He maketh my feet like hinds feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

Transcription

1 The Pilgrim Nazarene Volume IX The Official Organ of the Pilgrim Nazarene Church Number 2 He maketh my feet like hinds feet, and setteth me upon my high places. Psalm 18:33

2 the perspective editor s Volume IX Number 2 Perspective 2 from the General Superintendent 3 Home Missions 4 Preacher s Meeting Report 5 Missin Church 6 by Rev. Michael Yancey 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: Page 3, courtesy of Steve Snodgrass. Page 5, courtesy of Chuck Dodd IV, page 12 courtesy of Jerry Esparza. All other photos courtesy of 123rf.com 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 5428 Walnut Drive Sylvan Springs, AL T here were skeptics and unbelievers in the day of Christ and in the days that followed His resurrection. There were those in the days of Paul that thought and taught the same thing He declares in I Corinthians 15:12 How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? He then forcibly drives home the point that, if there is no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. Then it only follows that, if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. He also states that if Christ be not risen and that your faith is then in vain, that if that is true; then, you are yet in your sins. Also other Christians who have died in the faith, they too, are then perished. He then caps this deduction with the thought that if all that is true our hope in Christ in this life is in vain, and we are of all men most miserable. BUT it doesn t end there. I Corinthians 15:20 sings out, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. To the unbeliever and the skeptic, they could not believe because they would not believe. They willfully wanted to retain their darkness and ignorance on the matter. In Jesus day there were those who witnessed and saw firsthand the miracles that Jesus performed. They heard the majestic words fall from the lips of the Master. They were witness to the change that followed in the lives of those who followed Jesus. Yet, they had to have hardened their hearts to the truths which they heard and saw. They had to have followed empty complaints and threats and turned against what perhaps even their own hearts witnessed. They had no way to release the condemned heart, seek forgiveness, and desire to live and walk in a life lived for the Master, Jesus Christ. It hasn t changed for those who refuse to repent or believe in a risen Savior. Today, they have to maintain and believe that repentance is all emotional or make believe. They fail to explain the peace that passes all understanding that comes to the heart of a believer. They don t understand the transformation that takes place in the heart of a penitent individual. They don t see nor understand how guilt can be forgiven and a sin-broken life can be changed. How immoral, wicked, drunken, drug addicted, vulgar, disgusting individuals can be changed in a moment of time because of a risen Savior. What greater proof is there than the life that has been ransomed and changed because He Lives. You ask me how I know He lives; He lives because of this inner witness to my heart that I serve a risen Savior. God will bear witness to our spirits when we meet the conditions. When He bears witness to our hearts of His transforming life, we just plain know He lives, and I have a witness to my heart. The Bible, the Word of God, will also bear record of this transformation, because He is risen! Our hearts cry out with the song writer, I serve a risen Savior; He s in the world today You ask me how I know He lives; He lives within my heart. c

3 from the desk of the General Superintendent Rev. Stephen R. Snodgrass In our beloved country, the symbol of the Christian faith, the cross, is all around us. You will see it stitched on the front of a Bible cover. You will see it molded into gold and hung around the neck of individuals from all walks of life. It has sickened me to sometimes see it tattooed on or even worn by a group of people whose lives despise its significance and it s Savior. This symbol is meant to remind you of the penalty that was paid for your redemption by the blood of the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ. But since it is such a common sight, there is little wonder the cross is no longer treasured as a gift of love and as the symbol of Christ s victory. Just a few weeks ago, I went on a missions trip to India. In this dark land, you will see many symbols of many religions. While traveling between preaching appointments, we entered a little alley and saw that someone had crudely painted a white cross on the outside of their dwelling. It was their declaration, I am a follower of the Cross of Jesus Christ! A house in an alley in India declaring, I am a follower of the cross of Jesus Christ. This a bold witness in a Hindu country. In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul wrote, But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14) Paul had been telling the church that their justification with God was much more than the keeping of the law and the ideals of men, but that in the dispensation of the Gospel, it was faith in Jesus and the merits of His grace. John Wesley interprets it this way, (God forbid that I) should boast of anything I have, am or do, or rely on anything for my acceptance with God, but what Christ hath done and suffered for me. By means of which the world is crucified to me - all the things and persons in it are to me as nothing. And I unto the world - I am dead to all worldly pursuits, cares, desires, and enjoyments. Here Paul is saying that he has perfect spiritual freedom from the world and its warped belief system and entanglements. To the Christian, the cross is an emblem of hope. It is a reminder of the grace of a merciful God. To the sinner it is a reminder of the love of a Heavenly Father. In 1707, Isaac Watts was inspired to write a song while preparing for a communion service. He originally titled it, Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ. Theologian Matthew Arnold called this the greatest hymn in the English language. Later, we would find it in our hymnals titled, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. The lyrics of the song point us to a view of the dying Savior in a vivid way and remind us of divine love. When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most I sacrifice them to His blood. See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; did e er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown? Were the whole realm of nature mine that were a present far too small: Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. What does the cross mean to you today, my friend? c

