The Pilgrim Nazarene Volume VII No. 6 The Official Organ of the Pilgrim Nazarene Church Sept/Oct 2010
CONTENTS Sept/Oct 2010 Volume VII No. 6 DEPARTMENTS Perspective 2 From the General Superintendent 3 The Great Commission 4 Church Destroyed by Fire 6 Activity in Our Local Churches 7 Truth for Teens 8 Grandma D s Story Time 9 Devotions for Plain Folks 10 Tribute to Lillian H. Lane 11 EDITOR Larry W. Pettit GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT Stephen R. Snodgrass GENERAL SECRETARY Mark Russell Jr. GENERAL TREASURER Michael Covington GENERAL FOREIGN MISSIONS SECRETARY Stephen E. Robinson Printing and Circulation: Country Pines, Inc., Shoals, IN. www.countrypinesprinting.com Photo Credits: Front cover photo courtesy of Jupiter Images. The Pilgrim Nazarene The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald is published bi-monthly by Pilgrim Nazarene Publishing, 1925 W. 59th St., Davenport, IA 52806. Phone: 563-676-8187 E-mail: lpetes@att.net Web Address: www.pilgrimnazarene.org Subscription price: $10.00 per year for a single issue or $100.00 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 52806. the editor s perspective CHRISTIAN TATTOOS? While listening to the radio the other day, I heard the discussion on Christian Tattoos. The essence of which was if you wanted one, so what get one, no one is supposed to judge you for what you do but accept you as you are. As I listened and thought about this subject I could not help but think of God s Word and what it says. I think this is a subject we need to look at because so many just follow the (flesh) and what they want to do, rather than live by the spirit and do what God desires. Many are living in the condition of Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. {motions: Gr. passions} and Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. There is a deeper, closer walk of Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. There is also the thought that your body is not your own. Christ died to redeem or purchase you and that means body, soul, and spirit. 1Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Also, 2Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then there is God s command in Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flash for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord. That seems a little hard to understand at first but when you see it in the Hebrew it says Le 19:28 Ye shall not make <nathan> any <k@thobeth> cuttings <seret> in your flesh <basar> for the dead <nephesh>, nor print <nathan> any marks <qa`aqa`> upon you: I am the LORD <Y@hovah>. The word for dead is nephesh it means any appetite, desire, lust or pleasure. It is the same word used in Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Your soul, that is you, your personality, and your character that part of you that will live on forever and forever. And God is saying do not make cuttings that includes piercing for your own, desires, pleasures, appetites or lusts or marks or tattoos because you belong to the Lord. Some will say that is Old Testament this is New Testament but...continued on page 11 2 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald September/October 2010
from the desk of the General Superintendent Rev. Stephen R. Snodgrass I Surrender All I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). All to Jesus I surrender; all to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. All to Jesus I surrender; humbly at His feet I bow. Worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me, Jesus, take me now. All to Jesus I surrender; make me, Saviour, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, truly know that Thou art mine. All to Jesus I surrender; Lord, I give myself to Thee. Fill me with Thy love and power; let Thy blessing fall on me. All to Jesus I surrender; now I feel the sacred flame. Oh, the joy of full salvation! Glory, glory to His name! I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. Judson W. Van DeVenter, the author of I Surrender All, had struggled for some time with a call into full-time ministry. He had become a successful professor and was accomplished in the field of arts, but in a revival meeting he settled in his heart to surrender to the call of God. The words that he penned have expressed so eloquently the life and desires of the child of God who has fully surrendered to the perfect will of God. Over the past few months, I have been reminded many times of my commitment to the perfect will of God. As my wife and I were told that she had cancer of the lungs and liver and it was very progressed, Connie asked for a pen and paper and wrote down the words to He Giveth More Grace. Two days later, as she lay in CCU gasping for breath, the words to another song came to mind His strength is perfect, when our strength is gone. The next morning, as I was pushed out of CCU, and they put my wife on life support, it seemed that all of our plans and dreams began to crash around us. Life with a new baby (Madelyn Grace had been born just three weeks