Friday, October 29, 2010

"Do You Think Your Doing Impresses God?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Christians like to do things. They jump on every fad that hits the airwaves. They tirelessly dedicate their time and effort to things which in themselves are not wrong, but generally do not accomplish anything in relation to the energy, time, money, etc. that is expended. In short, it makes the person feel like they are accomplishing something, but worse it gives a false sense of understanding that somehow God has been impressed with us.

There are things that impress God. Fake and meaningless works are not one of them.

Giving every facet of ourselves over to Him does. He calls it spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

He loves us to do things, but only when it is Him doing them through us.

I know this is going to ruffle some feathers, so I am trying to iron out the wrinkle here.

I have found that when the flesh gets in the way of something that may even appear to be super spiritual on the surface, at the end of the day it has counted for nothing.

I am alluding to the fact that many things we do individually or as the church body, often has an underlying motive other than giving our all for the spiritual worship of God.

We usually do stuff, even for God, with some expectation of something in return. This is not the Jesus Way. The Jesus Way is the unselfish way with no guarantee of anything in return.

The Church or individuals will sometimes do things to make the church look good, to draw new members, to raise money, etc. All of those are wrong motivations. And even if challenged they will respond that it was all for gathering souls into the Kingdom.

One had better be careful with that, because if that is not 100% true it will reap a whirlwind of judgment instead of blessing. This is what is wrong with Christian television. The motives sound good, but seldom are they in the best interest of the Kingdom of God.

Be careful also about marveling about how many souls you are winning, how much money you're giving, how much door knocking you're doing, that it is not drawing more attention to yourself and your church, than to Jesus Christ.

So much of the Church today moves on selfishness rather than selflessness, that it's no wonder it is poorly portrayed. The glitz and the glare are not the attraction. One might think so when they look at the filled pews and elaborate media stardom, but you have to dig through a lot of stuff to actually see Jesus.

Too many have not so much as passed within a mile of Calvary on their way to doing their stuff. The Jesus Way is to pause at the foot of the Cross and make sure that it is Him you are serving first and not your pastor, your church, or yourself.

Want to impress God? Embrace His Son Jesus Christ and make it all for Him.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, October 28, 2010

"Your Salvation Is At Hand", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

It's near you.

It's not complicated.

It's clear and concise.

Listen to me.

If you do not receive this Word from God today you will miss the glory of heaven.

You will die in your sin.

Romans 10:8-10 - "But what does it say? The Word (God's message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, (9) Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation."

Focus.

YOU will be SAVED.

From what?

Sin and death.

YOUR salvation is at hand.

Read them. Pray them. Accept them. Three verses. It's all contained right there.

Everything you ever needed to make your peace with God.

Simply believe.

Already there? Pay it forward and pass it on.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

"Is Your Word Alive And Full Of Power?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Is it? Or is the Word to you a simple book of "Chicken Soup For The Soul" type stories? Maybe it's a "road map", or "instruction manual". Perhaps you subscribe to the acronym, (B.I.B.L.E. "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth").

Those are all cute and stuff, but they fall far short in explaining what the Word is to the believer.

Here's what the Word says about itself:

Hebrews 4:12 (Amplified Bible) - "For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart."

No road map or instruction manual can do that.

The Word of God violently impacts the life of the believer. It is real. It is active. It has life. It is supernatural because the Word is the Eternal Logos, Jesus Christ (John 1:1).

When this powerful weapon, which Paul refers to as "The Sword Of The Spirit" in Ephesians 6, is wielded by the blood washed, Spirit filled believer, it will cut, slash, chop, expose, and lay to waste anything that stands in the way of TRUTH.

It will also offend. It will turn friend against friend, it will upset households and split apart factions. It will cause others to become accusers of the brethren. It will even make people leave the Church.

When the thoughts and purposes of the human heart are laid bare people have but two places to turn. They can run to Jesus, or they can run away to some place they see as another safe haven.

If it ain't to Jesus than it ain't safe!

Have you found yourself enjoying God's Word lately? Or have you found yourself dreading the hearing of it? Have you been avoiding church because you know what you will hear? Are you having trouble opening your Bible because you are afraid God will cut you with it?

Bare your heart and soul to Him. Allow His Word to penetrate even if it cuts a little deep.

In the end your heart will be pure before Him and you will be able to function as He intended you to.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

"Do You Want To Get Well? (Pt.2)", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

So what did you come up with in the last 24 hours? Have you decided if you want to get well or not? Are you tired of carrying around various types of afflictions for way too long?

You know, it's not just physical. It's spiritual as well. Maybe even more so.

Some of the sickest people in the world are in the Church. On paper anyway.

How do you spot a spiritually sick Christian? The same way an employer spots a physically sick employee. They don't show up. They don't contribute. They don't carry their load. They are self-absorbed instead of Christ absorbed. In fact, they show very little sign of being a believer at all.

