Kenwood Baptist Church Hosted Good Friday Presentation, 7 Last Words of Jesus

I had the great honor to speak at a Good Friday Service, a presentation of the 7 Sayings of Jesus Christ from the Cross at Kenwood Northeast Baptist Church, Rev. James Booker, Sr, Pastor. I spoke on the sixth saying, the word of triumph, "It is Finished." The story of Jesus was the greatest story ever told, and "Tetelestai - It is finished," the greatest word ever uttered! I am so full with gratitude on today because the Holy Spirit, through this assignment gave me expanded understanding on this word for the people. I enjoyed the service and ministry of music, and of course the powerful words by ministers from More Than Conquerors Church, Greater Salem Baptist Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, St. Stephen Church Hardin County, St. Stephen Church Louisville/Jesus Saves Ministries, and Kenwood Northeast Baptist Church.

Happy Resurrection Day from Jesus Saves Ministries, Louisville

Happy Resurrection Day from Jesus Saves Ministries,  Louisville!  He is risen!

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Love Matters Valentine's Pancake Prayer Breakfast

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What Are You Thirsting For?

This is a brief recap from my sermon,  "What Are you Thirsting For," delivered at Christian Health Care Center West on Sunday, January 31st in Louisville, Kentucky.  I thank my brother, Chaplain Michael Lee for the invitation; Min. Marian Anderson, Demetrius Gunn, Rev. Dennis Prince, and Yvette Bentley for participating on the program.

Webster Dictionary defines “thirst” as an uncomfortable feeling that is caused by the need for something to drink;  a strong desire for something; a craving or longing, a thirst for success.  To desire for something is a part of what it means to be human.  What is it that people often thirst for?  Some thirst for power.  They want to rule and control governments and economies, to be King or Queen or President of the United States. Some thirst for knowledge.  That is why people often spend thousands of dollars for college degrees.    Some thirst for fortune and fame.  The Bible warns us about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, and declares the love of money to be the root of kinds of evil. The thirst for love is natural.  It is in our DNA to love because humans were created in the image of God and God is love. The woman at the well, however, thirsted for love in all the wrong places.  She had five husbands and the one she was living with was not her husband. What are you thirsting for?

Then there is the thirst for water.  Our bodies are made up of 60%-70% water and we need it to survive. Research has shown that we can survive longer without food than we can without water. We can survive three weeks without food, but only one week without water. Nothing quenches your thirst after a long run or vigorous workout like a tall cup of cold water. Are you drinking enough water and the right kind of water?   The people of Flint, Michigan are not.  Through no fault of their own, they have been made to drink for the past two years cloudy, toxic, lead-contaminated, odorous river water. Many have gotten sick, and ten have died from Legionnaire's Disease. The FBI is investigating. The people of Flint are thirsting for clean water. Jesus thirsted on the Cross. What are you thirsting for? 
Why was Jesus thirsty? Jesus was thirsty because of how he was structured, he was fully man and fully God; because of how he secured salvation, for others first, and himself last; and because of how he satisfied, the Scriptures and not himself.  Isn't it ironic that in this crazy, mixed up world with which we live, we are quick to satisfy self and not Scripture? Having been separated from his Father for the first time in his life, above all, Jesus thirsted for God.  Jesus was thirsty because of how He satisfied the Father at the Cross, and He ought to be our source of satisfaction today.  Drink from His cup! 

A More Excellent Way

"But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I to you a more excellent way" 1 Corinthians 12:31.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul warned the church not to be ignorant about spiritual gifts, their diversity, and use within the body of Christ (v1).  He states that just because some people did not have certain gifts, it did not mean their gifts were not useful and needed, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you” (v21).    He told them that love is superior to spiritual gifts, and the necessary ingredient with the use of gifts, "But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way" 1 Corinthians 12:31 (ESV).  In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul elaborates on the more excellent way of love, its great value, virtue, and victory. 
The value of love is beyond estimation.  No gift or possession is profitable without it.  In 1 Cor. 13:1-3, Paul compares the superiority of love to the gift of languages, the gift of prophecy, miraculous faith, and the doing of sacrifices and good deeds.  We must recognize the value of love also, for God's love enables us to do His work effectively.  God is love and the more like Him we become, the more love we will possess. But if we don't have love, we have gained nothing!

