Duty Roster

3/4:  Nursery-Mary, Children's Church-Colleen, Clean-VanCamp, Greet-Noble, Offering-Jim
3/11:  Nursery-Melissa, Children's Church-Normans, Clean-Wilcox & Jamison, Greet-Eddie, Offering-Barrie
3/18:  Nursery-Crystal, Children's Church-Jim, Clean-Horner & Swanson, Greet-Glessing, Offering-Colleen
3/25:  Nursery-Christine, Children's Church-Rona, Clean-Noble, Greet-Rosas, Offering-Barrie

What's Happening This Month

Sundays:
9:30 am Sunday School all ages
10:30 Worship Service
Fellowship
6:30 Evening Bible Study
3/4:  Soup Fellowship following 10:30 Service
3/11, 18, &25:  Worship Team Practices at 8:45 am
3/18:  Gideon Presentation
Tuesdays:
4:00-6:30 Community Soup
3/13, 20 & 27 Worship Team Practices at 6:30
Wednesdays:
8:00-4:00 OPHC
4:00-5:30 Kid's Club
7:00 Love & Respect
Thursdays:
11:00 Prayer Hour
2:30 Women's Bible Study
Saturdays:
3/3 Men's Breakfast @ IHOP (Irondale House of Praise) 8:00 am
3/17 Men's Breakfast @ Chimacum Cafe @ 8:00 am

Hard Hearts and Political Correctness

There is an old theological debate where the question is presented, “Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart?” Exodus 9:14 reads, “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses” and Exodus 8:15 reads, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”  The question has left many seminary students, scratching their heads and digging for answers.  The follow up question with application for today is, “Why are some people’s hearts so hardened toward the gospel?”

There are certainly many answers; perhaps the answers are as varied as each person’s question or conclusion.  Some answers are undoubtedly simple; people reject the gospel because of pride, greed, misunderstanding or meanness.  But what if there is a spiritual side to it?  What if there are times when God hardens people’s hearts?  We don’t like to think about that, the idea that God hardens people seems to leaves them without hope or choice.  However regardless of how things seem to us, the words of the Bible hold true.  Romans 1:21-25 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”  The Bible continues to push the point in Psalm 81:11-12, “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.” Then there is 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 which certainly credits God as the reason some will not believe, “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (italics mine).

Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart and who hardens the hearts of people today?  Sometimes we harden our own hearts and sometimes God hardens our hearts even further.  This is obvious in our world of “political correctness”.  It seems it’s wrong to speak ill of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and others.  Even small seldom heard of beliefs like Shinto, Baha’i and Wicca have arrived in a place where others must respect who they are and what they stand for.  Not to mention that Mormonism is now thought of as a Christian faith rather than a cult.  Even al-Qaeda and the Taliban are tolerable to some.  It seems our hearts have become hardened to the idea that we can say, I am right and someone else is wrong.  Except of course when someone says someone else is wrong, then the first person is clearly wrong, unless of course, the offending person is a member of any afore mentioned religion or any number of other off-center groups, then their positions must be heard and accepted with open arms.  All this reminds me of a sort of politically correct version of Abbott and Costello’s, “Who’s on First?” routine.

What do you think about the war on terror? 

There’s no such thing as terrorists.

What do you mean by that? 

You cannot have a war against an unspecified people group, terrorists are just individual criminals.

But if a group or organization supports and teaches terrorist things aren’t they also terrorists? 

No, there are only criminals who do terrorist things. 

So if the leader of a terrorist group sends someone to bomb another group, the group being bombed shouldn’t be upset at the group? 

Well of course they can be upset, but not with the terrorist group. 

 

 Why not?  If someone is trying to kill us, can’t we get upset with them? 

Yes, but, if you get upset then you are just like them and they have their rights too. 

Rights?  Where did they get rights? 

From the Constitution. 

But they are not U.S. citizens, how can they have rights? 

Every person has certain inalienable rights. 

Do they have the right to bomb us?

No of course not, but you have to respect their thoughts and positions. 

But their thought and position is that they want to kill us. 

You can’t deny someone their right to express themselves.

Express themselves?  They want to kill us. 

Well that’s your opinion. 

My opinion? I think God wants us to stand for what’s right. 

God? 

Yeah, the God Americans have been worshiping for the past 236 years. 

But what about the other guy’s god?  Doesn’t that god have the same rights & freedoms your God has? 

They’re trying to kill us. 

That’s your opinion. 

Opinion?  They found them armed with bombs, a map, a detailed plan and anti-American slogans written on the walls of their headquarters. 

