Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Good morning as we begin the new work week after the Labor Day Holiday. It seems more like Monday than Tuesday, and a week of this month is already gone. Was that quick, or what?
Time keeps flying on by, and we need to realize how we need more and more urgency in our efforts to win lost folks to the Lord. Without Him they are going to be eternally lost. We need to remind ourselves of this daily, and reach out more consistently to them with the love of Christ.
Let me remind our folks of a couple of things for this week and the upcoming weekend. First of all, those who are going to the Gaither Concert in Shreveport on Friday night need to be here at the church parking lot ready to leave by 4:30 PM. We want to get down there, grab some supper somewhere, and get on to the center and find our seats. We will be taking a couple of the church vans.
Also, I want to encourage everyone to do your best to be here for Sunday School and Worship this Sunday. Bro. Sam Craig will be sharing with us in both services. He is a music evangelist that will bless your heart in song, but will also be sharing about his many mission efforts all over the world. We are especially interested in hearing about his trips to New Mexico to work on some of the Indian reservations there. We are planning to put together a church mission trip out there next July, and he can give us a lot of insight about the work that is needed in that setting. Come hear about this great opportunity, and begin praying NOW about getting involved in it! It will be a great blessing for all those who participate, but also give the opportunity to BE a blessing to others!
Our staff, church council members, and their spouses are invited to join us at 6:30 PM Saturday at Vaughn's restaurant in their meeting room for supper with Bro. Sam. (Dutch treat meal) We will enjoy some great fellowship and an informal question/answer time with Bro. Sam.
Today let me encourage you to pray for the following important things. First of all pray that the Lord will help you be more yielded to His Spirit's control in your life. That will bring about a production of the Fruit of the Spirit that we are studying about on Sunday mornings in the message times. This will in turn touch more lives with His love and compassion. That is, after all, our mission as His church; to win lost folks to Him and then help grow them in Him!
Secondly, pray for continued decisions in our services. We have enjoyed seeing 12 people baptized in the last three weeks, plus another couple who joined by letter. We have been having some great services, so let's pray the Lord will continue to have a great freedom to work in our midst. Pray that the Enemy will not be able to have a hand in squelching what the Spirit is doing. The best way to do this is to pray that we each continue to seek the Lord and not our own desires. Don't let the Enemy get your focus on anything but seeing our mission as Christ's church carried out consistently through our lives. Everything else is vain. Worry about what YOU are supposed to be doing for Him, NOT about what someone else is doing OR not doing. Seek His love and joy in your life today.
Pray for all those on our prayer list and any others you know of who have special needs in their lives right now. Send me the names of any you want included on the list below so others can lift them up.
Finally, pray for Bro. Sam Craig and the services this Sunday. Pray that we will all be challenged to get more involved as we are ALL actually missionaries where we are for the Lord Jesus. Pray for decisions to be made for the Lord's glory this Sunday. Pray for His Spirit to have a great freedom to work powerfully in our services.
I hope to see you in Sunday School and Worship this weekend as we look forward to another great Lord's Day.
Blessings and love to you and yours today,
Bro. Jackie Stanfield
Pastor
*Prayer List. Send me the names of those you would like to include with these below. Let's begin by praying for REVIVAL in our nation. Pray for all those who made decisions at Heaven's Gates & Hell's Flames. Pray for direction in our remodeling project for our Fellowship Hall. Pray for Lost Souls! Pray for our On Mission Celebration Missions Conference this October with missionaries from around our world coming to share in this associational event that several of our churches are participating in, including us.
Pray for these individuals: Kerry Wells - good test results - praise the Lord; Marguerite Lummus family; Joe Brown; Randy Wright - cousin of a former church member - had heart bypass surgery; Mary Pate; Eddie Anderson family & the June Clevenger Ford family - friends of ours from Hooks; Modena Pate - Kenneth's mom; Sheri Burns; Caitlyn Smith; Nannette Henry; Larry & Freida Sinclair; Jodi Luzio; Debbie Rhyne; Jean Whatley; Wesley Morris - brother-in-law of Debbie Warren - brain tumor; Jo Miller's daughter; Lewie Montgomery - step-father of our son-in-law, Bobby Fowler; Danny Parker -friend from Maud going to M. D. Anderson to see what they need to do - prostate cancer; Emma Howlette - Linda Boney's mom; Deborah Baldwin; our daughter, Jana Fowler and husband Bobby; Our grandson - Donovan - in Youth Challenge Program with the National Guard in Louisiana; Gary Stevens; Janie Brock; Michael Brock; Billy Kelly; Charlotte Johnson; Allison Anderson Rowe; Janet Boon; Lisa and Dylan Stanley; Troy Johnson; Buddy Pate; Keegan Surratt; Jo & Hugh Whatley; Michelle Phelps; Eric Sultz family (young man from Maud killed in the flooding at Albert Pike Park in Arkansas); Sierra Heath & Mason; Danny Wallace - undergoing treatments for colon cancer; Laura Penny; Bro. Trey Roberson (P. O. Box 837, Tatum TX 75691); Patti Henson - knee problems; Bro. Jim Rust; Jo Anna Duncan.
