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Dear Prayer-Partners,
Well...it is time for my annual Christmas challenge! The thought is always
this...how would you feel if all the people that said they loved you the
most had a birthday party for you and celebrated it by giving gifts to each
other and none to you??? Well, I sometimes think that is what Christmas
looks like to our Lord and Savior. The question...is not our Lord AT LEAST
as important as our family and friends? How about this idea...keep track of
every dollar you spend on Christmas (gifts, decorations, everything), then,
total the amount and give a donation of that amount to the Lord's work. It
will accomplish two things: First, it will give the Lord a priority place
as you celebrate His birthday.
Second, it will keep your
spending down when you know you are going to double it at the end. God
bless you as you consider this.
MINISTRY
BLESSINGS
We have been busy as
usual with seminars and building projects. We have had two seminars (will have
another this Saturday). We are continuing to hear testimony that the Lord
is changing lives, ministries and churches through the seminars. We recently
hosted 7 preachers and their wives at our home for a meal and seminar. That
means I drove out in the country and picked them up while Ruby was making
the meal. After the mean and some fun I gave the seminar on personal
devotions and how to teach people to get devotional thoughts from the Bible
for themselves. Their feedback showed that it touched their lives. Their
testimony since then is that they are maintaining daily reading and
encouraging others to do the same. Praise the Lord.
We finished with one house
last week, a second I built and hung three doors last Saturday and will make
the windows this week and a second one will be done. We are working on two
more to finish up and are starting another tomorrow morning.
TAXI
DRIVERS HEAR THE GOSPEL
Two weeks ago Ruby made a
meal for any taxi driver (motorcycle taxi) who wanted to stop by and eat.
They could stop by any time from noon till 4:00. What a joy as most of them
came in groups of five to seven...honking horns and hollering to us as they
arrived! Over 40 drivers came to our house and all got a great meal and a
presentation of the the gospel and a gospel tract to take with them. Please
pray for them in the days ahead.
HAITI
BIBLE MISSION MINISTRY COMPLEX
You may remember that we
have purchased land near where we are renting.
The land became available
for a good price and we believe the Lord directed us to go ahead with the
purchase. $10,000 was donated toward the land and we borrowed $5000 to
complete the purchase. A donation of $250 came in this last week toward
this project. It may seem small to some but we thank the Lord and that He
is touching hearts for this project.
We are not going to start
any building until the land is all paid for and the Lord supplies enough for
us to get a good start on the building. We are only wanting the Lord's
direction and His blessing. Lord willing, we will build a house with guest
rooms, including a second apartment for others to come and help in the work
here. We will also build a garage and depot to hold building supplies. We
are praying and waiting on the Lord.
BUILDING
FUND
You can probably tell from
the report that the building fund is in great need. We have so many to
help...and such limited resources. Tomorrow we are starting and 18 foot by
18 foot house for a preacher's family that is living in a little two room
hut with 12 people inside. We have another faithful preacher who is living
in something you could hardly even call a hut. We have known them for a
year but just recently climbed up to their house. He had come to a seminar
last year and his heart was touched. We need your help to help them!!! I
have sometimes suggested that some of our churches would receive a
love-offering once or twice a year for the building fund. I can't think of
any better time than at Christmas to do do!
FAMILY
CHRISTMAS
We will be in Florida for
Christmas with the family. We look forward to being in touch with many of
you by phone during that visit. We thank the Lord He has made this trip
possible.
God bless and MERRY
CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all,
Pastor Dave & Ruby
To Make a tax-deductible gift make your check to:
Beth’El Baptist Church, Box 437, Green Forest, AR 72638
Contact Information:
204 Arkansas Place,
Green Forest, AR 72638,
870-438-4599
870-273-2907 (Cell)
Newsletter:
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