Spiritually afflicted Christians are ruled by their flesh. They will lay by the edge of the "pool" but NEVER get in. When Jesus asks them if they want to be set free, if they want to be well, they answer with whining and complaining.

Who doesn't want to get well? Remember I said yesterday, "You'd be surprised"?

That's where it is right now. What are you going to do?

Jesus completely ignored every excuse the man by the pool made. It was as if He never even heard him. Why? Because he had no excuse. He was wallowing in self pity.

Jesus responds today as He did then.

"GET UP!"

For goodness sakes, GET UP! GET UP and begin to live! GET UP and take your rightful place in the Kingdom of God!

GET UP and obey Jesus Christ!

John 5:8 - "Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your bed (sleeping pad) and walk!"

Get up! Walk! Do something! Contribute! Receive! Partake!

Jesus never fails. Why do so many "believers" not believe that?

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, October 25, 2010

"Do You Want To Get Well? (Pt.1)", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Who wouldn't want to be well? Right? I mean, who would ever want to remain sick if they had a chance to feel better?

If you think long and hard, you probably actually know at least one person who seemingly doesn't want to be well.

In fact, some people embrace their sickness like an old friend.

Go ahead. I dare you. Try to get them well.

Today's passage (still fresh in my mind from preaching on it) deals with a man who was sick for 38 years. He would show up at the healing pool of Bethesda regularly along with the multitudes of other invalids.

John 5:1-5 - "LATER ON there was a Jewish festival (feast) for which Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (2) Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep Gate. This pool in the Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches (alcoves, colonnades, doorways). (3) In these lay a great number of sick folk--some blind, some crippled, and some paralyzed (shriveled up)--waiting for the bubbling up of the water. (4) For an angel of the Lord went down at appointed seasons into the pool and moved and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was cured of whatever disease with which he was afflicted. (5) There was a certain man there who had suffered with a deep-seated and lingering disorder for thirty-eight years."

Quite a scene. MY bible says that they would gather and await an angel who would stir the water, and the first one in the pool during that moment would be healed.

*WARNING* Some bibles do not include Verse 4, replacing it with a footnote, or nothing at all! If your bible is one of those, I strongly suggest you prayerfully consider changing translations.

Imagine the pandemonium. Everybody trying to get into the water first. People being carried. People being thrown in. People dragging themselves in. Some even just rolling off the side into the water.

One would think that if one wanted to be healed badly enough one would do everything possible to get into that water! Wouldn't one?

Everyone that is except the odd crippled man who was afflicted for 38 years.

Hmmm...

Even Jesus, who happened to be there, was curious.

Verse 6 - "When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you want to become well? [Are you really in earnest about getting well?]"

Here's the clincher. I am sure that for centuries people have been reading this verse and coming to basically the same conclusion about how Jesus meant His question. I know that I for one used to interpret it as a typically compassionate Jesus kind of question.

But one day I asked myself, "Why ask at all?" Who wouldn't want to get healed, right?

Jesus saw something. He saw it in the man, and He sees it all the time in people today.

Are you REALLY earnest about getting well?

We are going to pick this up again tomorrow, but until then, whatever you need healing from whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual, are you sincere about your desire and willingness to achieve it?

Who wouldn't, right?

You might just be surprised.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, October 22, 2010

"So...What Is Eternal Life?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

It's a fantastic thought isn't it? I try to stay connected to that thought because the longer we follow Christ and travel with Him down all of the pathways of living, we can lose sight of the big picture.

Eternal life. Wow. Yes...I am actually going to live forever!

That might even sound scary for some. It's so...so...magnanimous a thought!

But, what does it mean? What is it actually?

I could get real cerebral on this topic and get so deep we miss the loftiness of it.

Let's keep it simple because that's what Jesus did.

John 17:3 (ESV) - "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Knowing God and Him revealed in His Son Jesus Christ.

That's it.

That's what? You mean that's all there is?

Well, yeah. Jesus said "This" is eternal life, and He masterfully explained that it is simply knowing God.

Sure, there's more. There are fantastic details, and wondrous perusals, and beauteous meanderings, all for your future contemplation.

But as far as exactly what eternal life IS...it's knowing Jesus Christ.

If you know Him, and by knowing Him I mean deep in the depths of relationship with Him. A disciple. A follower. A believer. Then you have inherited the Kingdom of God and eternal life.

Follow Him here. Live with Him forever.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, October 21, 2010

"Simple Words", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Suppose someone developed a way to simplify life? I mean REALLY simplify daily living. By that I mean by making it easier to deal with some of the tough decisions we have to make, taking the pressure off of the everyday life choices, enduring the stresses and anxieties that we are confronted with. If we paused and considered just how much we have to put up with every day, well, life just wouldn't be so much fun living.

And for many people life is no fun at all. No joy. No peace. No comfort. No healthy outlook.

It could all change. It did for me many years ago. It can for you today.

Simple.

"I desire to do Your will, my God."

What? You were expecting Yoda? Some ancient Kung-Fu master, Weedhopper?

