Prayer is the acid test of devotion. -Samuel Chadwick
Judi Wright was in the hospital last week. She got out on Thursday morning and was camping at Morro Bay by Thursday afternoon. However, she is still recovering from her stay in the hospital.
Char Cole was also in the hospital last week with some heart irregularities. She has also been released and is still planning on her and Hal going to Ireland next week. Pray for traveling mercies for her and all who are traveling with her - the Sullivans, the Kennedys, the Lombardi’s and I think the McKelvey’s.
Judi Wright’s niece, Jesse Ambler’s daughter, was involved in a traffic accident last Saturday night. She was hit almost head-on by a drunk driver. Her car tumbled down an embankment. Those who stopped were unable to get down to her so she crawled out of her car and up the embankment. By God’s great grace she got a few stitches, her face and hand are bruised from the air bag - but that is it. The other driver was not wearing a seat belt and is in critical condition.
In a little over two weeks we are sending 15 Care Fresno kids up to Sugarpine Christian Camp. Please pray that Jesus will touch them and that their hearts will turn to Him.
We continue to pray for the following: Kirt Hunt, Charlie Betts, Nola Ambler, Lillian Seward, Merrill Hardison, Sandy Hall, Pastor Gene Wright, Bill Clem, Dorothy Wajckus, Dennis Galloway, Jonathan Rumsey, serving in Bagdad, Jim Purgason, Ellen Burton, Aunt Pat & cancer, Katie Arizon, Uncle Dale & chemo, Mike Abbott in Afghanistan, Walt Couch & prostrate cancer, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, George Martin & cancer, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer.
Pray for our missionaries - Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, Biana Grogg with The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Father God,
Listen, Abba, to the songs of praise that our hearts and souls lift to You with joy. They are the sound of our love for You. Rejoice in our love for You, and we rejoice in Your love for us.
Holy God, we thank You for Your hand of healing on Judi and Char. Thank You for their release from the hospital that allow them to continue with the plans they had made for their lives. Continue to heal their bodies.
Magen and Eyaluth, our shield and strength, Thank You for shielding this young woman from serious harm as she was involved in this car accident. We pray that Your healing hand on the other driver. Open his eyes to what damage he’s done, use this incident to bring him to You.
Abba, we pray in agreement for the children who are about to go up to camp. We pray for the counselors that will work with them. We pray for the speaker whom You will use, we pray for the cooks, the office staff, and all others who will contribute to them. We pray a stronghold of protection around the entire camp that the deceiver will be held away and that nothing will interfere with Your call upon these children’s lives. We pray for the children from our neighborhood, we pray for the children from other neighborhoods.
LORD Jesus, Ruler of Heaven and earth, this life that You have called us to is not an easy life. We struggle with our carnal nature that whispers “take the easy way out” and LORD, You are never the easy way out. But You are always the best way out. Thank You for being the best thing that has ever happened to us.
Pour Your mercy and grace on all of those who remain on our prayer list, Spirit. Guide them in these situations. Comfort them with Your presence.
We pray of our pastors, LORD Jesus, and ask that You show them the many ways that they have made a difference in our lives. Show them how they have brought us closer to You through their words and actions. Surround them with Your love, help use to surround them with our love.
We pray for the missionaries who serve You around the world. Grant them peace in their lives in the midst of the challenges they face.
Provide for Your church, LORD God, give us a heart to serve You first. Show us opportunities to share the joy of knowing You with those who don’t.
Bring our country back to You, Father God, help us to stand strong against the forces that would weaken her. Bless our leaders with Your wisdom. Bless those who serve our country in the military.
Forgive us when we chase after what the world values, leaving the security of Your side to do so. Thank You for forgiving us when we come back to You. With contrite hearts we whisper, “You are my Father.” With forgiveness You say, “You are My child” and once again we know that nothing this world can offer compares to You. We love You. We will love You forever.
1 Kings 6 ends with Solomon completing the temple - it took him 7 years. Chapter 7 talks about Solomon’s palace in the beginning then switches back to the temple. Did you notice the odd little passage in chapter 9 (Don’t know the verses - I’m reading in the Message) about Solomon rewarding Hiram with 20 villages? Hiram was less than happy with the exchange. . In Chapter 10 the Queen of Sheba visits. And at the end of Chapter 11, we read that Solomon - so blessed of God - is worshiping idols - including the murderous Molech. Because of his idiolatry, the kingdom will soon irreparably split in two.
I have always loved to read Romans - but reading it from the Message is really great. Romans 4 when Paul talks about Abraham and the promise given to him is just amazing. Listen to this quote”We call Abraham”father” not because he got God’s attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody.” The Word is just chock full of nobodies that God made something out of. Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Matthew, Andrew, and on and on. The Kingdom of God is built by nobodies. I am glad that God uses nobodies - Here I am LORD, use me!
I know that this is coming out a little early - but I leave tomorrow for Morro Bay - won’t be back until late Monday. Have a GREAT Memorial Day weekend!
Sonday - May 28...........Proverbs 7-9; Rom 9
Monday - May 29...........Prov 10-12; Romans 10
Tuesday - May 30..........Prov 13-15; Rom 11
Wednesday - May 31......Prov 16-18; Rom 12
Thursday - June 1..........Prov 19-21; Rom 13
Friday - June 2...............Prov 22-24; Rom 14
Saturday - June 3...........Prov 25-27;Rom 15
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Matthew 23:27 (New Living Translation)"How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs--beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity.”
Psalm 51:7 (NLT) “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow”
Last fall my family went to Oregon for Thanksgiving. Coming home we got caught in a snowstorm. Snow and dirty slush got all over my white Impala. Inside the car was just as bad with empty cans, snow chains, books, papers - you know all the stuff that accumulates during two days on the road. When we got home I was working extra hours to get caught up at work. My poor car was more grey than white and it was embarrassing to be seen in it - but I just couldn’t find the time to take it to a full service car wash. Finally on a Saturday night I took it to one of those drive-in car washes where you park your car and all these sprayers circle around you car washing then rising it. You see, I had church the next morning and I was not taking my car there for another week with it looking so bad! The snow chains had finally been put away, but the inside of the car was still pretty messy. But as long as nobody actually looked inside my car they would never know that the inside of the car did not match the shiny clean outside of it.
The Pharisees were the religious leaders of Israel. They could recite the law backwards, forwards, sideways and in pig-latin, and they kept the Law religiously. Jesus talked about them tithing the mint in their gardens they kept the law so well. Have you ever had a mint plant? The leaves tiny and it grows like wildfire! I can’t imagine the work of putting 9 leaves of mint in their basket and one leaf of mint in God’s basket. And Jesus said that they did this with all the herbs in their garden. They kept the law religiously and made sure everybody knew it. But Jesus said that they were like graves - pretty and white on the outside - but full of rotting bones on the inside. In other words - their car was clean on the outside - but all the trash from their life’s journey was still on the inside.
People are like that aren’t they? They think if they present a nice clean outside to the world then nobody will ever know about what is on the inside. But God knows. We can fool other people - we can even fool ourselves - but we can’t fool God. He knows.
In Luke 18, Jesus told a parable about a religious leader’s prayer. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” Notice that it says the Pharisee prayed with himself. God wanted nothing to do with that prayer. This man was praying to the braggart god of himself.
People are like that too - they compare themselves to others and say - well, I may not be perfect - but I am better than that guy! They convince themselves that because they follow all the rules and they are better than that other guy that they are good enough to get into heaven. But even though we present a clean, shiny surface to the world - and to God - He knows the truth about us. He says “There is none righteous no not one.” (Romans 3:10) No matter how shiny your life looks we are not good enough. None of us are. But surely Billy Graham is good enough! God says not even Billy Graham. Then Mother Teresa? Not even Mother Teresa. If these two aren’t going to make it to heaven on being good - I don’t have a prayer of making it.
Actually - the only hope I have of making heaven is a prayer.
