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August 2004

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The new bathroom building at Pancotto Primary School in now completed. Thanks to the hard work of Tony, Jan, Calli, Faron, Kenny, and Matthew. Not only did they finish the bathroom but, also had time to rescreen windows on the mission house at Sand Hill. I am very thankful for their commitment to the work here in Belize. Along with other volunteers I also know there were others who supported financially and I pray that God will bless you for your generous giving to the mission field. Together, we are moving forward with the completion of each building project.

Serving in Belize,
Charlie Joe

How many of you are familiar with the author, Oswald Chanbers? He lived and ministered in the early 1900’s. Okay, you are saying, ‘Oh he’s out of touch with us today, after all this is 2004!! Man is so much wiser than they were way back then.” But the Bible tells us man is .”.ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.” (II Timothy 3:7).

If you’re like me, I may be reading along in a book and all of a sudden a few words just jump out at me. On June 19th reading Oswald Chambers’s Devotionals I read these words and they spoke to my heart. He uses John 21:16 “loveth thou Me?.. Feed My sheep.” Chambers states the following .. Jesus did not say make converts to your way of thinking, but look after My sheep, see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Me. Discipleship is based on devotion to Jesus Christ, not an adherence to a belief or a creed… so many are devoted to a cause and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. Our Lord’s first obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of men; the saving of men was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ. Do these words sound old fashioned and out dated to you? God is still speaking to us today from the mouths of many saints gone on before us. As young people (and even us older ones) we don’t really like to hear someone say, “When I was your age.” or “people used to.” “But listen to me.” We’re living in a day NOW when man is so wise that he can decide who is born or who’s life is not more worth living. He’s decided a man can marry a man and a woman can marry a woman, no matter what God says. The wise of today say we don’t need God or His Ten Commandments in our nation. And as the Mother of the New Age Madam Blavatsky stated, “..now that the Revised Version of the gospels has been published (by Westcott and Hort) and the most glaring mistranslations of the old versions (KJV) are corrected, one will understand better the words.”

Are we so blinded that we’ve fallen into Satan’s trap? Reread John 21:16..”Feed My sheep!” God’s true Word is our source of wisdom as Job said in Job 28:28..”And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom…”

Take time to read God’s Word everyday! After all it is the Christian’s Guide Book in life.

Darla Hunt

Computer Software

There is quite a bit of Bible Software for sale these days ranging between $100-$450. There is some excellent software for free however. It is called e-sword.

Investigate it on the web site www.e-Sword.net.

It compares favorably with some of the best commercial programs.

You may download the program and its libraries for free. You need a high-speed Internet connection. Otherwise you can buy a CD for $15 or more. Even if you download it all for free, you’ll probably want to send a donation to e-Sword after you see how well you like it.

If you want to study the Scriptures e-Sword is a superb tool to enhance your work.

Kevin Barley

News From Belize
Bro. Charlie Joe Green

Bridgette Ingram is doing a good job in her school ministry to the Mennonite colony in Camp 10 of the Shipyard area. She is teaching English to a fine young group of 16 pre-schoolers who can only speak German. A few adults come in the evenings for tutoring. She is living in the camp area with a family who provided her with a room and is enjoying her summer ministry. Pray for her as she serves in Belize.

Letter from Bridgette

I was more than a little apprehensive when I arrived in the hot, wet, tropical country of Belize. It was my first time to teach school, not to mention in a different country. I was scared, but at the same time excited and ready to do God’s mission which he had for me during the summer. I dedicated myself for three months, teaching school in Camp 10 of Belize. I have been here almost two months and things are going great. There has been a few bumps along the way, but the wonderful thing is, God looks after His children. I am teaching school in a camp of Mennonites, which have pulled out of their previous beliefs. The children of those who have pulled out, have no school to attend and also needed a teacher for the Kindergarten/First grade level. God has lead me here in camp 10 of Belize Central America where I am teaching seventeen students every day who did not know a word of English. Now most of them can site their alphabet, numbers, and colors. I also teach five adults who are starting to read their first book without prior knowledge of English. The wonderful thing is they have a chance to go to school and learn. They are very eager children who love to learn and are hungry for the word of Jesus Christ.

I bike about three miles to school each day and I have had to learn to make other sacrifices, but it is all much deeper than that. Everyone has to make sacrifices and everyone has problems. That’s why Philippians 4:13 has become my motto. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Thank you for your prayers an support. May God bless you.

Love in Christ,
Bridgette Ingram

What's your excuse for missing Wednesday night service?

