We Will Continue to Serve the Lord

Despite what the Supreme Court Justices decided today, or any other day, we will still serve the Lord.

Some people will choose to serve idol gods and do and support what God calls immorality.  Therefore just as Joshua had to take a stand on God's side, Christians today must also take a stand on God's side (Joshua 24:15).

Christians, be encouraged, God is still on the throne, and He still loves people who disobey Him, and so do we.

Christians, God is responsible for dealing with people who ignore Him and do their own thing (I Thess. 5:1-11).

Our role as ambassadors for Christ is to Help people get reconciled to God, by showing the love of Jesus toward each person we engage (I Cor. 5:17-21).

God Bless,

Pastor Brian Kennedy

Mtzionontario.com

Continue to Pray for our Supreme Court Justices

Christians, the United States of America, is at a major cross road in our history.

We are expecting a decision regarding if the court will uphold traditional marriage according to God's Word, of if our Chief Justices will break away from God and redefine marriage to include same sex marriage.

Christians, we need to stay in prayer.  We need to ask God to fix the hearts of our Justices to support what God established in the first place.

Throughout the Bible, God never changed His original design for a married couple to be a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24-25; Matt. 19:5: I Cor. 7:1-5; Eph. 5:31: Rev. 21:1-2).

Please say an extra prayer for God to intervene and maintain the traditional definition of marriage in this country.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy

Mtzionontario.com

God's People Leading Healing

In light of the racially motivated act of home-grown terror in Charleston,
South Carolina, on June 17, 2015, the church must address the question of
what can we do to make a difference.

One solution is all Christians, can join a movement that leads to spiritual
healing in America.  God is angry with America because too many of His
people (Christians) are comfortable living in sin.

I agree with my former boss, Charles "Chuck Colson," when he said on
national television, "America has a sin problem."

Christians, when the law-makers, and the law-enforcers, and the community
leaders are law breakers, we have the chaos, violence, and difficulty that
we see here in America.  We will never successfully legislate ourselves out
of sin.

God gave the solution for healing in a nation when He is angry with His
people in II Chron. 7:12-15.

Christians, we can turn God's anger away from us by:

Humbling ourselves (submit our entire life under God's authority)

Being intercessory prayer warriors (not just self-centered prayer)

Seeking God’s face (seek, understand, and obey God's Word)

Turning from wicked ways (make a complete change in life)

Here is a personal prayer to consider: Lord, I feel honored that You
entrusted me with the responsibility to help lead spiritual healing in my
home, in the church, in the community, throughout the nation, and beyond. I
humble myself before You, and ask that You forgive me for all of my sins,
and unrighteousness.  Please deliver me from any habits that You consider
wicked.  Lord, as the deer, who was chased all night long by predators, and
is thirsty for the streams of water, so I long for You with all my heart.  I
love You deeply.  All these things I ask in the name of Jesus, amen.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy 

Mtzionontario.com

God is at Work in the midst of Tragedy

As a handful of people try to move American's away from being "one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all," the rest of us
must take a stand for what our fellow Americans died to establish and
protect. 

Everyday, our soldiers sacrifice the comforts of home life in America, and
put themselves in harms way to protect the freedoms we enjoy in this
country.

Our freedom did not come cheap in this country, and our freedom is not
self-sustaining.  People with common interest must stand together to protect
the freedom that others have determined to destroy.

Christians, this week, Satan took a hate-filled, lone gunman (someone taught
him and he has plenty of peers) in Charleston South Carolina, and pulled off
an intimidation trick in God's house.

The Emmanuel AME, church family, took in a stranger and showed him the love
of Jesus, and the stranger killed nine people.

What is the intimidation trick.  Satan is trying to put fear in local
churches and cause us to look at strangers searching for meaning in life,
with suspicion.

Christians, non-Christians are getting sick and tired of searching for
something and always finding nothing of lasting value in the world around
us.  Many non-Christians know about God, so they visit churches to learn
more.  In Bible based churches, "seekers" will find more than religion.
"Seekers" will find a lasting relationship with the living God of all the
universe, through Jesus. 

Satan, wants to hinder our leading the stranger to Christ. 

The love that Pastor Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson,  Ethel
Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Simmons, Sr.,
Sharonda Singleton, Myra Thompson, and the rest of the Emanuel family showed
the lone gunman, before the hate in his heart led him to kill, will be the
very force that draws Him to a real encounter with Jesus (let us pray for
his salvation).  God is at work even in the midst of tragedy.

To the Emanuel AME family, we love you, we are praying for you, and we thank
you for reminding us to demonstrate the love that gets the world's attention
(John 13:35).

God Bless,

Pastor Brian Kennedy, Sr.
Mtzionontario.com

What Defines You?

Does the car you drive and the home you live in really define you? Please enjoy the car and home of your choice (I Tim 6:17-19).  But does nice material goods really define you.  Your assets certainly makes a statement about your taste, priorities, and even values, but in the Christian world, our life is not defined by the things we possess. Look at what Jesus said in Luke 12:15: 15 Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." Our relationship with Jesus gives us eternal definition.  We are God's children (John 1:12).  The Living God of all the universe adopts us into His family and gives us wealth beyond anything we have down here (Rom. 8:15-17). Christian's, enjoy the things God has entrusted to your care, and remember what really defines you so you do not find yourself in financial crisis trying to keep up with "the Jone's," or stuck in the emptiness of competition, jealousy, and insecurity. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy Mtzionontario.com

Values Clashes

Stop hooking up with people who clash with your values.  They will hurt you.
Bad company corrupts good morals (I Cor. 15:33).

