No more excuses, alright? Alright.

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In 1 John 2:24-28, the New Living Bible has the phrase “in fellowship” repeated 4 times, within five consecutive verses. It must be important. Right? Check out these four verses. First, John is all about us “remaining IN FELLOWSHIP with the Son and with the Father.” He also said, “IN THIS FELLOWSHIP we enjoy the “eternal life” He promised.” Next, “remain IN FELLOWSHIP with Christ.“ And last, John tells us, “remain IN FELLOWSHIP with Christ so that when He returns, you will be full of courage, and not shrink back from Him in shame.”

Let’s get real for a minute. I’ve heard people say things like, “I’m not ready to give my life to, Jesus. But don’t worry, I will do it eventually.“ Some even say, “I’m too busy, I don’t have time to do the church thing and the read your Bible thing.” Really? When that CASE-580 backhoe ran over me, lengthwise and face-up, there was not enough time to throw out a “Jesus save me” prayer. Thankfully, I had already secured my eternal destination. However, Jesus gave His life for more than just Eternal Life. He also gave His life so we could have FELLOWSHIP with Him and His Father. Think about that for a minute. You and I, as human beings, have an open invitation from the Creator of the universe, God, and His only Son, Jesus Christ. And get this, they WANT to have a relationship with us! But… wait for it, there’s more! He (God) loves us sooooo much that HE wants US to become PART OF HIS FAMILY! WHAAAT?

Now, what were those excuses I mentioned earlier? Surely, someone could make time for an invitation to fellowship with the Creator of the world, and His Son, Jesus, who paid the ultimate price by giving His life for our sins and eternal life in heaven… because they are FAMILY, right? Right? RIGHT???

In Him, Pastor Kevin Kinchen

In the last days…

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“You must understand this: In the last days there will be violent periods of time. People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy, and lack normal affection for their families. They will refuse to make peace with anyone. They will be slanderous, lack self-control, be brutal, and have no love for what is good. They will be traitors. They will be reckless and conceited. They will love pleasure rather than God. They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 – GW)

For those who think the Bible is not relevant in the world we live in, those Scriptures should make you think again. I watch the news every morning to get updated on major issues. However, if I want the WHY or the HOW of those issues, I just look in my Bible. Listen up… NOTHING surprises God. And when you know that, and believe that, there’s a “peace” that consumes you beyond what your brain could ever imagine. Do yourself a favor. Whenever you find yourself worrying or in a panic, run it through the filter of your Bible. Find out who God is, and who you are in Him. Learn about His protection, His solution and HOW to pray. I could go on and on. Finally, a daily intimate relationship with God is THE most important relationship you will ever have. If you have that, everything else will fall into place.

In Him, Pastor Kevin Kinchen

For God called you to do good, even if…

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It’s Wednesday evening… the middle of your work week, and I have a question for YOU. How are you doing with the “A”- word?  Come on,  you know what I’m talking about… AUTHORITY, how are you doing with the people who have authority over you? People like your supervisor, your boss, or even your wife. (Did I just say that?) Anyway, I have the answer that will solve 99.9% of your problems with authority. Here it is: “DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD TO DO.” (Preferably without an attitude, murmuring, griping or gossiping.)

Just like you, I’ve had tons of times when I did not want to do something I was told to do. However, when I swallowed my pride, and I swallowed what the Bible says about, authority, I changed. And after 30+ years, I still live by that principle. The Bible tells us to, accept the authority of our masters (leaders) with all respect. Do what they tell us – not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. That means, do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment… What??? Now, now, rest assured, the blessings I’ve experienced, by-far outweighs any unfair treatment. Read this last verse and follow THE Example.

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered  for you. HE is YOUR example, and YOU must follow in HIS steps.”

(1 Peter 2:18-21 NLT)

How strong is your spirit?

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HOW STRONG IS YOUR SPIRIT?
Read this carefully: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2) That’s good news, right? Of course it is. However, there is one thing that’s required on our side of this verse. In this verse John prayed, “that you (me, we) may prosper in all things and be in health…” But, the next words say, “… JUST AS your soul (in this verse “soul” is defined “spirit”) prospers.” That means the prosperity and health comes AS our spirit prospers and grows. And who’s in charge of our spirit? We are.

God is all about relationships. He wants us to love and know Him, just like He loves and knows us. The more we dive in to this relationship, by seeking Him instead of seeking only His blessings, then everything else seems to fall into place. We pamper, exercise, bathe, dress and feed the fleshly-side of our being, but, what about our spirit? We are a three-part being… a spirit, a soul and a physical body. The spirit is the REAL LIFE inside of us. God, who is Spirit, intentionally created us with a spirit so we could communicate with Him. If we take care of our physical body so diligently, don’t you think it’s time for us to do the same with the spiritual-side of our being. I think so. Through God’s Word (Bible), prayer, worship and time alone with Him… is a good start towards a strong spirit. Just remember, when the created gets alone with the Creator, anything is possible!

In Him, Pastor Kevin Kinchen