Hello Folks,
I pray that this past week-end was one filled with the grace of Christ for your life. Next Sunday I am planning on preaching from Isa 11:1-11 and addressing the question of prophecy being fulfilled. Do we really believe that Jesus died to change animals so they would eat together rather than eating each other? It is very clear that verses 1-5 are revealing Jesus to us. Did He not already come? If He already came to this world why would we think that the rest of these verses have been put on hold until some time in the future? Could it not be that God wants to change the nature of humans? Is that not the real purpose of the coming of Jesus? He died to save us, to make us new creations, to give us natures that owuld be loving and kind rather than blood thirsty. I know some of us were like "snakes in the grass" and "old bears" in our lives but God made us new. Also in Isa 11:9 we are shown that this would take place on God's Holy Mountain which is nothing other than Gods beautiful Church! Read Heb 12:22-23 and find that the New Testament author declared that the church is Mount Sion. Praise God for the prophet Isaiah that told us about what Jesus would do in the lives of people and then He actually fulfilled it! Is He not wonderful!
I pray you all have a great week and may the grace of Jesus Christ be poured out into your lifes.
HGRudd
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Hello Folks,
This past Sunday was a good day in the Lord. I must tell you that I preached from Jer 18:1-6 about the potter crushing the vessel and making it new again. As I read that passage in my study I thought about how God wants to reshape men and women for Him. I realize that this passage deals with Israel but if you look closely at v.2 you would also see the resurrection of Jesus presented. God sees us as dead in our sins and He wants to raise us up new in Him! We can be "new creations" (2 cor 5:17) and that is the same picture that we are shown in Jer 18. Praise God for His willingness to make us new.
I must admit that there are times when I would like to be working back in the factory but after a day or two of sorting through life I see the wonder of His grace in my life. There can be no doubt that Jesus had days just like that in his earthly life. It makes you wonder why He bothered to leave heaven to come here for us but that is what His love is like!
Here I am almost 60 (come my birthday on Sept 17) and I think that the world is revolving too fast for me. People have different values, different desires and different expectations that they did when I was 25. It makes me wonder what the church world will be like in another 35 years. The odds are that I will not see that but some of the people I pastor and my children and grandchildren could. What kind of world will they live in? I pray that Jesus will be first ino their lives so that this world will not be there home but that they will live with their eyes on the glory of heaven and of God.
Just a few thoughts.
HGRudd
This past Sunday was a good day in the Lord. I must tell you that I preached from Jer 18:1-6 about the potter crushing the vessel and making it new again. As I read that passage in my study I thought about how God wants to reshape men and women for Him. I realize that this passage deals with Israel but if you look closely at v.2 you would also see the resurrection of Jesus presented. God sees us as dead in our sins and He wants to raise us up new in Him! We can be "new creations" (2 cor 5:17) and that is the same picture that we are shown in Jer 18. Praise God for His willingness to make us new.
I must admit that there are times when I would like to be working back in the factory but after a day or two of sorting through life I see the wonder of His grace in my life. There can be no doubt that Jesus had days just like that in his earthly life. It makes you wonder why He bothered to leave heaven to come here for us but that is what His love is like!
Here I am almost 60 (come my birthday on Sept 17) and I think that the world is revolving too fast for me. People have different values, different desires and different expectations that they did when I was 25. It makes me wonder what the church world will be like in another 35 years. The odds are that I will not see that but some of the people I pastor and my children and grandchildren could. What kind of world will they live in? I pray that Jesus will be first ino their lives so that this world will not be there home but that they will live with their eyes on the glory of heaven and of God.
Just a few thoughts.
HGRudd
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Hello Folks,
It has been a couple of weeks since I last sent out a blog. Ruth and I were in Anderson, In for the International Camp Meeting, then from there to Pekin, Il to visit with Deb, Tom, Bob and the grandchildren, then back to Greenwood, In to see James, Michele and the grandchildren there. The time with the kids and grandchildren was great! We got to spend some time with them, paint for Deb, go to Alexis' ballgame and just visit in general. I needed to come back home to recover from all the driving and just not sleeping in my bed.
