone about Christ? You would probably wake up each day saying, "Give me a sinner! Those that are born-again should be highly motivated to go out and witness without the enticing of money. The souls of men are at sake and their lives are worth more than thousands of dollars!

Way Of The Master Conference - October 4th

Click on the link to find out more about the conference in West Virginia on October 4th. Hope to see you there!

All for HIS GLORY

Lately I've been reading a book by John Piper,"Let The Nations Be Glad!"
It talks about the supremacy of God in missions. There is so much in the book that I would love to share, but I will just give you a little quote written in the book by Charles Spurgeon taken from Twelve Sermons on Prayer for the time being.

Prayer Proves the Supremacy of God in Missions.

Prayer is God's appointed means of bringing grace to us and glory to Himself.
(Read Psalm 50:15 - "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliever thee, and thou shalt glorify me." )

"God and the praying man take shares...First, here is your share: "Call upon me in the day of trouble." Secondly, here is God's share: "I will deliever thee." Again, you take a share-for youshall be delivered. And then again it is the Lord's turn-"Thou shalt glorify me." Here is a compact, a covenant that God enters into with you who pray to Him, and whom He helps. He says, "You shall have the deliverance, but I must have the glory..." Here is a delightful partnership: we obtain that which we so greatly need, and all that God getteth is the glory which is due unto His name."


We must give God glory for all He has done, is doing, and will continue to do. You see, it is for HIS GLORY missionaries are called and sent out, it is for HIS GLORY we proclaim the gospel to the unsaved, it is for HIS GLORY He has saved us, --- we are on earth to glorify Him.

We must remember when we are witnessing and seeing lost souls come to Christ that we give God the honor and glory. It is easy to become wrapped up in seeking the praise of man. Yes, we might have sown seeds by giving out a gospel tract or talked with a person about the Lord and even perhaps watched that person come to Christ, but it was NOTHING WE DID that brought that person to Christ. The Holy Spirit convicted, God drew them to Himself and He saved them. We must be careful to give God ALL THE GLORY, both in missions and within our own lives for the things He hath done.

Just a story...

Hi Everyone!

First, I apologize for not posting very much on this blog lately. I'm going to try and get better at posting more often. I just wanted to share something with you- a creative opportunity I had to witness this past week.

As most of you know I am currently enrolled in a Medical Transcription course. Well, the school happens to have a forum for its students where we can can chat about school, recipes, current issues going on, even prayer requests, etc. Well, I have been praying for the Lord to show me how I can use this online school to witness to the other students. This week I decided to be bold and post something relating to the gospel. :)

The subject title of my post was: "Are you a good person?"

My message was short and sweet: "Thought I'd share this online test: Good Person Test "

I posted that at about lunch time and decided to get back on right before we ate pizza Friday night to see if anyone had responded to my post. To my surprise I found my post had been locked! People must have complained to the moderator about it being a "hot topic" - a topic that might end it some heated debates. Before she shut down (locked - which means that people can still read what I posted and get onto the test link, but cannot leave a comment) my topic several people left interesting comments, which I am going to share with you:

1."Warning: Test is to get you to convert to Christianity."

2. "I found the test totally opposed to my Christian beliefs in that at the end of the test it asks if I still believe I will go to heaven rather than hell. When I answered yes, it says NOPE! And then it wants to you consider christianity. My beliefs are that my God is a loving, forgiving God and if I've made things right on my end, then yes, I will go to heaven. If there is no hope of going to heaven, then why would I want to explore their message further? Seems like a contradiction to me in that test and website."

3.This test is absolutely spot on. Christianity is not about how good you are here on earth;it is about what Jesus did on the cross for you. There IS hope, but it is not based on how good you are, but on the basis that Jesus lived that perfect life for you and took your place. :-)

(NOTE: This person and I have been in contact since she posted. I have found that she also loves Way of the Master ministry. It's neat to find other true Christians.)

4. "Talk about a hot topic.........!!
~From the Minister's Daughter, who still believes she is going to Heaven, regardless of the test."


