New Salem Church

Weekly Newsletter for 9/1-9/7

Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth, and praise was on my tongue. If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, God has listened; he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God! He has not turned away my prayer or turned his faithful love from me.

Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Passive-Aggressive?

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ––James 1:19-20

I have a friend—we’ll call him Pete—who is textbook passive-aggressive. He will tell you everything is fine, but then drop little comments loaded with biting sarcasm. I will say, “Are you sure we are good? You seem mad.” And he always denies that anything is wrong. Sometimes it’s almost comical, because everyone in the room knows that Pete is upset about something, but he will doggedly deny it. Ring a bell?

Other times when we run up against passive-aggressive behavior, it’s not so funny. The work supervisor who returns projects with no input or direction, just “this isn’t exactly what I was looking for.” The loved one who gives you the silent treatment—even though you have no idea what you’ve done wrong. The friend who always manages to slip in a zinger whenever you are with them: “The extra weight you’ve gained actually makes you look stronger,” or, “I didn’t know they were still making those shoes.”

Passive-aggressiveness is a symptom of unresolved anger and fear that does not have a healthy outlet for expression. As a result, the unresolved issues get stuffed down. But here’s the problem: what goes down must come up. In other words, if you’re dealing with loss, anger, or other negative emotions, and just keep trying to deny or avoid them, what happens? Like the pressure behind molten lava, eventually there’s going to be a volcanic eruption. When you are the one erupting, it’s a terrible feeling. This is an area I’ve had to work on in my own life: being more aware of my “stuff” and dealing with it before it gets to the point of erupting. Maybe you can relate to that, or maybe you’re the one being blown up on.

When someone emotionally vomits on you, it’s time to speak up. Confront thoughtfully but strongly, and use clear, direct language: “Pete, despite the fact that you say you are not angry, your words and actions say otherwise. I’d rather you just speak your mind and stop saying there’s nothing wrong.”

And if you are the person who struggles with passive-aggressiveness, get help. (Said with a serious but caring tone.) See a therapist, talk to your pastor, share your issue with trusted brothers. It’s not wimpy or weak to admit we’ve got stuff buried inside that fuels negative thoughts and emotions. Actually, it’s kinda weak if we just stay stuck where we are. Let the Healer in and the anger out. You’ll feel a lot better.

Father, help me deal with my own passive-aggressive behavior, and pray for others who struggle like I do.

Weekly Newsletter for 8/25-8/31

Tenderness Is Fearlessness

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” ––Luke 23:34

When you look at Christ the King, you see the tendency toward tenderness. Jesus’ compassion-driven approach is upside-down in man’s world but right-side up in God’s. A true measure of courage is the willingness to be tender when compassion demands it. Inability to be tender is fear––of man, of appearances, or of reality, which hides an even deeper fear of responsibility.

Ask yourself, “Have I trained myself through life’s tough spots in relationships not to feel?” Start in your immediate circle of influence and ask yourself, “Will I wimp out or step into those needs with compassion? Will I offer a gentle touch or rationalize it away? Will I let myself see the pain instead of trying to fix the problem? Will I give away my own dignity to restore someone else?”

We all have our protective devices to safeguard our manhood. Macho men are not tender. We quite naturally fight the feelings or compassionate thoughts for ways to triumph by fixing the problem. It’s hard to just show up and be there, without trying to offer some thought or some deed where we can step in and be “the man.” Empathy is typically not the way we are naturally wired.

Compassion trumps condemnation every time and that practical empathy provides needed emotional shade to the sunbaked and weary soul—a comfort, a relief, a pause that allows that person to forget their pain and find hope again.
The tenderness of Jesus in comforting others in pain is well documented. His kindness never weakened His stamina or softened His fiber—it just made Him stand out more as a leader. His tenderness made him both revered and fearless.

Father, thank You for teaching me to have the tenderness of Jesus.

Mind Clutter

So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” … ––Hebrews 3:7-8

Whether you’re sizing up a decision, a relationship, or a particular circumstance, the process can be taxing and overwhelming. When your mind is filled with unlimited options, decision-making can become very confusing. God’s man is devoted fully to God’s purposes, and will not need a long list of options. Instead, he will target what really matters based on his exposure and experiences with God’s purposes, found in His Word, in prayer, and through godly counsel.

When you came to Christ, your filters changed. For God’s man, this means deciding things differently, and making decisions based on God’s purposes. God’s way eliminates confusion and provides clear decisions and godly instincts for effectiveness.