prior) summer vacation many plans for the future growing old together. As the hours passed and the doctors did not give us much hope, we clung to the skirts of our Heavenly Father. In the middle of this storm, I was reminded one more time of the day that I said Yes to God. Yes to His will. Yes to the unknown. Just as I was faithful to the vows that I made to my wife on our wedding day, I was faithful to hold to the vows to my Father. I surrender ALL! As the hours turned into days and the days into weeks and weeks into months, and we felt the strong arms of our Saviour holding us up, I remain surrendered to Him. Today my wife had her last dose of chemotherapy. The outlook is good and we are thankful. A scripture that has held us up during this time is Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I recently read of a preacher who had just lost his family to a tragic fire, and had fallen into the depths of a deep and dark depression. As he was walking down a city street he came upon a construction crew that was building a new church. He stopped to watch them as they worked. As he watched, he observed a worker who was busy carving a triangle out of stone with a chisel and hammer. Stepping closer, he asked the stonecutter what he was carving. The worker pointed to the steeple of the church and said, Do you see that small opening up there near the top of the steeple? Well, I am carving this stone down here so that it will fit in up there. It is my desire to live in such a way that the Master Builder can shape me after His fashion, so I will fit up there. SRS September/October 2010 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald 3
recently read, Missionary simply means someone I charged with the mission of Christ and it struck a cord with me. I think it is a very Biblical meaning for the word missionary. It seems to me, we must change our mental concepts that often prevail and have become engrained in our thinking of what and who a missionary is. To think that a missionary only means some one who leaves America and goes to foreign lands is to rob us of our duty, calling, and responsibility. To begin to realize that in all reality we as Christians are pilgrims in a strange and foreign land, and that we are just passing through. As we pass through on this journey of ours called life, once we have repented of our sins and have become a Christian, we are then to follow, listen to and obey the voice and commands of the Lord to our souls. These commands come from the words of Jesus found in the Word of God. The first duty Jesus gave to His disciples just before His ascension. He said, in Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in the Great Commission Home Missions Larry W. Pettit all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Every follower of Jesus is directed to wait upon God and receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. As a result of this, you are then to be a witness for Christ. Each one is charged with this mission to be a witness. To be a witness makes one a missionary in the truest sense of the word. Have you been witnessing for Christ? Begin today, ask God to lead someone into your path that you may be a witness of what Christ has done for you. Every follower of Jesus is directed to wait upon God and receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. As a result of this, you are then to be a witness for Christ. Each one is charged with this mission to be a witness. We are told we are laborers with God, 1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God s husbandry, ye are God s building. This tells us that each one who is a born again believer is to be an active participant in the building of God s Kingdom. One way to do that is to become an active member in your local church. Once again becoming a missionary for Christ, and fulfilling the high calling of God to your soul. This may even stir a revival in the midst of our churches as more and more realize how important and vital they are in the work of God. God wants to make a missionary out of you. 4 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald September/October 2010
Ministry to Lepers Brother Johnpaul has begun a ministry to the lepers of India. Just as in Jesus day there are those who are so thankful to hear and receive the Gospel Message. Jesus loves and is able to save the lepers of this day. September/October 2010 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald 5
Church Destroyed by Fire Most Honored Bro.Steve, I with my immense joy greet you in our Lord's blessed name. Dear Honored Brother, a Pathetic news which occurred on 8th June- 2010. Fire accident took place where our Pastor D.Chennaih s church is available. It causes greater damage such as 20 thatched houses including Pr.D.Chennaih s church, including church furniture, electrical fans, PA system, Bibles and all belongings of our believers are burnt down. Kindly pray for them they are now homeless left with out food, to say in other words their utensils are also burnt down for they can not cook. Kindly pray for them, so that their needs are very much met. It s our prayer that all matters must run smooth in their affair. As our responsibility, we could distribute them rice and blankets for some victims, it is initial help. May God Almighty with His eternal plans influence us in His glory, so that we may glorify Him. Pictures regarding fire accident are attached below for your kind reference. Yours in His Great Service, Bro. Johnpaul 6 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald September/October 2010
