In This Issue
Featured Article - A package with your name on it! 
I was thinking about the Christmas holiday and how with the greatest expectations children await the event. They love decorating and baking, writing cards, and buying or making gifts! They enjoy the special season's music, lights, sounds, smells and TV shows. All of this is wonderful, but what really is important is a package with your name on it! "Naughty or Nice" comes to mind! From December 1st to the 24th those three words help to shape personal conduct, at least to some degree! In my case, I was keenly aware of several packages that were laid up (usually in the top of the closet) for me and my brother. Expectation, or a more mature version, "faith," is a good driving force for living our lives in the right way.
Prov 28:8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
God and sometimes parents do not always seem fair! I have discovered that God is just, as well as merciful. This verse is one that paints a picture we all need to be aware of. We have some responsibilities in life, and He is serious about how we handle them. On the other hand, our Father loves us and He has laid up for us a package with our name on it!
1 Tim 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Timothy tells us in these verses how to prepare for the coming days. We need to be laying up and taking hold. Verse 19 is such a powerful revelation for this hour! The prophetic clock is ticking and soon Jesus will return! This we need to be looking forward to just as expectantly as a child would for the coming of Christmas.
Luke 12:16 - 21 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. 18. "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." 20. "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21. "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
The message of Christmas has long been one of giving. The spirit of giving is exemplified throughout the gospel helping us understand that it is not what we have laid up for ourselves that counts. Rather, it is what God has laid up for us that will be truly fulfilling.
As a matter of fact, in these last days the sinners actually have the job of storing up wealth for the righteous! Just as the Egyptians gave their wealth over to the children of Israel, so also will there be a transfer of wealth to the children of God in the last days. First, the gospel will be preached to all the world. Then, the end will come!
Eccl 2:26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. (another version says: " to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.")
Prov 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Why would God do that?
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The gospel is free! However, it takes money to get it where it needs to go! Guess what? God knew that! God has a plan! The good news is that God's plan involves you and me. In basketball there is a very basic and very effective play called "Give and Go". God has a similar play for us to use. When we are willing to "Give and Go" we become one of God's star players.
I believe that God has already begun to release the wealth of the sinner to those who understand what He wants to do with it. As you release into the Kingdom what He has given to you. God will be faithful to take that which He has laid up in your behalf and place it into your hands.
1 Pet 4:7-13 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 12. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
There is a price to pay and there are some hard things along the way as we live our lives for Christ. But remember that God has a package and it has your name on it! Live in the great expectation of God's love for you!
1 Cor 1:7 - 9 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
What better present than to be in His presence! He has laid up a package with your name on it!
May God richly bless you in this great season of His love!
Fred Hughes
..
Send your tax deductible donations to:
Decision Ministries International
407 Phillips Drive Dumas, TX 79029
(806)-935-2370
Or give on-line with a credit card at:
http://www.decision1.org
Prophetic Countdown - Exuberant hearts & wet noses! 
With exuberant hearts we were greeted by Lillie Mae and Riley (pictured above). One of the great joys of life is to be appreciated and anticipated. It seems that my grand-puppies, as I call them, were prepared to be the welcoming committee for our arrival in Austin, Texas over the Thanksgiving weekend. I was suddenly reminded that the conclusion of all that excitement is coming face to face with a wet nose. Life is like that, exciting on the one hand and disappointing on the other. The ongoing friendship of the puppy is on the one hand, and the teeth marks on your the new cell phone is on the other. It seems we always get more than we bargained for! God why did you put wet noses on those cute puppies?
I will refrain from a lengthy application as you are probably already on to my thoughts. We are very much the apple of God's eye (Zec. 2:8). "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jer. 31:3). Without a doubt we are loved by Him (John 3:16), but we have some wet noses! I am so thankful that God loves me in spite of my wet nose! God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16: 7), not at the nose! Glory!
With great exuberance I want to share with you what God is doing in the ministry. Irene and I just returned from a trip to the Philippines. We were blessed to see at least 500 come to salvation. Many others were ministered to through the Holy Spirit. It was a great outreach, and we thank you for sending and praying for that mission. God has put on my heart several other missions that the ministry is to embark upon. January 4-12, 2007 a team of pastors and leaders from Hereford, Texas and a few extras like me will be traveling to Uganda, Africa. We will be training about 1,500 pastors in Kingdom principles, and we will be preaching to as many as 30,000 in the nightly services. On March 22nd - 24th, 2007 I will be accompanying pastor David Brown to El Progresso, Honduras, a city of 200,000 people, as we reach out with God's love to the people there. I will be continuing on during that trip to Bogotá, Columbia to meet with pastors and to establish relationships with several ministry networks in Central and South America. We are working on a veterinarian and a children's outreach to Nicaragua sometime next summer. Needless to say I am very excited about all that God is doing. Once again, I press my wet nose against you asking that you will pray for and support the ministry.
Rom 10:15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" As I have said before, "How beautiful are the hands that pray and give, so that the beautiful feet can go."
Thank you!
by Fred Hughes
[Return To Top]
Decision One - A gift of life & love
Eternal life and the love of God change the human heart from sinner to saint. We have a great opportunity before us that can bring literally thousands of people into the saving knowledge of Christ. The "Are You Born Again?" booklets are being interpreted into Spanish and will soon be ready for printing.
We will need around 20 thousand dollars to have the printing done. Each one of these gospel tracks have a potential of winning many people to Christ. Please be prayerful about helping us get the printing done. We will then begin the training of hundreds of pastors and leaders throughout Central and South America as well as here in the United States.
by Fred Hughes
Trips & Tips - We have a winner!
Those of you who read the whole newsletter got a star by your name!
Though you are all winners, the winner of a copy of both of my books is...drum-roll, please..................... Judith Gaul of Robinson, Illinois.
Congratulations, Judith, and our thanks to all of you who participated!
[Return To Top]
