Rosh Hashana is also known as the Feast of Trumpets. Scripture tells us that the Law was a shadow of good things to come. That then begs the question, What does Rosh Hashana foreshadow, and what does it mean for us today? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to our connection to Rosh Hashana in his eye-opening message, Rosh Hashana.
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 โSpeak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the Lord.โ
Leviticus 23:23-25
1 On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the Lord: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.
Over two decades ago, the United States experienced a terrorist attack that shook the nation and the people, changing America forever. Every year we take time to remember the 9/11 terrorist attack as Patriot Day. Americaโs foundation was strong enough that it didnโt completely crumble after the horrendous attack on that tragic day. Though America is no longer under a physical attack, she is under a spiritual one. The soul of each nation rests in the hands of the people. If the people are righteous, the nation will be righteous. If America is spiritually under attack, then her people are spiritually under attack. Jesus said that He would build His Church on the rock, and nothing would be able to prevail against it. Who is that rock that Jesus built His Church on? And how do we build our lives on the rock? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the constant attacks of the enemy on our souls in his powerful message, The Firm Foundation.
Ephesians 6:10-12 2 Corinthians 12:10 Matthew 16:18 Acts 10:26 Matthew 7:24โ27 Matthew 16:13โ17 1 Corinthians 3:10โ15 Proverbs 18:10 Psalms 55:22
The Firm Foundation
Build Your Life on the Rock
13ย Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples,ย โWho do people say that the Son of Man is?โย 14ย And they said, โSome sayย John the Baptist, others sayย Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.โย 15ย He said to them,ย โBut who do you say that I am?โย 16ย Simon Peter replied,ย โYou areย the Christ,ย the Son ofย the living God.โย 17ย And Jesus answered him,ย โBlessed are you,ย Simon Bar-Jonah! Forย flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,ย but my Father who is in heaven.ย 18ย And I tell you,ย you are Peter, andย on this rockย I will build my church, andย the gates ofย [hades]ย shall not prevail against it.ย 19ย I will give youย the keys of the kingdom of heaven, andย whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosedย in heaven.โ
Matthew 16:13-19
Who is the Rock?
Jesus is the rock.
24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be likeย a wise man who built his house on the rock.ย 25ย And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.ย 26ย And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be likeย a foolish man who built his house on the sand.ย 27ย And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus is the rock that we, His Church, must build our lives on because He is the rock that cannot be moved.
4ย As you come to Him, a living stoneย rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,ย 5ย you yourselves like living stones are being built up asย a spiritual house, to beย a holy priesthood,ย to offer spiritual sacrificesย acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.ย 6ย For it stands in Scripture: โBehold, I am laying in Zion a stone,ย a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.โ 7ย So the honor is for you whoย believe, but for those whoย do not believe, โThe stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,โ 8ย and โA stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.โ They stumble because they disobey the word,ย as they were destined to do. 9ย But you areย a chosen race,ย a royalย priesthood,ย a holy nation,ย a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called youย out of darkness intoย His marvelous light.ย 10ย Once you were not a people, but now you are Godโs people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Jesus is the living rock, the cornerstone, that is the firm foundation of the Church to build our lives on, but the stumbling block of all who refuse to believe.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study estimate that almost 800,000 people die from suicide every year. Thatโs one person every 40 seconds. This statistic alone should make every personโs eyes open to the real pandemic overtaking our nation, suicide. Suicide has been downplayed more and more in our culture by calling it a beautiful tragedy or saying that the person is finally at peace. We even go as far as to rename suicide and defend that that person is now given the chance to die with dignity. Our culture is shifting further and further to the acceptance of suicide as a cultural norm, but what does God say? Does God have an opinion on suicide? Does the Bible talk about suicide? Is suicide a sin? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings awareness to the heartbreaking subject in his somber message, Suicide, A Real Pandemic.
