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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1992)
Januaryl, 1992„.The Portland Observer...Page 3 Portland Observer RELIGION Portland Observer encourages our readers to write letters to the editor in response to any articles we publish. M allory 3908 of C hrist NE M A L L O R Y AVENUE BY MICHAEL LINDSEY Dean Of North Portland Bibio College The text f o r the Sunday School lesson (International Series) fo r next Sunday is Psalm84. Start the New Year right, by taking yourselfand your whole fa m ily to Sunday School and Worship this week. A fa m ily with a foundation in the Bible w ill be much better p re pared f o r the pressures o f daily life today. How beautiful is your church build ing? Some o f us belong to churches w ith spacious sanctuaries, padded pews and stained glass windows. Others worship in small storefronts, w ith marginal heating systems and folding chairs. I used to pastor a congregation in the Albina area, in a building w ith the latter description. It is often pointed out that people can worship God any place, even out in the woods or along the river bank. I have to question how many Sunday fishermen really do take time to pray and sing praises while they await the big catch-and how many look to the word o f God, the Bible, fo r instruction in their daily lives. But truly a child o f God can pray in solitude, and he should (M att 6:6), as w ell as reading his Bible, and singing hymns and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19). But that is not enough fo r the true fo llo w er o f the Lord God. The Psalmist in Psalm 84 reflects in his age, the attitude we should all have about our own place o f worship, whether it is a cathedral or a storefront or a private house. The Psalmist, w ith most o f the faithful children o f Israel, was far removed from Jerusalem, the city on which the Lord had set his Name (Deut 12:5), and the Temple, the only proper place o f worship o f Yahweh God. He had to travel long miles, on special occasions, to participate in worship with the great pilg rim throngs. Even fo r those in the nearby hills, the journey was a sacrifice o f time and labor, to jo in w ith th worshippers in the H oly City. Nevertheless, the true worshipper was eager to go and “ appear before the We need volunteers interested in: Bible Study 9:30 am . Morning Worship 10:45 am . M en’s Training Leadership W om en’s Bible Class I Evening Worship 6:00 pm. Attended nursery for all services Wednesday prayer meeting A Minister Gregory Fobbs 2. Fundraising 3. Community News Letter 5. Board Participation Jim Werner 11300 N.E. Halsey, Suite 100 Portland, OR 97220 Residence: 503-771-6113 VANN & VANN FU N ERA L D IR E C T O R S Family Owned and Operated Since 1954 Serving the City of Portland for over 37 years In your hour of need Vann &Vann are there to serve and bible study 7:30 pm. Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS 288-1092 RESTORING Cleodus Vann NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY 503/281-2836 521 1 N. W illia m s P o r tla n d , O r. 9 7 2 1 7 ÿ a p ttsi (Hijnrclj 8101 N. Fiske Avenue Portland, Oregon 97203 Church Phone: 2 8 9 -0 1 4 7 things life has to offer: here the Psalm ist proclaims, “ no good thing w ill he [the Lord] w ithhold from them that walk u prightly” (84:11; see also Ps 37:4; M a lt 5:6; 16:24-27). What does all this mean fo r the believers o f Jesus Christ? We have an obligation put upon us, like the saints o f ancient Israel, to seek out the limes o f worship and to be consistent in that worship. It is commanded to us, as w ell as them (Heb 10:25). We don’ t have physical temples for worship, where the Lord has put his Name. B u t we ourselves are now the temple o f the H oly S pirit o f God, in both our in d iv id ual bodies (1 C or 6:19) and our local gatherings (3:16). When we take up the “ whole armor o f G od” (Eph 6:11- 18), we are taking it up together, not individually. An individual Christian, standing apart from the congregations o f God, cannot obey his commands fo r corporate worship. We also have an obligation to fin d a church b o d y -a fa m ily o f b elieve rs- and com m it ourselves to that group. Unfortunately, some professing C hris tians today have a habit o f visitin g around to many churches, tasting a Baptist sermon, a Pentecostal testimony service, special revival meetings eve rywhere. And they don’ t seek G od’ s leading fo r the church he wants them to attach themselves to. Such Christians are easy targets fo r the spiritual Enemy o f our souls, fo r few other believers w ill know when they are under attack, and they are accountable to no-one. Is dial