Next Service and a prayer request.

Our next service will be on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 8:30 in the morning at Luckenbach.
Any questions give me a call at 830/456-3450.

My prayer request is for the wife of one of the men i work with. Her name is Lori Baker and she has been battling cancer for several years. She is going through some real tough times and I would ask for you to keep her and her family in your prayers.

thanks, Joe

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

This has been a real interesting and testing month for me and I imagine for a lot of people. Around the first part of the month Kit Patterson sent out an email to several of his employees and one of them forwarded it to me. I would like to share it with you.
We’ve heard some discouraging financial news recently. Scripture says that when we face trials, God will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart (Psalm 91:4).
I’d like to encourage you today by reminding you:
- Don’t lose perspective.- Don’t get discouraged.- Don’t quit. - Remember the Lord.
Let’s look at some comparisons between the perspective of the world versus God’s perspective as revealed in the Bible.
The world says...
But God says…

We have one trillion dollars of debt.
I will supply all your needs according to My riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19 NASB)

We have a slowdown.
My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled. (John 14:27 NASB)

It looks like a meltdown.
I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deut. 31:6 NIV)

We’re on the verge of financial ruin.
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:37 NIV)

We’re facing a financial Pearl Harbor.
Neither the present nor the future, nor any powers… will be able to separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:38 NIV)

We could see another crash like 1929.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you. (Isa. 43:5 NIV)

There’s panic on the street.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. (Isa. 43:2 NIV)

I stand to lose everything.
I am your refuge, your portion in the land of the living. (Ps. 142:5 NIV)

My retirement has been wiped out.
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. (Prov. 23:18 NIV)

My portfolio is down 70%.
I gave and I have taken away. Blessed be My name. (Job 1:21 NASB)

My situation looks bleak.
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:35 NASB)

Keep your hope in the Lord that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love is everlasting, His mercies new every day, and His faithfulness to you eternal. Walk by faith, not by sight.

My pastor has been sharing about John 16:33 the last couple of weeks and that has been one of my favorite verses for a number of years.
John 16:33 says “I have told you these things, so that IN ME you may have peace. In THIS WORLD you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.”
The weekend of October 10-12 we had a real neat conference at Journey church it was called “Establishing His Name in the Earth” and that is exactly what the scripture in John is telling us to do. You see it says that we have the choice to live IN HIM or in the world. You can impact your life, your family, your job, your marriage…just about anything you wish to touch if you do it in him. If you choose the other route in this world you get what you get…trouble, fear, doubt, distrust, lies….which place would you rather live in right now….IN HIM you have truth, security, trust, assurance and life….I will let you read this and make your own choice…..choose wisely for it can impact your life for a long time
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Pray for our leaders, our candidates running for office, for our banking and securities sectors. Things are being shaken right now and we need to pray for these areas.
2) Pray for our pastors and their families. October is pastor appreciation month but you need to continually lift these folks up in prayer. They need a constant covering of prayer and intercession for them and their families. They are constantly under attack from the enemy and they need for us to remember them daily in our prayers.
3) I have a friend at work who just lost his mother last week and I know he would appreciate us lifting his family up in prayer. Pray for David and Janet Brown and his family in the passing of his mother.
4) In our body there are several ladies who are expecting babies and are on bed rest please remember them in prayer Shelley Stephens and Alexis Whitaker are the ones I know of.
5) Remember to lift up all the folks who were in the middle of the hurricanes this year. My wife and daughters have been talking to a lady here in Fredericksburg who lost it all and is living in a tent now. So please remember these folks as they are still in need of so many things as well as just friends to help them out.

Earlier I mentioned that October is pastor appreciation month and I would like to encourage you to tell your pastor and his wife just how precious they are to you and to give them a word of encouragement. They do a job that is very hard to do. They minister to hurting people, they touch so many people whose lives seem to be falling apart, they touch families when love ones have been lost…and most of the time we as their congregations have no idea what is hurting or falling apart in their lives…..BE INVOVLED in their lives and keep them in your prayers as often as the Father brings them to mind. I am not telling you to be nosey about their business but be there if they need someone to confide in and above all honor their confidence and trust if they share things with you. I would like to say thank you to my pastor and his wife for all that they are and all that they do for Journey Church. Michael and Lori we honor today and thanks for all the great years. Outriders for Christ is an outreach of Journey Church here in Fredericksburg.

LIVE BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT

THINGS WE NEED TO REMEMBER!!!!!

A friend from Luckenbach sent this real neat thing to me. The blessing was that her boss sent it out to them. In these trying times we MUST remember who is in control. Please read the following and remember HE IS IN CONTROL!!!!!

Let’s look at some comparisons between the perspective of the world versus God’s perspective as revealed in the Bible.

The world says...
But God says…

We have one trillion dollars of debt.
I will supply all your needs according to My riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19 NASB)

We have a slowdown.
My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled. (John 14:27 NASB)

It looks like a meltdown.
I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deut. 31:6 NIV)

We’re on the verge of financial ruin.
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:37 NIV)

We’re facing a financial Pearl Harbor.
Neither the present nor the future, nor any powers… will be able to separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:38 NIV)

We could see another crash like 1929.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you. (Isa. 43:5 NIV)

There’s panic on the street.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. (Isa. 43:2 NIV)

I stand to lose everything.
I am your refuge, your portion in the land of the living. (Ps. 142:5 NIV)

My retirement has been wiped out.
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. (Prov. 23:18 NIV)

My portfolio is down 70%.
I gave and I have taken away. Blessed be My name. (Job 1:21 NASB)

My situation looks bleak.
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:35 NASB)
Keep your hope in the Lord that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love is everlasting, His mercies new every day, and His faithfulness to you eternal. Walk by faith, not by sight.

