Monday, May 31, 2010

"There Is Only One Way", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Some folks don't like their choices narrowed down too much

They would rather eat at a buffet than at a place where the menu was limited.

They would rather bank at an establishment that offered varied savings and interest plans.

They would rather search for a new car at a dealership which offered multiple brands of autos.

They would rather believe in polytheism, believing there are many gods not just One God.

It's the last one which will take you down.

This is one area where the believer must be bold and not back off one tiny bit.

There is one God. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is revealed in the flesh by the Incarnate Jesus Christ, born of a virgin and Who died upon the Cross for our sins. He was Resurrected on the third day, and now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven interceding for us. He awaits the time when He will come and Rapture His Church, subsequently followed by His Second Advent where He will establish His reign on the earth for 1,000 years.

This is indisputable. It's written in His Holy Word, and anything left to be fulfilled will occur as everything was before it.

Allah, Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, the multiple Hindu deities, the pantheistic earth worshipers, and hundreds of other false idols created by men and the devil are NOT God.

The Bible is clear:

Acts 4:12 - "And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved."

John 14:6 - "Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me."

This we must know, and know it well, if we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

This we must know, and know it well, if we are going to reap souls into the Kingdom before the appointed time of His return.

Jesus is Lord!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <

Friday, May 28, 2010

"Never Be Silenced", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

After the big rage that followed the healing of the crippled beggar, which we have been looking at all week, the Sanhedrin was faced with the dilemma of what to do with Peter and John.

The two disciples were creating a popular front against the corrupt religious system in place at the time. It was the same "whitewashed sepulchre" that killed Jesus.

After hastily conversing about the "issue" (hard to believe that healing someone would be an issue), they decided to let them off the hook with a stern reprimand.

Are you ready?

Acts 4:18 - "[So] they summoned them and imperatively instructed them not to converse in any way or teach at all in or about the name of Jesus."

"Never, in any way, shape, or form, mention, pray about, pray to, pray in, or preach or teach in or about the Name of Jesus!"

That'll teach them.

Or will it?

(19) "But Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge). (20) But we [ourselves] cannot help telling what we have seen and heard."

In the Pastor Kevin paraphrase: "Sorry, but...ah...no."

Boldness and confidence. You need this to be the rank and file Christian. You particularly need this if you are called by Christ into leadership.

Friend, it's not easy being a servant of Christ. He warned us of this on His way to the Cross. He said that people hated Him, and they will also hate us.

If you haven't been surprised yet at just exactly where you will find your enemy, trust me, you will be sooner or later.

Be wise. Be alert. Do not be moved off of who you are. Operate within what Jesus has given you...

...and never, never be silenced.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, May 27, 2010

"Round Up The Usual Suspects", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

The healing of one insignificant wretched figure of a man causes a tremendous furor among the people and the religious leaders.

Familiar names of people who we last read about when Jesus was arrested and crucified pop up on the scene again.

Caiaphas and Annas. Two names that can make a person break out in a sweat.

Why the ruckus?

Peter and John used the opportunity of healing to preach the gospel, and that just ticked them off.

Acts 4:2 - "...vexed and indignant through and through because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in [the case of] Jesus the resurrection from the dead."

So the usual suspects ordered the rounding up of the usual suspects.

(3) "So they laid hands on them (arrested them) and put them in prison until the following day, for it was already evening."

It was a bit too late however, as 5,000 more people were led to Christ before they were stopped!

Not a bad kettle of fish for one healing.

After cooling their heels in the hoosegow overnight, the hit squad returns to grill them.

What they really wanted to know was if their arch-nemesis Jesus Christ was in any way involved. They still hadn't put to rest the dilemma of the empty tomb.

(7) - "And they set the men in their midst and repeatedly demanded, By what sort of power or by what kind of authority did [such people as] you do this [healing]?"

The new found Pentecostal Power makes another grand entrance!

(10) ...[it is] in the name and through the power and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, [but] Whom God raised from the dead, in Him and by means of Him this man is standing here before you well and sound in body."

There it is.

This is why I always say that this crippled beggar's healing was the beginning of something new, something great in the foundation of Church history.

Built upon needs, not upon avarice.

It was the testing. It was the testing of the use of the Name of Jesus Christ by the believer.

It is yours today as well.

Read this next verse and make no mistake: this is one of the top ranked verses in all the bible in order of importance. The only reason I hesitate to name it as THE top verse is because there are too many others that qualify alongside of it. But make no mistake: this one is powerful, life changing, and indispensable!

(12) "And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved."

No other way. No other method. No other Name. No other gods.

The Name of Jesus.

It always gets the desired result. Salvation and healing. Healing and salvation.

(13)...they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

Out of all of that, the healing of the beggar, the ensuing excitement, the night in jail, the desired result was ultimately achieved.

They were recognized as having Jesus all over them!

How many of us can say that today? What do people see in you? Who do they see?

In your petty arguments. In your angry retorts. In your unkindness. In your quest for selfish gain. In your incessant whining and complaining. In the shirking of your duties as first and foremost a disciple of Jesus...

...what is being seen and said of you?

Do they recognize you as having been with Jesus? Do they see Him all over you?

"I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live."

To get to that place. Yes, that is a worthy endeavor.

Tell someone you love them today. Tell someone your sorry. Tell someone about Jesus.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

"The Power Of God Will Create A Buzz", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Yesterday we looked at one of the great events of the brand new Church formed after the Holy Spirit baptism at Pentecost.

We saw the boldness of Peter and John, and the immediate result which was a spectacular healing of a crippled beggar who had sat at the gate of the Temple for many years.

The healing caused a "buzz" in the community.