God’s man will be driven by the love and character of Christ. Plain and simple. A man who risks committing himself fully to these purposes consciously builds his life around them, keeps punching and will not be mastered by any earthly moment. He might get stunned or knocked down, but he will get back up, come out punching, and land more blows. Why? Because he sees the most important variables in a given situation: what shows love for God and what demonstrates love for people. Extra information is unnecessary because godly instincts are in charge. Instead of making messes, he discerns—through spiritual “muscle memory” and often without much rumination—the better, godly things around him.

Holy hunches, sensing the Spirit, trusting insight over eyesight sounds spooky to a lot of men because it requires faith––and risk. God’s Spirit is not failing in our lives. Why would we assume differently? The disparity between intuition and impulse lies in our familiarity with His voice. If we are hearing his voice, we cannot give in to our impulses. True, we have formed habits in our past life. And our Father understands this. The greatest news, despite our past, is that He promises to work with us through the firm but compassionate voice of His Holy Spirit.

Thank You for working with me, Father. Your voice is an increasingly familiar and welcome sound in my life!

Weekly Newsletter for 8/18-8/24

Expect Accusation from Within

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ––Romans 8:1

A prosecuting attorney asks the witness, “Do you see the person responsible for the crime?” In slow motion the witness points to the defendant and says, “That’s him right over there.”

The attorney then says, “Let the record reflect that the witness has identified Mr. Outta Luck as present at the scene of the crime.” Getting that witness to point the finger may not be conclusive evidence of guilt, but it’s very persuasive. It plants an image in the jury’s mind that they won’t be able to easily dismiss during deliberations. Every chance a prosecuting attorney gets to weaken or discredit the character of the defendant, the better his case gets.

For Satan, taking potshots at the character of God’s man is an art form, hitting below the belt, definitely; whatever it takes to undermine your reputation before God and man. He loves to exaggerate the normal and elevate it to extremes. For example: “I made a mistake” becomes “I always blow it.” “I need to work on that,” becomes, “I’ll never change.” “This is making me feel overwhelmed,” becomes, “Life is falling apart.”

God allows Satan to make these arguments but dismisses them because of the believer’s representation in Christ. We have the best defense attorney in the world, as it says in 1 John 2:1: “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” He advocates on our behalf and provides us with complete immunity against any charge.

There is never a reason for self-pity and condemnation. Christians fall and then get up again. Confess and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Our Father has unconditional love for us. I know that’s a hard one to accept, but you have been given a choice. Make the right one.

Father, I can believe the accuser or the Redeemer; thank You for the choice.

Weekly Newsletter for 8/11-8/17

Week at a glance: 8/4-8/10

8/4-UPDATE- Pastoral Installation
"Please plan to join us for the Installation Service for Pastor Jamaal this Sunday at 3pm. A light buffet dinner will be served immediately after the service."

Pastor Jamaal and his team have made the change to the day's order of events with us now serving a "light dinner buffet" AFTER THE 3PM INSTALLATION SERVICE, instead of lunch being served after morning worship. Please be advised and plan accordingly.

Breakfast, 10am
Worship Service, 10:30am
Pastor Jamaal's Installation Service, 3pm
Dinner, immediately following the installation service

So that we can get as many as possible to come out to support Pastor Jamaal's Installation, there will be NO Sunday school this Sunday, August 4th.
Get that extra hour of sleep, join us for breakfast, worship service, a light lunch in the fellowship hall, and then witness a momentous occasion at 3pm!

It's Cookout time! We hope to see you all today at South Park.
Set-up and grilling begin at 10am (feel free to come early and help) then fellowship and fun begins at 11am.

*Please remember to bring your own seat/blanket as we do not have a shelter and picnic tables at this park like we did at the previous facility*

Fellowship, food, fun-field games, kid games/activities, table games, kickball, and a performance by Island Breeze.

Join us THIS Friday!
Do you need special prayer?
Do you want to pray for others?
ALL are invited!

New Salem Family, we have a busy summer ahead of us. In addition to our weekly studies, Sunday service, and regular community outreach, we have lots of opportunities for engagements and fellowship outside of the church. This is a collection of the events on schedule so far, with individual posts coming soon.

*Sunday, July 21st we'll be at Rainier View parkland for their annual summer praise event. This year it is titled "Praise and Potluck", so bring your best dish based on the first letter of your last name (Details are on the flyer)!