4 Home Missions Report Rev. Larry Pettit Chairman In the past year I have tried to suggest a number of things that could be tried and utilized by our churches to reach out to the lost of our communities with the Gospel message. With great interest, I have followed the home missions effort the Owosso, Michigan, church has made in their city. Read what Betty Bailey says about their outreach. It would be great if some other churches would try something similar. Owosso Church, I know this has taken dedication and sacrifice on your part. May the Lord continue to bless your work for the Master. LWP Home Missions...A religious mission operating within the country or territories of the supporting church. We look with great anticipation to see what God has in store for us at the Wendy s Gospel Sing held each month at Wendy s Hamburger Restaurant in Owosso, Michigan. We open with prayer and have a song everyone can sing to start the gospel sing. For the past almost 4 years we have had a different family singing each month for approximately one hour. We are thankful for a church and pastor (Rev. John Forsee) who backs us in prayer and attendance. The Sheldon Family from Owosso were the singers for the month of March. Hands were raised in worship and praise to God all over the building. People going through the drive-thru were stopping and looking in the windows to see what was going on. Wendy s manager even got some phone calls! Praise the Lord. One of the teens working said to me one evening...i ve never seen anything like this before!! I take all the workers homemade cookies every month and invite them to church. There are so many ways to be a home mission s worker. We feel God is moving in our midst and we are working to please Him both at Wendy s and in our church... We have had 3 new converts in the past couple months. It is God s people who need to be Home Missionary minded and get out there and work for Jesus...time is short...what we do we must do quickly! There IS a place in society for home missions. People are hungry for God...we must find them and lead them to our Savior. Yours for home missions, Betty Bailey

5 Annual PREACHER S MEETING 2012 Durant, Oklahoma As I was preparing to go home from Preacher s Meeting, I head the comment, What a wonderful Preacher s Meeting! No doubt many would Amen those words and are grateful for a profitable time together. Preacher s Meeting was enjoyed by a good number of our pastors and their families and laymen that came to the services. Rev. Chris Cravens did an outstanding job as our speaker this year. His messages were scriptural, anointed with the Holy Spirit, and laced with experiences from over twenty years of pastoral history. His messages were timely and fit the need for what our Pastors, their families, and churches are experiencing today. His handouts were helpful, informative and provided material that may be gleaned from in the future. Here are a few comments from some in attendance: I like what Bro. Cravens said about the joy sucker. Those are the people who are always seeing something that is wrong instead of being thankful for the good things that are accomplished. I want to guard against being a joy sucker, and I want to be able to overcome the vacuum of those who are. It was good to be with the brethren, and I did miss those who were not there. Rev. Mike Covington Preacher s Meeting brought a lot of encouragement to Jenn and me. The unity and love among our preachers is wonderful. The messages were so encouraging! I came home proud to be a part of the Pilgrim Nazarene family! Rev. Troy Truitt Preacher s Meeting was a real blessing to me. How I appreciated the fellowship and time to see and get together with my fellow preachers and their families. Bro. Cravens did an excellent job in preaching to the preachers. His messages and handout material were helpful. Rev. Larry W. Pettit

