Fight or get a Satanic beat down!

Check out I Peter 5:8-9:

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. Instead of standing in circumstances frozen by fear and intimidation, resist or stand against the enemies efforts to kill you, steal from you, and destroy you.

Resist with what!!!!   Resist with your firm faith in God.  Take God's Word and prayer and fight fiercely in the face of depression, discouragement, loneliness, persecution, struggle, temptation, heartbreak, heartache, sickness, death, and dying, etc.

Arm yourself with the Word of God (take at least one scripture and depend on it for dear life), and prayer and stand against the enemy and fight like Jesus fought in the wilderness when Satan was trying to disqualify him from being the perfect sacrifice for our sin (Matt. 4:1-11).

What are you going to do today?  Resist the devil and all his mess, strongly in your faith in God (including His Word and all the resources He provides), or be haunted and fearful, and defeated all day?

Do you want God's peace and enjoyment today despite your circumstances, or do you want a Satanic beat down all day?

Perhaps John 10:10 will help you decide.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Last Days Living

Yes, the last days started over 2,000 years ago as Jesus and the Apostles described them.   Two thousand years is a long time to wait for the last day, yet the violence, injustices, and rebellion against God which were not what God intended when He created us, are clear signs of the last days (Matt. 24:3-31). God promised to deal with the complicated problem of evil, and restore order in the world (I Peter 1:5-10; II Peter 3:10-13). The key question for us is not when God will restore order, but how do we live until that "Great Day" comes. I love the way Peter describes things.  Dr. James Rosscup, one of my Seminary Professors said to us in class one day: when God says something, let God say it.   So here you have a few among many verses where God says how we should live during the last days: I Peter 4:7-10: 7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Christians, stay focused on living for Christ, loving one another, and serving Christ as the day draws near. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Righteous Courage

God describes righteous courage perfectly in I Peter 3:13-17.  As you read these verses with a sober mind, look inside and evaluate if you are ready to stand as a righteous follower of Jesus as treats, intimidation, and even physical persecution heat up. The group called Islamic State is violent and spread around the world, and many people (even in America, France, and Great Britan) are attracted to their diabolical plan.  Moreover, other hate groups have similar sentiments especially against Christians.   Why are Christians such a big target of persecution around the world?  Christian's are targets because of our connection to Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God (John 15:19-21; Matt. 16:13-18). Christians, as the heat rises, find encouragement in the following versus: 13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

How Do You Grow?

Real spiritual growth is evidenced by things such as changes in our personal lives, and by our time in the Bible.

I Peter 2:1 gives a key prerequisite for spiritual growth.  We are to get rid of spiritual growth killers (malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander).  Getting rid of our weaknesses strengthens automatically helps us to grow.

I Peter 2:2-3, identifies the Bible as our primary source for spiritual growth.  We are to desire the nutritious Word of God as a baby desires milk.  Why?  So we can grow in respect to our salvation.

Keep reading the Bible for spiritual growth simple.

You can read the New Testament in a year by reading one chapter per day.  After you read the chapter for the day, stop and meditate on what you read and ask God to help you apply one principle from your reading.

You can read one Proverb each day and apply a principle.

You can read your Sunday School lesson or your Bible Study Class lesson and apply a principle each day.

The key is that you become a reader and doer of God's Word.

Another critical part of spiritual growth is memorizing God's Word (hidding God's Word in our heart - Psalm 119:11).  Jesus modeled to power of scripture memory in Matt. 4:1-11.

Grow spiritually like you eat a delicious meal: one chewable serving at a time.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Can you trust him or her?

Married couples and couples in dating relationships trust or distrust the one they are with.

Think about the enormous stress that exist when you do not trust.  Think about some of our internal stress:  Is he or she cheating on me?  Who is that on the phone?  I need to check those social media exchanges to see what is being said and what they look like.  I want to get married, but I am afraid my heart will get broken, and on and on.

Christian, how can you learn to trust someone and gain trust from someone?