People were astonished. They began to talk and spread the news.

All sorts of inquiries were made, and the attention was bountiful.

Some of it was negative.

Peter stands before the crowd and uses the opportunity to accuse the present religious system in power with the killing of Jesus Christ.

He then explains that this very Jesus whom they killed was directly responsible for the cripple's healing!

Acts 3:16 - "And His name, through and by faith in His name, has made this man whom you see and recognize well and strong. [Yes] the faith which is through and by Him [Jesus] has given the man this perfect soundness [of body] before all of you."

He then continued preaching to the crowd and turned the event into an opportunity to share the gospel and how to receive Jesus as Lord.

(19) So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord; (20) And that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah), Who before was designated and appointed for you--even Jesus."

There it is. One of the first and best methods the early Church used to spread the gospel of Christ was healing the sick and lame.

Something to ponder for today:

1). The power of healing went forth for one essential reason and one reason only: to give glory to God.

2). The Church today does not experience the fullness of the power of God in miracles today because we have lost sight of why we are supposed to be doing it..

3). The Church today performs these things out of selfish pride, status, and for profit. Even those who get healed often take for granted what Jesus has done in them.

When we stand up for God and challenge the powers of this world (demonic or human secularism) we do so not without personal repercussions.

We will see exactly how that unfolds tomorrow.

Until then...be blessed abundantly!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

"Acts Means Action!", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

I am continuing with what we began yesterday concerning the early model for the actions of the Church which I believe began with the healing of the beggar at the gate.

Let's look closely at part of this story today.

Acts 3: (All verses from Acts 3 and the Amplified Bible. Brackets below the verse are my comments).

(1) "NOW PETER and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (three o'clock in the afternoon)."

{This was something the disciples continued to do after Pentecost}.

(2) "[When] a certain man crippled from his birth was being carried along, who was laid each day at that gate of the temple [which is] called Beautiful, so that he might beg for charitable gifts from those who entered the temple."

{This was a man who probably had been at this "usual" spot begging for many years. Perhaps Peter and John had passed by him hundreds of times before while on their way into the Temple. Maybe even Jesus had passed him by knowing this day would be beneficial (God's timing for healing to accomplish His purpose) to the Church}.

(3) "So when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them to give him a gift."

{Nothing spectacular about this. He begged everyone}.

(4) "And Peter directed his gaze intently at him, and so did John, and said, Look at us!"

{Peter wanted his full attention upon himself and John. Something powerful was about to occur. Peter absolutely knew this. This indicates that there was great faith and zero doubt present}.

(5) "And [the man] paid attention to them, expecting that he was going to get something from them."

{Does not indicate faith of any sort. He was expecting a financial gift, but he probably saw and felt the intensity of the Spirit about them}.

(6) "But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you: in [the use of] the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!"

{One of the powerhouse verses in the entire bible! The first healing by Peter and John in the Book of Acts! See what the Holy Spirit has accomplished by the Baptism? This is the model for the Spirit-filled Church! Peter shifted the man off of financial gain and onto them and the fact that he was going to receive something different. Peter never expected the man would not receive as he was pronouncing the healing by USING THE NAME OF JESUS}.

(7) "Then he took hold of the man's right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones became strong and steady."

{Peter was simultaneously pulling the man to his feet leaving no doubt that the man would walk. Peter never once thought the man wouldn't be healed or he would have collapsed under his crippled legs. Instead, the opposite happened and the man's legs grew strong}.

(8) "And leaping forth he stood and began to walk, and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God."

{He was healed the moment Jesus pronounced it in Jesus' Name. There was never any doubt}.


The crippled man wasn't expecting a healing, but he wasn't NOT expecting it either.

Healing is a wonderful form of evangelism, perhaps Jesus Himself's favored method.

Many people were healed in the NT by Jesus and the disciples. Many were unbelievers before, and believers after they were healed. The cripple in this passage is a perfect example.

The message of the gospel and the task of the newly formed Church was to heal and save, save and heal.

It's the same message and task for today.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, May 24, 2010

"The Miracle Model Church", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Acts 3:1-8 (AMP)

(1) NOW PETER and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (three o'clock in the afternoon), (2) [When] a certain man crippled from his birth was being carried along, who was laid each day at that gate of the temple [which is] called Beautiful, so that he might beg for charitable gifts from those who entered the temple. (3) So when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them to give him a gift. (4) And Peter directed his gaze intently at him, and so did John, and said, Look at us! (5) And [the man] paid attention to them, expecting that he was going to get something from them. (6) But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you: in [the [a]use of] the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk! (7) Then he took hold of the man's right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones became strong and steady, (8) And leaping forth he stood and [b]began to walk, and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

The new found boldness of Peter and John. It's exhilarating to read and meditate on!

Here in this first post-Pentecost miracle I believe we see the miracle model of the Church. Not just the "early" Church, but the Church for today as well.

It's not about well meaning fundraisers. It's not about letting our money do the talking. It's not about merely praying for someone.

It's about butts out of the seats and into the streets (so to speak)!

Here's what generally happens:

(Telephone rings, John Q. Churchgoer answers): "Hello.

(Person with prayer request, Wilomina Weakintheknees begins): "Hi John, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor?"

John: "Certainly".

Wilomina: "I have this close friend who is the hospital and is undergoing some surgery. I was wondering if you would pray for her."

John: "Sure, I would be glad to. Would you like me to ask my pastor if he would make a visit to her to pray with her?"

Wilomina: "Oh John, that would be wonderful. The more praying the better!"

John: "No problem. I'm all over it."

Wilomina: "Thanks so much. I'll see you in Church!"