6 Guest Article Rev. Michael Yancey Missin Church And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: He b r e w s 10:24-25 A lot of criticism has been leveled at the oldest, largest, and many times, the most influential institution in humanity- the Church. Her buildings have cropped up all over the world, their spires piercing the landscapes of every inhabited place. Her pages of history are stained with horrible misdeeds, and her ranks have divided like a sheet of ice with a thousand hair-line cracks. Yet there is something divine in her bosom her beating heart has never stopped. Church attendance says a lot. If you are hungry, desperate for help, or have found fellowship and worship to be imperative to your spiritual health, you will attend church. If you don t think you need help, you won t. The early church saw the same patterns the faithful and the unfaithful, even those who quit coming altogether. An elderly pastor, Bro. Courtney, said he watched repeatedly people in the same patterns. He could always tell when they were starting down the first indication was missing church. Why is this such a big deal? Your soul is influenced by your surroundings. You must not willfully isolate yourself from others of like faith- you are like a lamb stranded in the wilderness with wolves catching your scent and hearing your silent cry. Though unseen, the spiritual wilderness is a real thing. The devil does his best to drive the flock out and split it up, just like animals of the chase. When you think you are alone, you are not- you are vulnerable for attack. One reason people don t come to church is because they are discouraged, and church is part of the overall picture of spiritual effort. Forsaking is rooted in three meanings: out, down, behind. If you fall out, you don t pick back up where you left off you have to catch up! Forsaking is literally getting out of the race, falling down, and lagging behind. Is that where you want to be? Those who have returned after years of missing will testify that it has been a long journey back. Get in the habit of hanging out with God s people on a regular basis! c

7 T he Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler s map, the pilgrim s staff, the pilot s compass, the soldier s sword, and the Christian s character. Here paradise is restored, heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its great subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. Author unknown

8 Nails in the Fence There once was a little boy who had a bad temper, His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn t lose his temper at all. He told his Father about it and the Father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his Father that all the nails were gone. The Father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, You have done well, my son, but look at all the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But, it won t matter how many times you say I m sorry; the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Remember that friends are very rare jewels indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed; they lend an ear, they share words of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. Passed on by the Internet

9 Story Time with Grandma D Did you ever think of giving Jesus a gift at Easter time? You probably think the time for gifts is Christmas. Oh yes also birthdays. Well, Jessica s story involves a present for Jesus at Easter. Her Sunday school was having a little contest to see which class could bring the most money for the church s missionary project during the month of April. Jessica s teacher, Miss Donaldson, thought it would be a neat idea to call it Easter Presents For Jesus. She made a pretty poster and displayed it on the classroom wall, and each Sunday in April she planned to put on it the names of those who brought a present that week. The children were all a-buzz and a-twitter about how they could earn money so they could see their name displayed on the poster. Jessica decided to collect soft drink cans and return them to the store. In the state where she lived, she would get a dime for each can she collected. Cans were scarce that first week, only bringing her sixty cents but she figured that was better than nothing. The second week she did much better, and just as she was leaving the store on Thursday with the three dollars she had in her pocket, she saw Marty, one of her friends from school, sitting by the grate in the sidewalk crying as if her heart would break. Marty, whatever is the matter? Oh, Jessica, Mommy sent me to the store to get some soup and crackers for our supper, and I ve dropped the money down in the grate, and I can t get it. Mommy will be so sad because that was the last of her money until she gets paid tomorrow. We won t have any supper tonight. Jessica told Marty to come with her and they went back in the store and purchased the food. Marty was so happy! She said, Jessica, how can I thank you? I wish I could do something for you. Quickly Jessica responded, You can, Marty. You can go to Sunday school with me this Sunday. If you will be ready Sunday morning, my parents and I will stop by your house and get you. Marty assured her she would be ready and waiting. True to her word, Marty was on the porch waiting for Jessica. When they arrived at church, all the kids were excitedly talking about how much money they had as presents for Jesus. In the classroom, Mrs. Donaldson asked each child what they had brought. When she came to Jessica, she was surprised at the answer Jessica gave. Mrs. Donaldson, I don t have any money to bring this Easter Sunday, but I do have a gift for Jesus. I d like you to meet my friend, Marty. I brought her as my gift. Our pastor said just last week that we don t have to go to a foreign land to be a missionary. We can be one right here at home. So today I am a missionary. Needless to say, Jessica s name was put on the poster for bringing an Easter Present for Jesus. How about you, boys and girls? Have you invited any of your friends to Sunday school? Have you told any of them that Jesus loves them? You, too, can be a missionary for Jesus. c Mrs. Dorothy Tiethoff is Grandma D. She would love to hear from you! Her address is grandmadt@juno.com. SUBSCRIBE NOW... 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.

