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Ramblings from Retirement - Are You No Earthly Good? By Pastor (retired) Lee Hemen  April 3, 2022 There's an old saying that a Christian can be "so heavenly-minded you're no earthly good". It means that believers can be so focused on being holy, that they've lost sight of the world around them. Now this can be a good thing when it refers to one's looking to Jesus as they live, but it can be bad if they're so focused on the things of heaven that they forget about those around them that need Jesus. It can be bad in the life of a church or preacher that becomes so focused on knowledge or themselves that they become blinded to the needs of a hurting and sinful world around them. Jesus berated the spiritual teachers of his day because this was exactly what they were guilty of doing. Jesus really got into it with them, and he bluntly told them, ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin....

Ramblings from Retirement: Hypocrisy can run silent and deep! By Lee Hemen (Retired Pastor) November 14, 2020 I learned in High School that in ancient Roman religion and myth Janus was the god of beginnings and endings, gates, transitions, time, duality, and often his image was found in doorways, passages, or the frames of houses. He was often depicted with two faces, one facing forward and one backward. In theaters we often see two face masks: One depicted by a frown and the other by a smile. The word hypocrisy comes from the Greek word meaning taking on an assumed character which is not truly your own; being two-faced. When one is called “two-faced” it comes from the idea of being a hypocrite. Christians are often called hypocrites by those who do not understand what it means to be “Christian.” Christians are made perfect in the eyes of God through their faith and trust in Christ, but they are not perfect in their humanity. Does this mean Christians should not strive to be what they ...

John the baptizer – Matthew 3:1-12 By Pastor Lee Hemen January 20, 2019 Everyone is known for something. Notice I did not say that everyone is famous, well-known, or publicly recognizable. But each of usually is known for something. When I was in elementary school I was known for organizing all of the younger grades into a force to be reckoned with on the playground. You pick on one of us, we all attacked you. It stopped bullying in its tracks. I was surprised years later when this guy at Portland State University asked me if I was the same Lee Hemen who organized that group because he was one of the younger kids we “rescued”! Here we discover John, and no, he was not the first Baptist, rather he is known for his baptisms. He should be known correctly as John the Baptizer. We will discover that not everyone follows the normal dictates of social decorum or dress and John was one of these folks. He was not homeless as I have heard some liberal preachers try to emphasize; he was a man wit...

Malachi 1:6-14 – Being honorable! By Pastor Lee Hemen March 18, 2018 We can dishonor someone by not holding them in high regard. The people of Israel had done this with God. Within the Ten Commandments given most important instructed, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Yet the Israelites had dishonored God. Malachi’s second burden therefore deals with the dishonor God’s people can have for the Lord. While it may be easy for us to point to specific religions today that make idols and worship them, Christians can fail to see the idols we fashion and impure worship in our lives. In this, Malachi’s burden is just as much a message for us as it was for the Israelites. We are to honor God with acceptable sacrifice. Let’s find out what Malachi teaches us about being honorable… READ: Malachi 1:6-14 From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation relationship is important to God. When God told the Israelites, “You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3 NIV)” he...

Before Pilate - John 18:28-40 By Pastor Lee Hemen January 31, 2016 I hated it when my mother would drag us around to our relatives and then want us to show something off to them just so she could brag about it. I know she did it because she was proud of us but as a child it seem kind of, well, exploitive. No one likes to be used as a trophy or as a means to an end, whatever that may be. How would like to be dragged from one place to another simply to be put on display and illegally tried? We are all angered when we find out that someone has been tried, held captive, or used as a human guinea pig. Few of us would like these prospects yet Jesus suffered these indignities. And now we find him dragged before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in charge of the occupation of his nation and people. Sadly, it was his own people who were using him as a means to an end, as a scapegoat for their own problems. Let's find out what happens when Jesus is brought before Pilate… READ: John ...

Be Responsible! - Galatians 6:1-18 By Pastor Lee Hemen September 1, 2013 AM As a young boy, I went to work for my Uncle as he took care of my grandmother’s house and garden. I had to weed, water, and take care of a huge garden. It was a daunting task, but he expected a lot out of me and my age did not matter. I found that as I had more responsibilities, my earnings went up as well. I was rewarded for my consistency and willingness to be responsible to do the tasks at hand. Many Christians give little or no thought to biblical admonitions to live in a responsible manner. In fact, not all believers are responsible Christians. They may not realize all the ramifications of following the Spirit’s guidance in how they live. Perhaps they shield one or more areas of their lives from divine guidance. Perhaps they have never thought about other ways they need to exhibit they are responsible Christians. Other possibilities are they do not know how to meet some expectations; they do not like some ...

What do you value in life? - Mark 12:35-40 By Pastor Lee Hemen December 5, 2010 AM In the gangland movie, “The Untouchables,” Elliot Ness, played by Kevin Costner, moans, “I want to get Capone! I don’t know how to do it.” Malone a tough hardnosed Irish-American cop, played by Sean Connery, tells him, “You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital; you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way! And that’s how you get Capone. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I’m offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?” The movie is about how Elliot Ness takes on the notorious gangster Al Capone during Prohibition. Ness faced a huge challenge in trying to bring down Capone because of a corrupt Chicago police department. It was a time of greed and ungodliness fueled by people’s addiction to booze. Interestingly, before they agree to work together, Malone tells Ness, “The Lord hates cowards.” Here i...