Update 9/2/11 -Jesus is Lord  Camp has not been affected by Hurricane Irene – and we are going forward with Keith Daniel as scheduled. Lord Bless Brendan Riordan – Jesus is Lord Family Campground

September 16-17-18 at the Jesus is Lord Family Campground

264 Diamond Point Rd – Diamond Point – NY- 12824 518-623-9712

Contact Person: Brendan Riordan

Info:

Times for Preaching Services:

9/16/11 Friday 4PM

9/17/11 Saturday 10AM & 4PM

9/18/11 Sunday 10 AM & 4PM

Reservations: No reservations needed to hear Keith Daniel, however, reservations are needed to stay overnight at the Jesus is Lord Family Campground in a cabin or a tent site. Call ahead 518-623-9712.

Volunteer Opportunities

Malachi 2:15 and Jesus is Lord Family Camp

264 Diamond Point Rd – Diamond Point NY 12824 – 518-623-9712

Administrative, Worship & Word Ministries

I would like to help with the following:

__ Administrative- Hospitality Packets- mailing lists- Brochures

__ Praise and Worship Ministry- either performing or booking

__ Fundraising- plant sales mailing – face book- webpage – grant writing

__Booking agent/ Promotion – Getting Word Out about camp and family ministry- seek performers and speaker in line with our values

__Word Ministry – Friday Night – Family Seminars

__ Food Ministry – Develop Food Pantry

__Free Cycle Ministry- cabin materials- olive barrels – materials for cabins interiors etc.

__ Prayer Ministry – Maintain and update prayer requests list.

__ Web Ministry – develop website

__ Community Gardens-organize and manage

__ Develop Christian Library/Store

__ Find an Intern for camp maintenance and repairs and farming

Dump truck

Items Needed for Camp

___ Box bottoms for our veggie plant sales

___Small Refrigerator with window for our Farm Stand Sales

___ Dump Truck for Camp

____I would like to help with monthly prayer support

____I can help with monthly financial support of 25__ 50__75__100___ other___

Name_________________________________Phone________________________

Jesus is Lord Family Campground

264 Diamond Point Rd

Diamond Point NY 12824

Brendan and Dawn Riordan

518-623-9712

Construction and Service Projects:

__1 – Complete Interior Camping Cabin ( see attached floor plan)

Timeframe ASAP ( need for 6/11)

* Plumbing for Kitchen and Bathroom

*Install Kitchen and Bathroom

* Electrical for Outlets and Lighting

* Insulation

* Interior Paneling

* Wood Flooring

* Caulking around Windows

* Framing Out Ceiling

* Build Steps & Landing

* Frame out Two Windows and a Door

* Install 2 Windows and a Door

* Finished Detail Work – knobs/handles for crank windows- moldings etc.

__2 – Potting up Veggie and Herb Plants in our Greenhouse

Timeframe 4/15-5/15/11

__3 – Spring Cleanup Grounds

• Branch Cleanup
• Leaf Cleanup – timeframe- as soon as snow clears in April thru May

__4 – Bridge Repair Prep

Timeframe – April- May

Description- we had a culvert bridge washout due to a dam breaking upstream

• Need a crew to cleanup washed out brush and small stones to prepare the way for backhoe to pull culvert back
• Need Backhoe to Pull Back Culvert Pipe
• Need Dump trucks of Soil to replace washed out soil

__5 – Painting-

Timeframe- May-July

• Exterior Painting of Cabins and Our Rec. Center
• Interior Sanding and Staining of Rec. Center Bathroom Entrance

__6 – Rec. Center Bathroom

Timeframe – April May

• Replace one toilet
• Snake Toilet Drain before Replacing Toilet
• Minor touchup/replace shower curtains
• Re-caulk new showers with mold resistant caulk

__7 – Rec Center Remodel

* insulate

* panel interior

*Interior furniture and decor

__8 – Build More Cabins

__9 – Develop other side of Lake

__10 – Water and Electricity to All Sites

__ 11 – Cutting Down Dead trees

__ 12 Septic Dumping Station

__13 –Painting Cabin Trims and Metal Roof

__14 – Building Farm Stand

__ Miscellaneous

• There are miscellaneous projects from decorating and opening cabins to planting crops…some are Spring Startup, some are ongoing.