The Apostle Peter helps us with this one in I Peter 1:14-16:

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." When we walk in our deliverance from conformity to our former lust and live holy (separated from the world for service to God with a purity of heart) we are definately trustworthy.  A holy man and a holy woman will be true to God, to themselves, and to others. Just be holy before God and watch your trustworthiness increase. Singles drop that unholy relationship, and get into a holy relationship and watch how much easier it is to trust holy people.  If you are married, pray for holiness in your marriage.  As the holiness in your marriage increases, the trust will also increase. God Bless, PastorKennedy (MZO)

More Than Great Wealth

What could possibly have more value than great wealth?  Your good name and God's favor is valued above great wealth.

Christians, this is where we get real value, this is where we get something to "take away" and hold on too.

One very successful brother said to me: "all I have is my name."  He understands that the precious value of his good name far exceeds his material wealth.

Guess what is connected to a good name?  God's favor (God's smile upon us, God's special smiling touch upon us) comes with a good name.

The obvious does not need to be described in this passage.  Reverence before God where we show respect for God through our living obedience to God will naturally give us a good name and bring God's special smiling touch upon us.

Here is this timeless principle in Prov. 22:1:

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

Watch how you treat your name today.  After all you are God's child.  They may not like your Bible based values, but they will recognize your good name and God's favor upon you.

God Bless,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Who's Side Are You On?

In James 4, we learn that friendship with the world makes us enemies with God.

The word "world" in James 4, refers to that system headed up by Satan and run by demons and evil humans to rebel against God, and leave God out of their lives.  

Think about what God says in the Bible about loving Him with out total person, and loving our neighbor as ourselves as the greatest commandments respectively (Mark 12:28-33).  Think about what God says about marriage between a man and a woman (Gen 2:24-25), drunkenness, sexual immorality of all sorts, idol worship, stealing, cheating, etc. (I Cor. 6:9) and other passages that describe what God's expects from His Children.

God says that if we befriend the worlds principles and hangout with the worlds principles, and practice what the world is doing versus what He expects, we are on the wrong side.

Popular demand and "what everyone else is doing" is no excuse for a Christian.

We are on God's side or we are on the devils side via worldly living.  Look at James 4:4:

4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Christians, let us take a clear stand on God's side.  People should not guess where we stand on issues clearly addressed in the Bible.  Our light must shine bright and we must be salty so that non-believers become thirsty for the Living God and ask what they must do to get a personal relationship with God.

Be on the right side all day every day.

God Bless,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Killing the Killers of Credible Ministry

Two of the great killers of Christians working together and doing life changing ministry is jealousy, and selfish ambition.   Jealousy is intense negative feelings over someone's success, or achievements, and selfish ambition is a seeking of personal interest by negative means (Greek English Lexicon of N.T, 3rd. ed.). When we have jealous comparison and we do ministry to stoke our egos and to position ourselves for what we consider bigger and better, we kill good ministry opportunities dead. The cruel tongue gets loose and starts bragging about all that one is capable of doing in ministry because of size, and then having another person brag about what they can do, and then both of them do battle out of a heart of jealousy, we bring shame to the ministry in front of an already unbelieving world, and we hurt our credibility.  We show the world our selfishness, and that we are in ministry to promote ourselves, and not really to accomplish the things of God. Look at what James 3:16-17 reveals: 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. We need verse 17 operating in our hearts so we can pool our resources and do more together than we can do alone. We do not have to pull together everyone, just pull together the people in our sphere of influence.  Just start with a pure heart, be peaceful, and gentle.  Please be reasonable (everything will not go exactly as you planned).  Be real and give plenty of mercy, and do your good work with an unwavering mind. Satan has divided and conquered us for too long.  We have what is necessary to overcome our past mistakes, we simply need to get into our book the Bible, and practice what God put there for our good. Let us deliberately kill the killers of credible ministry. God Bless, Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Killing the Killers of Credible Ministry

