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December 25, 2022December 25, 2022

The Hope of Christmas Pt. 4: The Decree of Caesar Augustus

Merry Christmas!

We all know the Christmas Story of Luke chapter 2. It starts with, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” When we read this verse, we don’t think much about it, as I’m sure Caesar didn’t either. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the significance of one of the most overlooked verses in the Bible in his Christmas message, The Hope of Christmas Pt. 4: The Decree of Caesar Augustus.

Luke 2:1-20 (KJV)
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
Jeremiah 1:12
Ezekiel 12:25
Luke 1:37

The Decree of Caesar Augustus

¹ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

This decree of Caesar Augustus started the beginning of the greatest gift from above.

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

The angels rejoiced because they understood that the greatest Christmas gift had just been given to all of mankind. Jesus is the true message of Christmas.

¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke 2

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The Hope of Christmas Pt. 3: And His Name Shall Be Called Jesus

Every year on December 25^th, we celebrate the birth of Christ. This year is no different, but do we fully understand what we’re celebrating? What does it truly mean for all of mankind that Jesus Christ was born 2000 years ago? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings us to the true meaning of the birth of Christ in his message, The Hope of Christmas Pt. 3: And His Name Shall Be Called Jesus.

Matthew 1:18–25
John 1:11
Matthew 1:18b
Luke 1:39
Luke 1:30–31
Proverbs 27:1
Acts 4:10–12
John 16:33
Matthew 1:21

And His Name Shall Be Called Jesus

The Prophecy of Jesus Christ

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ²⁰But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
²³“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call His name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). ²⁴When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, ²⁵but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called His name Jesus.

Matthew 1:21-25

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The Hope of Christmas Pt. 2: The Dragon Who Tried to Steal Christmas

Today, Christmas is becoming more and more controversial to celebrate. Many could argue that Christmas itself is under attack. Many don’t realize that this isn’t new. Christmas has always been under attack from the very beginning. 2,000 years ago, there was a war between good and evil. God Himself was the subject of an attack by the enemy. But when was this attack, and when was Christ ever really in jeopardy? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the very first attack on Christmas in his message, The Hope of Christmas Pt. 2: The Dragon Who Tried to Steal Christmas.

Matthew 2:1–2
Matthew 2:9–11
Matthew 2:7–8
Hebrews 4:13
Revelation 12
Esther 1:13

The Dragon Who Tried to Steal Christmas

¹³Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy Him.” ¹⁴And he rose and took the child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt ¹⁵and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ¹⁸“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Matthew 2:13-18

What does this have to do with the dragon trying to steal the very hope of Christmas?

¹ And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ²She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. ³And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. ⁴His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. ⁵She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, ⁶and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Revelation 12:1-6

Satan is the dragon that tried to steal the very hope of Christmas through King Herod.

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The Hope of Christmas Pt. 1: The Promise of Christmas

Every Christmas season, we read the same Christmas verses on the Birth of Christ Jesus, Matthew 2, Luke 2, Isaiah 9, etc. These are everyone’s go-to Christmas verses, but what if there’s a Christmas verse we’ve missed that’s hidden in plain sight? A Christmas verse that was given to bring hope to all people? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the Christmas promise we’ve all missed in his message, The Hope of Christmas Pt. 1: The Promise of Christmas.

Genesis 22:15–19 (NKJV)
Genesis 17:5–6
John 8:56 (NIV)
Genesis 22:2
Genesis 21:12
Galatians 3:15–18 (NKJV)

The Promise of Christmas

Fulfilling the Promise of Christmas

Birth of Christ Jesus

⁶For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

Jesus is the promise or prophecy of Christmas fulfilled. It’s His birth that gives us hope because, without Jesus, there is no salvation. There is no hope. There is no light in the world. There is nothing.

Luke 2:1-7

Jesus fulfilled the first promise of His coming 2,000 years ago (the first Christmas), but that’s not the end of the story. Jesus will come again.

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Oh To Know Him

Many people believe in God. In fact, the majority of people believe in God, but the majority of people who believe in God don’t truly have a relationship with God outside of church on Sunday mornings. The idea is that as long as they go to church and hear the word of God, that’s enough to save them. But is this Biblical? Is there more to salvation than just going to church or knowing the Bible? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of building our relationship with God as well as how to do that effectively in his message, Oh To Know Him.

Exodus 33:12–23
Exodus 32:34
Jeremiah 9:23–24
2 Corinthians 10:17
Exodus 20:18–21
Psalms 103:6–8
Exodus 34:6–7
1 Corinthians 15:33–34

Oh To Know Him

The Importance of Knowing God

¹⁸Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off ¹⁹and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” ²⁰Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” ²¹The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Exodus 20:18–21

²³Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, ²⁴but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Jeremiah 9:23–24

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The Joy of Thanksgiving

Every year we celebrate Thanksgiving with family, friends, and food, but is there more to it? What exactly is thanksgiving, and why is it important to be thankful? Join Reverend Jenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of giving thanks in his message, The Joy of Thanksgiving.

