"Bait And Switch"

Anytime someone promotes or advertises one thing, and then provides an inferior product in place of what was originally offered, it's called a "bait and switch".

There's a lot of that in the Kingdom of God.

Religionists practice the bait and switch by offering a more complicated gospel padded with man made rules, rituals and regulations.

Evangelistic hucksters practice the bait and switch when they convince their trusting and unsuspecting followers to purchase salvation and healing from them.

Satan is the author and main practitioner of the bait switch, and has been since the beginning, as he offers what appears to be a rosier path than what God offers, but is really a garbage strewn fast track to Hell.

Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified Bible) - "(7) Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. (8) For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

"Do not be deceived". God will not be left holding the bag for you. He will never be made to look stupid or embarrassed.

Accept no substitutes.

Nothing other than the pure gospel of God, which is contained in His Holy Word, is authoritative.

When you unwittingly or purposefully accept or follow a perverted brand of the gospel you are sowing into your lower nature.

It is an endeavor completely in the flesh, and you are sowing a seed of destruction and decay into yourself. It is greed and selfishness.

You think you have advanced yourself, but in reality you have decreased.

There are no better deals.

It's Jesus, or a lesser, putrid, weaker version of Who He is.

Check yourself. Be careful who you listen to and follow. Be mindful of what you read and watch.

Are you getting the truth?

It is the truth and nothing but the truth that sets us free!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

"The Reckoning"

People deal with their problems differently. Some enjoy, even thrive, on confrontation. Others are more willing to try to wait things out and see how they develop.

Jesus appears to be a person who went right to the source of the problem and hashed it out as soon as possible.

Mark 1: 12-13 - "Immediately the [Holy] Spirit [from within] drove Him out into the wilderness (desert), (13) And He stayed in the wilderness (desert) forty days, being tempted [all the while] by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him [continually]."

Jesus has just embarked upon His earthly ministry, and has just been baptized by John, and then filled with the Holy Spirit.

The verse says "immediately" He was driven into the desert.

Driven. Holy Spirit driven.

He was driven and He did not resist.

He would spend the next 40 days and nights being tempted and harassed by Satan himself.

It was a reckoning. It needed to happen. Jesus was just the person to do it.

He was always the One. He still is the One.

He won't stand for injustice and sin.

When He found the temple turned into a flea market He immediately confronted and reckoned with it.

He has been our role model. He attacked and conquered sinfulness and unrighteousness the same way we are supposed to...by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is how we roll.

Our temple is our body and we are to keep it righteous. Not religiously in our own strength, but through the power of God.

By submitting to Christ we are allowing all the power of God to be released into us by the Holy Spirit.

Don't waste any time. Don't think things are just going to straighten out on their own.

If God's not at work in you, if you have grieved the Holy Spirit away by your poor choices, it isn't happening for you.

Grace works as God pours it out. It fails as we refuse to receive it.

Perhaps you need a reckoning. Maybe you need to have your desert experience where you confront and conquer all your demons and temptations the same way Jesus did.

The Holy Spirit is a mighty force and power whom we cannot afford to live without.

He was the power in Jesus and He is the power in us today!

Why prolong it? How much more will you stand for? Draw your line in the sand.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

"Tin Men"

Mark 12:30-31 (Amplified Bible) - "(30) And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. (31) The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."

I can't do this.

I remember thinking that at one time.

"I can't do this."

I was right. I couldn't do it.

And neither can you.

In our own strength we cannot fulfill these commandments of Jesus Christ.

This is why we need God.

We cannot love God, ourselves, or anybody for that matter without God.

1 John 4:19 (Amplified Bible) - "We love Him, because He first loved us."

This is why we are able to love.

We can love Him, our own selves, and others because He took the first step toward us.

Love is always the first step, and the reason for all the steps after.

Love initiates, love keeps it all flowing.

My heart was stone. He softened it to flesh.

It was a rocky soil, He made it fallow to receive His love.

Ezekiel 36:26 (Amplified Bible) - "A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

I was a Tin Man before that. A "clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous....junk."

Useless. Rusting away. Ready for the scrap heap.

