3-D

I enjoy art, and the creativity that drives it.  Each new concept or creation brings renewed hope and possibility to life.  Art is beauty, imagination and initiative mixed together.  Art explores the possibilities of life and then dares to dream.  Art says yes when monotony says no.  Art is courageous.  It dares us to step out of the box.  It is not afraid of failure.  

Art is the ability to take any pallet or medium and pour creativity into it, resulting in a new dimensional perspective.  Early art, however, was limited in this regard in that early artists were not aware of techniques that added the third dimension.  Early art was flat and two dimensional.  It reflected height and width but no depth.  It was not until artists started adding the third dimension that the fulness of life could be reflected on the canvas.  

As with two dimensional art, two dimensional living is flat, shallow and superficial.  As a result, there is no room for anyone or anything outside of one's own life or self interests.  The third dimension brings depth to our two dimensional lives.  

You may ask, "what is this third dimension?"  It is the ability to look at life from a new perspective, outside of our flat two-dimensional box.   It is life without limits.  It creates volume, space, and room for God and others.  

This third dimension, or 3-D as we like to call it, is life in its eternal form.  3-D also stands for "third day."  The day Jesus rose from the dead, introducing the perspective of eternity to our flat, two dimensional minds.  

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the element that brings us a new perspective on life.  It enhances every aspect of who we are.  It gives life depth and meaning - a new capacity.  It is life without limits, beauty without boundaries.  The third day is to life what depth perception was to art.  Without it we would be limited by the canvases of our lives, never reaching beyond our flat perspective.  

On the third day Jesus Christ stepped off the canvas of mortality and walked boldly into the depths of eternity.  He painted the most glorious picture known to man, and now stands on the horizon and beckons to whosoever will, "come and follow me.  Enter into the fulness of life." 

I love it when God paints a picture!

PK 

All You Need Is Friends

I think it was John that said "All you need is Friends."  I don't know it might have been Paul or George, but I am pretty confident it wasn't Ringo.  Any way, I'm not much on Beetle trivia, but I do find some elements of truth in those words.  

Christ (somebody that is much larger the John Lennon, by the way : ) said these words:

This is my commandment,that you love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love has no man than this, than that a man lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.

What a concept . . . people helping people.   I think somebody like John Lennon would think on that concept and formulate a one-word sentence - Imagine.  

Imagine that.  Imagine a world where people actually lived out their Christianity; a world where living like Christ meant more than learning all the rules.  Imagine people seeking out those who are hurting so they can give their life away to them.  Imagine a place where people actually did all the "stuff" that Christ taught them to do - not just learning about what Christ did, but actually behaving as Christ had.  

Imagine a world where Christians live as Christ lived.  So many people in a world like that would be influenced in a positive way and God would be wondrously glorified!  In a world like that, no one would be able to doubt the power of Christ and the influence He had on the world for which He laid down His own life.   If Christians would act like Christ, what a world that would be!  

Imagine how we would worship in a world like that.  Oh, the songs we would sing!  Fanny Crosby, Bill and Gloria Gaither, Michael W. Smith, David Crowder, all would resound with praises to the King.  Perhaps though, there would be one more voice in that choir; a voice singing so loud that his name would become as common place as Christ's Himself. This added voice singing with an illuminated imagination - an imagination that would then include a heaven.  

All he really needed was a friend, or maybe it was love?  Same thing.

Imagine,

Pastor Keith

You Can't Take it Back

Devotion.  I've spent a lot of time thinking about that word this past week.  It's a word that we often throw around, but quite frankly, don't fully understand the full depth of its meaning.  

Oh, we may have a good concept of how we define the word, but our definition is not necessarily what the word truly means.  After all, we Americans are good at redefining everything to fit within our culture.  To us, devotion is synonymous with commitment. If we are devoted to some one or some thing we feel committed to it or them.  My question, however, asks if there is something more to this word than mere commitment? After all, commitments are often broken and circumstances seem to always trump any promises made prior to changing our minds.  Commitment is relative.  Relative to our current situation.  

Devotion is far greater than commitment, and as a result, most people never experience the blessings that flow from the heart of that word.  To the Hebrew mind, devotion is the ultimate sacrifice.  It is the greatest of the three voluntary offerings that one can bring to the LORD.  

Let me try to help you understand what I just said.  In the Old Testament God commands His people to bring certain offerings to His house for specific purposes at specific times of the year.  These offerings are required and expected.  Voluntary offerings, however, are neither required nor expected.  They are brought to the LORD out of an intrinsically motivated desire to worship.  

The first of these offerings is the vow.  If a person makes a vow to the LORD, he or she in essence is placing his or her freedom on the auction block of slavery.  An assessment is made of the person's value based on the market's rate for a slave of that given age and gender.  A price is then paid to redeem that person from the vow.  The price, if paid by a slave master, is 100% of that person's estimated value.  If the person making the vow redeems himself, the price paid is 120% of that person's estimated value.  In essence the vow is selling oneself into slavery and purchasing your life back through a sacrificial offering. 