Name_________________________________Phone_____________________________________

Issues Affecting Our Church Families

Part III Does the Lord Want us to Be Wise About Magic

By: Brendan Riordan

Lord of the Rings is an epic battle between good and evil no doubt. Frodo, the underdog is on a heroic mission to save Middle Earth. In order to do this he must destroy a ring, which if in the wrong hands gives daunting power to the evil forces that would have it. Sauron, the wood be evil ruler of Middle Earth would have the ring for himself to raise an army of Trolls, and other evil enlistees to complete his evil ends. Gandalf is the leader supporting Frodo, and all that is good. Did I mention that the ring is magical and that both Sauron and Gandalf are Sorcerers? As the epic story unwinds, Sauron utilizes demonic like Ring Wraith ghosts while Gandalf raises an army of deceased Sprits to aide their respective causes. Gag me with a spoon, but this sort of fairy tale does not sound like it rings of Christian values???

Here we are engaging ourselves in necromancy, sorcery, and a host of other dark arts prohibited in the Bible. Yes, Lord of the rings is a classic tale of a battle between good and evil, but what good and evil? How can we cheer for Gandalf the sorcerer? How can we say this parallels Christianity when its essence is a battle between sorcerers replete with the practice of forbidden dark arts? Does not the Lord condemn the use of magic in the Bible? From the witch of Endor, (1 Samuel 28:7-9), to Simon the sorcerer, (Acts 8:9), the Bible frowns on such professions and practices.

Deuteronomy 18:9-16 is especially clear on the Lord’s stand regarding such. Don’t go there! Others may, you cannot! Deuteronomy 18:9-16 projects a final shot across the bow for God’s people entering the Promised Land. The Lord reminds them with final warnings how He had to kill of their fathers and grandfathers in the dessert, in order to purge Israel of her many sins. Whoring after foreign gods and deities, along with their detestable practices ranked top of the list of those sins.

“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.”

NKJV Deut 18:9-14

As the canon shot sails over the heads of the new generation about to enter the Promised Land, the warning is clear. Don’t make the same mistake that your fathers made. And above all don’t practice magic, sorcery, or witchcraft. Because of these practices the Lord was to displace the nations that were presently in the Land.

Should Christians indulge themselves in the knowledge of magic? From Tinkerbelle, to Pokémon, to Harry Potter, to Star Wars, should our children be groomed into magic or the dark arts? Many Christian youth know more about the Lord of the Rings than they do the Lord of the Bible. Did you know that Pokémon means pocket monsters and that the Pokémon game is role playing game whereby participants can use the spirits to induce headaches, read minds and suck out souls. Pokémon participants can pray to the spirits throughout the day when a need arises.

Does the Lord want us to be wise about magic?

My vote is a NO! No, Christians should not be wise in the knowledge of magic. Entertaining oneself with movies or games that delve into witchcraft or other demonic powers should be avoided at all costs.

Issues Affecting our Church Families

# 2 Should Christians Date?

By Brendan Riordan

Malachi 2:15 Family Ministries

James 1:27

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 NKJV

Should Christians Date?

No. Christians should not date, especially teenagers.

I don’t know what it feels like to be a girl, but I can remember what it felt like to be a teenage boy. When I was around a pretty girl, it was all circuits on. Forget about needing to be in close proximity to be turned on, just a photo was enough. When I had the chance to  date a real live girl, it wasn’t long before I had wrong thoughts. Not long after I had wrong thoughts, I acted on them. ( Modern culture would say that my experience was healthy and normal, and I should be given a box of condoms in order to fulfill my healthy and normal sexual drives.) The Bible calls this fornication. (Hebrews 13:9) That’s why the Bible says to not arouse love before it’s time ( Song of Solomon 2:7)

My 16 year old son is candidating for colleges. We were warned to stay away from a particular Christian college because it gives out condoms to its students. If you would like the name of the college give me a call. It’s easier to throw condoms at the promiscuity problem in this country than stand for abstinence. Most young men I speak to have ongoing sexual relations with young girlfriends. It’s not something that is hidden or to be a shamed of in their eyes. This is the cultural norm in America today. Little wonder that most schools and parents have given up on any semblance of standard for sexual purity. Sexual relations among the unmarried, (fornication), is here to stay.

I was just reading in James about true religion. James defined it as this: 1- to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and 2: to keep oneself unspotted from the world. I can tell you first hand as a pastor that our young church people are not keeping themselves unspotted form the world when it comes to sexual purity. It’s not easy staying on the narrow road. It’s not easy living for God and by His standards. Remember, Grace is not a license to sin. (Romans 6:1) It’s not easy to reject the pull of the world and not conform to it. (Romans 12:2) “But by His Grace we have divine power to overcome the world having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” NKJV 2 Peter 1:4

Or, we may take the modern view that it’s legalistic to maintain any standards for Christian living, because “God doesn’t care how we dress, how we wear our hair, what music we listen to, or if we date or not.”

