February 2019
2/1/2019
February 2019
Prayer Requests
One of our General Board members, Brother Robert Harrison, is facing some health issues that needs the prayers of all of our ministers and their churches. Please keep him in your prayers. He is one who knows and testififies of God’s healing power, however your prayers are appreciated.
One of our family members, Brother Tommy Stephens, went to heaven on 1/27, please keep Sister Stephens and their families in your prayers.
Two Types of Blessings
God’s children receive two types of blessings. One is a spiritual blessing that comes when we enter His presence with thanksgiving and praise. It is a wonderful blessing to go to church and enter a tired dry child and come out of the service refreashed and full of the joy of the Lord. The other type of blessing is a financial blessing. These come in two ways; first is an increase of finances and the seconded is receiving gifts of things we need and will no longer have to pay for. Such as food, clothing and other items we need to live on a daily basis.
There are two purposes for these material blessings. One is so that we may live our daily lives and the other is for us to further God’s work here on the earth. We give to our local church and we give to our association. When we give to God’s work either in the local church or the association we will be rewarded.
You say that you do not have enough money to give? How about giving of your time? Brother Aaron Finney mentioned in last year’s Camp Meeting that God wants us to give a tithe of our time. We all know, or we are in the process of learning, that first we give our tithe back to God which goes to the local church. Then we can give of our abundance. This is the part that a lot of people get hung up on. If we give with a happy heart God will bless. However, if we give begrudgingly then we may not be blessed because God loves a happy giver.
Reading Ezra 1:1-5 we read about how Cyrus, King of Persia, was told by God to build Him a house of worship. Your leadership has been given the task of building a house of worship for Camp Meetings and as Cyrus requested for people to give so we are requesting that people give today. We need to finish the new sactuary, put in new restroom facilities along with renovating the old sanctuary into a nice fellowship hall. Please pray and ask God what He wants you to give.
Camp Meeting 2019
Start planning on making the 2019 Camp Meeting one of your summer “things to do” it will be June 17-21. In the coming months more information will be forth coming. Attendance was down last year however, the spirit of God moved in every service. You could feel each person of the God-head was active in each service. The peace, love and grace of God was there to be felt of all who entered in.
The first Camp Meeting in the new sanctuary and it was annointed not just with oil and prayers, but with the moving of God in all services. Plan on coming and enjoying it this year. With everyone of you praying for a moving of God during Camp Meeting and bringing God with you it will be better than last year.
The Roving Pulpit visits with Rev. Rob Gragg
“Spiritual Gaming”
Part 1: Games people play
As a businessperson would do, coming up with an idea to manufacture a game so that it would be a best seller. It would consist of two components, the manufacture, and the players. Some may say that the essence of the game is the rules and regulations (control). Without rules and regulations, most manufacturers would have no game. Hummmm!
The only benefit to the game is to the manufacturers. It is the manufacturer’s that get all of the recognition (money) not the players. The players get no benefit whatsoever; they just follow the rules and regulations as is given to them by the manufacturer. Which is all right if that is all they want? But, the typical player loves to be rewarded for their effort and progress. The problems arise when the manufacturer cannot or will not reward them, the only reward that is given is the chance to win, and there is no guaranty that will happen, just an opportunity to have that chance. The thought remains that if I am rewarded as a player, then I am going to excel and maybe get a reward the next time but the game still keeps going on.
As the game is played more, the players get tired of just the same old things repeatedly and boredom sets in. Bad attitudes show up as well as a sour taste in their mouth for the game. The manufacturer has done nothing wrong in producing a product that seems to work according to him or her, however, the players now have a sour disposition toward the manufacturer and the game. The only remaining thing to do is to quit the game and go onto something more. So, the player does, and when the subject comes up about the game. The previous player tells the others what kind of game it is and how it stinks and why. They also broadcast the bad taste in the mouth to all that will hear it, and as long as it takes to get the message out. The manufacturer gets a bad reputation. The manufacturer is unaware of this because all they are interested in is the money it generates. Then on the other hand, the manufacturer plans more games that promise more excitement, more enticement, more thrills, more entertainment, and then they got you hook, line and sinker.
To be continued next month with the “Church Games.”
Women of Worth/Helping Hands
We want to encourage our ministers to support the women of their church. They are a precious resource for the church and in most cases they just need a small word of encouragement to become faithful supports of the church in works and financially. Just as woman was created to help man so the women are there to help the church. Try starting a women’s group in your church this year and see how much God will bless your church both spiritually and financially.
Evangelistic Youth Association
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
Here in 1 Timothy, we are told not to despise our youth but to be examples to them. How can we be examples to them of how important it is to serve the Lord and be active in the church if we are not prepared to show them by our actions? So many churches do not have any youth in them and so I am asking minister to start praying for there to be an increase in their local church.
If you have youth in your church and do not have a youth group let this new year be the year that you form one and show them that their soul is just as important as the adults.
How is your youth?
Mighty Men of Valor
Our newest ministry is for our men and we, as ministers, need to support them by forming a support group. Men throughout the ages have taken the burdens on their shoulders and tried to do it alone. Some have found good wives that have helped, some have found some friends however, most are still lacking in the area of fellowship. I watched a DVD by Dennis Swanburg about the importance of each man having a support group of at least three men that they can trust to keep lifting them in prayer while keeping their problems, faults and trust safe from the world. Where is the best place to find these men to form that support group? The local church.
Is your church creating a safe place for men to relax and grow in the Lord without having to worry about what others think of them? Does your church have a place where the new Christian men can learn how to be the man that God wants them to be? Let us make the year 2019 the year to make our men stronger Christians.
Sterling Full Gospel
I have heard several reports of things happening in this church and it is nice to hear from our churches. First, the Women of Worth/Helping Hands have an active prison letter ministry with four members writing to the prisoners. Recently one prisoner requested someone visit and share the steps to salvation and they reached out to another church closer to him and now that church is sending two Elders every two weeks to visit the Prison. One lady that does not attend caught the vision and sent a Bible.
Brother & Sister Sappington is over a ministry of visitation at a local Nursing Home where they minister to the residents every other month. In January, they took the singing group “Choosen” and everyone enjoyed singing Christmas Carols.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
February
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
Be sure and wish these fellow workers in the ministry field, a Happy Birthday. As we know, we all need a kind word every so often to keep our spirits up so we can do God’s work.
Patricia Bell ((9), Delinda Finn (27), Christopher Powell (26), and Keith Clements (22)
The spouse of our ministers can use an encouraging word as well, so please be sure to let this supporter know that you are praying for her/him as well.
Marie Ann Hodgkins (3)
General Board Members
Brother Gary Wingrove along with the other Board Members would like our Association to be represented by a minimum of 6 to 8 board members. To reach that goal we would like for all Ordained ministers that have been with us for at least two years to pray with an open heart and mind asking God this question. “Do you want me to become a Board Member of the IFGEA?” Then when God speaks, listen and then act on what God directs.
The IFGEA is an association of ministers and as such, it would be nice if you would be so kind as to send in an article or sermonette to be put into our newsletter, the Express and/or on the website. I feel this association is your association and you are the one to be presented so that others may be fed by God through you and your ministry. Be it a song, or a poem you wrote or even a word from the Lord God Most High. However, there is a space issue in the newsletter and The Express so please try to keep it to about just under half of a typewritten page. If it is longer, it can be put on the website. Please mail it early enough to reach the Post Office Box by the 15th of the preceding month if you wish for me to try to get it into a certain month. C.I. Wilson