The second option of voluntary offering is the dedication.  The dedication is setting something apart as holy unto God.  Personal or real property is dedicated as holy.  An appraisal of worth is determined by the priest and the property is sold.  If a person other than the original owner purchases the property, it is sold at 100% of its value.  If the person dedicating the property wishes to buy it back he or she may do so, but only at a price that is equal to 120% of the value.  

These two voluntary offerings permit the worshipper to regain what has been offered by paying a price.  The sacrifice is actually found in the price one is willing to pay to keep his or her possessions.

The third, and most holy of all voluntary offerings is the devotion.  Leviticus 27:28 reads: "Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and of beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD." 

Devotion is the ultimate sacrifice.  It is giving something away never to gain it back.  You cannot redeem a devoted thing.  Once devoted it is gone forever.  Wholly devoted to the LORD.

We throw the word "devotion" around so haphazardly.  We talk about our "daily devotions," we speak of "devoting our time and energy" to the Lord's work, we tell people we have "devoted" our lives to Jesus Christ, but at the least sign of inconvenience we adopt an americanized definition of the word and slip into a modern commitment that is contingent upon our current circumstances.  We say we are devoted, but yet we always try to take back that which we've laid on the altar.  

I don't know about you, but after learning this truth I will never look at my daily devotions the same way again.  Lord forgive us for being committed when we should have been devoted.  

If my people . . .

pk  

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Well, its been a while since the last time I had this experience.  After all, I've spent the last four years of my life in the Arizona Desert.  

Last night there came a blizzard, and it wasn't fit for man nor beast.  The grocery stores ran slap-out-a bread and milk and the world shut down for a day.  

Its been strange . . . kinda fun, kinda pretty, kinda boring, kinda deja vu.  Not a whole lot of people to talk to although a few did emerge from their cabins. 

Roger braved the elements, put on his snow shoes and traversed the frozen tundra all the way from his igloo in Rockwell like any respectable abominable snowman would do.  Richard and I faced the savage cold and with great courage survived the 100 yard trek from our houses to the church.  Wild Bill crossed over the river and through the woods to arrive at "base camp."  But that was about all the life we saw today, with the exception of a brief appearance by Yukon Ralph who dropped in to make sure that all was secure.   

We didn't see hide nor hair of the rest of the crew.  We just figured they had better sense than we did.  What a good day to stay at home and enjoy your family!  If I had not spent the night here in Kannapolis I would have spent the day in Yadkinville making a snowman with Katie.  

Snow days are good days.  They let us know that everything is not as important as it might seem.  The world can stop spinning every once and a while without everything falling to pieces.  Snow days remind us that it is alright to slow down and take it easy.

My prayer for you today is that you enjoy the simplicity of a frozen world.     

I think I am going to go enjoy a long winter's nap.

Wake me up when its over,

Pastor Keith

Expecting Great Things

We are now three weeks into our message series on prayer, and I must say I am beginning to really see God at work.  The evidences may be subtle at this point but they are evident and bear the signature of God written all over them.  I hear it in the prayers our people are offering up.  

God's people are praying with a kingdom focus.  Humility is present in their voices as they submit their will to the will of their Father.  This is the begining of great things.  The verse in 2 Chronicles chapter 7 is ringing loud and clear ; "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  There is so much truth in those few words, and that truth will set us free!

I feel it!  I feel a great turning in the heart of our church - a turning from human will and interest to God's will and interest.  I sense a humility that is amazing - people bowing themselves down before their Creator, laying their lives on the altar as a living sacrifice.  Prayer is working!

We have discussed three key elements of prayer so far: First, prayer changes us.  Second, prayer is about the will of God, and third, there exists a major, spiritual struggle for our prayer life as we "wrestle not against flesh and blood."  Up to this point we have been speaking about our communication to God, starting next week we will begin to learn the elements of God's communication to us.  

Prayer is a two-way street.  That simple concept is perhaps the least taught, and most needed in all the discipleship process.  How can we do God's will if we can't hear God's voice?  How can we reach our full potential in Him if we neglect to foster a relationship with Him?  By developing our relationship with God we will learn to hear His voice.  

We have some exciting things yet to learn in this series.  Please pray for me as I study and seek the words God would have me to share with you throughout the remainder of this prayer emphasis.  I am very encouraged by what is promised to us if we "humble ourselves and pray."  I am kind of old fashioned in that I believe God will do what he said He would do if we do what He tells us to do.  

Expecting great things,

PK 

The Power of Prayer

Yesterday we started our first message in a six part series on prayer.  I think prayer makes all the difference.  All too often, though, we neglect this great privilege and then wonder why we celebrate only a mediocre faith experience.  

Prayer, as we learned yesterday is far to valuable to neglect.  I can honestly say, as your pastor, that I am totally committed to this subject.  I am totally committed to see that we come out of the mediocracy of our existence and enter into the joy of a true relationship with God, but i truly believe this will only happen "if" we "humble ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways."  

I know, that sounds harsh.  You might be saying to yourself, "I am humble and I do pray and I have no wicked ways.  That verse is not for me, it is for the other people who don't live a good Christian life like I do."   If that's what your thinking then I challenge you to get a dictionary and look up the word "humble."  

