OUR FRIEND ISSUE NO. 180
NOVEMBER 19th, 2007
PROVERBS 17:17 LB “A true friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”
PSALM 25:14 LB “Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence Him. With them alone He shares the secrets of His promises.”
Webster’s Dictionary: Reverence: “A feeling of profound respect often mingled with awe and affection.”
JOHN 15:13-17 NKJ “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I call you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made know to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”
Dear Friends,
Hi. Emie and I would like to send warm greetings once again to each of you. We continue to pray for the Lord to bless, edify, and encourage you---in all areas of your life and service to Him. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” ---ISAIAH 41:10
David starts out in Psalm 124: “If the Lord had not been on our side” ---and then he describes some dire consequences that would have resulted---“if the Lord had not been on our side.” David goes on to write in verses 7&8: We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Many centuries have passed since that Psalm was written and a lot of changes have taken place. But one thing has not changed----(Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever)---and He is still on our side---He is for us. The Creator of heaven and earth loves us and He helps us.
There are so many things to be thankful to God for. You will have already celebrated our Thanksgiving Day celebration prior to receiving this newsletter. In America that is a nice time for family and friends to get together for good food and fellowship. Many people do give thanks to God on that day. But as Christians, Thanksgiving Day can be a 365 day event each year +1 on leap year. “that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever.”
--- Psalm 30:12
As we approach the end of the year and reflect on the past 10 & 2’3s months of ministry, many positive things have happened. People’s lives have been saved spiritually as well as physically. Just last month the son of one of our church members who has a failing kidney was in critical condition in the hospital. Andrew was delirious and tied to his hospital bed. We prayed for him and also were able to help provide some finances for the dialysis machine treatment. Andrew was in church last Sunday and is in his right mind and doing much better.
Also we had 4 Christian guests from Mindanao come and spent 5 days with us, so that 2 of them Roy 20 & Mylene 17, could receive free operations for Heir-lip and other problems. We co-ordinate with another Christian group that provides the operation and we help with arranging for the operation, some transportation, housing at our home, and other areas as needed. Both these young people were very happy to have received the corrective surgery.
Throughout this year people have been being saved, discipled, and given various helps such as medicine, cloths, food, and other areas of help. Also several people have been prayed for and received direct healing from the lord. There have been people who were discouraged and felt
like giving up yet they have been encouraged and restored through the sharing of the gospel and
prayer for God to intervene in their lives.
For the elderly retired Sunday school teacher (Nanay Machado), who has neither pension nor social security in the Philippines---we have been able to give her some financial assistance on a monthly basis as the Lord touched one person’s life to help her. A moderate amount help by our countries standards is a big help to Nanay and she greatly appreciates it. We hope to help more retired ministry workers in the Philippines and other nations in the months and years to come, as the Lord directs and provides.
Emie will share a few words:
Dear friends,
Greetings to you from the bottom of my heart! Like Paul---he longed to see his brethren in Rome while he was in prison; I also long to see all of you and fellowship with you and we can encourage each other in the faith. It has been 6 years now since I have been back to the States. I already miss all of my friends and all of you who are continually partnering with us to make the ministry possible. Without your prayers and financial support we can’t accomplish great things in the ministry.
Three weeks ago I was invited to preach at the “Woman’s Conference” at the Baptist group at San Isidro, Northern Samar. It took me 7 hours to travel there by van. The road is really bad. The ladies were blessed and this is my 2nd time to speak to one of their Northern Samar conferences.
I was also able to visit my old church members in San Isidro since this is the place I pioneered a Faith Tabernacle church in 1985. I invited them to come to the conference and they came. I am very happy to see them growing in their faith & doing the Lord’s ministry. My prayer is that all our labor in the Lord will be fruitful and not be in vain.
My prayer for all of you is that God will answer every desire of your heart.
In Christ’s love,
Emie
During this Thanksgiving Day week, we would like to again express our appreciation and thanks to each of you who are partnering with us to help reach people for Jesus. Your prayers, for us and the ministry, your encouragement, and financial investments in helping us share the gospel of Jesus Christ is resulting in many people coming to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. We believe God to reward you in many special ways for all your help. The apostle Paul wrote a thank-you letter to the Philippians and in regards to their mission’s help to him in sharing the gospel, and then he wrote in Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.”
In His Love,
Gordon & Emie
P.S. Please pray: 1.that the Lord will continue to touch the hearts of many people to pray faithful and fervent prayers for us and the ministry outreaches. 2. That God will provide many qualified, faithful, loyal, and committed Christians to work with us in the ministry outreaches. 3. That the Holy Spirit will continue to touch the hearts of willing and able people to generously invest financially, to help us have an abundance to share the gospel in the months and years to come.. 4.That God will bless our health, protect us in all areas, and give us fresh and new anointings to better do His work. Thanks and God bless you always.
