Content

It hit me this week sometime..... I think for the first time every I feel completely content. There is nothing I want, there is nothing I feel I am lacking. It's not that we don't need things and that we could surely desire some needed things. I just feel totally satisfied in life. I know I have Christ and that is all I need. My wife's contentment has always amazed me. How could a person want nothing and be so satisfied? It has been a really nice week and such a great feeling to want nothing. I honestly can't think of one thing I really want or need right now. Christ is enough. It was such a wonderful day in Church today. I love the Lord so much! It's so great to just worship and get to know Him more. This morning and this evenings message go together..... Let me post the link here. If you get the chance, it's good stuff. Morning (part 1) Evening (part 2) I'll post evening audio when it becomes available.

Daily Prayer 12/1/07

Pro 6:16	There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Pro 6:17	Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18	A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
Pro 6:19	A false witness {who} utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. Father, so many would say "God can not hate! Here it is clear you surely HATE these seven specific things. It's sin. You HATE sin. Help me to remember that when I sin Lord. Help me to hate my sin the way You hate sin. I am always SO thankful for people who will continue to listen to Your Word even though they could have turned away from me a long time ago. I am thankful that they continue with me. I pray it's just because we all together just want to learn more about You and learn Your Word. I pray as always for Thaddeus. We are all still praying so hard for his hearts growth. We pray for the aorta to be healed....also Lord for the baby Mindy told us about with the bad heart and Downs. This very easily could have been and almost was Emma's condition. So we share our hearts with them knowing Emma could have had those struggles. For Jill's health, Father her body's chemistry is in Your hands. I pray you will keep her in balance and she will not have any seizures. We also pray they can stay healthy with their very busy schedule and business. I have just been resting in You lately Lord. Since last Sunday it has been good for me. I know I could have studied, but I have been lazy. It has been nice, thank You for the good time with the family. Now help me get back on track this next week. Father we look forward to a wonderful time in worshiping You and our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord and Master and Brother and King...help us to examine our hearts, confess our sins and set our minds on You as we come to worship. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Mt Hope Audio Still Online

If you haven't had the chance to hear about "The Rock" the audio from when I filled in at Mt Hope church is still online. Instructions and link is HERE

Aubrey Anderson comes home!

After nearly losing her life and a month in the hospital, Aubrey has come home!
You can read the news story HERE. I am so thankful the Lord has brought her through this!

OUR LATEST UPDATE ON AUBREY ANDERSON

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30

We checked out of the Wesley hospital at around 6:00 last night. It is great to be home and we are so grateful to everyone who prayed for her recovery and sent encouraging notes. In Psalms 106:1- It says, "Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

I was reminded the other morning in my prayers, that what Aubrey went through was truly for the pleasure and glory of the Lord. What she had could not be cured. The doctors and nurses could only come along side and support her body for healing. It was the power of prayer that healed her, and brought her home. Rejoice in the Lord's goodness. Thanks is not enough for what everyone has done. Realize the power and the impact of offering up a prayer to a living and holy God. He rejoiced in them and used them to heal my precious daughter.

-Bill/Karen

Old Churches

I love old churches! Every now and then I have to do some audio work in an old church here. It's an old Presbyterian church. Lot's of old wood and creeky steps and creeky wood floors under the carpet up the dark back hall into the choir loft. From the rafters of the church I look out over old wooden pews and a pulpit that looks so old. I love to imagine old time preachers clearly sharing the Scriptures. I love to imagine people sitting on their old wool and cotton Sunday clothes listening to God's Word and worshiping. It seems I have a pretty hard time finding good stuff to read from pastors post 1940's or 1950's. I know just a little about the change in American culture in the 1950's and 1960's.... It seems a pretty dramatic shift in theology came along. I can't be too specific, I haven't researched it enough. Anyway I love the old sermons from some of the Puritan's. I think of a young America when these churches were new and the doctrine was pretty pure. When preachers talked about the state of man before a Holy God.

I also LOVE old Bibles. To hold a Bible in your hands from 100 even 200 years ago and see it's the same exact words! The same exact truth and it works the same way it always has....unchanging truth of God cutting to the heart to reveal sin and our need for Christ.

Gotta run....have a great day.

An Army of ONE

I just finished my weekly meeting with Pastor Samuel in India. Tonight we discussed the urgent need to get Telugu language Bibles in the hands of people there. Every day they ask him and he has nothing to give them. I want to get MANY Bibles in the hands of people there. With the current exchange rate, a Bible is $3. If you have any ideas on how we can raise some money to purchase Bibles, please let me know.

We also discussed again (he asked again) me going to them by the end of 2008. He said they want to load me up and tour me all over the Southern states preaching the Word. You see they don't have the preachers there like we have here. They don't have much theological training. That's why it surprises me so much because I don't have any either, but it did remind me how thankful I should be for a church that feeds me and teaches me so much, so well.

