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MY NEWSLETTER MARCH- JUNE 1999
CROSS COUNTRY NEWS
- - WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE ROAD FOR JESUS WITH THE ROWES - -
MARCH-JUNE 1999
HALLELUJAH! JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! TO ALL OUR PRECIOUS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. GREETINGS AND PEACE FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
My apologies for such a delay in sending out a newsletter...my computer went on strike for a while, and I was unable to get a newsletter out. These things are good to use as tools, but they can sure be frustrating, as well. Now that I’m able to sit down and get this project underway again, I will do the best I can to update you as to what has been happening with us since our last newsletter.
THE LAST TIME I WROTE, I neglected to mention the fact that while we were in Port Arthur, the Lord blessed us by speaking to a brother and sister in the Lord to give us a VERY NICE 1991 Suburban. It was in perfect condition...and what really blessed my wife was the wonderful air conditioner it has in it. It’s the ideal vehicle for our (somewhat) large family. Anyway, suffice it to say that we were very pleased with the wonderful gift from the Lord.
After Mardi Gras, Brian O’Connell, Mike and Maria Siemer & family, Brian and Mary Chamberlin & family and the Rowe family all went to Lockport to minister on the bayou. While there, we were privileged to teach at a three day seminar for street evangelism. We were invited to do this by Brother Doc and Sister Pat Louviere of the Circuit Riders Motorcycle Ministry. It was a wonderful time. After we did the seminar, we carried the crosses on the bayou for a while, and set up a couple of street churches in Galliano and Raceland.
ACCIDENT, OR DIVINE APPOINTMENT?
(ROMANS 8:28)
Anyway, during our stay there, I was headed home one night from somewhere,
and I was waiting for a car in front of me to make a left turn, when all of
a sudden I saw a car coming very fast behind me. The lady that was driving
tried to avoid rear ending me, and went beside me, but she ended up taking
the whole passenger side of the Suburban out. I wasn’t hurt in the least bit,
so I got out of the Suburban, and ran to her car.
She was all shook up. “I’m sorry”, she said. I saw that there was a young
boy with her, and I said “It’s all right. Are you O.K.?” She said “Yes, but
my old man is going to kill me.” I laughed, and said, “Aw, your old man isn’t
going to do anything, sis. Praise God that you’re O.K.” She said “you don’t
understand. When he finds out about this, he’s going to beat me.” There was
definite fear in her eyes as she told me this. I told her she needed to put
her trust in Jesus. I suppose it’s hard to comprehend how to trust in Jesus
when you don’t know Him. It was raining, but she wasn’t shaking because of
the rain. She was shaking in fear.
THE YOUNG BOY TOOK OFF across the field
to get his dad. In the mean time, I tried to comfort her, telling her that
everything was going to be all right. Soon her husband came. He was a big
man. Not tall, but stocky; looked like he had seen his share of trouble in
the past. He just ignored me, and proceeded to call her every filthy name
he could think of. I honestly thought he might hit her right in front of me.
So I put on my best cheerful face, and stuck out my right hand at him, and
said, “Hey, man. How ya doin’, bro? My name’s Lance.”
He looked at me for a minute, and shook my hand in a disinterested manner,
and then he told me that he apologized for the “stupid (expletive deleted)”.
Then he started chewing her out again. I said, “Hey, man, check it out. Look
they both could have really been hurt, but everyone is O.K.” “Yeah, but look
what she did to your truck, man!” and then he started calling her names again.
I told him to come over and look at the side of the Suburban. When he came
over, he just shook his head, and started to curse some more, when I raised
my voice. “HEY, MAN! THERE’S NOTHING TO GET OUT OF SHAPE ABOUT! IT’S ONLY
MOTH AND RUST!” I kicked the side of the Suburban twice to make my point.
“At least your family is alive. You oughta be grateful for that. This old
thing is going to be in the junk yard some day. It’s just not that important.”
SOON, A POLICE OFFICER CAME, and started taking down the accident report.
As he was talking to the man’s (Joey) wife, I started talking to Joey. I said
“You’ve probably seen some nuts walking down the bayou wearing white robes
and carrying crosses, right?” He said he had. “Well, I’m one of them.” Then
I started telling him about why we do what we do, and I started asking him
about his work, and by the time we were done, he was pretty cool about the
whole situation.
That was a Friday night. Michelle’s birthday.
