Coincidence or Provision?

Yesterday, when I got home, my wife and I were discussing our financial condition. We were wondering how we were going to pay all the bills, what with the Mortgage due and her car needing a new catalytic converter. Oh, yeah, and we thought we might like to eat too! I know that there are many who are in the same situation every day. But we have lived by one principle in our financial lives: do what God says with our finances (that starts with tithing) and then trust Him to take care of us. Well, yesterday, it happened again. Just having finished commiserating with each other and deciding we had not idea what to do, I went out and got the mail. Lo and behold, our tax refund was there. Now that is not surprising, since we did our taxes about six weeks ago or so. But what was amazing was that the IRS found a deduction I had not used and gave us a substantial additional refund based on that. That's right, the IRS gave us more money than we asked for! Now, I know that it could never be conclusively proven that this was more than a simple coincidence that we received a refund with a lot more money than we expected on the same day that we were discussing how we were going to pay our bills. But these kinds of coincidences just keep happening! My wife and I can honestly say that all our needs have been met. Are these recurring coincidences just that or are they provision from the hand of God? I'll let you decide.

Pastor Ken

Head to heart

When I was a new Christian I remember people saying that the longest 12 inches in the world is the distance from the head to the heart. They meant that it is one thing to have an intellectual knowledge of God and another to have placed one's complete trust in Jesus Christ as one's savior and Lord. Now, that is clearly true, though I would dispute those who would claim that the former are not God's children - I think I will just leave in God's hands who has trusted and who hasn't. But recently I have been reflecting again on that saying and realizing that it is also true about one's experience of God on an ongoing basis. I do believe that it is possible to have some sort of relationship with God even when that is primarily through our intellect. But since we are holistic creatures I have found that emotional engagement is in many cases even more important. The problem is that in our culture we think we have no control over emotions and they are either there or they are not. But I have found that emotions follow actions quite regularly. For example, I find it very difficult to not feel that wonderful emotion called "love" when I am consistently trying to do things for my wife - things that express love in traditional terms, like hugging, kissing, cooking dinner, helping in the yard, taking her flowers, etc. I have found the same with God. When I reflect on the words of the songs of praise I sing, raise my hands in praise, tell others of the great things God has done for me, I find that my emotions begin to rise as well. I say all this because this week has to be the easiest time of the year to do those things and renew our experience of God. So this week, I encourage you to praise our wonderful risen Savior and tell others what He has done for you. The Lord is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Pastor Ken

Humility

I don't know if some people are naturally humble. If there are some like that, I know I am not one of them. For me, humility is something I have to learn. What brings all this up is that my second reader just finished my dissertation and is requiring additional research and rewriting. After passing with my first reader, who is one of the acknowledged deans of Church Historiography, I foolishly thought I would now be passed by the second and third readers too. Of course, we all know what happens when you assume, so here I am doing more research and getting ready to find out what I did wrong and what I need to do to fix it. I know, however, that God is in control of my life and that I have been working hard, so I trust that this, too, is in His will. I am humbled, but I am also rejoicing in knowing that my God works in all things for my good and His glory. What could be better than that?

Pastor Ken

Healthcare redux

Well, last night the house passed the senate version of healthcare reform. Supposedly the pro-life Democrats got the assurances they wanted that federal money would not be used for abortions. I must admit that I am seriously conflicted about this. I am staunchly pro-life - I am virtually a single issue voter when it comes to protecting the lives of the yet-to-be-born. And yet, to be pro-life must surely also mean that we want those who are already born, regardless of age, to have access to healthcare. I don't mean those who refuse to get it, or even necessarily those who want society and government to take responsibility for all their actions. But it is true that there are millions in our country who could not get healthcare at any price because of the policies of Insurance companies. I remember when my Father-in-law's health insurance company went bankrupt just after he had suffered a heart attack. Having had a heart attack, no other insurance company would let him have a policy, no matter what he was willing to pay. Since that time (over 20 years ago) I have met countless numbers of people who wanted healthcare, were willing to pay for it, but could not get it. So I definitely believed that we needed some kind of reform. Having said that, our country will answer both before the bar of history as well as the bar of God's justice for our willingness to allow tens of millions of children to be killed just because they were not wanted. We must take our stand everywhere we can until this holocaust is stopped. I don't know if this bill does that or not. I guess time will tell. And I don't know if it will do all the other things it will promise. Being a human invention, it will surely have unintended consequences. We will all be watching. What do you think?

Pastor Ken

Good news

So the other day I talked about the city in Arizona that tried to ban home Bible studies. Turns out that this was the result of an interpretation by enforcement officers, and not the intention of the city council, who observed that such an attempt would be "clearly unconstitutional." So, by next week at this time, they intend to have rescinded the entire law. For more information you can read Fox News' take on the whole thing at: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/17/arizona-town-rescind-controversial-religious-ban/?test=latestnews

Nice to know we can still have Bible studies!

Pastor Ken

Are we that frightening?

Once again a city in the US has decided that having Bible Studies in private homes is a violation of zoning laws. This time it is Gilbert, AZ. I say again because cities have been trying to do this for over 30 years now. I trust that Gilbert will be no more successful than other cities have been. But it makes me wonder - what are they so afraid of? Oh, I know, they try to couch it in terms of parking, but if they were going to be consistent, then they would have to prohibit parties and even family gatherings. I know that having the family over to my house means at least 16 or 17 people and four or five cars at least - more than a normal home Bible study. I can't help but think that this really relates to being "church unfriendly." Churches are the single most opposed development in LA county - more than bars and strip clubs! What is everyone afraid of? I don't know. But this is one area where we have to just keep doing it - home Bible studies. Or so it seems to me.