Activity in Our Local Churches Completed building at West Lake, Louisiana Pilgrim Nazarene Church Youth Group Builds Noah s Ark Replica The Youth group from the Davenport Pilgrim Nazarene Church have had an on going project for several weeks. They are building a replica of Noah s Ark. Each week there has been a Bible lesson of scripture that tells of Noah s day and the coming flood. Under the direction of Pastor Pettit, the youth have built the ark with 3 stories, cages for the animals and rooms for Noah and his family. It has been exciting and a hands on learning experience. September/October 2010 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald 7
Truth Youth and Revival As the fall season comes upon us, and our churches prepare for local revival meeting, I wonder if the youth of each of those churches know how important their part in the revival effort really is. Revival is not just for the old people in the church. Revival is for everyone in the church. It is a time of reviving, refreshing, and renewing of our spiritual lives. The challenge of this article is to help young people see the need of revival for their individual lives. To see the need to be a part of carrying the burden for a move of God upon their church. What can a young person do to be a part of revival in a local church? Let us try to answer this question. Revival comes when a soul is obedient to the will of God, and seeks the presence of God with all their heart; therefore, if the youth of a local church do their part by being obedient and taking time to pray and seek God and his will, they can and will become an important part of revival. How long has it been since you as a young person made your way to the place of prayer before a service in your local church, taking advantage of the opportunity to ask God to come and meet with you and your fellow church members? Youth can make a difference. Young people can pray. They can sing. They can testify. They can invite others. They can boost the preacher while he is preaching. They can become a very vital part of worship. The devil loves to discourage young people by telling them that they are not important, but in our churches you young people are important. Keep praying. Keep singing. Keep testifying. Keep boosting. Stay encouraged, and don t ever quit. We are counting on you. Praying for Revival, Robert Jones 8 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald September/October 2010
Scaredy Cat Caleb Bedtime, Caleb, Mother said. These were the words Caleb dreaded to hear. It wasn t going to bed he disliked just the fact it would be oh so DARK! You see, Caleb was afraid of the dark. Caleb took as long as he could to put away his toys he needed a drink took forever brushing his teeth then, Can I call Grandma and tell her good-night? He tried every trick he could think of to stall the dreaded time of getting into bed and turning out the light. It would then be DARK! When he finally reached his bedroom, he slowly undressed put on his pj s and knelt beside his bed and began his nightly prayer, Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should If I should It was difficult for Caleb to say the last part of his prayer because Caleb was also afraid of dying. In his mind, dark and dying seemed to go together. He finally hurried through the rest of his prayer If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Jumping into bed, he turned out his lamp, and pulled his covers clear over his head, trying to hide from the dark. Christmas vacation was coming up and he would be allowed to spend four whole days at Grandpa and Grandma s farm. He loved the farm. There were so many cool things to do. The only problem with the farm was that when night came, it was really DARK! There was not even any street lights out there. The first night on the farm, Grandma noticed Caleb was stalling as long as he could when bedtime came. She sensed there must be a reason for this, so when she went to his bedroom to tuck him in (Grandma always did this), she asked him if he knew that God said in the Bible, the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee (God) Psalm 139:12. You see, Caleb, night and day darkness and light makes no difference to Him. He sees us just as clearly in the dark as He does in the light. God loves us and wants us to trust in Him. He loved us so much He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. He never sinned, but took our sins, so we could be forgiven of all the bad things we have done and go to Heaven to live with