Do It Now (before it's to late)

 Recently, in my circle of family, friends & co-workers, there have been some people suddenly passing away. Going to take a nap during the day. Going to bed after dinner and watching a little TV. Going someplace to visit someone. 

One of my co-workers worked all day, went home and had dinner with his significant other, went to bed and had a major heart attack and died. Everything was normal right up until that point. No warning, no indication that something was wrong or about to take place.

Another co-worker worked all day and the next she was gone. Passed away while driving to visit family. Again, no warning or indication!

People taking their own life. Car accident. Falling and hitting your head in the shower. Sudden sickness with no explanation. The list goes on and on. So many ways for it to be the last moment of someone's life. You just never know.

So why am I saying all this you may be asking yourself. Well, let me tell you why. There are a couple of reasons.

First:

 A lot of these events happened suddenly or unexpectedly. I just urge to hug your family more. Tell them that you love them, every chance that you get. Spend as much time with them as you can. Once they are gone, you will never be able to do any of that. There is no do over button. No undo button. So, do it now before it's to late. 

Second:

You never know when it will be your last day on Earth. Anything can come along and take you out. Natural causes, automobile accident, work accident. You never know what. So I urge you to get right with Jesus before you leave this life. Do it now, before it's to late! You may be thinking "Oh, I can do it tomorrow." You know what? Tomorrow never comes. You can't accept Jesus when you die! Accept Him now while you still can.

I plan on loving my family well and Jesus even more! Reminds me of system I saw at a store one time. Good, Better, Best. 

Work is good. Relationships you have with co-workers can be good.

Family is better.  

Jesus is BEST! Having a personal relationship with Him! Nothing better!

So I encourage you tonight. 

Love God, love your family! Be it either blood, friend or co-worker.

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Well, I Was Asked!

 Asked about what you may be asking yourself. Well I'm glad that you asked. Not sure if you are aware of the men's conference controversy that took place last weekend at a church in Missouri. The controversy started with the opening "entertainment", and then being called out by a guest pastor who followed afterword. So I have been asked my opinion about it. So, I'll give my thoughts on what happened.

Stronger Men's Conference is a men's conference held every year at James River Church in Springfield, MO. It is advertised as a men's conference that exists to "inspire and equip men to live out God’s vision for manhood to be the husbands, fathers, and leaders God has called them to be,".

The opening entertainment to kick of the event was a shirtless, sword swallowing dude, who was swinging from a pole. Hmmm.

My first thought upon watching a little of the video is, wait, what? What am I watching? This is a church men's conference?? I don't know about you, but how does this kind of act help men to become stronger? Inspire them to become better husbands, fathers and leaders that God has called them too?

If I paid money go to this conference and I saw this, I would have walked out and demanded a refund. Not because I am a prude. It's just that this kind of act doesn't belong in a church. If you were on the strip in Vegas, then okay. But it wasn't!

Say I am a new Christian. God brought me out of sexual sin. Pornography & lust while attending female strip clubs. I go to this conference to get inspired to become a better man and I see this going on. Instead of women being topless and dancing on a pole, it's a dude, in church. I would think that the church is acting just like the world! Not much different. How hypocritical. Don't go stare and lust after topless woman, but we are going to present a topless dude using a pole for your entertainment. 

Romans 2:3 The Voice

3 Here’s what is happening: you attack and criticize others and then turn around to commit the same offenses yourselves! Do you think you will somehow dodge God’s judgment?

Romans 14:21 New Living Translation

21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.

The Pastor that spoke after this act was finished, called it out. He said there was a Jezebel spirit during that act. I don't disagree with him. If he didn't say anything, it would seem that he agreed with it happening. He obviously didn't!

So my two cents are this. In everything that we do, we must honor Christ. Did this shirtless, pole dancing, sword swallower man honor God? To me he didn't and neither did the church.

1 Corinthians 10:31 New Living Translation

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

God Bless.

Rev. Kev.

I AM (nothing)

 I have two t-shirts in my wardrobe that pronounce that I am somebody special. The printing on them states I am this, or I am that! Trust me I am not either one of them.

The only person in the whole world who can claim the I AM name is God!

He proclaimed this moniker to Moses when he asked God what His name was.

Exodus 3:14 The Message

14 God said to Moses, “I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, ‘I-AM sent me to you.’”

I know that there is the letter "I" in the word Christian. I know that the letter "I" is in Christ's name. But, there is no "I" in the Christian life style. Becoming a Christ follower, it becomes about we, not me!

One of the shirts I received, I absolutely refused to wear it because of the "I AM" something spread across the front. It bothered me from the moment I saw it. Now if it had said "we" instead of "I", I would wear it proudly. Because it doesn't, it will never see the light of day. At least with me wearing it.

