Page 8...The Portland Observer...January 8, 1992
• Portland Observer
RELIGION
Be Of Good Courage!
BY MATTIE ANN CALLIER-SPEARS
The holiday season comes and goes;
but, what does it leave behind? A lo t-o f
disgruntled people. “ How am I going
to pay fo r this?” and “ How am 1 going
to be able to get this -- when I ’ ve spent
so much already?” W ell! In the first
place - you should have managed your
funds more efficiently. However, there
are those who, like myself, have small
children to think o f ... and you don’t
want to disappoint the wee ones. “ Lord
I ’ ve got to have something under the
tree on Christmas.” This is the sigh
that is heard around the world. We
allow ourselves to get caught up in the
type and circumstances, instead o f
“ leaning on the everlasting arms” o f
the Lord.
Everyday God brings us baskets
fu ll o f new hopes and new joys! We
have, available to us, an untapped re­
source that we are not using. There are
so many days and so many equitable
ways that have gone astray because o f
foolish judgement calls....on our part.
I t ’s nothing that God has done; w e’ ve
done it to ourselves! M any tim es--I’ ve
made the statement, “ W ith a ll the
people out there waiting to punch holes
in our lives, we don’ t even give them a
chance because we have beat them to
it.” T h is - - so often - is the case. A fte r
you sit down, on your chair o f despair,
w ith your head in your hands and you
feel like you’ve been run over by fifty
people w ith football cleats on, you look
up - fin a lly - and cry out ‘ ‘ Lord, what
am I going to do?”
As far as New Year’s Resolutions
go, we should quickly make this one ...
I w ill “ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
I w ill dw ell in the land, and ve rily I
shall be fed.” [Psalms 37:3] God has
been in the “ providing business” much
longer than we have. A ll He asks is that
we would just put all our trust in Him .
Trust in His precepts. Not our own.
That’s how we get into so many
“ messy” messes that have been tai­
lored by and for “ m oi.” We are just
too hasty in our actions.
H ow many o f us are guilty o f at­
tempting to get a “ jum p start” on God’s
order o f business? And then - we fall
in the ditch and wonder how we got
there. The scripture says, “ W ait on the
Lord: be o f good courage, and he shall
strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on
the L o rd .” [Psalms 27:14] “ W a it” is
a seldon used word, in this “ hurry-
up” , “ hustle-bustle” world. We have
to have everything now, yesterday or
sooner. No one has anytime for anyone
or anything. Instant gratification, in­
stant cereal, instant coffee, instant
pudding, just to name a few, is a result
o f this “ hurry-up syndrome.” We all
seem to be suffering from this a fflic ­
tion.
Do you remember Sarah and Abra­
ham? Sarah couldn’ tw au.even though
God had promised to give her a son.
She had to get a * ‘jum p start ” on things.
Can ’ t you hear her say ¡ng, “ I know that
God said what he said - B U T - a lo t o f
time has passed, I am getting to old and
I know that God w ill probably be happy
i f I just helped him out a little b it.” So
- she went to her servant, Hagar, and
had her sleep with her husband, Abra­
ham. Hagar got pregnant; but, that was
not what god had intended. The result
was chaos and a whole lot o f confusion;
and God is not in the m idst o f confu­
sion. It is apparent that Sarah was
wrong; just the way we are wrong when
we are hasty in our conclusions. We
can ’ t seem to wait on the Lord to do His
m ighty work through us.
This new year should find us obe­
diently waiting on the Lord and being
o f good courage. When w ill we realize
- that God has already experienced
everything that we have experienced
and more. Anyone who goes to God
and says, “ God, you just don’ t under­
stand!” is a fool from the start. God
knows a ll about us, for after a ll, he
created us....he blew life into us. He
There are so many things we sim ­
p ly can’ t explain, why one o f us is
taken w hile the rest o f us remain. But
until the day we see the Lord and He
makes things clear, we must fin d com ­
fo rt knowing that his love is ever near.
Ernest Woodland was bom De­
cember 21, 1902 to the parentage o f
Benjamin and A lice W oodland in Paris,
Texas.
He was a member o f M t. Sinai
Baptist Church, Portland, Oregon.
Dean of North Portland Bible College
The text f o r the Sunday School
lesson (International Series) fa r next
Sunday is Psalm 103:1-17. As we begin
1992 together, I ’d like to encourage a ll
the fa ith fu l Sunday School teachers who
have been teaching the Word o f God
over the past year (s). I f any teachers
w ould like to receive an advance copy
o f these weekly notes and comments,
please contact N PBC at 288-2919.
L ik e Psalm 8 (December 2 9 ’s les­
son), our text fo r this week addresses
the relationship between God and man­
kind. But this tim e the emphasis falls
on the character o f the Lord, and his
many blessings on people here on Earth.
God’s goodness can be seen most clearly
as our Redeemer.
