It's Either Me or Them!

Praise the Lord we have been living in the parsonage for a total of two whole months now! It is not quite "home" yet because we have a lot left to do by way of cleaning, organizing, and decorating; but we are enjoying living in a real house; but I must say that seeing mice run around you house is NOT fun.

"It's Either ME or THEM!!!"  This is what I felt like saying to my husband last week when I saw another mouse run through my kitchen.  Two weeks ago one even ran across my foot!  My husband and I have very different opinions about how one should view having mice in your house when you live in the country. (We live between three huge farm fields.)   He says it is inevitable; I say...You wanna bet!


I am happy to report that to date Nikitta has killed two (Who knew our American pit bull terrier is a cat-dog!!)!  She is earning her keep and I must say she has earned a lot more treats from her mommy  recently. But after some research and some cleverly placed traps we have caught eight mice- two baby ones have escaped. We bought traps because Raymond didn't want to poison the poor little mice. This way we catch (using dog food as mouse bait) them and then Raymond empties all the traps in a field across town and everybody is happy.  It has been three days since I have seen any mice; but I know they will come; so I am looking in to a beeping device that is supposed to repel them.  I will let you know how it works.

Until next time,

KHATS 13 - Don't Scorn

My next challenge to you mothers in to never scorn or criticize anyone your child should respect...This may include, but is not limited to their sorry, good-for-nothing daddy, your pastor, police, or anyone in authority.  You may think the marked out words; but never speak them.  They will find out the truth about the deadbeats in their lives all too soon.  Let  Pray that God will do a work in their hearts and lives so that when the truth comes to the light they will accept it gracefully and desire better for themselves and their future family. 

I guess my mom's way of obeying this principle was to never speak of my dad.  I have encountered him only two or three times in my life.  (He has since passed away.)  I know very little about him; but the little I do know is not very favorable.  When I met my husband one of the things I looked for in him when I met him was if he would be a good father or not.  My husband is very good with kids.  I love that about him. 

In the case of this challenge the old saying works..."If you can't say anything nice; don't say anything at all."  In my experience when you criticize someone a person loves and respects, it makes that person loose respect for you - their opinion of the other party is rarely changed. 

Proverbs 18:21


Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Until next time,

So You Want To Win...

When I say Win a bus kid, I don't mean to lead them to the Lord as far as salvation is concerned; I am talking about keeping them in church through their teenage years and even through adulthood.  The things I plan to share are things that I believe won me.  They don't specifically apply to Black children; but I will address that for those of you who are in predominately White churches; but reach out to the Black community.

Tip #1
Remember that not every kid that that comes on the bus will serve God.  Do your best to share with them about salvation; but realize that most of those kids we pick up today but we don't even know where to find them tomorrow.

Tip #2
Look for a child that seems really hungry for the Word of God and start praying specifically for them.  It really sends chills down my spine when I think that I might be the only person praying for that child and their family.  Note:  It is important to realize that praying for their family is vital as well.  Several members of my family have been saved since I have been in church; to be honest it really all began with my Grandma.  She was the first to attend Windsor Hills and commit her life to Christ.  She gave our address to her bus captain, who gave it to the bus director, who gave it to the Jackson's, who visited us and invited my whole family to church.

Tip #3
Once you have selected a faithful child and have begun to faithfully pray for them; make sure they attend at least two out of three services a week.  This is VERY important.  I don't know any serious Christian who ever did anything for God that only attended church once a week.  I would add that I think it is important that the child ride to church in a car, rather than a bus, for at least one of the services.  This gives the child (and their family) the opportunity to see faces other than those who work on the bus.  In my situation, my mom became good friends with several people in our church.  She knew that their was a whole host of folks who cared about me and my family other than just the bus workers.  She often cooked for them on the holidays to show her appreciation for them transporting me and my siblings to church and caring for us.

To be continued....

