...for we have seen in the east, and are come to. Matthew 2:2. The Pilgrim Nazarene

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1 The Pilgrim Nazarene Volume VIII No. 6 The Official Organ of the Pilgrim Nazarene Church Nov./Dec for we have seen in the east, and are come to Matthew 2:2

2 November/December 2011 Volume VIII No. 6 Perspective 2 from the General Superintendent 3 Home Missions Report 4 Thanksgiving 5 by Rev. Michael Yancey Camp Collage 6 Truth for Teens 8 Grandma D s Story Time 9 Journal 10 Devotions for Plain Folk 11 EDITOR Larry W. Pettit GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT Stephen R. Snodgrass GENERAL SECRETARY Mark Russell Jr. GENERAL TREASURER Michael Covington GENERAL FOREIGN MISSIONS SECRETARY Stephen R. Snodgrass Printing and Circulation: Country Pines, Inc., Shoals, IN. Photo Credits: Cover photo courtesy of Photos on page 6-7 courtesy of Jerry Esparza. The Pilgrim Nazarene The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald is published bi-monthly by Pilgrim Nazarene Publishing, 1925 W. 59th St., Davenport, IA Phone: lpetes@att.net Web Address: Subscription price: $10.00 per year for a single issue or $ per year for a bundle of ten (10) issues. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald 1925 W. 59th St. Davenport, IA the perspective editor s Have you ever expected someone to come or something to happen? Then when they came or the occasion happened it wasn t at all like what you had expected? That is what happened and took place when Jesus Christ came to this earth as the Son of God and the Son of man at the time of his birth. From the time God spoke to the serpent in the garden and said, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel Genesis 3:15, mankind saw a promise of a Redeemer. When Micah gave the prophecy in chapter 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. People expected and looked for a man, a ruler to come forth as the hero of Israel. Little did they equate Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel to be linked together with these expected happenings. The expected happened in an unexpected way when God was to conceive a Son, thus being both Divine and human in nature and thus entitled to be qualified to be the ruler, the redeemer of fallen mankind. The expected prescribed instructions given to Moses in the making of the Tabernacle and all of its furnishings not only turned out to be the vehicle of worship and the visible presence and habitation for an invisible God, it unexpectedly was a representation of Christ, his origin, his office, his duty. Each portion of the plan was to be constructed just as God had instructed and unexpectedly each part of the plan was woven in symbolic reality as to our approach, forgiveness, and communion with God Himself. His expected kingdom was to come in a most unexpected way. Luke 17:20 tells us And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Just what did that mean? The expected kingdom was not to be a physical, geographical kingdom like the Babylonians or the Medes and Persians or even like Rome itself. His kingdom was of a spiritual nature and had to do with the redemption and sanctification of fallen mankind. There are no doubt many more things we could look at concerning Christ s coming that had an unexpected outcome rather than that which was expected. This makes one ask the question concerning His second coming: Are we also overlooking the scriptures and prophecies to the point we too shall find the expected to be the unexpected? An example may be 2 Timothy 3:1, 5 that in the last days perilous times shall come for men shall be having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Or Hebrews 12:14, Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Are we expecting those who have a form of godliness to always be someone else yet neglect our own spiritual condition with lethargy and indifference and lack of holy living? Are we busy preaching holiness but unable to get along with others let alone have peace and fellowship in the bigger picture of building and being the bride of Christ? This Christmas should cause us to pause and take some real personal time alone with God in prayer, to take time for a personal inspection and evaluation, and to take time to draw near to God, asking Him what He expects of you concerning your relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. c

