Pastor Ken Invites You To Hear "The Rest of the Message"

Here's our text for Sunday, July 8, 2007:

"The Blessings - Get Hungry!

Many more years ago than I want to think about I heard this solid piece of advice for purchasing at the best price from salespersons, "Try to buy from hungry salespeople. They're the ones who will work the hardest to get you what you want." In over 30 years in various businesses I've always found that true. The salesperson who was satisfied just didn't care as much as one who was not.

In this week's text of our study of the Beatitudes (The BLESSINGS), we hear Jesus Christ saying the same thing. Maybe I heard it from someone who first heard it from Christ?

You see, when you want something badly enough, you will do whatever it takes to get it. And when that thing is righteousness.....God promises you will be FILLED with it!

Righteousness. What does that word mean? When I was 10 I listened to the Righteous Brothers. They chose that name because they wanted listeners to think they were really good. My earliest recollections of pastors sermons include the words, " Be righteous," which also meant good to me. When I hit my teens I occassionally heard phrases like this, " Hey dude! This weed is righteous, man!" As I recall they weren't telling me the lawn looked nice but something really was good. Here's the thing.....Righteous does NOT mean GOOD.

The word righteous may be defined accurately three ways: Right Relationship with God; Right Relationship with others; Justice. And when Jesus used the word He most often meant: JUSTICE.

Do you seek after; hunger for; crave justice? Justice for yourself, family, others? Justice that brings or keeps you in Right Relationship with God? Then God says, " You will be filled."

Right relationships with God and each other create, guaranteed, JUSTICE FOR ALL.

Hey! That last is even in our Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag! No wonder we are supposed to be a nation UNDER GOD.

See you this weekend for THE REST OF THE STORY!

Pastor Ken