ROMANS 8:28 tells me that ALL things work together for good for those who love Christ Jesus, and who are called according to His purpose. I knew that this guy was going to come to the Lord, and that there would be a day when his wife wouldn’t have to worry about him beating her.
ON MONDAY he came to tell me that he had
talked to the insurance company, and that they were ready to settle. I said,
“Joey, that’s good that you went and took care of that, but I need to tell
you that this isn’t about this Suburban. You see the side of that car? Well,
your soul is like that, but you don’t even realize it. Praise God, we have
insurance that will get this thing back in shape, and we won’t even know anything
happened to it. But I need to go to the insurance company to get it straightened
out, first. It just doesn’t happen automatically. Jesus is like that insurance.
He paid the price for your soul to get fixed. You just need to go to Him to
get fixed. If you don’t, there will really be Hell to pay.”
After I shared with him a little more, he prayed to receive Jesus in his heart.
GLORY! The angels were rejoicing that day.
NEWSLETTER (CONTINUED)
PLEASE PRAY FOR JOEY AND HIS WIFE, THAT GOD WOULD DO A MIGHTY WORK IN BOTH OF THEM ALSO PRAY FOR BILL AND RHONDA GOFF, THE BROTHER AND SISTER THAT BLESSED US WITH THIS FINE SUBURBAN, THAT THE LORD WOULD POUR OUT HIS ABUNDANT BLESSINGS ON THEM.
INCIDENTALLY: The Suburban got fixed, and it looks just as good as it did before. I SUPPOSE THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS THAT WE SHOULD NEVER BE SO CONCERNED ABOUT A MATERIAL OBJECT THAT WE PASS BY SOULS THAT ARE HEADED TO CERTAIN DESTRUCTION. TOO OFTEN CHILDREN OF GOD ARE GETTING SO CAUGHT UP IN THEIR AFFAIRS THAT THEY FORGET ABOUT THE PERISHING SOULS AROUND THEM.
MORE TO ROMANS 8:28 ABOUT!
EVENTUALLY, THE TIME CAME when we all had to split up. The Chamberlins left first, to go back to Tennessee, and take care of some business that needed tending to. The Siemers were the next to go, and then Brian O’Connell followed us to Morgan City.The Lord had spoken to my heart that we were to minister there for a while, before we resumed our trip West.
A Pastor in New Iberia, Ken LeLeur, had asked me if we could give a teaching on evangelism at his church, so we headed for Morgan City, thinking we would carry the crosses there for a week until the Evangelism seminar.
On the way to Morgan City, the engine in the Motor home blew up. Later on, after I did an autopsy on the engine, I saw that the head gasket had blown as a result of the radiator having about 20 pin-hole sized leaks. I had always known we had a leak in the radiator, and had used a temporary fix, radiator stop leak, but when we finally pulled the radiator, we saw that the radiator was rotted out pretty bad. The fact that we were broken down didn’t phase me. We have broken down many times with our vehicles, and each time is a wonderful opportunity to see the Lord move. GLORY! I just Romans 8:28ed it again, and we spent the night on the side of the road, with what may have been a huge alligator snorting in the swamp nearby.
THE NEXT DAY I left to scout out the area, and to try to figure out what the Lord would have us to do next. I towed our van with the Suburban to Brother Tommy Fromenthal’s church, and left it there while we figured out what we were going to do. Some brothers from the Circuit Riders ministry and Pumpkin showed up, and found us stranded. About that time, the Alternator to the Suburban went out, and we had to get one of those. Brother Gary Pertuit blessed me with the alternator.
While we were all trying to figure out the proper way to install the alternator, a couple (Jim and Sherl) that owned a R.V. Park came by and told us we could stay at their park until we figured out what we needed to do. Jim showed us how to install the alternator, also! Praise the Lord for His provision.
While we were there, the Lord put street churches in my heart. I knew that we would be doing street churches while we were here. Steve Bell came by while we were on the side of the road, and invited us to stay at their place in Patterson, if we could figure out a way to get there.
We stayed at the R.V. Park for four days, and then brother Andrew Dufrene from Larose came and pulled the motorhome the twenty or so miles to Steve and Mary Bell’s house. Praise the LORD! We have been here ever since, the recipients of some real Christian hospitality. They have a son named Jesse who is Elijah’s age, so Elijah has been blessed.
While we were still at the R.V. Park, Cookie Boudreau felt led of the Lord to call some churches and individuals that know us, and told them our situation. In just a few days, we got all the money that we needed for an engine! PRAISE THE LORD FOR BLESSED BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT HAVE TREMENDOUSLY BLESSED US.
