Giving It Away

You might have read this poem before from Sam Shoemaker, which has been used in the STEPS tradition over the years. It really fits for preparation this Sunday as we anticipate closing our series on “Filling the Holes in Your Soul.”

I stand by the door.

I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out.

The door is the most important door in the world -

It is the door through which people walk when they find Christ.

There is no use my going way inside, and staying there,

When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,

Crave to know where the door is.

And all that so many ever findIs only the wall where a door ought to be.

They creep along the wall like blind men,

With outstretched, groping hands.

Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,

Yet they never find it . . .

So I stand by the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world

Is for people to find that door - the door to Christ.

The most important thing anyone can do

Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,

And put it on the latch - the latch that only clicks

And opens to the person’s own touch.

People die outside that door, as starving beggars die

On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter -

Die for want of what is within their grasp.

They live on the other side of it - live because they

Have not found it.

Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,

And open it
And walk in

And find Him . . .

So I stand by the door.

Hot Fudge Sundaes

I read this interesting story about hot fudge sundaes. The combination of hot and cold got my attention. I hope you enjoy this little piece of history: In 1890, a Wisconsin merchant named Smithson came up with a creative way to cope with his Sunday afternoon shortages of ice cream. With no Sunday deliveries, but with crowds of people with a welcome day off wanting ice cream, he thought of a way to stretch his supply. He began cutting back on the amount of ice cream he scooped and added toppings of chocolate sauce or fruit syrups instead. These Sunday creations became all the rage. Soon “Sundays” were being requested every day of the week. Not until some sensitive souls complained about using the name of the Sabbath for a sweet treat did Smithson change the spelling of his delicious invention to “sundae.” Who doesn’t enjoy a good hot fudge sundae . . . on any day of the week?!

It is that hot/cold double identity that makes the hot fudge sundae the perfect post-modern dessert. Post-modern culture is in love with combining opposites. Post-modern culture is about “both/and” reality. However, sometimes that is nothing more than the middle ground. Have you looked around and noticed that the middle ground isn’t near as safe as it use to be? What is happening to the middle class, middle management, or the middle-sized business? Middle use to be considered safe, defensible ground. Now it is a place where you can get hit in both directions and not know which end is up. We should have all listened when we told our children that it is just not safe to play in the middle of the road.

This analogy couldn’t be any more true than when you read the message of the Bible. Jesus never claimed, “I am the middle ground.” And when it comes to being in the middle, our Scripture this Sunday is going to point to how nauseating it is to the Lord that so many people choose to walk the middle of the road when it comes to their commitment to Christ. Sunday will be challenging, however the possibilities are especially exciting.

"He Loves Me"

“He loves me; he loves me not. He loves me; he loves me not.” The picture is of a little girl standing in the background chanting as she plucks petals, one by one, from a daisy and drops them on the ground. At game’s end, the last petal tells all: Whether or not the person desired returns the affection. We may not take seriously that game because of the fickleness of chance, but too often we approach our spiritual life with God in a similar vein.

• I got a raise. He loves me.
• I didn’t get the promotion I wanted; I lost my job altogether. He loves me not.
• Something in the Bible inspired me today. He loves me.
• My child is seriously ill. He loves me not.
• I gave money to someone in need. He loves me.
• I let my anger get the best of me. He loves me not.
• Something for which I prayed actually happened. He loves me.
• I stretched the truth to get myself out of a tight spot. He loves me not.
• A friend called me unexpectedly to encourage me. He loves me.
• My car needs a new transmission. He loves me not.

How stable can a life be when internally we respond with such a haphazard and fickle approach? Obviously it doesn’t work. It is one of the key reasons why our lives are described in the Bible as being tossed about like the waves of the sea.

We began with the first principle last Sunday in an eight-part series on spiritual principles that lead to deeper growth. Our series is entitled “Filling the Holes in Your Soul.” The first principle was “admitting your need for help.” The next principle is believing that God wants to help you . . . that he really loves you.