10 From my journal... January 1 - February 19, 2012 As I begin my journal of January, I first want to thank the Lord for keeping His hand upon me and giving safe traveling mercies for the many miles traveled in In the three and a half years of constantly being on the road, I have only had one flat tire. God is so good to us! January 4 th, we kicked off the Missions tour in Westlake, LA, with Bro. and Sis. Adamson. It is always good to be in their home and with their people. The Westlake people are a missions-minded people and proved it by pledging their support for another year. Being a Louisiana boy I certainly enjoyed a meal with the Adamsons at Steamboat Bills following the service! The next morning, I traveled to Houston, where I made application for my visa to travel to India. I was in and out of the visa office in less than 10 minutes and my visa was issued the next day! Thank the Lord! I left Houston and traveled up to Whitehouse where Bro. and Sis. Cable took me out for supper. I definitely gain weight on these trips! The Whitehouse people responded well to the call for missions. God is helping the good folks in Whitehouse! January 6 th, I drove up to Sherman, where I would satellite from the David Taylor s home for the next few days. The Taylors were so kind to open their home to me and treated me wonderfully. I was able to borrow Bro. Taylor s office for a couple of days and get caught up on some work and preparation for the upcoming trip to India. Sunday, the 8 th, it was my privilege to present missions to the congregation in Sherman PNC. They pledged their support for another year. After a very quick lunch, I drove to Dallas, to be with Bro. and Sis. Anaya and their congregation for a 2:00p.m. service. The response to the call for missions was great. There were new people in attendance and God was in the service. Following that service, I drove over to Dallas Spanish, where some of the local preachers are filling the pulpit, and we had a wonderful service. Again, I was thrilled with how our people are maintaining the call to missions. After the service, I was treated to a great meal in the home of the Carlos Romans. After a time of fellowship, I drove back to Sherman to find my bed at the Taylors. Monday, the 9 th, I drove up to Durant, OK, and had lunch with Bro. James Dunegan. Later, we had a missions service at the Durant PNC. It was good to be with the Dodds again and as always, they treated me very well. Trent gave up his comfortable bed for me. Thank you, Trent! On Wednesday, I traveled up to Duncan, OK, where we held a joint missions service with the Duncan and Osage Hills churches. It was good to be with the Mike Covingtons and the Robert Durrs and their people. After the service, I was privileged to meet Mr. Ayden Ford. I was glad that he brought his mom and dad with him to the service. Actually, this was his first time to church, and I was honored that he would come and see me! By the way, we had to widen the doors in order to get Pastor Durr s head inside!! January 12 th, I traveled home arriving very late and was thankful for God s hand of protection once again. Sunday morning, the 15 th, I presented PNC Missions to the congregation at my home church, Pleasant Grove, AL. It is always good to be home, and we enjoyed dinner in the home of pastor, Robert Jones. That next week I had scheduled a week-long vacation with my family. It was good to be able to relax for a bit and also to help my daughter, Tara, bag a very nice buck before deer season came to a close. January 22 nd, my family and I attended church in Pell City, AL, where Bro. and Sis. Clindel Harbison pastor. The people gave well to PNC Missions and Sunday dinner was outstanding! It is hard to beat the Harbison s chicken/ sausage/shrimp gumbo!! January 29 th, I started the day by driving to Jasper, AL and continuing the Missions tour. Pastor David Fogleman and the people there received us well and God came and gave us a good service. That evening, we worshipped at Greater Faith Tabernacle in Tuscaloosa, AL, with Pastor Joe Owens. For the past five years the Pleasant Grove PNC and Greater Faith have met on the fifth Sundays. God came in a wonderful way and helped us preach. The first few days of February were spent getting ready to travel to India. I was able to attend some of the revival at our local church, with Bro. Dan Durkee. On the 11 th, I drove over to Cabot, AR, to preach for Bro. Swearingen and the good folks there. Over the past few years the enemy has really attacked this church, but I felt the God is helping them and I was glad to see new faces in the congregation. We had wonderful fellowship and the ladies put out an enormous spread for the noon meal! Following the evening service, I traveled home, due to the fact that I had much work to do to get ready for my India trip. In my next journal installment, I will recollect my trip with Bro. Truitt to India. God helped us, and there is so much to tell. May God continue to bless each of you! - SRS

