The Lord's Will Be Done

Congratulations to Chad Harvey, as our church unanimously voted for him to begin his full-time service at New Harvest on June 1. This is an ideal time because the summer has lots of potential for our young people to connect with each other and reach out to their friends. There is more discretionary time during the summer, as well as the already scheduled events like our mission trip from June 13-21. FYI - The membership voted 51 (yes) to 0 (no); the regular attenders who were a part of the meeting this past Sunday voted 31 (yes) and 0 (no). We are delighted with how God is using Chad and Jessica in our midst and we look forward to what he will do in the future. Please pray for them and our young people as this is such a strategic season in the life of a teenager, as well as a wonderful opportunity for us as a church to see God work in even greater ways among our students. May the Lord bless Chad and Jessica.

This Sunday the message will highlight an event in the Book of Acts found in chapter 21. There is a phrase that has caught my attention, and I can’t get it out of my mind – “The Lord’s will be done.” This is a key phrase in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul said something similar in Acts 18:21, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” How am I to understand God’s will? When Lila Troutman heard of her husbands drowning at age 50, she quoted Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.” Dawson Troutman, the founder of the Navigators, tried to rescue two girls who were thrown from a speedboat when he ended up drowning himself. Dawson’s wife took comfort in the fact that God does all things well, even if she didn’t understand it. You can know that whatever the future brings, our God has a plan and nothing surprises him. We may ask why, but in the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, we can take comfort in knowing that God knows what is best. Please join me as we investigate this important subject as well as offer you a special invitation to enter into a very deep relationship with God that is built on trust.

We will also enjoy several baptisms as a part of our worship service this Sunday. It will be a grand time to be together. Did you know that there were 316 people that attended church last Sunday? This is a great time to be a part of New Harvest.

The powerful documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, is scheduled for release today, April 18. The film exposes a campaign of intimidation, harassment, persecution and a career-assassination that has been carried out for years against those who question the reigning orthodoxy of neo-Darwinism. You will love this movie!

The Number 13

This Sunday will be April 13. That doesn’t seem like such a big deal. But it got me to thinking about the number 13. We all know the number is thought of as an unlucky number. This Sunday I plan to give you the “scoop” on the number 13. Is it really unlucky? What is that idea based on?? Since April 13 is this Sunday, and not a Friday, are we ok? Is this reality or superstition? In our story from Acts 19 we read about people using handkerchiefs and aprons from Paul to heal the sick. What’s that all about? Is that superstition or reality? In that same story, when some people use the name of Jesus but don’t know him personally, what happens? The story goes on to tell that one man beat up seven Jewish exorcists and all seven of them ran away naked and wounded. Is that reality or superstition?

Have I got you curious enough to check it out? Well, I am not sure of all the answers to even the questions I have asked, but I am going to give it a try this Sunday as we look at how much is a part of the unseen world. In the Book of Acts, just when we think there is great advancement, it seems like something comes out of the blue and tries to bring a stop to what God is about through the good news of Jesus Christ. That is not surprising, it’s happened throughout history. We will look at it again with a message entitled, “Backstage – What You Don’t See.”

I hope you will also make a point to come to our special congregational meeting as our Youth Ministry is presented, along with our half-time Youth Pastor, Chad Harvey. We have a very important proposal that we want the members and regular attenders to hear firsthand. We will take a vote for members and regular attenders will also be able to give their opinion. The meeting is planned for 12:30pm this Sunday.

It's just math

I’d like to have a little fun with you. For some of you this might not be as much fun as it is for others. It is a mathematical problem which could be entitled “Restaurant Math.”

1. First of all, pick up the number of times a week that you would like to go
out to eat (more than once but less than 10).
2. Multiply the number by 2 (just to be bold).
3. Add 5
4. Multiply it by 50
5. If you’ve already had your birthday this year, add 1,758 . . . if you
haven’t, add 1,757.
6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number. The first digit of this was your original number (how many times you want to go out to a restaurant in a week). The next two numbers are YOUR AGE – (Oh yes, it is!) This is the only year it will ever work, so spread it around while it lasts.

I have another mathematical suggestion that will add up to the kind of work that God wants to do in your life in 2008. How many times a week would you like to read the Bible (more than 5 but less than 10)? Reading the Bible will be nourishment to your soul, more than even the best restaurants in town. How are you doing on your Bible reading? Bible reading in and of itself is not the key, but connecting with God through his Word is. The theme for 2008, “Transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) Your soul will be transformed as you apply the Word of God to your life, all the while being spiritually nourished by the Holy Spirit.

As a Dad I am especially excited about this Sunday as my son Tyler, and his wife Rose, take the leadership role in our worship service. Our worship director, Shane, will be involved, and he has invited Tyler to be with us for this Sunday. It has worked out in his schedule and we will enjoy sharing Sunday morning with them. We will also be back in the Book of Acts. Don’t forget to read chapter 17, it will be the highlight of this message.

