Jeep Duck.

 Who knew that exchanging Jeep ducks in the parking lot of a funeral home would lead to an intimate conversation about Jesus, God The Father & church? 

That is exactly what happened last night at a funeral home as I was leaving. I'm walking across the parking lot towards my Jeep, when I notice another Jeep a few spots away from mine. I'm thinking "wow, that sure is a sharp looking Jeep." As I walk past I notice a woman is sitting inside. I get her attention and mention what a cool looking Jeep she had. She thanked me and I kept on walking. As I got to my Jeep, I heard the Holy Spirit saying to give her a Jeep duck. In case you are wondering, I keep a case of them under the back seat. I open the back door, grab the case to get a duck out. I'm trying to decide on what color to hand her. I chose pink.

As I'm walking back towards her Jeep, she jumps out with a bag of her own. She is reaching inside it when she notices me coming towards her. She was like "you too, huh?" I said "yep, here ya go." She continues to search through her bag saying that she was looking for a cool one to give me. She found one that was a police one. She asks me if I'm a cop? I told her no, I'm a pastor. Okay. She found one that she thought was worthy enough to give me and hands it to me. We both thank each other for the ducks that we exchanged and go our separate ways.

I get in my Jeep and start it up. As I'm buckling up, here comes that lady across the parking lot right towards me. I roll my window down and we start talking. She asks me what church I attend. I tell her and she says that she'll have to come and visit. I told her she is more than welcome, anytime! Then she wanted to know what denomination it was. I told her Assembly of God. It is Pentecostal. She told me that she used to attend a Pentecostal church with her mom, before she passed. Then she goes on to tell me her whole story about her experience with church, Jesus and her mom. She just really needed someone to talk to. I told her that it wasn't a coincidence that we were talking at that exact moment. Our paths crossed for a reason.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 The Message

3 There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

I'm not sure what God had planned with me and the Jeep lady crossing paths, but I'm sure it will be something awesome! His timing is perfect, always! Not sure if she'll come to church or not, time will tell. God knows!

So a couple of Jeep ducks drew two people together for something other than the love of Jeeps. Because of those ducks, I was able to witness and tell her more about my faith. We'll see where it leads.

Colossians 4:5 Living Bible

5 Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News. Be wise in all your contacts with them

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Baby Rabbit.

 Isn't The Lord funny how He'll have you recall a memory from awhile ago. He did this to me last week. About a year ago or so, upon opening our garage door to come in for the night, a baby rabbit ran inside, and would not come out. We tried to corner it, making it head towards the door. Nope. He just hunkered down further in the garage. We went around making all kinds of noise to get it to leave. Nope! Stubborn little fellow.

We're like "fine, you're in here for the night." The next morning upon opening the door to leave for work, hoping I would see it run as fast as it could out the open door. Again, nope! "Okay bro, you're in here all day now!"

The Lord brought this memory up to me again this week, not sure why. Then He revealed it to me. He showed me that like that baby rabbit, we humans will turn and run to a hiding place and not go out the open door, which is Jesus! 

He provides us with the open door, fresh air, sunlight, freedom from our bondage, but we turn and run back to where we thought it was safe for us to hide! We think that hiding will be better than what Jesus is offering. We'd rather be stuck in the dark and afraid, then walk out the open door into freedom.

So the baby rabbit was in our garage for about a day and half until my daughter found it dead on the floor. I'm sure that it died from lack of food and water. Even though we tried to provide all kinds of way out, the poor baby rabbit wouldn't choose the exit. So it perished in our garage because of fear of going out the open door, into the freedom that awaited it.

Isn't that like us? We hide and hide from God, refusing to come out and end up passing away from lack of food or water.

But isn't that what Jesus promises us? He is living water. He is the bread of life!

John 6:35 New Living Translation

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 4:10 New Living Translation

10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

All Jesus asks of us is to believe in Him. He has the ultimate gift for us. If that baby rabbit would have only trusted us, like we need to trust in Jesus, he would have gotten out and lived a little longer. 

My challenge to you is turn from your sin (the garage) and run towards the open door (Jesus). 

Deuteronomy 30:19 New Living Translation

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

What Would You Do??

 This post is going to be hard for a Cardinals fan to write. How so you may be asking yourself? Well, I'm not a Cubs fan, at all! But I am a fan of people standing up for what is right.

This is about the Cubs player who missed one of his teams games to attend the memorial service for Charlie Kirk.

When news broke about this happening, people went absolutely crazy. The backlash was instantaneous. They couldn't believe that a major league player would miss a game to attend a memorial service for someone.

