Drexel Heights Baptist Church

This note came across my desk this afternoon. I have known the Stratmeyer’s for over 30 years.

Jacaltec People

“You know you’re getting old, when you have to start burying your friends.” — Rod Page

Wayno

—————-

Dear family and friends,

Yesterday morning, 9:05, Friday Nov.14, Den was carried by the angels into the arms of his Lord and Savior. Jane, Den’s friend Hank Warren, a hospice nurse and I were there as he was released from this earth to heaven. We thank the Lord that he is no longer suffering; no more pain for him, but a sadness remains in our hearts as we miss him.

He wanted his body to be donated for medical research; we are planning a memorial service on Saturday December 6th at 2:00 PM here in Oklahoma City at Metropolitan Baptist Church,

We are grateful to the Lord for His care, and to you for your very special prayers for Den, me and our family. ‘Hospice Care’ was a gift for Den and our family. They provided a hospital bed and other equipment when Den did not have the strength to get out of bed; medicines to keep him comfortable and a nurse’s aid to bath and assist Den. The nurse, Gayla was wonderful as she helped guide us through the dying process. She was truly a gift.

While Jane came to be with Den, I made a quick trip to Guatemala at Den’s request. I spent two days traveling and two days in Guatemala to connect with workers.

There is good news from Guatemala, Mariano and teachers are preparing for VBS November 17 - 22, Gaspar, Mariano and José are caring for radio programing, and Eliseo is continuing to translate first draft of the Old Testament. Malachi is the only book left for him to finish that project.

A related language team has asked permission to have copies of our unpublished Old Testament manuscripts for reference as they work on their Old Testament project.

Gail and family have been with us, Neil and Carol are here for the week-end, and Mark keeps in frequent contact from Spain. Praise the Lord for family!

We thank the Lord for His Word; Den’s facial expression relaxed as we read it and some hymns when he could no longer talk to us.

Memorial gifts could be sent for Jacaltec work in Guatemala to:

Cignet, Inc.
P.O. Box 12776
Oklahoma City, OK 73157

Many blessings,

Jean

“Though my soul may dwell in darkness,
it will arise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly
to be fearful of the night.”
– Colleen Henry

Wayno

Our deepest prayers and condolences to the Obama Family at the loss of their Grandmother

Pastor Bob’s Two Minute Devotion
November 3, 2008

God Notices Prayer

Sometimes we wonder if praying makes a difference.

We look at the evidence in Acts 9 to substantiate
the knowledge that God does hear and He moves to
answer prayer.  In Damascus there was a disciple
named Ananias.   The Lord called to him in a vision,
“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on
Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named
Saul, for he is praying. Acts 9:10-11

God notices.  The moment Saul started to pray,
God heard him.

Wherever there is sorrow, wherever there is pain,
wherever there is danger, He comes to comfort and
protect.  When there are decisions to be made,
tests to be taken, confusion to be cleared up,
He comes to offer guidance and direction.

He orchestrates the answers to our prayers with
the skill and artistry of a symphony conductor.
He moves in the world with wisdom and justice.
His purpose is to do what is necessary, what is best,
in the eternal symphony.

We stand on the eve of one of the most monumental
elections our country has ever held.  We pray for
guidance in this decision.  We pray that God’s purpose
will be carried out as He ordains it.  May we do our part.

Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while
you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him. You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble and surround me with
songs of deliverance.  Psalms 32:6-7

In prayer,
Pastor Bob and Marion Rieth

Click here for an archive of Pastor Bob’s Two-Minute Devotions

Mission Statement
Media Fellowship is impacting the media and the message
from the inside out. Jerusalem MFI ministers to media
and entertainment professionals in key arts and media
cities worldwide who are seeking safe spiritual haven;
transforming them into Christian leaders  who serve,
challenge and influence.

We welcome your prayers and support.You can learn more about
MFI

You may republish this devotion with proper attribution.
If you would like to add someone to the email distribution
list, or to be removed, please reply and let us know.
God bless you.

I am 5 days post op — this song came across my desk today:

He Is Not Silent

Out of the Grey

The people said this desert never ends
We have no bread our throats are dry
Our heads are heavy and our feet need rest
Has He left us here to die?

And we’ve forgotten all His words
As if we never heard
We take our hearts and turn away

But He is not silent
He is not whispering
We are not quiet
We are not listening
He sends a lifeline
We keep resisting Him
He is not silent
We are not listening

We wander through this world
In disbelief
Shake our heads at every tear
Searching endlessly
For some relief
Has He left us dying here?

But we’ve forgotten all His words
Pretend we never heard
We take our hearts and turn away

But He is not silent
He is not whispering
We are not quiet
We are not listening
He sends a lifeline
We keep resisting Him
He is not silent
We are not listening
No, we are not listening

We take our daily bread
And after we’ve been fed
We take our hearts and turn away

From Myra:

[The] secret I’ve learned to those who have died is to think of them in my future not in my past.. it comforts me that they’re waiting for us..

[This] allows hope to take the pain out of a loved one’s death.. Oh grave where is thy victory?  Oh death where is thy sting?  (1 cor 15:55)

The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law.. We as believers experience sorrow, grief.. it’s the body’s way of dealing with a traumatic event.. But our spirits and hearts can find a way of escape.. and I believe looking forward to reunion with them does so much to help us come out of the valley of the shadow of death..

