Pastor James’ Blog

It’s official now!  The Raymond Road Baptist Church in Jackson, MS have officially voted to become  one of our partner churches and give monthly support starting January 2009!!   Isn’t God good!  Thanks Bro. Jonathan & Raymond Road family!  Keep praying for Life House and our target community.  This church also expressed a desire to get involved by bringing some of their people to Texarkana on a mission trip to help us in some of our outreach projects.  In turn, hopefully sometime during the summer of 2009 , we hope to be able to  take a “mission team” to Jackson, MS to meet and work with the Raymond Road Family  on some outreach project, VBS or something to help them too!

  Tonight we were blessed as some of our members were at a local auction and called me to come see some awesome tables that they thought Life House might could use. I drove over as quickly as I could and sure enough they had found some great tables. The tables are school cafeteria tables that fold up and have the round seats attached to them and they seat 12 to a table. We ended up buying all 10 for $35.00 each!! Praise the Lord.  While loading the tables on a trailer getting ready to deliver them to Life House tonight the owner informed us  that they will have 6 more tables tomorrow that we can have for the same price! AMEN!  When we get all of the tables in Life House we will be able to seat about 192 in the snack/fellowship area. God continues to provide all of our needs!!  Praise the Lord for all of His blessings on Life House and her new ministries.

  Keep praying for us and join us in expecting God to do great things in and through Life House in 2009!  Pastor James

This morning I got up a little early and listened to one of our local pastor’s on television. He shared a message from Joshua 24:15.  It was a message for the family.  He shared that Joshua made a conscious decision to serve Jehovah God. He had other choices. He could have served the gods of his past or even the gods of his present – but HE chose to serve the God that he knew was and is GOD.  It’s all a choice. God doesn’t MAKE anyone serve Him. He willingly allows us to choose. Choices not chance determines destiny. In 2009 we need to make a CHOICE who we are going to serve. We can choose to serve self, satan, sin or whatever – or we can serve the Lord.  It’s going to require saying NO to some things. It’s going to require making some adjustments in our lives. We might have to give up “ball practice” on Sunday or Wednesdays. We might have to get another job because ours keeps us from being faithful to God’s house to worship. It might be that we have to change our routine in order to study God’s Word or spend time with Him. It might be that we have to DO SOMETHING in order to DRAW CLOSE to the LORD!  It’s time – it’s time for God’s people to get serious about their walk and relationship with the Lord.  NO MORE EXCUSES. It’s time to “suck it up” and “grow up”!   No more “I’m sick”, “I’m too tired”, “it’s not exciting enough”, “i don’t enjoy it”….it’s time to stand tall and SERVE THE LORD!  MAKE the RIGHT CHOICE for yourself and your family in 2009 – SERVE THE LORD with all your heart, soul and mind. YOU WILL BE BLESSED!!  Think about it….   Pastor James

I have been asked to preach a funeral,  for a 17 year old young man that was recently killed in a car accident,  today at 1 p.m.. Please pray for me.   I didn’t really know the young man but his sister attends Life House. This family is totally devastated over the loss of this “good kid”.  They need your prayers. Pray that we can minister to this family and that somehow God can use this seeming tragedy for His glory and their good in the future.  Thanks for praying. Pastor James

This coming Sunday one of our teens at Life House is going to do a special during the service. This might not be a “biggie” for most churches but it’s MAJOR HEADWAY for us at Life House.  We are praying for her and she is practicing so be there if you can to hear her sing!  

   Also, Cindy and I had the blessing of meeting a young man (12 years old) from Dallas Avenue Church in Mena, Arkansas when were were there to tell about our work.  This young man had surrendered to the ministry and with the support and help of his parents and pastor, he is preaching from time to time. I told him that when he got ready I would love for him to come to Life House and preach for us. WELL…… he and his family are  going to be with us THIS SUNDAY and he is going to preach for the Life House Family!  Why not come join us and hear this young man of God as he preaches.  God calls, uses and blesses anyone who will follow His leadership and will.  I just know that Sunday is going to be  blessing at Life House! BE THERE or you are gonna miss it!  See you soon!  Pastor James

    God is so good!!!!  Last night the Children’s ministry held their first ever – Christmas Party – complete with cake, ice cream, cupcakes, soda’s and the works!  It was such a blessing to be in the adult Life Group meeting in the worship area and to “all of a sudden” hear a room full of children singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus!  You should have seen the smiles and looks on the faces of the adults when the children were doing that! They were singing with all of their hearts and it was totally a blessing.  We are so blessed at Life House. 

