But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
and we can take nothing out of it.
~1 Timothy 6:6-7 (NIV)~
Chuck Pittman is home and reports that he had a good day yesterday, the best in a while. Please continue to pray for Chuck.
Roger Pittman will be having a procedure at North Oaks this morning. Pray for Roger today.
Butch Reviere is getting rest in Washington Parish. He may come to Kentwood the first of next week. Pray for him as he continues to recover from his surgery.
From Sherry Rosamond
My friend, Lisa Westmoreland’s, mother is in the hosiptal and E would like for everyone to keep her and her mother in your prayers.
The story is told of a man who was sued by a woman for defamation of character. She charged that he had called her a pig. The man was found guilty and fined.
After the trial he asked the judge, “Does this mean that I cannot call Mrs. Johnson a pig?” The judge said that was true.
“Does this mean I cannot call a pig Mrs. Johnson?” the man asked. The judge replied that he could indeed call a pig Mrs. Johnson with no fear of legal action.
The man looked directly at Mrs. Johnson and said, “Good afternoon, Mrs. Johnson.”
Such name-calling is obviously wrong, but Jesus told us there are some people who are “pigs” (and not in the sense of eating too much). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matthew 7:6)
There are some people who are “dogs” and “pigs” in the sense that they have no appreciation for things of a spiritual nature. Just as a pig has no appreciation for precious jewelry, so it is that some people have no appreciation for the precious truths of God’s Word.
John MacArthur has written, “There will be times when the gospel we present is absolutely rejected and ridiculed and we will make the judgment to turn away and speak no more, deciding that we should ‘shake off the dust of [our] feet’ (Matt. 10:14) and begin ministering somewhere else.” (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7)
I agree. There are times when those I speak to show such a lack of appreciation for God’s Word. My greater concern, though, is making sure that I don’t have that same attitude.
“Father, I pray that my heart may always be tender and open to the valuable lessons you want to teach me. May I never ‘trample underfoot’ those things which are truly important. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Have a great day!
Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina
IMB
JANUARY 29, 2010
“I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.”
~Psalm 57:9~
HAITI. IMB missionary Dawn Goodwin asks that we pray that they can quickly find locations to set up base camps in Jimani, both on the border in the Dominican Republic and within Haiti itself. Doug Roberts, Sam York and Steve Flook are working hard to make that happen. Intercede for physical stamina for all the Haiti response team and for all the missionaries in the Dominican Republic who are pulling together and working around the clock! The joint Southern Baptist response to the Haiti earthquake launches this coming week with four “strategically selected” medical teams. Four “strategically selected” medical teams are being sent through the Dominican Republic to Haiti, along with two representatives from the Florida convention who will continue to make arrangements for trained disaster relief teams to travel in and out of the country. The death toll has grown beyond our ability to fathom the pain and loss, but we must remain vigilant in praying for those who are suffering infection without adequate medication. Ask God to protect Haitians living in improvised camps from the spread of contagious diseases.
WORLD LEADERS. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please pray today for President Alvaro Colom Caballeros of Guatemala (Central America).
BAMBARA OF MALI (BAHM-bah-rah). Bambara Team members Mitch, Arnett and Steve set out into the African bush, carrying not much more than a GPS device, a pan of cupcakes, and some sleeping gear. They didn’t know where they were going. They didn’t have a plan other than prayer and trusting God to provide them with lodging. Their mission? To find an untouched place to start a new work. In three days, they hit seven villages. True to their culture, the Bambara were hospitable to the strangers in their midst. Mitch, Arnett and Steve were offered a place to sleep each night. Along the way, they gave the traditional gift of respect, cola nuts, to a variety of village chiefs–some warm, some stern. The three sat under the stars and explained the “new religion of Christianity” to some stately elders devoted to another belief system. They ate lots of rice with their hands, endured a blister bug attack, and unwittingly terrified a few children who had never before seen white men. They were looking for a place that was open both to hearing about Jesus and to learning new ways of farming. They write: “Next year, we hope a team of volunteers can restart our ‘Foundations for Farming’ project in a new village, one more open to improved planting techniques. Please pray that God will lead us to choose the right village in which to start work. Pray that He will open hearts there and that the ultimate result will be the birth of a new church. “http://www.gobambara.org/
CENTRAL TIBETANS IN ASIA (ti-BEH-tuns). The traditional celebration of the Tibetan New Year includes many Buddhists rituals. Therefore, as the holiday approaches, many of the Central Tibetan believers will choose not to participate in the festivities, while others may give in to the pressure from family and friends to carry out tradition. Ask the Lord to give Central Tibetan believers creative ideas and God-glorifying ways to incorporate different aspects of their culture into their celebration of the New Year. Pray that they will boldly stand up for Jesus and give a clear testimony of their faith to those who question or even persecute them for not following the Buddhist traditions.
Have a wonderful day today. Make today count for something!
Anna Lee
The Prayer Link 