When the Pharisee prayed in the synagogue there was another man in there. The publican (or tax collector) stood off to the side. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven but just said, “God, be merciful to me a sinner”
Jesus ended His story by telling the people that the publican, who had prayed for God’s mercy, went home justified by God. The Pharisee who was depending on how good he was went home justified only by himself.
The Word says that it is by grace we are saved, that not of ourselves it is a gift of God. Not of anything good we can do - lest we boast of it. (Ephesians 2:8-9) The Pharisee went home cleaned only on the outside and he was boasting about it. The publican was cleaned on the outside and the inside by God, and he was grateful for the gift of God’s mercy.
Jesus died to pay the debt of our sins. He died so we can live with Him forever. He is the only way to heaven and a prayer for His mercy and forgiveness is the only way to Him. It isn’t difficult to reach Him. He wants to forgive us, He wants us with Him forever. He has always longed for us more than we have longed for Him. He is anxiously waiting for us to whisper His name from a contrite heart.
Are you depending on being good enough or are you depending on Jesus?
If you are not sure I urge you to contact me, or one of our staff pastors at (559)BAP-TIST or go to our website and look on the tab “Knowing Jesus” or call the Billy Graham Association at 1(888)know-Him. Jesus is waiting for you.
LORD Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice for my sins, thank You for saving my soul and giving me the assurance of an eternity spent with You. I praise You today - I praise You forever.
Contact Valerie or sign us for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
May 22, 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
This first month living and serving in Nigeria has been full of amazing and wonderful experiences: making new friends, visiting churches, learning how to help manage a clinic in an environment lacking most basic resources, caring for the sick, playing with children, sharing from the Word of God, teaching nutrition and health classes, doing HIV/AIDS education at a mosque, praying with those who are suffering, and rejoicing with the joyful.
Thank you for continuing to pray for the construction of the new Faith Alive Hospital building. God is blessing both the work and the workers everyday. Some of the treatment teams began seeing patients in the first floor this morning, which is a big improvement.
There will be six university students from Berkeley arriving next week to spend two months volunteering in the clinic. Some will be living with me and some downstairs with Adam. Pray for us, as we seek to share the good news of God’s love with these visitors.
The Skills Acquisition Ministry began a new set of sewing, knitting, and computer classes last week and is quickly outgrowing their space. Dr. Isichei has located a bigger building near the clinic for the classes and the transitional living housing. He is currently negotiating with the owner and arranging funding to purchase the property. Pray for God’s guidance and provision as we seek to meet the needs of this expanding outreach ministry.
Final preparations are underway for Faith Alive’s 10th Anniversary Celebration June 23rd to 25th, which includes a skills class’s graduation ceremony, a concert with 4 Nigerian contemporary Christian groups, presentation of a medical research paper, and two special worship services. Many visitors will be joining us to celebrate God’s blessings together.
Thank you again for supporting us with your prayers and gifts.
Your sister in Christ, Biana.
Notice, we never pray for folks we gossip about, and we never gossip about the folk for whom we pray! For prayer is a great deterrent. -Leonard Ravenhill
The Care Fresno Kids Klub First Annual “School’s Out!” picnic was GREAT! We planned for 50 - expected 40 and got 77 kids and families! Praise God for such an exciting turnout!
Our Street Faire this past Sonday was also an exciting, successful event! The much-worried about rain did not strike until just before the faire ended. How fun it was to see our campus filled with friends and families from the neighborhood!
A number of families will be gone this week for our annual camping at Morro Bay. Keep us in prayer for traveling mercies. I am taking Joanna & Jesse with me - their first camping trip!
Please keep Kirt Hunt in prayer - he has cracked his hip then had a bad reaction to the anesthesia that was used during the repair surgery. Kirt is the father of our friend, Dennis Hunt. Dennis flew back to Michigan to care for his dad.
Please pray for Carol Armstrong’s daughter-in-law who has had excessive bleeding following surgery. The doctors are not having much success in getting it stopped.
Jon & Chris Aycock’s grandma passed away. They and their families left for the Celebration of Life services. Please keep the family of this wonderful Christian woman in prayer.
Charlie Betts has been feeling poorly for the last two months, so when he got the flue that’s been going around, it really weakened him.
Sandy Hall is going in for surgery on June 5th, then 6 weeks of radiation after that.
Biana Grogg, our missionary to Jos, Nigeria has caught a bug that has settled into her intestines.
Helen Noyes was taken to emergency hospital last week - no further information on the situation. If you know what is going on with Helen, please let me know.
Merrill Hardison had a pacemaker inserted last week to correct an irregular heartbeat.
Lillian Seward is suffering from pneumonia and a gall bladder infection.
Nola Ambler, Judi Wright’s mom, underwent surgery for an abscess behind her ear
We continue to pray for the following: Pastor Gene Wright, Johnetta Reed, Bill Clem, Dorothy Wajckus, Dennis Galloway, Jonathan Rumsey, serving in Bagdad, Jim Purgason, Ellen Burton, Aunt Pat & cancer, Katie Arizon, Uncle Dale & chemo, Mike Abbott in Afghanistan, Walt Couch & prostrate cancer, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, George Martin & cancer, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer.
Pray for our missionaries - Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, Biana Grogg with The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Precious Jesus,
How can we ever express what is in our hearts towards You when all that we have is words? Search our hearts, LORD Almighty, and see that You are the King of our hearts. We love You and have built our lives upon You.
We praise You, Awesome God, for the Kids Klub picnic and for our Street Faire and for the chance to build relationships with our community. Continue to work in the hearts of those who live around us.
We pray, Great Physician, for Kirt Hunt, for Carol’s daughter-in-law, for Charlie Betts, for Sandy Hall, for Helen Noyes, for Biana Grogg, Nola Ambler, Merrill Hardison, and Lillian Seward. Heal their bodies.
We lift up Chris, Jon and the Aycock family as they grieve the passing of their grandma. Remind them that she is with You, now, and she is doing better than ever before.
Great is Your name, LORD God, and worthy are Yu to be praised. We lift our hearts to You in joyous abandon to Your unrelenting love for us.
We pray for those who remain on our prayer chain and thank You, mighty One, for what You have already done and are doing in each situation.
Thank You for our pastors, LORD God. Help us to always support them with our hearts, with our words and with our actions. They are Your chosen leaders, You have placed on them an awesome responsibility - help us to help them carry that responsibility.
Holy God, You have commanded us to go into the world and reach it in Your name. Give us eyes to see the daily opportunities to share the glory of You with those who don’t know You.
Pour out Your abundance on Your missionaries and on the ministries of Your Church.
God bless America and all who serve Her. Bring our nation back to You, Sovereign God.
You are God of the Angel Armies, You sit enthroned over eternity, You alone have the power of life and death, You hold the keys to heaven and the keys to hell. We humble ourselves before Your might.
1 Chronicles 22 starts with David getting the materials together to build the temple. He knows that he isn’t the one to build it - but he wants to get as much of it ready to go as possible. What a witness we see in David’s commitment to the building of the Temple in chapter 29 when he gives his personal fortune to it. Then the rest of the leaders of Israel are described as ready & willing as they stepped forward to give.
Psalm 97, 98 & 99 are three of my favorites because they are just absolute praise of God. I loved them in the Message - it was a new look at some familiar verses.
I loved reading Chapter 1 of 1 Thessalonians a week ago- what a witness that church was! Even this week as I was finishing the two books to the Thessalonika church - I kept going back to that first chapter re-reading it - asking myself “What do I need to do to make my personal witness more like this church? How can I strengthen the witness of my church?” Both books are anticipating the return of Jesus - you know I loved reading that!
This week we continue in the Book of Romans - I really love this book! We leave the kings behind for awhile and read Proverbs. I think we will be surprised of the number of sayings we have that we didn’t know came out of Proverbs - and we will be looking for sayings we thought were in Proverbs - but aren’t.