Pastor Ken

Know what you believe

In Romans 6:17-18 we are told that while we were once slaves to sin, we now can be slaves to righteousness if we will obey the pattern of doctrine we have received. In that one passage are a couple of concepts that are preeminently Christian, but which many of us don't like. The first is that it seems to be saying that our natural state is to be a slave - the only choice is whether to be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. Interestingly, that reflects a concept of freedom that is not only ancient, but is the one upon which our country was founded. These days we seem to think that to be free is to be able to do anything we want, as long as it doesn't hurt someone else, or at least not without their permission. But our founders, along with all the ancients, understood freedom as being free to do what is right, not what we want. But what is right? That is where the second part of our scripture comes in - for the Christian, what is right is the "pattern of doctrine," the teaching of the Bible as historically understood by God's people, the church. That the Bible contains a pattern of doctrine is not in dispute. But whether we know it or not is another question. We cannot obey what we do not know - that is why Mormon missionaries like to go to places where Christian missionaries have just successfully planted churches, but the people do not yet know what the Bible teaches. They use the same language, but define the terms differently. New believers who have no teaching don't know the difference. Unfortunately, neither to some older believers in the US - because we would rather be "inspired" than taught. But if what Paul is saying here is true, then the primary responsibility we have as Christians is to learn the doctrine delivered by the Apostles and passed on to us. Only then can we obey it. But we cannot obey a teaching that we have not learned. So learn! Go to the old sources and find out what the Bible is saying. Then live it! We will live as slaves one way or the other. I prefer to be a slave to righteousness. How about you?

Pastor Ken

More Health Care

The debate goes on over proposed health care reform. Now it appears that it will not pass. Already I am hearing from some that the fault lies with those who oppose abortion on demand who are holding health care reform "hostage" to their extreme views. As one who thinks that our present health care system is broken, let me just say that I completely disagree with this characterization. Quite simply, there was a small group of Democratic Representatives in the US House of Representatives who let it be known early on that they would not vote for any reform that allowed Federal money to be used, either directly or indirectly, to pay for abortions. When you consider abortion murder, you really can do no other. It would be tantamount to allowing Federal money to be used to kill the elderly or the handicapped because someone had decided that they were less than human, or of no further use to society, or even just plain inconvenient - still the major cause for abortions in the US. Though Pelosi is an extremist on the side of unlimited abortions, she understood that the bill had no hope unless an amendment put forward by Rep. Stupak was adopted. Once it was, the bill passed. It then went to the Senate. And though they knew that the bill had no chance unless the Stupak language was included, they passed their version of the bill without the language. And that is where we stand. Did some Senators overplay their hand? Probably - I don't think they really thought that they would lose the Senate seat previously held by Ted Kennedy. But now they are trying to rewrite history by portraying those Democrats who have let their principle stand be known from the very beginning as "obstructionists" who value their "extreme" view more than the health care of some 31 million Americans. To those "obstructionists," I say - "keep obstructing." The lives of the unborn are not negotiable. Or so it seems to me.

Pastor Ken

The Result of Faith

I want to celebrate one of the most important results of my faith - and one that can make the difference for so many of us. I still remember the night when God's Spirit had confronted me with the fact of my sin and the direction my life was going. I remember that moment of withdrawal when God's Spirit took a step back and let me decide whether I would trust that the sacrifice Jesus made would suffice to forgive my sin and give me a new kind of life. It is pretty obvious that I chose Jesus. But the result of that faith - a faith that God Himself had given me, but that I had to choose to invest in Him - is that I am now aware of His presence in my life every day. I am working on my message for this Sunday, which looks at the question the Psalmist asked when he considered the vastness of the universe - "what is man that you are mindful of him?" I understand those who claim that the vastness of this universe argues against God caring about humanity, let alone an individual person like me. That is a very powerful emotional reaction. But that is all it is - an emotional reaction. I cannot explain why God should or would care about anyone, let alone me, let alone be present with me. But that does not change the fact that He is. My awareness is not proof of God's existence or that the Bible is God's revelation of Himself to humanity. But my trust of Him has allowed me to know these things. Does that constitute a "leap of faith?" Perhaps. I do believe that there is adequate proof for the existence of God and for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Those two things, I believe, provide an adequate starting place for trusting God. But the best part - personal knowledge of His presence - that comes after I have chosen to trust. I can only suggest that others try it as well. I am not saying that everyone who trusts God's love in Jesus Christ will always be aware of His presence. That is not how God has chosen to make it work. But there are times when I am overwhelmed with the sweetness of His presence. And that is worth more than I can say! As the old commercial used to say, "Try it, you'll like it!"

Pastor Ken

Families

Today (Saturday) my family celebrated all of the winter/spring birthdays. All told we had four generations where every married couple was still married to their original spouses, never having had a divorce. In total we had 15 people present. There were no fights, and one of the highlights was when we all gathered around the piano with great-grandma playing and everyone else singing hymns and gospel songs. While it wasn't heaven, it might have been the closest we can come in this life. I say all of this because of the reason for it all - our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, who has made it all possible. To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Pastor Ken

As I write this blog, I am sitting in a classroom at Kings Seminary and College sitting in on a class taught by my good friend, Dr. Mike Gregg. He is teaching New Testament Survey to a classroom filled with future ministers in the church of Jesus Christ. Tonight they are discussing the gospel of John, and it is exciting to listen to the many questions they have and observations they make about the gospel. A new generation is training to teach, lead and serve the church. The future is in good hands! It has been true throughout history that every generation has thought that the next generation is dissolute and that the future is in trouble in their hands. And yet, God continues to find those in every generation that He will use to further His kingdom. Praise God for those who answer the call. The kingdom does not depend on our ability, only on our faithfulness. Just a few thoughts suggested by this class tonight.

Pastor Ken