06.10.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
Today, after Rachel’s English class in the afternoon, we went on visitation to a new village from which we had a few visitors last week. In all we had 34 who came out to go visiting. We passed out 150 brochures about the church, and had many who promised to come to services on Sunday. Afterwards, we had an ice cream fellowship, and everyone had a great time. There were several teens who we visited last week who called and said they wanted to go passing out tracts with us today. Although they had only been to church one week, they were so excited to tell others about church that they called five times today to make sure I would come pick them up for visitation. Praise God for their zeal! This is what mission work is all about. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15
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06.08.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
Today, we had more than 20 workers laboring to pour concrete, lay plumbing, mix mortar, lay block and cut wood to make door and window frames. Of all the activity, I noticed the four block layers competing with each other to build a wall the fastest. One man in particular seemed very and was working twice as fast as the rest. On the other end of the building, there was another man who was trying to keep up, and was doing a sloppy job. His wall was crooked and there were big globs of mortar everywhere. After a few minutes of watching his work, I had to tell him to tear the block down and start over. The careless job ended up costing time and materials. He laid the block again and did a fine job. By rushing, he ended up taking much more time to finish. I started thinking about my own life, and how I rush about. Am I more concerned about quality or quantity? Are my actions stumbling blocks or stepping stones? “…the substance of a diligent man is precious.” Proverbs 12:27
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Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
The engine in our church van, which is over 23 years old, has finally died. We can replace the engine with a rebuilt one for around $1000. We use the van every week packing it out with kids who want to come to church, and need to get it back up and running as quickly as possible. With the added expenses of the building project, we are asking for help to get this van fixed so we may continue using it for the work of the Lord. Right now, we have to make serveral trips in different vehicles to provide transportation for the church. Please consider helping us by giving towards the vehicle fund to replace the engine in the church van.
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06.07.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
Today, I spent the morning doing our report (see the reports page of the website), and updating the website. This afternoon, I went out to pay bills and shopped around for cement. I bought 50 bags of cement, 10 cubic meters of sand, 15 cubic meters of ready mix concrete, and poured half of the floor slab for the new church building. This evening I taught a Bible Doctrine class for UBBI and we had a good discussion about the doctrine on the Trinity and the doctrine of Bible inspiration. I seem to be burning the candle at both ends right now. I can’t remember that last time I got more than 5 hours of sleep at night. Pray that I can get some rest. God is good to me, and his grace is sufficient. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
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06.06.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Paul asks the Galatians a pungent question after delivering a dissertation of sharp rebuke for their swift departure from the gospel of grace. The fact remained. . . Paul loved these people. That is why he told them the truth, just as a mother would point out the unkempt appearance of her child so as to avoid public embarrassment, not because she is critical of the child, but because she loves him. We must endeavor to “speak the truth in love.” On the mission field, it is easy to get caught up in a “social gospel” of trying to help the needy and emotionally wounded, while forgetting about the true spiritual needs of the people. We try so hard in so many ways to get people just to come, that it is easy to water down our preaching, our witnessing, our religious fervor and even our beliefs to try to win some. A wise man once said, “What you win them with is what you win them to.” Our duty is to propagate truth. When the truth rubs the wrong way, we need to turn around, not the truth. Above all, never water down the truth of God’s Word. Yet, no matter what the consequences, we as God’s children must stand fast, grounded in the truth of God’s Word. When the tables are turned, however, and we are the ones that must endure the truth because of the error of our ways, let us learn to swallow the medicine of correction with dignity by the virtue of humility and repentance. “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons…” – Hebrews 12:7
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06.05.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