Sonday - May 21............1 Kings 7; 2 Chr 4, Ps 98. Rom 2
Monday - May 22...........1 Ki 8; 2 Chr 5; Ps 99; Rom 3
Tuesday - May 23............2 Chr 6-7; Ps 135; Rom 4
Wednesday - May 24.......1 Ki 9; 2 Chr 8; Ps 126; Rom 5
Thursday - May 25...........1 Ki10-11; 2 Chr 9; Rom 6
Friday - May 26................Proverb 1-3; Rom 7
Saturday - May 27............Prov 4-6; Rom 8
Dearly Beloved in Christ,
FAMILY AND TRAINING.
I have seen and read of missions/ churches - raise and fall as the second line of leaders/ missionaries/ pastors were not trained. My husband and I from the beginning wanted the local people to be trained and take up leadership. Though God has helped me to complete more than half my life here at Malkangiri - 34 years, yet in Malkangiri I am considered an outsider !! I spent the last fiscal year building good family relationship among the missionaries even under very difficult circumstances [ persecution/ fear of the jungle ] and also training the swedeshi missionaries of RHS to take up leadership.
The finance was the worst that we had faced in the last 34 years, for we started with a Zero balance - first of April with the RHS missionaries being booked for 2 main trainings one on rural development and leadership at Rayagada conducted by the Vijaya Institute and the other at Cuttuck on Prison ministry conducted by The National Prison Ministry of India. Prison work is a very rewarding work with the prisoners accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior . I also took 2 missionaries with me to Vizag , Chennai, Ooty and Hyderabad to teach them and to make them absorb how to do promotional work. How to interact in English with others. Priase God, now the missionaries of RHS can handle both the administrative and field work with very little help from Remo and me.
Praise God that I could take loans to send the misssionaries for the above mentioned trainig. If any one of you would like a detail report of the training, then please let us know and we will send this to you. Unlike before it is very difficult to take loans from the local people , as they do not want to give loans to me as the anti Christian feeling is raising day by day. For the first time I could feel what it is like to work UNDER GREAT STRESS. How it feels when people hate you, even when all my life I have done only good to them. How it is to feel when people avoid you purposefully. Praise the Lord that inspite of all this, I did undergo a full medical check up as I was geting chest pain in the left second intercostal space almost every day - God in His great mercy has given me an excellant medical report. My crying too much has increased my floaters in my right eye BUT still in the vision there is no deteriation.
The missionaries had the JOY of projecting Jesus film to the Khondh people of Sanyasiguda. We have a project proposal for film programme. If any one of you are interested please let us know and we will send them.
Due to lack of finance we have not got invoved in extensive literacy programme in about 300 villages literacy rate is less than 1 % .
We have a project proposal for Literacy, Prison ministry and also creating Health awareness and Legal awareness which is so vital in the present day situation at Malkangiri. If any of you are interested please let us know and we will send them to you.
We need to appoint 2 missionary families , one at Mundiguda and the other at Rabaguda. Because the anti Christian feeling as well as terrorist activates are increasing rapidly and it is not wise to just keep one family in these interior centers. If any of you are led of the Lord please designate your money for the specific purpose of appointing new staff. As and when we get donors for this we will appoint the new missionaries.
Praise Points:
1. Summer has started and snakes are being spoted again. Just killed a python last week during travel . Praise God our missionaries are empowered by God to kill snakes as soon as they spot one as most of the snakes here are poisious ones.
2. Praise God for sparing the life of Dilip's mother after an mycardial infarction [ heart attack ] 10 days ago.
3. Successful leadership training for 11 missionaries at Raigada
4. Successful Prison ministry annual conf and training for 10 missionaries at Cuttuck
5. Mary's back pain is only a natural protection mechanism - this is after all investigations were done - so she is now permitted to play games. She is in her final year at school and she is the school games captain. A special thanks to all who prayed for her healing.
6. For the health that I enjoyed during my extensive travel in April.
7. For God's protection when the Salwar Judung group attack us.
8. Praise God for the money that came form a single donor for one training.
9. For the refreshing Interserve prayer conference at Connoor which I could take part.
10. Praise God for missionary Romesh Khosla who could represent RHS in the IMA Annual Conference at Aizawl.
Prayer Points:
1. For complete healing of Remo's right knee injury following a bike accident on the 12th of April 2006.
2. Laban had symptoms of kidney stones in 1998 - now last few days the same symptoms are coming up and he is getting frightened. Laban is now undergoing investigations. Please pray for full cure.
3. For Joythi's brother in law - Sunam Khora - who is an alcoholic- for God to deliver him and for him to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
4. For Niranjan Kuldeep's wife Prabhati who is in her second trimester [ 5th month of pregnancy ] and is getting on and off abdominal pain. She has already had 1 miscarriage.
5. For Sunath who is possed with evil spirits and he is listening to the sharing about Jesus .Missionaries Swapan and Prakash are visiting him regularly and praying for him.
6. For Adhikanth suffering form end stage tuberculosis. Please pray for a miraculous cure.
7. For finance for the project proposals so that as per the vision of RHS a Total Development can take place among the people in this area.
8. For all the loans taken in April to be cleared.
Thanks a ton for standing with us in prayer and finance.
Love and Prayers,
Iris.
Inspired By Todd Agnew
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Matthew 9:20 (NLT) “a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him. She touched the fringe of His robe, for she thought, "If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed."
We’ve had several new kids come to Care Fresno Kids Klub over the last couple of weeks. That just does my heart so good. I love it when new kids come. But they can be a challenge because there is a certain level of behavior that is expected during Klub meetings, and all to often it is a level that they are unfamiliar with. One of our boys got angry and cursed a blue streak. My mouth dropped open as he used the LORD’s name in vain in ways I had never heard before. Although I was horrified at the language, I must admit that he was very creative. I pulled him aside and explained that we simply did not talk like that at Kids Klub, I explained that we were in God’s home when we were meeting, and to use His name as a curse in His own home was just not acceptable. The blank look on his face told me that he didn’t have a clue as to what I was talking about. I knew then that the only time he had ever heard God’s name was as a curse word.
The crowd was pressing close to Jesus on this day, listening to every word that He said. A man came up and begged Jesus to come to his home - his daughter was gravely ill - Jesus was his only hope. Jesus agreed and they started towards the man’s home. The crowd started buzzing about the possibility of a miracle, and followed even closer to Him, wanting to have the best view of what would happen. On the outskirts was a woman, pale, almost grey in color. She had been ill with an issue of blood for 12 years. She had spent all her money, tried all the cures, even the wacky ones from her neighbors and friends who assured her that it had worked for their sister’s husband’s first cousin’s wife’s brother-in-law’s neighbor’s friend who had had exactly the same problem she did. Only nothing worked - nothing. After 12 years of this misery, death would be a mercy. But she had heard of Jesus, the Miracle Man. She had spent money with other miracle men - but He didn’t sound like He was one of those charlatans - He didn’t seem to be motivated by money. He was coming - maybe if she could just get His attention somehow........... Only He was surrounded by a crowd, she couldn’t get to Him - she couldn’t reach Jesus. She tried to squeeze between the people - but there were so many of them and she was so weak. Through the crowd she could see His back moving away from her. How would she ever get His attention? Suddenly, the crowd shifted and she was within reach of Him. She reached as far as she could, her fingers brushing the very edge of His robe, thinking, “If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed.” And so she was. After twelve years, after untold money, after too many tears of grief, she touched His robe and she was healed. And after she barely touched His robe, Jesus stopped the parade around Him, and turned to her, seemingly aware of her presence for the first time. (Jesus knew she was there - He saw her trembling hand reach for Him before the foundation of the earth was laid).
Did the fringe on the robe that she touched heal her? No, of course not. Jesus healed her. She couldn’t touch Jesus, but she could touch the robe that was touching Jesus. When she touched it, His power went from Him, through the robe that was touching Him and into the woman that was touching the robe.
I want to be the fringe on Jesus’ robe.
There are so many people in this world who can’t touch Jesus. They don’t understand who He is, they don’t know how He can change their lives, they can’t see Him as the Son of God. They don’t realize that He died for save them. They only know Him as a curse word. They know Him as a myth, or a really good man, or a radical killed for His beliefs - and now days as the husband of Mary Magdalene and the cause of centuries of coverup.