Him when we die. How can I get my sins forgiven, Grandma? We must admit we are a sinner believe Jesus died for our sins ask Him to forgive us. He said in the Bible, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (I John 1:9a). I would like to do that, Grandma. They knelt together beside his bed and Caleb, in his own way, prayed not the Now I Lay Me prayer, but told Jesus he wanted Him to forgive him for all his sins and come into his heart to live. Grandma then prayed, Heavenly Father, how I thank Thee that Caleb has given his heart to You. Now I ask You to make him a strong Christian and take this fear of the dark out of his heart. Help him to realize You are with him in the dark as well as the light. In Jesus name, Amen. How happy Caleb was to know that now he was a child of God! Grandma helped Caleb memorize the Scripture, the darkness and the light are both alike to thee (God). Every time he was tempted to be afraid in the dark, he would quote it. That is how Caleb got the victory over the DARK! Adapted by Grandma D from a story written by Rose Mae Carvin Mrs. Dorothy Tiethoff is Grandma D. She would love to hear from you! Her e-mail address is grandmadt@juno.com. SUBSCRIBE NOW... Grandma D The Pilgrim Nazarene The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald is published bi-monthly by Pilgrim Nazarene Publishing, 1925 W. 59th St., Davenport, IA 52806. Phone: 563-322-8100 E-mail: lpetes@att.net Web Address: www.pilgrimnazarene.org Subscription price: $10.00 per year for a single issue or $100.00 per year for a bundle of ten (10) issues. September/October 2010 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald 9
Rev. Larry W. Pettit The Measure of My Days Ps 39:4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am {how...: or, what time I have here}. Time is a funny thing; when we are young, we have no concept of it, it continues to flee and never stands still. We hurry to wait and at times we have to wait when we are in a hurry. We can t wait for the time to come and then it is over before we know it. We pillow our head and once again the sun rises and brings about a new day only to start all over again. I listened to the man in his seventies, standing in the aisle of the church saying it seems like only yesterday, I was six years old and coming to this church. How can it be that over three score of years can pass by one day at a time and yet seem like such a fleeting number of days forever gone; be like such a brief memory? Then there is that Great Grandma or Grandpa that says my body tells me I am getting old, I feel that and see that, yet inside I have that something that tells me, I feel young; despite my creaking bones and decaying health. Could that be the soul and spirit that runs parallel to deity, that part of a person that shall live on forever and forever, perhaps that part of the Psalmist that realized what a precious commodity time is. And looking down the telescope of time he realized I must come to grips with this thing called time. We all have a death sentence on us. Yet we are tempted to live as though that day shall never come. We waste our lives and our time because we haven t come to grips with how short our days upon this earth can be. Then, with hardly any thought, we drift from day to day with not much of an aim or goal or ambition to make the days count for something let alone make them count for God and His kingdom. It was not a morbid looking to the end, but a desire to make the days before that end be spent wisely and in the consideration of the LORD. To learn what really counts in life. To know what really matters, to cherish those times with loved ones and family. To make those dreams happen and to do those chores and reach those goals while there is still time and ability to do so. It was a realization no matter the strength, the health and the ability time has a way like rust to eat away at all our faculties and to deliver us to the yonder shore of the island called life before we know it. So, to be enlightened by that; how can I and what can I do like the Psalmist to make my life so as to be pleasing to the LORD and fulfilling that when I stand before Him, I may hear, Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 10 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald September/October 2010