Well, that someone wasn't just anyone. He was this players neighbor in an apartment complex in Arizona. They became friends through their faith. The player was personally invited by Charlie's widow.

I personally do not understand the backlash against him. The Cubs had already secured a playoff spot, but were fighting to get home field advantage. One teams announcer couldn't believe that this player would choose the memorial service over trying to help you team to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

This is where faith and the world collide. The world wants you to do what the world wants. The Bible tells us to stand up for our faith!

1 Corinthians 16:13 Amplified Bible

13 Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong.

I think that he acted very courageously. By being a rookie in the league and on his team, to even ask his manager to be able to go. I'm sure it took a lot of courage to do that. But you know what. If you are strong in your faith and beliefs, God will make a way.

I think that this player did the absolutely correct thing. He went to honor and remember his friend. There will be more games in his career. There will never be another Charlie Kirk in it. He chose wisely, in my mind.

I dare to ask these people going bonkers over this, how many times have you missed work, or something else to attend a friends funeral or memorial service? I'm sure at least once or twice. I know that I have.

It's all about choice and what you think is important. This Cubs player thought that it was important to attend his friends memorial service. Important enough to miss one MLB game! I would have chosen the same. But that's just me.

Question for everyone else. 

What would you have done??

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

We Need To Be Careful!!

 

The pain and shock of the assignation of Charlie Kirk is still very much with me two weeks later! I never met him or knew him, but it felt like I lost a good friend that day!

One thing that I have been noticing ever since his passing is that people seem to want to elevate him to almost Jesus status! Let me tell you, he is not on Jesus' level. Jesus was Jesus and Charlie was not. He was a good and faithful servant, but he was not god like. He had a great platform to glorify Jesus and he did just that, even till the end! He was a Christian, a husband and father.  He was a sinner in need of grace, just like we all are! 

Romans 3:23 Amplified Bible

23 since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,

People were encouraging others to leave their churches if the pastor did not speak or even mention Charlies name.

What? Excuse me!

Aren't we supposed to follow Christ and His teaching? If we were to leave our church because the pastor did not speak of Charlie, isn't that putting him above Jesus?

I keep thinking about the Apostle Paul. What he told the Corinthians while he was there.

1 Corinthians 11:1 New Living Translation

11 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

I'm sure if Charlie was still here he would say the same thing. Don't leave your church over me. Its not about me, it's about Christ! He even has a t-shirt that says "It's All About Jesus"

We need to be careful how we elevate Charlie. I'm sure he would say the same thing. He was a servant of The Most High! And serve he did! May we all go out and boldly share our faith like Charlie did!

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

My Heart Is Broken For This Country!!

 

John 15:18-19 New Living Translation

The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

So Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist was murdered today in broad daylight, while speaking on a college campus in Utah. Charlie was a Christian, a husband and a father! He was unashamed by his faith! He boldly and openly spoke about his love for Jesus. 

He went to college campuses all over the country to speak to the young college students. To get an open dialogue going about recent events going on across the country. What the students thought and how they responded to them.

Because he didn't agree with them or side with them, they labeled him as a racist, hate filled Christian. 

I followed Charlie quite a bit. I would watch his videos and watch the debate happening between him and the students. He never once promoted hatred, racism, anything negative. He always welcomed everyone's opinion whether he agreed with it or not. He just wanted to get a conversation started.

Titus 3:2 English Standard Version

2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

So today, apparently someone had enough of Charlie's rhetoric, pulled out gun and opened fire, striking him & killing him.

In my mind, he died a martyr. Proclaiming the name of Jesus everywhere all the time. He never hated anyone or ran any one into the ground. He would calmly discuss with others, even though they would get angry. Yell and shout all the while he remained calm.

My heart is breaking for Charlie's family tonight. I can't imagine how they are feeling right now. To realize that your husband or your kids dad is not coming home again, ever!!

Ironically, even though he was shot to death, he was a defender of the 2nd amendment. He defended the right to own and bear firearms!

Matthew 5:10-11 New Living Translation

10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

My heart breaks for this country. All the senseless violence going on. Murder in broad daylight. Woman getting stabbed and killed while taking public transportation. ICE in our cities. Military in our cities. Kids getting shot at a church. On and on it goes. When will it end?? We need Jesus now more than ever!!

Genesis 6:11 Amplified Bible

11 The [population of the] earth was corrupt [absolutely depraved—spiritually and morally putrid] in God’s sight, and the land was filled with violence [desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power].

Not much has changed since the first book of the Bible was written. Not much at all.

I pray that Jesus comes sooner than later! 

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Questioned.