There you have it. I'm not saying it's particularly wrong to do that, but it is NOT the biblical Miracle Model Church.

The model is to engage where we find it and do the work that needs to be done!

Not call your pastor, not pray over the phone, not start a prayer chain, etc. Again, these things are not wrong to do IN ADDITION to or INSTEAD OF when for instance there is too much distance to traverse to get to a person, or if one is hindered from physically being there.

The norm however is to make contact and transmit the Power of Christ to the person in need (Law of Contact and Transmission). Peter and John were acting not just like Jesus would act, they were actually "being" Jesus to that crippled man by using the Power of Attorney of Jesus' Name! (Jesus gave us that authority while He was still on earth).

It's always "In the Name of Jesus!" It's always applying the physical energy of laying upon, lifting up, touching, pushing, pulling, etc. to the spiritual command to be healed.

You can't carry out God's best model by shirking your responsibility and passing it off to someone else who probably won't do anything either.

Is is really any wonder why there is so much sin and sickness in the Church and its associated extended families today?

The model has been working for those who utilize it over the span of centuries. There's no magic there. It's simply the method Jesus used and has given to us to use until He returns. We are His Body. What is it we don't get about that?

We'll look more closely at this tomorrow.

Until then, be the Power of Christ to someone today. Take hold of someone's right hand in His Name!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, May 21, 2010

"The Scene Has Been Set For Action", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Immediately following the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the 120 disciples gathered obediently and of one accord in the Upper Room, they exited the room and went into the streets.

They must have been exuberant and joyous. Perhaps boisterously so. So much so that they were accused of being drunk at 9:00 in the morning! (Vs. 15).

Peter defends themselves by saying that they were not drunk...

...BUT INSTEAD...

Acts 2:16-21 (Amplified Bible)

(16) But [instead] this is [the beginning of] what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

(17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels] and your young men shall see visions (divinely granted appearances), and your old men shall dream [divinely suggested] dreams.

(18) Yes, and on My menservants also and on My maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels and [predicting future events pertaining especially to God's kingdom].

(19)And I will show wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and smoking vapor;

(20) The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the obvious day of the Lord comes--that great and notable and conspicuous and renowned [day].

(21) And it shall be that whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord--Christ] shall be saved.

...BUT INSTEAD...

This was the new beginning. Filled with the Spirit they began to live up to the name the recording of their exploits would become...

They began to ACT!

This the is a book of the ACTIONS of the apostles of the early Church!

Funny how a new movement in the Church today is called The "Emergent" Church.

The Church emerged 2,000 years ago and this is its story! It is our story continuing not beginning.

The prophecy of Joel which is what Peter is narrating in this passage emerged from prophetic utterance in the Upper Room and took wings in the street immediately following. The Church was formed with over 3,000 people in the short hours following.

The saga continues.

Never give ear to those who say it ended when the last disciple died. Theological and dogmatic cessationists love to spoil God's party. They will never know or live in the victory that God has provided until the Church Age comes to a close and we are assumed into Glory!

We are the Church of the Living God. Specially formed stones in the foundation and each one known by God. We are the Body of Christ, performing and carrying out His will upon the earth until He comes to join us to Him physically.

All because of one act of prophetic grace upon people who simply believed and craved a touch from God.

I hope it happens for you! Seek it! Crave it! Desire it! God wants you to have it!

Dream and have Holy Ghost visions. Be excited for now and what the future holds.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, May 20, 2010

"If You Gather, He will Come", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

What's all the hub-bub about revival?

A lot of resources are used to study it, determine what it takes to accomplish it, who's responsible for it, what it looks like, even what it is for heaven's sake.

It seems to me that there are not many elements involved, but perhaps the one missing one, the one that might be the culprit that many miss during their assessments, the one "X" factor of revival is...

...the difficulty, or perhaps the downright inability, to get Christians gathered together and on the same page.

Acts 2:1 (KJV) - "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."

We'll get them gathered (although there is more and more resistance to that), but will we get them in "one accord" (and no, I don't mean a Honda!)?

One accord means one united mindset. All thinking in the same direction. No one being uninterested, unconcerned, or lukewarm, but all in earnest and united in faith and prayer.

Pull that one off if you can today.

Well, that might be precisely the problem. WE can't pull it off. WE cannot (nor should not) engineer revival.

We can pray for revival, hope for revival, believe for revival, but it appears that before God will move on it He needs to see the one element in place that might be lacking, and that is Christians need to be united and dedicated to it.

No, it's not just saying "Hey come on guys, let's be really praying for revival!"

What could possibly constitute the level of unity where God responds from heaven and "SUDDENLY" drops the Holy Spirit into the midst of us?

Broken and contrite hearts. A heartfelt non-contrived, non-human engineered placebo, where God sees that the heart is broken and turned toward Him with violent expectation.

It took only ten days from when Jesus told them to "wait". They couldn't stand to wait. They couldn't stand to be without Jesus for one more second before God blessed them!

Why no revival? We don't REALLY want it bad enough. Saying we want it doesn't translate to God as REALLY wanting it.

God's waiting for the Church to finally break from its own pompous and self-grandizing entrepreneurial ego and see that it genuinely craves Him!

Then will He see it as a united broken heart that has one desire and one desire only: Jesus! We want to see Jesus! We want to experience every bit of Him and have God fill us through and through! We want to be changed!

Sweep us away from ourselves Lord. Send the mighty rushing wind of cleanness. Send the fire of purifying grace. Make us your Holy People.

That's a lot to want folks. Do you see how radical a change that is? It's a complete turnaround for even some of the finest Christians in our local churches.

It is so radical that few if any Christians will go to their graves having ever experienced anything close to that.

