Tag: Rev. Dr. Ken Crawford

Dear friends, I urge you,
as aliens and strangers in the world,
to abstain from sinful desires,
which war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:11 (NIV)

This world is not our destination; it is our journey! There are many things here that can distract us from our goal and destroy our desire to complete our journey. These sinful desires actually are at war with us. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can say “NO!” and live with confidence and character before our world that is trapped in darkness and so desperately needs God’s light.

The rest of the world is always watching Christians and waiting for us to fail so they can attack the faith. Some say we are a privileged part of society with benefits that are unearned… yes, they are absolutely right! Living up to our privilege is the tough part of this journey and people we don’t even know are always watching how we act and react. How do you live your life when you think no one is looking?

Empower me, almighty God,
so that I may grow ever closer
to your character and holiness.
Help me, loving God,
to live a holy life that is
attractive to my friends,
family, and neighbors,
so they may come to glorify you
by living your life, too.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

Gracious God,
thank you for reminding me
that the first goal in my life
is not to be protected,
but to be used to share your grace.
Help me to know that being persecuted
for doing what is right is
following in the steps of Jesus.
Give me the courage and the passion
to help lead others to
the wonderful discovery of you,
your grace, and your great reward.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

For the foolishness of God
is wiser than man’s wisdom,
and the weakness of God
is stronger than man’s strength.
1 Corinthians 1:25 (NIV)

God’s ultimate “foolishness” is his willingness to use the cross to bring others to him. At first glance, the cross is a hideous and horrible tool. This whole plan does not make sense to us. In our human wisdom, we could never visualize using a man crucified as criminal scum to capture the hearts of the world. But God does. The cross transcends cultural boundaries, overcomes language barriers, and reaches across racial differences. The cross is God’s demonstration of foolishness and weakness, and through it he conquers death and brings our heart to him. The weakest part of God is immeasurably and infinitely stronger than all of mankind combined.

On this day, Father,
I am powerfully reminded
of your incredible sacrifice
at Calvary with Jesus.
Words cannot express
how powerfully they have
touched me with your love
and filled me with the
assurance of your grace.
Thank you!
I am utterly amazed
that you would love me so.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” Then they remembered that he had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened.   
Luke 24:1-9 NLT

“Here is my servant,
whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice
to the nations.”
Isaiah 42:1

The last part of Isaiah contains what are often called the Servant Songs. Jesus claims several of these songs for his self-identity. The early church claimed several others, quoting them to define Jesus’ ministry and understanding them as prophecies of his coming. Not only were these words of prophecy inspired by God’s Spirit, but the Spirit also empowered Jesus as God’s servant to bring justice and display God’s mercy. The work of Jesus is rooted in the work of God’s Spirit in prophecy that foretells his coming, in his conception, at his baptism, at the start of his ministry, in the words he spoke, in the joy he experienced, through the power that raised him from the dead, and the gift he poured out when we came to him in conversion. The ministry of Jesus is so tied to Jesus and his work for us, that Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “another comforter,” like Jesus himself that Jesus would send when he returned to the Father. The work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit are joined inextricably in God’s dance of grace that brings us life, hope, and justice!

O Father,
how can I ever fully grasp
the gift of the Spirit
dwelling in me?
I realize that the Spirit
is a bond that I share
with Jesus himself,
the power of the Lord’s
presence in my life.
Thank you for this grace, Father,
thank you for this gift, Lord Jesus,
and thank you for
your abiding presence, O Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ name I thank you!
Amen.

… While we wait for the blessed hope —
the glorious appearing of our
great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us
to redeem us from all wickedness
and to purify for himself
a people that are his very own,
eager to do what is good.
Titus 2:13-14 NIV

Some of the most basic and forward looking statements about Jesus are made in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. These letters are devoted to help pastor and mature churches in difficult places. They are incredibly practical, but also are rooted in the work of Jesus, his divinity, and his faithfulness. We are waiting for the Faithful One! We trust that he will come for us because of what he sacrificed to redeem us. While we wait, we honor his mission by being a people eager to do what is good, showing in our lives that he is our Lord.

“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.
“But I say to all of you:
In the future you will see
the Son of Man
sitting at the right hand
of the Mighty One and
coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Matthew 26:64 NIV

O God,
I find myself waiting for Jesus.
Because he is coming for me,
I know my life has direction
and meaning even
on those days that are long,
hard, and seemingly fruitless.
Fire my heart to wait longingly
for Jesus’ glorious appearing
and stir my desires
to only want
what is good and holy.
I want to see you!
But, dear Lord,
I also long to be like you!
In the glorious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”
Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
Proverbs 20:22 (NIV)

Revenge is Satan’s way of destroying both the innocent and the offender. Once vengeance becomes the motivation, the wounded party can suddenly be swept up in rage and hatred. This poison spreads to everything the vengeful person touches. On earth, we can see that we will never find perfect and complete justice, no matter the “goodness” of the judicial system in place at the time. But God will not only bring justice; he will deliver us: deliver us from the hands of the oppressor and deliver us from the poison of hatred.

Forgiving Lord,
God of all justice and steadfast love,
I ask you to be at work in the
justice system of my land.
Make it more equitable and true.
Expose those who buy and sell
justice and remove them from power.
Deal with the violent and
the oppressor with your hand.
Please Lord,
by the power of your Spirit,
stir me to forgive others
and to wait on your justice.
Guard me from the poison
of an unforgiving and vengeful heart.
May my attitude, behavior,
and response to those who wrong me
help lead them to know
your Son as their Savior.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch.

The little boy was curious and asked, “Why do you have that palm branch, dad?”

“You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so we got Palm Branches today.”

The little boy replied, ” Aw Shucks! The one Sunday I miss is the Sunday that Jesus shows up!”

Find a church near you to attend this week.
You would not want to miss out on the Good News!

Make every effort to keep the unity
of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to one hope
when you were called.
Ephesians 4:3-4

Make every effort! Why is this effort so necessary? Well, there are many reasons, but the one that the Holy Spirit points us to in this passage is this: we all share in the same Holy Spirit, who is spiritual DNA that connects us together. The Holy Spirit is at work to create the unity and harmony necessary to help us function together as the bodily presence of Jesus in our world. For that to happen, there needs to be a unity that includes peace. A body can’t function when it attacks itself or won’t communicate between its different parts. So we must all, individually and collectively, “make every effort” to preserve what the Holy Spirit has built and is working to hold together. To do less is to rebel against the work of God!

Father, thank you for
brothers and sisters in the Spirit
who are as close,
and sometimes closer,
than blood relatives.
Please work on my heart
to value the unity the Spirit
has established and to work hard
to keep that unity so that
we may display the character
and compassion of Jesus
to those around us.
In Jesus’ holy name,
I ask for this grace.
Amen.