I know who Jesus is, my life is witness to how He changes lives. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is the only begotten Son of God and I believe that He died for my sins and saved me - I have staked my eternity on Him.
The people who cannot touch Jesus can touch me. If I live my life as an affirmation of my belief in Him, then Jesus’ power is going to flow through me, His fringe on His robe, and into the people who are touching me. Lives are going to be changed by Him. How awesome is that?
This young man in Care Fresno can’t touch Jesus - he only knows Him as a curse word. But his life and my life are touching. As I love him, am patient with him, reach out to him, he is going to see Jesus like he has never seen Him before. My prayer for him (and for all the Care Fresno kids) is that Jesus’ power will flow through me and into them and that they will have their own face-to-face encounter with Him as Savior.
LORD Jesus, I just want to be the fringe on Your robe. Help me to live my life touching You, reflecting You, so that others will see You in me.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Note from Valerie - I don't usually send out jokes & stuff - but these come from kids - and are so cute. The gospel of the last one is awesome!
STORY OF ELIJAH
The Sunday school teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces, and laid it upon the altar. And then, Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times. "Now," said the teacher, "can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?" A little girl in the back of the room started waving her hand, "I know! I know!" she said, "To make the gravy!"
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LOT'S WIFE
The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt----when little Jason interrupted, "My Mummy looked back once, while she was
driving," he announced triumphantly, "and she turned into a telephone pole!"
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GOOD SAMARITAN
A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan, in which a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. She described the situation in vivid detail, so her
students would catch the drama. Then, she asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?" A thoughtful little girl broke
the hushed silence, "I think I'd throw up."
~~~~~~~~~~
DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark?"
"No," replied David J. "How could he, with just two worms."
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HIGHER POWER
A Sunday school teacher said to her children, "We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a higher power. Can anybody tell me what it is?"
One child blurted out, "Aces!"
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MOSES &THE RED SEA
Nine-year-old Joey, was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday school. "Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then, he radioed headquarters for reinforcements.
They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."
"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.
"Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"
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THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible; Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the verse.
Little Rick was excited about the task--but, he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Rickey was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, "The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know.
Make sure the thing you’re living for is worth dying for. - Charles Mayers
Matthew & Lisa Watson will be leaving this fall to serve Jesus for two years at the Faith Alive Clinic in Nigeria. So awesome.
We continue to pray for the following: Pastor Gene Wright, Johnetta Reed, Jennifer, Sandy Hall, Sharleen Feree, Bill Clem, Dorothy Wajckus, Carol Robertshaw, Dennis Galloway, Dianna Hansen, Ann Mead & recovery from surgery, Jonathan Rumsey, serving in Bagdad, Tammy Lewis, Nancy, Pedro in rehab, Jim Purgason, Michael Ferris, Ellen Burton, Bobbie Ronsley & lupus, Aunt Pat & cancer, Katie Arizon, Uncle Dale & chemo, Mike Abbott in Afghanistan, Walt Couch & prostrate cancer, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, George Martin & cancer, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer.
Pray for our missionaries - Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, Biana Grogg with The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
El Shaddai, God All Sufficient,
We praise You because You are the Great I AM, God Who always was, God Who always is, God Who will always be. In this world that is changing so fast around us, You are our solid rock, the Unchanging One, the one we can depend on no matter what.
We praise You because You are Jehovah-Shalom, The LORD God our peace. No matter what comes at us, no matter what happens to us here on this world that is not our home, our souls are at peace because we know that nothing can take us from Your hand.
We praise You because You are Yesha, Our Savior. Eternity in Your presence, joy incomprehensible, awaits us - not because of anything we have ever done to deserve it, but because You shed Your blood to save us. Thank You for Your love for us.
We praise You because You are Jehovah-Jireh, The LORD Who provides. You care for us because we are Your children. You provide for our needs, even as we know that our greatest need is for Your presence in our hearts and in our lives.
We praise You because You are Jehovah Rohi, The LORD our Shepherd. Because of You, we are not in want. You lead us beside still waters, You lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake, You restore our souls. We will dwell in the House of the LORD forever.
We praise You because You are Jehovah-Nissi, the LORD our Banner. A banner is lifted up LORD, to be seen by the world. A banner tells the world what is important to you - it tells who you are. You are the banner of our lives. We lift You up in our lives to be seen by the whole world. With joy and pride we declare that You are what is important to us, that You are who we are.
We praise You because You are our Magen and Eyaluth, our shield and strength. Nothing can defeat You, God of the Angel Armies, and so nothing can defeat us, because we stand in Your shadow. You are our strong fortress, our refuge, our protection.
We praise You because of Your names of power, majesty and praise. In Your names You reveal Yourself to us and allow us to catch a glimpse of how glorious You truly are. But the name we hold closest to our hearts, the one we whisper in the still of the night is Abba. We run to You like a child with our hands lifted up to You, our faces turned to You. You grab us up and hold us close to Your chest and whisper of how much You love us. We are safe within Your arms, we are loved within Your heart. You are our Abba.
Abba, we lift up Matt & Lisa as they prepare to serve You in Nigeria. Grant them a smooth path to travel.
We lift up all who are on our prayer chain, our pastors, leaders and missionaries.
We pray for our country, that she will find restoration within You.
I dream of the moment when I will touch You. My restless heart that longs for You will finally be at peace at that moment. We love You, LORD God.
Faye Lowes wrote this wonderful poem about her daughter - notice the dates.
A MOTHER’S HEART
Bright blue eyes and button nose,
Rosebud hands and tiny toes,
Sweetest angel Mommy knows --
Baby Jenny Susan.
Ever, ever she’s on the go;
So much to see, so much to know!
Each day I watch the big world grow
For Baby Jenny Susan.
All too soon she’ll be on her way --
I cannot follow, or make her stay.
Come let me hold you, while still I may,
Baby Jenny Susan.
"Mommy" 11-15-60
Far away, yet ever near;
More precious with each passing year;
Thank you, Lord, for a daughter so dear
As my beloved Jenny.
Mom 11-15-87
Through times of laughter, times of tears,
Joyful hours, lonely fears --
How quickly pass our earthly years !
How Jenny’s boys are growing!
All too soon, I’ll be on my way.
They cannot follow; I cannot stay.
Lord, hold them close for me, I pray.
They’re Your beloved children.
Mom 4-16-06 (Faye Lowes)
e-Bible Reading
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Chapter 13 of 2 Samuel starts the end of the peace in David’s family and his kingdom. Amnon, David’s son, on the advice of David’s nephew, rapes and then discards David’s daughter, Tamar. I wonder if he committed this shameful act because he could count backwards from nine - and knew when Bathsheba’s first son was conceived? If his father could do it - why couldn’t the son? At the end of the chapter, Absalom, David’s son & Tamar’s brother took revenge and murdered Amnon. I wonder if rumors about the timing of Uriah’s death and David’s marriage to his widow had been floating around the palace? If his father could commit murder - why couldn’t the son? In chapter 15, Absalom leads a revolt against his father, his father is running for his life, and Absalom is ruling in Jerusalem. He pitches a tent in the public view and has sex with his father’s concubines to further shame David (fulfilling God’s punishment in Chapter 12). In Chapter 18 Absalom is killed and David’s grief is overwhelming. Chapter 20 in another rebellion, Chapter 21 is famine & war. I wonder how many times David regretted ever ordering Bathsheba to be brought to him?
As we closed out Matthew we once again experienced the trail, death and resurrection of Jesus. I noticed something in Matthew 27 that I had never seen before - the priests didn’t know what to do with the 30 pieces of silver that Judas threw at them over his remorse at selling Jesus to them Here is what The Message has them saying, “It wouldn’t be right yo give this - a payment for murder - as an offering in the Temple”. The NIV says, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” The CEV says, "This money was paid to have a man killed. We can't put it in the temple treasury." The priests didn’t seem to have a problem using this money to pay for betrayal and murder - but they had a problem with it after the deed was done. No wonder Jesus heaped so much scorn on them.
