Christmas is a time of hope and joy, but it seems almost hopeless in a world filled with pain, sorrow, grief, starvation, and death. Sometimes it feels as if the very joy is being sucked out of our bodies. What is the joy and hope of Christmas? And how do we receive that joy? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he preaches part one, Joy to the World, of his five-part series Christmas Tidings.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
In other words, “Joy to the world, the LORD is come.” Are you overjoyed to hear the good news? It doesn’t just bring happiness because happiness depends on circumstances, and when circumstances change, our happiness changes. Are circumstances changing your level of happiness? Do you get sad, or upset, or even angry when a situation or circumstance arises that you have no control over? Have you given someone else other than God the power to dictate your level of happiness? Then you need to ramp up the joy of the LORD.
How many of us can say that we are grateful for what we have? Now, how many of us can say that we are thankful for what we have? And is there a difference? Does it even matter? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he enlightens us on the importance of thankfulness in his message, The Act of Being Thankful.
When we are thankful, we can enter the presence of God.
3 Know 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. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! 5 For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:3-5
When we are thankful, we receive Salvation.
11 Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When He saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:11-19
The leper was already healed. It was because of his thankfulness that he received spiritual healing, redemption, Salvation.
How to Be More Thankful
Reverend Kenny Yates said, in his message, that there are four ways to maintain an atmosphere or attitude of thankfulness.
Say thank you at all times and for everything
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Do not complain or grumble
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Philippians 2:14–16
Identify at least 1 different thing every day that you are thankful for
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:20
Fake it until you make it.
Even if you don’t feel thankful, pretend to be thankful, say thank you continually.
Begin with:
34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!
Elijah was a regular man. He wasn’t secretly Superman. He wasn’t secretly Spiderman. He was a regular human being like you and me. The only difference between Elijah and us was the way that he prayed. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shares this fiery message on the powerful prayers of Elijah in the third part, The Power of Proclamation Pt. 2, of our three-part series on Effectual Fervent Prayers.
1 Kings 16:34 James 5:17-18 John 12:49 Job 22:28 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV 2 Corinthians 6:15 1 Kings 17:1 1 Kings 18:1 1 Samuel 17:47–49 2 Chronicles 20:13–17 1 Kings 18:41–42 James 4:2b-3 1 Thessalonians 5:17 John 6:11 Hebrews 4:12 Psalms 2:7–9
The Power of Proclamation
19 And [the Lord] said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Exodus 33:19
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:16
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Prayer is our greatest weapon, but why do we rarely use it? Why are we intimidated by prayer? What exactly is prayer? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings a powerful message, The Power of Proclamation Pt. 1, explaining the power of prayer as well as a few secrets of prayer.
Ezekiel 37:1–10 Ezekiel 37:3 John 6:5–6 John 1:43-46 Proverbs 19:21 Romans 8:28 Romans 8:16-17 Ezekiel 37:1 Ezekiel 37:4 Psalms 24:1 Psalms 24:2 Psalms 115:16 Genesis 1:26 Amos 3:6–7 Isaiah 53:5 1 Peter 2:24 Job 22:28 1 Peter 2:24b Isaiah 53:5b Psalms 107:20a Psalms 118:17 Matthew 9:35 Luke 6:19
The Power of Proclamation
Scriptures to Proclaim and Claim
The key to the power of proclamation is a strong prayer life and faith—the effectual fervent prayers of a righteous person availeth much.
…By His wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 2:24
…with His wounds we are healed
Isaiah 53:5
He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psalms 107:20a
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
Psalms 118:17
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
Matthew 9:35
And the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all.
Luke 6:19
The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
There is great power in proclamation. When Ezekiel proclaimed the dry bones became a great army. When Elijah proclaimed the heavens held its rain.
Why are we so attracted to darkness? Could it be because we are the light of the world, and we’re meant to go out into the darkness? or is it something much darker drawing us? What about witchcraft? Isn’t there a difference between White Witches and Black Witches? White Magic and Black Magic? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings the powerful second part of our series “Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See,” exposing the truth behind witchcraft and the occult.
In today’s society, we love to be scared. To get our adrenaline pumping. Heart racing. We love Fear. Why? Why has fear become a drug in our society? And it’s not just the world either; it’s the Church. We, as the Church, love this drug as well. We love to be with the rest of society indulging in the drug, but does this help build up the Temple of God? Should Christians watch Horror/Scary movies? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings the first message of our new message series titled, ‘Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See.’