Deuteronomy 30:19 Acts 3:13โ15 Judges 9:52โ54 Judges 16:29โ30 1 Samuel 31:3-6 2 Samuel 17:23 1 Kings 16:18-19 Matthew 27:3-5 Job 1:6 Job 2:9โ10 Job 3:1โ12 John 10:10 (NKJV) Romans 6:16 1 Corinthians 6:19โ20 1 Corinthians 6:20b
Suicide, A Real Pandemic
Suicide Statistics
The reason suicide is a real pandemic, is because suicide is increasing in our society today, especially in our younger generation.
Data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that suicide rates in youth aged 10-24 have increased by 57% between 2007 and 2018. This is a rise from 7 in every 100,000 people to 11. The U.S suicide rate within all age groups was 14 people in every 100,000 in 2018. More than a quarter of young adults reported seriously considering suicide in the last 30 days.
Suicide is a real pandemic, according to the CDC. As if these stats weren’t enough, the CDC stated:
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the US. Suicide rates increased in nearly every state from 1999 through 2016. Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor. In fact, many people who die by suicide are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death.
3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, โDraw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.โ But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.
1 Samuel 31:3-6
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
2 Samuel 17:23
3 Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, โI have sinned by betraying innocent blood.โ They said, โWhat is that to us? See to it yourself.โ 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
We, here at HoldToHope, believe that suicide is a spirit, as we believe every sin has a spirit behind it. 1 John 4:1 tells us,
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
We believe that it is a Spirit of Suicide that plants the seed that someone is worthless, hopeless, doomed, or disgusting in their head. Therefore, finding relief would begin in the mind. It all starts with changing your thoughts. But how do you do that? You have to make a conscious decision to change your thoughts. Then you fill your mind with scripture to tell you the truth that you are not worthless. That you are loved. You are beautiful. You are wanted. You are not disgusting. You are a Child of God. Don’t fall prey to this pandemic of suicide
Verses For Suicide Prevention
Don’t be another statistic in this growing pandemic of suicide. Allow Jesus, the Word of God, to fill you and heal you inside and out. May the LORD mend your broken heart and heal your wounds as you read these verses. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Verses For Depression
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalms 34:18
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation 6 and my God.
Psalms 42:5-6a
8 By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock: โWhy have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?โ 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, โWhere is your God?โ 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.
Psalms 42:8-11
Verses For Anxiety
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
5 Let your reasonableness [gentleness, your trust in God] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand [the LORD is with you]; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:5-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God [bow down and worship God, spend time with Him] so that at the proper time He may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, โWhat shall we eat?โ or โWhat shall we drink?โ or โWhat shall we wear?โ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:25-34
Verses For Self-Hate
1 But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O [insert name], He who formed you, O [insert name]: โFear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:1-3a
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.
John 3:16-17
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous personโthough perhaps for a good person one would dare even to dieโ 8 but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.
Romans 5:8
Verses For Hopelessness
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
Luke 1:36
27 But He said, โWhat is impossible with man is possible with God.โ
Luke 18:27
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through Him [Christ Jesus] who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:12-13
Verses For Feeling Alone (Loneliness)
20 We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You.
Psalms 33:20-22
13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
Jesus is famous for saying that the Truth will set you free (John 8:32). So, here’s the Truth. Suicide is a real pandemic. Suicide is a sin that leads to eternal death. Suicide is a lying spirit. Anyone can overcome the Spirit of Suicide through the redeeming blood of Jesus. No weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17), if you put your faith in Christ and build a relationship with Him, through His Holy Spirit.
If you’d like peace, say this prayer with all of your heart and believe it with everything in you, regardless of what you see with your eyes or feel within you at this moment.
Dear Jesus,
Please forgive me for any sins that I have committed knowingly and unknowingly. Please redeem me by Your blood that was shed on the cross for my freedom. I accept Your forgiveness, and I declare You as LORD and Savior of my life. Thank You for Your forgiveness. By Your stripes, I have been healed. The chastisement that brought me peace, was upon You. Thank You for Your healing. Thank You for Your peace that passes all understanding that You have given to me, LORD Jesus. Please help me to remember every day that You, LORD Jesus, love me and have a plan for me. Help me to remember that I am not worthless nor was I created by accident. I am divinely designed by You, the creator of all things. Please fill me with Your presence so that You never seem far away.