A lot of travelin’ through the Word this week. We have finished Samuel, we will finish 1 Chronicles, we start 1 Kings& 2 Chronicles, we finish 1 Thessalonians, all of 2 Thessalonians and start into Romans.
Sonday - May 14............1 Chr 22-24; 1 Thessalonians 3
Monday - May 15...........1 Chr 25-27; 1 Th 4
Tuesday - May 16............1 Kings 1; 1 Chr 28; Psalm 91; 1 Th 5
Wednesday - May 17.......1 Ki 2; 1 Chr 29; ps 95; 2 Th 1
Thursday - May 18...........1 Ki 3; 2 Chr 1 ps 78; 2 Th 2
Friday - May 19................1 Ki 4-5; 2 Chr 2; Ps 101; 2 Th 3
Saturday - May 20............1 Ki 6 2 Chr3 Ps 97; Romans 1
Valerie Rae Hanneman
2 Samuel 6:14- 15(KJV) “David, ceremonially dressed in priest's linen, danced with great abandon before GOD. The whole country was with him as he accompanied the Chest of GOD with shouts and trumpet blasts.”
When my Fawn was a toddler, maybe about 4, she loved Domino’s pizza. One night her dad ordered Domino’s. Fawn was in the bathtub when the doorbell rang and the familiar cry “Domino’s” rang out. I looked over my shoulder then turned back to tell Fawn to hurry up, only she was gone! While my head was turned one way, she took off in the other. I jumped up, grabbed a towel and ran for the door. The sight that met my eyes was classic. My naked little cherub had her wet little body (without any strategically placed soap bubbles) wrapped around the leg of the pizza delivery man and she was chanting, “I love you, Dominos!” The expression on this young man’s face was both unique and indescribable. I grabbed up my daughter, wrapped her in the towel and hurried into the house. All to the chant of “I love Dominos, Mommy!” My Fawn loved her Dominos Pizza and she didn’t care who knew it.
If you were to ask me when I am the happiest, when my life feels the most right, when I am the most complete - I wouldn’t even have to think about it. It is when I am in services on Sonday morning, worshiping God. This is what I am created for. I am created to be in a living relationship with God. I am created to worship Him. On Sonday mornings I get to celebrate that relationship by worshiping with my eternal family. It don’t get any better than this!
I had a conversation with somebody that I know slightly a few weeks ago. She told me that I was an interesting person to watch as I sang in the choir. Now “interesting” is in itself a unique word because it can be complimentary or not. Did she mean interesting as in she liked it or did she mean interesting as in weird? She continued on,”You are so into the music. I wonder sometimes what’s going on in your head.” I answered, “I’m in the choir, but in my head I am standing in the Throne room of God. My Jesus is seated on the Throne, and His glory is so bright it is like looking into the sun. I’m singing to Him, my hands are raised to Him. He is all I see.” “Wow, I just sing the song” she said.
That is such a sad statement to me - I just sing the song. It makes me wonder, does she connect at all with God while she just sings the song? Or is it just part of her Christian duty? When I am up in choir on Sondays I try to connect with the people in the pews as well as with my Jesus. I want to share our worship experience. It amazes me the number of people who don’t seem to be connecting with anything. Now, please understand, I don’t think that you need to raise your arms, dance around in the aisle, or turn cartwheels towards the platform in order to connect with God. I have seen a number of people who connect very quietly. But as they stand in the Worship Center, there is a sparkle in their eyes, a happiness to the set of their face. Somebody who is wearing an expression that clearly says that they wish they were somewhere else, somebody who has a zombie-like glaze to their eyes - I wonder if they are experiencing the joy of fully connecting with our God. Maybe they are - but if they are - it must be a deep, underground connection cause ain’t nothing showing on the surface.
My worship experience continues on into the preaching of the Word. I know that God has chosen the message that is being delivered by His messenger and I am eager to hear it. I want what it is that God has to say to me. But I don’t think some of the people around me can hear God over their snoring.
I wonder how these seemingly disconnected people are at rock & roll concerts or at Fresno State Football games. Do they stare at Mick Jagger with zombie eyes? Do they greet a Bulldog touchdown with an expression that says “anywhere but here”? Don’t think so! I think their hands are in the air, I think they are singing with Mick at the top of their voices, I think they are jumping around, and if it is a winning touchdown - they just may be turning cartwheels.
I wonder why it is that the things of this earth, things that are soon to pass away, capture our excitement, but we cannot stay awake for the eternal things of God. Mick Jagger, football, the latest “hot” thing - what have they ever done for me beside take my money? But Jesus died for me. He rose from the dead for me. He had given me a life beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. He calls me His own. He is coming back for me and He has promised me that I never ever have to leave Him.
That is what we should be excited about. That is what should show on our faces on Sonday. Monday through Saturday too. We shouldn’t care if the whole world knows how much we love our God.
I love watching Oakland Raiders football. Not for the football, they are not my team. (Go Cowboys!) I love it because the Raiders have the most extreme fans in the world. These fans love their team and they make sure that the world knows it. Their costumes take considerable preparation before they even get to the football game. Once they are there they are absolutely connected to their team. Every play is a gut-check. When the Raiders are doing well, their fans are excited. When a play goes badly, the fans flinch as if they are the ones in pain.
I wonder what would happen in our churches if we brought Oakland Raider fan enthusiasm into the pews. If before we ever got to the Worship Center we were already preparing to connect with God in a deep, rich way. If once we were in worship we took every song that was sung and every word that was preached and made it part of a connection to God that would run through our veins like fire for the rest of the week
That’s what I want. I want the world to know that the Raider fans got nothing on me when it comes to being excited about Who I love most - My God.
LORD Jesus, I want to be Your Oakland Raider fan of praise & worship. I want the world to know that You excite me more than anything it can offer. I want my connection to You to be evident in my praise on Sonday morning - and in my life the rest of the week.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of FFBC at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Before I was a Mom
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on. Spit on.
Chewed on. Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.
E-Quote
Christ is a jewel of more worth than a thousand worlds, as all know who have Him. Get Him, and get all; miss Him and miss all.
-Thomas Brooks
Brooks, Thomas (1608-1680). "Nonconformist preacher. Born into a Puritan family, he was sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He soon became an advocate of the Congregational way and served as a chaplain in the Civil War. In 1648 he accepted the rectory of St. Margaret's, New Fish Street, London, but only after making his Congregational principles clear to the vestry. On several occasions he preached before Parliament. He was ejected in 1660 and remained in London as a Nonconformist preacher. Government spies reported that he preached at Tower Wharf and in Moorfields. During the Great Plague and Great Fire he worked in London, and in 1672 was granted a license to preach in Lime Street. He wrote over a dozen books, most of which are devotional in character. He was buried in Bunhill Fields." Peter Toon (NIDCC)
Reference: http://www.puritansermons.com/bio/biobrook.htm
Other quotes by Thomas Brooks
“Remember this, that as Noah was drunk with his own wine, and as Goliath was beheaded with his own sword, and as the rose is destroyed by the canker which it breeds in itself, and as Agrippina was killed by Nero, to whom she gave breath, so if ever you are eternally destroyed, you will be destroyed by yourselves; if ever you are scourged to death, it will be by cords of your own making; and if ever the bitter cup of damnation be put into your hands, it will be found to be of your own preparing, mingling, and embittering!”
“God looks not at the elegancy of your prayers, to see how neat they are; nor yet at the geometry of your prayers, to see how long they are; nor yet at the arithmetic of your prayers, to see how many they are; nor yet at the music of your prayers, nor yet at the sweetness of your voice, nor yet at the logic of your prayers; but at the sincerity of your prayers, how hearty they are. There is no prayer acknowledged, approved, accepted, recorded, or rewarded by God, but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly. The true mother would not have the child divided. God loves a broken and a contrite heart, so He loathes a divided heart. God neither loves halting or halving”
Matthew 26:41 (The Message) “Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
Our beloved Bill Clem has a blood clot in his leg and can no longer do heavy work. I think that is going to drive him crazy. Please pray for healing for this wonderful man who gives so much to the upkeep of our facilities.