I had a habit in my early preaching years of beginning my sermons with a question. The idea was to set forth a problem and then proceed to answer the question with the Bible.

That worked all right in the church setting, but an experience in a nursing home made me re-think my method of beginning the sermons.

Our church had the service at the nearby nursing home. We carried some folks to sing and invited the residents of the home to join in with us. They did the best they could and seemed to enjoy themselves.

When it came time for the devotion, I started it in the manner described above. The exception this time was that one of the dear old ladies decided to answer my question. And she answered it for the next 20 minutes.

Therefore, I learned to watch how the opening words came out of my mouth. I don’t begin sermons nowadays with a question, because there are a lot of folks out there in our congregations who might take me up on the question and do me in like the old lady from years ago.

But today I want to probe with you a question. I have to begin this way because the reason for the question is alarming.

The question? “What is happening to our local church people who should be faithful to their local churches?”

I don’t have the answer; perhaps you do.

I guess the one service which causes me the greatest concern is the Wednesday night midweek service. This should be a strongly supported and powerful service because it cuts into the middle of the week, giving believers a spiritual shot in the arm to complete the week strong for the Lord.

But it seems like to me that our people don’t care for the service, and the church staff and leadership doesn’t expect much to happen. The attendance in most of our churches is low, it seems like, and the emphasis from the leadership is lax.

Perhaps I’m overly concerned, but I don’t think so. Tons of folks are going to and fro, working in the yards, attending ball games or just sitting out and enjoying the cool breeze. And the small number in attendance at the church house is simply snoozing through a few minutes of loyalty to tradition.

People of God! Pastors of the local flock! It is time that we all awaken from our sleep and start making the midweek service a true Hour of Power.

Listen at this for a moment. A young man and woman made their way down to the front of the church where they met the preacher. Here they heard some words of encouragement; they repeated some vows of loyalty and commitment. They were pronounced man and wife, kissed, turned to face the congregation and then left.

The man got into his automobile and the woman did the same. Each one left in a different direction. You learn later that he was going to a ball game an she was going to spend the next month with her parents in a distant city. That situation would blow your mind as it would mine, if it was a true story!

You would more than likely respond, “That’s an awful illustration. NO one would ever be that stupid.”

Well, didn’t you and I promise our faithfulness to the Lord when we were joined together? Didn’t we say to Him that we loved Him and would be faithful to Him and His service? And we enjoyed our time with Him and His people when we came to the church house. But something has happened along the way.

Perhaps if the preacher preached from the belltower of the church, maybe they would come then. Well, if they did, they most likely wouldn’t come back again until he promises to jump from that same tower.

I guess I didn’t tell all the truth at the beginning of this article. I said I didn’t know the answer. But I think I do know the answer.

Many people of the church locally, who say they love the Lord with all their hearts, aren’t really telling the truth. They don’t love Him as they should, or else Wednesday nights would be just as powerful a service as any other.

It’s true that some folks can’t get out at night. Some of our older folks don’t like to return alone to their homes after dark. Age and illness do hinder some from attending and supporting the Lord’s House as much as they might like to do.

But where are the able-bodied members? Where are the people who sing loud and beautifully on Sunday mornings? Where are moms and dads with their children and our Bible teachers?

Ladies and gentlemen of the body of Christ, this is a serious matter. We cry out, “Where is God?” when tragedy strikes.

The answer could be that He is trying to get our attention and the only way He can do it is through storms in life. He can’t get our attention in the church houses because we don’t spend much time there.

The Hebrews writer reminds us in Hebrews 10:19-25 about God’s opinion. Read it and see what you think.

Rev. Odus Jackson

Myanmar Methodist Protestant Churches

The General Conference voted to accept the Myanmar churches as part of the Methodist Protestant Church.

We will forward it to the General Conference treasurer.

If You Were I, and I Were You

If you had been born in a country dark,
And I in a Christian land;
And you did not know of a Saviour dear,
Reaching out a nail-pierced hand,
Inviting to come “whosoever will,”
What would you think I should do?
If truth so precious were mine to impart,
If you were I and I were you?

If I could read the precious word,
Which teaches of the way;
If I could hear the church bells ring,
And I knew of a Sabbath day,
And a Father dear, who answers prayer,
Would I be loyal to Him and true,
If the message were not carried to all
If you were I and I were you?