The proof of revival is not how many people you can entertain night after night for X amount of months. It's not how many videos or streaming simulcasts you can put on the web. It's not a stellar lineup of the "big guns" of the preaching circuit.

It's what is the condition of the church months and years after the dust settles. Are the people living holy lives pleasing to God? Have new churches been planted to accommodate all of the fruit of that revival which should always be nothing less than more souls for Christ? Have broken marriages been restored? People freed from addictions and fears?

Has God visited? Has He come and found obedience and fragmented hearts that just cannot survive one minute longer without His presence?

He will. When we truly have it at the utmost center of our desire. It just can't be faked.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

"Survivor: Jerusalem!", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Survivor! How popular is that show on television? Pretty soon they are going to run out of exotic places to "survive"!

I seldom watch the show, but I am familiar with the premise. I know that they "vote" off a member until they get it down to one winner at the end.

Smart TV show developer who came up with that one, huh?

Actually, what they do (apart from the "surviving"), is basically use an ancient tradition of "casting lots".

Casting lots is simply voting on an issue. I have heard that it was some sort of rolling of dice. More than likely, as in the case of the disciples in the upper room, it was nothing more than putting the name of their choice for Judas' replacement on a piece of parchment and putting it into a jar and picking one name out.

The difference is they prayed first and they expected the winner to be the one God wanted.

Acts 1:23-26 - "So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. (24) Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen (25) to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." (26) Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles."

"Show us which of these two You have chosen."

Even in something that might not seem as important as the task of waiting for the Holy Spirit, they waited to hear from God.

In a few days they wouldn't have to cast lots on any of life's decisions anymore. They would have the indwelling Presence of God to guide them from within!

There are many reasons to want to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Some say it's to access spiritual gifts. Some say it's to receive supernatural power. Others say it's to be purified in the heart.

While all of those are legitimate, could there possibly be a more neglected reason than simply having the fullness of God residing in the believer? Father, Son, Holy Spirit? The attainment of true Image and Likeness?

Of course with that comes all the aforementioned benefits, but rather than formulating separative doctrines and listing them like a menu where one can pick one from Column A and one from Column B, why not simply receive it all?

We have our Father who loves us. We have Christ who died for us. They are part of an inseparable package. We even had part of the Holy Spirit in His role as the Deliverer of the blood for salvation. But now we wait upon Him as the Superintendent of all of it. A more biblical sounding term if it makes you feel better is "Sanctifier".

Sanctification encompasses more than the pat definition of becoming "set apart and made holy". It also alludes to us becoming more orderly, more productive. What good is thinking we are more holy if we do not expect our daily living to change in every way?

So, you see that not only did the 120 wait as instructed, but they prayed and they EXPECTED God to move, even upon their little election.

As we continue this week we will see the extreme benefit of their choice as their actions have played out in the lives of millions across the centuries!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

"Wait And Pray", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Your spiritual life is effecting your physical life. Things are either going well or not going so well. Some things may be going very badly for you.

There is a remedy.

First of all, you cannot live right without the fullness of the Holy Spirit in your life. He acts like the Superintendent of all that God has for you. He keeps things orderly and organized. He bestows your spiritual gifts. He nourishes the garden of your spiritual fruit. He counsels you, loves you, excites you, and touches your emotions with mercy and compassion. He even helps you to be happy and laugh more!

He has brought the shed Blood of Jesus Christ into your heart which cleanses you of sin.

He was the one who whispered into your ear the gentle conviction of your rebellious life against God.

No, you can't live right without Him. It's like only getting 2/3's of God!

You need Him and Jesus taught us how.

Acts 1:14 - "All of these with their minds in full agreement devoted themselves steadfastly to prayer, [waiting together]."

Jesus said "wait for the promise", and the disciples understood it correctly as to gather and pray for it until it happens.

Do you want Him?

We know Sunday is Pentecost but you don't have to wait until once a year to get it, but since there should be a time of preparing and prayer, and Sunday is still five days away, why not start now and expect Him to fulfill the Promise for you on that day?

Pray for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to happen for you on Sunday. Walk into Church expecting it to happen for you.

I know at my church we will be dedicating that day to the Holy Spirit for Him to do His special work of purifying and empowering those who are seeking Him.

It is not the only day, but is as good a day as it gets for you to give yourself over totally and completely to God and allow Jesus to Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire!

In the meantime, I intend to be in prayer and union with Jesus over this and I am expecting a glorious day!

More tomorrow!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, May 17, 2010

"The Promise", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Pentecost Sunday is rolling around next week.

The religious will celebrate it just because it's on the calendar. Those who "cheat" and use the Lexicon will have their sermon pretty much all lined out for them.

There's an oxymoron for you. On the day we celebrate the Holy Spirit descending upon the Church, there are people who would not rely on the same Holy Spirit to hear from God and prepare accordingly.

I am afraid that is far too typical today in many aspects and areas of the Church.

I'm talking we have either believed the promise or we haven't. We are going to rely on Him for everything or we're not.

Is it any wonder that the Church desperately needs a shot of Holy Spirit adrenaline instead of the tranquilizer it's trying to shake off on Monday?

Acts 1:4-5 - "And while being in their company and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised, Of which [He said] you have heard Me speak. (5) For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit."

We are going to look each day this week with wonder and expectation at the various passages of Scripture which put this great promise and subsequent fulfillment in perspective.

This is a great way to spend the week preparing. Many will need to prepare in different ways.

Perhaps you feel you haven't received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Why not follow along with me each day and pray and ask God to prepare your heart?

