CALL US WHAT YOU MAY!

Camp Meeting is over for 2012.  I am dead tired and taking the day off.  The last night I just could not go, at least I thought.  I was having trouble with that sciatic nerve  The night before was I was  really hurting before we got out.  Then I got to thinking about what I would miss out on.  Oh, I could have watched it on out 

church's web sight ~ but it just isn't the same.  Anyway, I jumped up and got ready and went anyway.

I thought I could hurt at church as well as home.  

I'm so glad I did.  God was all over the place.  When you get a bunch of Fundamental Baptist in a Spirit filled service ~ no telling what might happen.  (Let me stop right here and say, it was all in descent and in order.)  Just because the Saints  of  God get blessed and shout and mind God  doesn't mean we are a bunch of Holy Rollers.  Although, if that is what it is all about then I don't mind being called that.   What will it be when we get to heaven?  Don't you think the Saints will be praising our Savior up there? 

Last night Bro Ken Bowman preached on forgiveness.  What a powerful lesson.  He illustrated how we drag around a burden of unforgiveness because someone has wronged us and never have ask  us to forgive them.

It may have been years ago ~ but we are still waiting for them to come to us.  When in actually, our Christian life is defeated, we are not in victory because that load we are carrying gets heavy.  Have you ever been there?  Our business is to forgive WHETHER THEY ASK OR NOT.  I'm glad we can forgive even as our Father hath forgiven us!  We can have victory over pass hurts if we just place that "unforgiveness on the altar"  and leave it there.  The day may come when someone may ask your forgiveness ~ but can I tell you from experience that if you have been hurt from within the church ~ they may never come to you for that forgiveness.  Don't go through life carrying that load.  Just forgive in your heart and leave the rest to God.

Will the devil ever bring it up?  A BIG YES!  But we can look him in the eye and say, "What are you talking about?  Don't you know where that "unforgiveness is? "  It is under the Blood on the cross of Calvary.

There was some powerful  preaching that I could not absorb it all.  But it us being put on the our church web site so if you want a blessing sometime just go to fundamentalbc.com

I want to stop right here and say I'm so thankful for our pastor Bro. Rusty Silvertooth, his wife, Mrs Ceil that

have a servant's heart and has his flock at heart.  When we hurt, they hurt, when we rejoice, they rejoice.

We are getting ready to lay the foundation of our new church.  I know from being around a pastor's home for so many years ~ that the devil doesn't like what we are doing and he will wreck and destroy unless we pray and  keep a right attitude.  Pray for us as we start the building program.

Can I ask some of you a question?  Do you pass by my blog and don't comment?  Not that I have to have them, but it sure does encourage.  Unless I get more response, I am thinking about another avenue.  Will you let me know?  If you pass by can you just leave a little comment to let me know you are reading?  I would appreciate it very much.

CAMP MEETING

Camp meeting is in full swing.  We are full to capacity.  Hopefully next year we will have our new building and will have more room.   My brother and his wife came for a couple days and got in on some good preaching and singing and mainly God's presence.  Bro. Randy Sutherland from Georgia and Bro. Craig

Edwards have preached at night so far.   The next two nights will be different preacher for the first.  Bro 

Edwards is our main evangelist.  We have never heard him before but God is blessing us and teaching us through his preaching.  

It is like my brother commented.  We have something special here that you don't see often.  We are aware of that and never want to  it let it become the ordinary.  I just wish all of you could just be in one service.

We are a church that is 12 miles out in the country and people come from 60 miles around just to be in a good church.  I just feel  blessed that the Lord has planted us here to be a part of a church on fire for God.

We have wonderful leadership and there are no big I's and little you's.  We are aware that Satan could mess that up in not time if we don't stay on guard.  

All of the camp  singing and messages will be put up on our churches website next week.  You can listen to some of it.  It will be a blessing to you.  Will report more later.

By the way, go to  kjvblogspot.com   and download a free e-book with KJV  devotions.  More will come later but  for now read what is on there.

