CALL TO HOLINESS
Since the first of the year we have seen many opportunities to make a choice for right or for what is politically correct. Now right means that we make our choices according to the Word of God. The Word is truth and we adhere to the message presented in the Word concerning the two greatest commandments as set forth by Jesus in Matthew 22:36-40. He is being questioned by the Pharisees and the Word says: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets”. If you walk obediently to these two commandments then it will affect every facet of your lives. You have probably noticed that the programming on TV has really become very offensive and many movies are being made that are also offensive at least if you are a Christian. Now the world doesn’t think about what Holiness means but the children of God should be thinking about Holiness. Holiness is being set apart or separated from all that is sinful, impure or morally imperfect. It is moral wholeness. We as children of God are being called to be set apart, to be different than the world that indulges in sinful, impure and morally imperfect actions and thoughts. You can not watch TV or see most movies in the theater without your senses being assaulted by every perversion possible and by speech that is full of profane words. It is so sad! Even shows that promote being family shows are unhealthy for us to watch. Father gave me a scripture concerning the entertainment being promoted daily and it is: Ephesians 4:17-24 “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Bottom line is that you have a choice what you do, what you see, what you hear and what you say. You choose to be Holy and set apart for Father’s service and His life. You choose to act like a Christian (Christ One) or you choose to walk with the world and its ways. What will you choose? Does it matter what you see and do as a believer? We say YES! It is your choice!

Charley & Karen

A New Beginning, A New Year, Newness of Life, A New Song to Sing

January 1, 2006 has passed. It is a New Year! The past year is gone never to be lived again and the New Year is here with all its possibilities and opportunities. What a joy to say to each of you, Happy New Year! We do want it to be happy for you! We want you to be successful and prosperous! What will this year hold?
We know several who will have new babies this year. There are some who will have new jobs and some who will marry and begin a new life with their mate. What does it mean to be new? In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” A new creation sounds pretty exciting! According to W.E. Vine’s “An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words”, new means recent, differing in character, new in respect of time, fresh, unused, and newness (life of a new quality). When we accept Jesus as our Savior we become a new creation. The Holy Spirit of God comes to live within us and makes us different from the old me, new and fresh for a new day and a new work. There are many scriptures that speak about becoming new.
Matthew 26:28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
2 Peter 3:13 “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Revelation 5:9 “And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”
It is an exciting time when things are new! As the old song says, 'Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before'. Each day is so exciting with much anticipation of how the Lord will lead, guide and direct us. If we spend time in the Word, on our face before the Lord seeking His will, in Intercessory Prayer and walking in obedience to the Word, we will experience a freshness and a newness in our life that will draw us closer and closer to the Lord Jesus.
We pray for all of you a very joyous, exciting, new and fruitful 2006!
We love you,

Charley & Karen

Merry Christmas & A Very Happy New Year!!

Hello Prayer Partners! It is time again to celebrate Christmas and the New Year! What a joy to share with all of you the happenings of this past year and to rejoice with you because of Jesus, our Savior and Lord! We do focus this time of year on our Savior’s birth but we also refresh and renew our commitment to Him. In Luke 2:7 we read: “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” The story is so familiar as it has been read to children and in church services all our lives and yet, does it bring a warmth to your heart and a peace to your mind to know that our Lord Jesus was born, that He lived on this earth, that He died for all of us, that He rose again and He lives today. Does this make a difference in the way you conduct your life day to day and the way you treat others? Who is Jesus to you today?
In Nehemiah 8:10b the Word says: “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Praise the Lord! This year we have experienced much joy! We traveled 21,404 miles in 2005 and spent 6 months on the road. The first of the year we traveled to Colorado and New Mexico. We were able to encourage several pastors and ministry leaders. We have a couple of adopted children in the area and we shared Father’s love and words of encouragement with them. Twice this year we traveled to the East coast. We added several new pastors and deepened relationships with others. We took one pastor and his wife to supper and during the meal Charley began sharing about authority. The pastor called later and asked Charley to speak on authority during the Sunday school hour. It was a blessed time as Father gave Charley a bold message on submission to authority. During another visit with a church in the area we adopted a whole youth group, 12 of them, and found their parents very supportive of our ministry to their children. We were blessed to take all of these young people out to supper and to watch their excited faces as we fellowshipped together. They know that when we return we will spend time with them and they also know that we pray for them every day. They love the Lord and were very deeply impacted by summer camp and our love for them as grandparents. One of the new pastors we added in Virginia wants Charley to preach when we return next spring. During September our son was sent to Iraq for 7 months. While on the East coast we met a young wife in a restaurant whose husband was to be sent to Iraq around the same time as our son. She asked us to pray with her about something and as she shared about her husband’s deployment for 18 months, we were able to share that we understand the situation because of our son’s commitment. We also met a couple in one of the motels who minister through tracts and visits to the military overseas. We were able to encourage them and add them to our prayer list. We have no idea how many people were added to our prayer list this year due to our travels but there are many. We have mentioned in our newsletters several times the Love Bears that are made for us by a group of folks in Texas. We were given over 200 bears this fall and had the awesome privilege to send 150 of these to the Philippines with a missionary couple. We also receive cross bookmarks that are made by a couple of ladies in California and we were able to send 150 of these with the missionaries. Father continues to flow His resources through us to those in need and for the sharing of the Gospel of Christ. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina we had the opportunity to share clothing, toys, books and bears with a youth pastor’s wife in Plano who had several families she was helping. We loaded our trunk and back seat with these items and delivered them. It is so exciting just to be used of the Lord where He chooses! He provides the time, resources and the love for us to share. There are many other stories to share but space will not allow. Please know that we are busy about Father’s business and there is never a slack time. Even when we are at home we are busy about the work that Father has called us to do. This week Charley will spend several mornings meeting with men and just fellowshipping about the Lord. We meet with couples on a regular basis and meet needs according to Father’s plans and purposes. God is in control of our lives and this ministry.
As we travel the land we see churches that are hurting and needy! Many in their body do not have a daily relationship with the Lord Jesus. They attend church but they do not worship the King. The pastors preach the Word of God but the people do not hear. God loves these people so much and He has sent His servants to tell them the truth but they are deaf and blind to the things of the Lord. This world has blinded them, the pleasures of this world entice them and the riches of this world lure them away from the one true Lord. Some of our adopted children are suffering greatly! Either their marriages have been torn apart by drugs, alcohol, pornography or gambling addictions or their children have gone the way of the world. The pressures are great on the family! We see fathers who refuse to take responsibility for their family and have left the home. We did attend a beautiful wedding this fall that was an awesome blessing! It was the desire of the couple that as they recited their wedding vows that the couples in the audience would reflect on their marriage and relationship and be encouraged to live together God’s way and not the world’s way. It was a beautiful picture of God’s kind of love! After 37 years of marriage our relationship has deepened as our relationship with the Lord has grown and continues to mature. In many people that we have visited we see a new luster a glow which is the light of Jesus. They refuse to hide that light any longer under the cover of shame, fear, insecurity and unforgiveness. They have chosen to let their light shine for all to see. We would ask that you would pray for our President and our military daily. Freedom does come at a price!
Have a wonderful blessed and prosperous Christmas and New Year! We love all of you and appreciate your prayers and love for us. You have blessed our lives through your faithful prayers, notes of encouragement and financial donations. We are excited about the New Year and all that the Lord has planned!