Every year, here in America, we celebrate the 4th of July. So many people donโt even know what weโre celebrating, yet itโs the very foundation on which America was built. July 4th, 1776, marks the day that we drafted our freedom from the tyranny of Great Britain. Because of this day, many generations have been blessed with freedom. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to our spiritual Independence Day in his message, The Truth Will Set You Free.
John 8:31โ36
The Truth Will Set You Free
Freedom in Christ Jesus
As Christians, we have been given freedom from the slavery of sin by the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ.
31ย So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him,ย โIf you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,ย 32ย and you willย know the truth, and the truthย will set you free.โย 33ย They answered Him,ย โWe are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, โYou will become freeโ?โ 34ย Jesus answered them,ย โTruly, truly, I say to you,ย everyone who practices sin is a slaveย to sin.ย 35ย The slave does not remain in the house forever;ย the son remains forever.ย 36ย So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.โ
John 8:31-36
1 Forย freedom Christ hasย set us free;ย stand firm therefore, and do not submit again toย a yoke ofย slavery.
Galatians 5:1
The Need For Salvation
21ย But nowย the righteousness of Godย has been manifested apart from the law, althoughย the Law and the Prophets bear witness to itโย 22ย the righteousness of Godย through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.ย For there is no distinction:ย 23ย forย all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,ย 24ย and are justifiedย by His grace as a gift,ย through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,ย 25ย whom Godย put forward asย a propitiationย by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because inย His divine forbearance He had passed overย former sins.ย 26ย It 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 3:21-25
10ย For all who rely on works of the law areย under a curse; for it is written,ย โCursed be everyone who does notย abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.โย 11ย Now it is evident thatย no one is justified before God by the law, forย โThe righteous shall live by faith.โ 12ย But the law is not of faith, ratherย โThe one who does them shall live by them.โย 13ย Christย redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for usโfor it is written,ย โCursed is everyone who is hangedย on a treeโโย 14ย so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham mightย come to the Gentiles, so thatย we might receiveย the promised Spiritย through faith.
Galatians 3:10-14
In other words, without Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, we would be unable to be free from the chains of sin. We would be unable to overcome. We only overcome, because Christ first overcame. We overcome the World through Him. We overcome our sin through Jesus Christ. This is the need for salvation.
How to Use The Truth To Overcome and Be Set Free?
The only way to the know the Truth in order that you might be set free, is to read and study the Word of God.
17ย Soย faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
We must first have the faith, which only comes through the Word of Christ. And the only way to overcome is to have the Word of God in us so that we might use it when we are under spiritual, emotional, and even physical attack.
12ย Forย the word of God is living andย active,ย sharper than anyย two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, andย discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Every 5 minutes, a Christian is murdered for their faith. All around the world, people are being tortured for their beliefs and/or political stances. In fact, people are being tortured for no reason at all. What do we as Christians do when it comes to persecution of the Church (other Christians) or others in general? Do we stand up for what’s right? Are we a voice for the voiceless? Do we pray for the persecuted Church? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the desire of God in his message, The Persecuted Victims of Torture.
Jeremiah 38:1โ6 Matthew 24:9โ13
The Persecuted Victims of Torture
Where In Scripture Does It Talk About The Victims of Torture?
31ย When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him,ย then He will sit on His glorious throne.ย 32ย Before Himย will be gatheredย all the nations, andย He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separatesย the sheep from the goats.ย 33ย And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. 34ย Thenย the King will say toย those on His right, โCome, youย who are blessed by my Father,ย inheritย the kingdomย prepared for youย from the foundation of the world.ย 35ย Forย I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and youย gave me drink,ย I was a stranger and you welcomed me,ย 36ย I was naked and you clothed me,ย I was sick and youย visited me,ย I was in prison and you came to me.โ
37ย Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, โLord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?ย 38ย And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?ย 39ย And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?โย 40ย Andย the King will answer them,ย โTruly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of theseย my brothers,ย you did it to me.โ
How Is This About Victims of Torture?
