Only One

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 <

www.reallifect.com

Don't Tell Me To Hush!

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 <><

www.reallifect.com

The Usual Suspects

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 <><

www.reallifect.com

ONE Way

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 <><

www.reallifect.com

Evil Does As Evil Is

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 <><

www.reallifect.com

Be That

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 <><

www.reallifect.com

Attack The Source

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 <><

www.reallifect.com