Harvest Blog

Greetings to you all from Pastor Nelson.

We experienced blessing last Sunday at Harvest Baptist Church. In the Morning Service we considered truths about the fact that Memorial Day should be in memory of those who have given their lives that we in America might enjoy freedom. We must thank God for those who have laid down their lives for us. What a sacred thing freedom is. We often just take it for granted.

Jan Waters brought the special music in the Morning Service. As a retired Army Officer she sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Really,her message in song was a great blessing to us all—especially when we realize that right at this time she is fighting a very difficult battle with cancer. We need to pray for her.

As I think of freedom in America, I think about what that freedom has brought. The very blessings that came from freedom can be the instruments causing our apathy and endangering our freedom. This morning I read in my devotions Isaiah 2:7-8. These two verses should be a warning to us all.
“Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.”

Our beloved land, the U.S.A., has prospered as no other nation has ever prospered—surely we have been filled with silver and gold. Because of that we have become a mighty nation militarily, pictured in the verse as being a land filled with horses and an abundance of chariots. But, then verse eight tells us the result of our affluence and abundance: “Their land also is full of idols; they worship the works of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.” History reveals wherever a nation has become affluent, it has also become lukewarm—indifferent and careless. Worshiping idols turns our hearts away from worship of the Lord. We see this on every hand in America. We are busy worshiping our idols that come from materialism.

God warns further in Isaiah 2:11: “The lofty looks of man shall be humble, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” In America we need to repent and turn back to God. Twice—in Isaiah 2:11 & 17—we read these words: “…and the Lord alone shall be exalted
in that day.” May we right now put the lord first—thus exalt Him. Each of us must say we want to exalt the Lord in our lives.

Next Sunday is a SPECIAL DAY.
We will celebrate the Ninth Anniversary of the founding of the Church.
And the church has decided to honor Guyla and me since we will celebrate our 60th Wedding Anniversary next Tuesday, June 2.

To celebrate we are having dinner on the grounds after the Morning Service. Following our meal time together we will have an Afternoon Service with Pastor Jeff Musgrave, Highlands Baptist Church, Centennial, speaking. Do plan to come Sunday morning, study the Bible together in Adult Bible Study and Sunday School, worship the Lord with us in the Morning Service, have Sunday noon dinner on the grounds at the church, and stay for the early Afternoon Service right after our dinner on the grounds. It promises to be a great day of blessing . This means of course, that we will not have our Sunday Evening service at 6:00 as we usually do on Sunday.

We will look forward to seeing you next Sunday.

Pastor Nelson

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Blessings last Sunday at Harvest Baptist Church.

You might ask how i know about the blessings last Sunday. You see,
Guyla and I were not able to attend. I had prepared a message for
Mothers’ Day and was planning to be in Church and bring that message.
However on our journey back from the Carolinas, we ran into some
problems at the Charlotte Airport. The weather shut down the airport
so that no planes took off. In fact it shut down while we were on
the way to take off. There were 8 planes ahead of us, and the
authorities stopped all eight on approach to the runway. This caused
us to miss our connection in Detroit, and we had to stay Saturday
night in Detroit. We caught the first available flight out Sunday
morning, but we did not get to the Church until the Morning Service
had ended. So if we were not there, how did we know the service was a
blessing?

We learned about the blessing from various people who were there. I
called Pastor Josh Sunday morning and told him of our dilemma. He had
no earlier warning than that. He said he would preach if we did not
get there in time. He did. The people were raving about his good
message. Many came to me and voluntarily told me about the blessing
of the service. Amen! Praise the Lord! Many a man would have
panicked in such a situation. But not Pastor Josh. He was ready to
preach, and his message was a blessing to those in attendance.

I encourage you all to be present next Sunday. Again my wife and I
will be gone this time it has been pre-scheduled. We are going to be
attending a piano recital by and a graduation for our twin
granddaughters in Eagan, MN. Their graduation is Sunday afternoon.
We are looking forward to this time with the family.

Again Pastor Josh will be preaching. So the blessings will continue.

What is it that makes a church service a blessing? It is the
preaching of the Word of God. In fact I have just read in my
devotions about what should constitute a good church service. The
prescription for a good service is given in Nehemiah 8:8: “So they
read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and
caused them to understand the reading.” That must be the purpose of
coming together in a church service. The Word of God should be read;
then its rightful meaning should be presented so that all can
understand what the Bible is saying. That will happen again next
Sunday under Pastor Josh’s ministry.

Keep praying for Jan Waters as she undergoes treatment for her
cancer. Also pray for Ann Kroeker. She is getting much worse. The
Kroekers are not sure when they can come back to church. Ann is
requiring much more care. Pray for Ann’s health and for strength for
Wil and Terrey.

Don’t forget that Sunday, May 24, is Military Appreciation Day.
Let’s bring military personnel (active or retired) with us to church
that day.

Yours and His,

Ed Nelson, Pastor

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