During he General Assembly at Anderson there were notable changes over the past few years. Due to some circumstances Ruth and I had missed the last two, we have only missed 4 or 5 total since 1980, and I was glad to get to go this year and see some folks that I had not seen in quite some time. Yet the overall attendance has taken a very noticable decline. According to the local paper there were "over 400" people who voted for the items that came to the floor on Tuesday. This particular day used to have over 1000 in it. We must ask ourselves the question of whether our pastors and other leaders have abdicated their responsibilty by failure to attend and participate in the process. I realize that some feel as if it does not matter if they are there but do we not have some kind of obligation to God, the Movement and our congregations to voice ourselves in this process?
Ruth and I were able to attend the evening worship on Monday and Tuesday and most of the worship was very good. I personally think that interpretive dance has no place in the worship and for those who would use King David as an example I simply remind them that he danced in the street and not in the Temple so if you want to emulate him please go dance in the street. But other than that one instance I was able to truly enjoy the worship. One sermon was "ok" to me and the other was exceptional. That might have as much to do with personal taste as it does with the presentation. Once again attendance had no hint of the past. We worshiped in Reardon Auditorium and the maximum that I would guess to be there was not over 2000. In the past when Warner Auditorium existed I have seen upward of 8000 people. The great question and struggle that this produces is whether Anderson Camp Meeting has lost its usefulness. Are we wasting resources in an attempt to keep a dying event going? By the way this question was part of what was addressed in General Assembly and in 2012 there will be recommendations presented as to what we should do in future. Many have already voted by simply not attending so it makes me wonder what will come next.
Here at Greeneville First Church of God we are getting material ready for the new thrust called Christian Learning For Christian Living or CL4CL. Our congregation will be presented with an opportunity to learn more about how to worship, make disciples, reach the lost and live in a God honoring manner. I pray that if you attend here you will avail yourself of this opportunity. If you do not attend here and want the material we will make it available for a cost. Just call here and we will give you the details. The number is 423-638-4818.
May the Lord bless you all.
Pastor H. G. Rudd
It has been a couple of weeks since I last sent out a blog. Ruth and I were in Anderson, In for the International Camp Meeting, then from there to Pekin, Il to visit with Deb, Tom, Bob and the grandchildren, then back to Greenwood, In to see James, Michele and the grandchildren there. The time with the kids and grandchildren was great! We got to spend some time with them, paint for Deb, go to Alexis' ballgame and just visit in general. I needed to come back home to recover from all the driving and just not sleeping in my bed.
During he General Assembly at Anderson there were notable changes over the past few years. Due to some circumstances Ruth and I had missed the last two, we have only missed 4 or 5 total since 1980, and I was glad to get to go this year and see some folks that I had not seen in quite some time. Yet the overall attendance has taken a very noticable decline. According to the local paper there were "over 400" people who voted for the items that came to the floor on Tuesday. This particular day used to have over 1000 in it. We must ask ourselves the question of whether our pastors and other leaders have abdicated their responsibilty by failure to attend and participate in the process. I realize that some feel as if it does not matter if they are there but do we not have some kind of obligation to God, the Movement and our congregations to voice ourselves in this process?
Ruth and I were able to attend the evening worship on Monday and Tuesday and most of the worship was very good. I personally think that interpretive dance has no place in the worship and for those who would use King David as an example I simply remind them that he danced in the street and not in the Temple so if you want to emulate him please go dance in the street. But other than that one instance I was able to truly enjoy the worship. One sermon was "ok" to me and the other was exceptional. That might have as much to do with personal taste as it does with the presentation. Once again attendance had no hint of the past. We worshiped in Reardon Auditorium and the maximum that I would guess to be there was not over 2000. In the past when Warner Auditorium existed I have seen upward of 8000 people. The great question and struggle that this produces is whether Anderson Camp Meeting has lost its usefulness. Are we wasting resources in an attempt to keep a dying event going? By the way this question was part of what was addressed in General Assembly and in 2012 there will be recommendations presented as to what we should do in future. Many have already voted by simply not attending so it makes me wonder what will come next.
