In our society today we no longer want the Truth, we only want our truth. If we each have our own versions of the truth, then how can we ever know what the true Truth is? What is Truth? Does it even matter if we know the Truth? Doesn’t God just want us to be happy? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of knowing God’s Word in his message, Know The Truth and Be Free.
John 8:31–38 John 8:30 John 18:38 John 8:36 John 17:17 John 1:14 Genesis 3:1–7
Know The Truth and Be Free
What is Truth?
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
John 14:6-7
Jesus is the Word of God and Jesus is Truth. Therefore, the Word of God is the only way we can know the Truth.
How To Be Free Through The Truth
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16:30-31
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
The world is getting darker, suicide rates are rising, and hope is dwindling. We have only a handful of flour and a little oil for one meal left. We all have something that we’re holding on to that feels as if we would die if we gave it up, but God is calling us to give it to Him. Why would a good God take all that we have? Does God give just to take away? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the key to opening the doors of Heaven that pours down blessings upon us in his message, Little is Much in the Hands of God.
13 Now when Jesus heard this, He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns. 14 When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And He said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
When speaking of tithes, it can feel very confusing. It seems as if God is giving to us just to take some back. What’s the purpose of the tithe? Why does God demand to have a tenth of what we have made? Why does God need the tithe? Is God giving to us just so He can take away? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he searches through Scripture to find the purpose of tithe in his message, Tithing Pt. 3: Receiving The Blessing.
Malachi 3:10–12 Matthew 6:19–21 Matthew 20:8–15 Luke 10:7 1 Corinthians 9:11 Philippians 4:15–17 Matthew 10:40–42 2 Corinthians 8:1–5 2 Corinthians 9:7–8
Tithing Pt. 3: Receiving The Blessing
How Do You Receive a Blessing From God?
What’s The Purpose of The Tithe?
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:10-12
When we give back to God, it’s an act of faith. It’s an act of trusting God and in return, God pours out even more blessings upon you. Tithing isn’t just so God can take away from us. Tithing is about faith and trust in the LORD God and His promises. It’s about putting God above yourself.
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 6:33-34
So, how do you receive a blessing from God? You give to God. When we give to God, He gives to us. God has already done His side of the bargain. He paid the debt of all of mankind. It was now up to mankind to accept that gift and give back to God. It’s a relationship. God has given to us, now we give back to God, but it doesn’t stop there. God then repays your tithes and offerings with even more blessings from Heaven.
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
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
How To Love?
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so 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. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48
15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even 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
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. 18 Whoever 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
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He 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. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And 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. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No 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. 2 Do 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
15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And 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.
In part one, we defined tithing as, That which belongs to God. We can then understand that the tithe isn’t optional. Why? Because the tithe doesn’t belong to us. The tithe belongs to God. It’s God’s portion out of what He has blessed us with. He gives us all we need, and in return, we give back a portion to God that we might honor the blessings we have received. And when we refuse to give to God what belongs to Him, we put ourselves under a curse because by refusing to tithe, we rob God. Throughout Scripture, God demanded what belonged to Him. Whether it was a forbidden fruit (The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) or a forbidden city (Jericho), God demanded the tithe then, and He still does now. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he goes a little deeper into the importance of bringing God the tithe in his message, Tithing Pt. 2: The Forbidden City.
Malachi 3:10–12 Joshua 6:17–21
Tithing Pt. 2: The Forbidden City
What is Tithing?
The Definition of Tithing
That Which Belongs To God.
Tithing is that portion that God has set aside for Himself out of what He has given to us. For all good things from the Father of Lights (James 1:17). Therefore, to refuse to give the tithe to the LORD is to rob God.
Jericho and the Tithe
15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.”
Joshua 6:15-19
Achan’s Sin
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.”
14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’”
Joshua 7:10-15
Jericho was not intended for the people of Israel. It was the first of the cities they had overcome in the land of Canaan and it was the city that the people of Israel were not allowed to gain from. Why? Because that was God’s portion. Jericho was the tithe.
