Emotional Health

The gospel brings complete restoration to God's creation. The restoration will include full emotional healing - we will no longer be separated from ourselves or other people due to emotional detachment. In the eternal fellowship we will be free in our ability to deeply enjoy God and all of His creation. This is a clear objective of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately the current situation is clear - many people are detached in their emotions so they lack feeling. To put it bluntly - they are unable to feel or sustain feelings. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on marriages, families and other relationships. E.D. (emotional detachment) is a condition that came as a result of the fall of man in the garden and continues even to this day.  It doesn't just plague men, although men seem to be the most susceptible. This detachment from feeling has infected both children and women and does not discern between ethnicity, education  or economics.

One of the best ways to get a handle on ones own emotions is through reading, meditating and focusing on the Psalms. I have learned over the years that the song book of the Bible hides very little in the area of human experience. It will talk about  emotions with brutal honesty but also with glorious hope. The Scripture pulls no punches because God intends to demonstrate His love toward us - His love will bring about healing for those stressed out emotions.

I hope to hear from some of you - it is an encouragement to see you respond to one another. May God be praised in the summer months ahead. - P. Ken

No Barriers Ministry

In Acts 18:5-8 we see Paul devoting himself completely to the task of testifying that Jesus was the Christ. This leads to his ex-communciation from the synagogue but opens a door for further ministry. What happens next is startling - the leader of the synagogue believes Jesus and receives public baptism. To put this in the modern context imagine that a former muslim is going into a mosque and preaching Jesus as the only true God. He is thrown out of the mosque but is invited to preach in a building that adjoins the mosque. As he begins to preach the first convert is the leader of the mosque. In modern terms this is what happened to Paul in Corinth.


Question: Why do we underestimate God's ability to fulfill Psalm 68:1? Why are we so quick to assume that just because we get pushed back a bit we must tuck tail and run? Why not go next door instead and let God do His thing?

Would you pray for God to give all who call on His name the courage to be winsome, passionate and contagious in our faith so that people who oppose us may come to believe in Jesus? Perhaps Hebrews 13:5-6 may encourage you to see what could be instead of only what is. To believe that there are no barriers too great to overcome.  To live as Paul lived and wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 

"What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best!"(The Message)

The Gospel Changes Things.. doesn't it?

I have been impressed with the book "Total Church" (Tim Chester and Steve Timmis).  A line of thought is developed in the book that caught my attention recently because it presents a great opportunity to discuss the gospel as that which transforms us, not just informs us.

The line of thought starts with the challenge to see the church as an identity instead of a responsibility. They go on to press the issue with the observation that theology must not only reflect on action; it must also lead to action. The result of theology should be mission. 

Perhaps you have some insights on moving from "responsibility" to "identity" as you are led to "action" because you have taken time to reflect on the "theological implications" of the living Word of God.  You should know that this is exactly what happened to me as I studied the book of Acts.

I love the old pic of D-twn. Yet I love so much more the way God is continually helping us to be more for His glory as we make His kingdom visible.