Or maybe you have lost the "edge". There was a time when you were on fire for Christ and the Holy Spirit was actively working in your life evidenced by bearing much fruit. However, over the years you have grown complacent, anesthetized by boring and irrelevant messages. Or perhaps false teachers have crept in and diluted the true meaning of Pentecost and changed the Holy Spirit into an ATM machine instead of the agent of God for wisdom, comfort, and peace. You need to be put back in touch with the real Holy Spirit.

And let's not forget who is doing the Baptizing!

By Sunday, when you go into your respective churches you will be chomping at the bit for the Spirit to invade that place with His Presence!

Let's be preparing together!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, May 14, 2010

"Boils And Frogs (and other heart hardening annoyances)", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Let's not forget whom we are dealing with the last few days. It's Pharaoh, who is typical of Satan himself.

God told Moses back in Exodus 4:21 - "And the Lord said to Moses, When you return into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all those miracles and wonders which I have put in your hand; but I will make him stubborn and harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go."

Let's not make a common error here. This verse does not indicate that God caused Pharaoh to be stubborn and unrelenting on purpose. Rather, Pharaoh's heart was already naturally obstinate and anything God threw at him would only make him more angry and determined.

Just like Satan.

Think of it this way: As the sun hardens clay but softens wax, so it is with truth. The results reveal the nature of the materials.

The nature of Pharaoh was evil so he could only respond with evil.

However, we see the nature of God and His willingness to be our advocate in the most difficult of situations.

The end result will always be the same. Even if the demons of hell are chasing you down, God will lead them into the trap they never saw coming.

He will deliver you. Case closed.

If you know someone that says they have been forsaken by God you may openly call them a liar.

The Word is clear. "I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!" (Heb. 13:5 AMP).

Can't get any clearer than that.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, May 13, 2010

"Now You'll See What God Will Do To The Devil!", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

God has established a covenant with the believer in Jesus Christ as sure as the one He made with Israel.

God said to Moses in Exodus 6:1 - "THEN THE Lord said to Moses, Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for [compelled] by a strong hand he will [not only] let them go, but he will drive them out of his land with a strong hand."

What God promises and gets behind comes to pass!

He will do this very same thing for you when you obey Him and stand up to the devil in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Here it is, from the mouth of Jesus Himself, it's all right here:

Luke 10:17-19 - "The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name! (18) And He said to them, I saw Satan falling like a lightning [flash] from heaven. (19) Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you."

"I have given you authority and power!"

"Nothing shall harm you!"

"Demons are subject to us in YOUR NAME!"

Praise God!

Friends, when I got a hold of this great truth some many years ago it changed my personal life and ministry to others. I found that in His strength and delegated power to me in His Name, I had nothing to fear and did not have to leave my life up to random good days and bad.

I learned that demons, devils, and even Satan himself is subject to me by the power of the Name of Jesus Christ! It is not us he is afraid of but Christ in us as His Body (The Church).

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you!" (James 4:7)

"So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth". (Php. 2:10)

"And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour." (Acts 16:18)

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues." (Mark 16:17

"By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." (Acts 4:30)

Simply put, be a disciple. Be what Jesus has called and empowered you to be!

In this great truth is the answer to all of what comes against us in the course of daily living, from sickness, to personal attacks, to financial problems, to the salvation of loved ones. Whatever it is, it is satisfactorily handled by applying the power of the Name of Christ as the result of His sacrifice on the Cross!

It was at the Cross where Jesus defeated Satan, and he remains defeated today!

Remind the devil of that. Satan hates the Cross and Jesus, but he trembles at the very thought of it!

"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" (James 2:19)

So, there you are. From the beginning God has been casting evil out for those who would listen to and obey Him. He has never failed or let anyone down. Those who faithfully utilize His instructions ALWAYS gain the victory!

Be blessed in every endeavor you go forth to conquer in His Name!

Jesus NEVER fails!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

"Sometimes It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

We have been looking at how to get people set free and delivered from spiritual darkness and satanic influence. The battle is as old as the ages themselves.

Looking once again at Exodus and Moses' battle with the Pharaoh of Egypt (who was the most powerful ruler on earth at the time), and the struggle to have him release the Israelites from slavery, we find many similarities that is applicable today.

We have seen how it is God's desire for us to be delivered. We have seen that the devil and dark forces are not just going to roll over easy sometimes.

We will also see that not only can evil be obstinate but that it may also turn the heat up stronger and actually make it worse than it was when we started confronting it!

After going back and forth with Pharaoh, it seems to have made him more irritable. Not only has he refused Moses and God Himself, but he has decided to punish the Israelites and make it worse for them in their captivity!

He knew this would perturb the people and cause them to curse Moses and God and maybe put an end to this talk of freedom.

If you thought making bricks all day was hard, try making them without a decent supply of straw.

The end result is Moses confronting God:

Exodus 5:22-23 - "Then Moses turned again to the Lord and said, O Lord, why have You dealt evil to this people? Why did You ever send me? (23) For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people, neither have You delivered Your people at all."

(Why did I listen to you? It's worse then before! Now my [husband, son, daughter, friend] has become angry and abusive toward me!)

It's easy for us to side against Moses here because we have the end of the story. However, put yourself in his sandals at that time.

Maybe you have even experienced this first hand. Maybe even right now.

Who are you interceding for? A wayward son or daughter (I can personally attest to being in that position and actually watching their life get worse before they gave in to God)? An unsaved husband or wife, where arguments about the subject have now erupted and bad behavior has increased?

The passage speaks to being in the place where it was just a desire to get a loved one or friend into the Kingdom of God but has now increased into a complete critical meltdown to the point where you have even questioned God.

"OK Lord, you're telling me to come against the one who has blinded my ________so they can't hear the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4), but now it's 10 times worse than before!"