Why do we blindly follow outsiders (people we really do not know) who walk
into our lives with the intent to rob us of our blessings by influencing us
to do things against our established values (values clash)?    

Numbers 25, gives a great example of a values clash that cost the Children
of Israel 24,000 people:

Moab:  The women of Moab invited Israel worship their idols gods and have
ungodly sexual relations with them.

Israel:  The children of Israel had wondered 40 years in the wilderness, and
was ready to enter the land of milk and honey.  

These two groups were on two different pages, but some of the men of Israel
got caught up in a situation that clashed with their established values
(Num. 20:5), and cost the nation 24,000 lives.

Christians, we have to work overtime to be in this world but not attached to
this world such that we get caught up in things that clash with our bible
based values (Rom. 12:2)  and we end up suffering serious consequences like
the Children of Israel (Rom. 12:2)..

Here are 4 things we can do to stay on track:

1.  Focus on pursuing our love relationship with God (Mark 12:28-31).

2.  Stay clean before God by consistently confessing our sin to God and
asking God for forgiveness (I John 1:8-10).

3.  Consistently ask God to fill us afresh with His Holy Spirit (control us)
so we will walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal.
5:16-26).

4.  Help everyone we can, but pick close friends whose values are similar to
ours.

The Lord bless you and keep you,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)
Mtontario.com

Do Life With God On Your Side

Despite masses of people rebelling against, and ignoring God's
established principles for the good of society, and rejecting God and His
Word in general, keep God on your side.  If others replace God with things,
trends, people, and untested theories rooted human based reasoning, you have
enough sense to keep God on your side. Keep God on your side so that you
have a full and meaningful life (John 10:10).  Do life with God on your
side.  

Here is a prayer to consider:

Dear Lord, I never want to take "trouble free" moments for
granted.  I realize that You put the incident between Balaam and Balak in
the Bible to remind me that I have unseen enemies who want to destroy me
because I am connected to You.  Father, despite the enemies attempts to
destroy me, I thank you for Your persistent protection in my life.  Father,
You are much bigger than anything I can think, say, or imagine therefore,
protect me from putting other people, or things in your place.  I put my
total trust in You, and I want You by my side.  In the Name of Jesus I pray,
amen.  

FYI: The story of Balak and Balaam is found in Numbers 22-24.

The Lord Bless You and Keep You,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Mtzionontario.com

What are you leaving for people to remember?

As you live, you are giving your loved ones, and others what they will remember and write about you when you leave this life. Jeroboam's name comes up in the Book of Kings several times after his death.  Look at an example: 25 Omri did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him. 26 He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD God of Israel with their worthless idols (I Kings 16:25-26).

King David's also comes up several times, but in a very positive way: 3 Abijam walked in all the sins his father before him had committed, and he was not completely devoted to the LORD his God as his ancestor David had been. 4 But because of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem. 5 For David did what was right in the LORD’s eyes, and he did not turn aside from anything He had commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (I Kings 15:3-5). Christians, we just cannot be selfish and do what is right in our own eyes, and only focus on gratifying ourselves.  We are responsible for helping countless people see Jesus through the way we talk, think, and act (II Cor. 5:20). People are watching us right now in person or on some type of surveillance camera, or personal video camera, etc.' Christians, keep it simple.  Let us do the right things so we do not live and die with regrets, and we never have to worry about what people see or catch on tape. Leave a positive legacy for future generations to celebrate and emulate (Matt. 5:16). The LORD bless you and keep you, Pastor Kennedy Mtzionontario.com

Are you praying about God's love letter to you (Jer. 29:11)?

Dear Lord, thank You for never forgetting about me, and
sending me an encouraging love letter.  Sometimes I feel alone and just
don't know what to do.  Your letter to me lets me know that You value me,
and You and You alone have the right plan for my life.  Father, I do not
want to waste any more time with empty searches where I am looking for
something and always finding nothing of lasting value.  Father, through my
wholehearted search for meaning in life, You let me find You.  Now I have
You, and Your plan for my life.  Lord, despite my circumstances help me to
consistently communicate with You through prayer and enjoy engaging You and
having You in my life.  My hope is built on You and Your love for me.  In
the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Mtzionontario.com

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What are you leaving behind?

God was angry with King Solomon because he married many women, whom God told Israel not to marry, because they would turn God's people's hearts away from Yahweh (I Kings 11:2). Despite the disobedience of Solomon, and despite God declaring he would remove the kingdom from Solomon, God had mercy Solomon because of his father, King David.  Look at I Kings 11:12-13: 12 However, I will not do it during your lifetime because of your father David; I will tear it out of your son’s hand.

13 Yet I will not tear the entire kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son because of my servant David and because of Jerusalem that I chose.”

Here is the point: what spiritual legacy are you leaving for your children, and family?

Yes, King David made some mistakes, but he was totally dedicated to God.  He was a man after God's heart.  David's heart was connected to God in a deep and meaningful way.  David's faithfulness to God was so far reaching that it extended to his son, King Solomon.

How are you living?

Will you leave a generational curse on your children (sexual immorality, gang life, substance abuse, criminal behavior, abusive behavior, violence, greed, poor stewardship over resources, abandonment, brokenness, etc.), or will you leave a covering of God's mercy?

Christians, the way we live will effect others coming behind us, so let us leave a great spiritual legacy that benefits future generations.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Mtzionontario.com