NO! This is better. The most powerful words from the Master of the Universe and all of it's Creation!

It's Psalm 40:8, and it's life changing words of supernatural power. It is from The Logos. The Word. Jesus Christ.

Activate it in your life. Say it. "I desire to do Your will, my God."

That means we are agreeing to place our own faulty and natural will aside and elevate God's will to the highest status.

Let Your will be done, not mine Lord. My will has not always played out the best for me in my life. In fact, not at all. Never.

Desiring God's will has been the single most greatest thing I have ever done for me.

I desire God. I desire God.

God changes things. Jesus never fails.

It will simplify your life and give it order and purpose. With order and purpose comes joy, peace, love, comfort, serenity.

He really does know what He's doing. I highly recommend Him!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

"Avoid The Soul Killer", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

The soul and spirit of man lives eternally. The body dies relatively soon after it is born (in comparison to living eternally).

It makes perfect sense to me that we should direct some of our concern toward our soul.

Instead, many live their lives in the world of unimportant pettiness.

I think we would be aghast at how much energy in living our short lives is expended toward maintaining our stuff. Our "in today, obsolete tomorrow", stuff.

Someone asked Jesus once if He would make sure his brother divided up his stuff with him. Jesus essentially replied, "What do I look like? Your lawyer?"

We are so filled with the false importance of our stuff, that we will start to look at others stuff enviously, and actually think Jesus will help us! We'll even pray for more stuff, for God to protect our stuff, for our stuff not to go to a relative we didn't like when we die, for us to get more stuff from a rich aunt, for us to get a favorite painting or piece of jewelry from an inheritance.

Entire families feud over stuff. Churches have split over stuff.

The bible calls that "coveting". Jesus is against it.

Luke 12:15 (ESV) - "And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Imagine that. Life is not about possessions.

Acting contrary to that principle can kill your soul.

It can lead to greed, backsliding, poverty, deception, and even violence and murder.

It can separate a person from God.

The Word of God promotes giving, not hoarding and accumulating. Helping others over helping ourselves.

Life does not consist in the abundance of our stuff.

Life consists in the abundance of Jesus Christ.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

"I Need To Hear From The Voice Of Jesus", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

That's what I need to hear anyway. Every day, as often as possible. From the Word, from the Holy Spirit, from the Voice that comes to me at times via revelation.

I need, no, I crave, to hear from Jesus.

I'll assume you do to.

Let me connect you today...

Matthew 11:28 (ESV) - "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Rest. Refreshment. Quietness. Serenity. Peace. I love those moments with Jesus. Could you use some of that today? It's available. Slip into the quiet zone with Jesus today and nourish your spirit and soul.

John 7:37 (ESV) - “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink."

I thirst. I have an insatiable thirst for the Word of Christ always. His Words are like cool water to a parched throat. I want to know what He thinks. Are you thirsty? There is no reason to look beyond Jesus. He holds all the wisdom for man and the ages. His Word is fluid because the Word IS Jesus. He is the Author. He is the Originator. He knows exactly what you need to hear and when. What do you NEED to hear today? What is it you are thirsting after and not finding? Drink from Him today. You may find yourself satiated after a very long time of dryness.

John 8:12 (ESV) - “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

It's a lonely place to be in the dark. Depressing. Nothingness. Glimpses of shadows. Never seeing anything quite clear enough. Stumbling and bumbling through life as you bang your knees and stub your toes against one invisible obstacle after another. Life without the Light is simply kicking one distasteful episode of daily living out of the way in preparation for the next one. You exist in the darkness. You LIVE in the Light. Turn it on. Jesus says we do that just by deciding to follow Him. We see clearly. Oh, the obstacles will be there, but you will see them instead of tripping over them. When you can see them you can deal with them. In the Light you deal with them in Jesus. The advantages of living in the Light. It's just better.

The Voice of Jesus has just spoken to you.

Have you heard it?


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, October 18, 2010

"I Need Something And I Need It Fast!", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

The look of quiet desperation. I see it written all over the faces of so many people.

"HELP! I'm sinking! Pastor, tell me what to believe! What should I do? Where can I turn. Which way, pastor? Which way?"

It's like watching a person drown with a life preserver and a rope floating next to them.

"Grab onto the life preserver!" "Grab the rope!"

I am reminded of David speaking in Psalm 143:7 - "Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me!"

The failure of the spirit of man. Of course it will.

Answer me quickly, Lord!

Desperation. I need a speedy answer Lord! I need something and I need it now!

How does it get to that level of desperation? I'm not speaking about the average man on the street.

I'm talking about believers who have heard the message of redemption and responded to it.

Shocking.

David said "My spirit faints within me."

Yes, our spirit has a tendency to do that. The Holy Spirit does not. He will never faint.

He will empower you in and past your point of desperation. He will plant you steady. Immovable. Not swayed by temporal circumstances.

He's not hiding His Face, by the way.

He is right there. How about pausing a moment and listening?