According to Jesus, how we treat the Church, especially the persecuted Church, will be how we treat Him. Jesus isn’t physically on this earth anymore. He now lives through us, His Church. So, when the judge, Jesus, tells them they have done well because they took care of the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and prisoner. Jesus isn’t talking about a physical act. This is a spiritual action. This is ministering. Verse 44 confirms this. Jesus is saying that we need to have compassion and love for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that are victims of torture because of their faith. Those who are being persecuted for their faith. How do we do that? We pray for the persecuted church. We lift their name up before the throne of Heaven.
And If We don’t?
41ย Then He will say to those on His left,ย โDepart from me, youย cursed, intoย the eternal fire prepared forย the devil and his angels.ย 42ย Forย I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,ย 43ย 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.โ
44ย Then they also will answer, saying, โLord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?โ45ย Then He will answer them, saying, โTruly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these,ย you did not do it to me.โย 46ย And these will go awayย into eternal punishment, but the righteousย intoย eternal life.
Over the last few decades, fathers have become more and more absent from their childrenโs lives. Many children today donโt have a father figure in their life anymore. In fact, many donโt even have a male presence in their life to help guide them. Thereโs a rise in gang violence, children and young adults getting arrested, fights, and shootings in schools. Could this be connected to the rise in father absence in our homes today? According to our ever-changing culture, fathers arenโt important to the family, but is this true? Are fathers replaceable? Is a father necessary to have in the household? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of a father in his Fatherโs Day Message, Dads Represent. Happy Fathers Day!
Proverbs 15:5
Dads Represent
Importance of Fathers
Dads represent our Heavenly Father while we’re here on earth. Fathers lead and teach the household in the ways of righteousness.
12Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12
7ย The righteous [man] whoย walks in his integrityโblessed are his children after him!
Proverbs 20:7
The Love of a Father
Fathers are to love their children as the LORD loves us.
11ย My son, do not despise the LORDโs discipline, and do not resent His rebuke,ย 12ย because the LORD disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Proverbs 3:11-12
20ย And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, andย ran andย embraced him andย kissed him.ย 21ย And the son said to him, โFather, I have sinned against heaven and before you.ย I am no longer worthy to be called your son.โ 22ย But the father said to his servants,ย โBring quicklyย the best robe, and put it on him, and putย a ring on his hand, andย shoes on his feet.ย 23ย And bringย the fattened calf and kill it, andย let us eat and celebrate.ย 24ย For this my sonย was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.โ And they began to celebrate.
The Feast of Shavuot was celebrated from the time of Moses. When the Day of Pentecost (Shavuot) had come in its entirety, the followers of Christ were together in one accord in the Upper Room. When they were in the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit came and filled all in the Upper Room with the Holy Spirit and His power. 2,000 years later, what happened to the power of the Holy Spirit that came down and filled those in the Upper Room? Does the Church still have power today? What does Joelโs prophecy in Joel 2 mean for the Church? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the power of the Holy Spirit in the Church today in his Pentecost Sunday message, Whereโs the Power?
Joel 2:28โ29 Acts 2:1โ4NKJV Joel 2:28โ29 Acts 2:14โ18 2 Corinthians 6:14โ16 Psalm 91:1 Acts 2:17a
Whereโs the Power?
The Power of The Holy Spirit
6ย So when they had come together, they asked him, โLord,ย will you at this timeย restore the kingdom to Israel?โย 7ย He said to them,ย โIt is not for you to knowย times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.ย 8ย But you will receiveย powerย when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, andย you will beย my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea andย Samaria, andย to the end of the earth.โ
Acts 1:6-8
17ย And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spiritย on all flesh, and your sons andย your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions,ย and your old men shall dream dreams; 18ย even on my male servants and female servantsย in those days I will pour out my Spirit, andย they shall prophesy.
