Monday, October 28, 2013

10/28/13

I am living in the afterglow of weekend worship at Crossroads...struck again this morning by the realization of the intensely personal relationship that the Lord Jesus desires with you and me as evidenced in his repeated invitations...seven of them:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  [Matthew 11:28]

“Come and you will see.”  [John 1:39]

“Come to me and drink [living water].”  [John 7:37]

“Come and have breakfast.”  [John 21:12]

“Come, follow me.”  [Mark 10:21]

“Come with me to a quiet place and get some rest.”  [Mark 6:31]

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”  [Matthew 25:34]


I am shamed by the way He initiates friendship, partnership and relationship with me while I am preoccupied with the “tyranny of the urgent.”  I am renewed in my determination to spend less time in a ‘Martha mindset’ [busy serving] and more time in a ‘Mary mindset’ [desiring the better thing].

Pray with me...Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your patient and persistent love for us as we mature in our understanding of how to personally, practically and daily open our hearts to you.  Amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Ken

Monday, October 21, 2013

10/21/13

It is true.  The most often repeated command in Old and New Testament scripture is “Do not be afraid.”  And, in my opinion, it is also the most difficult command for most of us to obey.  It seems that our minds involuntarily, naturally and regularly drift toward fear; especially the fear of the unknown.  Who among us has not experienced anxious thoughts about the alarming accumulation of excessive national debt and how it will affect our financial future?  Who among us has not wondered whether we, or a loved one, might be in the wrong place at the wrong time…victimized by a lunatic gunman or a random terrorist act?  Who among us has not had flashes of fear about whether the oncoming truck might swerve across the center-line and hit us head-on?  Who among us does not have looming fear about what the recent results of a blood test or an MRI might reveal?

Personally, I have several grandchildren who will reach driving age in the next few years.  I have driven the winding, narrow roads that honeycomb the Louisville, KY area.  The telephone poles are too close to the roads and the shoulders are too narrow with deep ditches… See what I mean?  Your mind can take you to places you do not want to go and produce feelings of insecurity that we do not want to have.

One passage of scripture has served me well again and again.  Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  There it is.  We push back on fear with prayer.  We push back on anxiety with piety.  When you have anxious thoughts, don’t succumb to panic.  Find a quiet place and count your blessings while also off loading your worry.

Pray with me…. Father, there is not one of us that does not need to internalize the words of these two reassuring verses from Your Word.  Now, today and every day, help us to have the presence of mind to remember them and obey them.  When we are doers of the word and not hearers only, we are the primary beneficiaries.  In Jesus’ name we thank you for giving us Your peace in an uncertain world, amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Ken

Monday, October 14, 2013

10/14/12

There was once a man who went to the doctor complaining, “Doc, I have something seriously wrong with me.  When I push here it hurts.  And when I push here is hurts.  And when I push here it hurts.”  The doctor said, “We need to take some x-rays.”  Then after the x-rays had been taken and he had a chance to study them, the doctor came back in.  The man asked, “What did you find out?”  His doctor replied, “I found out that you have a broken finger.”  So it is today...We don’t really have a multiplicity of problems in our nation, in spite of the fact that some say, “Our problem is the economy.”  “Our problem is education.”  “Our problem is the Congress.”  “Our problem is poverty.”  No, it’s not any of these.  Our singular/basic problem is that we are increasingly marginalizing God and rejecting the Bible.

In William Bennett’s book, “Empower America,” he reveals that from 1960-1990, while the population increased 41%, violent crime increased 500%.  In 1972 there were 586, 000 abortions, by 1990 there were 1,680,000 [25% of all pregnancies].  Suicide continues to increase as a leading cause of death among teenagers.  Of those applying for marriage licenses in 1960, 70% were first time applicants...today it is less than 50%.  In 1970, 10% of homes were single parent...today 30% of all homes have but one parent.

We do not have many problems right now, we have just one.  We have ruled God out of society.  When we get back to closeness to God, the healing will come to the land.  [II Chronicles 7:14] This is what is broken and until it is fixed, there will be pain everywhere.

Pray with me...Father, we know from personal experience that life does not work well unless the Author of Life has first place in our lives.  We invite your loving reign in us and in our land.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Ken