Sometimes I pray for wisdom, not doubting, and still it seems like I miss it....I shopped around, trying my best to be a good steward of the money that the LORD provided. Some people told me that there was a possibility that the engine could be rebuilt, if the rod didn’t go through the engine. I would have to pull the engine first, before I could determine the extent of the damage.The fact that it was a four bolt main made the engine a lot more expensive than what we had first anticipated...To make a long story short, I made some wrong choices, waited too long, (everyday providing for seven people costs money) hired some wrong help, and bought a good sounding engine for a “good price,” that needed more work than what I had anticipated. BUT even in my ignorance, Jesus shines. Herb Stanley, a master of many trades came to my rescue, and has helped me tremendously with rebuilding the engine.
GOD’S GRACE.
ANYWAY...EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL. AND...ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD...
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LORD’S BLESSINGS TO BE POURED OUT ON JIM AND SHERYL, ON GARY AND OLINDA PERTUIT, ON BROTHER ANDREW DUFRENE, ON PUMPKIN AND MARY, AND ON COOKIE AND DEBORAH BOUDREAU, FOR THE BLESSINGS THEY WERE TO US
ALSO, LIFT UP BROTHER HERB STANLEY AND HIS WIFE ANITA IN PRAYER FOR THE TREMENDOUS HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT THEY HAVE BEEN TO US. AMONG OTHER THINGS, HERB IS AN EXCELLENT CHILDREN'S PASTOR. HE IS VERY ACTIVE IN MINISTRY OUTREACHES, UTILIZING PUPPETS, DRAMAS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO REACH YOUR COMMUNITY FOR CHRIST, Email Herb
C
NEWSLETTER (CONTINUED)
Brian and I did the street evangelism
conference in New Iberia. I shared Friday night, and Brian taught Saturday
morning, and in the afternoon, we took the church out to hit the streets.
We had a real good sized army to hit the streets that Saturday. It is always
such a blessing for me to see the
Church in action.
The Lord had a special treat for us, because the very street we chose to evangelize
had already been targeted by another ministry that planned to have a Praise
march, and then a gun buy-back rally. We didn’t hear about it until we got
out there and started ministering, at which time we joined them in their march
and their rally. It was a wonderful day in the Lord. I know the laborers were
encouraged. Brian and I were truly blessed by the outcome.
PLEASE PRAY THAT THE LORD WOULD RAISE UP A MIGHTY ARMY IN NEW IBERIA, AND THAT HE WOULD BLESS PASTOR LELEUR AND HIS MINISTRY AT GLORIOUS CHURCH.
Prior to the street evangelism conference in New Iberia, the Lord prompted
Brian O’Connell and I to get all gruesomed up with fake blood, crowns of thorns
and in Brian’s case, a wig, for the week before Easter. We walked in Thibodeaux,
Raceland, and Houma, on each side of the street, with signs on our crosses,
saying “REMEMBER WHY”. Some of you may wonder what Brian looks like with more
hair than what he has! Well, that mystery has been answered! (see the next
page)
After the conference in New Iberia, Brian left to go to Chattanooga to work
with Mike Siemer. He told me that he felt like the Lord was calling him to
walk with the cross instead of working with getting street churches started....I
knew the Lord was calling me to work more closely with the churches in the
area, and get the vision for street evangelism started here...Plus the fact
that my engine was blown up meant we were going to be here a while any way...so
Brian left the Monday following the conference...
TWO CAN’T WALK TOGETHER EXCEPT THEY BE IN AGREEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER. PLEASE
PRAY FOR BRIAN THAT THE LORD WOULD BLESS HIM ABUNDANTLY IN HIS MINISTRY WITH
THE CROSS, WHEREVER THE LORD LEADS HIM.
To tell the truth, I was kind of disappointed when he left, but we all have
to be where the Lord wants us to be. So I left for downtown before he left,
because I didn’t want to see him go. I went to the post office to check our
mail, and then I went to the Christian book store, just to kill some time.
In the book store, I met a lady I had ministered to the day before on the streets. We fellowshipped a while, and she told me that she lived at Brownell Homes, a housing project in Berwick, which just happened to be one of the three areas the Lord had told me to set up a street church. I asked her about who I could contact there about setting up a street church. She gave me a few names, and then as I was at the checkout stand, a brother in the Lord who had been listening to our conversation approached me.
