Special Occasion Messages Archives

June 26, 2022August 28, 2022

The Persecuted Victims of Torture

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 38:1–6
Matthew 24:9–13

The Persecuted Victims of Torture

Where In Scripture Does It Talk About The Victims of Torture?

³¹When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³²Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then 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. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

³⁷Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰And 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.’

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?

⁴¹Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³I 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.’

⁴⁴Then 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?’ ⁴⁵Then 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.’ ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Matthew 25:31-46

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Dads Represent

Over the last few decades, fathers have become more and more absent from their children’s lives. Many children today don’t have a father figure in their life anymore. In fact, many don’t even have a male presence in their life to help guide them. There’s 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 aren’t 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 Father’s 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.

¹² Honor 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

⁷The righteous [man] who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!
Proverbs 20:7

The Love of a Father

Fathers are to love their children as the LORD loves us.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, ¹² because the LORD disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Proverbs 3:11-12

²⁰And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:20-24

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Where’s the Power?

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 Joel’s 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, Where’s the Power?

Joel 2:28–29
Acts 2:1–4NKJV
Joel 2:28–29
Acts 2:14–18
2 Corinthians 6:14–16
Psalm 91:1
Acts 2:17a

Where’s the Power?

The Power of The Holy Spirit

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:6-8

¹⁷And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; ¹⁸even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
Acts 2:17-18

²⁰For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
1 Corinthians 4:20

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They Died For Freedom

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 7:13–27
Matthew 10:14–15
Matthew 11:20–24
1 Thessalonians 5:2–3
Matthew 15:12–14
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.

¹³There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s 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.

¹⁸So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, ²⁰for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

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.

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Carry Him to His Mother

Happy Mother’s Day. In today’s society, it’s 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 Mother’s Day message, Carry Him to His Mother.

Carry Him to His Mother

¹⁸When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. ¹⁹And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
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.

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Now Is My Soul Troubled

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 12:27–36
Luke 22:39–46
John 3:16

Now Is My Soul Troubled

Jesus in The Garden of Gethsemane

³⁶Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” ³⁹And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? ⁴¹Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ⁴²Again, for the second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” ⁴³And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. ⁴⁵Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Matthew 26:36-46

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Humble and Riding on a Donkey

Every year the Church celebrates Palm Sunday, the Triumphal (Triumphant) Entry of Jesus. While we may call this the Triumphal Entry and celebrate it yearly, many of us have no idea why we refer to this event as the Triumphant Entry. What was the purpose of this event, and why is it so important to the Church? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the hidden meanings behind this event in his message, Humble and Riding on a Donkey.

Zechariah 9:9
Acts 1:9–11
Matthew 21:6–11
Revelation 12:12
Genesis 16:11–12
Galatians 4:21–25

Humble and Riding on a Donkey

The Triumphal (Triumphant) Entry

²⁸And when He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹When He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, ³⁰saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”

³²So those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them. ³³And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶And as He rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷As He was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Luke 19:28-40

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What Is Real Love?

So many people say they know what love is. They use phrases like love is love but never define what love is, so no one can really learn from this phrase. So, what is love? If we can’t define love, how can we show love? What does the Bible say about love? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the true meaning of love in his message, What Is Real Love?

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a (NIV)
Mark 12:30–31
Luke 6:32–36
John 3:16

What Is Real Love?

Definition of love

⁴Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

How To Love?

⁴³You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

¹⁵If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:15-17

The Love of God

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because He has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 3:16-18

¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.

John 10:11-18

Next Steps

¹ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2

¹⁵Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. ¹⁶But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:15-18

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Remember Me

Today is National Religious Freedom Day; it’s a day when we acknowledge and celebrate the freedom of religion that is written into our constitution. This luxury is not found in any other country. So, why does it feel like our society today is very keen on giving up our religious freedom? Are we just destined to join the Persecuted Church? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the dangers of losing our religious freedom and so much more in his message, Remember Me.

Matthew 24:9–12
1 Corinthians 13:1–3

Remember Me

Remember the Persecuted Church

Today we still have freedom that the early Church didn’t; don’t let that religious freedom come to an end. Don’t give it up, lest we too join in the persecuted Church. And for as long as there is a Church, we must pray for the persecuted Church, for prayer is our greatest weapon.

⁸For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. ⁹Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. ¹⁰He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver us again. ¹¹You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11

Websites to Partner with to Fight the Good Fight of Religious Freedom

https://www.prisoneralert.com/
https://www.persecution.com/
https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/who-are-the-fulani/
https://www.persecution.com/stories/fulani-muslim-convert-prepares-new-believers-for-persecution/
https://aclj.org/united-nations/religious-freedom-shaky-ground-united-nations

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Speak Up For the Least of These

We often talk about the slavery of the past. We make movies, songs, slogans, t-shirts, etc. about it, but we don’t really talk about the present slavery that takes place worldwide. The vile slavery of human trafficking is prevalent in our world today. It affects millions of people every single day, yet there doesn’t seem to be much anyone is doing to stop it. Is it our job to do something about it, or is this just out of our hands? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shines a light on the darkness of sex trafficking in his fiery message, Speak Up for the Least of These.

Proverbs 31:8–9 (NIV)
Revelation 18:11–13

Speak Up For the Least of These

The sex trafficking industry is one of the most financially lucrative crimes to get involved in. So many lives have been destroyed because of this evil. We have an obligation as humans, to help those who have been the victim of this horrible and vile practice. Look at what Jesus told us about taking care of others.

⁴⁰And 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.’
Matthew 25:40

Human Trafficking Stats

Louis-based Missouri Eastern District, said there has been a tremendous uptick in the number of children being recruited online for sexual purposes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Jansen, a former FBI agent, said 83 percent of prosecuted defendants last year used the internet as a means of solicitation.
news.ag.org

How to Help The Human Trafficked

JAN 1-31 | Move to End Human Trafficking

In honor of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, join us this January for a month of awareness to end human trafficking.

How To Get Involved?

1. Wherever you are, walk, run, or cycle this January to raise awareness about human trafficking in your community. Share your miles completed on social media with the hashtag #MovetoEndHT

2. Pledge $ per mile for someone you know participating this January, or follow Dr. Sandra Morgan on her goal of completing 100 miles in January to raise awareness about human trafficking.

3. Listen and learn about human trafficking by tuning into 31 Days to End Human Trafficking with the Ending Human Trafficking podcast on Instagram at @eht_podcast

Get involved!