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December 26, 2021January 7, 2022

‘Tis The Season: Twas The Day After Christmas

After Christmas Day, we tend to move on and forget the Birth of Christ because of the rush of cleaning up the mess of the presents/gifts and preparing for the coming new year. As the year moves on, we slowly forget more and more, until December 1^st comes around again, then suddenly we are all about the Birth of Christ. But is this the way it should be? Is the day after Christmas as important as Christmas Day? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of the story of the Wise Men in his message, ‘Tis The Season: Twas The Day After Christmas.

Matthew 2:1–6
Matthew 2:11 (KJV)
Matthew 2:16 (KJV)
Daniel 5:10–12
Matthew 2:7
2 Timothy 3:5
2 Timothy 3:10–12
John 4:35–38

Twas The Day After Christmas

The Day After Christmas: The Story of the Wise Men

Many believe that the Wise Men came to find the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger, but this isn’t actually the case. They arrived, if you will, the day after Christmas.

Their Encounter with King Herod

¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ²saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” ³When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: ⁶‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Matthew 2:1-6

Their Encounter with The Messiah

This is how we know for sure that the Wise Men encountered Jesus after He was grown a little. This had to be, if you will, the day after Christmas because Jesus was a child living in a house with His two parents.

⁷Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” ⁹After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ¹²And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:7-12

Today is the day after Christmas, are you still seeking Him?

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‘Tis The Season: O Little Town of Bethlehem

Happy Christmas Sunday! Christmas is about the promise of the Messiah being fulfilled. The prophets prophesied that the Messiah (Jesus) would receive an everlasting kingdom with eternal dominion. Every prophecy was tied into one, Immanuel. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he explains biblical mysteries in his Christmas Message, ‘Tis The Season: O Little Town of Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:6
John 7:14
John 6:35
Joshua 19:14–16
John 1:5
John 8:12
Isaiah 9:6–7
Micah 4:8
Matthew 28:18b
Genesis 49:10KJV
Psalm 110:4
Hebrews 7:15–17
Exodus 28:31–32NIV
Matthew 26:65
Isaiah 7:14

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Prophecy of Jesus’ in Bethlehem

² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Micah 5:2

This prophecy stirred the writing of the Christmas Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem:

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see Thee lie
Above Thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in Thee tonight

Jesus’ Authority

Jesus, through His earthly ancestry, has the right to sit on David’s throne, and through His heavenly ancestry, that is His deity, He has the right to sit on the Father’s throne with Him. So, Jesus has inherited the former and the ever-present dominion.

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‘Tis The Season: Our Christmas Mandate

Christmas is the season of hope and good news. The joy of the birth of the Son of God, but do we take the time to share the good news of Christ? Is it even important for us to share the good news of Christ? Isn’t it the pastor’s job to preach and teach the Gospel? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shares the importance of the Great Commission in his message, ‘Tis The Season: Our Christmas Mandate.

Luke 2:8–20
Luke 2:10b-12
Luke 2:15–16
Luke 2:17–18
John 1:35–42
Mark 16:15
Romans 10:14–15
Luke 2:12

Our Christmas Mandate

The Great Commission

¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁴How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Romans 10:14-15

This is our Christmas mandate. For as the Shepherds were told of the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ and shared all they have seen and heard, so are we to go and share all we have seen and heard.

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‘Tis The Season: Christmas is Giving

Christmas time has become a hectic time of shopping, lights, and decorating. Often times it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of everything that we forget the true meaning of Christmas. We forget that Christmas is the season of giving and rejoicing for Christ (our ultimate Christmas gift) came 2000 years ago to give us the hope of Salvation in Him. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he dives deeper into the true meaning of the Christmas season in his message, ‘Tis The Season: Christmas is Giving.

Matthew 1:18–23
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6–7
2 Corinthians 8:3–5
Proverbs 11:30b
Luke 10:41b–42
John 3:16
John 10:27–30
Romans 8:31–39
1 Corinthians 13:4–8

Christmas is Giving

Why Do We Give At Christmas?

