This really isn't just another morning, my oldest daughter, Katy, has turned 8 today. God is so Good to us. She is smart, Loves Jesus, Teaches others about Him, is a willing Evangelist, and is a developing Leader. God bless her in her coming years.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Psalm 1 -- Connected to the Source
We began a new series at LPC this past week. We are looking at the Psalms, How God's People Worship the Father through Life. On Sunday we looked at how being connected to the source allows us to connect with others in healthy ways. When we are connected to the Mockers we tend to be self centered and easily waylaid on our path to knowing Christ. When we are connected to the Father we have deep roots, we soak up the goodness of life and produce fruit that brings glory to the Father. In the midst of this growth we cannot help but come into contact with the mockers, but are we impacting them or are they impacting us? It all comes down to the source, if we are connected to the Father we will make an impact on those around us.
Blessings on your Monday,
Pastor Ken
Blessings on your Monday,
Pastor Ken
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Symbol of Hope at Easter
Every spring I desire to do the same things, for tradition’s sake- a big plate of fried fish and chips, a walk through the melting snow and slush, a pitiful attempt at coloring eggs that will never be eaten, and sitting in the rising sun thinking on the empty tomb. I do this to focus myself in this changing time of year; to focus not on the summer to come, but on all that God has done for me.
Many people wear a cross to remind them of their faith. I prefer a different symbol. The greatest symbol of faith followers of Jesus have is the empty tomb. We may focus on the cross, but it is the tomb emptied of death that brings the most fear and hope to the world. The empty tomb challenges us to think beyond the moment to what really matters.
On Easter Morning, for the past several years, I rise, pause to look out over all the Lord has given to my care, and think on the empty tomb. This is the time of Easter I look forward to each year- not for the tradition, but for the hope and fear it brings to my life. You are probably saying, “A pastor afraid of the empty tomb?” Yes, I do fear it. I fear it for those I love, my friends, my aquaintances, and my enemies.
I fear the tomb for what it means for all of us. It means that to live, to have life, to have a life worth anything more than what I earn laboring, there must be death – the payment of all I have done wrong. I fear all people everywhere will not accept the payment God offers based on the death, burial, and resurrection of the One who offers us new life, Jesus.
I fear the tomb, for it is the symbol of the culmination of the pain and suffering Jesus felt on this earth before the night of His betrayal. It dredges up visions of the intense torture He experienced leading to the cross and the pain, shame, and slow death upon the cross. I fear the tomb, for it asks me to examine myself and my role- my sin- in the death of the One who loves me more than any other.
This fear brings me hope; for I do not rely on my own work to pay for all I have done wrong. Rather, I look to the empty tomb. The empty tomb that waits for me to die to self and live for my Savior, the Conqueror of Death, Jesus. In the empty tomb that I fear so much, I rest in the hope that is Jesus.
Romans 5:18-19 reads,
“18So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone. 19For just as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (HCSB)”
I will rise on the 3rd day, before anyone else, and think of the empty tomb, leaving my fear and embracing hope. Taking hold of the hope Jesus brings by conquering the grave, I go on with my day and rejoice in the freedom He has given me to offer His hope, without fear, to the world. His righteous action has freed me and can free you from the bondage of sin.
Many people wear a cross to remind them of their faith. I prefer a different symbol. The greatest symbol of faith followers of Jesus have is the empty tomb. We may focus on the cross, but it is the tomb emptied of death that brings the most fear and hope to the world. The empty tomb challenges us to think beyond the moment to what really matters.
On Easter Morning, for the past several years, I rise, pause to look out over all the Lord has given to my care, and think on the empty tomb. This is the time of Easter I look forward to each year- not for the tradition, but for the hope and fear it brings to my life. You are probably saying, “A pastor afraid of the empty tomb?” Yes, I do fear it. I fear it for those I love, my friends, my aquaintances, and my enemies.
I fear the tomb for what it means for all of us. It means that to live, to have life, to have a life worth anything more than what I earn laboring, there must be death – the payment of all I have done wrong. I fear all people everywhere will not accept the payment God offers based on the death, burial, and resurrection of the One who offers us new life, Jesus.
I fear the tomb, for it is the symbol of the culmination of the pain and suffering Jesus felt on this earth before the night of His betrayal. It dredges up visions of the intense torture He experienced leading to the cross and the pain, shame, and slow death upon the cross. I fear the tomb, for it asks me to examine myself and my role- my sin- in the death of the One who loves me more than any other.
This fear brings me hope; for I do not rely on my own work to pay for all I have done wrong. Rather, I look to the empty tomb. The empty tomb that waits for me to die to self and live for my Savior, the Conqueror of Death, Jesus. In the empty tomb that I fear so much, I rest in the hope that is Jesus.
Romans 5:18-19 reads,
“18So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone. 19For just as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (HCSB)”
I will rise on the 3rd day, before anyone else, and think of the empty tomb, leaving my fear and embracing hope. Taking hold of the hope Jesus brings by conquering the grave, I go on with my day and rejoice in the freedom He has given me to offer His hope, without fear, to the world. His righteous action has freed me and can free you from the bondage of sin.
Monday, March 29, 2010
How do you want it to end?
