Got Any Fans?

Think about the people in your life that are pro-you? I hope you have a long list! Those you consider friends, those who are loyal and supportive. Hopefully you number your family, spouse, kids, parents etc. in that number. A week or so ago my wife came home and found me initialing golf balls for a charity event I was playing in. She asked me if I was preparing ahead of time by autographing them. I laughed and told her no, but it made me feel so good and important for her to think somebody would value me enough to want my autograph. It made me feel special even if she was joking with me. Sadly, many of us think and act as if no one is pro-us!

I read this scripture this week and I hope it boots your morale! Somebody is for you! Isaiah 30:18 (NIV) says, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” God’s not just on your side; He longs to be for you! He gets up each new day with the purpose of showing you compassion. This is His justice!

God is for us! God is an “Us fan”! He wants our autograph; he has carved our names in a tree with a heart around it, and has a picture of us on His refrigerator! Maybe I exaggerate a little but His word says our names are written on His hand, and He captures all our tears. Let this encourage us to believe the best, keep reaching forward in faith, expect our miracle. Our Heavenly Father is for us!

Blessings,

PK

Worry Cure!

Is there something that you are worrying about today? To worry means to allow something to revolve in your mind over and over again. God doesn’t want us to live worried or anxious about anything. He knows that worry steals our peace and joy. It affects every area of our life. Matthew 6:27(NIV) says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Have you heard the saying, “Don’t worry yourself sick?” That’s because worrying affects our physical body. It affects our sleep. We  won’t ever gain anything by worrying; in fact, we’ll lose precious moments that we can never get back again. The good news is that God has promised that we can have victory over worry. It starts by making the choice to trust in Him. When you cast your cares on Him, He will give you His peace.

I love that Jesus gives us a worry cure a few verses later in this passage. Matthew 6:33-34 (THE MESSAGE) says, “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (34) "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Decide today to put an end to worry in your life. Choose to feed your faith and fill your mind with God's promises. As you focus on God’s Word, you’ll drive out worry and fill your heart with faith and expectancy; and you’ll be empowered to move forward into the life of blessing He has in store for you!

See ya Sunday,

PK

Don't Fight Naked

Is there something in your life that you would like to put a stop to today? Maybe it’s a certain behavior, addiction, or bad attitude that isn't pleasing to God? Just as Adam and Eve were exposed in their sin, and needed to be clothed in the Garden, we need to clothe ourselves to protect us from sin. When you “clothe yourself” with the Lord Jesus Christ, He strengthens you against temptation.

“Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature]”

(Romans 13:14, AMP)

How do we clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ? In the same way we cover ourselves in the natural with clothing — by putting something on. When I was in college I had a t-shirt I wore all the time. The front of it said, “Don’t Fight Naked”. The back said, “Put on the whole armor of God.” Needless to say it started many conversations when I would wear it out in public.

The principle, whether physical or spiritual, remains the same. For ultimate success, we must be clothed! We have to daily “put on” the Word of God. We have to cover our ears by listening to His Word. We cover our eyes by watching what is pleasing to the Lord. We cover our mouth’s by speaking the Word and being an encouragement to others.  As we cover ourselves with Christ, we will be strong against temptation, and we will walk in the victory the Lord has planned for us!

Blessings,

PK

It's Already Prepared for You!

We all go through seasons of difficulty and face storms in life. But during those times, we have to remember that our Heavenly Father is greater than any struggle we face! He’ll take those challenges and use them to strengthen us, but we have to do our part and take a step of faith toward the victory.

I read this example in an article recently and want you to consider it’s truth. “Think about the caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly. When it’s wrapped in its dark cocoon on the backside of some tree, it doesn’t look like it has many options. But inside that cocoon as it becomes a butterfly, it doesn’t just sit and wait for someone to come and let it out. No, that butterfly knows that it has to make a move if it’s going to be set free to fly.”

In the same way, we have to do something to get out of the confining places we are in. We have to pray, we have to believe, and we have to press through to victory.

No matter what you may be facing, remember His grace is sufficient for you. Remember what the Lord said to the Apostle Paul,

“And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness'".

2 Corinthians 12:9a, (NKJV)

His strength is made perfect in you. He has given you everything you need to overcome in this life. Now is the time to break free and rise to new levels because He has victory and blessing prepared for you!

Blessings,

PK

God Promises To Be Faithful!

We serve a faithful God — He is the God of more than enough! Not only does He promise to meet our needs, He promises to give us enough to meet the needs of others, too.

2 Corinthians 9:10 (NAS) says, “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness”

When we are sower’s — when we give of our resources, our time, talent, finances and possessions — God promises to multiply those resources so that we can continue to be a blessing to the people around us. We might look at what we have in our hand today and think, “This doesn’t look like much.” But understand that when we give God what we have, He’ll turn it into more than enough! The Bible tells us that Jesus fed a crowd of over 5,000 people by multiplying the lunch of a small boy, and He can multiply whatever we have in our hand, too.

Today, dedicate what you have to the Lord. Ask Him where and how you can be an effective sower so that you can be a blessing to others. As you do, He’ll continue to pour out His blessing and abundance on you, and you will live fulfilled and satisfied all the days of your life.

Remember 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NAS), “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness”!

Blessings,

PK

Don't lose your peace!

We’ve all been in seasons of life when we feel like things aren’t going our way, or we’re not where we want to be. In these times, it’s tempting to let discouragement and doubt come in and take away the peace and excitement you once had.

David says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4, NIV)

You may be in one of those seasons right now, struggling to truly be happy where you are. But this is not the way God wants you to live. He tells us in scripture that even in the difficult times, He is with us. Even when we can’t see a way out, He will make a way through. Even when things don’t turn out the way we planned, He has a plan to turn things around for our good.

The key is, don’t get upset about your circumstances. Instead, be determined to walk through to victory. Declare by faith that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Declare by faith that you are rising higher. Keep standing, keep believing and keep hoping because God has a bright future in store for you!

Blessings,

Pastor Kevin

Takes More Than A Snickers Bar!

In the natural, what do you do when you’re hungry and just not sure what will satisfy you? You may try to think of what to eat, but maybe you’re not sure what will hit the spot. Makes me think of those Snicker’s candy bar commercials where the person acts weird until they eat a Snickers and satisfy their hunger.

Spiritual hunger works the same way. You may feel a restlessness or unsettledness, but you can’t quite figure out what will satisfy it. You may try to fill that need with other things — food, addictions, people — but only God can fill that hunger.

Matthew 5:6, (“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”) tells us what will fill that hunger in our soul — righteousness. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is God’s way of doing things, we will be spiritually satisfied. But just like we have to take time to eat in the natural, we have to take time to “eat” or partake of God’s righteousness.

When we spend time in prayer, worship and reading His Word, we are partaking of His righteousness. We are filling our soul. The more time we spend with Him, the more He will fill us and satisfy our hunger all the days of our life! Oh, and it lasts longer than a Snickers bar!

Blessings,

PK

7/31/12