Louisiana Legislators and Governor Edwards at Bible Study / Prayer Breakfast which is in its 17th year!

The Mission Foundation

P. O. Box 46358

Baton Rouge, LA 70895

February 19, 2016

Our dear friends,

I would like to begin by saying that Bec and I are profoundly grateful to each one of you who have sent financial gifts to The Mission Foundation to enable us to carry out our work.  Thank you!  Thank you very much! 

This morning, as I was sitting in the back corner of one of the legislative committee rooms, I took a moment to try to begin this letter.  I have come home at lunchtime to put my fingers to the keyboard to bring a few of my scrawled notes (and some other thoughts) into some order on this page. 

The legislative committee meetings at the Capitol have been numerous, lengthy, and intense.  All day every day, hour after hour (including last Saturday and Sunday afternoon), our legislators and Governor John Bel Edwards and his team have worked tirelessly in their effort to find solutions to the incredibly difficult financial situation of our state.   I have been there with them every day, and sometimes into the evening.  They greatly need your prayers!  They want your prayers!  

LEGISLATORS AND GOVERNOR IN BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER:  This past Tuesday morning, we held our first Legislators’ Bible Study / Prayer Breakfast of this session, which included approximately one third of our legislators and our governor and four members of his immediate team (all five of them being former legislators).  I am very thankful to our Lord for the wonderful spirit of oneness and peace that was evident throughout the room.

In my introductory remarks, I focused on the words of Jesus in His prayer to His Father on the night before He was to be crucified.  He prayed for you and me, asking “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.”  The oneness among us, for which our Lord prayed, must be a oneness that is clearly observable to “the world”, the lost society that is all around us. For it is by our oneness that they will come to know that what we believe is actually true, that is, that God the Father really did send God the Son into this world!  Do the people around you and me see our oneness and marvel and become convinced of the truth of the Incarnation of the Eternal God?! 

Whereas it is true that our legislators and our governor and his team will be more effective in serving us if they are “one”, there are more fundamental reasons why they (and we) must live in oneness:  Jesus prayed for it!  And it is our testimony to the world!  And please hear this: it is inextricably connected to our oneness with God the Son and God the Father!  Jesus says, “. . . that they also may be in Us.”

So please pray for the men and women of our legislature and for Governor Edwards and his team that they will all be one!  Also, please pray for yourself and for me that we will all be one!  And may the world see it and believe in our Lord!    

Your brother and sister in the Savior,

Rod and Bec 

Mike Jones to speak on "The Glory of Humility for the Rich Man and the Poor Brother" (James 1:9-11)

MIKE JONES holds a Masters of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has taught courses in Church History in Kenya for a number of years.  As many of you know, Mike has been a businessman in Ruston for many years and has been very involved in men's ministry since his days as a student at LA Tech back in the 1970's.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to teach my brothers in the Christian faith at Monday Morning for men this spring. Through the book of James God is eager to teach us all how to apply our faith both practically and meaningfully. It doesn't just make "a" difference. It makes "all" the difference."

 

Mike Jones

Managing Director, Investment Group

Argent Advisors, Inc.

Byron Moore to speak on "The Ministry of Work" on February 22nd, at Monday Morning for Men

Byron believes God can be joyfully glorified in every area of life: individually, in marriage and family, at work, at play, in the community and as a world Christian.  He works as a financial planner and writes a regular personal finance column syndicated in Louisiana. He and Melinda met in 1984 and married eight months later. He’s been smiling ever since. They have four children (three post-college and one in college).

About speaking on work to Monday Mornings for Men

Ever since I can remember, God has put a special place in my heart for the glorification of God in and through work. As a new Christian I was longed to be a man who served God congruently in all facets of life, not just those traditionally known as “ministry.” God answered the longing of my heart by bringing into my life a man who would become not only a powerful example of this, but also a dear friend and powerful mentor, Rodney Wood. As he and Becky graciously invited me into their lives, they shared the gospel, the Word of Christ, their family and his work with me – Rodney even hired me right out of college to work with him – toughest two years of my life! But I would not trade them for anything. I am excited to share some truths from God’s word on this wonderful topic of work. After all, it is the thing to which most of us give much if not most of our energy all day long. We desperately need to find God is the midst of our work. Good thing for us…He’s been there all along.

BYRON MOORE

Managing Director, Planning Group

Danny Graham to lead prayer time at Monday Morning for Men. Please come a little early for coffee and the sharing of specific your prayer requests.

Striving and Trusting in John 15:7 with you. 
- Danny Graham

JOHN WARD will speak on "TESTING" - A Man's Joy is his progress in maturity!

“Each Monday, I look forward to the teaching, the fellowship and prayer time with the men of MMM. I leave encouraged and refreshed to start the week!”

Blessings,

John  

On March 7th, WALT ROGERS to speak at Monday Morning for Men on "THE MAN WHO IS NOT DECEIVED" (James 1:13-16)

The New Testament knows nothing of “Lone Ranger” Christianity. I look forward to Monday Mornings for Men for two reasons: First, I know that my soul will be fed with a consistent diet of God’s Word, soul food that helps prepare me for my week. Secondly—and even more important to me—I find in Monday Mornings for Men a band of brothers committed to making life’s journey together, friends who pray for me and encourage me. These brothers not only sharpen me as iron sharpening iron, their friendship adds a dimension of joy to my life. Without them my life would be tangibly diminished.

Walt Rogers

Senate Inauguration, 2016, with Senate President John Alario

Prayer of Invocation at Inauguration of Governor John Bel Edwards, 2016

Louisiana State Capitol

Governor John Bel Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards
with Former Governor Bobby Jindal at left and  Senator Gerald Long
and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy in background during the invocation

Governor John Bel Edwards' Inauguration, 2016