I know. I know. Be patient. The dark forces of evil principalities are trying to dissuade you.

Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.

It actually indicates a good sign. Satan's last hurrah. He doesn't like to lose quietly.

Just remember one thing. In confrontation with the goodness of Jesus Christ and the power you have at your disposal in His Name, evil loses.

Stay the course. In Christ you already have the victory. Be reminded and encouraged by that today. Keep hammering away at the god of this world. Break him down in the Name of Jesus! Keep telling him, "Let my _________GO!"

Jesus NEVER fails!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

"Sometimes It's Going To Take A Real Battle", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

The world has become accustomed to getting what they want when they want it.

Christians often expect the same results. A lot more of the world rubs off on the Church than we expect.

We looked yesterday at how the Word instructs that the god of this world (Satan) blinds people to the light of the gospel so that they cannot even see or hear it, let alone respond to it. Paul said there is a literal veil over them so they cannot see clearly the message of Christ. (2 Cor. 4:4)

The answer is to use the authority we have in Jesus Christ and His Name to command the powers of darkness to loose them from the veil.

Here in Exodus we see Moses in a "type" of battle with darkness to loose the Israelites from captivity.

Exodus 5:1 - "AFTERWARD MOSES and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness."

Notice that first it is the Name of God that Moses and Aaron are invoking. "Thus says the Lord"! This is how every Christian should do battle today with the evil forces. Instead of "Thus Says The Lord", it should now be "In The Name of Jesus Christ!" Then, as Moses did, make known the demand.

Let My People Go! Let My Loved Ones Go! In the Name of Jesus, I command you to Let My ______Go!

However, while sometimes the demonic spirits will roll right over, more times than not there will be obstinacy and resistance. We are not dealing with dull minds. We are dealing with ancient well trained and wise agents of Satan himself. They will often test and resist you.

Make no mistake or be fooled. They all know who Jesus is!

Like Pharaoh (who in this case is a "type" of Satan), they may question your "credentials".

Vs. 2 - "But Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go."

As the passage wears on we know that it was a true battle of back and forth before Pharaoh actually released them. Even then he had second thoughts and chased them down to the edge of the Red Sea where his armies were drowned and the Israelites escaped.

So friends, let me say, do not lose hope in the battle for your loved ones. Keep challenging hell with the Name of Jesus Christ in the effort to win their minds back from the power of darkness. Eventually the Name of Jesus will prevail!

Don't forget that God may well use this as a faith building exercise for you as well to get on the front line of the battle. Often people wonder of what use they can be to the Kingdom. Well, here is a great use! Be an intercessor in winning captives from the devil. Perhaps someone else may get them to hear the gospel, but you can free their minds to receive it!


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, May 10, 2010

"The Reason For Unbelief And The Way To Correct It", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

It can be frustrating sometimes. Believe me I know. I see people often make poor choices, uninformed choices, ignorant choices, and even no choice at all, and it can wear you down if you do not know the reason behind it.

We can find it mind boggling how we could see the truth of God and apply it to our own life, yet have to sit back and watch others become swallowed up in the darkness we left behind, even becoming hostile toward what we love and embrace.

It's like being thrust from a dark abyss and when we turn to grab someone's hand behind us to bring them through, the portal closes up around them.

Many of us have left friends, loved ones, co-workers, behind in order to follow the clear leading of Jesus Christ in our life, and we are concerned, even mourn the loss. Sometimes it's so painful it's as if they died.

The bible gives us an answer to this issue. It might not make you feel any better, but it will at least give you a direction by which to pray and form a battle plan.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified Bible)
"For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God."

If you think about it, this was you before you knew Jesus. I know I can go back to a time when I scoffed, ridiculed, and denied anything to do with Jesus. I could have been saved close to 15 years sooner had I not been so enslaved by the enemy and blinded to the truth.

All of those people you tell about Jesus or pray for to see the light cannot do anything about it. They are like being physically blind and told to read the bible. They just can't.

As bright as the truth of the gospel is, they cannot see it. They can't even see the Glory of Christ friends, and that is pretty illuminating.

So, that leaves a great responsibility up to us. This is why being a soul winner is important.

The desperate soul, the unbeliever, is not capable of getting there alone. There is too much of an obstacle. They need help.

They need us.

They need us to pray mightily against the powers of darkness that keep them blinded. They need us to fight for them. They need us to intervene and intercede for them. They need us to come against Satan in the Name of Jesus Christ and demand Satan release them to Jesus! As hard as Moses fought against Pharaoh for the nation of Israel, we need to fight much harder for the release of captive souls over to Jesus Christ!

We must learn that we are confronting the wrong party. Stop haranguing your loved ones to do this or that. It's like trying to teach a pig to sing. You waste precious time and annoy the pig!

No, the way to your loved ones release from captivity is to attack the jail! You must break down the power that Satan wields over them and tear the veil from their eyes in Jesus' name!

Then and only then will your words make sense to them.

First confront and defeat the Master Deceiver, the Blinder, then speak the gospel truth to those who now have been freed from the interference to hearing it.

Once they were "prevented from seeing" the truth, now they will be capable of receiving it.

It is a shame this is not taught and preached more. It is the biblical method of spiritual warfare which has been used for centuries to great effect. People pray to God for the salvation of their loved ones as if He is the One who has them captive! No! We must use the Name of Jesus as the Body of Christ to break through the darkness of evil and rescue those who are spiritually blind and helpless.

Stand up and be who Jesus has called you to be and fight!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, May 7, 2010

"Cross Style", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Luke 9:23 (ESV)
"And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Don't worry. This verse sounds more ominous than it is. Jesus has already been crucified. The believer has already been crucified with Him as well (Gal. 2:20). So, this is not speaking of picking up a heavy cross and lugging it around. In fact it's more about getting rid of a heavy burden ("For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.").