     

PRAYER NEEDED

Have you ever heard  when something bad happens  ~ it  happens in threes.  I'm not superstitious
but seems a lot has been happening around here that needs prayer.  First, our son in law went into hospital last week with a bad toe.  He is  a diabetic and has already had a toe removed.  It looked like he was going to lose another.  While there a couple days he had a heart attack.  When they did test he only had about a third of his heart working.  So yesterday they did a triple by pass.  He came through fine, but still has a way to go.  We stayed a the hospital almost all day yesterday.

We got home and my husband's sister in law text to let us know that there son and his wife has lost a baby.
Then his sister is not in good shape.  I called and she is not doing well.  They don't really know what the trouble is but she is suffering a lot.  

Would you pray for  these?  We are starting camp meeting Sunday and I so want to be able to go.  The Lord must be going to do something great because the devil has tried so many at church.  Pray for our camp meeting, also.  God bless!

Garden, Canning, farm etc.

  Where is the time going?   We have been busy doing a little bit of everything.  We are trying to get ready for our annual camp meeting starting Father's Day.  We always look forward to this every year.
 But there were a few things we needed to do here  at home before camp.  We  had a good garden this year.  Just wish it was bigger.  Next year we plan to expand.  We put up some tomato sauce, bell pepper ( Have you bought a bell pepper lately?  They are outrageously high) ~ I  fix them ready to stuff and put them in the freezer.  I also chop them up for seasoning.  I love to cook with bell (sweet) pepper. Also green onion of which I put about three gallon of chopped in the freezer. We picked and put up several bags of butter beans.  Still have more to pick.  We have okra and more tomatoes coming on.  Oh, yes ~ plenty of yellow squash.  
Sounds like we are loaded, huh?  Like I said our garden is not a huge one so it was a picking every day ~ so it took a couple days to save enough to start preparing.  But it is still going so I'm sure we will have a few more weeks of growth.  There is a feeling of accomplishment when you see the freezer getting fuller and a few jars sitting around.  Just think how many pennies saved just on bell pepper alone.  I am going to try and put up a gallon of  pickles today.  


I am home by myself today.  Our son and his wife bought  a new 
house and Silas has gone to help Rick do some things.  Actually, it is 15 acres and home and farm land.  He will eventually get a couple horses and he plans on a few head of cattle.  The Lord really helped them with the price.  It's been awhile since Dad and Son got to spend time together.  Rick brought his golf cart out there so I can ride around and look.  

Until next time, may the Lord bless each of you.

NO MORE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Were you brought up in Sunday School?  Do you remember looking forward to it?  I know some churches have done away with it completely.  Some church people think it is just for children.  Not so!  If we get to the place that we can't learn more of God's Word, we are really in a bad fix.

I guess I got to thinking about this because of  a news article in Baton Rouge.  NO MORE SUNDAY SCHOOL's IN THE CITIES PARKS.  I don't know what group was doing this but they were doing a great thing telling children about the Lord,  These children were under privileged  and I'm sure a Bible Story and refreshments were one reason they came.  They  felt like someone cared for them.  Who knows what these lessons did?  Some may have gotten saved and may be one that the Lord can use later.  We never know, but I do know the seed was planted.  Then, along comes the devil and puts a stop to God's work.
It's okay for  wild parties and picnics, but not a Bible story?  Something is wrong here.

Our church children just got back from SMITE.  They go in different  neighborhoods and gather up enough children to give a Bible story to.  This lasted five days.  Sunday Night the Pastor had some of them to tell some of their experiences with the children.  They seem to have been broken up because the conditions of  some of these families were not the best.  Yet, they were able  to present the gospel to them.  I don't know how many were saved.  But, again the seed was planted.

Our children feel so blessed, yet at the same time humbled.  God is so good.  SMITE  is every year but I wonder how long it will be before they are told NO MORE?   The devil is out to get all he can.  We, as Christians need to keep these lifted in prayer.  If we don't care enough  for boys and girls to hear the gospel, who is going to care?  May the Lord help us!

