Sunday

“Blessed be God,

who has not turned away my prayer,

nor His mercy from me!”

~Psalm 66:20~

Thank you for your continued prayers. I am improving daily. Go to see the neurosurgeon Wednesday and hope he has something else we can try. Still having difficulty walking because it hurts to put pressure on my left leg. My bag hurts if I stand too long-like cooking.

Riley continues to decline in his ability to do things. Continues to be pleasant and eats & sleeps well.

I am thankful for the beautiful sunny days but it is a little HOT in DeRidder and even hotter when the AC goes out. Thankful that we had a nice man who would get out on a Saturday of a Memorial Day Weekend & repair the AC. Surely did help my myasthenia. It was beginning to be a little uncorporative because heat & myasthenia don’t get along too well.
thanks for your prayers
Frann Smith Clark

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (joh-HAHN-is-burg). “A Deaf believer shared her story of a recent encounter during a week-long literacy training seminar,” writes the Deaf Evangelism Team. “When one Deaf man mocked his Christian friend, she jumped in, saying that she was a believer too. The Christian friend tried to share the story about Paul from Acts 8 but mixed up some of the details. She shared the full story about Paul’s testimony with them, and the man who had mocked then said that every story from the Bible being told in sign language should be videotaped so that every Deaf person will ‘see’ God’s Word in a new light. God is moving, as a group of interested Deaf believers have now gathered and prayed about this possibility of videotaping the Bible stories in their heart sign languages. Pray that God will guide us and give wisdom, patience and understanding as we work with this group who are committing themselves to this project.” http://members.tripod.com/wret_za/

SOUTH AFRICA. Please be in prayer for the country of South Africa. South Africa has long been thought of as an economically and politically secure country. However, over the last several months, much change has occurred here. Due to various reasons, power supplies have reached a critically low point and now South Africa is suffering the power outages that often occur in other parts of Africa. It has reached such a critical level that the country is now experiencing daily, rotating power outages. Unfortunately, this has already had a devastating effect on small business and employment, in a country that already has a huge unemployment rate. Immigration requests from the country have quadrupled since November. There are also nervous “rumblings” about how this will affect the 2010 Soccer World Cup, since it looks like a solution will be years in coming. All of this has had an unsettling effect on all people and has started a time of economic as well as political unrest with the coming elections. Please be in prayer for South Africa. Intercede for the people as they struggle through difficult times. Pray for the government as they struggle to solve a seemingly insurmountable problem. Ask for the Lord’s intervention and care. Pray for many to seek the Lord’s hand and guidance in South Africa.

ZAMBIA. It might be a school break, but it’s no holiday. The students of the Baptist Theological Seminary of Zambia are on their “break” between terms–but no one would say that they are on holiday. Those who are full-time pastors are using this time to focus more of their time and energy on the churches that they serve. Others are in the process of planting a church during this break. One student is beginning to bring to reality his calling of building an orphanage/training center in the bush by surveying possible sites and purchasing the land where God directs him. Give thanks to God for students who see “holidays” as “holy days”–days set apart for His glory and honor, extra opportunities to follow Him in faithful obedience.

LAST FRONTIER. “I was recently again reminded of the privilege of growing up in a country, and in a family, where there was freedom to hear and share the Good News,” writes a worker serving among a Last Frontier people group. “Utilizing the help of a recent short-term volunteer team, we took the opportunity to share the Resurrection Story with multiples of people over a one-week period. These short-term volunteer friends and I were amazed at the number of people who had never heard the Story. In several situations, the hearers were visibly moved. We ask you to pray for those who have heard these Truths. Pray that the seeds of Truth will take root and begin to grow new life in their hearts. Pray that the enemy will not steal these seeds of life away.”

MUSLIMS: PRAYING BEYOND THE WALL. Pray for brothers and sisters who are experiencing persecution because of their commitment to follow and serve Jesus Christ. Pray for them to experience joy in Christ in the midst of treachery. Ask that they will be completely enveloped by God’s peace. Pray for wisdom, grace and courage to share God’s Truth with those who oppose them. Pray for those who are determined to torment believers to be won over and transformed by God’s love expressed through His children. http://btw.imb.org/

Baham, Julia Ann

(October 25, 1945 – May 24, 2008)