5."I am a christian and find this test a little rash. At least put a warning with your post that this is harsh christianity test basically telling whoever takes it that they are going to hell and not just a regular test???"

6. "Well, apparently I'm a liar, adulterer, murderer, and something else that I can't remember now. Guess I better find some clothes to wear to a really hot climate. "

7. Here is the message the moderator posted:
"So as many of you have posted, this is a hot topic so thanks for your opinions but we're closing this thread.Thanks!"

I read later on another forum post about students still talking about the test and how they didn't think it was correct, etc. I also read of several people who had missed my previous post were curious to see what everyone else was talking about: "a good person topic". The forum lets you see how many people have read your post and currently the number happens to be 349 people have looked at what I posted. The number continues to climb because those that might not have seen it before are reading of others talking about it and want to go check it out. Of course, I'm sure that not everyone who read the post clicked on the link, but more than likely 99% of them did - just to see what it was about. I mean really, when you ask someone if they think they are a good person you have struck their interest and they are curious to see what you might say.

Well, there is my story of being able to witness to over 300 people in just one short day! You've got to be creative when you are doing online schooling! :) The best thing is that the school has never said you aren't allowed to post things about Christianity or other religions as topics. It was the most creative way I knew of to reach a lot of people. I know God will use it to convict people and that even though some of the students don't care to admit it has given them something to really consider.

I have asked God to not only give me an educational opportunity, but most importantly someone to witness to and pray for. I currently have a couple study buddies. I know one is not saved and although she lives in FL and I'm in VA we keep in contact via email and chat. Please pray that I'll be able to share with her as we study together in this course. Thank you!

Sorry for such a long post, but I couldn't wait to share this news with you!!!