The virtues of love include kindness, humility, selflessness, patience, compassion, faith, and love.  Many people try to express the virtues of love without possessing love.  This is impossible to do.  We must possess the Spirit of Christ if we are to succeed in performing the work of Christ. Being filled with the Holy Spirit enables us to practice the virtues of love . Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Neighbor!  Oh, Neighbor! Look to your neighbor and say, "LOVE."  "Love" means "LORD OF VIRTUE EVERLASTING." Jesus Christ is Lord of virtue, and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 3:13).

There is great victory in love! Family members, friends, pleasures, and possessions sometimes fail, but "love never fails." Faith pleases God, but faith serves its purpose only in this life.  We cannot live without hope, but hope will not  be needed in the next life. Love is a necessity; everyone needs to love and be loved. Love is eternal; it will unfold in greater beauty and glory while endless ages roll. Victory is assured  to those who are filled with the love of God. Paul concludes by saying, "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.: (1 Cor. 13:13) 

No matter how gifted you are, how well you can sing, minister, serve, you're just making a whole lot of noise without love.  God is love!  In what ever you do, choose the more excellent way of love.  Love never fails!

The Benefits of Restored Relationship With God

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way in which you should go: I will guide you with my eye" Psalm 32:8.

Psalm 32 describes the blessings of restored relationship with God; the benefits of forgiveness like none other. As we face the new year, the question you must answer is, Will you walk with God or walk in your own understanding letting your conscious be our guide? Don't follow your own way, my sisters and brothers. Oftentimes, our feelings are fickle and our "unctions" won't function. They may lead you down the yellow brick road. Don't trust your GPS at the expense of wisdom and experience either, but in all things get biblical understanding (v 9). Don't trust in so-called pundits or experts, nor in horoscopes nor rituals. We need an adequate Guide in 2016 because we have not passed this way before, and we don't know what lies ahead. But God knows all things, and He knows what's best for each of us.  Let the Lord lead and guide you!

Psalm 32 shows us that the Lord will instruct, teach, and guide those who are willing to obey and follow Him, acknowledge and confess their sins in prayer (v5). God's guidance does not contradict the plan teaching of Scripture. The right way will not always be the easiest way. And following God will require faith. The wrong road, no matter how nice, no matter how beautiful, however, will never lead to the right place. I'd rather be with God in a storm on a raging sea than be without him on dry ground, wouldn't you?

The Spirit of the Lord leads us if we are in close fellowship with Him. This is a good time to consecrate yourself or recommit yourself, or return to the Lord.  The Lord opens doors where He wants us to go, and closes doors where He does not want us to go. We know we are in the right path when three aspects of His guidance lines up: His Word, His leading in circumstance, and the leading of His Spirit.  These are the benefits of a restored, a right relationship with the Lord.

Have a blessed and productive new year walking with the Lord!

Who's Influencing Your Unbelief?

I must admit that from time to time in prayer I cry out, "Lord, I believe!  Help me with my unbelief" (Mark 9:24).  It is an admission that as a woman of God, I occasionally struggle in trusting God to handle my situation.  In the Bible, there were people who struggled believing Jesus.   In fact, after all Jesus had done, they refused to believe.  Surprisingly, these were not people who didn't know him, but those who did.

