New Year

PK’s Corner January 2010

Revelations 22:13 “I AM, the ALPHA, the OMEGA, the BEGINNING, and the END, the FIRST and the LAST!”

War, Poverty, Political unrest, Human rights violations, Pandemic and Epidemics; all of these and more were found at one time or another in our headlines in the year 2009.  All too often we have been reminded of the badness that has been going on in this past year, and we look to 2010 with trepidation.  We would like to think we have a handle on things, but the truth is, we don’t know what to expect in 2010.

But why should we expect to have a handle on something we have no control over. God created the world and was there from the very beginning, and God is in control.  For every bad thing the papers and news services told us about, lives were being changed.  In Doniphan alone, new lives were brought into the world, hope was given, cures happened, lives were changed, all because God is.

The great I AM was with us in 2009 and will be with us every step of the way into 2010.  God is in control, because God is Alpha and Omega.

Here’s to a Godly and world changing 2010

Amen

Be on Guard

PK’s Corner


Luke 21: 34a “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life…”

The geo-political world is in upheaval; our own government seems to get more and more out of touch every day. Our savings are at an all time low and unemployment is on its way to an all time high. The voice of doom and gloom is being broadcast on all channels and in all of our hearts. Despair is being heard loud and clear, and hope seems to have abandoned us.



Or has it?

Jesus gives us this word, “Be on Guard…” be on guard against dissipation (i.e. in over extravagance or in squandering), in drunkenness and in worry. Isn’t it interesting that the three things that can separate us from heaven are an overindulgent lifestyle, drunkenness and worry? Right now the biggest problem we have in our faith walk in Christ is worry.

This worry is showing up in the ministries of the church. People are hoarding their time and talent for fear that there will be an ultimate lost, but Christ assures us that we cannot let this happen. We must live lives that exude generosity and love.

In order to dispel worry, we must first have faith in God. I once read that faith is not stepping out into nothingness, but listening and obeying that voice that says the ledge is there, even if we can’t see it.

Now is the time for faith, not fear. So “Be On GUARD! Amen

cost

P.K.’s Corner

1 Corinthians 6:20 “For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God with you body!”

“Honey, we need to pay for some things at the school.” My wife said to me as I was getting ready to go to the office. It turns out that in order for my kids to participate in the activities of school, certain things must be paid for, T-shirts, bus fare, miscellaneous sales items and clothing to match the team. It seems every time I turn around, there is another cost to having 3 kids in school. Don’t get me started on the other bills, payments and costs that keep going up in this “growing” economy. If you ask me the only thing growing is the cost of living, and soon even air will be sold at a premium.

But, then I try to look at things in perspective, and I ask myself, “What is the true price I would be willing to pay for my children, or for my neighbor?’ I realize that all the money in the world does not compare to the price God paid for my freedom. When I think of Jesus paying the ultimate price so that I could be free of sin and death, then the bills and the dues and the costs seem trivial. For you see, I have been redeemed by blood and I am now a free child of God.

Yeah, times are tough, but were it not for the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, times would get a lot tougher.  We have been bought with a price, a price none of us could afford, and yet the redeemed are stamped “Paid in full”

Thank you Jesus.

Amen

Assuming

P.K.’s Corner

Assuming

Luke 24: 18b. “…Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have take place there in these days?”

On the road to Emmaus, two of Christ’s followers were talking about the events of that first Easter day. On their minds they had the crucifixion and then that very morning, the body of Christ was missing. Their thoughts were focused on these events and the teachings that Jesus gave them.

A stranger comes up and literally asks, “What is going on?” To these men, they assumed everyone knew what happened. They were not ready for someone to not know. Fortunately, it was Jesus who was there and explained all that happened.

As followers of Christ, it is easy to assume that every person in America knows about Jesus. In fact we think missionaries should go to a foreign country rather than minister in our own back yard. The sad fact is people don’t know Jesus. Our cities and towns are full of people who are literally ignorant of even the basics of the Bible. We, the church have for years assumed that people knew what we were talking about, and our neighbors have no clue of what the Gospel even is. We have only our selves to blame.

