Harvest Blog

The last couple of Sunday nights I have preached on marriage. I think many of us take our marriages for granted. We pour time and money into our children, activities, work, and many other things. But what do we pour into our marriage? Many times we know something is wrong, or the relationship just doesn’t seem right, but we fail to work on it because other parts of our life get in the way. What a shame that we let the most important human relationship in our lives fall by the wayside.

This is why my wife and I make it a point to attend couples retreat yearly. I have heard people say, “My wife and I already have a good marriage. Do I really need to spend the money to reiterate what I already know?” Why not strive to make a good marriage better. I have heard others say, “I would go but my husband / wife doesn’t want to go.” If your the one holding out give up. Wives, the Bible tells you to follow your husband’s leadership. Husbands the Bible tells you to care for your wife as you care for your own body and to love her as Christ loves the church. I have even heard people say, “My wife and I have a better marriage than most couples so these couples retreats never speak to us where we are. They seem to always be for people with bad marriages.” This same excuse could also be made for attending church. I will personally guarantee that if you and your wife attend couples retreat this fall with an open heart that your marriage will get better. That could be the difference of bad to good or good to best. Either way you should be desirous of the best marriage that you can have.

The speaker this year is Dr. Bud Steadman He was the speaker for our missions conference last December. He is the is the executive director of Baptist World Missions and is an excellent speaker. The retreat is hosted by Grand View Camp and will be held at the beautiful Glen Eyrie Camp and Conference Center in Colorado Springs. You won’t want to miss this great opportunity to pour into the most important human relationship in your life. If you are in need of child care please let me know and I will help you. Please make your plans to be their. See the attached flyer for for pricing and dates.

The Memorial Service for Grandma Wall is tomorrow, June 3rd at 11:30am. I hope to see you there to encourage the Heads and celebrate the life of Viola Wall.

I am praying for you,
Pastor Josh

Popularity: 2% [?]

Dear Church Family,

Natalie Jane Musgrave was born at 4:08 a.m. on Sunday Morning May 23rd. She was 8lb 14oz and 20 1/2 inches long. You know she is the pastors kid since she decided to be born on a Sunday. We had a safe delivery and both she and Priscilla are doing well. Here are a few pictures for those of you who would like to see them.

She should be at church on Sunday for those of you who would like to get a more personal look.

Thanks for your prayers for Natalie. We are praying that she accepts Christ at a young age and goes on to serve the Lord with her life.

I’ll see you all on Sunday,
Pastor Josh

Popularity: 3% [?]

This is a continuation of last weeks Pastor’s Corner on church attendance. You may want to look up last weeks and read it if you didn’t get a chance to read it. Click here for to read last weeks Pastor’s Corner.

I have heard a ton of excuses about why people don’t come to church. The people at Church are hypocrites. I don’t have nice clothes to wear. I don’t need to go to church. I can worship God, even while I am fishing. I have to work late on Saturday night. I only get to sleep in on one day and that’s Sunday. Church isn’t important. Church is for good people who haven’t messed up. You don’t know what I’ve done. They’re so many churches. I don’t know anyone there. I want to spend time with my family. I believe that all of these, and many other excuses all boil down to self-focus (Notice I said excuses not reasons an excuse is a lie with the skin of a reason. Don’t let Satan fool you with his lies). How does church impact me, my family, my job, ect?

The church isn’t just another social event. The church is the body of Christ. The people in each local church need each other. We are interdependent. Just like your whole body would be affected if you lost your arm so the church is affected when you don’t do your part and attend. We are to be, “provoking one another to love and good works,” and “exhorting one another.” Some have said, “That was really important when the church was just starting but it just isn’t as important anymore.” The author of Hebrews would disagree, “and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” Church attendance should become more and more important as the day of Christ’s return draws nearer. The Bible says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come (2 Timothy 3:1).” During these perilous times we need to have the encouragement that God has provided for us through the church.

This is why we have multiple services during the week. Not so that you can pick and choose but because we are meeting more as the day of the Lord returns. Sunday morning we meet to be encouraged and challenged by the word of God. We meet together on Sunday night so that we can get into the doctrine of the Word. We meet together Thurdsay night so that we can expectantly pray for God to work in our Church. On Saturday morning the men meet to pray for God to work in our Sunday services. We have activities and fellowships so that you can encourage and lift each other up. If you are missing out on these things it isn’t that God hasn’t provided them for you it is that God is calling you to come.

Those who are attending church need to recognize the reason that they attend is to lift each other up. To point each to Christ who is the head of the body. We don’t just sit in church as soak up all that the Bible can give to us. But we encourage each other in Christ. We draw close to each other through the word of God. We get involved in what God is doing. We come to church to bask in the love of the one who died for us and to show his love to each other and be prepared to go out and show the world.

I’m praying for each of you and I’ll see you Sunday.
Pastor Josh

P.S. Still no baby

Popularity: 2% [?]

Why does a person choose to attend church? This has been a question that has been plaguing me ever since moving to Castle Rock. Is it so we can pacify our conscience for the week? To be able to enjoy fellowship with those who think and act like we do? So the church can justify owning a building? So we can tell our unsaved coworkers that we attend church? Is it to worship God? To obey God’s command to attend church? To receive forgiveness of sins? Is it just another social gathering? Is it so that the pastor can have a job? To be spiritually fed? Is it just what you have always done? Ok, I think you get the picture I really don’t know why you attend church or why you don’t attend church. I also don’t have the ability to judge why you come or why you don’t come to church. As I have contemplated these questions and many others (I chose to spare you from my barrage of questions) I have become convinced that each person needs to understand the reason that they choose to come to church and then reflect on what the Bible says about attending Church.

