Be a Peace-maker

Look at what Jesus said in Matt 6:9:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Christians, with all the hatred and chaos spread around the world, we need to intentionally reflect the characteristics of our Father in heaven. Throughout the day we have several opportunities to defuse tension and arguing just by the way we answer people.  For instance in Prov. 15:1: A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. When people are rude to us, we can say  respond with something pleasant.  God says your gentle and pleasant response turns away anger. Pray while people are being rude, ask God to give you a pleasant and peaceful response. Let the Lord use you to bring peace.  After all  you are child of the God of peace. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

God has not forgotten His Promise to You

Remember when Joseph was seventeen (Gen. 37:2), he dreamed that his brothers and his parents would bow before him?

Joseph experienced terrible treatment from his brothers, was sold into slavery by his brothers, was accused of sexual assault while in slavery, and convicted and sentenced to federal prison while in slavery.  Joseph was a helper and maintained a positive attitude while in prison.  For instance, Joseph.  interpreted the dreams of two federal employees, one of which was supposed to help Joseph get out once he got out.

Did no happen!

Joseph stayed in the federal prison for two years longer than he expected (Gen. 41:1).

The one federal employee who returned to work forgot all about what Joseph did for him.

Church, God can use anyone as He chooses, but God does not need our networking, planning, and hook-up systems to help Him remember and keep His promise to us.

God did not forget Joseph while in slavery in Potepher's house, and God did not forget Joseph in the prison house.

Just think, Joseph was seventeen when God promised him that his family would bow down to him.

Now look at Gen. 41:41-46, and note that Joseph was thirty years old when things started turning around for him.

Thirteen years of struggle for a youngster is like a lifetime.  

Joseph seemed to always have a positive attitude toward his circumstances.

Joseph was willing to serve others while in slavery.  We see the same thing when he was in prison, and for the two extra years in prison.

Today, we must ask God for the love, the trust, and the patience we need to wait on Him in our trials, and never forget His promise to us.

Church, despite the difficulty, we must focus on what God is doing in our lives so we do not get lost in ourselves (pity parties, depression, substance abuse, bad attitudes, etc.).

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Love, Honor, and Trust God for Daily Victory

Listen to these famous words after being tempted to sin with the wife of his boss.

Gen. 39:7-9:

7 It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here,my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge.

9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?" Joseph got instant victory because his mindset was to honor God.  Joseph did not think about all he could have by living a secret life with Mrs. Potiphar. She had power, money and influence and Joseph could have had some fun plus some. Why did he not jump for the opportunity with Mrs. Potiphar?  His brothers hated him and betrayed him.  He was now a slave a long way from home.  Why not just live a little in the midst of his misery? Joseph's loved, honored, and trusted, God despite his circumstances.  FYI: Joseph did now know God's plan at this point either. What about you?  Today is the first round of temptations coming your way this week.  With your current level of love, honor, and trust for God, will you get the victory? Don't think about all you can do in your temptation to sin today.  Just see the sin as evil, say no, and walk away. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Suppress Anxiety with the Things of God

Look at Matt. 6:33: 

33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own. In Matt. 5:25-34, Jesus mentions worry five times.  Jesus tells us to not worry about the necessities of life, what we will eat, what we will drink, and what we will wear. The antidote for stress is seeking the things that pertain to the kingdom of God, and the righteousness of God. Pursuing God puts us in direct contact with God; pursuing God feeds our faith; and better positions us to depend on God for everything.  Directly connecting to God through our obedience to God will fill us full with God and suppress our anxiety. Try shifting you thoughts from worry mode to pursue the things of God mode today.  You will reduce headaches, and body aches that come out of nowhere.  Your blood pressure will be more manageable.  Your mind will experience more peace, and you will have a better day. Try Matt.  6:33-34 Try Phil. 4:6-7 You have to be intentional and talk to God every step of the way. God Bless,   Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

The Foolishness of Mixing our Old Life with our New Life

Jacob practiced deceit for many years starting with stealing his brothers birthright (Gen. 25:30-34).  Jacob joined his mother in her plot to steal Esau's blessing as the oldest son (Gen 27).

Jacob, stepped over the line when he stole his brothers blessing by deceit and had to leave home for his personal safety.

When Jacob arrived at his uncle Labon's house (another trickster), Jacob met his match and was tricked several times by his Uncle Labon.

You would think that Jacob learned his lesson and that he would believe God to continue to bless him without practicing anymore deceitful tricks.

Jacob had another trick up his sleeve as he left Labon's house without saying goodbye and allowing Labon to give his blessing.  

Instead of trusting God, Jacob said he was afraid Labon, and secretly departed as a fugitive.

Here is the point for today.  Even Labon, who was an old time trickster knew what Jacob did was unwise.

Gen. 31:26-28:

26 Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword?

27 "Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre;

28 and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. Yes, we still have our "skills" from our life before Christ.  The question is why do we feel the need to go back and practice the negative behavior from our past when God has promised us good? We do not need to help God out.  We need to know and stand on the promises of God. When we "get over" on prople by using our ungodly past life actions, we show a clear lack of faith in God, and even worldly people like Labon, can see our foolishness. Trust God and do what is right before God. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

When God Puts You Through a Test

What would you do if God ask you to give up someone near and dear to your heart to test your loyalty to Him? Will you respond to God with unquestioning obedience, or will you attempt to negotiate with God? Look at Gen. 22:1-3: 1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham! ” “Here I am,” he answered.  2 “Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”  3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. You may already know the rest of the story of how God watched Abraham take specific steps to demonstrate his deep seated faith and loyalty to God.  Abraham believed that God would keep His promise to make a great nation through his son Isaac, whom God told him to sacrifice.   The famous words: "the LORD will provide comes from this story in history. In this story , God saw Abraham's loyalty and provided a ram in the bush to sacrifice instead of his son, Isaac. Everyday we have opportunity to demonstrate our loyalty, our total faith in, and unquestioning obedience to God.  God does not do a full Gen. 22, test on us everyday, but He does look at our level of faith, loyalty, and obedience to Him. Do you love spending more time with God than your social media friends, or your devices, or your car?  Do you possess a spirit of appreciation for God providing the car you drive, or do you worship the car? Do you thank God for your loved ones or do you or do you put them before God, and cherish them above God? Will you love people, forgive people, help people, share your faith in Jesus, etc. as God commands? Does God look at your life and say: ... For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me" (Gen. 22:12). God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Be Different and Make a Difference

Here are three things I am challenging believers to do in 2015 to grow spiritually.

Purposely attend church for group worship, fellowship, and edification (Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:24-25), and encourage other believers to do the same.

Systematically read through the bible in 2015 (average 3 chapters in Old Testament and 1 chapter in New Testament per day).  See I Pet. 2:1-3.

Regularly share your faith with non-Christians with power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

Be different and make a difference.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Wait on God to Fulfill His Promise

When God makes a promise to you, and you recognize God's promise, and you acknowledge God's promise, and you commit to wait on God's promise to come to pass, refuse to allow circumstances and people to force you into  actions of doubt.  Gen. 16:2-3, was one of those times.  Abraham's circumstances, and his wife encouraged him to act without God's direction by having a son by Hagar, instead according to God's promise.  We still have tension between the Arab's and the Jew's because Abraham did not wait on God.

Be patient and wait on God to fulfill His promises to you just as He promised.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)