This about conforming to His way each and every day. It's living the Style of the Cross.

It's different from the way we have been taught to live by the world and its philosophies.

It's a radiating force generating outward rather than a self attracting force inward.

We are always better because of Jesus. We are never better as a result of self no matter how much we think that is true.

Become subtracted from the Cross and you will die. Sorry. It's blunt I know. It doesn't make it less true.

Apart from the Cross and us embracing it (taking it up) every day, we will become less than God's desire.

If we become less than God's desire we will shrivel up and be devoured by self.

Remember, without God you won't be able to stand yourself. Don't think for one moment that egoism and narcissism is love. It's really self loathing wrapped up in a facade.

Our being able to stand our own self is all wrapped up in knowing that God loves us. When we turn from the Cross toward vain philosophies that elevate self, we throw up a shield against the love of God and turn the human heart back to stone.

It's the Cross. Stop looking in the mirror for two seconds and recognize it's ALL about Jesus. Put yourself second and He will put you first.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, May 6, 2010

"The Gospel According To Flip Wilson", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

The devil made me do it.

It was a funny line by one of the funniest men who ever lived. The late Flip Wilson.

Whenever his character "Geraldine" did something wrong or naughty he would exclaim with a shout, "The devil made me do it!"

It became a national expression. It was on t-shirts, bumper stickers, coffee mugs, etc.

It popularized the devil and turned him into a comic celebrity. He became a caricature, a cute little impish creature who brought out the naughty little things people do and made them of no consequence.

After all, what could be easier than doing something wrong and simply blaming it on the devil?

Well, sadly many people already believed that. This just made it more popular to express it.

The fact is, the devil, even the real devil who is a far cry from "Hot Stuff" of the old Casper the Ghost cartoons, never made anyone do anything.

Lucifer. Satan. Beezlebub. Old Scratch. The Lair. The Adversary. The Enemy. The Dragon. The Serpent.

Eve tried to put the blame on him in the Garden back during the very first sin.

Gen. 3:13 - "And the Lord God said to the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled (cheated, outwitted, and deceived) me, and I ate."

Or, "The devil made me do it."

It didn't wash with God then, and it doesn't today.

If it were true then it wouldn't have been sin and we'd all be in the lap of luxury living off the fat of the land.

Instead God leveled the charge and resulting punishment at whom was responsible.

He cursed the devil, Adam, and Eve. Subsequently all of us too.

No one gets out from underneath the charge of sin. God takes it very serious.

The devil has power. He is sly and slick. He uses coercion and is the best at it.

He cannot however, force anyone to do what they don't WANT TO DO.

People will often do things they know are wrong (sin properly so called), but feel they have no power to do different. People will also do bad things they really don't want to do but can't control the evil desire to do them. People will often feel awful afterward and repent and even swear off doing them again.

Paul explained that vicious cycle in Roman chapter 7.

"Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me."

Sin has dwelt in the hearts of every human being who ever lived except Jesus Christ. This is why He is the only way out of it.

The Cross of Christ is the answer to the age old plague of sin.

Before we can change we must stop blaming others and look to Jesus Christ.

He alone has conquered the sin problem in the human race and all who place their trust and faith in Him will be able to live victoriously from acting upon sinful carnal desires.

This makes the difference my friends, of pleasing or offending God. The Cross stands in the gap of eternal life or eternal death.

It's Jesus. He's the only Way. He never fails.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

"How Do We Know When It's The End?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Every few years, generally around an anniversary of something to do with Israel, or a world event that has effected Christianity, etc., all of the date setters, wannabe prophets, cuckoo birds and nut jobs crawl out of the woodwork to remind us "the end is near".

Is it possible that it's the same guy in Times Square carrying the sign "Repent: The End Is Near!" ever since I was a little boy? No. Not possible. There have been generations of that guy picking up the mantle of false prophecy. I guess one of these days someone will get it right by default.

How do we know when?

We don't. And we won't. What don't we get about it coming like "a thief in the night"?

That's the simple facts of the gospel my friends. Sorry to disappoint all of you self appointed prophets and your schemes, timelines, calendars, revelations, prophetic conferences, websites, lists, backslapping parties, etc.

Never in the annals of Christian history has there been such a tremendous waste of time, money, and energy that could be used to actually save some souls before the day "that no one knows".

Even the disciples were curious one day and asked Jesus about this same thing.

"While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?" (Matt. 24:3).

What do you think was the very, very first piece of advice that Jesus gave them in response to that question?

"Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]." (vs.4)

He even warned them that there would be many coming to deceive us actually trying to use the very name of Jesus Christ!

Imagine that! Doesn't sound too familiar does it?

The internet, television, bookstores, etc., are flooded ad nauseum with new and various predictions and prophecies all concerning the Rapture and Second Coming, when in all certain reality the very words of Christ Himself are being completely and totally ignored!

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (vs. 36)

Why would anyone make a claim, or pay attention to anyone making claims, that they know when the culmination of the ages is to take place when Jesus plainly stated even He doesn't know?

When is the end? I don't know. Personally I don't care. If I die in the flesh I go to be with Jesus. If I get raptured I go to be with Jesus.

I live my life in Him so as if it were to happen tomorrow I would be ready, which HELLO! is the precise reason that it is not revealed to us!

Can you not see that any other teaching is a false teaching and a subtle work of the devil himself to detract the brethren from the important work that is to be done, which is to save as many as can be saved BEFORE the Day of the Lord? The very theme itself becomes a shiny object to distract!