So much of our lives are spent scurrying about trying to get things done. Most of those things won’t mean a whole lot in the long run. Most of the things that you have done today will be soon forgotten. On the other hand, so little of our lives are made up of the meaningful moments that truly inspire our memories. Yet, these moments are the things that define our lives. When we look back and examine the paths that we have taken and the experiences that have helped form who we are, those moments in time are what we will see. They will forever be frozen in time in our hearts. Today, before we put our daughter to bed, she crawled up in my lap with her Bible to let me to read a story to her. We read about the friendship of David and Jonathan. After the story was finished, Tara turned and gave me a great big hug around my neck and said, “Daddy, I love you.” That’s a moment in time that I won’t soon forget. Let us fill our lives with meaningful moments, being careful to remember what is temporary and what is eternal. Remember the purpose of your life. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. ” Ecc. 12:13
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06.04.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
The Lord blessed our visits last Wednesday. We had quite a few visitors in church today that we had visited and given information to. Sunday morning there were 49 in attendance and 79 in the even service. (There are always more in the evenings here in Thailand because of people working during the day.) Through the generous offerings of Faith Baptist Church of Davenport, FL we were able to purchase some clothing for a few kids in the church who had no more than one or two outfits of their own. We spent the afternoon with the kids, eating lunch together, getting ice cream and then going clothes shopping. It was a great day. We had some teens who came today that had previously made professions of faith but hadn’t been to church in months. We also had some of the builders and their kids who are working on the new church building in services this evening. As we were dropping kids off after church in the evening, I ran over a large cobra in the road, but didn’t kill it because it slithered off into the grass. It sent chills up my spine and reminded me to always beware of the devil and his fiery darts. When we think everything is going our way that’s when he strikes. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8
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06.03.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
I want to use today’s journal entry to brag on my wife, Rachel. She’s a real trooper. Today, despite being four months pregnant and suffering from compulsive projectile vomiting in the morning got up, cooked breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, washed the dishes, did laundry and taught a two hour English class. She’s suffered through a lot on the mission field, but has never complained. I can’t say the same. I complain. While I was working at the church construction site this morning, Rachel was washing, ironing and folding clothes. Though God doesn’t call women as missionaries, you’ll never find a missionary’s wife on the mission field that works harder than my wife does. She is a blessing to me, to the Lord and everyone around her. I love you Rachel! “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10
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06.02.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
We poured eleven of the pillars that will support the church structure today, as well as worked on some of the plumbing lines that will be buried under the slab. Back at home, our computer decided that enough was enough and gave up the ghost. I had to reinstall everything, but thankfully had all my data backed up. I am posting several back articles today to catch up on the journal entries for the days that the computer was down. This afternoon, I had a one on one Bible study with Kak, our literature translator, and then had to return to the construction site to speak with the builders about a change in the roofing plan. It turns out that the roof pitch was drawn incorrectly on the plans and needed to be fixed. There was also a mix-up in an order for PVC pipe between six gauge and six inch pipe. Six gauge (as they say in Thai) is 3/8 inch pipe and is $1.00 a piece. Six inch pipe (which we don’t need) is over $25.00 a piece. Needless to say, I caught the mistake fairly easily (I’ve got a keen grasp of the obvious), and finally got our 3/8 inch PVC pipe. It’s been a long road, but I’m starting to see something coming together. May this house be for the worship and the glory of God. “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.” Haggai 1:8
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06.01.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by dannyjones
Today we began a new term of classes at UBBI (Udon Thani Baptist Bible Institute). This term, I am teaching a Bible Doctrine class. Rachel is teaching advanced English for adults. Christine Semperger is teaching intermediate English for teens, and Salun, our music teacher is continuing a course in music theory focusing on learning church music and developing musical talent for the glory of the Lord. We are also offering lessons in piano and guitar. We had eight in attendance for the Bible Doctrine class and eight for intermediate English. Since I am translating the class material into the Thai language as I teach, I am having to spend a great deal of time preparing each lesson. Today, I spent all day in study, preparing for this class. The response was good and the students are excited to learn. Remember that learning is a lifelong task. Get in the Word today, that you might better serve the Lord tomorrow. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” Proverbs 1:5
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