Well that could have meant anything. 

Like what? 

The bombs may have been to protect themselves.

Bombs aren’t defensive weapons, they’re offensive ones. 

Well you never know. 

What about the maps? 

People do make vacation plans. 

The anti-American slogans?

Freedom of speech. 

So I take it you are not going to participate in the “support your military personnel rally” down at the church? 

Church?  No, the church should keep to itself and quit trying to push their beliefs off on others.

Isn’t that what the terrorists are doing?

There’s no such thing as terrorists.

Who hardens people’s hearts?  Not to be glib, but to quote Forrest Gump’s Momma, “Stupid is as stupid does.”  And it seems that when people willfully and defiantly believe and behave in stupid ways, God is willing to help them to get out of their wrong beliefs or God will accommodate them in those misbeliefs, whichever they prefer. 

The call of Christ was to “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  Repent from what?  Repent from doing and believing stupid stuff.  So who hardened Pharaoh’s heart?  Pharaoh started it, God finished it.  Who softens hearts?  If you’ll start it, God will finish it.

Duty Roster

  2/5:  Nursery-Melissa, Children's Church-Sue, Clean-Wilcox & Jamison, Greet-Rosas, Offering-Colleen
2/12:  Nursery-Crystal, Children's Church-Yvonne, Clean-Horner & Swanson, Greet-Glessing, Offering-Kathleen
2/19:  Nursery-Crystal, Children's Church-Jim, Clean-Conklin, Greet-Rosas, Offering-Barrie
2/26:  Nursery-Melissa, Children's Church-Rona, Clean-Hay, Greet-Jamison, Offering-Kathi

What's Happening This Month

Sundays:
February 12 & 19-Worship Team Practice
 9:30 Sunday School all ages
10:30 Worship Service
-Nursery & Children's Church Available
Fellowship Time follows service
 6:30 pm Evening Bible Study

Tuesdays:
 4:00-6:30 pm Community Soup

Wednesdays:
 8:00-4:00 OPHC
 4:00-5:30 Kid's Club grades K-5
 7:00 Love & Respect

Thursdays
11:00 Prayer Hour
 2:30 Women's Bible Study

Saturdays:
February 11-8:00 Men's Breakfast @ IHOP
February 18-8:00 Men's Breakfast @ Chimacum Cafe

February 24-25:   Pacific Northwest District Conference At Black Lake Bible camp

A Word From Pastor David

I had prepared another article for this month’s newsletter, but in light of Olympia’s pending vote on same-sex marriage I decided to shift gears and write on that.  Some of this article is taken from a larger article: “Homosexuality: The Christian Perspective” by Lehman Strauss and posted on www.bible.org. 

The discussion of whether Homosexuality is right or wrong for a society is based on where society finds its morality.  If a person is guided by statistical research, public opinion, popular vote or legislative action then their conclusion is based on those findings.  For the Christian, the Bible is the final authority for our belief and behavior.

The Bible has much to say on belief and behavior.  Here is a brief overview of some sexual-sins mentioned in the Bible: First, adultery is sex by a married person with someone who is not his ­or her own spouse. It is condemned in both the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 20:14; I Cor. 6:9, 10).  Fornication is sex between unmarried persons, which is also forbidden (I Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; Ephesians 5:3).  Christ even forbids thinking about such things (Matthew 5:28), this speaks to pornography.  Then there is homosexuality which, like the other sexual-sins, is condemned in Scripture.  One sin is no worse than the other, in the Old Testament violators of the sexual-sins were stoned to death by city leaders.  Which leads me to believe this is a very serious topic to God.  (Lest you think I’m picking on one sin above another, know this, I’m only picking on the one that’s headlining the news this week.)

The Bible says in I Corinthians 6:9-10, “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.”  Hopefully you don’t read this and say, “those terrible sinners will never make it,” because verse 11 continues, “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  This leaves us with Jesus’ words, “Let him without sin cast the first stone.”  Homosexuality is an illicit lust forbidden by God and people need to avoid it.  Yes, some in our culture have embraced and encouraged some of the sins on that list, but embracing more sin does not pale any previous sin. 

One question often asked is, “Why do some Christians condemn and others embrace homosexuality?” The answer is complex, but to explain it briefly, some people including some ministers, understand the Bible to be only a book of advice from God and must be interpreted within the frame work of the current times and social environment. Others (like me), understand it to be God’s very Word that gives life, hope and peace.  The first group conform God’s word to their lives, the second conform their lives to God’s word.  Each person decides for themselves how much they will let God into their life.