I admitted to him that the thought really scared me. Preaching to over 300 pastors at once in one place they have planned and then all these churches. Let's be honest, there is true persecution over there and I don't know if an American can make that big of a splash without drawing some unwanted attention. My love for Samuel and the Christians there quickly rushed over my fear and I told him I would honestly pursue this goal.

In my mind I visualized what it would be like the day I leave to go there. I am sure my family would not want me to go and worry about me.... I am pretty sure my mom would worry about me. I also think she would be proud of me. That's when it hit me.... Wow what an opportunity! Think about it. We grow up with dreams of being able to impact the world. This is a true opportunity to truly impact the world with the greatest message and the greatest gift the world could ever receive or desire! God has given me great connections with a great man of God in India plus great connections with the opportunity to go to Africa with the Gospel message!

That thought suddenly flashed me back to a night here in Hutch at Holy Cross Catholic Church. I remember I was hit really hard in the heart by God's Word. I remember I got up and went to the restroom and prayed (don't ask me why...I just had to go talk to God about things) Walking in they foyer I prayed with the deepest prayer I could pray...."Lord I do not want to just live and die. How many lives were wasted and meant nothing! I want to live my life for You Lord! Don't let me come to heaven well rested without wear. Let my life be used up serving You. Lord Jesus take my life and let it stand for something! I have done nothing with it and will not do much with it.... I want You to have it! When I die, let them know that my life was not wasted, but was used to further the Kingdom of God." That's pretty close to exact word for word as I prayed it.

So it just hit me. The Lord is answering my prayers! Every time I get to read His Word and get to know Him better. Every time an uneducated man like me gets to use a God given spiritual gift to share His Word with others.... Anytime a person responds..... It's all His work, I know I can take none of the credit....but I am so humbled by it. I am on such a wonderful ride! I don't know where He will take me, or how He will use me. I am filled with fear as to where He might take me or what He might call me to do. I often try to derail the path He has me on with my sin. Yet, He is faithful. He has heard my first prayer to Him. He has said OK and called me His son and saved me from my sins by His grace. He is daily step by step using my life. How much or how little he uses me I don't care, just to know that the Lord loves me and that He would use me.... Is it possible? Can this man from such a small town impact the WORLD for the Lord? In His power and His strength according to His will....yes.

Guess what, He wants to do the same with You. Will you turn your life over to Him to use where He pleases, as He pleases..... Want Your life to count for something worthwhile? Join the Lord's Army. You may serve in ways that go totally unnoticed with no thanks. You may get pats on the back.... You may get the opportunity to talk to others around the world...then again they may be on your street. You may even be killed or beaten or imprisoned. Is that life served for our King's glory worth it? Join the Prince of Peace. He IS the Army of ONE. One Way, One Truth, One Life.... No one comes to the Father but by HIM (Jn 14:6) Wow... It almost makes me brave enough to donate blood......( I said ALMOST).

Daily Prayer 11/27/07

Father- Thank You for Your wonderful mercies! You are so good to us. What a privlage that we could even know You!

We thank You for the health of Aubrey Anderson. It sounds like she is finally doing much better. I just pray no long term damage was done to her kidneys, but of course even if there is, it will be according to Your plan for her life. It will be used by You for Your glory, we know this.

For the wonderful pastors and Bible students in India....I know so many meetings have been going on and so much teaching has been happening. I pray for spiritual discernment and that Your Holy Spirit would teach them and help them to accurately understand the Scriptures.

I thank You that You would even open our eyes to behold such wonderful things in Your Word! We know we do not know anything because we are smart or have figured things out, but simply because You have taught us from Your Word.

More praise for Tatum and baby Aubrie's growth.

Of course we continue to pour our hearts out to You with concern for Thaddeus' heart. We rest in our trust in You Lord.....Thank You so much for the growth in his heart so far...we just pray that it would continue. I have not forgotten my bold request and I know You remember it Lord. I pray for His healing according to Your will for Your glory and for His health.

Father I also pray for Jill. No one said it, but I am a bit concerned about her health with the new baby she has on the way. I just pray You would keep her healthy and keep her body's chemicals in balance and prevent her from having any seizures.

I want to really pray Lord for Peter Krause. Peter has Downs Syndrome and has had a heart surgery. He is now 6 months old and not eating like he is supposed to. They may have to do a G-tube (what Emma had) because he is not eating on his own. He has pulmonary hypertension and his parents are scared to put him through a surgery for fear of what might happen. We certainly understand their fear Lord. Please comfort them and help them to rest in You and may they seek You more earnestly in this time.

I am still so very happy it worked out that we got to get together as a family....Lord You know how special those rare occasions are and how much they mean to us. Thank You for the safe return of every one.

I also thank You for the positive feedback on the Mt. Hope Message. It can be a hard message to hear but also a great message to hear. I thank You that the one's I feared the most would be upset have so far responded well....I pray for the others that it would be received well. I hope they feel comfortable enough to contact me about it Lord. We just want to seek You and our Savior in truth.....may we all regard ourselves as the least and just come to Your Word and deal with the text.

In Christ's Name, Amen.