Faith Reflected in Love

As I preparing for Sunday, I was studying in 1 Corinthians. The Corinthians were an immature lot, but genuinely saved. They were focusing on minor subjects and missing the major issues. Several times in the first letter to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul tries to motivate them by reminding them that they would stand before Christ one day. As I was reading through the letter I came to this most marvelous chapter on love. Agape love. The word for love is the Bible is the foundation of maturity. The Apostle Paul told the Galatians the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You probably know 1 Corinthians 13 fairly well. It says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast . . .” In verse 3 the Apostle Paul wrote, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” There is no value to doing these things without love; without the right motives there is no reward. Love is risky. A lover is a risk taker. Loving children is risky, marriage is risky, loving people of other nations is risky, and loving people in church is the most risky of all. The more we love the more likely we are to get hurt. Jesus took the risk of loving and was crucified. But what is not acceptable for us is to bury our “talent” of love in the ground and refuse to take the risk of loving. When I use that word “talent,” I am referring to the parable of talents, when one person was given five talents, another two talents and then another person only had one talent and buried it. Love is the bottom line of a faith lived out. When we stand before Jesus one day, I believe he will be evaluating how we loved. You know what the Bible says, “Love never fails.” Won’t you risk loving? . . .

Teach Our Children

Praying is on my mind. I was delighted to have so many people respond this past Sunday with the commitment to seek God in prayer on a daily basis. May the Lord bless you as you pursue him. One of my strongest prayers is for our investment in the lives of children. Jesus showed a clear sense of love and concern for children, something that was rare in that day. As we follow the steps of Jesus and bless children, God will bless us. There is a calling on a church body for the development of spiritual understanding for children as they learn the truth of God’s Word. We are the dispensers of that truth. Our Children’s Ministry is key to whether God will bless us or not. If we are faithful to our children, God will put us in charge of even more things.

The Scripture is clear when it challenges parents to instruct their children. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says it in a very clear and challenging way.

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

May our relationship with Jesus Christ be expressed and impressed on our children as they see our faith as the most integral part of our lives, then the covenant of Jesus will be passed down in a healthy and strong way, and the legacy of our faith will continue well beyond our lifetime.

Just Do It!

When Johnny Jones, living in a middle-class suburb in central California, made a commitment to pray five blessings on five neighbors for five minutes a day for five days a week for five weeks, surprising things began to happen. One neighbor asked him how she could have a personal relationship with Christ. When Johnny shared the Gospel with her, she accepted Christ as her Savior. A drug-dealing neighbor asked Johnny to pray for him and help him turn his life around and get out of the drug business. A Buddhist couple from across the street asked if they could go to church with Johnny’s family. And a Hispanic couple living next door asked him to start a Bible study for their neighborhood. Johnny Jones’ prayers mattered to God. They provided God the opportunity he was looking for to work in the hearts and lives of Johnny’s neighbors.

I read that story in a magazine article on the subject of prayer, of course. If you take a close notice of the story, you will realize that four neighbors are mentioned and yet the story presents five neighbors being prayed for. I think that is realistic also. Nevertheless, prayer matters to God. As I conclude this series on prayer this coming Sunday, I have a sense there is more to learn about prayer. I also believe that what God wants to do for us in prayer is just beginning. There is so much more that he has in mind. I know that things don’t just change around after a six-week series on prayer, but I do hope you will sense how significant this gift is as a real and deep connection with God, inviting us to release our request and to know him better, and to be totally honest with our loving God.

Prayer Changes Me

Here is another thought provoking story – Four associates were playing a round of golf on Sunday morning. None of their scores was good. On top of their embarrassment it began to rain. The men returned to the clubhouse only to learn that the electrical power line had been hit by lightening so the restaurant was closed. As the men prepared to rush for their cars, one of them remarked, “We could have just as well gone to church this morning.” Another of the men disagreed, “Oh, I couldn’t have gone to church, anyway. My wife is sick in bed this morning.”

The title of that story is “Bad Day for Church.” I know pastors are supposed to care about church attendance. At times in church history, church attendance had been associated with being a “good” Christian. There are many different mixed messages about attending, which can feel like obligation, or even legalism. But there are two things that come to my mind when I think of people making church a priority.

