The Church is often told to sow so that they might reap, but what does that mean? How do you sow? And what happens if you don’t reap anything? Can someone or something steal your seed? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the thieves trying to steal our seed in his message, Stealing The Seed Pt. 1: The Increase Is In The Seed.
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
Isaiah 55:10
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
In ancient Israel, there would be watchmen on the wall. The watchmen failed in their job and brought destruction upon the entire kingdom of Israel. Israel was taken captive first by Assyria, and then years later, Judah fell to Babylon. As the Church, we have a duty to our nation and people to be watchmen. If we fail, our fate will be no different than those of old who failed before us. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the duties of a watchman on the wall in his message, Silent Watchers.
Isaiah 56:10-11 Psalms 55:9 2 Samuel 17:1 Genesis 11:9 Isaiah 5:8 Psalms 55:10-14 2 Kings 25:1-7 Jeremiah 38:4-6 Matthew 23:35
Silent Watchers
God’s Watchman
17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
Ezekiel 3:17-19
10 His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
Words have the power of life and death, but it’s not just us who use words. The Devil uses words as well. The enemy uses words to deceive, discourage, and destroy. He doesn’t just show up as himself either; he’ll use anyone willing to give him their mouth to speak. The enemy will use friends, family, co-workers, mentors, anyone with an open door in their lives that allows him a way in. How can we overcome these attacking words? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shows us the power of how we react to words in his message, Not Just Mere Words Pt. 5: Words That Defeat.
Isaiah 55:11 Matthew 24:35 Nehemiah 4:1-5 John 10:27 Romans 8:31 Nehemiah 6:9 Nehemiah 4:13-14, 16-18a Nehemiah 4:11 Nehemiah 6:17-19
Not Just Mere Words
Words That Defeat
1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.
50% of marriages today end in divorce. Many people have been divorced more than once, and many people no longer believe in marriage. Is it because marriage is now seen as an outdated tradition of the past, or is it because we’ve stopped fighting for love? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shares some secrets to a long, happy, successful, loved-filled marriage in his Valentine’s Day message, The Love Of A Husband.
Ephesians 5:25-33 1 Samuel 1:4-5 1 Samuel 1:7-8
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
We all know the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” but is this true? Do words have any effect on our lives? Are words powerful, or do words have no effect on our lives? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to what truly defiles us in his powerful message, Not Just Mere Words Pt. 4: Words That Defile.
Matthew 15:10-20 Matthew 12:34 Ecclesiastes 10:2 Acts 10:15 Colossians 2:16 Romans 10:9 Psalm 106:39 (NIV) Philippians 4:8 Proverbs 23:7 1 Corinthians 13:13 1 Peter 4:8 Philippians 2:3-4 1 Peter 1:15-16 Romans 12:1 Leviticus 19:11-13a
Not Just Mere Words
Words That Defile
10 And He called the people to Him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
When we speak, our words bind us or release us because we will be judged by those words. In today’s society, we’ve become more and more careless with our words. We say things like, I’ll pray for you, but never even think about that person or their situation again. We make promises and vows that we never keep. What is happening in the spiritual when we speak and break our words? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the spiritual battlefield fought with our tongue in his message, Not Just Mere Words Pt. 3: The Strength of Words.
Genesis 11:1-9 John 17:11 Joshua 9:14 Joshua 10:6-11 2 Samuel 21:1 Deuteronomy 20:16 Genesis 2:7 (NIV)
Not Just Mere Words
The Strength of Words
1Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
In today’s world, words no longer have much meaning. They’re thrown around without much thought or consideration. There was a time when words held much weight in society and culture, but is that still how it is today? Do words still hold as much weight as they did in the past? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of our words in his message, Not Just Mere Words Pt. 2: Words Are Life Or Death.
Proverbs 18:21 Numbers 30:3-16 John 6:63b Proverbs 4:20-22 Matthew 12:36-37 Proverbs 10:11 (NKJV) Matthew 15:11
Not Just Mere Words
Words Are Life Or Death
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Proverbs 18:21
20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Every year, we make a New Year’s Resolution, but the majority of us fail to make it to the end of February with that New Year’s Resolution still in mind. Are these plans that we make and fail to fulfill meaningless? Does it matter if we fulfill all of the plans we set for ourselves? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of our words in his message, Not Just Mere Words Pt. 1: Renewing Your Mind.
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2NIV
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
During the time of Elijah, the nation of Israel was split into two separate kingdoms: Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom. During the time of Elijah, King Ahab ruled over the land of Israel and filled the land with great sin because he and his household worshipped Baal. The Israelites followed their king and also began committing much idolatry. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he puts Elijah’s situation into perspective, explaining that we are in the same shoes in his eye-opening message, Time To Choose.
20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. 36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.”
New Year’s is a time of moving forward and starting over. It’s a time of self-evaluation and creating New Year’s Resolutions, but is this Biblical? Do these New Year’s Resolutions spiritually affect us when we fail to follow through on them? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of the vows you make in his New Year’s Eve message, The Axe Is Laid At The Root.
John 14:15 Matthew 3:7-10 Matthew 3:5-6 Matthew 3:7b Mark 1:1 Acts 1:21-22 Hebrews 10:29 Hebrews 10:31 Hebrews 12:15 Ecclesiastes 5:5 John 15:4-8 Matthew 3:12
The Axe Is Laid At The “Root
4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 3:4-10
31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
