Tongue-Tied

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TONGUE-TIED
When the doctors diagnosed ALS in 2008, one of the last tests they did was, “Kevin, stick your tongue out while looking in the mirror, please.” So, I did… I was shocked! My tongue was moving around like it was stuffed with live worms. “What is that???” It was the muscles in my tongue, firing without my permission. I couldn’t feel it moving, but I also couldn’t control it. That means it was working those muscles 24/7, which has drastically impeded my speech… and there is nothing “I” can do to stop it. Needless to say, I now see the tongue in a different way. And….. so does God.

In James, Chapter 3, it says, “A careless or wrongly placed WORD out of your mouth can do that (start a raging fire with one spark). By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.” Then it says, “You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue — it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women “He made in His image.”

Listen, every one of us have hurt others with our words. Plus, we’ve hurt ourselves by the negative words we have spoken like, “I’m so stupid!” or, “We don’t ever have enough money!” It’s time for ALL of us to THINK before we unleash our tongues and SPEAK. We have to understand that we are “created in the image” (and likeness) of God. And how did God create the world and everything in it? He spoke it into being with His WORDS. We also create the world around us by the words we speak.

But, how can we tame our tongue when the Bible says, “you can’t tame a tongue — it’s never been done.” Remember when I said my tongue has, “drastically impeded my speech… and there is nothing “I” can do to stop it.” Well, that’s true, I can’t do it. But I “know” the One who CAN stop those muscles from mis-firing and even restore them. HE IS the only One who HAS tamed the tongue,.. JESUS. The only One who can tame the tongue, which will end up changing our vocabulary, is Jesus. When we surrender our life to Jesus, including the words we speak, He will lead us down a path that glorifies God and blesses us.

That’s serious “truth” we all need to think about.
Pastor Kevin Kinchen

Don’t listen to the They-Sayers.

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You know all those petty little things that gradually try to invade, interrupt and interfere with your day or your night? Well, it’s the Russians. (Just kidding!) It’s the “they-sayers!” They’re like satan’s ninjas, that run around inside our head; taunting us with threats and accusations, lies, and a side-dish of fearful fake news. And if that doesn’t drive us crazy, the devil will attempt to use our neighbors, relatives, coworkers and even church people… to unknowingly show their “they-sayer” skills. Sooo, how do we STOP these they-sayers? Well, first we read these Scriptures…

A leader, Jairus, had traveled to find Jesus because his daughter was at death’s door. As Jesus and Jairus made their way to pray for the daughter…. some people came from the leader’s house and told him, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, “Don’t listen to them; just trust Me.” (Mark 5:35-36 MSG)

If you noticed, the second Jairus was told that his daughter was dead, Jesus IMMEDIATELY jumped in and said, “Don’t listen to them; just trust Me.” And THAT is why we should do the same thing. Listen, we ALL get bombarded by negative thoughts from the enemy, from people and from ourselves. But, just like Jesus said, “We don’t have to listen to them.” And when He tells us to do something He will also provide everything that’s needed for us to overcome. Finally, we should TRUST Jesus. Over the last 10 years I have learned that when I trust Him… completely, I experience total peace and freedom.

Jairus obeyed Jesus when He said, “Don’t listen to them; just trust Me.” Miraculously, Jairus saw his daughter raised from the dead. If Jesus did it for him, I’m confident that He will do it for me and for you.

In Him, Pastor Kevin Kinchen

Hurry to read this… “Patient Endurance”

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Let’s be real for a minute. The world we live in is messed up! There are all kinds of earthquakes, hurricanes, widespread fires, political wars, plagues and life-threatening sicknesses, poverty, terrorists, and the list goes on and on and on. And all of THAT doesn’t even include what’s going on INSIDE of your home or family. The stress, anxiety, and fear can be overwhelming at times…. “How does God expect us to handle all of this craziness?” Here’s the answer:

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! PATIENT ENDURANCE is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT)

Read and declare these two Scriptures until you BELIEVE what they are saying!

“I thank You, God, for giving everyone patient endurance so they will continue to do Your will! Amen!”

In Him, Pastor Kevin Kinchen

Blast Your Past

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We have spent way too much time “dwelling on what has happened in the past… both GOOD and BAD!” How is that for an opening statement? Regardless, it’s the truth. We must forget all the bad stuff we have been through. It’s OVER! Oh, we can still remember the lessons we have learned and the wisdom we gained from all those experiences. BUT… it’s time to STOP talking about “how hard it was” or “how much it hurt” or even “how hard it will be without feeling the pain of it all…” Come on now, YOU can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens you!

We cannot afford to dwell on what happened in the past because God wants to do something NEW! He cannot bring the NEW into our life when we are still rehearsing the past. God is going to do something so incredible that we won’t even REMEMBER all the bad, painful and hurtful things we endured. WE need to open our eyes and SEE what God is doing in our lives. In the Bible, the Pharisees and the Scribes were EXPECTING a KING to come like the ones they had read about in the PAST. Unfortunately, THESE PEOPLE MISSED JESUS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM! He was this KING they were expecting but they missed Him because they were looking backward instead of forward. So, HOW do we stay fresh, how do we SEE the NEW thing God is doing?

Easy, just STAY CLOSE TO JESUS BY SPENDING TIME WITH HIM. We do this by reading and studying the Word of God, by talking to Him through prayer, and by spending some time “being still” which allows us to HEAR what God wants to say. If we will put our relationship, with God in that #1 spot in our life, then we won’t miss what HE IS DOING! The Pharisees and Scribes had LEFT their walk with God. They were serving Him with lip-service. No passion. No heart. No actions. No compassion. Therefore, they didn’t recognize Him. You and I are CALLED to fellowship with Jesus. (1 Cor. 1:9)

I pray ALL of us will embrace that calling so we can know Him more, and SEE His plans for us.

In Him, Pastor Kevin Kinchen