1. The Bible commands the followers of Christ to assemble together. In Hebrews 10:25 it says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The word is assembled, and sometimes translated “worshipping together.” It is something God wants us to do.

2. I have noticed over the years a correlation between God at work in someone’s heart and seeing them at church more often. When God is stirring someone about their spiritual condition, the challenging circumstances of their life or many other kinds of needs, people move towards God through attending church. Your spiritual temperature will often dictate your desire to worship God, be with other believers and study His Word. If those things aren’t very important to you, that usually indicates your spiritual fervor is stagnant or even on the decline.

Like so many people do in blogs, if you have a comment on what I have just said, feel free to send me a note as a reply to this e-mail. I want to fan your desire to be a part of our worship connection here at New Harvest because God commands it and it reflects your desire for the things of God.

Repeating the Same

The definition of insanity has become mainstream. I have read that it is attributed to Albert Einstein. Simply put it says – “Doing something over and over expecting different results.” We have enhanced the wording to say, “repeating the same behaviors and expecting different results.” Of course that is the same definition. It is so much easier to point at others who you know that keep doing the same thing over and over again, and yet on the other hand, just miss how often you and I live up to the definition as well. The phrase that would fit would be “creatures of habit.” There is a sense of comfort in doing what comes natural, even if it is actually harmful to our well-being. One author said that it takes quite a bit of pain for us to finally realize that what we are doing isn’t working. There is evidence of this tendency at work in the disciples as we look at the feeding of the 4,000 this Sunday. Yes, I said 4,000 not 5,000. That is an interesting aspect in and of itself. I think God has given me some helpful insights into this repetitive behavior that is actually very predictable and leads to the same results. Hope you will join me this Sunday as I share a message entitled “Repeating the Same.”

John Stumbo's Blog

I want to use another blog like I did last week. This blog comes from John Stumbo, who is the Pastor at Salem Alliance Church. John has been through a “Job-like” journey with an unknown illness and disease that almost took his life. Maybe you have prayed with me for him. He is on a very slow path to recovery. At the same time, God is stirring in his heart and mind some deep thoughts. His blog is entitled, “An honest look into a mysterious journey.” About a week ago, he wrote these words:

For the past 25 years I went to church because I “had” too – after all, I was the pastor. For the past two months I’ve gone to church because I’ve needed to.

I confess that I sometimes don’t feel like attending. It is work to get out of my chair, haul my sore body and walker out to the van and get into church. It doesn’t feel convenient. I couldn’t get there without my wife. But it is good and essential. Looking back over the last few months, I realize that by attending church …

…I think thoughts I would not otherwise think
…I hear truths I would not otherwise hear
…I sing songs I would not otherwise sing
…I meet people I would not otherwise meet
…I give offerings I may not otherwise give
…I rejoice in mission’s efforts and in new followers of Jesus that I would not otherwise know about
…I receive encouragement and challenge I would not otherwise receive
…I shed tears I would not have otherwise shed
…I receive a blessing I would not otherwise have received
…I pray prayers I would not have thought to pray
…I meet God in a way I would not have met Him had I stayed home in my chair.
…And, perhaps, my attendance is an encouragement or testimony to someone else.

When I’m there, I may not like every song or agree with every word spoken. But that’s not the point. I may have wrestled with Him all week; but come the weekend I publically present myself again to acknowledge my allegiance to Him.

I now understand how easy it is for people to slip out of the habit of church attendance. And I now understand even more fully the significance of the words in Hebrews admonishing us,
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

House of Cards

It is amazing what we can find on the internet these days. I punched in house of cards and found several YouTube clips of the world's tallest house of cards to the "domino effect" of a house of cards. I enjoyed viewing the amazingly intricate and fascinating ways to build from normal playing cards. There is actually quite a lot of interest in this hobby. I think that it fits our society really well. Lots of people are building their lives with a sense of fascination similar to the excitement of building a house of cards. But then you see one card kicked out and how all the other cards follow in place leaving just a pile of cards. Jesus said, "If you hear my words and do not put them in practice you are like a man who builds his house on the sand" . . . like a house of cards. What is the key to a strong life? Jesus the teacher wants his followers to have a life that works - a life that is built on the rock - a life that is more than knowing the right things, it's doing the right things.