I Surrender All

I Surrender ALL

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all,
I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,Lord,
I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory to His name!
~~~

Surrender \Sur*ren"der\, v. i. To give up one's self into the power of another; to yield; as, the enemy, seeing no way of escape, surrendered at the first summons.
[1913 Webster]

The Crayon Box Song

Today I had a person asking for the lyrics to a song -
"with something about a box of crayons and describes the colors of the crayons with what Jesus did for us (black sin, white as snow, red blood) and stuff like that."

After reading the song's description I knew EXACTLY what song she was looking for - The Crayon Box Song!!!! I hadn't sung that song in YEARS. My mom would sing that song when my siblings and I were young - we loved singing that song! Of course that was quite a few years back in time and there comes a point where childhood songs fade into the back corners of the mind....until someone starts to hums the tune or begins singing the words to an old song - a song you hadn't thought of in years - like what happened today.

Well, I want to share this old treasure with you -
You may listen to the music here.

The Crayon Box Song

When I was just a little child
No higher than your knee,
My mother bought a box of crayons,
Just for me.
I picked them up and I opened them up
And I looked way down inside,
And the colors there reminded me
Of Jesus when He died.


O… Red is the color of the blood that He shed,
Brown is for the crown of thorns they laid upon His head.
Blue is for royalty! In Heaven He does dwell;
And yellow is for the Christian who's afraid to tell.


I colored and I colored
'Til the crayons were all gone,
And though I am much older now,
The mem'ry lingers on.
And when I see a little child
With crayon box in hand,
I tell them what they mean to me
And hope they'll understand.


O… Red is the color of the blood that He shed,
Brown is for the crown of thorns they laid upon His head.
Blue is for royalty! In Heaven He does dwell;
And yellow is for the Christian who's afraid to tell.


Afraid to tell of a Savior
Who died on Calvary,
He died for lowly sinners
Just like you and me;
And someday soon He's coming back
To be our King,
And the colors of the crayon box
We will sing!


O… Red is the color of the blood that He shed,
Brown is for the crown of thorns they laid upon His head.
Blue is for royalty! In Heaven He does dwell;
And yellow is for the Christian who's afraid to tell.
So, don't you be a Christian, who's afraid to tell!

Notes from Missions Conference

I'm finally sitting down to share with you some notes I took from our missions conference two weeks ago. Now I'm going to try and decipher what I wrote and see if it makes sense.....so please bear with me as I try to put everything in order.

- God loved & lived the Bible.

- God came to call sinners, not the good.

-He never charged a penny.

-Never lost a case.

-He never refuses anyone that comes unto Him.


Judas
A baby may grow to be a devil - so innocent, yet very deceiving.

In order to lose Christ you must acknowledge Him - Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss.

Examine yourself.

Wrong motive? Are you serving Christ with the wrong motive - are you trying to gain worldly approval by showing everyone all you do for the Lord? Psalm 12.

Are you going to church and hear all the sermons, but remain untouched?

A friend may turn against you. See Luke 22 - a person pretends to be a friend outwardly by appearance, but inwardly they are plotting against you).

People may see Christ's glory even in the midst of betrayal.

A man may serve Christ and sell Christ - what would you sell Christ for? Judas sold Him for money - what might you sell Him for (a job, popularity, money, etc.)?



The Bride of Christ = forgiven sinners

Revelation 19:7; 22:(...)
-A great love

-Allows the bride to assume His name - CHRISTIAN.

-Provides for the daily needs of His wife. See Psalms 34:10 and Psalm 100:3.

- Fear not. See Isaiah 43.

-Promises never to leave.

- Weary- go to Jesus and He'll give you rest.

- Stress. See Isaiah 26.

-Pays all the debts for the wife (we are indebted to Christ). See Gal. 5

-Shares all His riches with His wife. Eph. 2

-Joint Heirs - Romans 8:17.

-Always wants to be together ( sign of being in love).



Anyway, I hope you enjoy those little hen scratchings I recorded from the conference - sorry they aren't the greatest, but I hope you get something out of them.

Missions Conference

Please forgive me for not posting much lately. I really have no excuse - - - well, maybe I could try getting away with the fact that it is missions conference week at our church. Every night we have been attending our annual missions conference listening to missionaries tell of their call to one place or another. Last night at church I overheard someone ask a friend if they were missionaries. My friend laughed and said, "no, we aren't missionaries". I wanted to jump in and say, "Of course you are! We are all called of God to be missionaries, but of course I know what the man was asking, but still where did the idea of the only people who are missionaries are those willing to go to the jungles of Africa????? I don't get it. I really just don't get it. If more born-again Christians could see that God has called us all to be witnesses/missionaries I think things would be different.

You know, a thought struck me the other night as I was listening to a missionary family share their ministry goals with the church, I would really like to personally hear/see/meet an American who got saved after a foreigner shared the gospel message with them. And then see that American serve as a missionary and to hear his testimony - wouldn't that be neat?!?

