Pentecost in Glendale

Has it really been two weeks since I last posted? And does anybody really care? I must confess, I am never sure that there is enough stuff worth saying to post a blog like this on an ongoing basis. But here I am again, nonetheless! This morning I was talking with the pastor of our Iranian-Armenian congregation. He shared with me that this past Sunday, which was Pentecost, they started with over 250 people in a building that only seats 180, and then, when he began to pray for people, the word got out and people kept coming until 11:30 PM that night to be prayed for, eventually having between 400 and 500 people come and stand in line, some for over an hour, to be prayed for. There is a real hunger in the human heart to know God and be touched by Him. It is possible to harden our hearts to this sense, but it is there from the earliest age. Perhaps that is why the Bible pleads with us to not harden our hearts. God wants to meet with us so much more than we are interested in meeting with Him. Don't wait!

6 Catholics and 3 Jews

That is the headline I just saw. It is the essence of an article I read in the LA Times this morning. It reflects continuing articles on Fox News and CNN. Everyone is so up in arms because there will be no Protestants on the Supreme Court. Can I just say - I don't care! I know we live in an age when everyone thinks they are or ought to be part of a protected class. But it seems to me that we have taken this way too far. It seems to me that the only qualifications that need to be considered are those relating to judicial abilities and philosophy. But it highlights another thing happening in our society now, and in the Christian church and culture in particular. I am referring to the tendency to perceive slights as evidence of persecution. Now, I honestly do not think that there is any slight or persecution intended in the fact that there might not be any Protestants on the Supreme Court for awhile. But let us say for the moment that there was What should we do about it? Frankly, this is where I need to understand my Bible. Because Jesus told us to fully expect that we would be persecuted for His name's sake. And when we are, we are to "turn the other cheek." If we ever get to the point where Christians are excluded from parts of our political and cultural world just because we are Christians, then we need to not be surprised, and redouble our efforts to live a life that testifies that God still loves not only us, but those persecuting us as well. In the meantime, let's not look for trouble where there isn't any.

Pastor Ken

Reminding myself

As I write this I have just finished perusing the Alumni magazine for my undergraduate college, Oral Roberts University. Like all Alumni magazines, it includes stories of the many exploits of various graduates. ORU has had more than its share of graduates who have made a significant difference in various fields and places in the world. And when I say field, I not only mean field of endeavor, but also field in the world, as there are ORU graduates in almost every country of the world. After reading about so many successes, it is easy to feel like one has been, well, let's just say less than a success. It is a feeling that almost everyone is familiar with, particularly at "mid-life." So we need to remind ourselves that God's standard for success is not the same as the world's. God's is measured in what the Bible calls "faithfulness." Have we done what God called us to do? Now that may sound like an easier standard, but it is not. There are many of us who realize what no one else does about our callings and our failings. So what I am trying to say today is not for us all feel better even though we have not been as successful as others in the eyes of the world. Rather I call each of us to seek God anew for His calling and His favor.

Pastor Ken

That Pesky Rule of Law

In recent years there has been a growing consensus that the first thing that is absolutely necessary for a livable society that truly honors everyone is "the rule of law." Basically this means that the laws of the land are applied equally to everyone, regardless of station, income or crime. Not that the penalties are equal for every crime, but that all crimes are pursued equally vigorously. This is, of course, a principle that we say we unswervingly support in the US. It is certainly in keeping with the revelation of God as contained in the Bible. There we learn that God loves all equally and judges all equally. But today I heard on the radio that many of our highest public officials are saying that a US citizen accused of a crime should not be afforded the normal constitutional rights normally afforded a US citizen. In this case it is person accused of setting the car bomb in New York's Times Square. Now this crime could have been truly horrendous. And there is no doubt in my mind that, if they have actually found the right person, he should be convicted and incarcerated for a long time. But to not Mirandize him? Perhaps we should not even hold a trial?! I understand that anger and fear that an attempt like this raises. But we are either for the rule of law or we are not. If we decide that some crimes or some national origins or some religions mean that a person is not entitled to the same rights as everyone else - well how long until it is decided that Christians or Blonds or Caucasians are the real threat and that security demands that these people not be afforded constitutional rights? One of the greatest of our Founders chose to defend the most hated men in the American colonies when John Adams defended the alleged perpetrators of the "Boston Massacre." God, give us more John Adamses and fewer members of the mob!

Pastor Ken

I just read yesterday that 41% of babies born in the US are born to unwed mothers. I can hardly express how depressed that makes me for those children. I do not minimize the number of bad marriages or other family problems, but the chances for a child to thrive and do well decrease markedly when they are not in an intact family with a father and a mother who love them and are there for them. I am not talking about opinion here, that is just a fact. The fastest growing group in terms of poverty are single parent families. The problems associated with being born to a single mother are legion. And yet we are afraid to say that some things are right or better. They are nonetheless. I wish I could say I have a quick and ready answer. I don't. But I can pray that God will send a revival to America that will change not only our values, but our hearts. Will you pray with me?

Pastor Ken