Serving God

The Lord has put on my heart the challenge to encourage our church body to engage in the service of the Lord. I have this vision that you and I will stand before the Lord one day in eternity, and I want you to experience the joy of recognized service which according to the Scriptures is "gold, silver and precious stones." The Bible says this kind of ministry will be rewarded.

But in actuality, I find that many people respond to this kind of message with excuses. There were people in the Bible that had plenty of excuses. They could have avoided being involved in ministry, because as Rick Warren said in his book The Purpose Driven Life: "Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Sampson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric (to say the least), Peter was impulsive and hot tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had many failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health and Timothy was timid." That is quite a variety of misfits but God used each one of them in his service. Obviously, the point is that he will use you too if you stop making excuses. "For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)

Disciple or Apostle?

Would you rather be a disciple or an apostle? I am sure you think that is a very curious question, and in some ways it is. In fact, the choice might not even be yours, but it is an interesting analogy. Disciple is a very nice term and a great title that was used of those that followed Christ. Apostle was a more select term. But when I look at the definition of the two, I would suggest that most of us unknowingly prefer to be a disciple more than an apostle. Who is a disciple? Someone who believes the right things. Who is an apostle? Someone sent on a specific mission. Do you see the difference? Get ready for some contrasts as I speak on Jesus and his beginning as the Messiah. What does that mean? The title - "What's Next?"

Let me share this story with you. There is an old story that when Jesus arrived in heaven after the ascension, a member of the heavenly hosts asked him who he had left in charge and what institution he had placed to carry out his work now that he was no longer walking the earth himself. Jesus replied, "Well, I have left about 120 followers." The heavenly host member looked at who those 120 were and said, "That's it? They aren't a very impressive band. Their leaders are just fisherman, tax collectors and the like. What if they fail? What's Plan B?" And Jesus replied, "If they fail there is no Plan B; I have no other plan." Jesus left about 120 people, barely the size of a small congregation. That small entourage, empowered by the Holy Spirit, accomplished God's purpose and it's still going on today.

Looking For Love

The subject of love is real for everyone. We all long for a genuine love that will touch us deep within. The most prevalent definition of love in our world is about the love that is shared between a man and a woman. This is the love that we emphasize at Valentine's Day most often and that's a very good kind of love. For example, the prince was enraptured with Cinderella's intelligent, sensitive conversation; he was smitten by her wardrobe and her teeny, tiny feet. The same theme goes for Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. This love is known as "eros" love. It's the love of a treasure hunt - a love that grows out of need, admiration and desire. It is real, but it is a love that has to be earned. Does your soul long for a more giving kind of love? I know it does because that's the way God made you. Welcome to a service where we express the most satisfying love . . . the Bible calls it "agape."

Ask yourself, "What is real love? In what ways has your soul been nourished by love?"

Honest Blogging

I have had an interesting experience as a father . . . I’ve been reading my oldest son’s blog. He told me the next step is to actually make a comment about his blog. We’ll see . . . What I have noticed about my son’s blog is that he is very honest. He is not afraid to question the traditions of church, whether his own church, or the church in general. He will talk about his own questions and struggles. His readership has grown from a few to hundreds. I am proud of him and I am inspired by his honesty.

Let me attempt at being that honest – I have a love/hate relationship with being a pastor. There is a sense of fulfillment and excitement that is really energizing. For example, on January 11th we reenacted the response that we saw in the Magi by offering our own personal gifts to the Lord for 2009. There were a couple hundred sacrificial responses within our church body, indicating our desire to give our all to the Lord. As I read through some of them I was so encouraged and inspired. It was the mountaintop. But my heart sinks when I experience the prevailing discouragement that so many live with – an apathy about God and a wondering in life, pulled in every direction . . . losing one’s grip with the Lord. I struggle with the responsibility of the spiritual well-being of people that call New Harvest their home. People have told me that I don’t have to carry that weight, but I do. I have a love/hate relationship with being a pastor.