Dear PNC Church Family; During my first few weeks here at Penn View, I have learned many things; some in the classroom, and some in day to day life. The one lesson that sticks in the forefront of my mind, however, is how God always has His children in the forefront of his mind. I thank each and every one of you that contributed to my Scholarship; I am blessed and honored. An even greater honor, however, one that I feel working in my life every day, is your prayers. I hope that you will continue to remember me as I study to go in to full-time service for the Kingdom. God bless each and every one of you. Chip Dodd Christian Tattoos? Continued from page 2 again remember the words of Jesus, Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Jesus has ransomed you, body, soul and spirit, you are to belong to him. He wants to make His abode within you and live the Christian life through you. Don t join the herd mentality, just because someone says everyone is doing it, that does not make it right; and everyone is not doing it. The out come of the radio discussion was, well as Christians you shouldn t but Lets look to God s Word and He makes it definitely clear. Your body is not your own. Let it be the temple God has meant for it to be. Holiness and Humility Continued from back page holy men, and the mote which he was sure he saw in his neighbor s eye he now finds to have been the shadow of the beam that was in his own eye. An earnest, sanctified man once said to me, There are certain sins I once thought it was morally impossible for me to commit, but the Holy Spirit has shown me the awful deceitfulness of my heart, and I now see that before He cleansed me there were in me the seeds of all iniquity, and there is no sin I might not have committed, and no depth of moral degradation to which I might not have sunk, but for the restraining grace of God. One who has thus seen the plague of his own heart may be cleansed in the precious blood and have a holy heart, but he will never say to another, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou (Isa. 65:5). Tribute to Lillian H. Lane 1924-2010 Lillian H. Lane of Jasper, AL, passed away on Thursday, May 13, 2010. She was a member of the Pilgrim Nazarene Church in Jasper. She is survived by two daughters, Jacky Franks and Sandra Lane; one son, Stephen H. Lane; six grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; one brother, Howard Clemons; and two sisters, Ann Ward and Francis Crowley. She was preceded in death by daughter, Lyndia Watts. I had the distinct privilege of pastoring Sis. Lane for a number of months before she passed from this earth to her eternal reward. She will be greatly missed. Her steady smile was always an inspiration to those around her. She was a true Mother in Israel. She was a faithful member of the Jasper Church for many years. She served her country by working in a munitions factory. She was a good friend to those who knew her and a loyal supporter of the work of God. At the end of her life she may have been somewhat confused about some things (people s names, etc.), but there was one thing that was always clear in her mind she loved Jesus! She looked forward to seeing Him face-to-face. She was praising God not long before she made the crossing. There is not a doubt in my mind that one minute she was in her weary, eighty-six year old earthly dwelling and the next minute she was Safe in the Arms of Jesus! Wesley said, Our people die well. In Lillian Lane we have the perfect example of someone who lived for God on this earth, who died well, and who lives with God still in Heaven! Respectfully Submitted, David Fogleman, Jr. September/October 2010 The Pilgrim Nazarene Herald 11
The Pilgrim Nazarene 1925 W. 59th St. Davenport, IA 52806 Those who oppose holiness often say that we who profess it are proud, and that the doctrine tends to spiritual pride. But the truth is, that holiness goes down to the root of all pride and digs it up utterly. A holy man is one who has found himself out, and pronounced judgment against himself, and come to Jesus to be made every whit whole. And so long as he keeps the blessing he is deeply humble. God said to Israel by the Prophet Ezekiel, Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourself in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abomination (Ezek. 36:31). This is a certain effect of entire sanctification. The sinful heart apologizes for itself, excuses inbred sin, favors it, and argues for it. A man who still has the carnal mind says, I think one ought to have a little pride. I would not give the snap of my finger for a man who had not some temper. A man who will not stand up for his rights is weak. Not so the man who is holy. He remembers his former pride and loathes Holiness and Humility by Samuel Logan Brengle himself for it, and longs and prays to sink deeper and deeper into the infinite ocean of his Savior s humility until every trace and stain of pride are for ever washed away. He remembers his hasty temper and hates it. He cries day and night for the perfect meekness of the Lamb of God who, like a sheep dumb before her shearers, opened not His mouth, while His enemies worked their fiendish will; and, so far from smiting back, would not even talk back, but prayed, Father, forgive them. He sees the beauty of God s holiness and loves it. He sees the full extent of his former corruption and acknowledges and loathes it. Before, he thought man had some natural goodness, but now he knows and confesses that the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises and putrefying sores (Isa. 1:5-6). He sees his own evil ways. At one time he thought that there was not one holy man on earth, for he could see a mote in every man s eye; but now he discovers that there are many...continued on page 11