SERVE GOD FAITHFULLY Issue No. 224
GENESIS 17:1 NLT [ Abram Is Named Abraham ] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
HEBREWS 12:28 NKJ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
I TIMOTHY 5:12-14 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
PSALM 92:14 AMP 14[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].
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Dear Friends,
Greetings to all of you in the amazing name of Jesus. Emie and I pray for God’s custom-made blessings for you. May He strengthen & encourage you and bring fresh anointing on all your service to Him. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13 AMP, “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].” Each of us, (whether younger or older) through God’s power can do all He has put us on this earth to do.
This last part of a song written by Evangelist Bud Chambers, I believe well describes one of our major purposes in life: “I was made in His likeness, Created in his image, for I was born to serve the Lord. I will not deny Him; I will always walk beside Him, for I was born to the serve the Lord.” In Psalm 100:2 NKJ, the Bible
states: “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with thanksgiving” The greatest honor & privilege any of us can ever have is to love and faithfully serve the Lord. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:57-58
Thank-you and God bless you for partnering with us in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
On the 1st Sunday of June I was in North Samar to visit our church in Cartarman. It is a 11 hour RT drive from Tacloban. Our Missionary friends Ray & Suzie Ruddy joined us. The congregation there was very happy we were able to visit and minister to them. I noticed they had some holes in their native Nepa (reed) roof and was able to give them a donation which helped them solve the leaking problem during rainy days. Pastor Ludring and the members were very happy about that. As we have shared in the past, many of the churches are smaller and located in rural areas that are poor and some extra help is greatly appreciated by them. Through the years at various times, different individuals and ministry groups have been led by the Lord to help us assist some of the churches in Region 8. Recently we have been able to begin to supply various help to several churches in such ways as new chairs, musical equipment, or roofing materials, etc. We thank the Lord for all of you who are helping now and all who have helped in the past. We pray that God will bless you a lot. In Philippians 4:10-20 the Apostle Paul thanks the Philippian church for their generosity in being a help to Paul’s mission work. In regards to receiving what they sent he wrote in vs. 18c-20 “…a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Jesus continues to change lives. Our above Missionary friends work with us each year and usually spend 1 week ministering to our pioneering church and outreaches on the island of Zumaraga. Last year when Ray was speaking to a youth group in an outside area, a young man stood way in the back and tried to be disruptive. He had his arms folded, a scowl on his face, had long hair, and ear rings in his ears, nose, lips, etc. Ray stopped speaking to the youth for awhile and walked back to where this young rebel was at and shared with him that Jesus loved him. Ray prayed for him and he was touched by the power of God in a dramatic and life changing way and began to cry. One year later this young man who is called by his nickname “R-R”; is an active member in the Eternal Life Ministries church there, and the assistant to the pilot of our mission’s boat there that travels to the various villages on the island for Bible studies and evangelistic outreaches. He has a nice haircut and the rings that used to be all over his face are gone. He loves to serve the Jesus who transformed his life. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
On June 7th we had a missionary named Joseph Kack come give an excellent seminar for pastor’s and church leaders at our regular monthly meeting for the 21 churches held here in Tacloban. Emie traveled this month to 2 churches where she was the guest minister, one of these was the anniversary of our church in Palarao, Leyte.
In last month’s Newsletter there was a picture of “Baby Noreen” . I had originally intended to have that picture in this newsletter with some more background information. Noreen is the daughter of Emie’s niece Joanne who is not married and unable to raise this baby girl. Joanne was going to give her baby out for public adoption but Emie and I prayed and felt led to take in this baby girl and raise her. Noreen is now 7 months old and is loved and being well taken care of. We thank God for her.
A little over 13 years ago a mother’s dying request was for Emie and me to take care of her baby. This mother had severe tuberculosis and was malnourished. We had tried to take her to the hospital a couple of weeks earlier but she would not go. On the day she asked us to take care of her baby, the mother died.
We then took the little girl to the hospital where she received intensive care for 8 days and was on special medication for many more days. She was 1 year and 3 months old and weighed 10.3 lbs, the doctor said she was 3rd degree malnourished. She had Tuberculosis, scabies, worms, and Phenomena. We named her Gracia, and we prayed for her a lot during this critical time and have prayed for her ever sense. I found an old picture of Gracia as a baby and I took a new one last week, and I hope to include them in this newsletter. We serve a miracle working God.
THANK-YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL----FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, PRAYERS, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS IN HELPING US REACH PEOPLE FOR JESUS. (Every month we are leading new people to come and know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.) We continue to pray for you all---that the Lord will bless you and help you in all areas of your life and service to Him.
In Christ’s love,
Gordon & Emie