Onesimus

In reading the book of  Philemon in the N.T., which is only one short chapter I came across some notes I had taken on it years back. It is one or Paul's prison letters.  Philemon, a Christian at Colosse, had a slave named Onesimus.  He had robbed his master and fled Rome.  There he came across Paul and was converted.

(God has ways to get our attention.) 

He must have told Paul what he had done to his Master.  Paul counseled him and, no doubt told him he would have to go back to Philemon and  make restitution.  So Paul writes a letter on Onesimus behalf.  

Paul is interceding on his behalf.  In verse 17 he ask Philemon to "Receive him as myself.  If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee anything, put it on my account."  In another place "I beseech thee for my son, Onesimus

whom I have begotten in my bonds."  He was unprofitable in the past but he has had a change of heart and now Paul knew he would be profitable to Philemon as he had been to Paul.  Paul would have like to keep him but knew that he belonged to another.

1. We are God's property, as was Onesimus the property of Philemon.

2. We robbed God, and ran away, but our Apostle and High Priest,  found us, transformed us 

and  brought us back to to our Master (Jesus Christ) whom He, to God, the Father, besought to receive us as Himself.

3. God charged all our debts up to the account of Jesus Christ and we were free.

4. We wronged Him,  and went out to hide from His presence in the crowd, but the Holy Spirit apprehended  us.

5.  The Roman law had a provision that a slave might become free so he could be adopted and freed.

We were born in sin and enslaved to Satan, but Jesus Christ with His shed Blood, freed us so we could be adopted into the family of God.

 Read this book and compare:

Philemon - The Father

Onesimus - slave or sinner

Paul, the intercessor (Christ)

BUSY DAYS

We have been pretty busy around here.  First we had our Faith Promise Missions conference.  The Lord really helped and over $150,000 was pledged for the year.  We are taking on new missionaries.  Fundamental Baptist Church truly has a heart for missions.  Thank the Lord for a sacrificial people.  We don't have a lot of rich people in our church ~ but we do have a church that loves missionaries. I can speak for us personally.  We have no idea where the money comes from but we do know He has never failed us.  I guess that is why it is called 

"Faith Promise"

 We also had to prepare for the Louisiana Home School Convention,  every year in April the home school

children compete with other home schools.  They pick out projects to do and get them ready for the last week in April.  This was Adam's first year to compete.  Pastor likes for each child to do as many projects as possible.  Adam entered eleven.  We knew this would be a trial year, since neither of us knew what to expect.

The judges are very strict.  Here are pictures of some of his work.

The flowers are made out of coke cans.

He made a metal stand to set this in.  He placed

2nd in this. The stand was a three leg metal stand.

He also placed in this bread box he made.  This category was wood work.

It had to have certain specs. He missed a couple but still placed.

This was a wood turning bowl he made.  He placed 2nd in it.

He wrote a short story and placed in it.  He play a solo on his guitar and placed 2nd.

He and a friend did a guitar duet and placed second.

He drew a colored free hand picture of an old barn.  He placed in it

also.  

This was the boys ensemble.  Adam is by the mike on the right. They placed second.  The girls ensemble placed second, also.

This is Adams ribbons.  11 out of 11.  None of them placed first but

we were so proud of him and the other young people that participated.   We had 21 that participated and they all did real good.  They are a good group of young people.  Last, but not least ~ they brought home the Christian Character Trophy.  That is what every school strives for.  

The last night we ended up with a Banquet and the Awards ceremony.  Now we look forward to next year.

                                            Blessings,  Aliene

MORE COVER-ALLS

 Paw Paw Ricks Coveralls

I guess this is picture day.  Rick is our son.  The coveralls were his when he was little.  This is his first grandson and grand daughter.  I have pictures of Rick and his son in these same coveralls.  Just not on my computer.  I posted Andrea awhile back.

 Caden Michael  in grandpa's coveralls!

 Remember this? Andrea in Uncle Rick's coveralls.

This is Avaleigh that was 10 weeks early.  We got to see her the first time last Friday.  She is home but still on a monitor.  She does not like the light in her face.  Last week was her due date, but she came January 29th.  

 Tessa Rose, Big sister.