3 from the desk of the General Superintendent Rev. Stephen R. Snodgrass Recently, while reading through the first issues of the Pilgrim Nazarene Herald, I came across a tremendous article written by Jay Pannebaker, the first editor of the Herald. In this article he lays out well I ll just let you read it for yourself. The Name of Jesus! And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 The name of Jesus is honey to the mouth, melody in the ear, and joy to the heart. Though I struggle to find the right words or clumsily work the king s English, yet if I preach the name of Jesus and your heart is in tune with Him, He can present to you such morsels of truth until your mouth will be dripping with honey. Although sometimes it seems my words are strong or I get too loud with excitement, yet if I preach the name of Jesus, He will serenade you with the choicest of music until the sweetest of melodies resound in your ears. And though sometimes my stammering tongue finds it impossible to deliver and do justice to the burden within my soul, yet if I preach the name of Jesus, He can take the mere efforts of man, add to it an abundance of Divine Presence until the heart overflows with great joy. In Bible times, a good name was highly treasured. The name often signified the individual s purpose in life, or it could signify a major event that was to take place during that person s life. As for our Lord, both of these were true of His earthly life, but a close examination of this passage finds that His name means so much more. The first thing that grabs our attention is that His name was chosen by God the Father, for the angel told Joseph, thou shalt call His name JESUS. I remember the excitement around our home when it was time to name our children. We consulted books, we had our favorites we had discussed for months, but the most important thing was to appropriately name this precious bundle of joy that was mere moments old. Only time can tell how well the names of my children will match their character, but the Infinite Mind chose the best and most appropriate name for Jesus which means the salvation of the LORD. This decree of the Father shows His loving desire to redeem the world. We needed a Savior; He sent His Son, JESUS. Secondly, we notice that the name of Jesus characterizes His relationship with His people. The personal name of Jesus has no meaning apart from His people. Who are His people? Anyone who recognizes the need of salvation. Martin Luther said, He never gave Himself for our righteousness, but He did give Himself for our sins. My soul s first link with Christ was not my goodness, but my badness; Not my merit, but my misery; Not my standing, but my continual falling; Not my riches, but my greatest need. He did not come to admire my beauty, but to reform my deformity. He did not come to reward my virtue, but to forgive my sin. L. B. Bridgers, the hymn writer, said it this way: All my life was wrecked by sin and strife; Discord filled my heart with pain, Jesus swept across the broken strings, Stirred the slumb ring chords again. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know, Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go. Lastly we see the name of Jesus conveys His main work He shall save from sin. During this season, as the case has always been, man s greatest need is his salvation; and God answered by giving the Greatest Gift. No mediocrities, God gave His best the spotless Lamb of God. As we examine this gift closely, we find that Jesus can save because He took our sins upon Himself. He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah who said, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Not only did He become our personal substitute, He paid in full the debt of our sin. Such is the work of Jesus. The scriptures declare that His saints shall be without spot or wrinkle. So complete is His work, that no sign remains of the devil s activities which once consumed the soul. c

4 Home Missions Report Evangelism Out-reach Ideas Rev. Larry Pettit Chairman Jesus told His disciples that they were to tarry until they were endued with power from on high. As we study the scriptures, we see they did just that; they tarried. Then on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon their hearts, purifying and empowering them for service in the Great Commission. That was to be the norm. Those are the footsteps we are to follow. That is the command of Jesus, He expects us to obey. Once we are saved it becomes a great desire to share the Good News with others. Listed below are some suggestions individuals and churches may employ in an endeavor to be a greater working force for the Master, Jesus Christ. A. Clean out a storage area and supply it to help needy individuals. 1. Use it for clothing, separated by age and gender. 2. Use it for bedding, blankets, pillows, ect. with the economy as it is, this may come in handy for many that are out of work. 3. A food pantry may also be a way of out-reach. B. CD ministry. 1. Make a CD of the Sunday morning service and send to absentees and others. 2. Make several CD racks or boxes to be placed in restaurants. Supply, provide, maintain and keep records. I suggest several evangelistic messages be used for this. 3. Establish a local Pilgrim Nazarene Church web site and maintain. 1. Establish a bulletin board or discussion page for the web site. 2. Investigate into a radio spot for the local church and the holiness message. 4. Establish and maintain a welcome committee 1. Send a welcome letter, CD and church invitation flyer to new arrivals in town. Addresses and information for this may be obtained from several sources. 5. Establish a nursing home ministry. You are not only ministering to the shut-ins, but also their families that come to visit. C. Establish a Prayer Chain Captain. 1. Establish a list of willing participants. 2. Have willing participants pick a prayer partner. 3. Make a chain of response for calls to prayer. 4. Keep track of weekly Sunday morning prayer requests and answers to prayer. 5. Provide a prayer station to be manned once a week at a desired location. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 1Corinthians 3:7