a special thanks to Bobbi and Kit for this great word. love and blessings to you both.
Joe

THOUGHTS FROM MY HEART

Well this morning as I sit here and ponder the events of the weekend I am amazed at the things God can do when we allow him to. My pastor was in Washington state for a conference and was dearly missed but things must still go on while he is away....church, memorial services and just taking care of business if you know what I mean. Steven K. the other elder at Journey church and I got to divide up a couple of things in Pastor Mike's absence but things went well. Scott Windrum from San Antonio came up to Fredericksburg and blessed us with his music and a wonderful word from the Lord that set somethings off in my heart. Sott shared about our words are they good reports or bad reports...you all know what i mean...you get up on Monday and say oh God do I have to go to work today or do you say Thank you God that I get to go to work this morning. Well yesterday afternoon I had agreed to do a memorial service for the friend of one of our church's members. After I left church I really didn't want to go back and have to be spiritual this afternoon...as my wife and I were eating lunch I made some comment along the lines well i guess I have to go home and go back to church. well I got back to the house and the Lord just nudged me and about things....thankfully I didn't have to go to the woodshed. I went to church and I was still working on things in my heart and my mind but i was still in a funky place. just after I went in the door i was met by one of the ladies helping set up and she could tell that things were in turmoil....she asked are you ok...quickly followed by no your not I can tell then she asks me like Scott had said that he had started asking people that he really wanted an answer and he asks "how are you being"? So being faced with that question i had to say my being is in a struggle right now but it is going to be alright. Well I got ready for the service and it was a very laid back memorial service but God was there. now my heart at the start was still kind of down but as I got to start things my spirit started to get pretty fired up. it was a real neat service and as all preachers I was blessed to get to share about God's word and his grace and salvation. people shared great stories and we had a good time....so I had to say to the Father on the way home....Thank You for allowing me to do Gene's service....are there things in your life where you need to say thanks. A frined of mine made me some really neat stickers for my truck window with the cowboy neeling at the cross and underneath the picture the line says "don't forget to say Thank you" right there in my face, rear view mirror hang out there for all to see...DUH!!!!!!!... Thank You Lord, Amen

A COUPLE OF WEEKS

The last couple of weeks have been very busy for me and the family. two weeks ago the girls went to camp for one more time this summer. then we picked them up and went to a fifty year wedding celebration for Dan and Joann Davis at Hope Chapel in Austin. Dan was the pastor of Hope Chapel several years ago and he married Sally and me way back in 1982. It was great to see lots of old friends that we hadn't seen in a long, long time. Then we loaded up and went on vacation to Cancun Mexico. It was great to be gone but getting home was nice to. the girls have started school now.
the service the Sunday before we left Kit Patterson and his son Kit Russell and daughter Emma made pancakes for us at Luckenbach. It was an awesome time and we had a real neat service after the great breakfast. Want to say thanks to the Patterson family for such a great blessing.

A Phone Call

Last week on Thursday morning I was sitting at my desk at work and my phone rang...that is not an odd thing to happen. the person on the other end of the phone asked if this was Joe Brown and i said that yes it was. Then they asked if I knew who this was....i said that this sounds like my Aunt Teen....i guessed correctly...now she doesn't usually call me at work so I was concerned. she and my uncle have gone through some tough heath problems the last couple of years but God has answered so many prayers for them....i asked what was wrong....you know the feeling..take a deep breath....heart sinking to the floor,...beating much faster than it was a minute ago. She said all was ok and that they got a good rain and my uncle shut down his wells and they came down to Fredericksburg for a couple of days....had a real good visit with them that evening. I got to thinking which can be a real dangerous thing in my case and I was wandering why when we get an unexpected call we immediately think the worst...she could have just been calling to say hi, she loved me and my family or something special. As believers in Christ we can often get the same feelings when a preacher or friend starts to read our mail...the idea is that this has to hurt for me to grow in him....well to that i want to say...BULL...you see even God can send us his children words of encouragement, words of love, words of caring and he never goes back on those words. You see God can also give us words of correction but he never does it with loud embarassing yells, screams, and temper tantrums. he might take us out to the wood shed but we are the only ones who know about it unless we tell others around us you know folks that we trust to keep our words in confidence but to also hold our feet to the fire if we start acting goofy again. Must we always look at the dark side of what is going on in our lives....there is usually a brighter side if we just poke around alittle bit.
Another quick thought about things we hear. Last week on Sunday morning during praise and worship one of the men at church walked up to me and asked me to pray for him. He told me that the week before he had some cancer removed and he was waiting to get the biopsy report back. Well we prayed for him and then before my pastor got up to share we prayed again. well this last Sunday morning I went up to him and asked if he got his report back. he said yes and grinned great big and said it was a GOOD REPORT.....FREE OF CANCER.....NOW THAT IS A REASON TO SHOUT!!!!!!!!! I read from the Psalms Sunday morning about the Lord's SHOUT but we to need to shout every once in awhile....SO SHOUT UNTO GOD WITH A VOICE OF TRIUMPH,,,,LETS GIVE IT A TRY AND SEE IF WE SEE THE GOOD SIDE MORE OFTEN THAT THE BAD SIDE.......BLESSINGS JOE

KIND WORDS

My pastor's daughter has one of the funniest blogs that I have ever read. She is also probably one of the few people who read my ramblings or at least leave a comment about my ramblings. If you ever get a chance go to http://blogglingbrooks.blogspot.com/ and read her great stuff. Sarah is a wonderful young lady I guess that I have had the pleasure of knowing her for 20 years of her life....now as she shares about Bella, Buddy and Hoss and N (her husband) I am blessed by them. Sarah, just want to say thanks for the "kind words" you are truly a gift from God. Thanks, Joe