where you are today? Church tasting makes fo r very shallow saints. Find a church where the Bible is being taught, and where the fe llow ship is warm and genuine. The size o f the building, and even the size o f the con gregation, is not all that important Then find a place o f service fo r the L ord Jesus through that church, in keeping w ith your gifts, talents and interests. Y o u ’ ll find the reality o f Christian life , and the jo y o f growing in grace and the knowledge o f our lovely Savior, Jesus C h ris t District Agent, 19 Years Service 1. Community Service Please call Rose Marie Davis @ 281-8976 any time. 5:00 pm. f L ord ’ ’ three times a year (Exod 34:23- 24), fo r these were times o f great cele bration, fellow ship, and (most o f a ll) exalting the great Name o f Yahweh (the LO R D ) among the surrounding nations. Look at the emotional de scription o f the worshipper: his “ soul longeth, yea, even fainteth,” his “ flesh crieth o ut” (Ps 84:2), he envies the small birds which can dw ell in the Temple court all year (84:3). The “ tabernacles” (84:1) may refer to ear lie r times, when Israel worshipped the Lord around a portable tent o f meeting. But clearly the later verses refer to the permanent Temple, w ith courts and a “ house,” or building. W hy this place o f worship? Be cause the Lord was there-he had spe cific a lly commanded his people to worship him there and only there. His presence was seen, and felt, and expe rienced there. And his people came together there, and united in heart to worship him there. Often it wasn’ t an easy journey; some came through wilderness areas, or risked robbers and swindlers along the LO R D God o f hosts, the God o f Jacob (Israel), and saw his protection and salvation at work. Some whose hearts were not so dedicated to the Lord would not make the trip; they would stay home and worship God in their own way, even using pagan ritual. And they would miss the jo y o f truly know ing the Lord. The Psalmist had his priorities straight: “ A day in thy courts is better than a thousand [somewhere else], I had rather be a doorkeeper in the hobuse o f my God, than to dw ell in t fv tents o f wickedness” (84:10). Given me choice, he knew he was better o ff worshipping the Lord than doing anything else. We would call it a strategic investment o f one’ s life. The Psalmist knew he was better o ff in the low liest place o f serv ice, serving the true God, than liv in g in relative ease, serving him self. The Bible repeatedly promises that the per son who gives him self to the Lord w ith out reserve, w ill receive a ll the best ThePrudentiali^> Volunteers Needed Interested in Community Development in Northeast Portland? The Northeast Genesis Project needs your help! SUNDAY SCHEDULE 2 Timothy 1:3-4 An Antidote For ‘Church Tasting’ Attention... Attention... Special Announcement... A ll alumnus o f the Albina Sports Program, Albina Roadrunners, ASP A ll-C om ers’ Summer Track Meets or ASP Golden Ball Programs, from 1961 to 1991, are hereby requested to call 284-8828 or 280-5100 (ask for: Leon M cKenzie) or call 284-0418 (ask for: Jon “ Hammer” Richardson) or write A lbina Youth Inc., P.O. Box 55483, Pordand, OR 97238. A special event is being planned to honor M r. P hillip Walden. We need to hear from as many persons as possible by the 15th o f January 1992. Please call or w rite as soon as possible concerning this very important upcoming event. Call today! C hurch Scripture o f the Study Phone: 2 8 9 -1 9 11 M allory Avenue Christian Church D i s c i p l e s o f C h r is t God's Presence promises Power through Jesus Christ In G ood Times and Bad Times Adottfiecu / P&3 Sunday Service 10:45 Sunday School 9:30 Bible Study 6:00 Evening Service 7:00 P.M. Pastor. R ev Ja m e s C E. F a u lk n e r Themes W hatever you're going to do fo r th e Lord, do it now A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry Dr. James E. Martin. Senior Pastor I Peter lv.11 Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler, Sunday School Morning Worship Tuesday Bible Study and Prayer Inter-racial Congregation WE ARE MOVING SUNDAY SERVICES TO Stone Tower Church, N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 3Oth Worship Services 8:00 AM. & 11:00 A.M. Church School 9:30 AM. to 10:30 A.M. Bible Study. Wednesdays, 116 N.E.Schuyler 10:30 A.M. and 6:30 P.M. Radio Ministry each Sunday. 8:00 A.M.-KBMS "Come to me all you who ore weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest” 9:45am 11:00am 7:30pm MT OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH Denise fí. Bell. Pastor 126 N.E. Alberto t Portland, OR 97211 t (503) 288-5173 For Best Results Advertise in the Observer