Well, I'd love to write, but I'm a little tired at the moment so I'll try to post more about the conference tomorrow. Sadly, tomorrow will be the last day of the missions conference. It has been wonderful!!! I wish ALL of you could have been here for at least one night to hear the preaching - it is so good!

Languages

I shamefully admit that I have never truly learned a foreign language - I'm still trying to master American grammar!

• I have learned how to count to from one to ten in both Spanish & Russian (Thank you Larysa - we had so much fun learning Russian!) languages.
  
• I can write emails to my Spanish & German friends in "broken" words - I always keep a dictionary which I refer to quite frequently. Thanks to the help of native speaking Spanish (Ruth who lives in the Dominican Republic) and German (and Karina who lives in Germany) friends I have had " language lessons via email". Karina and I were able to get together a time or two at Barnes & Noble to read through German books while she was visiting in the USA.
  
• I can sing Jesus Loves Me in Korean (my dad helped out at a Korean church for several years).
  
• I can sing Do Lord (Way beyond the Blue) in a Filipino dialect (my dad also went on a missions trip to the Philippines one summer before he was married).
  
• I have attempted to learn Arabic (I would knit, ride an exercise bike, read, and listen to an Arabic tape all at the same time). I have also attempted to learn German (which I personally think is so much more easier to learn than Arabic).
  
• I also took a sign language class several years back. I can pretty much understand what is being said, but I'm quite a very, very slow at signing. We had an older man at our church that was deaf and my sister would interpret the messages each Sunday night. He went home to be with the Lord this past February. We will always miss Mr. Fred - he had such a sense of humor! It is wonderful to know that he is now able to hear!
  
  Anyway, I wanted to share with you a website for free language courses to help you get a feel for learning another language. Although you and I may never fully understand the difficulty of learning a new language in a new country and culture trying to relate by taking a small free online language course might give us another view on how to better pray for our missionaries serving around the globe. Trying to learn a language through a small course like this will help you to remember to pray for missionaries that are on the mission field having to learn a entirely new language. It is not easy and sometimes missionaries feel like they want to give up because they are faced with I'll never learn this language - God why did you send me HERE? They know they have followed the Lord's call, but it is hard when you first arrive in a new land with people you can barely communicate with. These missionaries can learn the language and will learn the new language. The result of learning and follow God's call will be wonderful for they will see souls saved - all for the glory of God! Pray for the missionaries you know that are still working on learning a foreign language. Write to them and let them know you are praying for them. It will encourage them very much. Meanwhile, consider trying a foreign language just for fun - you never know when you might bump into an unsaved person at a grocery store that speaks that language!
  
  Here is the website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/
  
  I've been thinking about two certain verses a lot lately and I believe it relates a lot to missions. It is Exodus 4:11-12-
  
  And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
  Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
  
  It is a verse that has come to mean so much to me as I seek to be a bolder witness for Christ. I honestly hate to speak in front of people.....I'd rather speak one on one to a person any day, but a group - forget it! After reading that those two verses this week I have decided to make them "my" verses for the next few months. You see with God ALL things are possible. We all were created with a purpose in mind and that purpose was and is to glorify God. Therefore God will teach me, He will lead me along, and He will guide my mouth as I witness to those I come in contact with and lately I've been given a burden to reach a "group of people" in a local nursing home over the next couple months.
  
  Sad to say, but I have always disliked nursing homes - the smell, seeing older people walking around as almost dead skeletons, etc. I couldn't stand it! Seriously, I would feel light headed and my stomach would be queasy. I didn't want to see all the older being so unhappy, suffering, and sitting around waiting to die. I avoided going to nursing homes at all costs, but now several years have passed and God has worked in my heart and has given me a love and burden for the older folks. I now happily schedule piano recitals and craft times at nursing homes. It is so much fun to watch their faces brighten when children enter the building. I thank God for giving me that desire to serve Him and that He gave me "push" out of my comfort zone.
  

Remember that with God ALL things are possible
- that includes learning a new language and speaking in front of large groups of people!!!

God is at work

I don't have much time, but I wanted to direct your attention to a certain blog today:
http://getoveryourself-croatia.blogspot.com It was such an encouraging blog post that I wanted to post it on here for others to read through and experience the joy of reading about people coming to know the Lord and perhaps inspire you in your witnessing- thanks Tori!
You can either click above or over on the side of my new list of KJV Missionaries and find
New Christians in Croatia!
I am hoping to continue adding to my list of missionaries, but for right now that is all the time I had - so don't fret if you don't see your website or blog on there....I'm working on it....just give me some time! Also, please know that I do pray you and your ministries daily. God at work in the lives and hearts of people all over the world!!!
