What Obstacles are hindering Your Life?

Isaiah 55:2  Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.

We must stop our futile search for answers about this life outside of God! 

Romans 10:11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Are you hurting, sad, lonely, sick, fearful, angry, frustrated? Jesus can help you! The real living Jesus. This Sunday, come join me as we call on Jesus and ask for healing, cleansing, renewing, forgiveness, and to send His Holy Spirit into each of our lives. Let the miracles begin! What obstacles are hindering your life? God has the answer, in His time, His way, there is always victory! 

Please continue to pray for your special person, God hears and is in the process of answering. 

It's not about church, it's about getting to know the living Jesus!  See you Sunday, 9:00am.

Love, pastor kent

We Are Back!….Again

Bonni and I just got back from Italy. What I have come back with is this, "People need the living, healing, life changing power of Jesus everywhere…desperately!

This Sunday we will come together to worship the ONLY one who can change your life from the inside out, Jesus. The only one who can truly "Set You Free!"

Bonni and I saw basilica's, palaces, amazing statues, and monuments in Rome, but as amazing as the ingenuity of man was and is, Jesus remains the first and the last, and the only way to make this life truly remarkable.

I look forward to calling on Him this Sunday with all of you. He is real and is available and willing to enter into your brokenness no matter what it is! Come join me this Sunday at 9:00 AM at 800 North Main St Edwardsville. It isn't about church! It is about allowing Jesus the life changer to come into our life and renew us.

John 8:3232 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Love, pastor kent

Are You Trusting God for Anything?

When I look at much of my life I realize that most of the time I have  held onto the reigns and did all the planning, effort and work to get what "I" wanted. Then I read a verse like Proverbs 3:5:

"Trust in the Lord with all your Heart., and do not lean on your own understanding!"

How many of us are trusting God for the supernatural? Something that only God can do? Only God can change a persons heart and move in someones life in such a way that they make a 180 degree turn. That happened to Saul of Tarsus. He went from hating the Christians to becoming one of the biggest voices for Jesus!  That is why we have our assignment to pray for that one special person until God acts in their life. There is power in prayer.  As you continue to pray for your special person, become aware of the Holy Spirit's prompting in your own life. The Spirit may need you to be the voice, the love, the answer to someone else's prayer. 

When we put God at the center of our life, put Him in charge of all things, we are aligning ourselves to His power, His direction, His blessing. Stop living your life independently from God. Put Him in the drivers seat and see where He will take you! I can promise you this, it will be an adventure of great blessing!  Is it real?   Watch this video! When God enters a life!

I will be in touch!  See you soon! Love, pastor kent

Music Worship Leaders Take Note!

For all the years that I have been involved in worship music, I have to confess that too often, not always but way too often, I was disconnected from Gods Spirit when I played on Sundays. What a shame. 

Worship leaders and worship bands have a huge responsibility! Huge! When music is brought into the sanctuary by those who have prepared themselves for worship, God inhabits their music! Music opens the soul to the message. Lives change because the barriers have been broken allowing the Holy Spirit to enter a persons life. Combine prayer with music and stand back! God is going to enter the house!

Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

It starts with each individual who has volunteered to stand up before a congregation to bring the Spirit of God through music to the congregation. That is why preparation is so important! 

Jim Cymbala tells a story of a Sunday when a man came to his church with a loaded gun. He came to hurt or kill someone and then the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir started the worship service. Their praises and songs contained the Spirit of God because they were worshipping in Spirit and in Truth. The man who came with hate in his heart was broken and brought the gun to the alter and threw it down. He came with hate and left changed with hope! 

Unfortunately true worship has all but disappeared from many churches today. No wonder people can easily find 1000 excuses why not to attend church. 

When the Holy Spirit is released by true worship and God comes into the sanctuary and you experience the living God, there is nothing that could keep you from getting to church on Sunday no matter when the service is held. Let me tell all of you who follow this blog, I'm getting charged up! Lifted up! Energized! Refreshed! And you can too. Let true worship begin now! 

Keep lifting your special person in prayer! Ask God to fill your life with His wisdom and Spirit! 