The most definitive passage in the Bible about church attendance is found in the book of Hebrews. “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: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).” The context of this passage is shows that a positive response to the gospel results in salvation. It shows us this through three clauses beginning with the phrase “let us”. Verse 22 reveals that a person draws near to Christ through faith. Verse 23 shows us that a person holds fast to Christ through hope. This passage is about encouraging other Christians by showing Christ’s love to them.

These three responses faith, hope and love are also seen in 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. “And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).” These are the lasting affects of salvation. Notice that the most important lasting fruit is love. In Hebrews 10 we see that love is reflected by church attendance, “assembling of ourselves together”. This passage is not speaking about simply doing your Christian duty or filling a pew it is about encouraging each other in love. Notice it says in verse 24, “And let us consider one another.” Church attendance is not about you. It is not about what is convenient, easy, accessible, fun, entertaining, or even worshipful. It is about others. You should attend church so that you can “provoke” encourage each other in love to do what Christ is calling you to do. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”

This article will be continued next week so stay tuned.

So why do you choose to attend or not attend church? Is it for the right reason? Are you doing what God is calling you to do in church? I’ll see you on Sunday.

Through his Grace,
Pastor Josh

There is not Thursday evening service this week because it is Paul Nelson’s is High school graduation. I encourage all of you to come to his graduation service.

Popularity: 3% [?]

“Why do we do the things we do?” Since I became pastor (4 1/2 weeks ago) I have been trying to answer this question in my Sunday morning messages. This last Sunday I preached on Romans 11:33-12:2. We looked at the real meaning of worship. When you think of worship what comes to your mind? Is it singing? Is it praying? Is is a feeling of love or devotion to God? Is attending it a service at Church? Though you can worship God while doing all of these things none of these by themselves is worship. The peak of worship does not occur primarily in a church service or while praying or feeling close to God. Truly worshiping God happens every time that you yield your will to His will. It happens when you live on the sacrificial altar, when you allow God to transform your life. True worship is living for God and doing what he is calling you to do right now. That may be choosing to give up a certain sin, attending church on Sunday or Thursday, reading your Bible daily, getting more involved at Church, witnessing to your friends and family, or even giving your life to full time ministry.

As you read this you may be thinking, “If I live my life like that I’ll be miserable because God wants to do __________ to me.” This quandary is where we see the greatest miracle of worship. The end of Roman’s 12:2 says, “that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [NASB].” The Bible says by worshiping God with our Lives we prove his will. The first thing we prove about God’s will is that it is good. The word good in the original language means generous. It implies a relationship having a relationship to goodness. The scripture is telling us that if we worship God with our lives we will be happy. 1 John 1:4 says, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” The happiest most joyful life that you can live will be the one that worships and glorifies God the most. This does not mean the absence or trials or difficulties, but the presence of joy that can only come from God in those circumstances of life. This thinking is revolutionizing my life and I am praying that it will revolutionize our Church. Just imagine what God would do in Castle Rock if every one of us would Worship God with our life.

This next Sunday I will be answering the question, “Why is preaching so important?” I hope and you will be there to hear God speak to you this Sunday.

Monday we held the Funeral and Memorial Service for Helen Nick. It was a joy to celebrate a life that was lived for Christ and see how her life impacted her family. Continue to be in prayer for the family as they grieve.

Continue to pray for Wil Kroeker’s digestive system. He is still struggling with eating and is in much pain.

Pray for the 2 Inquires Bible Studies that we have going on right now. I am praying that we would see both of these individuals saved and added to our church.

Pray with me that we would see visitors this next Sunday.

I am praying for each of you,
Pastor Josh

Popularity: 3% [?]

We had a great Exchange seminar last week. It was encouraging to see 6 people graduate from the soul winning and discipleship training. I was able to witness to one of my neighbors last week and he and will be continuing with the Inquires Bible Study. I was also able to go through the gospel with a teen that visits our youth group and his family. Casey was able to go through the entire gospel presentation with his mother and they will be continuing in the Inquires Bible Study. What a blessing to see so many opportunities to be a witness last week. Let’s not let the excitement for soul winning wear off. If our church is to grow it will be through soul winning and discipleship.

I have been convicted that I do not talk to my neighbors about Christ. The Lord had been working in my heart but I was fearing ruining a relationship. Last week in the exchange seminar I decided that I would witness to my neighbors the next time I had a chance. Last Friday night I went next door to witness really fearing what would happen. I was surprised that my neighbor wanted me to come in and speak with him. I think that I have trained myself to expect rejection when talking about Christ instead of expecting God to work. I am reminded of the promise in Matthew 9:37 “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;” Be a Godly witness to your neighbors and take every opportunity to bring them to Christ.

Sunday was a bit down on attendance. I think that we had a lot of people that were sick, however I want to encourage you to be faithful. Every Sunday that a person misses makes it easier to miss the next.

Pray for Wil Kroeker he is in much pain. His small intestines are constricted making it difficult to eat.

Also pray for the Nick family. Helen Nick died this morning. The funeral is going to be at Highlands Baptist Church on Monday the 26th. The funeral will be in the morning a specific time is yet to be decided. Pray for the family as they make the necessary plans.

I am praying for each of you,
Pastor Josh

Popularity: 4% [?]