Have a wonderful day!

Our Great Saviour

Our Great Saviour

Jesus! What a Friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul. Friends may fail me, foes assail me; He, my Savior makes me whole.

Jesus! What a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him; tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, He, my strength, my vict'ry wiins.

Jesus! What a help in sorrow! While the billows o'er me roll, even when my heart is breaking, He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! What a guide and Keeper! While the tempest still is high, storms about me, night o'ver-takes me, He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Jesus! I do now receive Him; more than all in Him I find; He hath granted me forgiveness; I am His and He is mine.

Chorus: Hallelujah! What a Saviour! Hallelujah! What a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end.

It's summer in the neighborhood

It's SUMMER in the neighboord!

Yes, it is now officially summer. Let's take a moment to check out what ministry activities we can do in our neighborhoods this summer.

• Host a backyard picnic/cookout for the entire neighborhood. Mail invitations or deliver them in person. This gives you the chance to meet new neighbors, have a chance to talk with the neighbors that you haven't seen for a while, ect. You could also ask each family to bring a salad or dessert or perhaps an ice cream topping (instead of doing an entire meal you could just opt. for a ice cream party - the ideas are endless).
  
  If you have any talented musicians your family, neighborhood, or church invite them to play a few good old gospel songs. Or perhaps put in a good CD to listen to while you are eating.
  
  Pray that God will give you open doors and that the unsaved will have hearts & minds that are open to the gospel.
  
  


• Host a neighborhood yard carnival. This is something we did years ago when the children in our neighborhood were young. We also were asked to do it in other neighborhoods as well. We would pick a Saturday morning and invite all the children to come to a yard carnival - we would give out balloons - all colors of the wordless book: green, red,black, white, yellow), my dad would do several gospel illusions, we would do a craft (e.g. a little wordless worm magnet). We would also have a puppet show (my sister and I did a puppet show with just the small hand puppets when we were about 8-10yr.). We would sing (and sometimes we would have a tape player sitting outdoors playing children church songs). Of course, we would have all sorts of little games to play in the yard (those can range from three legged races, sack races, and even beanbag toss). For more fun game ideas you can check books out at the library (or if you don't want to do that just search for children games on the Internet) - remember if you plan on having a theme carnival (wordless book, Noah's Ark, etc.) you can try to adapt your games to go along with the theme.
  
  


• If you know of other Christians in your neighborhood you might consider starting a Bible study with them one night a week or perhaps 1-2x's a month.
  
  


• Take a morning or evening stroll through the neighborhood - you never know who God might have you speak with while you are out walking. Usually in the summertime neighbors are out working in their yards or sitting on their porches which gives you a great oppertunity to speak to them about the Lord and perhaps invite them to church.
  
  
  Those are just a few of the many ways you can reach out to those around you during this summer. If you can't witness and talk with your neighbors (which by the way God has given each of us a mission field right were we live) - how can we expect to be great witnesses elsewhere around the world if we cannot reach out to those right where we live?
  
  

Call to the Uncoverted

Here is the link to Baxter's book: Call to the Uncoverted if anyone is interested in reading through it.

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/baxter/unconverted.html

People Need The Lord

Books, books, books. I just came in from being in the warm and sunny outdoors. I enjoyed about 45 minutes of reading while lying on a blanket which was spread next to our fruit trees in the back yard. It was so nice and peaceful - a great place to spend the afternoon reading.

I am in the process of reading a book I checked out from the library: I was Born A Slave - classic slave narratives. It is a 764 page book. So far I have found it quite fascinating to read of the lives of these slaves. The book starts out with a story about a slave named James Albert Ukawsaw Gronnoisaw who was from the Coast of Guinea. I wish I would retype the entire story of his life onto this blog, but I will try to give you a short overview.

James, the youngest of six children and a grandson of the King of Bournou was a mischeivious kind of boy who was always curious and enjoyed asking many questions. One day some merchants came to his village. After talking with them and being invited to journey to another country with them he told his mother goodbye and set sail with the visiting traders. James was about 15years old at the time of his departure. He left his country, his home, his people and his family. Of course, as with the story of slaves goes you are right in assuming the rest of the story.... James was sold several times to various masters in London.

One very nice mistress gave him the book, Holy War by John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim's Progress) to read. James returned the book to her saying that he found the experience in the book similar to his own - it was about a man as bad as himself and didn't like it. His master then gave him Baxter's Call to the Unconverted to read. After reading that book James struggled with things that he had been told and had read- "I thought it was impossible He should recive such a sinner as me". Finally he realized that there was no way to be saved unless he came to Christ. He was gloriously born again and later baptized.