1: And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.    2: And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?    3: Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.    4: But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.    5: And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.    6: And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.  Mark 6:1-6

Here is an incident where the Word of God was preached, the Spirit of God was felt, the Power of God was known.  Yet, Jesus was powerless to reach these people.  Why?  Because of the unbelief.  Jesus was puzzled. Verse 6 states, "And he marvelled because of their unbelief." He had poured out His heart to no avail.  This may very well be a picture of any congregation today - Seeing but not seeing, hearing but not hearing, experience the presence of God but not refusing to believe and respond.
Let us note unbelief, the causes of unbelief, and the effects or results of unbelief:
The people were amazed a Jesus' ability to teach, cast out devils, raise the dead, and heal the sick.  They were astonished at His teachings, yet refused to believe ,  2: And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 
You've heard the adage, "Familiarity breeds contempt?"  The hometown folk knew all about Jesus, that he was brilliant, a gifted teacher of the law, and about his family background, yet refused to believe, Verse 3:, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him".  It was not because he was an outsider, but because he was one of them that they were offended.  Notice, how they mentioned his mother, Mary but not his stepfather, Joseph. Who does he think he is?, they said.  
They knew about the miracles Jesus performed, the people He healed. No doubt they had heard he had just raised Jairus' dying daughter and healed the woman with the issue of blood before returning home.  Knowing all this, still they refused to believe. What all has Jesus done for you? Verses 5-6 said, "And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.  6: And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching".   
And Jesus said to them in verse 4, "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."  The NIV says, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."  They were amazed, but Jesus was amazed also for their lack of faith.  What all has Jesus done for you?  No matter the new circumstance, He is still able to keep you from falling.
Like Jesus being a prophet without honor , at some point in your life those closest to you will refused to believe in you.  They are not going to call upon you no matter what you do, not going to consider your skill or talent, nor  will they realize and recognize you as the answer to their prayer.  As a result, you won't be able to contribute to your best work, and they won't receive all that God has for them.  It won't be people you don't know who won't support you, but people you know -- family, friends, co-workers, church members -- people right there in your town operating by a jaded perspective of familiarity, influence by those around them, the know-it-alls; and by cultural, religious, socio-economic, environmental factors, they won't believe. 
So, whose influencing your unbelief?  Are they the "believers"?  Don't let their lack of faith negatively impact your relationship with God.  Don't give up, but continue to trust in the Lord. The Bible says,  He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him. Hebrews 11:6.

WLOU Radio Hosts Lonnie Hunter Meet and Greet in Louisville



One of the biggest names in gospel music, Lonnie Hunter, producer of songs Even Me (The Drip Drop Song), Let's Dance, among others, came to Louisville for 104.7 FM WinterFest, December 11th & 12th. WLOU/104.7 FM Radio hosted a pre-WinterFest Meet and Greet with the Stellar-Award winning gospel artist, and syndicated radio show host on Friday, December 11th at The Life Conference Suite. Attendees spoke with, took selfies with Lonnie, listened to his new project, and picked up copies of his new CD, #GetItDone, featuring the new single, He's Worthy.

 

Gospel Artist Lonnie Hunter is Coming to Louisville This Weekend at WinterFest

Stellar-Award Gospel artist Lonnie Hunter will be in Louisville this Friday, December 11 for the 104.7 FM Meet and Greet at The Life Conference Suite, 6:00 pm, a prelude to 104.7 FM's WinterFest

WinterFest Christmas Celebration and Vendor Wonderland, is Saturday, December 12th, at Old Walnut Street, 1300 W. Muhammad Ali, presented by 104.7, that's WLOU on FM and 1240 WLLV. WinterFest features national gospel artist Lonnie Hunter, local artists, choirs, and praise teams, vendor wonderland, polar express for the kids, and Christmas Café, hourly drawings of bikes, flat screen televisions and much more! You don't want to miss it! Hear your favorite Christmas caroles sung live, as we celebrate Jesus, the Perfect Gift, the reason for the season.

We are honored to have Lonnie Hunter ministering in song at WinterFest. Listen to 104.7, that's WLOU on FM for the details. Log onto WLOUonline.com!

Vintage Lonnie Hunter and the Voices of St. Mark reminding us beautifully in song that God loved the world so that he gave his one and only son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. This song will bless you, and minister the unquenchable love of Jesus to your spirit!