Mary Magdalene

A few people have asked me about my point in last Sunday’s message concerning John the Baptist – I suggested he threw his “pearls to the swine.” In the case of King Herod and his adulterous with Herodias I thought John may have been too daring. There is a sense that he proclaimed this publicly and he continued to do so. Whatever the case, the Bible uses the phrase, “Do not throw your pearls to the swine.” That phrase is attention getting because it is so blunt. There are times when it is not wise, or even God’s desire, that we continue to challenge, or even to help or stay involved in someone’s life that has the potential of hurting us. There is a book title that said When Helping You is Hurting Me. Just today in Mark 11 I read about Jesus refusing to answer the chief priest, and teaches the law, when they asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things?” He gave them another question and asked about John the Baptist, whether he was from heaven or from men. They didn’t answer him and Jesus said, “Neither will I answer you.” I think this is an example of not throwing your pearls to the swine. This is an issue of wisdom. When will our help just enable people to stay stuck in their present behaviors? When will a confrontation actually make a person more hardened and even retaliate like John the Baptist experienced? This is not a clear cut subject, but I wanted you to know that there are times that you withhold your involvement so that God has room to move. What do you think?

God's Word

I have another story for you told of Harry Cohn. For many years he was the head of Columbia Movie Studios. In the early days Harry’s brother came out from New York and was criticizing the way Harry did things. They got into a heated argument. Harry said, “I bet you don’t even know The Lord’s Prayer.” His brother replied, “What’s that got to do with anything?” Harry again said, “I just bet you don’t’ know The Lord’s Prayer.” His brother confidently said, “Well of course I do! Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take.” Reluctantly, Harry said, “Oh well, I apologize. I didn’t really think you knew it.” Many times we think we know what’s in the Bible, and yet it is impossible to really know the marvelous truth of God’s Word without reading it. Again, I challenge you to commit yourself to reading the Word of God on a daily basis.

Right now we are reading in the Book of Hebrews. Today I read this marvelous statement, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Now listen to what the Life Application Bible says about that marvelous verse: “The Word of God is not simply a collection of words from God, a vehicle for communicating ideas; it is living, life-changing, and dynamic as it works in us. With the incisiveness of a surgeon’s knife, God’s Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates the core of our moral and spiritual life. It discerns what is within us, both good and evil. The demands of God’s Word require decisions. We must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it shape our lives.” Our theme 2008 is found in Romans 12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” How’s God’s Word renewing your mind?

Our entry into our new facility begins soon with Wednesday night for a special gathering of study and prayer held there on July 9^th and our first workday on Saturday, July 12^th. You will hear more about it in church. These are exciting days to be a part of our fellowship.

Commitment

I have another story for you: A big-game hunter went on a safari with his wife and mother-in-law. One evening, while still deep in the jungle, the lady awoke to find her mother gone. Rushing to her husband, she insisted on them both trying to find her mother. The hunter picked up his rifle and started to look for her. In a clearing not far from the camp they came upon a chilling site. The mother-in-law was backed up against a thick, impenetrable bush, and a large male lion stood facing her. The wife cried, “What are we going to do?” “Nothing,” said the hunter husband. “The lion got himself into this mess, let him get himself out of it.”

There are numerous stories like this that pertain to mother-in-laws, but none of the stories about mother-in-laws are quite as powerful as the one found in the Book of Ruth. Naomi is the mother-in-law of Ruth, and their story will be the highlight of my message this Sunday. Along with preaching about Ruth, will be the recognition of North Salem Baptist Church, as we invite them to partner with us as church making a difference for Christ. It will be a great Sunday to be here and affirm their generosity, and our desire to partner with them.

We have had several meetings this week, and even more to come about our move-in to 4290 Portland Road. You will notice a banner sign on the property that says “Future Home of New Harvest Church.” It is an exciting time in the church. We are going to use the summer to prepare rooms, paint walls, landscape property and more, preparing us for an exciting launch as we begin the fall school year. With that in mind, please pray that God will lead us to a church that may utilize this facility by taking over our lease. We have a six-month lease which can be broken earlier if there is another church to take our place..

This is a very exciting time in the life of our church as we are recipients of God’s goodness and his abundant favor. I continue to pray that we will use this opportunity to the fullest for His Glory.

Could things get any more exciting?! I had the privilege to be a part of the signing and the exchange of $110,000 this past Thursday morning. This sale has been filed with the State and we are the owners of 4290 Portland Road and the 6.2 acres surrounding the facility. God has been so gracious to us. This is a real gift, generated in the hearts of the North Salem Baptist members, entrusted to us by God that we would be faithful to this opportunity. As the scriptures say, “make the most of every opportunity,” and that literally means “redeeming the time.” We not only have the privilege of buying this property, but we need to also buy up this opportunity to represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ well from our new setting.

This Sunday is going to be a wonderful time at church also. Chad and the Youth Group are spearheading this Service and Chad has a good message for the graduating seniors and for us. I really want to encourage you to be here so that you can see the growth that is taking place in our Youth Ministry, not just in numbers but also in depth. There will be several testimonies, as well as recognition of the High School seniors who are graduating. We want to congratulate them and pray for them. They have a hopeful future in Christ even though statistically High School seniors entering college and/or the job market have been challenged in their faith like never before. Let’s help our seniors succeed as followers of Jesus Christ as they step into the future.