Two of the great killers of Christians working together and doing life changing ministry is jealousy, and selfish ambition.   Jealousy is intense negative feelings over someone's success, or achievements, and selfish ambition is a seeking of personal interest by negative means (Greek English Lexicon of N.T, 3rd. ed.). When we have jealous comparison and we do ministry to stoke our egos and to position ourselves for what we consider bigger and better, we kill good ministry opportunities dead. The cruel tongue gets loose and starts bragging about all that one is capable of doing in ministry because of size, and then having another person brag about what they can do, and then both of them do battle out of a heart of jealousy, we bring shame to the ministry in front of an already unbelieving world, and we hurt our credibility.  We show the world our selfishness, and that we are in ministry to promote ourselves, and not really to accomplish the things of God. Look at what James 3:16-17 reveals: 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. We need verse 17 operating in our hearts so we can pool our resources and do more together than we can do alone. We do not have to pull together everyone, just pull together the people in our sphere of influence.  Just start with a pure heart, be peaceful, and gentle.  Please be reasonable (everything will not go exactly as you planned).  Be real and give plenty of mercy, and do your good work with an unwavering mind. Satan has divided and conquered us for too long.  We have what is necessary to overcome our past mistakes, we simply need to get into our book the Bible, and practice what God put there for our good. Let us deliberately kill the killers of credible ministry. God Bless, Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

God's Blessings on Our Lives

I want God's blessings in everything I do. Look at James 1:25:

25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. God puts great emphasis on obedience in scripture.  A refreshing passage in this vein is  I John 5:3: 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

God does not give us His Word to keep us busy or to burden us down but for our good (Deut. 10:13).

God's Word gives us the best standard in which to live.  We get methods for ministry and business, and principles to maximize our relationship with God, and each other.  In God's Word, we get invaluable nuggets for every area of our lives.

Experiencing the full and meaningful life is God desire for us (John 10:10). 

We learn how to enjoy abundant living through our obedience to God's Word.  Our love for God is displayed by our obedience to God's Word (John 14:15).

Good success in life, is promised to those who obey God's Word (Joshua 1:8).

You can see that James 1:25, is not an isolated promise of God's blessings upon those who obey His Word.  Obedience is to become our way of life so that we naturally have God's blessings upon us in everything we do.

Today, make it your business to get a principle from God's Word and obey God, and then watch God work in your life and on your behalf.  Do this each day and watch God work throughout your life.

God Bless,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Refreshment from an Eternal Promise

My Los Angeles Pastor, Dr WIlliam M. Brent, is I heaven now, but his ministry lives on.  I will always remember his solemn and reassuring tone when referred to Hebrews 13:5-6, as the most encouraging promise for believers.   Hebrews 13:5-6: 5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"

6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"

In verses 1-3, God commands us to continue to love each other, to show hospitality to strangers, and to remember the prisoners as if in prison with them.

Then God tells Christians to uphold marriage, which was His first institution.

Despite what the world is pushing in opposition to what God created, Christians are to uphold marriage between a man and a woman as highly valuable and pure.

Christians are to also remember that God said He will judge those engaged in all forms of sexual immorality, and sexual relations outside of marriage relationships (fornication and adultery).

God tells Christians to keep our character upright in regards to money love, and be thankful for His provision for us.

Then in the face of several hot topic, even persecution level issues, God gives us the encouragement we need to obey Him.  "I will never leave you nor forsake you."   You can obey Me with great confidence because I will be your Helper and you do not have to be afraid of people who persecute you.

Nice!!!

Christians, with such divine encouragement and divine backup, why compromise?  Why fall into the trap of twisting scripture to justify ungodly behavior?

Christian, just stand on the living and powerful Word of God.

Even when we feel lonely and abandoned, God is always with us.  When others leave, God promises to never leave us alone.

God is with us!

God Bless,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Run Lite

Running with five pounds of ankle weights was popular for athletes when I played sports.  However, we would never play with ankle weights in a game because ankle weights would significantly hinder our performance.  