Are you desperate today? Well, stop a moment and get a grip. He's there. Talk to Him. Open your ears. Cancel the competing noise.

Listen ONLY to His Voice.

Calm. Peaceful. Soothing. There is NOTHING so desperate in your life even at this moment that He cannot handle.

Let Him handle it.

Here listen...

Verse 8 - "Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."

Hear Him. Trust Him. Obey Him.

Hear His Voice. Trust what He tells you. Obey what He says to do.

Yes...it is that simple.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, October 15, 2010

"Life Interrupted", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Don't do it. Things the Word of God says not to do. We know the biggies. Don't kill, don't steal...

Jesus did tell us not to do stuff. Not doing something can often be as powerful as doing something, especially when the things you are doing should not be done in the first place.

Confused?

Here's a great example:

Luke 12:29 - "And you, do not seek [by meditating and reasoning to inquire into] what you are to eat and what you are to drink; nor be of anxious (troubled) mind [unsettled, excited, worried, and [in suspense].

Do you know how much misplaced energy is expended by people trying to get something that God has already promised?

He doesn't need your help. He has it figured out. It's a working formulated plan.

DON'T help Him! And by help I mean you really can't, but millions will try, and not really being able to, they will twist themselves up in a knot, wasting precious brain cells in worrisome, anxiety ridden unsettledness over something that if they just put the brakes on their mind for a moment they would see that if Jesus said NOT to do these things than there must be good cause.

It can't be clearer. He is not saying not to seek at all, instead DON'T seek by the methods you have settled into. It obviously doesn't work for you. It is instead actually working along with your anxiety and chronic worry.

There's the right way. There's the wrong way. There's your way. There's the Jesus Way! Guess which one I'm going with this morning?

The Jesus Way is opposite of the pagan way (vs. 30).

The Jesus Way is (31) "Only aim at and strive for and seek His kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you also."

Seek Jesus and the Kingdom of God first. Hungry? Seek Jesus first. Thirsty? Seek Jesus first. Anxiety ridden? Seek Jesus first.

IF you do. Really...listen up here... IF you do... actually seek Jesus first, than all of these needs and much more will be supplied.

It was an early lesson I learned first and thank goodness I did because I needed it. Before I knew Him, I was that muddled up worrier moving from place to place, job to job, shutoff notice to shutoff notice. Moving to escape is different from moving for purpose. Living by your wits is not living. It's merely survival. Your wits got you into trouble. Even believers change addresses, change churches, change jobs, etc., at alarming rates. Survival tactics. Escape plans. That's not living, at least not the Abundant Living Jesus promises (John 10:10).

You need the mind of Christ.

Seek Him first. Not second, or when it's too late and you've already loused things up.

Jesus First!

Jesus never fails and neither will you when you follow HIS plan!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, October 14, 2010

"I Got Nothin' This Morning", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

I'm not "feelin' it". I'm sitting in front of a blank screen and have absolutely no motivation physically or spiritually to write anything.

Not feelin' it. Got nothin'.

I could really roll with that today. Except that I know they are just "feelings".

Is that how I roll? I'd like to believe that right now, but it wouldn't be true.

I roll with Jesus. Holy Spirit incited motivation. Not money. Not fame. Not human energy. Not ego. Not good looks. Not fancy accoutrements.

If it weren't for Jesus life would be a blank screen. Some of you know what I'm talking about.

I think of the hymn, "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold...." ...Or a huge church, or a big fat bank account, or custom clothes instead of Walmart off the rack, or a fancy foreign car.

Even though I'm not feeling particularly inspired this morning, knowing that I have Jesus will prevent me from going back to bed and pulling the covers over my head. Lot's of people will feel even worse than that today, and on paper they look like they shouldn't.

Today God has recalled for me the words of a wise man .

Proverbs 30:7-8 - (7) Two things have I asked of You [O Lord]; deny them not to me before I die: (8) Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me."

I can roll with that. He has reminded me that I have been.

Inspiration comes. I find it when I don't have it. Not from me. I got nothin'. He has everything.

Yet, because of His Everything, I find I have more than I ever thought I did.

If that makes sense?

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

"You On The Hot Tin Roof", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

We have all experienced it. I'm speaking of the discomfort of hearing something that deep down in our spirit, we know we have to address.

We replace the cat. It's us walking barefoot over the hot tin roof.

In this case God's Word is the tin roof. The heat is God's Word speaking to us. Our response is the hot footed express purpose to get off the roof.

Oh, it's not really that. It's is simply a metaphor for squirming in our seat, tugging at our collars, looking everywhere but at the preacher, breaking out in a sweat. Or...getting up and running out of the sanctuary. Sometimes for good.

We tend to lay the blame of discomfort and conviction upon the messenger. It's usually not him (if he is obediently following the Word of God).

Paul sort of warns the young preacher Timothy:

1 Tim. 4:6 - "If you lay all these instructions before the brethren, you will be a worthy steward and a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever nourishing your own self on the truths of the faith and of the good [Christian] instruction which you have closely followed."