For us, that is the challenge, to stop assuming that others know Christ and to assume the responsibility of sharing the word of God. Folks, people’s souls are at stake, and God’s kingdom is coming. Share the gospel with everyone you meet, even if you think they know it. If they have heard it before, that’s okay, it’s a message worth repeating.
Amen

Heritage

Heritage
P.K.’s Corner
Joshua 4:6 “so that this will be a sign among you. In the future when the children ask “ What do these stones mean to you?’ you should tell them.

The Israelites had just crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land, but before the priests could come out of the water, one more task had to be done. Stones were gathered and set up in a pile. This pile was to be a memorial for the future generations to remind them of the greatness of God.

Change is a part of life. In fact, without change there is death, so in order to grow we must change. But change is often the hardest and most stressful part of life. When we get into routines, we don’t like to get out of them because that is just too hard.

Our never changing God does not expect us to stagnate, but to be transformed, and God expects churches to change so that the word can be given to all people. But, we are also called to reflect on the pile of stones by the river; Why? Because that pile of stones points to God and to the future God has for us. We don’t build a temple to maintain the stones, we more forward to glorify God.

Heritage allows us to see where we have come from, and that is something we must never forget, because it is in that journey that God has interacted and guided us. But, we cannot dwell in our heritage, because God calls us to God’s kingdom.

We must never forget the greatness of God, so that we can live in the greatness of God. This is Heritage.

Amen

Our Own Path

John21:22 “Jesus said to him,” If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”

Scenario: God calls you to ministry, but you say, “God, I am no John Wesley, so I can’t be a minister”. Comparing ourselves to another is not the way to follow Christ. Jesus was basically telling Peter to not worry about where John was going, Peter needed to worry about doing what Peter was called to do.

Christ calls each of us to follow him, and each of us will have a different path to follow. The eventual destination will be the Heaven, but until then we give ourselves to Christ and go where he sends us. For some that will be the pulpit, for others it will be the coffee shop. No one persons ministry will be the same, and it is wrong for us to think we are called to be exactly like someone else. The only person we are to emulate is Christ himself.

Don’t let the talents of others keep you from following Christ. Christ has a special job for you, one that no one else can do, and your task is to “Follow him”.



Amen

Witness

P.K.’s Corner
John 17:23 “… so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

In the final chapters of Christ before the crucifixion, Jesus prays for the disciples. But in that prayer, Christ points out that he has been a witness for the love of God in the world. In fact, Jesus’ entire ministry was proof of God’s love and Christ was the witness. Soon, it was going to be the disciple’s turn to witness to the world.

Have you ever thought about what it means to be a witness? We think of courts and evidence and CSI, but it is more than just telling the truth. To be a witness for Christ means living for Christ. You see we must be a walking billboard of God’s love of God’s creation. But in order to be a witness, we must first believe in the Way, the Truth and the Life.

The key to being a witness for Christ is having a relationship with Christ. We are called to witness to the world, but unless we believe, our witness is impugned.

I guess the question we must keep asking ourselves is “What kind of witness am I for Christ.

Amen

Here I am

P.K.’s Corner
Isaiah6: 8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? And I said “Here am I, Send me.”

Isaiah had a vision, and in it God was looking for someone to take his words of warning and hope to the people. But, there were no takers, and Isaiah at first felt unworthy. But the key was not Isaiah’s worthiness; it was his willingness and availability.

Have you every been asked to do something and the first thing that comes to your mind is “I can’t do that.” One of the greatest lessons I ever had came from my boss when I was working in her insurance agency. She asked me if I could go out and measure some houses for a quote and then follow up with a letter and phone call. I had never done anything like this before, and I said, “I don’t know how, so I can’t” to which she said, “You mean you don’t know how and are willing to learn”. What a great lesson from a loving boss, and God is the same way. When we say we can’t, God says, “no you can’t yet, but when the time comes you will because I will be with you”. God is willing to invest the time into us so that we can be instruments of His Grace.



This month stop hiding behind excuses and stand up with Isaiah and say, “Here I Am, Send me. Let God know that you are available, that you are here. There are plenty of opportunities, don’t let them pass you by. Amen

You give...

P.K.’s Corner
Matthew 14:61“They do not need to go away, you give them something to eat”.
Picture the scene, 5000 + people scattered out on the hill side listening to the words of Jesus. The day is getting long, and many have not eaten. You can almost hear the stomachs growling from hunger. Concerned for the people, maybe out of fear of a riot, the disciples suggest the people be sent away in order to find food.