As I was reading ahead in 1 Samuel, these words got my attention, “Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.” (1 Samuel 15:35) Samuel is God’s appointed prophet, as the first several chapters of 1 Samuel indicate. Samuel mourned for Saul. (15v35) Saul had drifted far from his original humility and obedience to God. I guess mourning is part of the call to leadership in the church because you see people drifting away, like a guy named Saul. I mourn like that for those who drift. However, the words “the Lord was grieved that he made Saul king,” were even stronger for me. I am a pastor because God has called me to be a pastor, and my commitment is to finish well. I pray that I will not be a man that would grieve God. I don’t like the travail that sometimes grabs my heart concerning the condition of the church . . . New Harvest and the church in general. But more than anything else I want to please the Lord. He has called me to be a pastor and I will continue to say yes.

If I can't eat

There was a little boy with a quarter to give during a Sunday offering. This Sunday, however, happened to be Communion Sunday, and as the elements were being passed the boy’s parents told him not to take any. “You’re not old enough,” they explained. Later, when the offering plate came by, however, the boy’s parents urged him to put in his quarter. He responded emphatically, “If I can’t eat, I won’t pay!”

I thought I would begin with a little humor as a way of announcing to you that we have the privilege of participating in the Lord’s Table this Sunday. Pastor Perry will lead the service, which will highlight the significance of participating in Communion. There is no doubt that Communion has been a very important part of the church and a reminder of what the Lord Jesus has done for us. The invitation to come to the Lord’s Table has been one that has thrilled the hearts of believers for centuries and I hope that you anticipate the worship, the meaning and the teaching that will surround the Lord’s Table this Sunday.

This Sunday will also highlight Pastor Perry Webb. Because of the membership vote of approval for our new budget, Perry is now serving as Associate Pastor of Care on a part-time basis and will receive compensation for his service at New Harvest. Perry has been as a volunteer pastor for two years, and now we are excited to acknowledge him in this new way to our church body. His ministry will focus on visitation, prayer and pastoral care, along with missions. Perry will work in partnership with John Doan, our new missions director. I look forward to you getting to know John as well.

These are exciting days at New Harvest Church. You can see the growing attendance and the hand of God at work.

"I'm Dreaming . . ."

A fellow had gone through hard times in his life and made many poor choices. He found himself at a Catholic church just a few days before Christmas. He met the priest and said, “Father, I’ve been floating around long enough. Could I join your church and settle down?” The priest replied, “Why yes. But first let’s find out how much you know about the Bible and the Christian faith.” With Christmas coming soon the priest asked, “Where was Jesus born?” The man replied, “In Pittsburg.” The priest shook his head and the fellow tried again, “In Philadelphia?” Again the priest shook his head and not wishing to embarrass this broken man anymore and said slowly, “Jesus was born in Bethlehem.” Quickly the guy declared, “Oh yea. I knew it was somewhere in Pennsylvania.”

Christmas is such a marvelous time. Maybe this year the real significance of Christmas will be the focal point in more lives. That’s what we are hoping for as we present a service entitled, “I’m Dreaming . . .” This Sunday service is meant to touch the lives of the people who will come, both those that know Christ and know a lot about Christmas, and those that know very little but realize their need for help. Please pray with me that many will come, that the weather will cooperate and that God will use it to draw people to the true gift of Christmas.

It is a privilege being your pastor and sharing in such a meaningful time of the year with Christmas love and service to others. Thank you for partnering with me for the sake of Christ.

Hidden growth

I feel led to just share an interesting thought with you that is connected to the wonder of God’s creation. I don’t know if you have viewed Jupiter, Venus and the moon shining brightly in the sky these last few days. In a similar way I was reading about the Ring Nebula, which looks like a smoke ring in the constellation of Lyra. It is a star in the process of exploding. Light from its explosion first reached the earth in 1054 AD. It was a supernova at that time, but now it is not so bright, but still exploding. It actually expands at the rate of 70 million miles a day. It is interesting to look through binoculars at something expanding 70 million miles a day. It does not budge. Its appearance size does not increase. Photographs of the Ring Nebula taken 15 years ago seem identical to photographs of it taken yesterday.