“ Bless the L O R D (Yahweh),
O my soul:
and all that is w ith in me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the LO R D (Yahweh), O my
soul,
and forget not a ll his benefits:”
(vv.1-2)
In the first stanza o f this hymn,
verses 1-5, David is literally talking to
him self. He is rem inding him self that
his God is tru ly worthy o f praise and
worship; G od’s “ holy name” should
be “ blessed” from the depths o f his
being.
When the Lord blesses us, he show­
ers many good things on us-th ing s we
can see and touch and taste (v.5), and
even more important things we can’t
see: forgiveness, redemption from sin,
lovingkindness and tender mercies (w .3-
4). These are the wonderful benefits
which come to us as we accept G od’ s
lordship over our lives. We all know
the gu ilt o f sin, the pain o f loss, the fear
o f death and enemies. And the Lord
offers us his blessings to overcome
these human predicaments, and they
are the very things which f u lfill the
deepest needs o f the human heart.
____ I f we have received G od’ s forgive-
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B est C a s h P r ic e s
104 NE Russel St.
Portland, Or 97212
(503) 282 5111
ness, and healing, and tender mercies,
then we know how wonderful he is. But
have we taken the time to bless the
Lord? No, we can’ t o ffe r him anything
comparable to the great g ifts he has
freely given us, but we can bless him
through the words o f our mouth, o ffe r­
ing praise and thanks to him . David the
psalmist asserts that he must remind his
own soul to give thanks, to call to m ind
the specific ways God has blessed him.
The danger, a ll too real, is that G od’ s
people w ill forget “ all his benefits,”
and lose the jo y we ought to have in the
Christian walk.
Let me encourage you to take a few
minutes as you read the W ord, to close
your eyes and remember a ll the bless­
ings and benefits you have received
from the Lord. M aybe you’ ll need to
begin w ith your childhood, and maybe
when Jesus came into your heart and
became your personal Redeemer. Don’t
stop there! Remember the physical
healings he has brought you. Remem­
ber the times when someone called or
visited you, “ because the Lord put you
on my m in d,” just when you were most
discouraged. D on’t forget those times
o f worship w ith G od’ s people, when
you seemed lifted up from the trials and
cares o f life, and found the strength to
carry on. And those narrow escapes
from harm and danger, which showed
you again that the Lord has ‘ ‘ given his
angels charge over thee, to keep thee in
a ll thy ways” (P s 9 1 :ll).
O f course, the Lord is not just in ­
terested in the personal needs o f his
people; he also works fo r social justice
and righteousness throughout the world.
David emphasizes these reasons to bless
his holy name in the fo llo w in g stanzas.
He says that ‘ ‘the Lord executeth rig ht­
eousness and judgm ent fo r a ll that are
oppressed” (v.6). Isn’t it great to know
that, whenever we see people exploited,
in the townships o f South A frica , in
Croatia, or on the streets o f Portland,
the L ord is on their side. W ithout God
on their side, there would be no deliver­
ance from the inhum anity o f other
humans.
C hurch
3908
NE
of
4236 NE Eighth Avenue
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Evening Worship
6:00 pm.
Attended nursery for all
services
Wednesday prayer meeting
and bible study
7:30 pm.
(corner of 8th & Skidmore)
Portland, Oregon 97211
(503) 287-0261
Are you a friend of Jesus?
Do you want Jesus to be your friend?
We want to be your friend and would love to have you as our
friend.
Phillip S. Nelson Pastor
JÍaní ¿Missionary
ÌBapttst QÏÏjurdj
8101 N. Fiske Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97203
Church Phon«: 2 8 9 -0 1 4 7
Study Phon«: 2 8 9 -1 9 1 1
Sunday Service
10:45
Sunday School
9:30
Bible Study
6:00
Evening Service
7 :0 0 P.M.
M allory Avenue
Christian Church
is c ip le s
o f
C h r
s
God's Presence promises
Poaier through Jesus Christ In
Good Times and Bad Times
"Come to me all you who are
weary and heavy laden and I
will give you rest"
fes tor Rev James C E Faulkner
Them e: W h atever you're going to do
for th e Lord, do it now
I Pet«r hr.11
Sunday School
Morning Worship
Tuesday Bible
Study and Prayer
Inter-racial Congregation
t
MT OLIVET BAPTIST
CHURCH
WE ARE MOVING
SUNDAY SERVICES
TO
Stone Tower Church,
N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 30th
Worship Services 8:00 A.M. & 11:00 A.M.
Church School 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.
Bible Study, Wednesdays. 116 N.E.Schuyler
10:30 A.M. and 6:30 P.M.
A/lattfiecu 7/
9:45am
11:00am
7:30pm
Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS
R E S TO R IN G
N E W TESTAMENT C H R IS TIA N ITY
Rev. A. G. May, Pastor
D
M in iste r Gregory Fobbs
288-1092
Everyone is welcome to this church, (the body of Christ).
There is a place and a work here for you.
I
AVENUE
SU ND AY SCHEDULE
Bible Study
9:30 am.
Morning Worship
10:45 am.
Men’s Training Leadership
Women’s Bible Class
5:00 pm.