    Another Christmas blessing that I’ve already shared about  (and Teresa posted about) was the change in a woman that was saved last Sunday. We’ve been blessed to see 9 souls saved at life house in the past 8 months and to see how so many of them have really changed is a blessing.  The smiles, the lightheartedness, the freedom, the joy – when you see that you KNOW that they have met the Master!  GLORY!!!

   Another blessing — Life House had come across a lot of toys (many new) and we were wanting to get them into the hands of some adults to give to their children or some children for Christmas.  Yesterday, during the day, I was going through the foyer area and glanced outside and saw a man, woman and child headed over to the Family Dollar Store. I thought to myself, “Oh man, I wish I could have caught them and asked them if they or someone they knew needed some gifts for their children.” . Well, after a few minutes this same couple made their way towards the church and as they came across the street I went to the door and stopped them. I asked them if they knew of anyone that might need some gifts for some children for Christmas. They looked at one another and said “YES, WE DO!”. They came into Life House, we introduced ourselves and I explained what we we were doing – giving away toys to help families who need it have a good Christmas. They replied that they were just now moving behind the church and had very little furniture and that that they both had just gotten jobs in the local area ( and they really were and had) and were worried that they wouldn’t be able to afford much of a Christmas for their little 3 year old daughter.  I showed them the gifts, they picked out several and then had the blessing of taking them to their home to drop them off and their new found toys.  During the conversation with them they shared that when the man of the house and his sister were younger they used to come to that building and go to church there from time to time when it was under another churches ministry. He kept saying that “It must be God for us to connect today because we need a church to go to and my heart has been in that building for years.”   They were such a blessing to me yesterday. They showed up for church last night and even br0ught their little girl to the Children’s Ministry Christmas Party.   They may or may not become a part of Life House and her ministry but one thing for sure – I’ve made some new friends. Pray for this family. They are in need of furniture and etc. (If you have any good used furniture you are storing or not using give me a call because they can certainly use it. Especially a good used refrigerator.)  I know that there are many other families just like this one in our area that need love, a helping hand and a church where all are accepted – regardless of economic status, color or past.  It’s a blessing being in mission work!!

Keep praying for Life House and come see us!  Pastor James

During our “Review & Renew” meeting at Life House last night we were once again reminded how blessed we are to have such great “PARTNER’S IN MINISTRY”.  We are blessed to have Shiloh Baptist Church as our sponsor church. They have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help us financially, physically, spiritually and more! We believe God is going to bless them for their love of souls and missons. Thanks Shiloh Family for all you do for Life House!   We are also blessed with several churches that are partnering with us to help on a monthly basis with love gifts, mission trips and ect.   Thanks to First Baptist Church, Lewisville, AR, First Baptist Church, Fouke, AR, Dallas Avenue Baptist Church, Mena, AR, Raymond Road Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, Southwest Arkansas Baptist Association, North American Mission Board, and Arkansas Baptist State Convention.  Several other churches and groups have given money, items of use, time, prayer and much more through the last eight months – THANK YOU. Thanks to all who have done ANYTHING to help us get off the ground. What a blessing to get to meet people in various churches that aren’t just concerned about building their own “little kingdom” but rather care about the Kindgom of God being built up.  It is our prayer that God will bless all of you for your generosity towards Life House.  THANKS AGAIN — Pastor James

     The Lord blessed our services this morning with a good crowd (74) and a great spirit of worship. Four of our people were out sick and one was traveling so if all of the regulars had been present we would have set another record attendance.  God blessed this morning by saving a lady at the end of the service.  AMEN! GLORY!!!!!!   Tears flowed, smiles abounded and the joy of the Lord was all over the place!  Do it again Lord, do it again!!!

        I posted earlier that our church needs a good used chest type freezer and the Lord answered that prayer this morning. One of the men who has been visiting with us at Life House saw the need posted in today’s bulletin and came up before the worship service even started to let me know that he has one we can have. PRAYER ANSWERED!  AMEN!!