This brings up a spiritual point. Sometimes significant happenings are not visible to the naked eye, especially in the spiritual realm. But that’s only true from our perspective. If we could see from heaven’s standpoint we would know all that God is doing and intending to do in our lives. We would see God working in hearts in ways we cannot know. We would see God orchestrating circumstances that we know nothing about. We would see a galaxy of details being set in place for the moment when God brings the answer to fulfillment. The bottom-line – you can trust God, he is at work.

Winsome

Did you know that George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789 although some were opposed to it? It fact there was discord among the Colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving. However, Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, eventually became the catalyst through journalism to help establish a day of thanksgiving. After a 40 year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hales efforts became a reality, so that in 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.

I thought that was interesting in light of the day we live in. Some people scoff at the idea of God being the source behind all good things. Plus, the challenges in our world today are fairly difficult. We can even focus on circumstances and forget that God is in control. I want to help us look past the challenges and disappointments of life and focus on God’s faithfulness. We are going to study our last “W” which is a sermon entitled: “The Best ‘W’ of All.” It is going to be a glorious Sunday to be together as we lift up our praises to God.

It’s Thanksgiving time, and of all people on the face of the earth we understand the importance of gratitude and the good God who is behind all things; so let us come to our worship service this Sunday with a song of thanksgiving on our hearts.

We Worship

Let me begin with something I read this week about worship:

You can no more command someone to worship God than you can command someone to appreciate other pieces of beauty. Can you imagine saying to a grandmother, “Now listen: In just a minute I am going to take you into the nursery to show you your new grandson for the first time. When you see him, you want to get tears in your eyes, draw a sharp breath, and then say, ‘Oh my, he is beautiful!’ Ok? You ready?” No, no. Life doesn’t work that way, and neither, therefore, does the worship of God. A person needs to see and understand God and God’s work first – worship is the response that naturally follows.

Are you ready for our second “w” in this special series in November entitled “www.newharvest.now”? How high on the priority list is worship in your life? Would you call New Harvest a deeply worshipful church? What does worship mean to you? If you want to do a little reading ahead, open the Bible to Hebrews 12:18-29 and get ready for Sunday morning at New Harvest Church. This is an exciting time in the life of the church and I hope to see you.

Let me just say that I believe that this holiday season may be one of the best we have ever had as individuals and as a church. The challenges of the economy will help us reprioritize the kind of focus that God intends for us during these special holiday times like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hope this will be one of the best holiday seasons for you because what really matters will rise to the top for you and me.

The Deborah Factor

This Sunday I begin a three-part series on some specific topics that I believe are very important to the health of our church. I have entitled the series “www.newharvest.now.” Each of these topics are separate and the only connection is they all begin with “w.” I will only tell you about the first. You could begin with this statement, “Women want to be treated as equals not sequels.” Or how about this statement, “Cosmetics is a boon to every woman, but a girl’s best friend is still a near-sighted man.” I am not sure that is a compliment, I just thought it was funny. Or this statement from Will Rogers, “There is two theories to arguing with a woman, neither one works.” “Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.” Margaret Thatcher said, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” That’s a good lead-in to our message this Sunday, found in Judges 4. The title of the message, “The Deborah Factor.” I hope you will make your way to New Harvest at 9 or 10:45 am this Sunday, November 9^th.

Just a personal note of gratefulness for my trip to Southern California. I enjoyed a few days with both of my daughters. There was a swim meet, a dinner date, great conversations and a lot of laughs. The Lord is blessing Karissa and Hannah in their educational pursuits. I am proud of them.

This has been a busy week as planning begins for ministry during the holidays. We have Thanksgiving Boxes, Angel Tree gifts, a Christmas Special, Children’s Choir, extra music, Women’s Brunch and more. It is going to be a wonderful holiday season as we thank God for his goodness to us and celebrate the coming of the Lord through the Christmas story.