Not just what the preacher wants us to hear, but the full counsel of the Word. This means the preacher will be popular when it makes a person feel good. Not so popular when it doesn't.

As one of those preachers I can say that popularity is very much overrated. At least when it is compared to obeying God.

I would rather be worthy in God's eyes than popular.

It's not always the hot tin roof. Sometimes great joy, instruction, wisdom, and understanding is the order of the day.

When the main feeding day for many is just Sunday morning (if that), then it will take a long time to run the continuum of the Word's full measure.

Funny story. I once knew a person who would come to church very sporadically, the veritable "once in a blue moon". It seemed that whenever he came to church I would happen to be preaching along the same lines as they had heard months earlier. Guess what? It was that persons "hot tin roof". One day the person approached me after church and said, "Pastor, don't you ever preach on anything different?" My response was, "I always preach exactly what I know God wants you to hear." Haven't seen that person for awhile now. I am sure that he either has stopped going to church altogether, or found a church that preaches what he wants to hear.

Hear's the deal.

2 Tim. 3:16 - "Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), (17) So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."

God's Word covers all of the bases. Eventually we will hit our "hot tin roof". It's uncomfortable. It's challenging. It can be downright contentious. It might even get you so mad that you will storm from the place of hearing vowing never to return.

I was one of those folks once. Shortly after I was saved. I did not want to hear that I needed to change something in my life that I desperately needed to. My "hot tin roof".

I am glad I gave in. I am glad God broke me of my stubbornness.

Yes, I am forever grateful to the "hot tin roof" ministry of the Holy Spirit getting deep down to the issues I needed to deal with.

You will be too if you give Him a chance.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

"The Kingdom Of Heaven Will Be A Scary Place For Some", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

The Parables of Jesus. Sometimes they read like a horror story. How about the Kingdom of Heaven? It seems like there could be some "issues".

Matt. 22:2-3 - "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son (3) And sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they refused to come."

They refused to come? It's an invite from The King! Don't forget, it's a parable, so the metaphors run rampant sometimes. We have to establish who's who.

The King is God. His Son is Jesus. The Wedding Feast is the marriage of the Lamb to the human race (salvation). The guests were originally the Jews, God's chosen people, but they refused to come. Wow.

Ok, ok, there is all this food and preparation and stuff, what is the King going to do now? Who will benefit from the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross? Everyone else who accepts it. EVERYONE ELSE who accepts it!

Verse 8-10 - "Then he said to his servants, The wedding [feast] is prepared, but those invited were not worthy. (9) So go to the thoroughfares where they leave the city [where the main roads and those from the country end] and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find. (10) And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests.

Don't think for a moment that you can't be counted as one of the rejectors of God's grace. If He opened it up to the scroungers of the world (us) as the result of the rejection of the very people He came to restore, and "grafted" us or "sown" us into the Covenant of the blood sacrifice of His honored Son, then do you really think you'll get in with all of your rejection?

The rejector is odd. They enjoy the concept of Kingdom living, they even believe it is for them. They just don't want to play by the rules. They don't want to put on the clean wedding garment (washed in the Blood of the Lamb). They want to come when they feel it's right and it suitable to them, and they want to come in their stinking rags of defilement and disobedience. They may even tell the King that Sunday is not good for them. They may ask the King to reschedule. If the King's business conflicts, then the King's business shall wait.

The King says, "NO!"

Verse 11-14 - "But when the king came in to view the guests, he looked intently at a man there who had on no wedding garment. (12) And he said, Friend, how did you come in here without putting on the [appropriate] wedding garment? And he was speechless (muzzled, gagged). (13) Then the king said to the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. (14) For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen.

Notice how God loves you. He even called you "friend".

Yet, He will not be dishonored, refused, or rejected. You will be rejected. You will be carried beyond the doors of the feast (The Kingdom), into the darkness where there is no coming back from.

You will be refused.

Few are chosen. You had already been chosen. He searched for the worst of us and invited us in, even when we were undesirable and sinful.

He only asked you to put on the clean garments of righteousness. He only asked you to obey.

He only asked you to give up everything for Him! Make Him number ONE!

Sorry. Too tough?

Everything is everything. All is all. Go ahead. Try to argue your flimsy point with the One who knows exactly what it means to give everything for a whining and complaining race of people who kicked it back in His face.

I'm afraid I've settled that in my own life many years ago, so I may become very unpopular this morning.

Church can't be Church until people agree serving God is their top numero uno priority over EVERYTHING else on the planet.


How to end this? By a hearty amen and so be it on my part. Jesus never fails. He's never failed me. I hope and pray that many others would come to that same conclusion even today.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, October 11, 2010

"When It Gets Thick", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

You can't buy it. You can't fake it. You can pray for it. You can expect it.

When it shows up it is the most amazing experience. It creates a zone. An anointed thick heaviness that one can almost step in an out of like a fog. The air seems heavier.