Here at Greeneville First Church of God we are getting material ready for the new thrust called Christian Learning For Christian Living or CL4CL. Our congregation will be presented with an opportunity to learn more about how to worship, make disciples, reach the lost and live in a God honoring manner. I pray that if you attend here you will avail yourself of this opportunity. If you do not attend here and want the material we will make it available for a cost. Just call here and we will give you the details. The number is 423-638-4818.
May the Lord bless you all.
Pastor H. G. Rudd
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Hello Folks,
VBS and Father's Day is now over. There was a lot of work done by many different people in the effort to reach young people with the message of Jesus. There is no way I can name everyone so suffice it to say that I appreciate all of you who gave of your time and effort to live the message of Jesus in the ministry of VBS.
One of the things that we do in conjunction with VBS is to have the final service on Father's Day during our a.m. worship. We have the children go over some of the things that they did in VBS then we have worship and preaching. This is an effort to reach families that we might never have the opportunity to reach with the message of Jesus. Once again we had people come to our worship that we would never have enter our doors. We are thankful for those who made it possible.
Here is a question that some of you might want to ponder or even answer. As I look at the Church of God Reformation Movement it would appear that we have very few pastors who bother with the principles of discipleship. When I talk to them they have a wonderful heart to win the lost and I celebrate that with them. But when you ask if they are helping those people learn the other truths of the bible such as sanctification as a definite second work of grace, holy living, the truths of the Second Coming, and the fact that the Bible is God infallible and inerrant Word to us you begin to hear such things as "we do not deal with secondary issues." Are we not responsible for all the truth we have been given and are we not responible to give that truth to others?
Maybe I am just getting old and am struggling with all the changes in culture that are taking place. Or, mayble I think that I am the only one that is right and need an Elijah moment. Would you care to comment on this for me?
Bless you all,
Pastor H. G. Rudd
VBS and Father's Day is now over. There was a lot of work done by many different people in the effort to reach young people with the message of Jesus. There is no way I can name everyone so suffice it to say that I appreciate all of you who gave of your time and effort to live the message of Jesus in the ministry of VBS.
One of the things that we do in conjunction with VBS is to have the final service on Father's Day during our a.m. worship. We have the children go over some of the things that they did in VBS then we have worship and preaching. This is an effort to reach families that we might never have the opportunity to reach with the message of Jesus. Once again we had people come to our worship that we would never have enter our doors. We are thankful for those who made it possible.
Here is a question that some of you might want to ponder or even answer. As I look at the Church of God Reformation Movement it would appear that we have very few pastors who bother with the principles of discipleship. When I talk to them they have a wonderful heart to win the lost and I celebrate that with them. But when you ask if they are helping those people learn the other truths of the bible such as sanctification as a definite second work of grace, holy living, the truths of the Second Coming, and the fact that the Bible is God infallible and inerrant Word to us you begin to hear such things as "we do not deal with secondary issues." Are we not responsible for all the truth we have been given and are we not responible to give that truth to others?
Maybe I am just getting old and am struggling with all the changes in culture that are taking place. Or, mayble I think that I am the only one that is right and need an Elijah moment. Would you care to comment on this for me?
Bless you all,
Pastor H. G. Rudd
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Hello Folks,
My sister, Clistia and her husband Gary Hosbrook came in from Ohio to visit with us and it has been nice getting to spend some time with them. Gary and I played golf yesterday and then we sat around the house and visited. You may not know how good it is to spend time with the people you love that you do not get to see often but it has been great.
Last night, Clistia and I , came to the church to see how things were going for VBS that began yesterday evening. There were a number of children and workers here that were starting to get things moving. I watched as Bryon Trantham and Kristen Love began with a skit and, of course, it was classic Bryon. He is so gifted at comedy and drama that I stand amazed at him sometimes. It turned out that he had a great supporting cast with Kristen Love. I was suprised at her acting abilities as I had never thought about her in that kind of role. It looks like things will be going really good through the week.