Wayno

Find a Few of His Friends
09/30/2008
Hopefully you will find a few folks who walk with God to also walk with you through the seasons of your life. But honesty – and Scripture – forces me to admit they are a rare breed. Few there are who find it. All the more reason for you to make the number less scarce, by becoming someone who walks with God and teaches others how.

Look to those who have walked with God down through the ages. Certainly that is why the Bible is given to us. If God had intended it to be a textbook of doctrine, well then, he would have written it like one. But its not; it’s overwhelmingly a book of stories – tales of men and women who walked with God. Approach the Scriptures not so much as a manual of Christian principles but as the testimony of God’s friends on what it means to walk with him through a thousand different episodes. When you are at war, when you are in love, when you have sinned, when you have been given a great gift – this is how you walk with God. Do you see what a different mindset this is? It’s really quite exciting.

And there are those who have walked with God since the canon of Scripture closed. Here is an Athanasius, a Bonaventure, a Julian of Norwich, a Brother Lawrence, a Tozer – here is how they walked with God. When it comes to time and place, temperament and situation, they could not be more different. Julian lived in a cloister; Tozer lived in Chicago. Athanasius fled to the desert; Lawrence worked in the kitchen. But there is a flavor, a tang, an authenticity to their writings which underlies whatever it is they are trying at the moment to say. Here is someone who knew God, really knew him. This is what its like to walk with God, and that is what its like as well.

(Waking The Dead , 107, 108)

Pastor Bob’s Two Minute Devotion
September 24, 2008

HOW ARE WE KNOWN?

It would have been good if you could have been with us in Beverly Hills last Saturday at Media Fellowship’s Praise Brunch. The program was filled with a cast of people, working in the industry and well known - where we celebrated not their public image, but their more important role in life - that as a person of faith.

What matters is not the temporary applause
but the steadfast approval of the One who sees our hearts.

What are you known for? What do you think comes to mind in the public’s eye when they think of you? Our peers, friends, family all see us in a different light. Are we satisfied with their view of us?

Here are three ways that we are known.

Popularity is what others hope that you are.
What the tabloids, People magazine, headlines or advertising copy say about celebrities has very little to do with reality. We all know that there is often very little truth in the story as it is being presented. People are looking for role models, someone to be what they themselves dream of being. We should strive to be ‘popular’ in the best sense of the word - role models that show others what we can be if we follow the Lord.

Reputation is what others say that you are.
This is a valuable asset that you must diligently protect. You can recover from a stolen bank account, but it is far harder to recover from a corrupted reputation. My father used to say, “You can destroy in 30 seconds what you worked to establish for 30 years.”
Daniel 5:27 :Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” KJV

Character is what God knows that you are.
Character is a far more complex thing. Your character is defined by who you are when no one is watching. It is you when you decide between right or wrong, between what is better or best, or between what is acceptable or noble. It is you when your faith and convictions are being tested in a critical spotlight.

Luke 16:15 “He said to them, “You are the ones who justify
yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is
highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”

Psalms 94:11, “The LORD knows the thoughts of man.” (more to read: Psalm 94:7-15)

To become a person of GOOD CHARACTER is a worthy ambition.

God knows our hearts,
Pastor Bob and Marion Rieth

Pastor Bob Rieth

Mission Statement
Media Fellowship is impacting the media and the message from the inside out. Jerusalem
MFI ministers to media and entertainment professionals in key arts and media cities worldwide who are seeking safe spiritual haven; transforming them into Christian leaders who serve, challenge and influence.

We welcome your prayers and support.You can learn more about MFI at www.mediafellowship.org.
You may republish this devotion with proper attribution. If you would like to add someone to the email distribution list, or to be removed, please reply and let us know. God bless you.

From Myra:

Ransomed Heart

Church Is Not A Building
09/24/2008
Church is not a building. Church is not an event that takes place on Sundays. I know, its how we think of it. “I go to First Baptist.” “We are members of St. Luke’s.” “Is it time to go to church?” Much to our surprise, that is not how the Bible uses the term. Not at all. When the Scripture talks about church, it means community. The little fellowships of the heart that are outposts of the kingdom. A shared life. They worship together, eat together, pray for one another, go on quests together. They hang out together, in each other’s homes. When Peter is sprung from prison, “he went to the house of Mary the mother of John…where many people had gathered and were praying” (Acts 12:12).

Anytime an army goes to war or an expedition takes to the field, it breaks down into little platoons and squads. And every chronicle of war or quest will tell you that the men and women who fought so bravely fought for each other. That’s where the acts of heroism and sacrifice take place, because that’s where the devotion is. You simply can’t be devoted to a mass of people; devotion takes place in small units, just like a family.

We have stopped short of being an organization; we are an organism instead, a living and spontaneous association of individuals who know one another intimately, care for each other deeply, and feel a kind of respect for one another that makes rules and bylaws unnecessary. A group is the right size, I would guess, when each member can pray for every other member, individually and by name.

This is the wisdom of Brother Andrew, who smuggled Bibles into communist countries for decades. It’s the model, frankly, of the church in nearly every country but the U.S. Now, I’m not suggesting you don’t do whatever it is you do on Sunday mornings. I’m simply helping you accept reality – that whatever else you do, you must have a small fellowship to walk with you and fight with you and bandage your wounds. This is essential.

(Waking The Dead , 192 )

A PET’S TEN COMMANDMENTS……..

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have
your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet,
I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something
might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the
sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t
bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if
you are there, because I love you so.

Anon.—