Something is going on around and inside you. Electrified. Tingly. Intensive.

Even breathing is different.

It's the Holy Spirit creating a zone around you.

Go ahead, step into that zone. Today. Tomorrow. Every day.

Acts 13:52 - "And the disciples were continually filled [throughout their souls] with joy and the Holy Spirit."

Yesterday was one of those great moments at church when the anointing was thick over the worship. I sensed a zone established on and at the altar, and that whoever stepped into it would be healed and ministered to. I am anticipating a great healing from God for some who entered in.

Those who entered in. Those who entered in. No, you heard right. I'm not stuttering. Those who ENTERED in.

Have you entered in? Maybe not. Maybe you are on the outside of it. Maybe you've given up. Maybe God's just not been "coming through for you", so you seek your pleasures elsewhere. Or perhaps the joy is long gone.

Oh, what a chill just ran up my spine! I am thinking of "you" right now.

I say be diligent and get in on it. James says you receive not because you ask wrongly. James didn't go far enough. Many ask wrongly and then blame God for not getting it right.

Someday a great light will go off in some people's minds. Or the light will dim forever. Maybe the last burning ember in the fireplace that can be fanned into a great flame once again? Or the coldness of the ashes and half burned wood that was once a mighty fire.

Holy Spirit. The supernatural within us. Filling, filling, filling...over and over and over...joy and peace and comfort and joy and peace and comfort...witnessing with our spirit that we are God's children (Romans 8:16).

All for The One Who is all for you.

Sometimes you just have to jump in and be.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, October 8, 2010

"Can You Learn To Say It's All Good?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Go ahead. Try it. Just say it.

"It's all good!"

You don't even have to really think things are all good at this point. In fact, you may be at the lowest place of your life.

You don't have to say anything. You don't have to think anything. You can just sit there and wallow in it if you desire. God's gonna let you do that.

However...if you choose the latter, it doesn't make it true.

In fact, no matter how bad it is, I have found that it is "all good".

No matter what I'm going through, when people ask me "How 'ya doin'?", I generally say, "It's all good!"

I'm not denying what could be a bad day or a bad week. I'm simply stating a God given truth of His Word.

God says He is always working things out for us. That has to be good.

Romans 8:28 (Amplified Bible) - "We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

I was already encouraged this morning, but I am MORE encouraged now that I have read that!

What do you need to know?

1). You need to be ASSURED that God is a PARTNER IN YOUR LABOR! In other words, you are not in this alone!

2). What you are going through fits INTO A PLAN THAT WILL BE IN YOUR FAVOR!

3). God has a DESIGN AND PLAN for your life!

If that is true, and God NEVER lies, than in essence it really is ALL GOOD! (Even if it doesn't feel that way right now).

Do not let your feelings rule you. They are carnal and from the flesh. Let the TRUTH rule you because it is spiritual and from God!

So...say it...c'mon, don't feel dumb or embarrassed...just say it...

IT'S ALL GOOD! Say it a few times. Say it because it is true.

Here's the kicker...it's true, right? I mean, you believe what I just told you, right? God won't lie to you, and neither would I, right?

Then check this out...if it is real, and it's TRUTH, then claim this for you life right now...

"And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

There it is! You will be set free!

It's ALL good is the truth, and Truth sets free!

I claim it for you. I agree with you right now. Accept it!

BE SET FREE! In Jesus' Name! He IS the TRUTH!

Keepin' it Real...and ALL GOOD...and SET FREE...

Pastor Kevin <><

Thursday, October 7, 2010

"Scraped Knees And Skinned Noses", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Not too many will read this one today. Those that know just enough Scripture to hurt them will send this to cybertrash. They know what's coming.

1 Peter 2:8 - "And, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God's] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do."

Let's put one thing to rest right off the bat. Don't see this Scripture as a bailout. Don't cop the "appointed to do so" plea. As if God dealt you a bad hand in life. It doesn't say you were destined to disobey and disbelieve, it says those who disobey and disbelieve are destined to stumble and fall. There is a huge difference.

Lot's of Christians live with those spiritual scrapes and bruises. It's like the kid who always gets hurt. That was me. The kid who always gets hurt. I got hurt because I didn't listen to good advice. I always knew better. I was always hurt.

Don't run on sandy surfaces. Don't stand on that branch it won't support you. Don't sit backward when riding your bike.

I guess I was hurt so much that when I became a Christian I saw good sense in passages like this one. People who don't heed the Word of God get banged up pretty good. I was tired of being banged up.

It was time to believe God.

It's time for you to believe God. Maybe you already do. I'm just sayin'. Maybe you don't.

I can always tell the ones who don't. My question is, when are you going to stop being the bug and become the windshield? How many scraped knees and skinned noses do you have to patch up?

It's downright painful to watch people tripping over the same Rock and Stone all of the time. How many scrapes and bruises can one person sustain?

I love when a person finally assesses the situation and decides "Since I'm down here, I think I will try embracing the Rock for once."