See you soon! Love, pastor kent

I continue to Recharge

Yesterday I spent the morning with Steve St. Pierre over in North City St. Louis. He gave me a first hand look at the Restore St. Louis Ministry and how the organization is bringing people from all walks of life together! We took to the streets and went to some of their work sites as Steve shared story after story of God answering prayer in many times miraculous ways.

Testimony after testimony from Steve and the young people working there confirm God is alive and well and is available to all of us who choose to walk in His Kingdom here and now!  Harambee, which means to "Pull together!" is the name of one of the ministries that takes youth and teaches them about work and team effort. This group goes out and tuck points buildings. I was amazed at the the job these kids are doing. I have tuck pointed in my day and it is an art and hard work. The kids ages are from 12 on up to 18 work together which includes putting up scaffolding. grinding, mixing cement, and tuck pointing.  The Harambee teams are restoring the mortar joints on old homes and buildings in North St. Louis and the kids do get paid for their work. I hope to have some videos I took yesterday up on the website www.praisecommunityfellowship soon.

God is real and He is answering prayer and accomplishing great things through those who are willing to to step out in faith for His Kingdom. Here is a link to Restore St. Louis and their ministries. Steve has invited me to bring a group over anytime to see this amazing inner city ministry in action. Go to Restore St. Louis

Please continue to pray for that one special person and watch God move in their life. I want to remind you that this is an ongoing prayer. Keep praying fervently and daily for them until God moves in their life.

Remember Stan Rutkowski in your prayers!

See you soon! Being restored daily, pastor kent

Refreshment

Bonni and I are in a time of Spiritual refreshment. In yesterdays sermon I spoke of the absolute necessity of staying connected and getting recharged.  But it is not just the pastor, or praise team that needs to be refreshed, all of Gods children need the same.

If your faith has been put on autopilot, if your connection to God is weak, if your life energy is being zapped on day to day issues and struggles then you also desperately need the refreshment that only God can provided. Just like charging your cell phone is necessary if you want it to work, you too must be recharged. Open your bible starting today but before you start reading, ask God to refresh your spirit.

My time of refreshment is already yielding results in my spiritual life. When you reconnect with God you are connected to the most powerful source in the universe where "ALL things become possible!"

Pray, read you your bible, and then pray more. Jesus said, "Ask and you will receive!"  Stay connected and watch how your interpretation of life changes! Same day, same job, same routine and even the same problems look completely different when you refresh yourself with God's spirit.

Yesterday I gave everyone a very important assignment. I asked everyone at the service to pick one person that they knew who could use the wisdom and love of Jesus in their life. I am asking everyone to focus on that one person by lifting them up daily in prayer. Prayer is powerful. Let's watch what God will do in that person's life. This is an ongoing project. I don't want you to pray for that person once and then forget about them. I want you to pray for that person often every day. Lift them up. Ask God to open the door to their heart so that they may receive the love and forgiveness of Jesus and begin enjoying a whole new life experience! Let's become active Christians using the power that God has given us.

There is so much God is laying on my heart I'm about to explode! Just know that you and I and all Christians must take the time and discipline to be refreshed everyday by Gods word and Spirit. Start today!

Let's all be praying for the healing of Stan Rutkowski. Stan is at the Edwardsville care and rehab center located at the corner of rte 143 and St. Mary's Drive Edwardsville. He is in the B wing. He would love to have a visit.

Great things are on the way! See you soon. Love, pastor kent

We are Back!

Bonni and I got back today from an amazing pastors conference in Naperville Il. put on by pastor Jim Cymbala and the Brooklyn Tabernacle.  I hope to see everyone tomorrow at church. I'll be giving the message and look forward to sharing some of our experiences.

It's Fathers Day Tomorrow!  Our Heavenly Father will be looking for you!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Sally McLauchlan visited the Glen-Ed Pantry and they are in need of Ketchup, Mustard, and Jelly. If you can help with this need please bring these items to church tomorrow at 9:00 and Sally will get it to the pantry!

See you tomorrow at 9:00AM  Love, pastor kent