Another question I hear is, If God didn’t like it, why does He allow it?  That’s the million dollar question!  Why did God put the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” in the Garden of Eden?  Why did God allow people to become so corrupt that He had to destroy them with a flood?  Why did God allow the people to become so close that He had to confuse their language and spread them over the face of the earth?  In short, why does God tolerate evil?  He doesn’t.  It’s just that before He permanently destroys the earth, He wants to give everyone the opportunity to receive Christ and gain eternal life in heaven (2 Pt 3:9).

Does this mean that homosexuals will not go to heaven when they die? Romans 1:18-32 records 34 different ungodly beliefs and behaviors.  Then verse 32 ends by saying the people who commit such sins “deserve to die”.  But it’s not as gloomy as it sounds, as long as there is life there is hope and according to Matthew 4:17, Jesus’ message was to “Repent for the kingdom of God is near.”  Repent from what?  Repent from sinning, which is something every person must do as the spirit of God leads them. 

Some ask, “Why would God create some people to have same-sex interests and cravings?  Because all of us were created self-centered and demanding.  When we were infants we wanted our milk now! and our diapers changed on our schedule.  Over time we learned to respect others and to put the need of the community ahead of our own cravings.  For some, as time passed, they also became enlightened to the knowledge of a life after this life and a personal responsibility to live to the standards that God calls us to live.  Other people remain in darkness, “abandoned to their foolish thinking” (Romans 1:28).  Some cry out, “That’s not fair!”  I think that must be what God says too.  After all, He sent His Son to die for our sins and all He asked us is to do is to lead good lives and build a strong community.

God’s judgment on this world is impending and as time expires for our world, we should be expecting things like same-sex marriage to increase.  2 Timothy 3:1&2 says, “You should know this … that in the last days there will be very difficult times.  For people will love only themselves and their money.  They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.” Then Jesus, in describing the end times said, ““When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matt. 24:37-39).

There is a standard of belief and behavior God created for us to live by.  God is also in control of our eternal destiny and our reward or judgment.  God does not judge us for being tempted, but we are judged for our response to temptation.  In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus makes it clear that there are two different rewards, “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46).  Choose life.

The Pink Light Fades to Gold by Colleen

Just a little breath of God’s amazing skill: pale pink and amber light whisked together, dangled between layers of morning dew and tender wisps of clouds.  A quiet moment, before the busyness of the day begins.  Hushed soil begins to silently cry out as plant life stretches its weary forms from the earth to the warmth it’s been waiting for.

How does it know? What truly wakes it from its ragged slumber beneath the rippled waste of last fall’s organic matter?  Which was, by the way, last year’s glorious display of greens, browns, yellows and all the colors of the rainbow, it too makes the same journey from beneath the ravaged decaying plant mass.  On and on it goes, in command of its “Maker;” year after year without our instruction or help.

Struggling to begin anew, I see small plants and bulbs pushing against the debris.  Like mistakes of the past given over to God, all things become “new.”  New growth, new hope, new plans, new opportunities, broken dreams-replaced with new or better ones.

It’s pushing its way up, I can see the change now as the sun seeks its appointed date on the horizon.  The beautiful pink gold painting begins to make way for the more brilliant and perfect light of the sun.  As glorious and amazing was its display, it can’t compare with what my eyes now collect to my senses.

The golden disk rises silently to bring about the change and without a word of hesitation, amber and pink flee from its hold on the canvas of earth’s land and sky.  Rightly so, it gives up its right to its moment of unequalled by earthly standards beauty.

It’s like a soul who, long weary, from the work it is called to do, and it is content and ready to flee to its rest in the arms of Jesus.  The sun fully rises, the night is completely wiped away.  Day begins almost with the sound of cymbals.

With the knowledge of the “Son in our hearts,”   we change just as drastically.  Letting go of the past and holding onto the newness of life in Christ, we are called forth, from the mess we have made of things.  We are called to walk in the newness of the day and let God establish His ways in us.  We let Him draw us into new life, new thinking, new behaviors and sometimes from what we thought to be glorious into a completely overwhelming sense of His majesty and power.  He now displays Himself in our humble lives.

He begins to work on the “new” canvas of our lives and hearts.  We are drawn to His feet for our instruction and plans for our lives.  Our lives, like the plants, will simply be here to bring glory to Him.

He promised to refine us like gold.  Like the beautiful pre-dawn light, we have to “let go” and let His plans be established in us to become that gold.