Until next time,

Confession #3 - Afraid

This confession may be a little bizarre; but I don't like dealing with children at the altar.  So many people, myself included, have the testimony that they prayed when they were a child; but doubted and had to pray again later to be sure they were saved.  Well, like it or not; I am the first altar worker my husband calls on when a child or young lady raises their hand for salvation. 

The Sunday evening before last we had a little visitor in church.  We have been praying for some time for a single mom that lives in Newport to come to our church and let the Lord do a work in her life.  She is a close friend of one of our faithful members and has visited before; and she is very friendly when we see her around town. Well, it was her little five year old daughter who came with a friend to our service last week.  I don't remember what my husband preached about; but at the end of the service he invited those who wanted to pray to be saved, as he always does.  I was sitting directly behind her and saw her raise her hand; but my husband didn't see her.  Well, she must have been really serious because after he prayed the closing prayer she walked right up to him and told him she wanted to be saved!  I dropped everything and took her to my Sunday school classroom and VERY CAREFULLY and with fear and trembling shared with her verses and explained the best I could about God's gift of salvation.  I asked her if she was a sinner- if she had ever done anything that was bad; and with a look of severe concentration on her face she confessed, "Yes."  I told her that she could ask Jesus to forgive her for any bad thing she has done and will ever do and he would forgive her and take her to Heaven when she died.  She understood that people who didn't pray for Jesus to save them went to Hell.  She very sincerely prayed to become a Christian. 

She left that room with a HUGE smile on her face and went and told her friend that she got saved!  What a blessing.  Now if we could just get her mom and dad (and step mom) to understand that they need Jesus too!

Matthew 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Until next time,

Confession 2 - Faking it!

I was recently talking to a lady and she made the comment that she just couldn't "fake" liking someone or something when she really didn't.  I thought to myself... "You better never become a pastor's wife. I sure have.  Sometimes in the ministry 'faking it' is a must."  Right after I said it (to myself) a still small voice said to me, "O really, think about that."  So I have been thinking about it for about a month now.  Do you know what the Lord said to me....'Faking it' is only necessary when I am in the flesh.  If I am "walking in the Spirit" I don't have to 'fake' anything...I can react or respond in every situation with boldness. 

Let me explain a little bit further what I am talking about.  Sometimes we encounter people who are just plain selfish, or moochers, or  dumb"simple", etc.  Sometimes you just want to "give it to them RAW"; but instead you smile and be sweet and help them, or promise to pray with them about a certain situation. I am not saying that I should always respond how I would like.  Sometimes it is right to keep quiet.  But it is important to BE REAL.  So often when we have been at this thing for a while we know what is expected of us so we do that; but that which we do is not what we wanted to do or what we had or felt in our heart and mind. 

Romans 7:14 - 25

 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Real live example

Recently we met with a couple who has been having a difficult time financially.  We explained to them about tithing (for the third time), talked with them about offerings and explained in detail about the importance of establishing and sticking to a budget.  They nodded their heads and when the conversation was over they handed us some money (Evidently they didn't get that a partial tithe is not a tithe; but at least they are making an effort) and seemed encouraged.  The next day they called and asked for a ride to the store and after that a ride to Burger King - where they spent almost 1/18th of their total month's income on one meal.  I wanted to refuse to taxi them and then give them a piece of my mind; but after some prayer, I decided instead to let them make their own decisions without my input. I had to go to the store anyway, and even though that fast food sure smelled good, I had chili cooking at home! These are professing Believers. I was reminded that some folks learn best from the school of hard knocks and the Holy Spirit is able and willing to help us when and if we allow Him. If they won't allow God to help them, what makes me think that anything I say will change them. Initially I slapped a fake smile on my face and demonstrated a fake willing spirit.  Then I whispered a little prayer of thanks for the work and grace of God manifested in my life and asked for Him to do a work in their lives as well.