Now there is a beating heart of flesh softened by the Spirit of God.

Tin Man's new heart was tested and proven when it started to break at Dorothy's farewell.

"Now I know I've got a heart -- 'cause it's breaking."

Yes, it breaks, but it keeps us in touch with God.

In my humble opinion the breaking heart, and the sometimes overwhelming feeling of helplessness that accompanies it is our tangible link to God.


Maybe it's different for you, but I know there was a time when it didn't break and I was far from God.

It breaks today and I sense a closeness to Him I wouldn't trade for all the cold hearted stoicism in the world no matter how much money it brought with it.

How's your heart today? Warm? Beating?

Is it breaking? I hope so. There is much surrounding you that will cause it to.

Get in touch with it. Embrace it. It's the heart of God in you.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

"Press Nine For More Options"

Ever notice how the option for more options always seems to come at the end of a long line of options you didn't need to listen to?

It seems when I make a call like that I always need to speak to a live person and that is almost always NOT an option.

As the bottom line last resort if you can hang in there long enough before tossing the phone against the wall you will eventually hear "Please stay on the line to speak to a representative."

Maybe.

This is what life has become.

An impersonal endless line of people avoiding people.

What do these menu options really tell us about society?

There is no Plan B when Plan A goes awry.

That would be fine except Plan A always seems to go awry.

Joseph Heller (Catch 22) would have had a field day with this just a mere 38 years after his novel.

Has it all really become FUBAR (Fouled Up Beyond All Repair)?

It's going to have to come full circle and get back to simplicity.

Or completely implode into a huge self destructive fireball.

I'm not holding out a lot of hope for simplicity.

We are too "advanced" for that.

This is why I enjoy being a part of God's simple way.

I am offended by the way the rest of the world conducts itself.

I watch the news and afterward feel like I need to take a shower with lye soap and a wire brush.

Is it really that bad?

Well what do we have to compare it to?

Listen to Paul here:

1 Cor. 1:13 - "For we write you nothing else but simply what you can read and understand [there is no double meaning to what we say], and I hope that you will become thoroughly acquainted [with divine things] and know and understand [them] accurately and well to the end."

If God can communicate simply, why can't we?

Because today people need to get their story straight first. They have to rewind to previous lies and misinformation to make sure they don't get caught in the trap of their own false pretense.

Say what you will about me, but I have found the better way. I choose the door that opens to simplicity, honesty, purity, understanding, love and concern.

I have become thoroughly acquainted with divine things.

Given the alternative I scratch my head and wonder why more people do not.

I hope you choose divine things as well.

Just because you live in the world does not mean you have to be force subscribed to it's ways and methods.

There is an alternative.

It's Jesus Christ.

He teaches us the better way.

It truly is an option for you today.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

"Trying Or Trusting?"

In the matter of your relationship with God, particularly as far as your salvation goes, trying doesn't cut it.

If you are trying too hard, or not hard enough, the entire action one way or another is futile.

How many times have I heard the words, "Pastor, I'm trying."

Well then stop it.

Stop trying. It will never get you anywhere.

What are you "trying" to accomplish anyway?

Are you trying to improve your old nature before God?

Why? He provides a new nature.

Are you trying to become more righteous?

Why? Our own righteousness are as filthy rags.

He gives us the righteousness of Christ.

Are you trying to do more for God?

God has endeavored to do for you.

Are you trying to improve your behavior?

Our salvation depends on believing, not behaving.

Are you trying to develop your character?

It's not sufficiency of character, but the sufficiency of the sacrifice.

Are you trying to develop a sacrificial existence?

Trust in the finished sacrifice.

Are you trying to attain?

Jesus has atoned.

On and on it can go.

Trying versus trusting.

Religion versus salvation.

You can't work your way into it. You can't buy your way in. You can't knock on enough doors, write enough tithe checks, attend enough church. You can't read enough bible passages, feed enough poor, house enough homeless, confess enough sins.

There is only one way.

Acts 4:12 (Amplified Bible) - "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."

Nothing else gets the attention of God more effectively than the name of Jesus Christ.

