When You Feel Forgotten

October 4, 2026

Pastor Karl Bastian (new Kids Pastor) presented today's message, "When You Feel Forgotten." A video of today's message is here on YouTube. It may help to be familiar with the message but that is not required to enjoy the thoughts below.

Today's message comes on the 5th of 12 weeks in the Book of Mark.

Toward the end of his message Pastor Karl suggested that prayers should start by asking for a process, and he quoted Jeremiah 29:11 as the instruction: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Clearly the word "plans" (plural) is indicating a process, more than one happening or course, that is, an entire process. So, let's look at the Hebrew word used for plans in this scripture.

The word is a long one: machashebeth (הַמַּחֲשָׁבֹ֗ת). It is translated variously as cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought(s), plans, schemes, and/or designs.

Most of those terms suggest a bigger picture, more than a single plan, purpose, or work. Rather, there's a suggestion of a process, that is, more than any one of these being strung together for an even greater purpose. Process also suggests time, as in something that develops over time.

In closing, Pastor Karl suggested that our walk with Jesus is a partnership. In the Greek world of the New Testament, the word tends to be koy-nohn-EE-ah (κοινωνία). It can be translated in various ways that give us a broader meaning of partnership: participation, sharers, communion, fellowship, contribution, and benefaction. Fundamentally, it is when something is shared in common as the basis of fellowship, partnership, or community. Koinónia is used to translate the Hebrew once in the Septuagint in Leviticus 6:2 where the Hebrew means "left in their care" or "in fellowship." The picture is clearly of a two-way street.

Bonus

The Rational Case for God 101

PragerU has recently made available a course of ten 5-minute videos under the title of "The Rational Case for God 101." Here's a list of the ten 5-minute videos:

Aliens, the Multiverse, or God?
Are Religion and Science in Conflict?
What's Wrong with Atheism?
How Did the Universe Begin?
What is Intelligent Design?
Evolution: Bacteria to Beethoven
What's a Greater Leap of Faith: God or the Multiverse?
The Benefits of Belief
Deuteronomy: Why It's Hard to Love God
Is There Life After This Life?

Bonus2

Law is Morality with a Penalty Attached

In an article by Bradley Pierce, Every Law Imposes a Moral System - The Only Question Is Whose, he argues that not only can you legislate morality, every law written in fact legislates morality. It's only a matter of whose morality is being legislated.

The article is a fascinating discussion about law and morality. Here's a quote:

Paul says as much of God's own law:

"Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers." (1 Timothy 1:9, NKJV)

The law is aimed at the lawless. Its reason for existing is that some people, at some times, reject the moral standard.

Give the article a read...