It was such a good story that I wish I could have shared it in its entirety. It was wonderful to read and feel this man's joy in being born again. He struggled saying that he was to bad a sinner to receive salvation. God's desire is that all man might be saved.

I have an uncle that thinks he is too bad for God to save him - why would God care about me. It breaks my heart to think of all the people I have heard say those words. God really loves them and would save them if they would only realize that they must come home by the way of the cross. My heart just about rips when someone says that they don't need God and that they are good and God will allow them to enter into heaven. It isn't true - the Bible says there is none good, no not one. There are others in this world that really don't care one way or the other about their eternity.

Just this week I was out browsing through a bookstore and my heart wept over the people I saw. I wanted to run out of the store, yet I wanted to stay and share the Lord with the people there. There were so many unsaved- so many sad faces, faces that had no idea what they are living for in life. Don't you wish sometimes that your arms were big enough to wrap around tons of people to tell them about the Lord and all He has done for you?!? There are so many hurting people within arms reach. Pray that God will lead you to someone today who is struggling and hurting, and perhaps ready to throw in the towel with their life. Throw out the life line.

People Need The Lord.



Here are the words to the song by Steve Green -
PEOPLE NEED THE LORD


Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?

On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.


People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize, people need the Lord?


We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
For sharing Life with one who's lost?


Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the Words of Life
Only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For peo-ple need the Lord.People need the Lord.

Fishing Around the World

"And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."
Mark 1:17

From the brief research I have done recently there are over 20,000 different species of fish in this world and many new ones waiting to be discovered. I am really not a fish person though, I decide that a small aquarium might look nice in our home so I went out and bought a tank, fish food, and couple fish only to wake up the next morning to find dead fish floating on the top of the water in the tank. To tell you the truth the longest living fish I have ever had was a beautiful blue purple colored beta that my cousin gave to me for my birthday one year. That fish survived for one entire year! I was quite amazed! I had a large goldfish live for 3 months, which I thought was quite impressive!

And going fishing, well, that is another story.......
I enjoy fishing, but I never seem to catch any fish so sometimes I think fishing is a waste of time. I don't do it very often and I cannot even remember the last time I tried to catch a fish. It is a lot of fun hooking the worms to the hooks, but the fish always seem to grab my worms and stay off the hook. I think I end up fishing where all the smart fish live!

According the the U.S. and World Population clock (the US Cenus Burea) the number of people alive in the world as of today, June 16, 2008 are as follows:
In the U.S.- 304,354,840
In the World- 6,674,562,991

Now folks, that is a lot of people! As a matter of fact there are at least 3,000 Bibleless nations in the world who number over 380 million people.

8,000 Kumwenu people in Cote D'Ivoire, Africa

402,600 Tibetan Drukpa of Bhutan

300,000 Bella people of Burkina Faso

600 Gbadogo people of Burkina Faso

113,500 Jula (Dioula) people in Burkina Faso, Africa

8,000 Komono People of Burkina Faso

83,000 Malinke people in Burkina Faso

28,000 Tagba Senufo People of Burkina Faso

810,000 Amdo people of China

There are many, many more countries that I will not take the time to list you can read more about those Bibleless countries at: http://www.baptisttranslators.com/ and click on "The Need".

Jesus has called us to be fishers of men. To prepare ourselves for the our fishing experience we must be well supplied with bait and tackle (the Bible, tracts, your own personal testimony). As a Christian we can go out fishing in many different lakes, oceans, and even little creeks that are filled with fish swimming in one direction (the school of fish represents the people in the world and the lakes, oceans, and creeks are being used to represent the many countries of the world). These small little fish joined by the larger school of fish and were swept up in the direction of the current (things of this world). It is hard to swim against the current. Many times those fish are eager for bait and will nibble at the end of your line, but you aren't able to reel them in because they will not latch onto the hook. They will listen politely to what you have to say yet they don't feel strong enough to begin swimming against the current while their fellow fish continue in the other direction.

Sometimes the fish will completely ignore you! It makes you feel that it was a huge waste of your time to sit along side the water waiting for a fish to latch on. Don't give up -keep fishing! There are many people in this world and God is working on hearts and changing lives. And I'm sure everyone would agree that the best part of fishing is when you catch something!!! There will be fish that God will send along for you to reel in. Pray and ask the Lord to show where He wants you to fish - there are so many good fishing holes all over this world.

(I found this clipart art and thought it went so well with this post!)