Sharleen Feree, our Ministry Leader for Lydia’s closet, suffered complications after surgery and spent some time in ICU.
Sandy Hall has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctors say that they have caught it early - and that is always a good thing.
Jennifer, Lorraine & George Esparza’s daughter, had a ectopic pregnancy and was taken to the hospital yesterday. They lost the baby, but Jennifer is physically recovering. Pray for her physical and mental well-being.
Johnetta Reed had knee surgery on May 3rd.
Pastor Gene Wright is doing excellent following his heart surgery. He will be in recovery for about three months.
We continue to pray for the following: Dorothy Wajckus, Carol Robertshaw, Dennis Galloway, Dianna Hansen, Ann Mead & recovery from surgery, Jonathan Rumsey, serving in Bagdad, Tammy Lewis, Jim & Susan, Nancy, Pedro in rehab, Jim Purgason, Michael Ferris, Ellen Burton, Bobbie Ronsley & lupus, Aunt Pat & cancer, Katie Arizon, Uncle Dale & chemo, Mike Abbott in Afghanistan, Walt Couch & prostrate cancer, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, George Martin & cancer, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer.
Pray for our missionaries - Biana Grogg with The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Palet, Deliverer,
You are holy and mighty. You fill all of eternity with Your power and glory. Angels surround Your throne and in awe sing Of Your majesty. We cannot even begin to imagine You. We cannot even begin to understand You. You love for us is amazing - Your love cradles us and protects us. We humble ourselves before You and surrender to You.
Jehovah-Rophe, Our LORD Who Heals, we pray for Bill, that Your healing touch will be on this blood clot in his leg, for Sharleen, that her recovery from these complications will be complete, for Sandy, that her prognosis will be good and that they have caught the cancer early enough, for Jennifer we ask for physical healing, and for comfort for her hurting spirit, for Johnetta and that her knee fully recovers from this surgery, for Pastor Gene as he continues to recover from his heart surgery.
Jehovah Shammah, our LORD Who is There, we ask that You continue to be there in the lives and situations of all who remain on our prayer list.
Zur, God our Rock, we are dependent on You for everything. Sometimes we go a little crazy in our heads and we think that we can do something on our own. But we can’t. You remain faithful to us when we are not faithful to You. Your love for us is as solid as the Rock that You are. You love us when we bless You, You love us when we curse You. Attiq Yomin, Ancient of Days, for all of eternity You are our unchanging God. Sometimes that is all that I have to hold on to in this world that could care less about me.
Strengthener, we call upon You and ask You to pour Your strength into our pastors. Surround them and protect them as they work unceasingly for Your glory. Thank You for their witness that reflects You are beautifully as a full moon in the starless sky.
Great I AM THAT I AM, be with Your missionaries as they serve You so faithfully and so courageously around the world. Grant them peace in their spirits.
Holy God, Help us to keep our focus on You at all times. Remind us that You are with us at all times and that we should always live our lives before an audience of One. Let the rest of the world fade away until there is only You. There is only You.
Forgive our nation, Righteous Judge. We humble ourselves before You and ask for healing in our land. Guide our leaders. Comfort and protect those who serve in our military.
Abba, give us unexpected moments of opportunity to share You with those who are in our lives, but do not know You.
LORD Jesus, You died to give us life. There is no love that we have ever experienced that can even begin to compare to this love. You are the reason that we smile. You are the reason that there is music in our souls. You are the reason for everything. And even more, You are the reason for our hope that will never die instead, it will be fulfilled around Your throne. We love You, LORD.
Dear Partners in Ministry,
Much seems to have happened in the last month and for the long school break we seem to have been extra busy.
Botulism. Praise God that all but one of the 209 cases of botulism poisoning have returned home, and are recovering well. On Christ’s behalf we we’re able to visit many of the folk as they returned home giving them small practical gifts and this weekend will give small scholarships to kids from severely affected families as they start another school year. Thank you so much for your concern and prayers. Please pray that recovery will be complete and that folk will soon be able to return to full strength and work.
New Volunteer. We have been joined by another Jan who has been helping with English events over the last two weeks and will work in a couple of schools over the next month. Pray for her that she is encouraged and blessed as she is encouraging and blessing here.
New Look Organization. TBMF our umbrella organization has been revamped and we were both part of the process. We are grateful that the meetings were done in good spirit and that our travel was event less.
Holiday English. We did a number of specials with students over the holiday period finishing up with some 3 half day events. We issued the kids with “passports” and “took” them to Australia and the United States. They all enjoyed being stewards on the plane, but I think they got a glimpse of the boredom of the long flight as each child got asked at least 7 times “ Would you like chicken or pork?”
Fellowship in Ban Sra. We continue to go over the hill to meet with co-workers Muana and Villy to teach and disciple the new believers there. We have had great discussions with them about God being with us at all times and all places, His power over the demon world and His power to heal. We have been trying to produce lessons that will help them understand and grow in Christ - please pray for wisdom for us.
Easter and Baptisms at Paya Meng Rai. We joined with our old friends for Easter and celebrated the Resurrection with them at a dawn service which was followed by Baptisms – Always an exciting time!
Future events – please pray
School starts back this week (May)
Visa renewal in Bangkok
Anna Cheng (New Team Member) arrives 25th Jan hopes to meet her and work in the visa thing at the same time. Anna will study in Bangkok.
Please pray that people here in Ban Luang will have hearts open to receive the gospel
Thank you for your continued partnership,
In Christ’s love
Jan and Larry
e-Bible Reading
The humanness of David really is contrasted in last week’s chapters of Samuel. In chapter 6 he wants to bring the ark back to Jerusalem, but he doesn’t follow the law on how it is to be transported. As a result of David’s disobedience, Uzzah touches the Ark and dies - just like God had said would happen to anybody who touched the Ark. Then David - who was in the wrong gets mad at God! He leaves the ark where it stands, then when the household that is protecting the ark is blessed by God (this is the part I had never realized before) David decided that he wants the blessing for himself, and he goes and gets the Ark. But even though his motive was selfish at first, his joy caused him to dance in worship as he traveled with the Ark. Chapter 9 shows us his mercy to the crippled son of Jonathan, who, according to the tradition of the kings back then, should have been killed to keep him from being a threat to the throne. Then the last two chapters of our readings is when David commits adultery, then murders Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, to cover his crime. Chapter 12 tells us the terrible price David paid for his sin. In next weeks reading we will see how David’s sin started the destruction of his family and was the end to the peace in his life. I love reading the Chronicles that parallel Samuel, and give us more details.
Don’t you love reading the parables in Matthew? The religious leaders kept trying to trip Jesus up with their questions - but finally they just quit because they couldn’t. The last verse in Chapter 21 tells of how they wanted to arrest Jesus and put Him in jail (kill Him, really) It made me wonder about this - As Jesus taught in parables, He knew that the religious leaders were becoming angrier and angrier - and that He was sealing His own fate. Do you suppose He ever hesitated before tweaking their noses again - knowing that every time He did it brought Him closer to death?
Sonday - May 7............2 Sam 13-14, Matt 24
Monday - May 8............2 Sam 15-16, Ps 32, Matt 25
Tuesday - May 9...........2 Sam 17, Ps 71, Matt 26
Wednesday - May 10.....2 Sam18, Ps 56, Matt 27
Thursday - May 11.........2 Sam 19-20, Ps 55, Matt 28
Friday - May 12.............2 Sam 21-23; 1 Thessalonians 1
Saturday - May 13.........2 Sam 24; 1 Chr 21; Ps 30;, 1 Th 2
May 4, 2006
Dear Faith Alive supporters, friends, & family,
Thank you so much for all of your prayers, support, encouragement, & emails. Your participation with me in the work God is doing through Faith Alive is a precious gift to me & a blessing to the Lord.