Acts 2:17-18
ย 20ย Forย the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
Every year we celebrate Memorial Day in honor of our fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom, but is that freedom slowly being taken away? Are those with power and authority in our government looking out for our best interest? Are we repeating mistakes of the past? How do we differentiate between good and evil? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the true destination our current course is leading us to in his Memorial Day message, They Died For Freedom.
Matthew 7:13โ27 Matthew 10:14โ15 Matthew 11:20โ24 1 Thessalonians 5:2โ3 Matthew 15:12โ14 John 3:16
They Died For Freedom
Standing Up For Freedom
There are some who don’t believe that we should honor those who died for our freedom, but according to Jesus, this is no greater love than to die for another.
13ย There is no greater love than to lay down oneโs life for oneโs friends.
John 15:13
It’s because of their sacrifice that we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have today. It’s because of their sacrifice that we aren’t murdered for our faith as the early Church was. It’s because of their sacrifice that we don’t have to live in fear that we will be killed for our faith, as those in different parts of the world are today. They died for our freedom so that we can freely make a stand for Christ without the fear of punishment that Peter and John endured.
18ย So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.ย 19ย But Peter and John answered them,ย โWhether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,ย 20ย forย we cannot but speak of whatย we have seen and heard.โ
Acts 4:18-20
So, this Memorial Day, don’t forget the fallen men and women that gave us the freedom we have today in America. Honor their memory by standing up for freedom. Honor their memory by making a stand for your faith.
Happy Motherโs Day. In todayโs society, itโs easy to overlook mothers and their importance in the family when society continuously tells us that to be a mother is an easy and/or pointless job. But what exactly is a mother? And what is the role of a mother? And is a mother important in the family? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of mothers in his Motherโs Day message, Carry Him to His Mother.
Carry Him to His Mother
18ย When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers.ย 19ย And he said to his father, โOh,ย my head, my head!โ The father said to his servant, โCarry him to his mother.โ
2 Kings 4:18-19
During the time of Elisha, there was a Shunammite woman who had no son, and her husband was old, but every time Elisha was in her area, she fed him and even built a room special for him. So, as a thank you, Elisha blessed her with a son. Now, when the child had grown, one day he hurt his head, immediately the father told the servant to carry him to his mother. Why? Because the father knew that mothers had the intuition from God about what to do for their children and how to take care of them. It was because of this that Elisha was able to raise the boy from the dead and give the woman her son back.
This is the day that we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This Resurrection Sunday (Easter Sunday) is three days after the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. And with His death, He purchased the souls of men with His own blood, and with His resurrection on the third day, He gave us eternal life. But before He could get to the resurrection, He had to go through the death and torture on the cross. The constant reminder of the price that He would have to pay for the redemption of the souls of mankind weighed on His shoulders. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the True price Jesus paid for our sins in His Resurrection Sunday (Easter Sunday) message, Now Is My Soul Troubled.
John 12:27โ36 Luke 22:39โ46 John 3:16
Now Is My Soul Troubled
Jesus in The Garden of Gethsemane
36ย Then Jesus went with themย to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples,ย โSit here, while I go over there and pray.โย 37ย And taking with Himย Peter andย the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled.ย 38ย Then He said to them,ย โMy soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, andย watchย with me.โย 39ย And going a little farther He fell on His faceย and prayed, saying,ย โMy Father, if it be possible, letย this cup pass from me;ย nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.โย 40ย And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter,ย โSo, could you not watch with me one hour?ย 41ย Watch andย pray that youย may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.โย 42ย Again, for the second time, He went away and prayed,ย โMy Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it,ย your will be done.โย 43ย And again He came and found them sleeping, forย their eyes were heavy.ย 44ย So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed forย the third time, saying the same words again.ย 45ย Then He came to the disciples and said to them,ย โSleep and take your rest later on.ย See,ย the hour is at hand, andย the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.ย 46ย Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.โ