Why do we run this race of life with weights.  Spiritual weights are things in our life that are not necessarily sinful, but they hinder us from living at our highest level and can lead to sinful behavior (wasting time, eating out every night, working in and around the church, but never getting to Bible study, and a full worship service, being nice to your friends but never sharing the gospel message, etc.)?

Why do we run this race of life with outright sin in our lives (a list of common sins back in Bible times and today is found in found in (I Cor. 6:9-11).

In Heb. 12:1-2, God gives us a liberating word about running this race of life with a sure victory every time:  Run lite with a clear focus on Jesus.

Take off the spiritual ankle weights, take off the sin, take off all the drama that hinders you and keeps you tripping and falling on your face, falling financially, falling into sexual immorality, falling back into addictive and compulsive behavior, falling into depression and discouragement, falling back into unhealthy relationships, and falling and falling, and falling.  Take it off and run lite!

The cool thing about Heb. 12:1-2, is once we take stuff off, and start running lite in the race, we feel good, and we learn not to look back and grab stuff we left behind, and we look to Jesus, and we lean toward Jesus for victory.

Run lite today, do not look back (let it go!!!!), and run like crazy to and for Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

God Bless,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Pleasing God with our Faith in Him.

After reviewing some challenges in front of me today, God orchestrated my reading to Heb. 11. 

What a refreshing reminder of what faith really looks like.  Our faith is more than an intellectual agreement about facts that happened in the past.  Faith takes those old, old, stories, and modern stories, and helps us build on God's proven track record.  Our faith comes alive and we end up seeing things that we hope for, and instead of doubting, our faith sees the evidence of the thing we hope for coming to fruition (faith sees the delivery of the package while the package is still in route). 

While wrestling with the practice of waking by faith, God issues a challenge that brings discomfort for those of us who are comfortable walking by sight. 

In Heb.11:6: 

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him,for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. If you are still struggling with walking by faith, the rest of chapter 11, gives every believer an encouraging review of how the saints of old walked by faith. Some of us need to stop and humbly confess to Jesus our belief, and our need for help in our unbelief (Mark 9:24) so that we are pleasing to Him in every area of our lives. God Bless, Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Get to Church

I have not found a perfect church here on earth and you haven't either.  Then why bother?  With all the corruption and with Hollywood's latest attack on the credibility and sanctity of church in the series "Preacher's of LA", why bother going to church.  Hollywood's false portral of the church as a millionaire maker for preachers raises the question: why go to church and help some preacher make another million when you are struggling from check to check?   What about the corruption where people steal in the church and or chase women or chase men?  What about watered down preaching today where Pastors are afraid to say what God says about the sin in our lives and how we need to repent and live holy before God, and on and on? Why seek out a Bible believing and Bible teaching church for Worship and Bible Study, and Fellowship, and Prayer, and Service, etcetera? Look at Hebrews 10:24-25: 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. God calls His people to think about how to stimulate each other to love others and do good works.  God calls His people to assemble and encourage one another.   The early church  understood the significance of regular local church attendance. They also understood the power of spreading the gospel together as opposed to just individually (stuff like I do my own ministry today) Read Rom. 16:3-27 and notice the variety of people and their faithful service in various local churches.   God has not changed His mind regarding His church.  Therefore despite your disappointment and pain from what happened in the church among imperfect people (including you), ask God to guide you to a healthy bible based local church and get in that church and serve God (Col. 3:17 and 21). No excuses, get to church. God Bless, Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Grow Forward in Christ

Good Day.  I pray that you are experiencing God's precious and perfect peace today.

The writer of the book of Hebrews issued a challenge to Christians over 2000 years ago that we need to consider today.

The Christian who falls apart upon a character review, and quickly fires back with "don't judge me," and is unable to speak to the hard issues of today from the Bible (versus "I think"), is challenged to grow spiritually.

This writer is not talking about new born Christians, but Christians who should understand the basic teachings of Christianity.  The target group is  Christians who really should know more about God's Word.

Read the verses below and reflect on your life.  Are you too lazy to take time and study God's word?