I hope that you have been reading the Word of God and that God has been showing you some of the wonders of His Word. I find great joy in His Word and the wonderful things that He has to show us in it. Hos 3:2 is one such verse. I preached out of Hos 3:1-5 Sunday p.m. and find it amazing how God was showing us Jesus long before the New Testament was given to us. The thought that Hosea paid the equivalent amount of 30 pieces of silver to save a slave who had not asked for it remidned me of the price that was given to betray Jesus. That was the very price that God paid for me and you. Is it not amazing!!!!
I pray you have a great week.
Pastor H. G. Rudd
My sister, Clistia and her husband Gary Hosbrook came in from Ohio to visit with us and it has been nice getting to spend some time with them. Gary and I played golf yesterday and then we sat around the house and visited. You may not know how good it is to spend time with the people you love that you do not get to see often but it has been great.
Last night, Clistia and I , came to the church to see how things were going for VBS that began yesterday evening. There were a number of children and workers here that were starting to get things moving. I watched as Bryon Trantham and Kristen Love began with a skit and, of course, it was classic Bryon. He is so gifted at comedy and drama that I stand amazed at him sometimes. It turned out that he had a great supporting cast with Kristen Love. I was suprised at her acting abilities as I had never thought about her in that kind of role. It looks like things will be going really good through the week.
I hope that you have been reading the Word of God and that God has been showing you some of the wonders of His Word. I find great joy in His Word and the wonderful things that He has to show us in it. Hos 3:2 is one such verse. I preached out of Hos 3:1-5 Sunday p.m. and find it amazing how God was showing us Jesus long before the New Testament was given to us. The thought that Hosea paid the equivalent amount of 30 pieces of silver to save a slave who had not asked for it remidned me of the price that was given to betray Jesus. That was the very price that God paid for me and you. Is it not amazing!!!!
I pray you have a great week.
Pastor H. G. Rudd
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Hello Folks,
I have been reading a book titled: "The Riggle-Kesler Debate" which is an word for word reporting of a debate engaged in by H.M. Riggle, an early Church of God leader, and Elder B.E. Kessler, a leader of the Church of the Brethren. The debate took place in North Webster, In. from Sept 15-26, 1915. They held it in a large tent with an average attendance of 1200 people. This was a real debate with each person being given 30 minutes twice each night for a total of 2 hours. There were assigned subjects and moderators were present. This was not a time where the strongest voice or quickest wit could win but where a subject was dealt with in front of the entire audience.
H.M Riggle on the night of Sept. 17th in that debate said this: "If you are a tarue Christain and belong to the Methodist, Baptist, Evangelical or any other institution, you are my brother. Through salvation we all belong to the one fold. It is that extra soceity, inot which you have been led without Scriptural authority, that I oppose. The institutions of men that have scattered and divided the peole of God."
It would appear to me that in our day we want to emphasize the idea of "we reach our hands in fellowship to every blood washed one" but that we no longer want to declare the freedom from mans control that God calls us from.--"Come out of her my people" REV 18:4. It seems that many merely want to preach the portion of truth that suits them best and leave out the things that are difficult. I wonder what God has to say about that? Maybe part of the problem is that many of those who should lead the church body have failed to see the truth of the Word? I wonder what God will say to us if we neglect to preach all the truth?
This is just something that has come to my mind and I thought I would share it with you.
May He Bless You,
HGRudd
I have been reading a book titled: "The Riggle-Kesler Debate" which is an word for word reporting of a debate engaged in by H.M. Riggle, an early Church of God leader, and Elder B.E. Kessler, a leader of the Church of the Brethren. The debate took place in North Webster, In. from Sept 15-26, 1915. They held it in a large tent with an average attendance of 1200 people. This was a real debate with each person being given 30 minutes twice each night for a total of 2 hours. There were assigned subjects and moderators were present. This was not a time where the strongest voice or quickest wit could win but where a subject was dealt with in front of the entire audience.