 

I was wearing the shirt in the picture while on vacation last week. My wife and I decided to take an old time sail boat cruise out of Bar Harbor, ME. The boat was full of people of all ages. Mom's, dad's, grandma's and grandpa's. Plenty of family units as well. We were cruising on our way back to the dock when an older gentleman seated kitty corner from me asked me about my shirt. He asked what Disciple was? Was it this or that? Or is it the name of a band? I told him Disciple was the name of a Christian metal band.

Right away, the guy sitting next to us chimes in with kind of chuckle. He's like " a Christian metal band huh?" "Isn't that kind of contradictory?" Me -"How so?" Him - "Well doesn't metal music use the Devils Tri-tone?" "So for a Christian metal band to use the Devils Tri-tone, oooo!"

I'm like "I don't know bro! I don't get that technical with my music. If the music is good and the lyrics lift up the name of Jesus, then I'm in." 

How come every time I tell someone that I listen to Christian metal, they automatically mention the devil and that metal music is of him? Like you can't listen to that genre of music and be a Christian.

Let me tell you something. I have worshipped God more at a Disciple concert than at a Lauren Daigle concert.

I have worshipped God more at a Stryper concert than at two Christian heavy weights concert. Steven Curtis Chapman and Amy Grant.

With both Stryper and Disciple and many of the other metal bands I have seen live, the Holy Spirit was very evident the whole evening. With the aforementioned Christian worship artists, nothing! Nada. Spirit was not there, nor was he moving amongst the crowd.

Secular metal can sing about the Devil, Satan, sex, drugs and rock n' roll.

Why can't Christian metal play the same kind of music but sing about Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, prayer, etc. etc.

I don't see the problem. But, a lot of people look at me with side eye when I mention being a Christian and listen to metal and attend the concerts.

Not all Christian music needs to be the Gaithers or Pat Boone. Nothing wrong with either one of those artists. Other than boring!

There are plenty of "country" Christian artists. Ben Fuller, Anne Wilson, Cain! Never hear anything about them and the music that they play. 

Aren't there secular country artists who sing about cheating, drinking, fighting & so on?  So why is okay for Christian artists to play Christian country but not Christian metal??

Ephesians 5:19-20 The Message

19-20  Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.

This is what I do when I listen to Christian metal. I don't sing the lyrics back to the band, I sing them to God. Praise Him. Worship Him. With a heart of gratitude for all He has done for me!

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Being Feed Gods Word.

 I went to a Christian music festival over the weekend in Newark, IL. The headline artist was Matthew West. A native of Illinois who now lives in Nashville. Anyway, the whole evening you could just feel the presence of God. Holy Spirit was very evident. From the time I put my Jeep in park, till the time I took it out of park and headed for home. Able to pray for people, testify to people, and just plain talk and listen to people. I was in my element. 

While Matthew was performing I had a thought about a similar setting, during Jesus' time. Where this festival is held is at a church outside Newark that is surrounded by fields. Very large fields. I was watching him perform with the stage facing out from the end of the field towards the 6,000 plus people in attendance. Then the thought came to me. This reminds me of when Jesus feed the 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread.

Now, I'm not comparing Matthew West to Jesus, that would be crazy. But the concert itself reminded me of that miracle that Jesus performed. Instead of feeding the crowd physical food, Matthew was feeding us God's word with drums, guitars, bass and voice. Every word that was sung or note that was played pointed everyone towards Jesus!

Instead of having the crowd sit down in groups to receive the music, we all stood in unison as we worshipped our Lord and Savior! Arms stretched wide in surrender. Singing for all that we had to give! It was amazing to be a part of. Getting chills just writing about it.

Like I said you could feel God's presence the whole evening, even before a song was played by any of the artists. 

It was hot, 101 heat index. The weather forecast was for possible severe storms that evening. While standing in line to get food, the sky to the west got very dark and angry looking. I'm like "here we go, it's coming." Then you could almost feel the breath of God blowing through the festival. With in a few minutes the storm clouds were gone and it actually cooled down. God had blown the storm out of the area to the North and left us with incredible weather to worship Him.

Then to show that He is God, He created one of the most awesome sunsets that I have ever seen. It was like He was telling us, "Don't worry about any storm." "Enjoy this beautiful sunset while worshipping me." The rest of the night was just amazing. Worshipping with 6,000 other Jesus freaks in a giant field, in the middle of nowhere! It just proves that you don't need to go to a church to meet Jesus. He'll meet you right there in the middle of a field.

Matthew 18:20 Amplified Bible

20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”

Well, there were more than two of us there and He was definitely with us. What an amazing God we worship. He is so worthy of all the praise and glory!

God Bless.

Rev. Kev.