It's such an easy fix. Obeying God.

What's your scraped knee? Financial problems? What's your skinned nose? Chronic ailments? Is life a black tuxedo and you feel like a pair of brown shoes? Do you live by the old adage, "Sometimes peanuts, sometimes shells", and for you it's usually shells?

I'll betcha you're not known as Johnny-On-The-Spot when it comes to church goin', and bible study, or prayer meeting, or giving, or...

Tired of tripping OVER Jesus instead of walking WITH Him? Then do something about it.

Sheesh, what's it gonna take? I've seen more people get motivated by a Gatorade commercial.

Your disobedience and disbelief is causing you to stumble. That's what the Word says. Don't shoot me. I am just the messenger.

So...stop "dissing" Jesus. Obey and believe Him instead.

Simple fix. Don't you dare say it's too hard. Don't you dare blame Jesus for your failures. Get up. Clean up. Change your bad habits.


Sometimes maligned, occasionally accused, but always...

...Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

"Dream A Little Dream For Me", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

How are you this morning, O dreamer of dreams? Has God revealed something to you in your slumber? Maybe He has and you're not quite sure what it means.

You dreamer you. You have been accused, haven't you? To the dull minded, dreams are just dreams. It's the pepporoni pizza at bedtime, not a move of God over your life.

I don't care if I ever know what they mean. Just to blessed as a dreamer is an indicator. The Hand of God has touched your soul.

He said it would. Some would dream dreams, some would see visions, which are dreams while awake ("Pay attention! What? Are you daydreaming again!"). Your Day is coming my old friend.

It's almost as if the world tries to beat that out of us early in life. They don't understand. They haven't heard.

Joel 2:28-29 - 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit."

Peter said in Acts 2 that this was being fulfilled during the great day of Pentecost. The Spirit was being poured out!

It is poured out upon you. You know that right? It's "AFTERWARD".

We are living "in those days".

Dreamer. Visionary. Prophesier.

Ladies, have the menfolk told you to be quiet and just sit there? They are wrong.

Men, do you think it unmanly to share your dreams and visions? Man up and be what a real man is.

Too many chickenhearts across the board. The boat gets a little filled with water and you stop baling and bale OUT! Sometimes more than once. For some of you it is your modus operandi. It's what you do. You have become a career baler. Step aside! The Church has always needed stickers, not balers.

Thank God He brings those dreams, no matter how far off they are in the past, to fruition in His time. Good things come to the dreamer who has never abandoned hope in Christ!

Here is what I see within reach. An army. An army of young men and women who are discovering their call and purpose. Young people who are not willing to sit in the pews and grow into old pew sitters! Young people who believe they have heard form God and are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to doing God's work! No reward other than the joy of knowing it is all being done for Him!

I just revealed my dream AND my vision. God has showed me this. I have moved from the visions to the dreams. Yes, I am now the old man dreaming dreams of the young men and women having visions and prophesying. I however, have the heart of a much younger man, and the soul of determination to see God's work completed.

It is close. Are you in or out? Are you just playing the game called Churchopoly? Go ahead, work your little plan driven more by purpose than of God. Scheme your schemes. Go to rally's. They will all fail. All of them. Today's plan in the flesh is tomorrow's failure in the flesh.

Me? I want to be in the stream of the Spirit of God being poured out.

Come on dreamers. Visionaries. Prophesiers. Don't be shy. Work it out. Hammer it out. Bale that boat and make it float.

It's coming. All eyes will witness it. Set the barn on fire! They will come from miles just to watch it burn!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

"So...What Are You Really Afraid Of?", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Fear. At various times, we have all been struck by it. Some more than others. Some even living completely and totally in fear of everything.

The polar opposite of that is the admonition from God.

Isaiah 41:10 (Amplified Bible) - "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice."

This is not some fluff to be taken lightly. He is actually demanding that we fear not. Why? Because there is no actuality or reality of something to fear? No. He is saying that because of His Presence it is really as if there is nothing to fear.

The term used by people who are not convinced themselves to other people who are not convinced is always, "Hey come on, go ahead. There's nothing to be afraid of!"

That is simply an ignorant statement. There is plenty to be afraid of. Some of the biggies: Flying, Heights, Death, Life, Outdoors, Indoors, Sickness, Germs. Each one fits the bill as a "phobia" of some sort. Phobia means fear out of control. Fear that rules your life. Abnormal fear. Try to fix people at that level of fear, and tell them that there is "nothing to be afraid of".

Modify the statement to say, "There is nothing to fear because I Am with you", and we are onto something.

The elements that cause fear remain intact. Planes. Dying. High places. They just become of no effect upon the individual who trusts God.

Isaiah makes an interesting statement in the verse. God actually says, "I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties."

I will temper you like steel. You will become so strong that you will never bend to fear again. It will be as if there is actually nothing to be fearful of!