H.M Riggle on the night of Sept. 17th in that debate said this: "If you are a tarue Christain and belong to the Methodist, Baptist, Evangelical or any other institution, you are my brother. Through salvation we all belong to the one fold. It is that extra soceity, inot which you have been led without Scriptural authority, that I oppose. The institutions of men that have scattered and divided the peole of God."
It would appear to me that in our day we want to emphasize the idea of "we reach our hands in fellowship to every blood washed one" but that we no longer want to declare the freedom from mans control that God calls us from.--"Come out of her my people" REV 18:4. It seems that many merely want to preach the portion of truth that suits them best and leave out the things that are difficult. I wonder what God has to say about that? Maybe part of the problem is that many of those who should lead the church body have failed to see the truth of the Word? I wonder what God will say to us if we neglect to preach all the truth?
This is just something that has come to my mind and I thought I would share it with you.
May He Bless You,
HGRudd
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Hello Folks,
I had a very good week-end. On Saturday I took two of my granddaughers, Jordyn and Alexis, out to breakfast at Waffle House and then went to Andrew Johnson Memorial Graveyard and saw all the military graves decorated for Memorial Day. We then went to Locust Springs where they spent a couple of hours having fun on the water slide. Finally, we went to Keith and Pam Hope's for a cook-out where a number of our church folks met and had a wonderful time. Great time and great fellowship. James and Michele, my son and daughter-in-law were at the house when we got back and I finished the day with them.
On Sunday I baptized four people with one of them being my granddaughter, Jordyn, who is 11 and lives in Indiana. She wanted me to baptize her so we did just that. We also baptized four other people, another 11 year old and 2 adults who have great testimonies. They were both unchurched and have been saved within the last 6 weeks. Then our worship continue and God came to be among us here and the presence of the Holy Ghost was very real.
Then came Memorial Day and I spent all morning doing some things I like and even went into the afternoon hours. At 3:30 p.m. Ruth and I went to Keith and Pam Hope's home, Virginia Waddell also helped this event to come about, where we had another cook-out with a number of folks from the church family there. We went home at about 7 p.m. and took it easy the rest of the night.
This was a great week-end even though we always have a number of people taking advantage of the long week-end and going somewhere. I pray that they had a wonderful time of rest and good family time. I also pray that they had as good a time in worship as we did here.
May the Lord bless you all,
HGRudd
I had a very good week-end. On Saturday I took two of my granddaughers, Jordyn and Alexis, out to breakfast at Waffle House and then went to Andrew Johnson Memorial Graveyard and saw all the military graves decorated for Memorial Day. We then went to Locust Springs where they spent a couple of hours having fun on the water slide. Finally, we went to Keith and Pam Hope's for a cook-out where a number of our church folks met and had a wonderful time. Great time and great fellowship. James and Michele, my son and daughter-in-law were at the house when we got back and I finished the day with them.
On Sunday I baptized four people with one of them being my granddaughter, Jordyn, who is 11 and lives in Indiana. She wanted me to baptize her so we did just that. We also baptized four other people, another 11 year old and 2 adults who have great testimonies. They were both unchurched and have been saved within the last 6 weeks. Then our worship continue and God came to be among us here and the presence of the Holy Ghost was very real.
Then came Memorial Day and I spent all morning doing some things I like and even went into the afternoon hours. At 3:30 p.m. Ruth and I went to Keith and Pam Hope's home, Virginia Waddell also helped this event to come about, where we had another cook-out with a number of folks from the church family there. We went home at about 7 p.m. and took it easy the rest of the night.
This was a great week-end even though we always have a number of people taking advantage of the long week-end and going somewhere. I pray that they had a wonderful time of rest and good family time. I also pray that they had as good a time in worship as we did here.
May the Lord bless you all,
HGRudd
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