We are missionaries

I read a couple of interesting sayings about missionaries. Each one of these is meant to be funny, of course.

• Captured missionary to cannibals: "At least you get a taste of religion."
• It’s difficult for missionaries to make a living working with cannibals, they keep eating up the prophet!

That probably reveals more about my sick sense of humor than about the message I am feeling led to share through this e-mail. First thing I want to say, please pray for our Youth Group as there 15 teens and youth leaders ministering in Seattle to the homeless this weekend. Pray for their protection and that God would give them opportunity to share the Good News. This is their fourth mission trip during Spring Break to the inner-city of Seattle.

We want to be missionary church. We are on a mission to reach people and to help them become growing disciples in Christ. Without this God-given purpose life could be rather discouraging, or at least empty. It isn’t very satisfying just to accumulate things in this life when life on earth is short in comparison to preparing for eternity. I remind you in this e-mail that you have a purpose from God as his follower, and that is to make ripples of kindness, ripples of serving, ripples of love, ripples of truth that will touch one life after another. Being a missionary is simply making ripples for God as we point people to Christ.

Easter was great as usual with at least 50% more people in attendance than normal. We had 6 specific professions of faith and we are beginning to follow up on those lives this week. May Easter be a catalyst for a growing effect of our church body on the lives of others. We are missionaries.

Easter

remember when I was younger and attending church with my family. There was a hymn that had these words, “stricken, smitten and afflicted.” Those words stick in my mind and pertain to Good Friday. The Lord was pierced for my sins and yours. Tonight we are going to focus on the cross and the passion of Jesus Christ. Jesus was passionate for you and gave his life in your place. I don’t know about you, but I want to honor him tonight. I want to draw close to him. I want to be honest about my sin and express my commitment. This past Sunday I handed out a note card for you to use as a personal response to Jesus, emphasizing his sacrificial death on the cross. What would be your confession? How would you express your commitment to Jesus? That’s the emphasis tonight and I hope you will join us at 7pm. (Nursery provided)

Obviously, Easter follows Good Friday and we will gather together with all those that will be attending at 8, 9:30 or 11am this Sunday. It will be wonderful and the Gospel will be shared. I look forward to seeing you then.

One more thing. Don’t forget the Easter Egg Hunt Saturday (tomorrow) morning at 10am. Everyone is invited. Children (toddlers up to 5^th grade) will have a great time. We are excited to host our Angel Tree families for this fun event also.

If you are connected with our church you have probably already heard that Dave Milo has passed away. Dave’s funeral service will be held next Saturday, March 29^th at 10:30 am. The service will be at our church, and there is a visitation on Friday, March 28^th from 6-8pm at Howell-Edwards-Doerksen Funeral Home at 1350 Commercial St. SE, Salem. Please pray for the family, especially Grace and Amanda.

Will you worship?

News of a terrorist bombing flashes across the TV screen. A politician’s character is assassinated in the name of good competition. Peace treaty efforts yield more violence. The world is a political mess.

A church splinters over worship style preferences. A prominent elder storms out of a congregational meeting. A young Sunday school teacher cries after being scolded by a parent. The world is an ecclesial mess.

Divorce rates climb. Children rebel. Rivalries between siblings rage on. The world is a familial mess.

We haven’t mentioned anything about economics or cultural tension or personal demise. All of these could be added to the story. Life seems to be an unpredictable set of challenging experiences. What do you do with that as an individual? How are we to respond?

In Acts 16 the power of God delivers a slave girl from the bondage of a demon. This is very hopeful and exciting. A few minutes later, the men who have faith to pray in the name of Jesus for the slave girl are being dragged to the city square and accused of arousing the city with confusion and religious turmoil. It won’t be long for these two individuals to be in the inner cell of a jail, experiencing the brunt of a messed up world. What should they do? Where should they turn? What would happen next? I’ll let you know Sunday morning at 9 or 11am, whichever service you choose. This is the gathering of God’s people at New Harvest Church, as well as offering a welcoming heart to our guests and visitors. See you then.

Salvation

I have a question for you: How much does salvation pertain to heaven verses the here and now? When Jesus offered eternal life, do you think he was also concerned about life right now? And how about this question: When does eternal begin? In Romans 12:1 it says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” The phrase “in view of God’s mercy” points back to the wonderful promise of salvation that is offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes . . .” And then every chapter in Romans gives teaching on this marvelous salvation that offers us eternal life. But the phrase “living sacrifices” is about the here and now. The sense is that God not only wants us to be assured of the gift of heaven, but he also wants us to live these new lives right now. In fact, living heaven right now is more essential to the mission of God than going to heaven later. Our lives right now are the mirror of heaven for the world we live in.

This Sunday we will complete chapter 15 of Acts, which answers the question: What must I do to be saved? Salvation is the gift of faith. But the early church did not end with that alone. It also pointed to how to live life now. How many of us believe we are living heaven now? Not very many of us. I hope that God will challenge us all with these words found in Ephesians 4:1, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”