11 Rev. Larry W. Pettit by Rev. Michael Yancey One fall morning, I rented a four wheel drive four wheeler for Regina and me to go trail riding on the back of some the taller mountain ranges close to the Great Divide. In my mind I can I still see the bare reaches of sandy colored peaks, swelling above the tree lines, bare and cold, awaiting the swirling clouds of winter to encircle their tops and leave a skiff of snow draped like a light shawl about their granite shoulders. Driving along, we drank in the pungent smells of decaying aspen leaves that swirled about our tires on the road, lay in heaps upon the sides of the path, and blanketed the forest floors. The hillsides were aflame with patches and swaths of aspens still in color, punctuating the deep green of the pines, firs, and blue spruce that faithfully clad the steep mountain sides. We passed old mines, with broken timbers, half closed entrances, rusty and curling tin metal buildings, frozen in time-the scene once of thousands of miners crawling like ants in and out of the mountain sides for precious metals to fill the coffers of the rich entrepreneurs. The old mountain trails, swept smooth by the passing of countless vehicles, but studded by stubborn stones, led us up and through this glorious wilderness. As we began our ascent up into this majestic country, we were met by various and sundry paths beckoning our adventure. Confusion over choices clouded our minds as we referenced the map repeatedly, trying to match the trails on land. We wanted badly to reach St. Mary s glacier but definitely had some trouble getting started. We finally took a wrong turn and wound our way up a driveway to a couples house in the middle of the woods, bordered on both sides by signs of, Private property, do not enter. Standing in the yard was a friendly faced gentleman who proved to be helpful he had been over the trails many times. He immediately and simply explained what I needed to do to get where we wanted to go. We excitedly drove back to where we had begun and started again. As we progressed up the mountainsides on boulder strewn trails, we met a couple, also lost, who were simply trying to follow a map written for them by a friend. They had a map, and no guide, and were lost, and we could not help them. It struck me that life is a lot like that. How we desperately need the faithfulness of Spirit of God to guide us into all truth. Yes, we have a map, but our own reasoning powers are not sufficient. The Scripture says, holy men of God spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. In another portion it is said that the Spirit of God would tell us this is the way, walk ye in it. May we be ever sensitive to seek the wisdom of God. His presence is extremely essential to us getting where we want to go. The scenery and adventure is so much better as we follow His voice, the words and the map making sense together. I am afraid that many wanderings in our lives have to do with our lack of seeking His direction and blessing. We assume so much, and make small concessions to desires not entirely sanctioned by the Spirit of God. It just makes sense, we say. In our lack of seeking help through humility we find ourselves traveling trails that do not lead us to where we need to go. Lord, help us to find our way! c

12 The Pilgrim Nazarene 5428 Walnut Drive Sylvan Springs, AL Mark your calendars! Registration deadline is Ma y 18t h!! For registration forms and more information, visit our website: or contact Jennifer Truitt at or jennatruitt7@yahoo.com