5 Th a n k s g i v i n g Almost four centuries ago the Mayflower nosed her weary way into Plymouth Bay on a cold December day. Her barnacled sides testified to many years in the briny deep. Travel-weary timbers creaked beneath tattered and sleet-encrusted sails. She moaned and sighed, her demeanor matching the looks of her passengers. The Pilgrims were a peculiar band. No skull and cross bones ensign leered down from above them. No greed gleamed in their eyes. Though exhausted and their ranks thinned by death, their spirit burned brightly. Driven by an insatiable desire for freedom of expression and pursuits, they were unstoppable. Their path was hard, fraught with danger and sacrifice, but God led them on. Loved ones died on the way, but a handful made it to the other side. No welcome-party met them on the shores of the new world. Homes had been deserted, families forsaken, bank accounts depleted and great risks taken. Blood from martyrdom s sword splotched their path and stained their memories. Freedom was only a dream that had eluded them for years. God could only be served and sought through strange languages and corrupt priests in the Old World. Surely there must be another way of life. And they found it! One of the small band of believers that gathered that first harvest season was Edward Winslow. He wrote back to England, although it be not always so plentiful as it was this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty. Their determination was indomitable, their spirit sweet, always looking up, thanking God for the life He had given them, the journey He had helped them take. They were not looking for a handout, but an opportunity to make their lives better through faith. They did not scorn their trials as curses from a mean deity, but faced them bravely, determined to conquer. They did not shrivel up in the dark corner of self-pity, but climbed mountains, waded rivers, built houses, and created a government that honored freedom. They ignited a torch of hope for all who would come after, a lantern whose rays would pierce the darkness of fear and the unknown. They encouraged those who followed Rev. Michael Yancey to forge ahead, to create a world that is now the envy of socialist and dictatorial regimes and the warm welcome of hope to those who would cross her borders to live her dream. Today a lady stands in New York Harbor, looking back across the way they came, the waters of centuries having erased every trace of the Mayflower's passage. The Statue of Liberty is a silent reminder, an eternal homage to those who first touched her borders, and kissed her shores. Thanksgiving, a tradition started by Pilgrims, is a spirit that encourages us to look over the Sea of Life, to be as steadfast and unmovable as the Statue of Liberty. Thanksgiving is a spirit that burns brightly in the hearts and glows upon the faces of millions of believers around the world, no matter their living conditions or geographic location. We live in a world bristling with nuclear weapons, brutalized by God-hating governments, wasted by corrupt politicians, ravaged by greed, and littered with ruined lives. There is only one hope, and it gleams down from Calvary, echoes from an empty tomb, and whispers through the Holy Scriptures. Let us pause in our own pilgrimage and thank a God, Who loves us dearly, Who cares for each step we take, Who has prepared a home for us beyond the skies. Let us press against the rails of the old Ship of Zion, let the salty breezes caress our faces, and listen for the muffled cry from high up in the crow's-nest, Land ho! There is a welcoming party on the other side, solid ground for unsteady feet, and a banquet table spread with dainties from Heaven's kitchens. Here is a lesson for us all. What we are doing right now is a foundation for our entire existence. Psalms 116:12, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? Psalms 68:19, Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. Psalms 107:8-9, Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. May Thanksgiving live on! Forever and Ever. Amen. c