There was a time when I was a new Christian that all I could to was take.  I simply had nothing to offer; but to grow in the Lord I needed a Bible.  Someone bought one for me.  I needed a ride to church.  I was bussed to and from church sometimes five times a week and all I could offer was a shallow thank you-if I said that.  I went to a Christian school for five years; my family may have paid 5% of the bill.  I did do some work scholarship; but I am sure it didn't cover what was lacking.  Some faithful college students paid my school bill for a while; but they couldn't support me forever.  Mooch. Guilty! Selfish. Guilty! Undeserving. Guilty!  I could go on. 

I hope this little post will encourage you to BE REAL.  Let the Lord work through you in the lives of others.  The world doesn't need any more phonies.

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Until Next Time,

Coming soon..."So you want to win a bus kid?"

September, October Prayer Letter

October 22, 2012

Dear Pastor and Praying Friends,

Praise the Lord that the three digit temperatures of our Arkansas Summer have ended and Autumn has brought with it some beautiful, cool weather. We also praise God for His goodness to us and our church and this season of blessing. Since our last letter we have seen many souls saved and baptized.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and , lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” - Matthew 28: 19,20

Two of the people who were baptized I met one Saturday while on visitation. The girlfriend and her sixteen year old “step-daughter” called us for a ride to church about a month later. We continued to visit them on Saturdays and eventually the man joined his family in church.

I often preach about God’s desire for our homes. By that I mean God desires for there to be a saved and surrendered husband and wife first and then children to follow. You can’t unscramble eggs, but you can make them better. After attending several services and hearing this type of preaching; this couple approached me about getting married. During the process of marital counseling I asked them their salvation testimonies and found out they had a Church of Christ background. The lady thought she had lost her salvation and the husband couldn’t give me a clear and sure testimony of having been previously saved either. To make a long story shorter, they both received the Lord that day and were scripturally baptized the next. Two weeks later we had a beautiful wedding at our church.

Another one of the people who were baptized is a young lady in her twenties. (Her brother and niece were saved and baptized here in July.) She came for a visit and raised her hand for salvation during the invitation. My wife took her out and talked with her. She prayed to be saved that Sunday! The next day she called us about her twelve year old son. He had asked why she left at the end of the service and what the papers we gave her about baptism meant. I told her to read the papers to him and that we would talk with him later to make sure he understood about salvation and baptism. The next Sunday we showed him from scripture how he could know he was saved and he prayed and received the Lord as well. Afterward he said he wanted to be baptized because now he was saved just like his Mama. So, that day we had two baptisms instead of one. This young lady’s zeal and trust in the Lord has been a real blessing to all of our church family.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundatly.” - John 10:10

These families represent the burden of our ministry here. There are so many people in Newport shacking up – some in their forties and fifties who just never thought it important to be married. There are even more religious people here who are on their way to Hell. Thank you for your prayers and financial support which enables us to show them God’s desire for their souls as well as their lives.

Prayer Requests

· We are asking God to double our number by next Fall. This would give us about fifty souls on Sunday mornings.

· Wisdom and provision as our family moves from the church into the parsonage.

· That God would bless us with good health. Recently our whole family was down with some type of sickness. On top of the sickness I had an allergic reaction to something and it turned my eyes fiery red. After I preached Sunday morning one of our members (who is a nurse) came to me and said, “You look awful!”.

In His Service,

Pastor Raymond Beckles

Flower Girl

I was so excited when a lady in our church asked Aaliyah to be her flower girl!  She was excited too! Once we picked out her dress, basket, and flowers she was REALLY excited!!!  She kept asking me if she could practise.  I let her twice; but got tired of picking the flowers back up so that was the end of practising.  Finally the day came and she did a great job.  So proud of my little flower girl.  On a side note...I praise God for this young couple who got saved, baptised, and then married after about six weeks of marriage counseling with me and my hubby/pastor. 

P.S.  I think her favorite part of the wedding was when Daddy said to the groom, "You may kiss the bride."  Aaliyah has been rehearsing this with her babies ever since Friday night. 

Until next time,