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Independence Day! – Psalm 126 By Pastor Lee Hemen July 1, 2007 AM I cannot imagine what it is like to live under oppression and suddenly find yourself free. I remember when the first families from Russia came here and they could not believe what Americans took for granted. The tremendous variety of food available in grocery stores, the ability to purchase clothes, to own their own home and buy land. Freedom to worship for may from the ex-Soviet Union was the ultimate freedom. For many it was like dying and waking up in heaven. Isaiah the prophet was directed by God to remind God’s people that they were to be “a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6-7) In fact God’s people are told “to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’” (Isaiah 49:9) Independence day has come but few in this country hear of it anymore. Here in this Psalm, the writer ref...

How to Sleep Well – Psalm 4 by Pastor Lee Hemen June 24, 2007 AM The makers of the Serta mattress state that “Sleep is necessary for our bodies to build up energy reserves and regenerate body cells and tissues. During sleep, your heartbeat and breathing slow, growth hormones peak, muscles relax, and your body temperature lowers. Sleep is a sophisticated process carefully regulated by our brain with valuable restorative properties for our physical and mental health…. Sleep deprivation is thought to cause half of all traffic fatalities on U.S. highways. In fact, studies have shown that being forced to stay awake 17 to 19 hours can cause the same impaired abilities as having a 0.05 percent blood alcohol content. Irregular sleep patterns and lack of sleep can bring on short attention span, memory and vocabulary loss, and other symptoms. Complication can include obesity, premature aging, fatigue and increased risk for diabetes, infection, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease....

The Blessed Man – Psalm 128 By Pastor Lee Hemen June 17, 2007 AM “You decide if you are happy or not,” my father used to say to us when we were moping around. There are many in the world who do not understand this philosophy in life because they think that it is someone else’s responsibility to make them happy. Some folks place the responsibility on personal relationships and when these fail, they blame others. Some misguided people place it on things, and when these break or get lost, they blame their unhappiness on the product and not themselves. Still, others blame it on God and think of Him as a big genie in the sky who should grant their every wish because, after all, if He were a truly "loving God" He would give them everything they ever wanted! Happiness for these folks becomes elusive. The Psalmist relates for us where true happiness is found. In our world today we often find ourselves asking, “What’s in it for me?” Sadly it is a selfish narcissistic preoccupation tha...

The Nothing of the Nations – Psalm 2 June 10, 2007 AM By Pastor Lee Hemen Quick, name the most important thing President Millard Fillmore did during his administration. Okay, I’ll make it easier: What about Presidents Taft or Harding? Unless you are a history wonk you could not readily name even one important thing for any of these men. By the way, Fillmore took over the office of President when Taylor died. He was never elected. Taft not only served as President but he was also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Solicitor General of the United States, a federal judge, Governor-General of the Philippines, and Secretary of War before being nominated for President! However, President Harding was often quoted as saying, "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here." So much for great nation builders. The Bible makes it clear that great men or great nations are established by the will of God alone. Take for instance the Roman Emperor Diocletian (245-313 AD)....

The Man of God – Psalm 1 June 3, 2007 AM By Pastor Lee Hemen If you were to decide just how much modern Christianity has influenced today’s society in America what number would you give it on a scale of one to ten? The Barna Group reports that “Two-thirds of the nation’s adult population firmly embraces the idea that their most important purpose is to love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. However, a deeper look at people’s full array of spiritual beliefs and behavior calls into question the sincerity of their commitment.” Only 37% of Christians believe Jesus was sinless, only 24% believe Satan is a real being, and Americans are less likely to volunteer at church and less likely to read the Bible. However, in kind of schizophrenic spirituality 45% of Americans interviewed by the Barna Group asserted “that the Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches.” It kind of makes you wonder where the men of God are today? I will never forget talking with a youth minister...