I’m gradually settling into the rhythm & flow of life here in Jos. It is such a blessing to come and work each day alongside fellow Christ-followers: singing, praying, learning, growing, and relying on the Lord together as we strive each day to share God’s love with all who come in search of healing & help. Although we are confronted by much suffering and struggle daily, as Psalms 68:3 says, "When the righteous see God in action they’ll laugh and sing for joy" (MSG). God is clearly in action here at Faith Alive and joy abounds as Christ overcomes suffering, & strengthens us for the struggle. God is indeed a very good and loving God!
Please continue to pray for God’s continuing provision and protection for those who labor on your behalf here at Faith Alive. The spiritual battle is intense at times. Last night there was another fire, this time in the new building. Fortunately it did very little damage. The rainy season has arrived and during our normal late afternoon down-pour, the electrical power went out, as usual, and the generator came on. However, when NEPA returned electricity to our area in the evening, there was a power surge that caused a light bulb to explode and a fire was ignited. The laborers who have been sleeping in the building at night in order to be able to work longer days were in an adjacent part of the building and were able to eventually put the fire out. A door was damaged and all of the walls & ceiling of that room (which had just recently been prepared with primer & was waiting on the last coat of paint) were blackened with soot. Although this may seem initially discouraging, there are many examples of God’s sovereignty, provision, and protection in the midst of the battle. The laborers would not have been sleeping in the building two weeks ago, & the fire could have been immense. After the first fire in April that destroyed most of the old clinic building, a problem with the water supply was rectified & water was readily available this time. No one was hurt while fighting the fire with very primitive methods (buckets of water). The painters have already begun to repair the damage. The testimony of God’s protection has been shared with many non-believers today. And there is continued rejoicing. I hope that you realize that your prayers are an important part of the victory that God is bringing about here at Faith Alive, and of the healing of broken bodies, restoration of grieving families, and the many blessings that will be unleashed in the future in the lives of those brought into the Kingdom. Thank you for your faithfulness and devotion.
May you also see God in action and experience His abundant joy and amazing grace.
Your sister in Christ, Biana
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Ruth 1:20 (NIV) "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.”
Have you ever had one of “those” days? You are barely at work and already you are wishing that you had called in sick? That was last Friday for me. It was shaping up to be a doozie of a day when I checked my e-mail. Yippee! There was the message I was waiting for from Brian at Delta Ministries. Only when I opened it, it was not telling me what I needed for my mission trip to Reaching Hand Society in India. Instead, it was telling me that the mission trip had been delayed for a year. I had an option, either I could wait until 2007 to go to RHS, or I could still go in November, 2006 and go to an orphanage. My heart is with Reaching Hand Society, so I decided to wait. Who knows, this delay - although disappointing- might be a good thing. I had been worried about even going to India because of the two Care Fresno kids I was trying to become the foster parent of. I’ll just bet this is God’s way of keeping me from stressing over it!
Getting approved as a foster parent is a complicated process. I started back January, and here it is the end of April, and I’m still waiting! But the end is in sight. Earlier in the week I was told that a couple more little details then Jesse & Joanna would be coming. I got home on Friday, and my spirits jumped when I played back my phone messages. The message from the social worker was garbled, I couldn’t understand it, but I did get the name and phone number of where the kids were so that I could call them. I was soaring. Surely if I was going to be allowed to talk to them, placement could only be a few days away! I dialed that phone number, in full praise-mode to Father. Only to be crushed. The woman who had “my” kids told me - gently - what the garbled message said. Although I had been approved, in a couple of months, the kids would be returned to their mom, so it was decided that it was in their best interests not to be moved again.
Broken-hearted, I stood before Father, “Why? Why?” I was not in a good place in my walk of faith. Both of my dreams - dreams that were shaping my life and actions - were taken away from me in one day. My pain cannot be explained by mere words. By Saturday morning, bitterness and anger had set in.
We like to think - being the optimists that we are - that God’s will is always a wonderful thing. But it’s not. Sometimes it is downright painful. Joseph knew year after year of the pain of God’s will. He was trapped in slavery because he told his brothers about the dream God gave him. His dream said that he would rule - but he was a slave! How many times was God’s will a bitter thing for Joseph? How many times did he stand before God and say, “Why? Why?”
Naomi felt the bitter sting of the of God’s will. There had been a famine in Israel so Naomi, her husband and 2 sons moved to Moab. The boys got married, and Naomi was anticipating being a grandma. But life kicked her to the curb. Naomi’s husband and both sons died. In her male-dominated society, widows lived on the fringes, dependent on the mercy of their male relatives. She dreamed of being a granny, now she worried about her next meal. “Why, LORD, why?”
Joseph, Naomi and I, when we were hurt and bitter, forgot one important thing. God sees me in the context of my entire life. And He sees me and my entire life as part of His plan for His Kingdom. He saw Joseph that way. He saw Naomi that way. And He sees you that way. We - on the other hand - see everything in the context of “right here, right now.” God looks at my big picture while I am looking at a chip of paint.
Joseph, the recipient of God’s bitter will, rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt. He was reunited with his family and moved them to Egypt. There in Egypt a nomadic tribe of herders was transformed into a nation. And out of that nation would come Jesus. Joseph saw the bitterness when God saw salvation for a nation and a world.
Naomi, another recipient of God’s bitter will, came back to Israel a widow with no hope. But she brought Ruth, her daughter-in-law, back with her. Ruth, a Gentile, would end up being the great-grandmother of Israel’s second greatest king - King David. And out of David’s line would come Israel’s Messiah - Jesus. Even in His lineage, Jesus wanted us to know that everybody - Jew and Gentile - was welcome to be part of Him. Naomi saw only the bitterness and dispair of widowhood but God saw salvation and hope that would be given to all the world.
Now is the time when I am supposed to write about what great thing has come out of God’s bitter will for me. But I don’t know what it is - yet. But I will someday.
The kids are not going to be coming to me but I can call them and see them. So Sonday after church I went over to their home. I wanted to dislike the woman who had “my” kids. But she is a wonderful Christian woman. My spirit was immediately drawn to her. She has a beautiful home, she does not have to figure out how to get two more kids into a small house. She does not have to plan how to add two more kids and their agendas to her already over booked life - like I would have. I prayed for God to do what was best for Joanna & Jesse, and He answered my prayer. I thought that we both understood that I was the answer to that prayer - but it is clear to me that Pam and her home are what is best for the kids. And I understand that Father chose what was best for me as well.
God’s bitter will for our lives is something that is going to happen. We will suffer hurts, disappointments, sorrows. He did not promise us a rose garden. He did promise that all things work together for good for those that love Him. We see just a chip of paint of the big picture He has painted of our lives. We need to trust Him in the bitter times like we do in the sweet times.
Abba, You have never failed me - and You never will. I am Your child, and even when I am experiencing Your bitter will, it is because You love me and know what is best for me. I trust you with my big picture. I trust You with my life.
Contact Valerie or sign up for FFBC’s e-Ministry at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Check out our blog at www.fresnofirst.org - it is under resources
THE BITTER WILL OF GOD
Valerie Rae Hanneman
May 5, 2006
Ruth 1:20 (NIV) "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.”
Have you ever had one of “those” days? You are barely at work and already you are wishing that you had called in sick? That was last Friday for me. It was shaping up to be a doozie of a day when I checked my e-mail. Yippee! There was the message I was waiting for from Brian at Delta Ministries. Only when I opened it, it was not telling me what I needed for my mission trip to Reaching Hand Society in India. Instead, it was telling me that the mission trip had been delayed for a year. I had an option, either I could wait until 2007 to go to RHS, or I could still go in November, 2006 and go to an orphanage. My heart is with Reaching Hand Society, so I decided to wait. Who knows, this delay - although disappointing- might be a good thing. I had been worried about even going to India because of the two Care Fresno kids I was trying to become the foster parent of. I’ll just bet this is God’s way of keeping me from stressing over it!