At Christmas time we give gifts because God gave the ultimate gift of His Son Jesus 2,000 years ago. The wise men continued this tradition when they brought the gifts of Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh. We continue this tradition today by giving gifts to our loved ones.

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

¹¹And going into the house, they (the wise men) saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11

The Gift of Christ

Jesus was the ultimate Christmas gift. God set the standard for giving when He gave His one and only Son that we might have Salvation in Him. This Christmas season, remember that giving is more than just physical gifts, for God gave more than just something bought in a store.

³⁰And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, ³³and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:30-33

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Striving For Holiness

There is a way that seems right to us, but it leads to death. When we go based solely on our own feelings and on our own thoughts and opinions, instead of going based solely on Scripture, we veer off the path that God has set before us. We miss the Truth that sets us free. We miss the path to everlasting life. Sometimes preconceived ideas keep us from getting to the next level. We stop asking questions like: Are we called to be holy? Is God the only one who is holy? Can Christians be holy? How do I be a good Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian? Do I have to change for God? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the Truth in his message, Striving For Holiness.

1 Thessalonians 4:1–8
Hebrews 12:14
Proverbs 4:24
Philippians 4:8
Exodus 20:7
Romans 12:1–2^NIV
2 Corinthians 6:17–18
1 John 1:9
John 8:36
2 Corinthians 5:17
Galatians 3:1a
Proverbs 14:12
1 Samuel 2:25b

Striving For Holiness

Can Christians Be Holy?

Are we called to be holy? Is God the only one who is holy? Can Christians be holy? How do I be a good Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian?

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.²⁸In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
Ephesians 5:25-28

¹³Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, ¹⁵but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:13-16

Do I have to change for God?

We are called to be a new creation in Christ Jesus that we might have the chance to strive for holiness as Christ is holy.

¹⁶From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17

¹⁵For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Galatians 6:15

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Thankful and Grateful

In our society today, it can be difficult to find something to be thankful for. With sin running rampant and selfish actions causing harm to so many, being thankful or grateful seems to be at the bottom of so many’s to-do lists. And from the surface, it makes sense, but is that what God had in mind for us? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he explains God’s true desire for all of our lives in his Thanksgiving Day message, Thankful and Grateful.

Psalms 118:24KJV
Psalms 50:14–15
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Psalms 50:22–23

Being Thankful and Grateful

Verses on Thanksgiving

⁴Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
Psalms 100:4

²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:21

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Statistics on Thanksgiving

Being thankful or grateful can improve:

Your relationships
Your physical health
Your mental and emotional health
And cause your employees to work harder without any further incentives

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Watchman What Time of the Night?

In the Church today, many of us have lost the Spirit of Discernment. We can no longer discern the signs of the times, and instead of seeking that discernment, we shrug it off. Some say no one can know the mind of God and move on. While others don’t believe it’s up to them to witness, teach, or warn another soul, so it doesn’t matter anyway. But is this how the body of Christ is to think and behave? Are we called out of the world to just stay to ourselves, or is there more to the call of us Christians? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes in his heart-wrenching message, Watchman What Time of the Night?

Isaiah 21:11–12
Luke 19:40
John 9:4
1 Peter 4:7
Revelation 6:9–11
Matthew 24:9–11
Matthew 24:20–21
Jeremiah 6:17
Ezekiel 34:1–4
Isaiah 56:10–11
Joel 3:14–16
Psalms 30:5

Watchman, What Time of the Night?

Are Christians Watchmen?

Because we live under the New and Better Covenant filled with grace, many disregard the entire Old Testament. But the entire Old Testament isn’t the Law, and neither should we just disregard the Law completely. For the Law was a shadow of things to come. There is much to still learn from the Law. But with that said, take a look at what God warns Ezekiel.

¹⁷Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. ¹⁸If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

Ezekiel 3:17-19

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Resettling the Settled

Over the years, our society has evolved culturally. Things that were once unheard of have become normalized today. Even the Law has evolved, if you will, into the New and better Covenant. So, does that leave wiggle room for all that our culture has embraced? Does the Bible and the things of God evolve with our culture? Or do some things just not change for us? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the Truth behind the argument to be seemingly destroying the Church today in his message, Resettling the Settled.

