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The attitude of Christ - Philippians 2:1-13 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 28, 2016 Mentorship is important in life and whether we like it or not we tend to emulate those who raised us or had the greatest influence on our life. In today's world far too often believers have allowed society to dictate how they are to live their lives instead of their faith in Christ. My father taught me that how you treat others and what you do when you are alone says a lot about your character. He would remind us that whether we were at home or away we should remain consistent in our lives and whatever we did would reflect on our entire family, and especially how we were raised. What does your actions whether in church or away from other believers say about your faith in Jesus? Faith is not just how you feel about yourself, it is the reflection of Jesus you mirror for the world around you and how you influence and impact it. The Bible makes very clear as Christians, followers of Jesus we should ...

Dead is dead! - John 19:31-42 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 21, 2016 History, science, and personal experience tell us that when someone dies they are dead. The dead do not come back to life. I learned about this for the first time when I was younger and my brother Ed and I learned how to make live traps in order to catch the chipmunks around our granduncle's cabin. We caught several of the cute little fuzz creatures only to watch them curl up in a comatose ball and die from fright. It was crushing to say the least and there was nothing we could do to bring them back to life. Dead is dead. John now relates to us that Jesus was indeed dead. Jesus' death is important to the Gospel narrative and all the Gospels relate that Jesus died. However, what does this mean for us this morning? Let's discuss just what Jesus death means and why dead is dead... READ: John 19:31-42 My mother was 93 years old when she died. And while her health was pretty good she did suffer from de...

The love of God! - John 19:23-30 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 14, 2016 What is love? Poets, songwriters, novelists, psychologists, and philosophers have all tried to answer what love is all about. It is more than being hooked on a feeling and high on believing. Some sing that they want to know what love is but then they get confused that it is a feeling or a sex act, so they want to say they're sorry 'cause he's "missing more than [her] body." Wow, do you think they misunderstand what love is all about? Here in John's gospel we discover not only what love is all about but how it was manifested for all time. It is the kind of love where Paul would write that "love is patient, kind, doesn't envy, boast, or is proud. It isn't rude, self-seeking, easily angered, and it never keeps a record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Corinthian...

The cross! - John 19:1-22 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 7, 2016 What signifies a horrendous death in our culture today? The wanton and greedy dismemberment of the unborn by abortionists; the thoughtless alcoholic induced daze of a drunken driver smashing into an unsuspecting family; or perhaps the self-aggrandized gang bang to enforce a self-indulgent pseudo machismo? History would point to concentration camps, atomic weapons, firebombing, or torture machines. Yet in the midst of all these horrific deaths there is one that pierces the heart and soul of mankind as nothing else; the innocent torture and crucifixion of the Son of God. Far too many in our day and age willingly wear crosses on their clothing or around their necks without giving a thought to the horrendous torture and death they represent. Tattoo artists and biker gangs have used the symbol for their own purposes without a thought to the real pain and suffering it symbolizes. And here in John's gospel we discover anew jus...