A brother told me that I was too severe in not allowing my children to watch television. He said, You can’t shelter them from everything.” My retort, “How do you, even as an adult, take pleasure in the perversions portrayed as normal on television?”

I once heard a teaching about the culture in Jesus day that it was not culturally acceptable for a man to speak to his own sister in the public marketplace. It was those same cultural mores that made the scene   with the Samaritan woman by the well so shocking to the disciples. Not only were the disciples surprised to find Jesus speaking to a Samaritan ( a culture that the Jews did not associate with), but to find Jesus alone with a woman was too –in itself a culturally forbidden thing. When I served as a full time pastor, our minister’s guidelines prohibited us from being alone with the opposite sex. I’m sure that guideline has protected ministers over the years.

In witnessing to a man the other day I was met with one of several typical rejections of the Gospel. After handing him a Billy Graham tract the man said, “ Unfortunately I only have bad associations with Billy Graham. It’s hard for me to respect what he has to say after his affair with that young woman.”

Here’s an unsaved young man, most likely living in fornication with the girlfriend he had spoken to me about, judging Billy Graham for the same. I went on to explain that several televangelists had indeed fallen into sexual sins, but Billy Graham was not one of them.  I believe it can also be said of this nation that,

15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!  Matt 10:15 NKJV

Should Christian Date?

From what I can see, biblical marriages were more like a distant courtship, probably pre-arranged. I see nothing in the New Testament about pre-arranged marriages, although it’s probably best that Christian parents have a say in who their daughter or son marries. There are too many Thanksgivings and Christmases and kids birthday parties to deal with. Certainly non-believers should not be considered spouses. And in most circumstances, like minded Christian families have enough kids to keep the gene pool going. Why leave it solely to the impulsive lusts of youth to decide this life long decision. How many times did you really really really need something as a youth, when you really, really , really did not! How many young Christian ladies have given themselves to a mal-intentioned, hormone driven , unsaved male who really loved her? Too many, too many are left single moms with grandma taking care of the baby while the single mom goes to work to make ends meet. Why? Because they really, really knew he was the right one.

My father used to say, “ Why is youth wasted on the young?’ Many find late how to live, and are now still paying the consequences of their youthful mistakes.

Dating is unwise and unbiblical. It is a trap for two unsupervised, hormone driven young people to get themselves into trouble. Don’t arouse love before it’s time. Make every effort to keep yourself unspotted from the world, and escape the It’s better to pray that God send you the right one, rather than trying on many partners for size.

Parents, as God given stewards of their children should have a part in helping their children choose a mate.

Further References

I Kissed Dating Goodbye Video

Pamela’s prayer Video

Issues Affecting Our Church Families

Part I: Does the Lord Care How I Dress?

By Brendan Riordan

Malachi 2:15 Family Ministries

Whether you realize it or not there is a near and present war for the heart and soul of your children. And, if you are not intentional in their child training, you will incur casualties. Already the ax is at the root as our teens fall prey to drug addictions, fornication, aids, teen pregnancy and a great falling away from the faith. It is a cultural war, a war vying for your way of life, your world view, and how you live on this earth as a Christian family.

This article marks the beginning of a series titled Culture Wars. The intent of this series is to flush out the issues facing the Christian family in America and will answer the question, “Does God Care How We Live?”

Recent statistics show that 63 % of your children, raised in Bible believing homes do not believe that Jesus is the Son of the one true God. Most Christian youth would also say that truth is relative and that nothing is absolute.  Sixty five percent believe or suspect that there is no way to tell which religion is true. And when Newsweek asked, “Can a good person who doesn’t share your religious beliefs attain salvation or go to heaven?”, Sixty eight percent of evangelical Protestants said yes. (Josh Mcdowell, The Last Christian Generation) What a contrast to what the Word of God says!