Pastor Steve and I will be over at North Salem Baptist Church for some of the morning. I will be teaching a adult Sunday School class at 9:30am, sharing the vision of New Harvest Church with a group of 30 or 40 adults. Pastor Steve will be a part of their worship service and do the preaching for their Sunday Service. North Salem Baptist Church will have one more service at our new church setting on Father’s Day, June 15^th. Then they will be taking the steps to dissolving their corporation and hopefully linking arms with us in our effort to serve Christ.

Did you know that we have had 18 new professions of faith this year so far? Chad will be recognizing a young lady from our Youth Group Sunday morning as well. This is a marvelous time to be a part of New Harvest Church.

Communion

Obviously one of the most important things on my mind is this exciting opportunity to gather at North Salem Baptist Church this Sunday night at 6 pm to have a membership vote for purchasing the church and property surrounding the church. However, in preparation for this very important evening together we will meet Sunday morning for Communion. Communion has been a very important aspect in the life of the Christian church since Jesus instituted it the night he was betrayed. I want to have a great meeting Sunday night, and I think the forerunner to it is to have a deeply honest connection with Christ Sunday morning. Communion is a marvelous way to renew and affirm our love for Christ.

Maybe you remember Pastor Steve mentioning something about the Amish and their preparation for Communion. In the Amish culture they only celebrate Communion twice a year. When they do they prepare for a whole month of what is called “a season of preparation.” During that season the Amish take seriously the admonition that if anyone holds a grudge against his brother he is not to partake in the communion until he has put things right. If forgiveness isn’t offered, then how can forgiveness freely flow in our hearts?! Jesus said if we refuse to forgive there is a similar disconnect with the forgiveness that he gives. The forgiveness in this case is not based upon one’s salvation, but on the ongoing relationship that we have with the Lord. If we hold a grudge then there is an obstacle to our relationship with God. Likewise, if we are practicing sin, then there is an obstacle to our relationship with God. If we are living a compromised life, then there is an obstacle with our relationship with God. If we have taken the word sin out of our Christian vocabulary, we are missing the kind of depth that God wants to work in our lives that brings incredible freedom and joy. I challenge you to take some time before Sunday morning to prepare your hearts for the communion meal Sunday morning at our church.

Promises

Each day I ask you this question when you read the Word of God: “What is the Lord saying to you? Or, how would you apply it to your life?” This morning I read this vow that Jacob made to the Lord in Genesis 28:20-22, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

On September 27, 1980, I made a promise to my bride, Wendy. I have not been the perfect husband, but I have honored my promise and been faithful to her. Jacob is making a promise to God. As God is faithful to him, and the Lord watches over him, Jacob will follow the Lord all of his days and will be sure to express his gratitude by giving a tenth back to the Lord for his kingdom purposes. The principle of the tenth (or the tithe) runs through the whole scriptures. There is a sense of commitment behind it and gratitude. When you release a tenth of your income to the Lord’s work, you are showing that he is #1 in your life and that all that you have is his. You become a participant in what God wants to do at New Harvest, in Salem/Keizer, and throughout the world as you give generously. God’s people have been marvelous examples to the world during the hardest economic times by continuing to give generously to God’s work. I know the Lord is going to take care of me, and I am assured of it through his promises. How ‘bout you? Won’t you continue to trust God by releasing a tenth of all that you receive from him for his kingdom work?!

Something is stirring in my heart about Sunday. I believe there is an exciting message from God for us as a church found in Acts 23. Also the music that is being prepared for worship gives me a sense of anticipation for the opportunity to worship God and be together as his people.

Can Satan Read Your Mind?

Wednesday night we had a lively discussion about the power and limitations of Satan and his angels. There are over 200 references to Satan, the devil and demons in the Bible. As I was studying this broad subject for my message on April 13, I received an insight that I believe was from God that gave me a great deal of comfort and confidence. You and I are “one” dimensional; Satan and his demons are “two” dimensional; but God Almighty is “THREE” dimensional. I said something about the devil and his workers being two dimensional because they know our thoughts. Since then, I have studied that idea and we participated in a discussion Wednesday night about that fact. I see no clear reference in the Bible that says that demons know your thoughts. The references are mostly about how he can influence your thoughts through temptation, deception, lying . . . to entice you to sin.

In Ephesians 6, the Bible uses the words “flaming arrows.” This is a general description of the devil’s opposition to us as followers of Jesus Christ. It can refer to our vulnerability for fear, doubt, anger, lust, depression, shame, etc. These attacks come from the external source of enemy forces and try to penetrate a person’s mind, will or emotions. The purpose is to tempt or compel a vulnerable Christian into committing sin, and thus weaken our testimony. With those kind of preoccupations, he can entice us away from the purpose of our lives and cause us to be ineffective. This is serious, as I mentioned in the sermon on April 13. There is no doubt that Satan and his angels have greater power than you and me. That is, we are one dimensional because we are only aware of what is true in us as individuals, but he is two dimensional, knowing ways to effectively attack each of us.

However, when we are sincerely connected to the Almighty God in the name of Jesus Christ, we have power to resist the devil and put on the full armor of God. I want you to put on the full armor of God and watch our three-dimensional God, who knows all, protect you with the spiritual gifts of truth, righteousness, peace, faith and his eternal Word. There is no need to fear, but neither do we want to be ignorant. Brothers and sisters, I encourage you to extinguish these flaming arrows with a faith that is strong and growing. Faith is Jesus Christ and an intimate knowledge of his Word will protect you. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then . . .” (Ephesians 6:10f) You are encouraged to stand firm in the faith. Remember the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and his ultimate victory. You have everything from God that you need to stand firm!