Aren't we grand parents blessed?    Sorry, but I just had to show off a little today!



                             ALWAYS,   ALIENE

GULLY WASHER

We are having a gully washer today.  Dark clouds, thunder, lightning and rain seem to be the order of the day. I remember as a kid when the gully washers came we would head for the ditches to wade in.  We first had to push a lot of debris away.  Stuff that had been buried in the bottom of the ditch and came to the surface during the hard rain and ditches running over.  No telling what may come up.  I wonder, sometimes, why we did not get our feet bruised or cut on some of the debris.  I don't remember any incident's like that.  I did notice that the bigger ditches along the roads bring a lot of debris. It starts floating as the water rises.

Sometimes the Lord sends us a gully washer, spiritually.  The preacher preaches hot and heavy.  Something comes to the surface and the Lord deals with us.  "Me, pride?"  Surely not!  Right in the middle of pride is the letter "I."  So really the problem is within and needs to come to the surface.   But as he preaches seems the debris gets heavy.  "Unforgiving."  Not me!  But something comes to mind from the Lord.  (It may have been a long time ago or recently)  What about gossip?  I don't like for someone to tell me something that borders on gossip.  Even if it is the truth, it is better left unsaid.   Someone ask me a question about another Christian one time.  "Do you think they are really what they say?  My answer was, "I am not the Judge."
It really did not matter what I thought about that person, God is the Judge.  Some people thrive on gossip.
Before you judge ~ make sure you know both sides of the situation at hand.  We can have our opinions, but keep them to ourselves.  That way we will stay out of trouble.

Preacher preaches on with his gully washing preaching. What about Bible Reading, what about our prayer life.  Each day my husband and I start the day with reading the Bible and praying.  Does that make us Spiritual?  No way!  Are we reading because that's what the preacher expects or do we read for direction and leadership from the Holy Spirit?
It is easy to read and not know what you read.  When I find myself in this state, I just start over whatever chapter I was reading.  I ask the Lord  to apply His Word to my heart.

Well,  as the preacher preaches, something hits me right the in middle of  my being.  Something else has come to the surface.  I glad we have a forgiving  Savior.  I'm glad He sends gully washers in my life and get some of that what our pastor calls ~"stinking thinking" out so we can look at it and see that we need to confess.   That's be to God for His Love to us.  Have you had a gully washer in your life  lately?

"And  the Lord said, Simon, Simon,behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; But I have prayed for thee; that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen the brethern.   And he said unto him, Lord , I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou  shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."  (Luke  22:31-34)


I think Peter meant every word he said when he told the Lord he was ready to go with him to prison and to death.  He was completely devoted to the Lord  and determined to go with Him if it meant death.  He had sailed on the stormy sea of Galilee with the Lord.  He had seen miracles of Jesus.  He was the one who said,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."   He was a bold fisherman and had faced many storms.
He had been through many difficult times with the Lord and the other disciples. How could he not be sincere?

Yet, there was coming soon a day when their faith was to be put to the test.  Jesus was just before being put to the most dreadful conflict in His earthly life.  Jesus warned them of what was soon to take place in Gethsemane.  He, Himself, was entering into conflict with the prince of this world, Satan.  He knew that Satan would do all he could do to destroy Him and His followers.

He looked at Peter and said,  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift
you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."
He wanted his followers to have the assurance in the time of deepest darkness and despair that He would be there for them.  Peter had often seen the Lord pray and had seen the answers to prayer.  He had been with
the Lord when He raised Lazarus from the dead.  Peter really thought he was stronger than he was.  He did not fully understand his heart.

Peter did fail, but in answer to prayer he was restored and became a channel of blessing.
We, like Peter, undergo times of deep testings.  We get fearful and frustrated within.  That's when we need to remember  that the Lord is our Great High Priest.  He ever lives to intercede on our behalf.
We are tested, but not forsaken, bruised and bewildered, but not abandoned; utterly cast down, but not destroyed, because of Him who says to us today as He did to Peter long ago: " But I have prayed for thee
that thy faith fail not."