Worry Not!

By Ken Parks, 06/22/2014, Sunday

Throughout our lives storms come and go. As Jesus said, it rains on the just and unjust alike.

One of the storms in my life was a divorce whereby the proceedings lasted nearly 18 months, including a child custody issue. In retrospect, I view this past as one of the most difficult times of my life, filled with worry, anxiety, depression, and physical ailments as a result of the former issues.

The adulterous wife behind my back and in secret had a long term affair with the cousin of Calvin Simmons, the leader of a cult type religious business. I had discovered this affair after my brother told me that something is going on and you should find out. 

I placed a voice-activated tape recorder on the home telephone line. The discovery took place upon the first recording. I made further recordings, and discovered her intent to get rid of me in favor of her lover, Mike McClure.

Other factors contributed to the depression, worry, anxiety and physical ailments. I was a mess. It wasn't until years later, that I had determined to be clinically depressed during that time. I had to find a way to recover. Instead of seeking doctors, counselors, and psychologists with the possibility of having to take medicines, I resorted to Scriptures to get me through this mess.

I learned from the Master, Jesus my Lord and Savior. I applied His teachings.

I found out that the word “worry” comes from an old English word that means “to strangle.” And, that's what worry does to a person, it strangles their thought process, creates a suffocating havoc and can easily lead to medical ailments.

I realized that I had to supersede “worry” (the thoughts of Satan) with God's Word and His command, “Do not worry.” This was not a one time fix, but rather a continual spiritual battle, moment by moment. I was being attacked from all sides, even when I thought things were going okay. A whiff of a perfume, a certain song, and a location would be a reminder of how things used to be and how they should be. I would cry... cry uncontrollably!

The Word of God became more alive to me while I went through the worry, anxiety, and depression.The first thing: Make my need known to God. I prayed.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. - Phil. 4:6, NIV

It is through prayer and praise that I recognized that only God, though His Word, will I be able to win this continual battle through the divorce, custody issue, and the resultant “single-Dad” trauma. I had to completely place my trust in my Lord and Savior.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7

This massive burden was overwhelming.

All of the Positive Thinking books that I had read back in the 70's was like putting a band-aid on a severed leg. I had come to realize all of the humanism practiced by so-called pastors on the subject of “Positive Thinking” was not going to resolve my problems.

Other Scriptures came to surface during these stressful times. The father of lies is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He had used the wife of my youth, a cult, and others to inflict their hatred, their deeds of darkness, and their secret filthy plans, all of which they think they were doing the will of God . I found out who were my friends and who were my enemies.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6

About my Life: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

About my Provisions: So do not worry , saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” - Matthew 6:31 I discover through His Word that uncompromising love for Christ banishes “worry” from my mind and soul. But perfect love drives out fear. – 1 John 4:18 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. - Phil. 4:19

About my future: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34 This does not mean to have concern and be prepared for the future. The emphasis is “do not worry.” Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. - Ephesians 6:10 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:20

It should be noted from the Scriptures that not only does “worry” have a devastating and destructive effect upon us, but it is a sin against God. “Worry” is open rebellion and disobedience to the will of God. Worry is sinful on three (3) counts.

1. Worry doubts God's love.
2. Worry shuts down God's wisdom
3. Worry attacks God's power

The Lord disciplines those he loves and he punishes everyone he accepts as his son. – Hebrews 12:6

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. - Hebrews 12:11

The calamities and adversities we face do not simply happen by chance. They are the visible revelation of God's merciful providence. For it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. - Phil. 1:29

No temptation has seized you accept what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. - 1 Cor. 10:13

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. – Psalms 34:19

Living through the worry, anxiety, and depression... studying and applying the Scriptures, I managed to come up with a 10-point list as follows:

1. Renounce all “worry” (audible) and pray specifically with contentment to God the Father. (Phil. 4:6)
2. Give God permission to guard your heart. (Phil. 4:7)
3. Think about positive righteous (Godly) things. (Phil. 4:8)
4. Focus your thoughts on God. (Isa. 26:3)
5. Use your spiritual weapons. (2 Cor. 10:4-6)
6. Exercise your faith in God (apply what you have learned). (Matt. 6:25-24, 7:7-11)
7. Put on the spiritual protection of God. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
8. Live and walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-26)
9. Do not cast away confidence. (Heb. 3:6, 12-14, 10:19-23)
10. Give God your burden. (1 Peter 5:7)

Therefore... worry not.

Ashamed

There has been a noticeable trend among church businesses. The removal of the cross from their buildings and in some cases within their alters and/or their inner chambers of worship. It has become the decision of the pastors or leaders to remove the cross because it offends the “unchurched”; it makes them feel uncomfortable to attend a place that has a religious atmosphere. The leaders of these religious businesses feel it is more important to make these “unchurched” attendees more comfortable with the removal of the cross, and allow to win them over.

Lakewood Church, the preaching grounds of Joel Osteen, does not have a cross on the building or inside .

Win them over to what?

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. (1 John 2:28, NKJV)

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26, NKJV)

The religious businesses removal of the cross, the symbol of our Faith, are telling us (paraphrasing), “It is more important not to offend the sinner in lieu of the cross and what Jesus did for us on Calvary.” The leaders of these church businesses are concerned about appearances from the masses of the “unchurched.” They are bowing down to political correctness or the opinions of others outside of the Faith. And to what end?

