Words, (Good, Bad)

 Do you know the words that you say have an affect on others? Whether they are good or bad words, they will affect them one way or another. Good words lift up and encourage. Bad words can tear down and discourage. So choose what you say carefully!

Matthew 12:37 Living Bible

37 Your words now reflect your fate then: either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned.”

Even the words you speak to yourself can have an affect on you!

When I'm at work and I do something that I know how to do and have done it hundreds of times, but this one time I do it wrong, I'll start calling myself names. "Well done stupid!" "That was a smart move, dumb butt!" Many more words I call myself when these things happen.

Colossians 3:8 Amplified Bible

8 But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.

The problem with that is, this isn't how God sees me. He doesn't see me as stupid, dumb or what other negative adjective I use. He sees me as His child. Loved by Him. He knew me before I was born.

Ephesians 2:10 New Living Translation

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Did you know that you can't yell and scream at your children before bed and expect them to get a good nights sleep. 

You can't yell and scream at your children before they go to school and expect them to have a good day.

Words. They have an affect! 

You should be uplifting and encouraging to your children. Never speak harsh to them. I know first hand, that this can be difficult. Especially if you have a had a tough day yourself. You take our your frustrations on your children. That's not fair to them!

Ephesians 6:4 Living Bible

4 And now a word to you parents. Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice.

So I encourage you today. Be wise in how we speak to one another. Choose our words carefully. I can still remember mean things said to me many, many years ago. Memories of words spoken to us can last a lifetime. So let's speak life!

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Perfect Example.

 Have you ever looked to someone or something as an example to follow? Look at your parents. See how they example on how to do things or handle things. Good or bad. They will set an example for you. My dad taught me what not to do as a husband or father. My mom set a great example on how to be generous, loving and kind to others. How to work hard for what you wanted. To provide for your family.

If you are in public someplace. You watch others to see how they do things. How to act in a restaurant. How to order, how to deal with the wait staff. How to navigate a drive thru line. How to do many things while driving. How to act in public in general. Again, there can be good or bad examples of everything. 

The perfect example in my life is Jesus! He knew how to act and conduct Himself in every situation. He never runs anyone down. His words are always uplifting or encouraging to others. By watching Jesus, people had the perfect example how to conduct themselves. In all situations.

He never got upset when He was inconvenienced with an interruption. He just kept loving on people! He was patient and kind when these things happened. When people approached Him unexpectedly, He didn't turn them away or rebuke them. He listened, cared & healed if necessary. 

The woman with the bleeding issue. (Matthew 9:20)

The blind man on the path Jesus was walking (Luke 18:38-42)

The Roman Centurion (Luke 7:1-10)

There are many examples in The Bible, but I think that you get the idea.

One time I did something nice for someone, they replied, "wow, I want to be just like you." I'm like, "I'm just following Jesus' example." "Don't follow what I do, follow what Jesus did!"

1 Corinthians 11:1 Living Bible

11 And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.

So I encourage you. Whenever faced with any kind of situation, follow the examples that Jesus set. 

God Bless.

Rev. Kev.

Metal, Christian!

 

I get asked all the time, "how can you claim to be a Christian and a pastor and still listen to Heavy Metal?" Why does metal music get such backlash amongst Christians? No other genre gets the kind of hate that metal does. Rap, hip hop, country. I have even heard some Christian songs sound like disco or top 40. All those seem to be okay, but not metal!

What's the difference if a metal band is singing about worldly things. Partying, fornicating, debauchery, etc. etc. Or singing about God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit? I mean it's still the same fast, aggressive, heavy music. Just different lyrics. When I became a Christian, I switched from secular metal, to Christian metal. Heavenly Metal if you will.

When I say I listen to Stryper, Disciple, Skillet, Seventh Day Slumber, to name a few, that's when the side eye starts. You can just see the other person thinking about that. "Heavy metal is the devils music." I have heard several big name pastors say the same thing. Chastise the band and their fans for listening to them. Your not a real Christian if you listen to heavy metal. Really!!