Two thousand years have passed away,
The story to us is untold,
Men, women, and children, dying each day,
May we not be sheep of His fold?
O, haste with the message, precious, sweet;
Is His mercy but for the few?
To us, the heathen in darkness, do
As you’d have us do to you.

Anonymous

Jesus' Second Coming
Rev. John Gerald

I. CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH HIS APPEARING

Psalms 68:34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

Perhaps this expression means that his strength is about all, meaning that it is far above that of man. The clouds are associated with his glory, his majesty, and with his second coming.

II. THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD COMES FIRST

I Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

The resurrection follows his descent from heaven in the clouds. The archangel will sound the trumpet and will shout with a great shout that the dead may arise as He descends. The dead will hear and arise from their graves.

I Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The dead will rise first, and they will receive their glorified bodies. Then the living saints will rise, and join them as they meet the LORD in the air. There will be no more separation, but we shall forevermore be in the presence of the LORD!.

III. HIS COMING TO JUDGE THE WORLD

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The coming of Christ to judge all the nations will be with His visible appearance in the clouds. The sight of which will terrify the whole world of unbelievers. They will all become believers then, but too late! This is the great White Throne Judgment!

Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Herod could not even imagine what Jesus was talking about, but he knew that he referred to his divinity as the Son of God.

Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Jesus’ place of honor was at the right hand of God, the right hand of God, and he would be coming in the clouds with great power and glory. The nations and all the rulers of the earth will see him in His power and great glory to their terror!

IV. ACCOMPANIED WITH HIS SAINTS

Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

The spirits of the dead saints will come with the LORD as he descends from heaven, then they will receive their bodies from the graves in the glorified form. Spirits yearn for a body, and the dead saints will receive theirs at this second coming, just before we receive our glorified bodies.

V. HIS SUDDEN APPEARANCED

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

His coming will be sudden. It has been expected for a long time, but once he comes, it will be like the lightning, very quick!

Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

It will require us to keep the sayings of the Bible to assure us that we don not lose our crown. Satan is out to steal our crown at any moment.

VI. THE REWARDS FOR DEEDS DONE IN THE BODY

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

This is not the gift of eternal life, but the rewards for deeds done in the body. We can be rewarded for deeds done in this life, but eternal life is given to those who believe on the merits of Christ’s work on the cross!

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

John prays for the quick return of Jesus. May we be ready with our lamps all trimmed and burning! His return is quite imminent!

Alabama Conference

President: Rev. Benny Crawford - Treasurer: Florence Carlisle
Secretary: Rev. John Luckie

Missionary Record
Dianne Reid, Editor

A VOICE FROM THE PAST

What is Prayer and It's Value?
Based on an Article by Rev. Beulah Ivy

Webster's definition is: Prayer is a solemn address to the Supreme Being; an entreaty; a form of worship that is part of a petition which specifies the request or desire.

One man said, "It is a soul's up-reach to God." When we see the need for help that man cannot give, we reach out for God's help. Another said, "Prayer is the powerhouse we get strength from, an overcoming power, by faith and prayer."

When we give God thanks in prayer we honor Him who said, "Pray without ceasing." We need to live in a constant attitude of prayer.

In Matthew 26:41 Jesus said, "Pray that ye enter not into temptation." Philippians 4:6 - "Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." God will take our burdens and troubles when we get ready to lay them down and leave them. I Peter 5:7 - "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

It has been said, "Satan flees when people get on their knees." Esther fasted and prayed for God to save her people. Her prayers were answered and her people spared. Paul fasted and prayed fourteen days on a wrecked ship. He and his group were spared. Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane until His drops of sweat became as drops of blood. I believe the burden for prayer, the very sincere earnest prayer of faith, gets the work done.

Prayer changes things. Daniel prayed three times a day. In the face of the lions' den, God took care of him and gave him victory over the evil plot to destroy him. In John 17:17, Jesus prayed for the sanctification of believers. That was a sincere, essential prayer.

The prayer of faith will save the lost, heal the sick, save the nation, and our church, save the home and bring peace to the whole household. Let us work and pray, for Christ's coming may be Dear. Prayer in all ages has been very important. May we give much time to prayer, praise and thanksgiving to God.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED! Should we be satisfied with spiritual mediocrity and worldliness? Do we have a hit and miss attitude about our relationship with God? Perhaps, prayerlessness is the culprit, or could it be we are praying with the wrong motives? Perhaps, insincerity and a real lack of earnestness in prayer is the problem. Let's get serious about the right kind of prayer life. Our prayers need to be based On the Word of God and His will.

- Dianne Reid