5029 N. E. MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211
Telephone Number - 287-8344
Psalm 34:3
C hrist
M ALLORY
Union Avenue Baptist Church
He that is too good to realize that he need to be saved, cannot be
helped. But he that recognize he has a need, can be helped.
The L o rd ’ s deliverance o f Israel
from the slavery o f Egypt (v.7) serves
as a model throughout the rest o f the
Bible fo r the power o f Yahweh to de­
liv e r those who trust in him. And
when we w ork for justice and peace ip.
our com m unity, we ought to bless the
L o rd most o f all, fo r he has revealed
the standards o f true justice, and he
gives us the power to trium ph over the
forces o f e vil.
R
He has a righteous character, but
he is also compassionate and m erciful
and gracious. He sees our sins, but he
leaves us room to repent and do right.
David especially loves to proclaim
G od’s forgiveness o f sin. H is mercy
on s in n e rs -” as the heaven is high
above the earth” ; his removal o f their
g u i l t - ” as far as the east is from the
west” ; and his compassion on his loved
o n e s -” as a father pitieth his c h il­
dren” (vv. 11-13). What wonderful
w ord pictures! do we take time to
worship and bless the name o f this
wonderful god, not only fo r our own
sakes, but also for all people o f a ll
nations?
There is a vita l condition for this
mercy and redemption from sin: it is
o nly fo r “ them that fear h im ”
(w .1 3 ,1 7 ; N ot everyone in D avid ’ s
tim e received this great salvation, but
only those w ho trusted the Lord (by
faith, Heb 11:6), and as a result
“ feared” the Lord w ith reverential
awe. W ith the coming o f G od’ s Son,
Jesus Christ, we have a more perfect
revelation o f G od’s salvation (Heb
1:1-3), and C hrist’ s sacrifice on the
cross is shown to be the only basis on
w hich the Lord w ill forgive sins (Rom i
3:21-26). Yes, there is an exclusive
quality to the good news o f Jesus Christ
(John 14:6; A cts4:12). W e d on ’tneed
to stumble over that. Instead, we
ought to bless the name o f the Lord fo r
providing fo r us a means o f salvation,
a means o f redemption which does not
compromise the Lord’s righteous stan­
dards o f justice. Bless the Lord, O my
soul!
M allory
Jesus Christ Is Salvation
Jesus Loves You!
All en Temple CME Ch urck
BY MICHAEL LINDSEY
D ad ’ s O il S ervice
heating oils
A fte r a short illness, on December
29th, God dispatched an angel to take
him home to rest. He leaves to mourn:
a daughter, Margaret Soloman: a son,
Ernest Woodland Jr.; nine grandchil­
dren; six great-grandchildren; one
brother; and a host o f nieces and neph­
ews.
His fam ily wishes to acknowledge
w ith sincere appreciation, all o f the
cards, calls and messages o f condo­
lence in our time o f sorrow.
Romans 12:1-2
Take time To Bless The Lord!
took upon him self the sins o f the entire
world. He died; he rose, and he daily
pleads our case to the Father.
I know that God must g e t-ju s t
th oroughly-tired o f our foolishness!
There is an old hymn that goes like
this: Standing on the promises o fC hrist
my king, Through eternal ages let His
praises ring; G lory in the highest, I w ill
shout and sing. Standing on the prom ­
ises o f God. Standing on the promises
that cannot fail. When the howling storms
o f doubt and fear assail, By the liv in g
W ord o f God I shall prevail, Standing
on the promises o f God. Standing on
the promises o f Christ the Lord, bound
to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Sprit’s sword,
standing on the promises o f God. Stand­
ing on the promises I cannot fa ll, L is ­
tening every moment to the S p irit’s
call, resting in my Savior as my a ll in
a ll, standing on the promises o f God.
That last stanza says, “ Listening
every m oment...” M y Lord! W aiting
and Listening. W aiting and Listening.
Maybe i f we say it often enough, we
w ill get it right. Huh?
God has a divine order fo r each o f
our lives. We must leam to be “ tuned
in ” instead o f “ tuned out” ; fo r the
Lord is speaking to us. W hy can’t you
listen? W hy can’t you hear? D on’ t you
know the voice o f your Master? The
scripture says that “ ...the sheep knew
the sound o f their Master’ s voice.” [St.
Hohn 10:4] Therefore — i f you can’ t
hear, maybe you’ re not one o f His
sheep or maybe you’re listening to that
other guy, Satan! I f you are, you shall
suck sorrow; for he doesn’t give good­
ness but sorrow. Satan messes up,
corrupts, deceives, lies, k ills and is just
out-and-out rotten to the core. You do
not want to listen to him - not even fo r
a little while.
Be o f good courage! For God has
overcome the w orld! Let not your heart
be trou ble d-just Believe.
Hallelujah!
Community Mourns Death of
Ernest ‘Bubba” Woodland
Scripture o f the
Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00 A.M,-KBMS
D e n is e Fi. B ell, P o s to r
126 N.E. Alberto t Portland, OR 97211 t (503) 288-5173
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler,
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