I would say the same for hip/hop or rap. Nobody says a word when I say I listen to Toby Mac, Lecrae, or any other Christian hip/hop, rap artist. 

Hip/hop and rap to me are even worse than metal. The artist really use profane language, treat woman as objects. Encourage violence, especially against the police. I know that metal has the same kind of lyrics in some of the songs. I'm not oblivious. 

Two of my sermons were inspired by heavy metal songs. 'Rise Up' - Disciple and 'I Will Fail You' - Demon Hunter. Both were well received. If I were to tell the congregation were the inspiration came from, there would probably have been an uproar.

So if I listen to Stryper, Hillsong, CAIN, Toby Mac, no matter what genre, I am still worshipping God! No matter what anyone thinks.

Psalm 105:2 The Message

Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music!

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Raised In Defiance!

 Have you ever done anything that someone told you that you couldn't do? Something that other people thought that you were incapable of doing? I know that I have many times. How many times when you accomplish the feat that others thought couldn't be done, did you raise your fist? Many times come to my mind both personally and others that I have watched. 

My doctor told me that I would never lose enough weight through diet and exercise to become pre-diabetic. Oh yeah, challenge accepted! I went on to lose over 100#. The day that I went back to my doctor, she could not believe it. I walked out of her office with my fist raised HIGH!! Don't tell me I can't do anything!

I was baptized in the Jordan river on a trip to Israel. I came up out of the water and raised my fist. Take that Satan. I was baptized in the same river that Jesus was! He wins. I win!

Anytime that I do something difficult at work or anywhere. I get the feat accomplished and raise my fist in victory. Life, you will not defeat me!

Philippians 4:13 Amplified Bible

13 I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

Watching Ozzie Smith in the 1985 NLCS hit a game winning homerun. Running around the bases with his fist raised high! No one expected that. He was the last guy that people would think to hit a game winning homerun!

MLB, NFL, NHL, golf, tennis, no matter what sport, when something good happens, they raise their fist.

All this to say, that in the face of adversity, telling someone they can't or shouldn't do something, when they do it, they raise their fist, in defiance! Defiance of the situation or obstacle.

Even people did this act in The Bible.

In the book of Exodus, the Israelites were trying to get out of Egypt. Moses kept going to Pharoah and telling him what God had said about them leaving. Pharoah's heart was hardened, so he would never let them leave. Even after God had sent ten plagues upon them, he still wouldn't let them leave. 

Finally, he caught on that The Lord wanted His people to leave. But after they left, his heart was still hardened and he chased after the Israelites.

 I love this verse!

Exodus 14:8 New Living Translation

8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance.

Defiant to Pharoah. Defiant to his harsh ways, and slavery! Obedient to God and His ways!

So the raised fist of defiance goes all the way to the Old Testament in The Bible.

What a good place to start a trend. Biblically! 

God bless,

Rev. Kev.

Starting Over!

 Have you ever had to start over, ever, at something? I've had to, many times. Was laid off from a job that I had worked at for ten years. Was off work for two years before I was offered a position at a new company. I had to start over with pay, vacation time and seniority! I was at the bottom again, of everything! Was not any fun at all. Has taken me twelve years to get ahead of where I was when I was laid off.

Got divorced. Had to start my life over again, only this time as a single dad. Had to find a different place to live. Get separate everything. Car insurance, cell phone plans. Started having to go to the laundry mat. Again, not much fun.

Had a car loan for a number of years, only to get it paid off when something happens and you have to purchase another car. Had to start over with a car payment. Ugh!

It's not fun having to start over. Would much rather stay the course, but unfortunately things happen.

But...........

One day in July, 2007, my life started over. On July 22nd, 2007 I accepted Jesus as my Lord & Savior. My life forever changed. My slate was wiped clean!

2 Corinthians 5:17 New Living Translation

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

A few years later a friend of mine urged me to take some ministry classes, because he knew I was hungry for more of God! I hadn't taken any kind of class since I graduated high school several years before.