He said, “Man, I have been listening to what you were saying about the street
churches, and the Lord has put that same vision in my heart. Maybe you can
contact me when you get a clear idea as to where you want to go.” I told him
I already had a clear idea. Brownell Homes, the Martin Luther King Avenue
area in Patterson, and across the railroad tracks behind Cornerstone church.
He lit up, and said, “Those are the exact same areas the Lord has shown me!”
Then he gave me his card. I looked at it, and started to laugh, as I read his card: “MY BROTHER’S KEEPER PRISON AFTERCARE MINISTRIES”. “You won’t believe this, man,” I told him, “but I belong to a ministry in Florida called “MY BROTHER’S KEEPER”, and I started a “MY BROTHER’S KEEPER” ministry in Raceland, La.!”
We were both marveling over that “Godincidence”, and then he introduced himself. “By the way, my name is Billy Reaux.” Most people who first see my name pronounce it as “row”, and that’s the same way Billy’s name is pronounced. Billy is a precious black brother, and it’s a blessing to preach together on the streets as brothers “Row”.
God is so good. I have grown very close to this brother in the short time
we have been here, and we have preached in many locations together, and many
people are giving their hearts to the Lord. I carry the cross once or twice
a week, and then we set up the sound system in areas around town two or three
days a week, depending on what’s happening at the time, and we take turns
preaching for about four to five hours.
CASTING
OUT DEMONS IN JESUS' NAME
One day at Brownell Homes, after we were done preaching, and Billy gave the altar call, several people came forward for prayer. Three adults and several children gave their hearts to the Lord. Beatrice was among those people who came forward. She told me she was backslidden and wanted to get right with the Lord. I anointed her head with oil, and led her in a prayer of repentance.
After we had prayed, I told her to raise her hands to the Lord, and just start praising Him. She did as I instructed her, and as she was praising the Lord, what sounded like a hiccup came out of her mouth. Her eyes got wide, and she started praising more, and another hiccup, louder than the first. It was then that I knew what was happening. I told her, “keep on praising Him, sis”, and she did, and when she did, she started coughing. I rebuked the unclean spirit in her, and pretty soon she started to choke.
About that time Billy and a sister in the Lord (the same one I had talked to in the bookstore) noticed what was going on, and they came over, and started rebuking it. Soon, with a great deliverance the unclean spirit left her, but not without first throwing her on the ground and much vomiting on her part. But after it was all over, the sister was rejoicing in the Lord. The new converts were all staring wide eyed at the thing that had just occurred, and we were able to tell them of the reality of spiritual warfare. We set up street church there the following week, and we saw Beatrice again, but this time her whole countenance was changed, a new creature in Jesus Christ. THANK YOU JESUS!
I love it when I am able to see the awesome way God puts things together.
This meeting in the book store between Billy Reaux and I was the perfect setup.
He’s a powerful preacher, with an excellent ability to hear God in relation
to the needs of the people. His invitations at altar calls always get wonderful
results. His reputation here is widely known, as well. He came from a life
of dealing drugs and all the junk that goes with it, and served time in prison,
and lots of the people in the area here know him and his testimony is genuine.
I praise God that the motorhome broke down here. He is doing a wonderful work among the churches on the streets here and I am blessed to be here watching it happen. Regardless of when we get the engine put back in (probably in a week or two), we will probably stay here through the month of July, at least. The fishing hole is too good to leave right away!
BILLY REAUX GOT A JOB RELATED BACK INJURY, WHICH HAS PREVENTED HIM FROM WORKING
AT A JOB, AND THE COMPANY HE WAS WORKING FOR ARE DRAGGING THEIR FEET IN COMING
TO A FAIR SETTLEMENT IN THE DEAL. AGAIN, WE KNOW WHAT ROMANS 8:28 TELLS US.
PLEASE PRAY THAT JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL, AND THAT BILLY WILL BE FAIRLY COMPENSATED
FOR HIS INJURIES. AS IT IS, I CONSIDER IT A BLESSING THAT HE CAN’T WORK, BECAUSE
HE HAS THE FREEDOM TO MINISTER WITH ME WHENEVER THE LORD SAYS SO! HE HASN’T
TOLD ME ABOUT HIS FINANCIAL CONDITION, BUT WITH A WIFE AND A TEENAGE DAUGHTER,
I WOULD GUESS IT ISN’T THE BEST THAT IT COULD BE SINCE HE IS OUT OF WORK.
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