This writer of Hebrews was teaching on the superior priesthood of Jesus over the human priesthood.  Then he wants to go deeper but is challenged with the immaturity of the people.

Hebrews 5:11-14:

11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.14 But solid food is for the mature — for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Christians, let us all concentrate harder on reading, understanding, and obeying God's word.

Being cool, dressing cool, and living below the Christian standards so we can fit in with a world that does not like us in the first place, is not acceptable to our Lord, Jesus, the Christ.

Let us change and grow for our Lord.  Do not get stuck in the past.  Look at your past, ask Jesus to help you change, and grow forward in Christ.

God Bless,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Stick With Your Book!

Christians, I realize that bringing up the Bible automatically raises tension in some relationships, but we cannot abandon our book.

In Heb. 4:12, God says the Bible has inherent power.  God says the words in the Bible are alive and powerful.  God says the words in the Bible are able to cut into our soul and spirit (the non-material part of our human make-up).  

Through our soul and spirit we connect with God and please Him or displease Him.

Our soul belongs to God (Ezekiel 18:3-4).  Our soul is dead or alive spiritually depending on what we do with Jesus (James 1:21; Eph. 2:1-10; John 3:1-16)

The terms heart, and mind when used metaphorically are located in our human spirit (the part of us we cannot see with the physical eyes).

The Holy Spirit is to rule over our human spirit so we bring glory to God in our bodies or our physical actions (I Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 5:18-21; Rom. 12:1-2).

In Heb. 4:12.  God says the Bible judges the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.  The Bible exposes God's our motives and what we are thinking. The Bible also challenges us and changes our thinking and then our lifestyles (Rom. 12:2).

The Bible is life-changer.

No wonder people who want to do their "own thing" do not want the Bible in their personal equation.

Christians, just as the gospel message has power, so the Word of God has power.

Learn to speak God's word in your personal situation (use promises and principles from the Word).  

Learn to also speak God's Word in the lives of others.  You do not always have to mention the verse reference, just focus on communicating the living and powerful truth from God, Himself (the Word).

Saint's, let us keep our confidence in, and stick to our book, the Bible.

God Bless you today,

Pastor B Kennedy (MZO)

Engaging God

The Bible dispels the image of God with a big stick ready to beat us down every time we make a mistake.

The Bible says we can engage God with confidence.

When you engage God, expect to find help from our merciful, and graceful God.

Look at Heb: 4:16:

16 Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

Why spend hours wondering what it would be like to engage God?  Get alone with God and try Him for yourself.

For help in how to format your discussion with God check out the Lord's model prayer in Matt. 6:9-13; or check out 

I John 5:11-2, and even Matt. 26:36-46).

You can have a meaningful time with God by using Lectio Divina (sacred reading) where you do the following:

Step 1: Read your passage of choice three times, then ask: What is God saying to me in this passage?  Use your name in answering the question.

Step 2:  Read the same passage again three times. Then answer this question:  What is God saying to me in this passage  based on what I am going through right now?  Use your name as you answer this question.

Step 3:  Read the same passage again three times.  This time you get to respond to God based on what He has said to you in steps 1 and 2.

FYI:  Journaling your responses makes this process more meaningful.  You can do Lectio Divina alone or in small groups.

Enjoy your time with God.

God Bless,

Pastor BKennedy (MZO)

What about Jesus?

Our relationship with God boils down to what we do with Jesus. In John 14:6, Jesus said He is the only way to get to God. Try to keep this simple in sharing with non-Christians and put more confidence in the inherent power wrapped in the gospel message.  According to Rom. 1:16, the love story about God sending Jesus into the world to die for our sins and rise again from the dead and look out for us, has life changing power.  Hence, let us learn to  effectively present the gospel message found in the Bible and watch God work miracles in the lives of the listeners. By the way, in addition to John 1, and Col. 1, please enjoy below another chapter one description of Jesus, the Son of God, being equal with God the Father. Hebrews 1:1-4: 1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. How refreshing!  Go Jesus! God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)