The other shirt I have worn for several years without any thought about what it said on the front. Got a lot of compliments and comments on it. The other day though, I had someone make a comment about it. They told me that I sure think highly of myself wearing that. That got me to thinking. Am I making an "I AM" statement with this shirt? That I am better than other people? If the shirt would have said "We Are" instead of "I AM", I wouldn't have put much thought into this. But this person made me think. Not sure if I'll ever wear it again. Who knows?

Philippians 2:4 The Message

2:4 Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

There are a few I AM statements that I can make though.

I AM: A sinner in need of a Savior

I AM: A Christian

I AM: Not perfect.

I AM: Not ashamed of Jesus Christ

I AM: Not ashamed of The Gospel

I AM: A work in progress.

So I encourage you tonight. Take a look at what kind of life you are projecting for others to see. Is it a selfish or selfless life?

Jesus gave up His life for us, may we do the same for others. Maybe not physically dying, but dying to ourselves and live for others.

1 John 3:17 Amplified Bible

17 But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him?

God Bless.

Rev. Kev.

End. Of. Watch.

 End Of Watch Definition:

The date and time at which a police officer was killed while on duty .

Unfortunately, we had an end of watch happen last week right before Easter. A county deputy was killed after being involved in an accident while on duty. Not going to go into all the details. You can go online and read about what happened.

I want to talk about how this has affected me! 

I don't know why this hit me so hard. 

I had never met the officer. Did not know her at all. All I knew is that she was a DeKalb County deputy. This hit really close to home. I have several friends and family that are in law enforcement. City officer, state trooper & FBI agent. My father in law was a lieutenant in the county sheriffs office in Iowa. I think that is what is affecting me. That this could have happened to anyone of my family or friends. I thank God that nothing has happened to them.

I pray for my brothers and sisters in blue everyday. 

I pray for God's protection for no matter what call they answer. Domestic, active shooter, car accident, robbery, the calls go on and on. I went on a ride along with a friend who was a city officer. The stuff he had to deal with just on the day I went along. He told me that was a good day. I can't possibly imagine the things that he has to deal with on a daily basis. A call could seem like a normal call, then in an instant could turn very bad. The same could be said for my state trooper friend. He patrols the tollway. A traffic stop could seem routine, but you never know what you could encounter. FBI agent, oh my. Can't even think about what they have to deal with.

So I pray for God's protection over them. Let nothing bad happen to them or come against them. Give them wisdom and knowledge on how to handle situations as they arise. Help them to feel your presence more than ever before. Protect them and keep them safe. In the name of Jesus, AMEN!

Matthew 5:9 Amplified Bible

9 “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.

God bless all of our officers, no matter what level you are at. May God protect you and keep you safe.

Rev. Kev.

Staying In Bounds.

 I go walking every night after work at a fitness center here in town. They have a walking/running track on the upper floor. It is three lanes wide. Outside lane is for running. Middle lane for jogging and inside lane walking. While walking on the track the other night, it was pretty crowded. I noticed that when some people came to the curve on the track, they struggled to stay in their lane. As not to interrupt any other walkers/runners next to them. I watched them as they placed one foot over the line into the next lane and then pull it back quickly because they knew that they were out of their lane. It reminded me of a football receiver trying to get his two feet down to stay in bounds to be credited with a catch. It reminded me of an '80's rock star's album and song "Dancing On The Edge" by Lita Ford. To be honest, it made me think of a lot of things. But mostly it made me think about us Christians.

How close do we dance, tiptoe, whatever you want to call it, to the line of sin? How close can we get without actually sinning? That is a dangerous game to play. You do something that you know in your heart that is wrong, but it can't hurt. Can it? If I don't actually cross the line, then I'll be okay.

Romans 13:14 New Living Translation

14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

You get invited out to an after work dinner/party. A married co-worker from the opposite sex asks you for a ride. You don't see any issue with it, but the other person may have different intentions. One glance or gesture. An innocent touch of a hand, next thing you know, your going down a slippery slope. One that is hard to climb back up from.

You know its wrong, but you can't get rid of that feeling. You should be fleeing, not indulging. You know that cheating or even entertaining the idea of cheating is wrong, but here you are.

James 4:17 New Living Translation

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

If you don't put yourself in that situation, you could have avoided the whole thing. My wife and I have a rule that we follow. We are not allowed to be alone with the opposite sex without consent from one another. We trust each other and that we will make wise choices. 

Your boss or co-worker asks you to do something unethical or wrong. You think how close to the edge can I get without actually getting in trouble. If something happens, you can blame someone else. After all, it was their idea. Right? No! You still had a hand in it. You knew it was wrong, but yet you still did it.

1 John 5:18 The Voice

18 We all know that everyone fathered by God will not make sin a way of life because God protects His children from the evil one, and the evil one can’t touch them.

A pastor friend of mine used to say "A step away from sin, is a step closer to God". Who wouldn't want to be closer to God than to sin?

So I encourage you tonight. To not be like the football receiver trying to keep his feet inbounds. Be the tight end who catches the ball in the middle of the field, far away from going out of bounds.

God bless.

Rev. Kev.