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8 The Curse of Clutter by Rev. Michael Yancey Years ago, I grew up knowing a family who lived down the tree-covered back-roads of East Texas. My mother reached out to them and actually dealt with their sixteen year old boy before he was killed when his car hit an old oak tree head-on. His father came to our house, and I will never forget his gravelly voice roughened by smoking, his nicotine stained tufts of wavy hair, his eternally dirty clothes from painting, and the junker cars he drove. I never played at their house, but vividly remember shoots of Bahia grass enshrouding old cars deserted and harvested for an occasional part. Their house was a wreck, littered with beer bottles, and their mangy dogs greeted us with a gaunt swagger that revealed their ribs. Trash was everywhere. It bothered me, but it obviously was not something that distracted them. They were comfortable in their environment, though a health hazard and insult to normal eyesight. We all shake our heads at the thought of such a lifestyle. But, I wonder what would happen if we would think a little about our lives and see what kind of eye sore clutter and spiritual hazards clutter our own lives. If we don t think seriously about our lives, we fill them with clutter that take up space and doesn t do anyone much good. What we might think is tolerable stuff, Christ might call junk! The story of Martha and Mary is a striking lesson in a good idea gone awry. Martha, the consummate cook and entertainer, invited Jesus and friends over for supper. As she thought of the meal, she naturally began mentally putting this dish with that, and before long she had a several course meal. Then she inevitably began to think of the setting and nothing would do but to bring out the fanciest tablecloth and iron the napkins. Oh, and don t forget the flickering candles for ambience. Before long she had a full scale production as if she were competing for another star as a restaurant. Smells curled around the door into the living room. Clanging pots and pans competed with the noise level of the conversation of the visitors. Martha went from one idea to the next until Mary, tiring of the extravagance, took off her apron and went and sat down at Jesus feet while the kitchen continued on at break-neck speed. The Ethiopic version says, Martha labored in preparing many things for him, making a large and sumptuous entertainment. The Persic version: Martha was busied in preparing food, and making a feast: sparing no cost nor pains, thinking nothing too good, nor too grand, for such a guest she had in her house As things got out of hand, Martha fumed because Mary walked out. She tried to get Jesus involved in putting Mary on a guilt trip, knowing his influence would get the job done. What happened next stopped her cold, undoubtedly shocking her. He told her, literally, she was in the wrong because she was pulled in multiple directions by too many things and the end result was great turmoil inside her breast, and neglect of a greater good. It is so easy to make a mountain out of mole-hill. Martha was a good woman, but her mind and life was cluttered by the imbalance of her duties. The size and complexity of her meal for Christ became the focus instead of the Guest Himself. People say to me, Don t forget your calling; remember to keep God first, almost as if that were the only important thing in the world. In this story I don t think Christ was pitting the physical against the spiritual. He was simply saying things were out of balance. He would have been happy with fish and chips, but she insisted on a Passover feast. p

9 There are many noble and responsible things to do in life, defined by your roles as a young person, an employee, a church member, a spiritual and physical being. The danger is to focus so much on one area that you neglect the other areas. The by-product is clutter, unnecessary baggage, excessive pursuits, energy drainers, until your life is out of control and you are barely ahead of the stampede of bulls. Christ never wasted a day in his life. He lived on purpose, and bypassed many things that distracted other people. Chinese Author/ Philosopher Lin Yu tang said, Besides the art of getting things done, there is art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in eliminating the non-essentials. When Christ was asked by the Rich Young Ruler what good thing he might add to his list, Christ suggested a minus sign in his equation instead. Sometimes the greatest key to effectiveness is to take away some things in your life, to focus, to eliminate the clutter, and to keep things simple. c A Holiday Tragedy North Dakota at Thanksgiving time can be a winter wonderland. That is especially true if you live in the woods. As we peek into the Flanagan home on this cold, crisp, November day, we find Flora Flanagan and her tenyear-old daughter, Kristen, busily engaged in baking bread and making pies in preparation for a big Thanksgiving dinner. Baking with a wood stove can be tricky, but Mrs. Flanagan was used to it after many years of pioneering in the North Country. Kristen, I need more wood for the stove, Mother said. Would you please go to the shop and tell Father to bring some when he comes in for supper? Mr. Flanagan had a wood shop on the back forty where he made wooden toys, which Mother painted and they took to town to sell. Kristen was delighted to go. Mommy, she pleaded, May I take the horse? It would be so much faster. I think not. You ll do just fine on foot, replied Mother. The barn was warm and kind of musty smelling. It was quite dim, except for a lantern in the area where Kirk, her thirteen-year-old brother, was milking their cow. Kirk, please help me put the bridle on Smokey so I can go to the shop and give a message to Father. Are you sure it s all right for you to take the horse? asked Kirk. Oh, Kirk, it will