    Following the service this morning a group from Life House went to a local car dealership and “prayed over” a van that would be a big blessing to use as a church van. We are believing God wants us to have a van to bless the ministry and community – and by faith we are going to be able to purchase one or be provided one in the very near future.   Pray with us. We have $3,000.oo towards one – but the one we are looking at is $12,000.00.  Pray that we can get it and use it for His Glory!  

   Just wanted to post some blessings on here so you can rejoice with us!  Pastor James

Tonight the members of Life House rejoiced as we held our first annual “Review and Renew Meeting”. We looked back at all that God has done in almost 8 months at Life House and we looked forward together at what we believe He wants us to work on and accomplish  in 2009.  God has a plan for Life House - He has shown that over and over again. We’ve seen Him do numerous miracles in such a short time. We’ve rejoiced to see eight souls saved and much, much more.  Our members have been challenged to RENEW their committment to the four standards of our church for 2009. By faith we continue the work God has created for us in College Hill. We are a mission and growth comes slowly but steadily. We trust God to help us reach souls, baptize the new believers, disciple them and bring new people into the church body. We believe that God is going to do miracles in 2009 – pray and watch!  Pray for us and come see us if you get the chance!

He died for us and the least we can do is live for Him!  Pastor James

I really wasn’t sure what title I wanted to give this blog tonight and rather than “call” someone spiritually ignorant – I will let you make that judgement call for yourself.  People never cease to amaze me  and sometimes Christians amaze me more than unbelievers!!  Tonight someone shared with me that a local pastor asked them about me and my family and the new mission at Life House.  They asked several general questions and then asked, “Did something happen that would make him have to leave his last church?”  The individual said, “No, he just felt it was time to resign and follow God’s direction to begin the new mission in College Hill.”  The pastor replied, “I really don’t understand that because his last church had just gotten to the point they could pay him a great salary and then he leaves.”  UGH! And this was from a PASTOR!

Is that spiritual ignorance on his part?  Why is it that we treat church like a business and we only leave a church when we can go to a bigger and better one? Why is it that we so many can be bought or “hired” as pastors? (By the way – Jesus spoke about the characteristics of a “hireling” in His Word.) Whatever happened to the Lord directing, calling and sending?  Whatever happened to the man of God “forsaking all” and following God’s direction?  Are we in the ministry only for the money?  I totally have lost respect for the man who made the above statement. He’s nice, friendly and means well but in my own opinion – he’s wrong!  I did leave a great church, with great people, that we loved very much. For almost nine years they took care of my family royally. We never missed a meal and they made sure the parsonage was in great shape. They loved us and cared for us. BUT the ministry is more than “love, money and fellowship”.  I surrendered to the ministry on April 8, 1979 (UGH – it’s hard to believe that next April I will have been in the ministry 30 years). When I surrendered to the ministry I didn’t tell God I would go only to the places that could provide me a great living, nice house and ect.  I surrendered to His will.  I’ve only left one church during these 30 years in order to go to a “bigger” church. I left my first church, Bodcaw #1 Baptist Church after 5 years as their bi-vocational pastor, to accept my first “full time” church.  Every church since then was much smaller than the one I was pastoring.  Maybe I’m stupid (OK no e-mails agreeing with that statement please! LOL)  but I would rather move to a smaller church (or bigger if it’s the case) and KNOW that I was where God called me to be  than to remain in a comfortable situation out of God’s will.  Anyway, I am amazed that the above statement came out of a preacher’s mouth – one who is supposed to be a strong conservative, Bible believing  pastor.  I hope his church doesn’t get too comfortable with him because if a bigger one comes along or one that has a better salary package comes along – he’s outta there!   I’m glad I’m where I am tonight!  Praise the Lord for His Holy Spirit and His direction in the lives of those who will listen.  I know I’m where God has called us – even if it doesn’t make sense to most people.  Whew!!!!!! – had to get that off my chest! I feel better now! LOL — Pastor James

WE are in need of a good used CHEST TYPE freezer to be able to store the chicken we are getting next Tuesday and other things in the future too.  It would be a good ministry tool for us so that we can keep things from “going bad” before we get them to the local community.  If you have one you would be willing to donate or sell at a  good price – CALL ME TODAY! HELP!   Pastor James