So if you want to be effective for the Kingdom of God live in the now and prepare the lost for the future.

Don't forget friends, that some peoples future may not be longer than today. What good are all of your little charts and calendars to them? What good are they if your ticket is punched today?

What the world needs today is Jesus and they need Him right now. Let Jesus take care of the rest. Just look to the sky each day with fervent blessed hope and utter "Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and in the meantime help me to win those who are lost."

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

"Living Beyond The Veils And Scales", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Let me make a bold statement here, as I sense we are running out of time for beating around bushes. Any life lived without Jesus is at risk. I'm not sorry if that offends some people today, but I hope there may come a time when you recognize this very moment as the moment that was a heartfelt attempt to save and preserve you for events that are closer than we may think.

Life without Jesus is like living behind a thin veil. You can see through it but the view is not clear. It's as if life is being seen through cobwebs. Of course I am not speaking of the physical eyes, but how one experiences their life unfolding.

Things not going well? Almost as if you are always just one step or two away from achieving your hopes?

Have you been one of the people who almost gets to the top and finds themselves being kicked backed down to the bottom time and time again?

Always the tail but never the head? Never.

Let me give you some good news and bad news. I'll give the bad news first.

It's never going to change for you in the present state of a lesser, false, or non-existent relationship with Jesus.

The good news is that it can change immediately if you want it to.

You must remove the veil.

God has made that provision for you.

Listen to this astounding promise of God!

"But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away" (2 Cor. 3:16).

Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and acknowledge what He did for you at the Cross and the veil will be removed.

There is more: Consider the Apostle Paul's conversion:

"So Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And instantly something like scales fell from [Saul's] eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized" (Acts 9:17-18).

Or how about the destruction of an entire false religious system just because of Jesus becoming the sacrifice for all of us?

"And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. And at once the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split" (Matt.27:50-51).

Curtains, veils, scales. All hindrances to you. It all prevents you from accessing fully the King of Glory.

It could be unbelief, it could be serving a false religious system, it could be fear, it could be rebellion, obstinance, ignorance, laziness...yadda...yadda.

Let me tell you...you don't want to "yadda...yadda" Jesus.

What's your veil today? What needs to be stripped away so you can see Jesus more clearly?

My advice is to get on it. I'm not a date setter. I don't know the day or the hour, but I do know this:

It's soon. It's soon and I am ready. I want you to be ready as well.

If there is an unresolved issue with Jesus you need to take care of, won't you do so today?

Forgive what needs to be forgiven. Repent of what needs to be repented of. Mend whatever fences need to be mended.

Don't be caught by surprise. Jesus is very near.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, May 3, 2010

"Have You Considered Switching Employers?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

I hope this blesses you today. It's not perfect by far, but it came to me at about 5:00 this morning.

It's the largest conglomerate in the universe. It has the most employees. It is larger than AT&T, General Motors and IBM put together. It compensates it's employees the same across the board and never discriminates according to race, sexual, or religious orientation. It has never been late or defaulted on a paycheck. It's employees are loyal and rarely leave its employ to sign on with the competition. If there is one benefit that is not up to standard with what the rest of its package offers it's the retirement plan. It leaves a little to be desired. Rarely does anyone get to retire. Not now and not later.

The company is Sin Inc. and the wage it pays is death. When you sign on with Sin Inc. you forfeit your eternal life and everything that goes with it. Everything.

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages which sin pays is death."

Every time you perform a task for Sin Inc. you get paid for it. Your actions are your good faith signature.

It's kind of like direct deposit.

The managerial staff is a bit intrusive however.

Gen 4:7 "... sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you."

It keeps a constant vigil over its employees. After all, the rewards it pays is the best in the business because it is the only business like it in the world. They are watching you. From the moment you get up until you go to sleep and all points in between. They watch you, and they will seize every opportunity to put you to work.

Sin Inc. is a true monopoly.

If you want to forfeit your soul and work for death wages which include instant gratification of your desires, perversions and greed, then you are in the right employ. Some folks like the arrangements and the compensation package. Have fun now and party hardy in Hell with all of your friends. There have been some investigations into the claims Sin Inc. makes, and all employees should be warned that there is reason to believe they do not follow through exactly on all of their claims and promises.

There is however, an alternative. There is Trinity Inc. While not viewed as a competitor, Trinity Inc. is the only alternative to working for Sin Inc. In fact, in all the world and universe from the beginning of time itself, every single person who ever lived has worked for one or the other. Everyone starts out with Sin Inc. and most unfortunately stay.

Some however, have listened to the sales talk of Trinity Inc. and made the switch.

It's no wonder. For while the wages of Sin is death, "...the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23b)

Those who have made the switch have generally been happy with the new arrangements.

Trinity Inc. has one thing Sin Inc. doesn't have.

A UNION! A Union in Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords!

The wages Trinity Inc. pays is life eternal and is so far over and above what Sin Inc. pays it could be said that the wages of death have been swallowed up in the victory of Trinity Inc.'s main negotiator, Jesus Christ. He was able to win from Sin Inc. a large number of its employees, and promises to do do even greater things in the future.

So. Who do you work for today? If it's Sin Inc. let me just warn you to not sign any of their checks anymore. They have been found that in the long run they are not worth the paper they are written on. There is something funny about the signature. It disappears when it comes time to cash it.

Trinity Inc. however, has signed its one time bonus promissory note to each person in a non-fading, indelible signature IN RED INK by it's Chief Negotiator and COO, Jesus Christ. It will never fade and is good immediately upon deposit. All wages and associated benefits are good immediately upon signing on.

Trinity Inc. "The company that has always been, always is, and always will be."

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><