The past few days I have been challenged with my own mortality. Not so much that I will die or am dying or am afraid to die. Rather it is the kind of life that I will live and what I want to accomplish while I live that I am concerned about.
I assume this feeling is pretty unnatural for everyday life, but after getting fired 2 weeks ago I am doing some soul searching and examining what I desire to accomplish with all I do in life. I keep coming back to one thing, just one thing that I strive to do with all I have in this life.
It is rather interesting and different, but it keeps me focused on what I am called to do and who I want to be.
"I want to end up sliding into home, battered, beaten, bruised and bloodied. I want to have Jesus pick me up off the ground at heavens gates pull out the flaming arrows from the shield and armor, brush the dirt off my shoulder, pull the sod from my helmet as He removes it. I want Him to be proud of the way I led my family, my church, my friends and enemies to know Him more and more each day. I want to hear the words from His mouth as He welcomes me Home, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into your rest.'"
I am most concerned for my family in this vision... As a task oriented man I am afraid that I will not have the ability to teach and lead them as the Pastor-Dad I want to be. Loving, kind, compassionate, caring, encouraging and faithful to my children in all things. The task of Dad has not been one that I feel capable to accomplish on my own. I must ask my Father in heaven for help and bring my brothers around me for support. We must be the church that grows believers to be the fathers and family we need to be.
A great calling but a hard life to get to the bitter end.
I assume this feeling is pretty unnatural for everyday life, but after getting fired 2 weeks ago I am doing some soul searching and examining what I desire to accomplish with all I do in life. I keep coming back to one thing, just one thing that I strive to do with all I have in this life.
It is rather interesting and different, but it keeps me focused on what I am called to do and who I want to be.
"I want to end up sliding into home, battered, beaten, bruised and bloodied. I want to have Jesus pick me up off the ground at heavens gates pull out the flaming arrows from the shield and armor, brush the dirt off my shoulder, pull the sod from my helmet as He removes it. I want Him to be proud of the way I led my family, my church, my friends and enemies to know Him more and more each day. I want to hear the words from His mouth as He welcomes me Home, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into your rest.'"
I am most concerned for my family in this vision... As a task oriented man I am afraid that I will not have the ability to teach and lead them as the Pastor-Dad I want to be. Loving, kind, compassionate, caring, encouraging and faithful to my children in all things. The task of Dad has not been one that I feel capable to accomplish on my own. I must ask my Father in heaven for help and bring my brothers around me for support. We must be the church that grows believers to be the fathers and family we need to be.
A great calling but a hard life to get to the bitter end.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Social Experiment
I was on a retreat a few weeks ago and decided I needed to take a survey of the Southern Baptist Pastors and Wives in attendance. I asked what do you need to teach a new believe? It always came back to two things, How to read your Bible and How to Pray.
As I look at these things I can't help but think that what we really need is to learn how to communicate with the Father. How to look at His love for us and respond with thoughtful response to Him. So what do we need to do?
Read your Bible and Pray every day.
I have to admit that with my Busyness at times I miss my time to read and pray. My desire to wake in the morning read God's word and then pray asking Him to bless my day. What about you? Do you remember to Read and Pray every day?
It is my desire to relearn these techniques to be able to communicate them to my friends who are new believers and encourage them to know the Father in more intimate ways.
As I look at these things I can't help but think that what we really need is to learn how to communicate with the Father. How to look at His love for us and respond with thoughtful response to Him. So what do we need to do?
Read your Bible and Pray every day.
I have to admit that with my Busyness at times I miss my time to read and pray. My desire to wake in the morning read God's word and then pray asking Him to bless my day. What about you? Do you remember to Read and Pray every day?
It is my desire to relearn these techniques to be able to communicate them to my friends who are new believers and encourage them to know the Father in more intimate ways.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mondays and Ministry
As I sit here sipping a halfway decent cup of coffee listening to the gossip at the next table and enjoying watching the college students flirt their way through their shift at the bagel shop I realize that most people don't know what I am going through. It is Monday morning, yesterday I was exhausted as I stepped in the pulpit, I cried after the service as a friend declared he didn't know if God was really God, I ate lunch with good friends trying to avoid the awkwardness of the pain we have both felt this past week, took a too long nap and then taught the most horrendous lesson on adultery I have ever heard because of the immaturity of the young believers and their "off color" comments. Today it is Monday, I am desperate to see God move on behalf of the young believers, to transform their minds and draw them closer to Him.
I am struggling to understand the movement of God from week to week, to know how He will move and what to prepare for. In a couple hours I will go to work, do some ministry and play with my family. What will God do? I don't know, but I am loving every minute of it. A new friend commented Saturday night that a called pastor is reluctant, because He knows it will hurt, but God has called and so the pastor acts.
It is Monday, it hurts, but it is time to act. My 10am meeting is here, I act, Lord don't let it hurt too much.
I am struggling to understand the movement of God from week to week, to know how He will move and what to prepare for. In a couple hours I will go to work, do some ministry and play with my family. What will God do? I don't know, but I am loving every minute of it. A new friend commented Saturday night that a called pastor is reluctant, because He knows it will hurt, but God has called and so the pastor acts.
It is Monday, it hurts, but it is time to act. My 10am meeting is here, I act, Lord don't let it hurt too much.
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