be soooo much faster. Mother NEEDS some wood for the stove and I need to get back in a hurry to help with the baking. So Kirk helped her bridle the horse and she was off to the shop. It was now dusk, but Smokey was sure-footed and made the trip to the shop safely on the hard-packed snow. Kristen delivered the message, placed some wood chips in a plastic bag, and started for home. The bag of wood chips kept banging against the horse s side and it finally split open spilling the chips came down the side of the horse. This spooked the horse and he lurched, sending his foot off the path and throwing Kristen to the ground. Smokey then completely lost his footing and fell on top of Kristen. How long she lay there, Kristen was not sure but she was aware of terrible pain. When Smokey finally got up and trotted off to the barn, Kristen began crying and calling out for someone to help her. By this time, Father was on his way back to the house and heard Kristen calling. He tenderly picked her up and carried her back to the house, where Mother examined her to see if there were any broken bones. She lay on the couch all night, groaning with pain. Very early the next day, Father hitched up the horse to the sleigh, and wrapping Kristen in warm blankets, they headed off down the 15 miles to the state road where they could get help getting her to the hospital. She had to have surgery and the doctor found several internal injuries. Thanksgiving came and went. After four weeks of recovery in the hospital, Kristen was released to go home on the day before Christmas. Boys and girls, do you think Kristen learned a lesson from her disobedience? Don t forget that the Bible tells us to obey our parents! (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy5:16; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20) with love, Grandma D

10 From my journal... September 1 - October 31, 2011 September 1st found me at home and recovering from a very busy August. It was good to spend a few days at home. September 5th, Katelyn and I traveled to Cape Girardeau, MO, where she was going to spend a couple of days while I traveled on up to Mt. Pleasant, IA, for the pastor installation service of Bro. and Sis. Bill Carpenter. They had moved into the parsonage earlier that week, and Sunday would be their first service. It was my privilege to be there for that special occasion. The Mt. Pleasant congregation had gone without a pastor for two and one half years and they were thrilled to have the Carpenters. Following the service I had a good time of fellowship at the home of Wendell and Debra Conner, who have been wonderful hosts on every visit that I have made to Mt. Pleasant. I appreciate the faithful laymen there. Katelyn and I returned home on September 6th, and we thanked the Lord for traveling mercies. On the 16th of September, I received a call from Pastor Knox Bullock, tell me of the passing of Sis. Modena Patterson. What an honor to know and be influenced by saints of God, such as Bro. and Sis. Glen Patterson. As I have traveled the many miles, I have listened to recordings of Bro. Patterson preaching and been challenged and stirred every time. On the 20th, I traveled to Duncan, OK, to be present for the memorial service in her honor. Bro. Tony Ross did an excellent job of paying tribute to such a fine Christian lady. The family remains in our prayers. I also thank the Mike Covingtons for providing a great place to stay, and for the wonderful meals and good wholesome fellowship. Following the service in Duncan, I traveled to Durant, OK, and preached in the mid-week service. It was good to be with the Chucky Dodds and the great folks there again, and I enjoyed the great fellowship afterward with everyone. I traveled home the next day, where we were in revival with Bro. Paul Pierpoint. It was so good to sit in the pew and soak up the preaching during the meeting. On Saturday the 24th, I participated in the Inter-Collegiate Ministerial Fellowship in Pell City, AL. IMF is an organization that consist of ministerial students from the conservative holiness Bible Schools for the purpose of instruction and fellowship. I spoke to about young men on the subject of Pastoral Preaching. It is always a privilege to be with a group of ministers and this time was no different. It is exciting to see young men who are listening to the voice and call of God. Tuesday, the 27th, Connie, Madelyn and I traveled to Winchester, IN, where the congregation is without a pastor. Bro. Scott Turner, Bro. Nathaniel Taylor and Bro. Bryan Shields II have been doing a fine job of filling the pulpit. After taking care of church business in the area over the next few days, we returned home on the 30th. October 2nd, I filled the pulpit for our pastor, Bro. Robert Jones, while he and his family took a much deserved vacation. On Tuesday, the 4th, I traveled to Knoxville, TN, to fellowship with Conference Presidents of the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. Bro. Clair Sams, Bro. Walter Hedstrom and Bro. Blake Jones are kindred spirits and it was good to spend some time together. On October 6th I made a flying trip to Illinois