The disciples find some food, and a young boy willing to share it.

Jesus blessed the food, and all were fed. But, the one act that allowed the feeding of the 5000 is the initial act of a young lad sharing his food. You see, Jesus cannot bless what has not been shared.

In our churches, people share their talents, and we are blessed by beautiful music, artistry, bible studies and fine meals. These folks who share understand that in order to be blessed, you must share and give up something of yourself. Just as the young lad gave up his meal, so we are called to give up ourselves. The young lad did not go hungry, and we will not be left alone if we share what God has given us.

If we trust in God, and offer what we have, even if it is fish and bread, the world will be blessed.

Think about it.

God Bless

Pastor Kent

hating life

P.K.’s Corner
John 12:25 “those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life”.

This morning during my prayer time, I face the back of the church. In the middle window of the back chapel wall is a window that was installed in 1906. In the center are these words…”ALL FOR CHRIST”.

Jesus tells us that if we love this life, we lose everything, but if we life for Christ, we gain everything. This verse is a call to follow Christ, not just in thought, but also in action and in life. We must be willing to give up our very lives for the cause of Christ, to give all for Christ.

Which do your prefer, your life, or Christ? That is the simplicity of the question; we are called to choose what we wish to do with our lives. How do we give up our lives? How do we live in Christ? In the Methodist tradition it is by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness. It is in essence the willingness to give up ourselves and give all to Christ.

The church needs ministers, not just in the pulpits, but also in the congregation. We need to be more than pew setters; we need to be doers and givers and prayers, and sharers and livers of the word. We need to think first of Christ and live the life he offers us. The world needs the hope we have and the mercy Christ gives. We need to hate this life so much that we are willing to give it up to Christ. We need to love Christ so much that we can give everything we have and are.

We have challenges in plenty, and only through Christ can we face these challenges, but only if we are willing to “hate our life in this world”.

God Bless

Pastor Kent

Lent

P.K.’s Corner
Psalm 51: 16,17
“For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

The Lenten season is upon us. For the next few weeks, the churches that follow the Liturgical Calendar will be sharing in Lenten sacrifices. But, contrary to popular belief, giving up something is not the intent of Lent.

The Psalmist points out how sacrifice alone is not pleasing to God. Just going through the motions of holiness does not bring us closer to God. Showing up at church, reading the bible, while all worthy activities mean nothing if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You can fast for 40 days, give up all of your income, live in rags to show how pious you are, and with out giving yourself to Christ, those actions are naught.

Lent is meant to make room for God in our lives. We give up something that takes us away from God. The ultimate abstinence if you will would be to give up our selves. The broken spirit, the one that says I am yours, dear Lord, that is the sacrifice God will rejoice in.

Lent is not a time of self-deprivation, but a time of self-forgetfulness. God’s call to us is to focus on God, not on ourselves.

If you are going to give up something during these 40 days of lent, why not give something to God that God desires most, You.

Amen
Pastor Kent

If you choose

Mark 1:40 “…if you choose, you can make me clean”.

This excerpt is taken from a discourse between a leper and Jesus. Picture if you will a man, begging to be clean. It would have been so easy for Jesus to just walk the other way. I’m sure the disciples would have rather been somewhere else. In this one statement, the leper expressed his faith in the abilities of Jesus.

“If you choose”, are words not meant to shame our Savior, but to acknowledge that life and death, health and sickness, are all in the realm of his glory. In order to have a full relationship with God, we must realize that it is up to Jesus to make us clean.

As we read on in the story, Jesus chose to make the leper clean. Like the leper, our sins make us unclean. A leper is cast out from society, and sin keeps us away from knowing God fully, yet Jesus chooses to cleanse us so we can know God. Jesus will clean whatever it is, so that we will no longer be cast out from the kingdom.

The only thing separating us from God is our inability to ask Jesus to come into our hearts and wash away the muck and grime that sin has put there. When we ask, we hear those words in verse 41, “I do choose. Be made clean.” The wonderful thing about Jesus is this; He will choose to make you clean.

Have you asked?


Pastor Kent