The longer I serve in the ministry, the more I realize that God loves to work in the lives of the humble. . . those who are broken. . . those who have "gotten over themselves."  It is through weakness that we find strength.  It is in humility that we find God.  

The first step in a powerful move of God is a sweeping wave of humility that engulfs a community of believers.  People desperately seeking God by abandoning their own self interests.  People recognizing how they, individually, have been functioning as stumbling blocks in the path of God's blessing, and truly repenting of those attitudes and behaviors.  

We must all, "humble ourselves and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways."  No one of us is exempt from this exercise.  We must all get alone with God and ask Him the question, "how have I, personally, been blocking the blessings of God in my life, the life of my family, and the life of my church."  Then, in the quietness of the moment listen to His voice.  Unless your name is Jesus, He will convict you of your sinfulness.  

God, I pray your wave of humility will strike our church in full force.  I pray that It will overcome me personally and change my life forever.  I pray that we as a people will seek your face in all that we do and find the unity that can only be found in the spirit of prayerfulness.  

God, we only have one chance at this life, and one chance at building this church.  Help us to do it in you will.  May your desires become our desires so that when we pray we are seeking your desires.  May we live in such a way that we experience the power that you modeled before us in the person of your Son Jesus Christ.  He, himself taught us that the mighty works that were manifest in His life were a result of His communion with You.  That same power that is manifest in His life resides with us in the person of Your Holy Spirit.  

Help us, Father, to have the kind of faith that moves mountains - the kind of faith that causes the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear and the dead to live again!  Cause us to seek the kind of faith that is available to us through prayer, praying in Your will, and in the life of your Son.  

God, grant us power in the Name of Jesus, power to accomplish your will and way.  Help us, Father, to recognize our weakness in the light of your greatness, and surrender our lives to you wholly and completely.  

Cause us to pray.  Help us to recognize the value you placed on our prayers when you made them possible by the blood of your Son.  You paid a great price for our great privilege.  May we ever be mindful, and as a result, ever prayerful.

Amen

Church, I hope you have taken this challenge to pray seriously.  I hope this message series will do more to develop you individually and corporately than any other experience in your Christian life.  Please join me in faithfully praying for a powerful moving of God to sweep across our church  in the form of a huge wave of humility, washing away all desires that are not abiding in Him so He can abide in us.

Your prayer partner,

PK

Starry Night

I have always loved this painting. It speaks to my soul.  Even before I understood the events that led up to its creation, I could sense the deep agony the artist hid beneath the brilliant colors.

Movement and light speak to the presence of a holy God.  The little village sleeps as a powerful and mighty creator quietly coddles it in his loving arms.  Absolutely beautiful.  

In the foreground we see a cyprus tree, dark and foreboding.  It places distance between the artist and the world he is observing.  Just out of his reach lies a quiet, peaceful village.  Beyond that village resides a powerful, mighty and caring God.  For some reason the artist is distanced. He looks at life with admiring eyes and is amazed by the Giver of life, but cowers in the darkness, secretly telling us that he does not feel worthy to participate in so great a masterpiece.  Absolutely agonizing.  

Early in his life, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) felt a strong tugging at his heart to serve God in full time Christian service.  He wanted nothing more than to share the love of Christ with the world, but his desires were not well received by the Dutch Reformed Church.  After being rejected by the seminary, he spent a number of years serving as a missionary to a village of coal minors.  Not willing to elevate himself to a higher standard of living than the people to whom he was ministering, van Gogh led the humble life of a peasant.  

This further alienated him from the church because many felt he was "degrading the priesthood."  Van Gogh did not measure up to the high standards set by the church.  The church was apathetic to this young man whom they felt could not live up to their standards.  Academically and socially challenged, he left the church, dejected.  

He embarked on a life that steadily spiraled downward.  Broken relationships, lead poisoning, alcoholism, and eventually mental illness brought on by debauchery led him to a place that was far from his earlier, God given passions.  Van Gogh was moving away from God and the church was blind and indifferent to his descent. 

The last year of his misery found him in an asylum at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole.  Tormented by unfulfilled ambitions, he walked the gardens observing the village below.  From behind the dreary cyprus tree he looked out at the life he so longed for, but was unable to touch.   

As I look at his "view from the asylum" I can feel his pain.  He witnesses a God that is present, shinning His light in the heavens above and in the hearts below; the sky on fire with light and motion; the homes below illuminated by the same.  A beautiful painting, but painted by an observer rather than a participant. 

I can't help but notice the only two places in van Gogh's world where he sees no light: in his own heart, and in the institution that should have brought that light to him.  This picture hangs in my office as a daily reminder that we as a church should never extinguish the light we are called to shine forth.  

Van Gogh's paintings today are some of the most highly sought after in the world.  They are displayed in museums and galleries worldwide.  They tell the tale of a troubled, passionate soul yearning for acceptance in a world that rejected him.  

I can't help but wonder what tale they would tell had he found the light of God in the church for which he yearned.  

PK