I try to never use the words "FEAR", "SCARED", and "AFRAID" in a sentence. Ever. I never even say "I'm afraid so". Are there situations that I prefer not to be exposed to? Indeed. But I will never say I am afraid or scared of it. There is only fear if I go without God.

I never go into any situation without God. He makes the difference of whether I would be afraid or not.

He is your difference as well.

Got fear?

It can go away. Even right now. Submit yourself to God fully. Ask Him to send His Holy Spirit to you in His fullness. Be filled with the Spirit. It is the answer to all things that have ruled you instead of the other way around. Be subject only to God.

He will temper you. He will strengthen you. He will make you the Head and not the Tail.

Step out from the shadows of fear and into the Light of Victorious Living!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Monday, October 4, 2010

"Today, If You Will Hear His Voice...", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Today. You can't live on your yesterdays. Your tomorrows are impacted by your todays.

Today. This moment. Right now. It's all you really have.

What will you do with it?

Hebrews 3:7 - "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice..."

Verse 8 says, "Do not harden your hearts."

All sorts of opportunities are available to you right now, oops! Another one just went by! It's a "yesterday" now. Never to be recaptured.

Jesus speaks to you everyday. Every moment. Do you hear Him? And if you even hear Him, what do you do with what he says?

Do you harden your heart?

What is a hardened heart anyway? It's a heart that turns sour and bitter. It's a heart that in spite of everything being done for it, still remains bitter and angry and reacts to the bitterness rather than the voice of Jesus. People with hardened hearts make life tough on themselves. They make poor life choices for themselves, their families, and essentially everyone they come in contact with pays a negative price for it.

All because of a catastrophic failure of obedience to the Word.

Hear Him today, and do not harden your heart. That is the instruction. We are hardpressed to blame God for making it too tough to understand.

Yet, another person has somewhere just crippled their walk with God, and put themselves and their family at risk, by another self-inflicted bullet to the foot.

Hear Him today, and do not harden your heart. It's downright remedial.

Conversely, ignore Him today and build up self-destructive barriers around your heart.

I don't think people purposely set out to do that, but they just sort of arrive there after jealousy, frustration, pent up rage and anger, bitterness, self-hatred, and a host of negative emotions build up that stronghold of deafness to God.

The phenomenal thing is that one can actually think everything is just fine with God, and that all of their woe is because of other people!

Oh, the devil is an artisan of well crafted scenarios designed purposely to sneak you away from God.

See, that's why the verse says "Hear HIS voice".

If you hear the voice of Jesus you will not listen to the other competing voices, and your heart will not be hardened.

Today.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

Friday, October 1, 2010

Thank You For Your Lying Deceptive Spirit", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Sounds funny doesn't it? Thanking someone for the cruel, insulting, hateful, lying, false, deceptive, and downright evil things someone may have said to, or about you?

Well, I've exaggerated it a bit. I don't think Jesus intended us to be confrontational in our joy.

However...

Matthew 5:11-12 - "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Blessed. It actually means "happy". Happy are you when people cut your throat, or stab you in the back, because their lives are going poorly and they strike out against you because their unhappiness runs rampant. Sounds almost cyclical, doesn't it? They are unhappy, and because they are unhappy, they try to make you unhappy, but their unhappiness toward you has only served to make you happy! I love it! Only God can come up with that!

There is good reason why Jesus made special emphasis about this. First of all, it happened to Him personally. He knows what it is like to have the people you love the most turn against you in a hateful and persecutory way. Second, He loves to turn dark clouds into rays of light.

He really does cover all the bases in this one verse. It's part of his larger message called the Sermon on the Mount. He was trying to show the supernatural element of God's Kingdom on earth as being completely opposite to religion.

Jesus says rejoice when you have been wronged. Religion says to strike back and try to harm the person who has afflicted you.

Notice He is not telling us to gloat or throw it back in someone's face. He is merely saying "Be happy anyway. In spite of it all, you are blessed beyond their sick and sad behavior! You have the ultimate prize that religion and the world will not have. You have Heaven as your promise!" Incidentally, do we read that conversely as well? Deceivers, beware.

Jesus is very subtly insinuating that it is because of Him that people do these things. If it's because of Him then it indicates it is coming from some religious environment, or from some religious individuals. If it's because of Jesus then they know ABOUT Jesus. They obviously don't actually KNOW Jesus or it wouldn't happen. Catch my drift? That's the difference between religion and relationship.

The prophets experienced it. The apostles experienced it. Every true disciple will experience it as well. Even, and perhaps mostly, at the hands of the fake disciples (religious).

I will say this. It usually happens out of the blue. Rejoice in that as well. It shows you have a trusting and loving heart. It shows that your love for them blinded you to their deceit and phoniness. It will hurt. It may even devastate you. Don't let it turn you bitter.

This is why Jesus said be happy! Rejoice! Don't be bitter! It proves your worthiness in Him! And if there is nothing else in this world that can make you happy, be joyful that you have been found worthy in Jesus Christ!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><