What is the real reason for denying the display of the cross?

It comes down to money and power. The more attendees and members, the more wallets and contributors to the tithe doctrine. And the more power the church business can have within the community. This is the operation of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. They don't display the cross on their church business building, logo, or within the confines thereof. By adapting the cross-removal policy, they can now attract more and more people unfamiliar with the real teachings of Jesus. The members are deceived by omission, and are then lead into further deceptions, rock-n-roll so-called worship music, and fed humanism such as how to be successful, how to manage your money, how to have a successful marriage and so forth. They have even gone so far as to introduce yoga (Hinduism) to the mindless youth.

Their precious leader of whom they often refer to as a wonderful preacher and omit the preeminence of Christ in the same boastful comments, lives in a multimillion dollar home in a gated community, drives expensive cars and has a lifestyle of the rich and famous. Joel Osteen lives in a $10.1 million mansion

Andy Stanley will have a lot to answer to on the glorious day of Christ's coming.

In essence, the church businesses removal of the cross is not so much about the winning of souls, but it's primary goal is money and power. The realization of Christ is dismissed in favor of false teachings, man’s doctrines and regulations, humanism, and false hope.

By the way, North Point Community Church, by which I often refer to as “North Pointless” is the second largest church business in the United States and still growing in membership.

In a manner of speaking there does not seem to be much difference to the way these church businesses appear in comparison to a country club; they are worldly and members maintain the attitude of conforming to the ways of the world, including rock-n-roll music, pride, and other fleshly desires. There is no true representation of Christ within their souls. Many fall under the description of those pleading to Christ as in Matthew 7:21-23, another inconvenient truth that many church businesses refuse to teach.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:34-38, NKJV)

The pleading may follow:

Lord, Lord, have we not sang wonderful rock-n-roll songs in your name? And, Jesus, we didn't want to offend the 'unchurched' and have them not know you, so we removed the cross from our building so they would feel more at ease.

And based upon Matthew 7:21-24, we know what Jesus is going to say and do to the cross-removers... they will be sent to a place where there will weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It comes down to this: If you are truly a follower of Jesus Christ, then you would not be ashamed of Him in any form or capacity, including but not limited of the Cross. The Holy Spirit gives us, the True Member of Ekklesia, boldness to speak of Him and Him alone. We know to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (refer to Ephesians 5:11).

We are living in a time where disciples of Jesus are being ever increasingly persecuted. The U.S. Government will not allow the display of the Ten Commandments in public areas, pray in public or in government schools, display the name of Jesus in public, allow the Bible to be in government Courtrooms, and /or state that Jesus is Lord in public because it might offend atheist, Muslims, Buddhist, or some other religious sect/cult.

Are we to subscribe and bow down to “political correctness?” Have we become wimps, afraid to show the power who lives in us while in public areas, restaurants, and/or any location? Are we to be pushed around by the government who dictate to what the members of Ekklesia are to say, do and display?

I know that we, as members of the real Church, Ekklesia, will be held accountable as to our lack of boldness or being ashamed of Him in any form or capacity.

Regardless of the false pastors' claims about the removal of the cross, the “unchurched” say about being offended, and the unbelievers' desire to ridicule His disciples...

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15, NKJV)

What is your decision? Bold, ashamed, or don't even care?

---------------------------- Ground Zero Cross --------------------------------------------

 Ground Zero Cross: 

Court presses atheist group to explain why artifact is 'offensive'

 

 

A federal appeals court said this week that an atheist group trying to keep the so-called Ground Zero Cross out of the National September 11 Memorial Museum must better explain how displaying the artifact is “offensive” and violates members’ constitutional rights.

The 17-foot-tall, steel beam “cross” was found in the rubble of the World Trade Center twin towers in New York that fell during the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The cross became a sort of shrine or place of comfort for first responders who often prayed there and left messages or flowers. It was moved away from the debris a few weeks later and became a tourist attraction through several years of reconstruction.

American Atheists filed the suit in 2011, which was thrown out last year by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York.

The appeals court ruling Thursday cites an amicus brief filed by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit law firm that specializes in church-state law and protecting the free expression of all religious traditions.

“We’re thrilled that the court picked up on this issue,” said group lawyer Eric Baxter, whose brief argued that American Atheists had no right to bring a lawsuit in the first place. “Courts should not allow people to sue just because they claim to get ‘dyspepsia’ over a historical artifact displayed in a museum.”

The museum officially opened on May 21.

The judge has now given the plaintiffs until July 14 to file supplemental legal briefs before deciding whether the case will proceed. Among the questions that must be answered in the new filings is how the offensiveness of the cross, which the plaintiffs view as a Christian symbol for all 9-11 victims, becomes a “constitutional injury.”

The other question is -- if the plaintiffs indeed feel displaying the cross “marginalizes them as American citizens” -- then how is that a “particular and concrete injury" compared to just “the abstract stigmatization of atheists generally.”

The judge has also asked the plaintiffs to substantiate their claim the museum and Sept. 11 memorial are getting taxpayer dollars.

“Taking personal offense is not an injury that warrants invoking the power of the courts to shut down everything you disagree with,” Baxter also said. “The Constitution is not a personal tool for censoring everyone’s beliefs but your own.”