2 Timothy 1:7 Psalm 101:2–4 Matthew 6:22–23 Proverbs 23:7KJV 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 John 15:4, 7-8 Philippians 4:8–9 Matthew 6:33 2 Corinthians 10:4–6
More Information on Christians and Horror/Scary Movies?
According to a study done by Psychology Today in 2008,
‘And anxiety has been increasing. The average high school kid has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s. We are getting more anxious every decade. Psychologists have speculated about the possible reasons for this increase in both anxiety and depression over the last fifty years.’
Psychology Today
The average high school kid in 2008 had the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s, and according to Psychology Today anxiety gets worse every decade. It’s now been over a decade since this study in 2008. So, how much more has our society become anxious? Why is anxiety rising at such a rampant speed in our society?
Could it be that we made a partnership with fear in the 60s when we introduced Creature Features? We no longer had to leave our homes to see horror films, we could turn on our television and tune in to watch classic horror films throughout the decades starting with the 30s. We no longer went to the movies, watched the film, and then returned to our home; instead we brought the horror films home with us.
The very definition of horror films should cause Christians to question their participation. According to Wikipedia,
“A horror film is one that seeks to elicit fear in its audience, for entertainment purposes… Horror films often aim to evoke viewers’ nightmares, fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown. Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force, event, or personage into the everyday world.”
Wikipedia horror film definition
To elicit: To call forth, draw out, or provoke.
To evoke: To call forth or up.
I want you to keep in mind that fear IS a real entity. It is NOT just a feeling. The bible attributes fear to an actual real-life living spirit, but as Christians, we hold to the promise of 2 Timothy 1:7, “7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” So, as Christians, why do we try to evoke and elicit a spirit of fear into our lives by watching these horror films? Matthew 6:22-23, “22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” If you continuously fill your eyes with darkness and fear, will that not cause your whole body to be dark? And if your whole body is dark, how can you be the Temple of the Living God?
We hear stories of men and women in the Bible, praying and seeing results. Elijah prayed effectual fervent prayers, and the heavens did not rain. Moses prayed, and God had mercy on the Children of Israel. David prayed and was a man after God’s own heart. The Bible is filled with extraordinary prayer warriors. We hear testimonies of men and women like Kathryn Kuhlman, Derek Prince, Smith Wigglesworth; all these men and women have incredible testimonies of seeing miraculous miracles taking place after they prayed. We hear these stories, but do we see these results in our time? Does God still answer prayers?
Why do we no longer see the results that the early Church saw? Or the results of testimonies like Kathryn Kuhlman, Derek Prince, or Smith Wigglesworth? Why aren’t our prayers being answered like Jesus promised? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings a powerful message explaining the key to “Effectual Fervent Prayers” of a righteous man.
James 5:16b Psalms 50:16 Proverbs 28:9 Proverbs 21:27 Malachi 1:8, 14–2:2 Matthew 10:37–39 Mark 1:35 Luke 22:31–32 Proverbs 15:8 1 Samuel 12:23 1 Timothy 2:1-2 1 Timothy 2:8 Psalms 109:4
Effectual Fervent Prayers
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
James 5:17-18
Answered prayers aren’t just for the past. They are for now. God answers the effectual fervent prayers of His children. He answers faith filled prayers.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:19-20
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
We often ask the question, “Do you know Jesus?” when in actuality, we should be asking, “Does Jesus know you?” Just because you’ve heard of someone or you’ve read about them, so you feel you know them, this doesn’t mean you can just enter their home or even just walk right up to them and speak to them. So, when it’s eternity, will Jesus know who you are? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of Jesus knowing us.
2 Peter 1:10-11 2 Peter 1:3-9 2 Timothy 1:12b Jeremiah 9:24 James 2:17 Matthew 7:21-23 John 15:4–6 1 John 2:2–6 Mark 12:30–31 Revelation 7:13b–14 James 4:4 Isaiah 60:1
The Feast of Tabernacles is the very last feast of the Jewish year. It’s celebrated for seven days, starting five days after the Day of Atonement. Like all feasts, The Feast of Tabernacles is a shadow of things to come, but what? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to this important feast.
Once a year, the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and present an offering on the Mercy Seat before the LORD. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross 2,000 years ago, He fulfilled the final and perfect sacrifice. But what exactly does the Day of Atonement have to do with us today? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he connects the past to the present in our latest message, The Day of Atonement.
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.”