with Bro Robert Jones to help him replace a furnace in his rental home and traveled back on Saturday 8th. The next few days were spend in the office, making many calls, a general officer s conference call and planning for the upcoming missions tour. I was able to take a few days off and spend some time in the deer woods with my family. This is always a refreshing time. October 22nd, I traveled to Dallas, TX. On the morning of the 23rd, I preached in the with Bro. Carlos Roman as my interpreter. He always does a great job and the Lord helped us in the service. Following the service I drove to Baylor Medical Center to visit and pray with Tammy Dunegan, who was a patient there. It was good to be with Bro. James Dunegan and feel the touch of God on Tammy that afternoon. I drove from there to the new Dallas church where Bro. Pedro Anaya is pastoring and the congregation meets for a 2:00pm service. There was a great spirit there and it was easy to preach. Sis. Anaya, as always, prepared a delicious meal for me. Following the meal I traveled on to Sherman for the evening service. Bro. Taylor welcomed me and I had a few minutes to spare. There was a good crowd in Sherman that night and I was blessed just by being there. It is always easy to preach in Sherman and the Lord really helped us. I spent the night with the Taylors and worked in Bro. Taylor s study the next day, trying to get caught up on church business. Monday evening, the 24th, I drove up to Durant to spend some time with the Dodds. We had a wonderful meal and great fellowship. Tuesday, 25th, I traveled to Whitehouse, TX start a revival for Bro. Troy Truitt who could not make it till Thursday. Bro. and Sis. Cable made me feel right at home and their people really respond to the truth. God is working in Whitehouse. I returned home on the 27th and attended a revival service at the Jasper, AL PNC. Bro. Mike Pepple was the evangelist and preached an excellent message. I have heard great reports from pastor David Fogleman about how God is helping. Pilgrim Nazarene Church family, God is still in control. As we say goodbye to 2011, we can definitely say, God was with us and helped us in every battle. Remember He is coming soon! Be ready!

11 Rev. Larry W. Pettit Jesus is the light of the world and he lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John the beloved disciple is a revealer of Jesus Christ; he reveals him as the Son of God and the Son of man. Have you ever wondered what God is like? Jesus said if you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father. You want to know what God is like, look to Jesus. Jesus is the Diamond with many facets. Looking in the book of John is like a walk through an art gallery portraying Jesus as; The Word reproducing Jn. 1:1, The Light revealing 1:9, The Christ humanity 1:14, The Lamb Redeeming 1:29, The Son of God Representing 1:34, The Master receiving 1:38, The King reining 1:49, and The Son of man remaining 1:51. He is the One, who said come unto me and I will give you rest. Who can give rest? A preacher may offer counsel, a wealthy person may offer financial assistance, but no man can offer rest. Rest is something of the soul. Rest, from who you are? Rest, from what you have done and become? Rest, from a weary life? Rest, from nagging guilt? And Rest, from fear of tomorrow? Who can give such Rest except Jesus Christ? That name that lives on through the ages. That all ages has cried for Love, Peace, Justice, Forgiveness and all this is culminated at the Cross of Christ. He is the Word, which was made flesh and lay in a manger, a welcome to all. This Word expresses the greatness of God. The great reason, yet for your sakes he became poor The Great act of Love, For God so loved the world The Great Gift, that he gave his only begotten Son The great purpose and promise, he said, I ll never leave you nor forsake you. He is the Light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. Sin brought darkness, a darkness about God and Who He is and what He is like. It brought darkness to all goodness and virtue, darkness to mind and heart and darkness as to one s own condition and the dark eternity that stands before the sinner. But thank God in the midst of that awful darkness, God supplies the Light through Jesus Christ. He can not make men to love the Light but we can choose to love that Light and Choose to love Jesus Christ the Light of the world. At this Christmas season have you seen the Light? Has that Light overcome your darkness? If not; look to Him, seek Him, receive Him and Light shall arise. c

12 The Pilgrim Nazarene 1925 W. 59th St. Davenport, IA SUBSCRIBE NOW... The Pilgrim Nazarene The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald is published bi-monthly by Pilgrim Nazarene Publishing, 1925 W. 59th St., Davenport, IA Phone: Web Address: Subscription price: $10.00 per year for a single issue or $ per year for a bundle of ten (10) issues. 9th Annual Pr e a c h e r s Me e t i n g March 13-15, 2012 Du r a n t Pilgrim Nazarene Church 2227 Cale Switch Road Durant, OK For lodging information, contact: Rev. Chuck Dodd IV, Host Pastor Rev. Chris Cravens Guest Speaker