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

1 John 5:12-13 NKJV

What has happened to us? Can the cultural pressure to conform to the modern (anything goes) humanistic American view be turned around? Whether you think yea or nay, as a Christian parent you have a supreme obligation to raise your children for God. (Malachi 2:15)

Believers ought to be characterized as alien, different (Hebrews 11:13) called out of the world, (2 Cor. 6:17) Temples of the Holy Spirit, (1 Cor. 6:19) who do not conform to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2. And Romans 12:2 points directly both to the problem and the solution. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” NKJV

Those who resist the sinful pull of this world, and those who abide in Christ and His Word will have renewed minds. A renewed mind enables one to know God’s good, perfect and pleasing will. This is huge! If you separate from the world and abide in Christ then you can know God’s will. If you do not separate from the world and abide in Christ you cannot know God’s good and acceptable and perfect will. Little wonder there is so much carnality in the church today. Most of us don’t even reach step one in qualifying to live the victorious overcoming life, i.e. separating from the world, nevertheless  reaching part two of the abiding that leads to a transformed mind. Who can walk in Christian triumph who does not even know God’s good, perfect and pleasing will?

The apostle Peter says it is our utmost goal to escape the corruption of this world caused by evil desires, and that we are in fact enabled thru the power of the Holy Spirit to do so. 2 Peter1:4. Why then does it seem as if the church in America is trying it’s hardest to emulate the corrupt world?

God does care how we live our life in this world. He does care how we raise our families and it should be our aim to live a clean moral life separated from the world.

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  But now you must rid yourselves of all such things…”

Colossians 3:5-8 NIV

Culture Wars topics will answer these issues facing the Church families in America:  Does God care how I dress? How I entertain myself? How I choose a mate? How I Vote?  What music I listen to? Who I associate with? How I label myself?  Body Piercing?

My goal is to be like Peter and simply present reminders of what you already know as a believer. (2 Peter 3:1). Please do not consider my words as infallible as I am only a flawed commentator of the infallible Bible. Rather I encourage you to be like the Bereans and test everything I say by the word of God ( Acts 17:11). Lastly, these questions will here within be answered in brief, and at a latter time expounded upon.

1 – Does God Care how I dress?

Yes He does. There is a great deal written in the Bible about this topic despite the modern view that “God doesn’t care how you dress, how you wear your hair or what music you listen to. He only looks at the heart.” Jesus said you can tell a tree by its fruit. (Matt. 7:20) And the Biblical guideline for dress is modesty. (1 Peter 3:3-4, 1 Tim 2:9-10)

Modest dress emulates humility and reserve. Immodest dress, in contrast reflects arrogance, pride egotism, and usually sensuality. Is your heart reflecting humility or arrogance in your dress?

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward — arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel —   rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”

1 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV

“.. in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.”

1 Tim 2:9-10 NKJV

(I do realize I have only addressed modest dress in regard to women here, we’ll try and touch on modest dress for men in latter issues of Culture Wars.)

As a pastor I often couched complaints by men about how women dressed in church. Their argument was “I come to church to worship the Lord and get away from the temptations of the world. I don’t want to be sexually tempted in my own church.” On one occasion a young women in the church video ministry had unwittingly exposed her backside while videotaping the sermon. (She was also wearing low-cut Hip-Huggers) When a man sent his wife to gently make the young woman aware, and offer her a sweater to wrap around, the young woman became offended, subsequently appealing to her father to force the church leadership to apologize. Leadership apologized and bothered the young woman no more. (Not the desired response)

Is your heart thinking about humility when you dress? Do you consider if your dress will make someone stumble? Where do you get your dress style from? What you consider style is usually some re – warmed style from a day long gone. In fifty years (if the Lord tarries) the now current style will seem very uncool then. If you live that long it might be the rage to wear a dead cat around your neck to be socially acceptable. The young people today are retuning to the Bohemian look of the 60’s. I don’t know about your Christian conversion, but with me, the desire was to become plainer. I felt free enough in Christ to no longer need to impress anyone about dress style. My desire was to become plainer, and stand out less. I hoped that people would be attracted by my new faith and Christ like attitude, not how I dressed. Let them think me weird because I didn’t keep up with modern trends and fashions but let them be jealous for what I had,  an inner peace, a Christ like attitude, and the blessings of God. (Romans 11:14)

In light of what scripture has to say regarding modesty, we at the Jesus Is Lord Park have chosen to require one piece bathing suits for women and girls, thus providing an environment that does not provide such stumbling blocks for other Christians while they are enjoying recreation time with their families.

I hope that this first Culture Wars topic, “Does God Care how I Dress?”, caused you to think more on this topic and search the scriptures for yourselves. I hope to revisit this topic in greater detail in future issues. Next issue of Culture Wars will ask, “Does God Care how I Entertain Myself?”

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