Died at 2:53 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, 2008 at Our Lady Of The Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, LA. She was a native of Springfield, LA and a resident of Greensburg, LA. Age 62 years. Visitation on Monday, May 26, 2008 from 9 a.m. until religious services at 3:00 p.m. at Red Bluff Baptist Church, Greensburg. Services conducted by Rev. Starat Cleveland. Interment Red Bluff Cemetery, Greensburg, LA.Survived by, her husband, Douglas Baham, her daughter, Julie O’Brien, her sons, Pee Wee Baham, and Mickey Baham, her sisters, Ella Welch, Mable McMaree, and Dollie Frazier, all of Greensburg, her brothers, Albert Rodriguez and Dewitt Effler both of Livingston, 4 grandchildren, Amanda Allen, Bridgette Baham, Brittainy Baham, Stephanie O’Brien, great grandson, Micheal Ray Allen, numerous nieces, nephews, and step-grandchildren

On Mission in Kentwood

Yesterday, fifteen volunteers worked to help others in our community and let them know God loves them and we love them. It was a very heart-warming experience. You might consider participating next time. You will certainly be blessed.

KneMoonlite

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor

LARRY AND JANE Hudson are dear friends from the Main Street church…

They recently invited me to Sunday dinner following the AM worship assembly. This special couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and so they asked me to go along and commemorate the happy occasion.

Our destination…? Owensboro, Kentucky and Moonlite Bar-B-Q.

Everybody in this neck of the woods knows about Moonlite. Think “casual dining.” Think “family feel.” Think “all-you-can-eat” BBQ buffet. Underline the word “all.” Hungry guests stand in line with a plate and then help themselves to a smorgasbord of tasty, home-style dishes.

Buffet. Choose what you want. Skip what you don’t want. Go back as many times as you wish. This is gastronomical heaven. I loaded my plate with country favorites — mashed potatoes, pulled pork, and green beans, but then skiped the macaroni and cheese, gravy and rolls.

I left the restaurant full as the proverbial tick. Okay, maybe not full — I stopped just one bite shy of gluttony.

The meal was great. The Christian company was even better.

It occurs to me that many preachers treat the Word like a trip to Moonlite. They fill their theological dinner-ware with perennial favorites. They “eat” what their doctrinal belly desires (Phil. 3:19), but then pass over those food items which their denomination deems unpalatable. For instance, some heap their plate with faith, but then consciously omit what the Scriptures teach about baptism. They select SOME of God’s word but not the SUM of God’s word. They claim to be “Bible-believing,” but then do a “Moonlite” on those passages which teach the necessity of immersion.

Does the New Testament require baptism? No? Look again. According to Matt. 28:19-20 baptism is involved in my becoming a disciple of Christ. According to Mark 16:15-16 baptism is something I must engage if I want to be saved. According to Acts 2:37-38 baptism is something I must undergo in order to be forgiven of my sins. According to Acts 8:12-13, 38 baptism is something I must submit to, even if it means changing my religion. According to Acts 10:48 baptism is something I must obey because it has been commanded. According to Acts 16:14-15, 33 baptism is something I will yield to — immediately — in order to be faithful to the Lord. According to Acts 22:16 baptism is something I must do if I desire my past sins to be taken away (cf. Acts 9:6). According to Rom. 6:3-7 baptism is that which makes a difference (slave of sin vs. slave of righteousness) in my life. According to 1 Cor. 12:13 baptism is the means by which I enter the body or church (cf. Eph. 1:22-23). According to Gal. 3:26-27 baptism is the way that I become a child of God. According to 1 Pet. 3:21 baptism saves.

Got your Bible handy? Read through Jeremiah 36. Jeremiah prophesied during the closing days of the Southern kingdom of Judah. On one occasion, the prophet received a divine message from God and then had the words written on a scroll (vv. 1-3). This inspired document was later read to king Jehoiakim by Jehudi (vv. 21). When Jehudi read that the kingdom-nation would be overthrown by the Babylonian empire, Jehoiakim decided he couldn’t “stomach” anymore. The arrogant ruler took a scribe’s penknife, cut up the scroll, and then cast it into the fire until it was consumed (vv. 22-24).

Jehoiakim would have liked Moonlite. Eat what you want. Skip what you don’t want. Mashed potatoes “yes,” dinner rolls “no.” Authoritarian rule “yes,” servile bondage “no.” Faith “yes,” baptism “no.”

Dear reader, the Bible is not a self-serve restaurant. We can’t pick out the parts that we like and then reject or cut out the portions that don’t strike our fancy. We must declare and consume (Jer. 15:16) the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27; cf. 2 Tim. 4:2-4), including those passages which teach the necessity of baptism. (Mike Benson)

“The sum of your word is truth,and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psm. 119:160).

Have a wonderful Lord’s Day! Be sure you remember it is SONday!

Anna Lee