*August 5th-9th we'll be partnering with Rainier View again for their annual Vacation Bible School. Register your 3-year-old child or sign up to represent New Salem as a volunteer by following the link below:
https://www.rainierview.org/vbs/
Registration deadline is August 1st!

*Back 2 School Jam
Join us at Giaurdrone Middle School on Saturday, August 24th from 10am-1pm as we volunteer to serve our community in partnership with Puget Sound Foursquare and a host of other local churches. During this event, we give out hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies, serve lunch, give haircuts, paint faces, and give away donated clothing. There are many roles that need to be filled and YOU are just perfect for this volunteer opportunity. Follow the link below to choose a preferred area to serve.

https://soundfoursquare.churchcenter.com/people/forms/736666

Access Is Everything

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” ––John 3:5

July 22, 2009. A day that will go down in—hiking—infamy. That‘s the day Microsoft released Windows 7 with its famous (infamous?) wallpaper featuring one of the most stunning—and previously little-known—areas in the Southwest: “The Wave” red rock formations of northern Arizona. Suddenly this remote, dry region—official name Coyote Buttes North—was overrun with tourists wanting to see the now-famous place revealed to the world. (Thanks Bill Gates.)

The Bureau of Land Management pivoted quickly so the delicate sandstone formations would not be trashed. Today, access is permit-only and strictly limited to 64 people per day. A friend tried for a walk-in permit at the BLM Field Office in Kanab, Utah, where a daily lottery awards 18 of the 64 permits. He met a couple from Japan who had flown in just to nab a coveted permit to see The Wave. It was the couples’ tenth day showing up with no luck. The wife was in tears.

Access is everything in our world. Snag the permit, score the killer floor seats, or land reservations at the new restaurant in town. We often strive, maneuver, and finagle to get the things we want in this life. We’re all guilty of it—it was that little voice during Covid craziness that said, “Grab all the toilet paper and run,” though (hopefully) we resisted and only took what we needed.

However, God’s man has been awarded full access to a place beyond imagination. Eternal life is free of charge, no permit required. But though it’s free, there’s still a call to answer—acceptance of His kingship as Savior.

What are you striving for today? Does that “thing” align with God’s plan for you? We have access to so much in this world, particularly here in the US. But like Jesus’ words to Martha, we need to remember: “ … You are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary.” That one thing is about placing Him first in all we do.

Father, thank You for giving me full access to Your grace and love.

Join us for worship, study, fellowship, and serving others!

You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere. Why did you spill the coffee?

“Because someone bumped into me!!!”

Wrong answer.

You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup. Had there been water in the cup, you would have spilled water.

WHATEVER IS INSIDE THE CUP IS WHAT WILL SPILL OUT.

Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you will come out. It’s easy to fake it, until you get rattled.

So we have to ask ourselves... “What’s in my cup?” When life gets tough, what spills over?

Joy, gratitude, peace and humility?

Or, is it anger, bitterness, blame, frustration, victim mentality and or quitting?

Life provides the cup, YOU CHOOSE how to fill it.

Today, let’s work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation, resilience, positivity, compassion, kindness, caring, excitement, and love for others.
-Paige Comstock

Let me teach….

2 Timothy 4:3 (JFB): they—professing Christians.
sound doctrine—Greek, “the sound (see on 1 Ti 1:10) doctrine (didascalias)” or “teaching,” namely, of the Gospel. Presently follows the concrete, “teachers.”
after their own lusts—Instead of regarding the will of God they dislike being interrupted in their lusts by true teachers.
heap—one on another: an indiscriminate mass of false teachers. Variety delights itching ears. “He who despises sound teaching, leaves sound teachers; they seek instructors like themselves” [Bengel]. It is the corruption of the people in the first instance, that creates priestcraft (Ex 32:1).
to themselves—such as will suit their depraved tastes; populus vult decipi, et decipiatur—“the people wish to be deceived, so let them be deceived.” “Like priest, like people” (1 Ki 12:31; Ho 4:9).
itching—like to hear teachers who give them mere pleasure (Ac 17:19–21), and do not offend by truths grating to their ears. They, as it were, tickle with pleasure the levity of the multitude [Cicero], who come as to a theater to hear what will delight their ears, not to learn [Seneca, Epistles, 10.8] what will do them good. “Itch in the ear is as bad in any other part of the body, and perhaps worse” [South].