Our Storm Navigator

A death in the family, car problems, relationship problems, job problems, financial problems, health problems, etc., all make up storms in life.  

Some storms are more severe than others, but every storm knocks us off balance.

Jesus is the Christians source to successfully navigate through the storms in life.

In Matthew 8:23-27, the disciples were in a boat with Jesus, and a big storm arose on the sea.   Although the disciples panicked, they knew where to get help.

They knew to call on Jesus.

They knew Jesus would save them.

They knew they were safe with Jesus.

They knew their survival depended on Jesus.

In their terror, they called on Jesus.

Jesus got on their case for being afraid, which was a lack of faith.  Then Jesus calmed the storm.  This was a personal growth opportunity for the disciples (just call on Jesus and skip the panic attack).

This is a great lesson on how to deal with our storms, and learn more about the trustworthyness of Jesus.

Mr. Christian or Ms. Christian, even if you panic, and even if you respond with fear because of your human nature, be like the disciples and still call on Jesus.

Let Jesus speak to the issues in your storms and bring you calm and confidence in your storm.  You will be amazed at His power in calming you and your storm (Matt. 8:23-27).

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Built to Last

Today the men of Mt Zion woke up to a beautiful sunrise as we are surrounded by the magestic mountains in San Bernardino County.

We retreated to hear from The Lord and obey His word.

Jesus said in so doing we are built to last.

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

God Bless, 

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Judging?????

How often do you hear the expression, "don't judge me."  Usually people who say this have a bit of intolerance in their tone.

People will also say, Jesus said don't judge (Matt. 7:1).

What did Jesus really teach in Matt. 7?

In the so-called "judge not" passage in Matt. 7:1, Jesus teaches that if we are not to judge with harsh and cruel judgement because that is how people will judge us.  We will get back what we put out (Matt. 7:1-2).

Then in Matt. 7:5, Jesus teaches us how to properly judge.  To judge simply means to consider a situation or the actions of others and form an opinion.  

Jesus says, first look at you own problem (the log in your eye), then you will have a more balanced view when you see another persons problem (the speck in their eye).

Notice that both parties have a problem that can be addressed by properly judging the situation.

In Matt 7:16-20, Jesus teaches that by properly judging we will know wolves in sheeps clothing; we will know good people from bad people based on what we see in their lives (their good or bad practices).  This is judging.

In John 7:24, Jesus challenged the religious leaders to judge with righteous judgement.

We judge all the time.  We look at a persons good actions and thank them for doing good.  That is judging.

What do people really mean today by: "don't judge me"!!!   Perhaps if you take a closer look you will notice that they do not want you to hold them accountable for what they are doing or not doing.

Despite popular expressions based on a lack of careful biblical consideration, "judge with righteous judgment."

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy(MZO)

Credibility

The truth about credibility is you can spend years building a good name, and then get caught up in one of Satan's many traps and lose your credibility. In the greatest sermon ever preached, by the worlds greatest preacher, Jesus said:  "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil" (Matt. 5:37). Our word, what we say about doing good, must be matched with the good we do. When we say yes, or no, people should be able to believe us because we are credible. In His sermon, Jesus also taught about His followers being salt and light in this dark world so that people will see our good works and glorify God (Matt. 5:13-16). Since yesterday is past, all we can do about our mistakes is confess our sin before God and the people we hurt, and walk away and never turn back.  Do not turn back because if you do, you will return right back into yesterdays sin. Start rebuilding your credibility afresh today, or continue building on the credibility you have. As one highly respected Mt Zion Elder reminded me a few weeks ago: "my word is all I have." God Bless, Pastor Kennedy

The Triune God

The teaching of the Triune God is a difficult reality for the human mind to graspe, but is seen and taught in scripture.

God the Father, God the Son (Jesus, the Christ), and God the Holy Spirit, are coequal, coeternal, and coexistent.

At the Baptism of Jesus we can see the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit at work (Matt. 3:16-17).

Did Jesus teach the Trinity?  Not only do we see Jesus praying to His Heavenly Father in all Gospel accounts (see John 17 for an example), but we hear Jesus teaching about the Holy Spirit in scriptures such as John 14:16-18; 16:7-14.

Jesus taught that we are baptize believers in name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I realize the thinking of three distinct persons who function as one perfect unity is beyond our finiteness.  But God is not limited to our finite state.  God's thoughts and behaviors are beyond our comprehension.  God will not change Who He is just because we do not understand Him.

Sometimes we believe that God owes us an explanation, and He needs to prove things.  The reality is, God is sovereign and is not accountable to us, but we are accountable to God.

We would do well to meditate on passages like Deut. 29:29; Isaiah 55:8-9; II Cor. 5:7; James 2:23.

Enjoy your relationship and experience with the Triune God, versus getting stuck on trying to detail something we only know in general.

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Unquestioning Obedience

Just when you get settled with one "walk by faith" situation, your walk is not over. What you will find is that as you walk by faith, you will function with stronger faith for the next "walk by faith action." After Jesus was born, God told Joseph to do something else.  Gather your wife and newborn and escape to Egypt, and stay there until further notice.  What did Joseph do?  Joseph immediately acted in faith and moved his wife and newborn son to Egypt (Matt. 2:13).  We can discuss numerous aspects of such a move, but the "stand out" action was Joseph's unquestioning obedience to God. Are you questioning God about something told He told you to do? Where is your faith in God's faithfulness to operate in your best interest despite what He is leading you to do (Rom. 8:28)? Try to simply act as God speaks to you today (no questions, just obey) and watch your faith grow.  You will enjoy a special sense of recognizing God's voice and trusting Him as normally and naturally as saying your name.   Although we do not know much about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, we know he had unquestioning obedience toward God. God Bless, Pastor Kennedy (MZO)

Acts of Simple Faith

Check out this response in a break-up level issue in Mary and Joseph's relationship:  24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.  (Matt. 1:24-25).

Your girl comes up pregnant and you know you did not sleep with her, and the only explanation you get is the Holy Spirit did a miracle, and the baby cannot have your name.

Joseph had to be a praying man to recognize the voice of God's angel.

Joseph had to be a reading man to recognize Old Testament Prophecy could happen to his virgin fiancé.

Joseph had to be a faithful man to not question God, or go off on Mary, and simply obey God in a potentially explosive situation.

Today, let us look at ourselves and answer the question: How am I doing with simple acts of faith in difficult situations?

God Bless,

Pastor Kennedy (MZO)