When Jesus came, He came to bring a new and better covenant. Since then, we have no longer been under the Law given to the Jews by Moses, but now under the Law of Liberty, as James puts it. Because of this, many of us believe that tithing was only for the time of Law, but is this true? Do we no longer have to tithe because we are no longer under the Law? Can man no longer rob God? What is the tithe? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes and lays a steady foundation for us to build on in his message, Tithing Pt. 1: The Knowledge Tree.
6 For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:6-12
So, what is the tithe? Tithing is that which belongs to God. This changes the perspective of the tithe because the tithe isn’t just some random law that God gave to Moses. This now makes sense why to not give the tithe is to rob God.
Tithe Before The Law and After The Law
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Genesis 14:18-20
4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
Hebrews 7:4-10
Abraham paid a tithe to Melchizedek long before The Law of Moses because He understood that He had to pay God that which belongs to Him, through the High Priest of God. This continued during the Law of Moses, and it still continues to this day after the Law of Moses. The tithe still belongs to God; nothing has changed. Therefore, man can still rob God. So, give to God that which belongs to God.
The First Tithe
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Genesis 2:15-17
The tithe was before the Law; it was actually from the Garden of Eden. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was forbidden for both Adam and Eve, as well as any of their descendants that would have been born in the Garden of Eden. The forbidden fruit was forbidden because that knowledge wasn’t for Adam and Eve or any of their descendants. That knowledge was only for God alone; that was Adam’s tithe to God. When they ate of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they stole from God. They robbed God of His tithe.
Hope seems to be a fleeting commodity that our young people have no access to it. Suicide rates have skyrocketed. Anxiety and depression plague the average young person. People are losing their jobs. Rights are being taken away. Families are constantly mourning and burying their loved ones. The world seems to be getting darker and darker as the light seems to dim all around us. The world feels completely hopeless. Where’s the hope? Where’s the light at the end of this seemingly never-ending dark tunnel? Is there even hope in our world anymore? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the light that shines in the darkness all around us in his message, Is There Any Hope?
2 Timothy 3:1 Matthew 24:21–22 Hebrew 10:32–35 Matthew 9:36 Mark 5:25–26 1 Corinthians 3:21–23 1 Samuel 30:6
Is There Any Hope?
5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
8 For 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. 9 Indeed, 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. 10 He 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.
2 Corinthians 1:5-10
9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
1 Timothy 4:9-10
There is light at the end of the dark tunnel. There is hope in our world. Our hope is in Christ Jesus, the Light of the World, who saves us from our sin and is coming back for us. One day He will rid the world of all of its sin and create a new earth just for us. There He will abide with us and we with Him forever and ever.
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.
8 For 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. 9 Indeed, 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. 10 He 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. 11 You 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
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.
40 And 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.
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
Throughout Scripture, the second coming of Jesus is prophesied. From the prophets of old to the apostles to Jesus Himself, there are prophecies after prophecies of the second coming of Jesus. We get closer and closer to His return with every generation, yet the Messiah hasn’t returned yet. So, is the return of Jesus Christ something to worry about; will it happen in our lifetime? or is the return of Jesus Christ something far off that won’t happen in our lifetime? Is Jesus even coming back? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the promises of Jesus in his message, Hold Fast.
Revelation 3:11 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 Philippians 4:1 Luke 16:16 Revelation 4:4 Revelation 4:9-10 Revelation 22:7 Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV) John 13:34-35 Revelation 22:12 Revelation 22:20 2 Peter 3:9-10 Revelation 22:17
Hold Fast
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
What are the prophecies of Jesus’ second coming?
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:29-31
The Great Tribulation is initiated during the time of the Man of Lawlessness, which Paul confirms in the verse below. This is one of the biggest and most important signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
According to both Paul and Jesus Himself, the second coming of Jesus Christ will not come until after the Great Tribulation. This is one of the great signs that Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets of old have given us.