I started over at schooling, taking ISOM classes. To my astonishment, I did very well. I passed all of my testing and interviews and became a pastor. Starting over!

Isaiah 6:8 New Living Translation

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Not going to lie. I was very nervous/scared to start over at everything listed here. Like I said, it's not very fun to do. But, God was with me, even if I couldn't feel it.

Isaiah 41:10 New Living Translation

10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

So I encourage you tonight. If you are at a starting over stage in your life. Trust in God. He has the best plan for your life. Even if you don't see it at the moment.

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Enter The Story, Change The Narrative.

 We had a missionary at church the other day. I stopped at her table to talk about something that she said that intrigued me. As we were talking, she handed me a wrist band. This one is nice. It feels like some kind of fabric, instead of the usual rubber ones. It is reversible. On one side it says "Enter The Story". On the other side it says "Change The Narrative".

I knew what she meant with these sayings on the wrist band. She was looking at it from a Missionaries mind. I get that. I how ever looked at it from a different view.

I started thinking about how to enter someone's story. 

So I look for things that I can do for someone. 

A friend of mine mom passed away recently. It was a complete shock and totally unexpected. I have experienced that first hand, so I entered his story about his mom passing. I offered condolences, prayer, whatever else I could do to let him know that I supported him and his family during this time. By doing this, I believe I changed the narrative. I let him know that he was not alone in dealing with this. He has other people that he could lean on, for comfort and support.

John 15:13 New Living Translation

13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Close family friends were involved in a serious car accident the other day. Very serious injuries were incurred by both husband and wife. Air lifted to the hospital. Surgeries, a long road to recovery. Enter their story by praying for them, visit them in the hospital. Offering help with anything that they might need. Once again, by entering their story at that time, it could change the narrative. They will not face the road to recovery alone. Plenty of family and friends who love them are available to help out.

I could go on and on about this. Co-workers having a bad day. Everything really seems to be going wrong for them. Enter their story and change their narrative by offering up some encouragement. Lift them up. Watch them light up with just a little affirmation.

I think that Jesus had done this Himself on several occasions.

He entered the fisherman's story when they weren't catching any fish. He told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Guess what? He changed their narrative. They caught so many fish that they couldn't haul them all in.

John 21:5-6 New Living Translation

5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

How about the woman at the well? Jesus encountered her while she was out getting water. What is remarkable is that Jesus a Jew was talking to a Samaritan  woman. Jews despised Samaritan people. He entered her story at the well.

John 4:25-30

25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

Do you think that He changed her narrative? I think that He might have.

So I encourage you. Enter someone's story at some point along the way. You never know, you might just change their narrative.

Like a line from a Toby Mac song goes, "Real Friends Are Willing To Intrude."

God Bless.

Rev. Kev.

Rock Bottom

 How many of us have had it? We feel like we are at the end of our rope! Free falling to rock bottom! Not sure how much more we can take. Bills are getting out of hand. Groceries, gas, utilities. On and on it goes. It seems that there is no end in sight.

Well let me tell you, that if you are headed towards rock bottom, make sure that rock at the bottom is Jesus! He'll soften the blow. Not allow you to succumb to everything that is going on around you. He'll set you upright and start lifting you out. Only He can do that.

Psalm 18:31 The Message

31 Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock? Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction?

When we hit rock bottom, there is only one way to go. Back up the way that you came down! It will be slippery climb, but Jesus will reach out His hand and take ahold of us! 

2 Corinthians 4:8 Living Bible

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit.

The pit may be dark and dreary and seem like there is no way out, but you are standing on Jesus, The Rock who will never leave you are forsake you.

1 Corinthians 3:11 New Living Translation

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

Like the song says from Vertical Worship - "The Rock Won't Move." That is 100% fact. He is always there for us. He never falters or waivers.

So I encourage you tonight. If you seem to be heading for rock bottom, Jesus will be the rock that you land on. He will pick you up, dust you off and set you back in the right direction. Praise The Lord!

God bless!

Rev. Kev.