Getting approved as a foster parent is a complicated process. I started back January, and here it is the end of April, and I’m still waiting! But the end is in sight. Earlier in the week I was told that a couple more little details then Jesse & Joanna would be coming. I got home on Friday, and my spirits jumped when I played back my phone messages. The message from the social worker was garbled, I couldn’t understand it, but I did get the name and phone number of where the kids were so that I could call them. I was soaring. Surely if I was going to be allowed to talk to them, placement could only be a few days away! I dialed that phone number, in full praise-mode to Father. Only to be crushed. The woman who had “my” kids told me - gently - what the garbled message said. Although I had been approved, in a couple of months, the kids would be returned to their mom, so it was decided that it was in their best interests not to be moved again.
Broken-hearted, I stood before Father, “Why? Why?” I was not in a good place in my walk of faith. Both of my dreams - dreams that were shaping my life and actions - were taken away from me in one day. My pain cannot be explained by mere words. By Saturday morning, bitterness and anger had set in.
We like to think - being the optimists that we are - that God’s will is always a wonderful thing. But it’s not. Sometimes it is downright painful. Joseph knew year after year of the pain of God’s will. He was trapped in slavery because he told his brothers about the dream God gave him. His dream said that he would rule - but he was a slave! How many times was God’s will a bitter thing for Joseph? How many times did he stand before God and say, “Why? Why?”
Naomi felt the bitter sting of the of God’s will. There had been a famine in Israel so Naomi, her husband and 2 sons moved to Moab. The boys got married, and Naomi was anticipating being a grandma. But life kicked her to the curb. Naomi’s husband and both sons died. In her male-dominated society, widows lived on the fringes, dependent on the mercy of their male relatives. She dreamed of being a granny, now she worried about her next meal. “Why, LORD, why?”
Joseph, Naomi and I, when we were hurt and bitter, forgot one important thing. God sees me in the context of my entire life. And He sees me and my entire life as part of His plan for His Kingdom. He saw Joseph that way. He saw Naomi that way. And He sees you that way. We - on the other hand - see everything in the context of “right here, right now.” God looks at my big picture while I am looking at a chip of paint.
Joseph, the recipient of God’s bitter will, rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt. He was reunited with his family and moved them to Egypt. There in Egypt a nomadic tribe of herders was transformed into a nation. And out of that nation would come Jesus. Joseph saw the bitterness when God saw salvation for a nation and a world.
Naomi, another recipient of God’s bitter will, came back to Israel a widow with no hope. But she brought Ruth, her daughter-in-law, back with her. Ruth, a Gentile, would end up being the great-grandmother of Israel’s second greatest king - King David. And out of David’s line would come Israel’s Messiah - Jesus. Even in His lineage, Jesus wanted us to know that everybody - Jew and Gentile - was welcome to be part of Him. Naomi saw only the bitterness and dispair of widowhood but God saw salvation and hope that would be given to all the world.
Now is the time when I am supposed to write about what great thing has come out of God’s bitter will for me. But I don’t know what it is - yet. But I will someday.
The kids are not going to be coming to me but I can call them and see them. So Sonday after church I went over to their home. I wanted to dislike the woman who had “my” kids. But she is a wonderful Christian woman. My spirit was immediately drawn to her. She has a beautiful home, she does not have to figure out how to get two more kids into a small house. She does not have to plan how to add two more kids and their agendas to her already over booked life - like I would have. I prayed for God to do what was best for Joanna & Jesse, and He answered my prayer. I thought that we both understood that I was the answer to that prayer - but it is clear to me that Pam and her home are what is best for the kids. And I understand that Father chose what was best for me as well.
God’s bitter will for our lives is something that is going to happen. We will suffer hurts, disappointments, sorrows. He did not promise us a rose garden. He did promise that all things work together for good for those that love Him. We see just a chip of paint of the big picture He has painted of our lives. We need to trust Him in the bitter times like we do in the sweet times.
Abba, You have never failed me - and You never will. I am Your child, and even when I am experiencing Your bitter will, it is because You love me and know what is best for me. I trust you with my big picture. I trust You with my life.
Contact Valerie or sign up for FFBC’s e-Ministry at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Check out our blog at www.fresnofirst.org - it is under resources
The things GOD WON'T ASK ....
God won't ask what kind of car you drove, He'llask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation
God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
God won't ask what your highest salary was He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it
God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won't ask about the color of your skin. He'll ask about the content of your character.
You see God's Value system is much different than our own.
His ways are truly not our ways....But we can try to make them our own!
Teach me, my God and King, In all things thee to see,
And what I do in anything, To do it as for thee. -George Herbert
Carol Robertshaw is back at work in the office! She is still recovering from the broken foot, but what a blessing to have her back!
Lois Thompson went home to her God this past Saturday. Keep the family & friends in prayer.
Dorothy Wajckus is still at the Pacific Gardens hospital. Her physical therapist says she is improving - but she has a ways to go still.
Pastor Gene Wright underwent open heart surgery this past week - a rather sudden response to the results of a test. My understanding is that he is doing well.
Dennis Galloway will be undergoing surgery on his leg again. Last time he got a staph infection that almost did him in. Please pray for better results this time.
Dianna Hansen’s diverticulitis attack turned out to be a urinary tract infection. They are waiting for further results from tests.
Ann Mead came home this past week. She is doing better - but still feeling very weary. Those of us who know Ann admire her endless energy - so this surgery really knocked her for a loop.
I received some disappointing news this past week. My mission trip to India has been delayed for a year. And although I was approved as a foster parent, it has been decided that since the kids will shortly be returned to their mother, it is in their best interest to leave them where they are.
We continue to pray for the following: Jonathan Rumsey, serving in Bagdad, Tammy Lewis, Jim & Susan, Nancy, Pedro in rehab, Jim Purgason, Chris, Michael Ferris, Kay Bauer, Ellen Burton, Bobbie Ronsley & lupus, Aunt Pat & cancer, Katie Arizon, Uncle Dale & chemo, Mike Abbott in Afghanistan, Walt Couch & prostrate cancer, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, George Martin & cancer, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer.
Pray for our missionaries - Biana Grogg with The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Everlasting to Everlasting,
We thank You for the love that You have for us. Your mercy and grace have given us a life that means something. The world wants us to fit in their little boxes of fame, money and power. You free us to be who we are in You. We bow down before You in adoration.
We lift up Carol, Dorothy, Dianna, Ann and Pastor Gene and ask that You continue to heal their bodies and keep their spirits strong.
We pray for Lois’ family and friends, comfort them as they grieve.
Prince of Peace, be with Dennis as he prepares himself for this surgery. Surround him and protect him from any infection that might bring further harm to him.
Your Name is like honey in our mouths. Just to say Your Name is to know what hope sounds like. We praise Your Name forever. Hallelujah to our Holy God, Who was and is and is to come
Holy Spirit, thank You for being our intercessor before Father’s throne. I know some of us keep You pretty busy. (I am thinking of me here) We lift up those who are on our prayer chain and ask that Your grace comes down and covers each of these lives and situations.
It is our privilege to lift up Your missionaries before You, Jesu Mapru, and pray that You meet all their needs. Give them fresh hope.
Nothing in Heaven or Earth can begin to compare to You. They cannot even scratch the surface of Your glory. We praise You with our hearts and our hands lifted.
We love and honor the pastors that You have placed in our community of faiths. We thank You for them and we praise You for their faithfulness to the call You have put on their lives. Help us to demonstrate our love and support for them.
Father, so often we miss opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus because we are worried about what others will think of us. Help us to be more concerned with what You think of us. Remind us that we are Your plan A - ain’t no Plan B.
There is so much turmoil in our land, bring healing to us. Protect those who serve our country.
LORD of our lives, we are going to face disappointments and sorrow in our daily living. You did not promise us a rose garden life. But You did promise us that it is impossible for You to fail us, that You will be with us always - even to the ends of the earth. There is no God like our God. We are safe withYou. We love You so much.