God Created the Keys to Healthy Communication.

God said: "My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger" (James 1:19).  HCSB

The key is swiftly, hurriedly, quickly listen, which is the first of these three actions.  

In the listening process you ask clarifying questions (did you say...? can you repeat that please?), and summarize (I think I hear you saying...).

The listening process will naturally slow you down and help you be slow to speak.  The listening process will also prevent becoming angry about things that you are really unclear on.

Listening is the potent key to healthy communication.

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy

What controls your motives?

What motivates you is a great question, but what controls your motives is a bigger question.

Take time to evaluate and ensure that Jesus controls your motives versus something self-serving, that will not make a difference in the world around you.  Look to II Cor. 5:14-15 for help in this area.  "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

Christians, live for Jesus by doing things with pleasing Jesus in mind and your motives will come under the control of Jesus.

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy, Sr.

Do you really love others?

Are committed to the work, or are you committed to the people in the work?

Do you easily walk past people and don't feel anything?  Do you see a person struggling and are not moved to help in some way?

You are not thinking anything bad about them, you just don't feel obligated or moved to speak, pray, or help them.  Hence, you walk past as if you have something much more important than a simple gesture of love.

Hey! I love people!  What are you saying?

The way to check yourself is explore the love chapter in I Corinthians 13.

See what God says about your ministry and great sacrifices without love.

See what love is and is not.

Christians, be intentional in showing care and concern for others (love).  Love is a distinguishing mark for Christians (John 13:34-35).

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy, Sr.

Are You Really Alone?

Life can have seemingly endless hard twists and turns that makes you tired, and feeling alone and defeated.

As you deal with the feelings of being alone, fiercely fight the "woe is me" syndrome, and know that you have God working on your behalf, and you have other Christians to pray and walk with you.  Therefore, get up with truth in God's Word, and join with other believers to strive for the victory we have in Christ.

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it" (I Cor. 10:13).

Christians, we need God and we need each other so let's do healthy life together (Hebrews 10:24-25; Rom. 12:4-5).

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy, Sr.

Help Others for the Good?

 

God will show you someone who needs edification (building up) in some area of their life.

Pray and ask God for wisdom, courage, and strength as you reach out to them with pure motives.

You will be surprised how people will respond with thanksgiving.  What God leads you do is just what they need.

"Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification" (Rom. 15:1-2).

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy, Sr.

Ready for Death and Dying?

God said in Psalm 139:16, that all the days of your life were recorded in God's book before you were born.

Hence, you have no real say over the length of your days.

You do however have say over the quality of your life.

You can choose to obey God and love Him with your total person, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28-31).

You can choose to live the Holy Spirit controlled life and display the fruit of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:22-26).

You can choose full and meaningful life (John 10:10).

Then when your day to depart this life comes you can transition with total confidence (II Tim. 4:6-8).

1. You are ready to leave here.
2. You fought the good fight in serving God.
3. You fulfilled your God given purpose.
4. You kept your faith in God.
5. You anticipate your reward from God.

Christians, live to love and serve Jesus, and death and dying will be a pleasant transition from labor to reward.

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy, Sr.

Stormproof Your Life

Life has swift changes, tragedy, and disappointments, that are like  storms in our lives.

We can stormproof our lives by continually hearing and obeying the words of Jesus (Matt. 7:24).

This is a picture of continually thinking about something Jesus said (such as treat people the way you want to be treated, or stop worrying and seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, etc).  This is how you build a stormproof life that will handle any storm that comes your way.

God Bless,

Pastor Brian E. Kennedy