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Ramblings from Retirement – Words Do Mean Things By Pastor (Retired) Lee Hemen March 29, 2022 The other day I was outside working in my yard getting things ready for spring, and the growing season, I began to think about how people today think that by using the right words or phrases will solve our problems. Now I know that many of them do not truly believe this, and they are simply endorsing their own politically correct propaganda in order to bring about a change in the world that fits their own paradigm. However, I suddenly realized that these social misfits do not realize it but they are endorsing what Jesus taught. And, I am sure that many of them would be horrified to realize this truth. One afternoon while Jesus was berating the hypocrites in the crowds that constantly followed him, he bluntly told them, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil ...

 Ramblings from Retirement – Words Mean Things By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen May 5, 2021 Recently there was a video played on national TV that displayed a black woman pulled over by a sheriff deputy for driving while talking on her cell phone. She claimed she was a teacher, had her child in the car sitting next to her and luckily the officer had his own body camera filming the whole scene. By the way the officer remained completely professional, courteous, and did his job while the woman went totally berserk berating the officer with racial slurs, vulgar language, and name calling. It turns out she has a history of doing this and tired to file a police report of the incident claiming that the officer profiled her for no reason. Good thing the deputy had videoed the whole incident. I was reminded of when Jesus related to the crowd that “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyon...

Ramblings from Retirement: Language Is More than Words! By Lee Hemen (retired pastor) December 7, 2020 People sure are loose with their language in our day. Not just with the foul-mouthed verbiage they use but with the excuses they make in order to justify their ungodly actions. It reminds me of King Saul and how he tried to use excuses and words to justify his own rebellion to God. He was told by Samuel, God’s spokesman (prophet), to “attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” Now to our “sensitive” ears that may sound harsh, judgmental, and unjustified but it wasn't. We often try to judge history with our own preconceived notions of what is justified today but to do so is to error big time. We dare not judge people in history by today’s standards and especially God. He had pretty good reasons for why he wanted the Amalekites destroyed. God kn...

Vows, revenge, and enemies! – Matthew 5:33-48 By Pastor Lee Hemen March 24, 2019 Foul language, disrespect, arrogance and revengeful attitudes have become a societal norm. So much so you have those who actually think that you can dictate through laws how to make people act respectful toward one another. The Washington State Legislature is considering a law that would enforce rules against bullying in schools. Believe me it will not stop the perceived problem they are trying to solve. Laws are a Band-Aid approach to a deeper problem. Remember Jesus was trying to get his audience to realize that it isn’t what comes out of a person that matters as much as what is inside a person. Jesus taught that “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45 NIV)” That which is “stored up” inside of us is what truly shows the world what w...

Anger! – Matthew 5:21-26 By Pastor Lee Hemen March 10, 2019 Angry words can never be taken back. Society’s standard of foul and angry words has declined in recent years, but we don’t have to decline with it, we should think about how to honor God with our speech. We please the Lord with our tongue when we show discernment. Proverbs 10:19 reminds us that “He who restrains his lips is wise”. When we do speak, we are to filter the words that escape our lips: “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23 NIV). Paul’s warns us to “let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV). How can we keep our anger contained? How do we remain calm in a world that seems to be filled with hatred, evil, and ungodly behavior? Jesus in the Beatitudes sets an almost impossible situation where we are to speak right and think right all the time. Jesus did this to startle his listeners and to shock them into listening to what he was teaching about himsel...

How to sail through life! - James 3:1-18 By Pastor Lee Hemen October 20, 2013 AM All Christians must deal with the issue of self-control. Many refuse to practice it, because they find it difficult. They do not like to be controlled, and they show this by refusing to control themselves. The recent events where Senate leadership accused their opposition of being "terrorists" and "anarchists" is an example where some will say and do anything in order to get what they want. Even when believers try to practice self-control, they often speak hurtful words and perform wrong actions. However, for Christians such control is a critical matter. Everything we say and do should reflect our relationship with Jesus Christ. On the PBS show Nova, they showed how we are trying to make things go faster, everything from the Internet to sailboats. In fact, the man who owns Oracle just recently won the America's Cup with a newly designed sailboat that uses a carbon fiber wing for its...

Be Approved of God! - 2 Timothy 2:14b-19 By Pastor Lee Hemen September 7, 2008 AM Every human being wants to be loved and accepted. We value what others think of us so much so that we know being accepted or rejected as a child can influence our entire life. Many of us can relate a time when we were rejected by our peer group and recount the hurt that this social dismissal caused. But how do we feel about being approved of God? Does it give us the same feelings of loss or of anxiety if we realized that God may not be happy with our lives? What if we discovered that God did not approve of us? Paul wrote his pastor friend Timothy to do “your best to present yourself to God as one approved.” Timothy, like all Christians should, needed to be able to handle the “Word of truth” correctly without hesitation so that God would surely approve of Timothy’s life lived for His kingdom. The questions remains for us therefore, “Are you approved of God?” Let’s discover what Paul writes to Timothy that ...

The Church, Part Five – 1 Timothy 5:23-25 By Pastor Lee Hemen July 13, 2008 AM Recently, on one of the web blogs, someone asked what people thought about Christians drinking alcohol. After reading comment after comment that tried to make all kinds of excuses as to why some thought it was perfectly okay to drink as a believer but not get drunk, most failed to address the real issue: If you have to make excuses as to why you should be able to partake in something of the world, as a believer in Christ, then what does that tell you about it? This is exactly what Paul is trying to convey to Timothy. Evidently Timothy had made some mediocre choices as a young pastor and he needed to rethink his Christian witness before he continued in his ministry. Timothy, like all Christians do, needed to realize that Christ comes first in life, not making excuses as to why you as a Christian should be able to join in the world’s activities. It is Paul’s continued instruction on how the church should be t...

Being Wise About Relationships – Proverbs February 3, 2008 AM By Pastor Lee Hemen Friction is a consistent element in human relationships. Husbands and wives sometimes disagree over financial, parenting, or household decisions. Church members conflict over issues such as worship styles, budget, or ministries. Coworkers disagree over how to accomplish a project, bosses, or work ethic. All of us have many relationships. We interact with friends, coworkers, and family members almost daily. We may see church members several times a week. We get together with extended family at reunions and holidays. Someone once quipped, “You can pick your friends but you are stuck with your family forever.” How then are we to relate to others? The Book of Proverbs addresses many of these relationships by giving us basic moral and spiritual principles. Today we will deal with three basic areas that are important in building and maintaining healthy relationships. First, we need to be careful how we spe...