"It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead..." (vs.10)

No other way. None. Nil. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Zero.

So tell me. Why are you trying?

Why not just yield?

Give yourself over?

There is no trying involved in that.

Just do it.

Right now.

Do it.

Say it.

Jesus, I am yours. All of me. I now belong to you.

Say it.

Say it and then leave it alone.

It's His work, not yours.

Let yourself be His work instead of trying to be His project manager.

I'd love to hear how that works out for you.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

"The Unthought Known"

Some might be thinking, "Pastor must really be tired this morning, he got the title backward!"

Nope.

It's the known we sometimes don't think about.

Maybe seldom think about.

Or never think about.

I am reminded of when the disciples were on a boat during a sudden squall.

They were struggling to get the boat to the other side as the winds were making the waves difficult to work the oars through.

The Word tells us in Mark 6:48: "And having seen that they were troubled and tormented in [their] rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night [between 3:00-6:00 a.m.] He came to them, walking [directly] on the sea."

Often times, maybe in the midst of the worst of trouble, He comes to us. Even when He is the farthest from our mind.

Nothing prevents Jesus from doing that.

Not our failures. Not our thoughtlessness. Not our weak faith. Not our stubbornness.

Not even self centered laziness.

He will even walk on water during the worst storm to get to you.

Not too many folks I know will get up at 3 a.m. to pull someone's fat out of the fire.

It's tough to recall Jesus when we are only hearing or reading about Him less than an hour per week.

He quickly fades in the lives of some and becomes...

The "Unthought Known."

You know He's out there somewhere, but He's more like background music. It's playing, but you're not really hearing it.

The noise of life drowns out the still small voice.

Maybe it's time for an adjustment.

The way we make time for Jesus.

We can change how we allow external interruptions to interfere with our time spent with Him.

I mean, He knows you're there, and He will go the distance to let you know that.

Be blessed today! Think about Him!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

"My Lifestyle Determines My Deathstyle"

I think that catchy little phrase can be attributed to James Hetfield. Poet, musician, noted headbanger.

I figure it goes down a little easier if I just don't blurt out right away that it comes from a Metallica song.

(*Gasp* He listens to Metallica? I don't know if I can trust him anymore). Heh-heh.

Seriously. This is as true a word that was ever spoken.

How you live will generally determines how you die.

Even just in the flesh it's bad. Real bad.

Chances are that if you smoke a few packs a day for a long time you will more than likely die from some tobacco related illness. Cancer, emphysema, heart disease.

If you drink too much your liver and brain function will suffer.

Eat too much and your arteries will clog and your heart will give out under the stress.

What does the bible have to say about this?

Let's look at Paul's letter to the Galatians 6:7-8 - "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. (8) For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Whatever we sow, that is what we will reap.

Sow to the flesh and watch it decay before your eyes.

Sow to the Spirit and reap an eternal benefit.

Metaphorically, whatever we plant that is what will grow and what we will pick.

You will not delude God on this nor circumvent His will.

Plant corn and don't expect peas to grow. It won't. It's a natural agricultural law that God created (Gen. 1:12). It cannot be changed.

Neither can these.

Give cheaply but don't expect to prosper greatly.

Ignore God but don't whine that you feel neglected by Him when you suffer through one of your "spells".

Reject the hand of fellowship but don't complain that no one calls you or you don't have any friends.

Stand before Jesus someday but don't be surprised when He says, "I don't recognize you. Depart from me."

You have picked what you planted.

Plant scorn and be scorned yourself.

Plant discord and live a life of strife.

Plant lies and be the victim of liars.

We reap what we sow.

Physically and spiritually.

Our lifestyle definitely determines our deathstyle.

Plant peace and be at peace.

Sow generously and meet your commitments.

Know Jesus and He will know you when the proper time arrives.

There are eternal consequences and benefits.

To be known by Jesus and gain eternal life and to thwart eternal death.

Bottom line: what you do or don't do in this life effects where you spend your eternal life.

Your lifestyle determines your deathstyle.

Starting.....righhhhhhhttt
ttt........NOW!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><