Psalms 100:1–5
Psalms 47:1
Psalms 100:1b–2ESV
Psalm 150:6
Matthew 15:8
Deuteronomy 8:11–18
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
1 Chronicles 16:4
1 Chronicles 16:7
Romans 1:21
Psalms 100:4–5

The Joy of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

¹ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! ² Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! ³Know that the Lord, he is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. ⁴Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! ⁵For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 100:1-5

⁴Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁵Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, ⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. ⁷Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

1 Chronicles 16:4-7

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The Spirit of Pharaoh

In the Christian world, we talk about different spirits. We talk about the spirit of Python, the spirit of Jezebel, the spirit of antichrist, and so on. Like all nations, America is also under a spiritual influence. A spirit that’s bent on depopulation, the murder of babies, and removing the man from the equation altogether. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the spirit behind America’s increasing darkness in his fiery message, The Spirit of Pharaoh.

Exodus 1:8–14, 22
Exodus 1:15–22
Mark 16:15–18
Exodus 5:20–21
1 Peter 2:9–10
Revelation 9:1-6
Luke 10:19

The Spirit of Pharaoh

Pharaoh (King of Egypt) in the Bible

⁸Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. ¹⁰Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” ¹¹Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. ¹²But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. ¹³So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves ¹⁴and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
¹⁵Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ¹⁶“When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” ¹⁷But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. ¹⁸So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” ¹⁹The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” ²⁰So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. ²¹And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. ²²Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

Exodus 1:8-22

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Worth Fighting For

On November 11th, we celebrate and honor the brave men and women that fought for our freedom. Veterans were willing to give up everything, including their lives so that we could have the opportunity to have everything. They believed that freedom was worth fighting for. They believed that you were worth fighting for, just like Jesus believed you were. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of the spiritual battle surrounding us in his message, Worth Fighting For. Happy Veterans Day.

2 Samuel 22:2-4
Exodus 15:3
Isaiah 42:13
Psalms 24:8
Psalm 110:1
Ephesians 6:12
John 15:12-13

Worth Fighting For

Am I Worth Fighting For?

So many of us have doubts about ourselves and our worth.

Jesus Believes You Are Worth Fighting For

⁷For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. ¹⁰For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. ¹¹More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:7-11

²¹But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. ²⁶It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:21-26

You were, are, and always will be worth fighting for.

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Halloween, A Tradition or A Door?

During this season, the world seems to get darker and darker. This time of year is when the world celebrates Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, or Samhain. Many Christians will take part in trick or treating (or Trunk or Treating), dressing up, or decorating their homes in dark and creepy decorations this Halloween. If Halloween is about darkness and horror, what does the Church have to do with it? If it’s just a tradition, is it okay for Christians to celebrate and participate in Halloween, or is it opening spiritual doors? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the Truth behind this gruesome holiday in his message, Halloween, A Tradition or A Door?

1 Samuel 16:14–16
1 Samuel 14:47–48
Matthew 12:28
Matthew 11:12
1 Samuel 14:47b–48
Numbers 31:12
Numbers 31:14–16
1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 8:13
1 Samuel 15:23a

Halloween, A Tradition or A Door?

The Tradition of Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve or Samhain) in the Bible

The origins of Halloween are in the occult, specifically the pagan festival of Samhain. Therefore, why are Christians celebrating this pagan festival? Because if it is pagan, then it isn’t of God. If it isn’t of God, then it is evil. Therefore, why are Christians celebrating and participating in Halloween if it’s evil?

¹⁴Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
¹⁷Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
¹⁸and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

John Ramirez’ Five Reasons Christians Shouldn’t Celebrate Halloween:

1. Gives Devil Legal Rights
2. Eternal Mistake
3. Important Satanic Holiday
4. Grieves Holy Spirit
5. Demonically Cursed Candy and Costumes

Opening Spiritual Doors

²⁰Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah 5:20

²⁰Do not despise prophecies, ²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil. ²³Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:20-23

⁴³When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. ⁴⁴Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.

Matthew 12:43-45

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Lovers of Self

Today our society pushes self-love and self-acceptance. We teach our kids from a young age to just be who they are. While this may seem like a positive and motivational practice, the results are a self-pleasuring, conceited, vain, and hard-of-heart generation. So, does this mean it’s wrong to love ourselves? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of dying to self in his message, Lovers of Self.

2 Timothy 3:2a, 4b
Genesis 4:6
1 Corinthians 6:19–20
Acts 9:4–6
Romans 15:3
Philippians 2:21
Matthew 24:12
Romans 14:7–9

Lovers of Self

Self Love

The Dangers of Self Love

¹ But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ²For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

²⁴Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done.”

Matthew 16:24-27

The Importance of Destroying Being a Lover of Self

³¹ I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die [to self] daily.

1 Corinthians 15:31

¹⁰And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. ¹¹And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. ¹²Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Revelation 12:10-12

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Merry Christmas!

The Decree of Caesar Augustus

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And His Name Shall Be Called Jesus

The Prophecy of Jesus Christ

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The Dragon Who Tried to Steal Christmas

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Fulfilling the Promise of Christmas

Birth of Christ Jesus

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Oh To Know Him

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The Joy of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

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Worth Fighting For

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Halloween, A Tradition or A Door?

The Tradition of Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve or Samhain) in the Bible

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Opening Spiritual Doors

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Lovers of Self

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The Dangers of Self Love

The Importance of Destroying Being a Lover of Self

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