Ephesians 5:11–14
Leviticus 18:20–23
Leviticus 20:13
1 Timothy 1:8–11
Romans 1:27
1 Corinthians 6:9
James 4:4
Romans 12:1–2
Numbers 22-24
Numbers 22:18–19
2 Peter 2:15–16
Hebrews 1:1–2
John 3:16
Ephesians 1:13–14

Resettling the Settled

Sin in the Bible

Many people question what sin is in the Bible. They even ask if sin is actually a real thing in the Scripture or if it’s based on each person’s conscience. So, what is sin?

⁹Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,¹⁰nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21

⁸But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.
Revelation 21:8

Many believe that sin is simply strictly sexual immorality or murder or idolatry, but they overlook the fact that Jesus said that the cowardly (those who are fearful), as well as the faithless (those who do not believe), and the sorcerer (those who are into witchcraft) all have their portion in the Lake of Fire (Hell). So many times we get caught up resettling the settled, that we can’t move into the deeper things of Scripture.

Sin in The Law

Sin even goes as far as the time of Moses. From the act of abortion to adultery to the LGBT, there is a definite definition of sin in the Law.

²⁰And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her. ²¹You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. ²²You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. ²³And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion. ²⁴Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, ²⁵and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
Leviticus 18:20-25

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Deception Pt. 2: The Devil’s in the Details

Throughout history, the Devil has set the same trap for us over and over again, only changing his bait to fit the times, and we keep falling for it. He hides the evil in plain sight, knowing that we will overlook it if it is seemingly innocent enough, but Paul tells us that we are not unaware of the Devil’s schemes. He has made the Spirit of Discernment available to us; we need only ask. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he sets us on the path to discernment in his message, Deception Pt. 2: The Devil’s in the Details.

2 Corinthians 2:11
2 Timothy 3:4b
Revelation 21:8
Exodus 7:10–12
Luke 11:24–26

The Devil’s in the Details

Deception in the Bible

¹¹And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16

As a Christian, we aren’t meant to be deceived by the deceitful schemes of the Devil. This is why we are meant to build our faith so that we can see through the lies of the enemy and all of his deception.

Spirit of Discernment

⁸For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10

The Spirit of Discernment gives us the ability to see through the deceitful schemes of the devil and his followers. We can see through his bait and traps by the Holy Spirit. This helps us to distinguish between the spirits of good and evil.

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Deception Pt. 1: Falling Asleep

Throughout the years, movies and tv shows have become darker and darker. Even more so in our children’s movies that are now filled with demons, incantations, conjurings, curses, spells, witchcraft, and more. Is this something that should alarm the Church, or is that just progress because this is the way the culture is going? Is freedom to take part in witchcraft and magic something the Church should back and/or support, or should we make a stand against these changes that causes us to fall spiritually asleep? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he sheds some light on this controversial subject in his message, Deception Pt. 1: Falling Asleep.

Falling Asleep Because of Deception

Warning Against Deception in the Bible

Falling spiritually asleep can be the cause of many Christians’ failure to finish the race set before them. They become lulled asleep by the deception of the World. They bought the lie that because people are trying to shift the culture a certain way for progress. But all of these sins have been outlined in the Bible.

¹⁶Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; ¹⁷then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.
Deuteronomy 11:16-17

²⁴And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.
Revelation 18:24

Witchcraft in the Bible

¹⁶And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. ¹⁷And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. ¹⁸Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
2 Kings 17:16-18

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21

Necromancy in the Bible

Necromancy is talking or communicating with the dead.

⁶If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. ⁷Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 20:6-7

⁶If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. ⁷Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
Isaiah 8:18

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‘Tis The Season: O Little Town of Bethlehem

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Prophecy of Jesus’ in Bethlehem

This prophecy stirred the writing of the Christmas Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem:

Jesus’ Authority

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Resettling the Settled

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Sin in the Bible

Sin in The Law

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