Charley & Karen

It's That Time of Year!

When we see this statement written in newspapers or flashed on TV, what do we think? Is it a good thing that it is that time of year or is it a bad thing that it is that time of year? For the retailers it is a good thing, lots of money will be made. For the families it could be a bad thing because they will be spending lots of money for toys and other items to give to their loved ones. For us this time of year draws our attention more than ever on the REASON FOR THE SEASON, our Lord Jesus and His Birth. We could get caught up in the superficial hype for the season or we can be drawn closer to the Lord Jesus during this time. We choose to look to the true reason that we celebrate during the Christmas season. That is why the word Christ is in Christmas. Some stores choose to leave out the word Christmas in their advertising and some choose to keep things as they always have been. All our lives we have enjoyed Christmas and the joy of giving. As children we enjoyed receiving the gifts and now as parents we enjoy the joy of giving to our children and grandchildren. The light in those beautiful eyes as they open packages and play with the items received is such a blessing. We take the time to remind those we love that Jesus was born those many years ago. He is the greatest gift that we can ever receive. This Christmas as so many in our world try to remove any vestige of Christ, let’s choose to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let’s choose to walk each day focusing on our Lord Jesus. Make the choice to be a child of the King and remember His birth, death and resurrection every day. Let us celebrate Jesus this Christmas!

Luke 2:1-14
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Happy Thanksgiving Dear Friends!

We truly love this time of the year not only because of the color change as the seasons change but also we hear spoken more than ever the word Thanksgiving. Even the TV will have programs about being thankful. Most of us know that Thanksgiving is a daily thought that should be a lifestyle but unfortunately that isn’t always true. What is Thanksgiving all about? We know the stories of the first Thanksgiving involving the Pilgrims and the Indians but do we know the story that should bring us to our knees in thankfulness every moment of the day. We have seen this story portrayed in many ways but the way I would like to portray it is through the Word of God. John 3:16 says:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
That is such wonderful news and we should be so eternally grateful for this gift. Jesus, God’s Son, is our Savior and Lord! It is too exciting for words sometimes!
Another verse of thanksgiving is: “Psalm 95:2-3, Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." Sing praises to His Holy Name! Our God Reigns! Verse 3 says “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” In Philippians 4:6-7 it says: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Do not worry about anything but in all things as you make requests of God through prayer be thankful and praise His name. When you awaken in the morning be thankful for the air you breathe, the food you eat that He has provided, the family He has given you and the love that you can share with your family and with others that day. Our Father has given us so much and we so often do not stop to say “Thank You”.
Let your heart soar to new heights this holiday season as you reflect on the goodness of God and the truth of His Word. Spend time in His Word and come to know this wonderful Savior and Lord Jesus Christ in an intimate and personal way. He loves you very much and He showed that love by giving His life for you. He lives today to intercede for you to His Father. Oh, we have so much for which to be Thankful!

Have a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving!

Charley & Karen


Thought for Today!

I envied her, she seemed so gay, and I wished I were as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one foot and used a crutch, but as she passed, she had a smile.
Oh, God forgive me when I whine, I have two feet, the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets,
The lad who sold them had such charm.
I talked with him, he said to me.
It’s nice to talk to men like you,
You see he said, ‘I’m blind’.
Oh, God forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then as I passed along the way,
I saw a child with eyes of blue,
He stood and watched the others play,
It seemed he knew not what to say.
I stopped for a moment, and then I said
“Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I go
With eyes to see the sunsets glow
With ears to hear what I would know
I’m blessed indeed, the world is mine
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

Author Unknown