Pastor Odie Kennedy's Pearls

Essential is defined as being absolutely necessary and extremely important. I cannot think of anything more essential to the spiritual health of the believer than prayer. As the year comes to close, I look back at the tragedies some of us narrowly escaped, the tests we endured, and the pain we suffered. This glance back isn't global or even national. We only have to look as far as our own front doors.  Even our houses of worship have been subject to trials. It is only through the grace of God that we are not consumed. And it is essential that we pray, and we give thanks. Prayer can sometimes be seen as powerful when the verbiage is great, and the tone is loud. For me, it has been in my quietest moments that I have seen the power of prayer manifest miracles. Though I may be surrounded by chaos, prayer allows me to come humbly before my God and find his peace. As followers of Jesus, we must take heed to his divine example. In the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:29), while facing the...

  Can you believe the way things are changing here in Colorado? Of course, if you have been here a week, you already know how quickly the weather can change. Yesterday, it was a gut-wrenching 100 degrees. It seemed like the heat was cooking me from the inside out and then tore a hole right through my clothes.   When I think about the state of this world, I know that the heat is on. The enemy is trying every trick in the book to stop the believer from making Jesus his choice. He starts with what we think are random and harmless drops of anxiety, depression, and offense.  He is strategically placing people and things in our paths to cause us to stumble. That's not enough for him. He wants us to be utterly destroyed.  If you don't believe me, look at the legislature that contradicts the very word of God.  Look at the spirit of violence which has been released among us.  Look the worldwide anguish and wars.  In my lifetime, I have not witnessed so gre...

It's the Holy Week! This is a such an exciting time for the believers of Christ.  It's the time of year when the His love was experienced, witnessed, and lived out before His followers and enemies.  Of course, we reference and reverence this time throughout the year.   It's only April, but it seems like we have already lived a full twelve months! Life really has no respect for time or even our awareness of time.  Sometimes, I can go hours without eating. I get caught up in whatever I am doing and forget that I haven't nourished my body.  The same can be said when we fail to reference and reverence what Jesus has done for us.  When we live everyday as if we are in control of our lives, we are cheating God out of His glory, and pushing His son aside.  God did not give us such a gift for us to leave it unopened and unappreciated. Our relationship with God is the most priceless and precious gift that has ever been given and ever will be given. ...

If you were to ask my family what I was like as a child, no doubt the answer would be shocking. Can you believe that I was very shy? I didn't talk much around people. I'm not sure if it was because I was afraid to talk or just had so little to say.  I can tell you that is not the case now.  As the only black nursing student in my college in Texas, I had to come out of my shell. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to share with prestigious leaders both corporately and in the religious arenas. Although there have been many conversations, I have not entered into them just for the sake of talking. Sometimes we talk just to hear our own voice, but other times we speak because we are expected to do so.  When we enter into fellowship with God, we must strive to avoid empty fellowship.  What do I mean by that? Simply, going through the motions.  With the pressures of life pulling at us from every direction, it doesn't take much for us to operate on autopilot....

This is the time when so many are evaluating their lives and declaring change.  You know the season.  When the new year rolls in, we start looking for a new person to emerge in the mirror.  This can be an effective motivation for some.  They begin the weight loss journey and soon begin to see results. That accomplishment becomes a drug that keeps them running back to the gym.   I could possibly make some declarations of my own, but this year I am asking God to do a new thing in me. It would be nice to be slimmer, richer, and all of that, but it's more important for this child of God to be spiritually made new.  I'm not talking about a new shout or dance, but I want God to transform me from the inside out.  This time of year is also a time of consecration.  We turn down our plates and lift up our hearts in prayer. We take our devotion to the next level by denying this flesh. I know you're saying that we should be doing that all of the time....

I love this time of the year at my church.  I am so deeply honored to serve the members of Unity Pentecostal Temple. While we love on each other all year long, this special time brings us together to celebrate the years of ministry we share.  This is a time when I stand on the shoulders of my late husband, Superintendent Lamar Kennedy.  We shared 40 years of anniversary celebrations.  Six years later, though we miss him dearly, the celebrations continue.   I especially enjoy breaking bread with the members. There's so much anticipation and excitement in the air. As I sat on the platform this past weekend, I was humbled by the scene.  Platforms are elevated for a reason. God's children must never view their station in life as an indicator of their self-worth, but rather use it help someone along the way. Let me explain.  Though you may have a great title or position, your value comes from what you bring to the position.  This isn't a post toda...

By profession, I'm a nurse. I have seen everything from labored childbirth to labored final breaths. There are three initial questions we ask a patient: "Where does it hurt?" "How long has this been going on?" and "What is your pain level?"  This can agitate a patient, but triage is necessary.  Triage is a process used to identify the urgency of treatment.  A person with a cut that does not need stitches will have to wait to be seen if there is a person who has a severed a member. I can remember a patient who had broken his knee cap many years ago.  After his injury, he went to see the surgeon.  He was told about the kind of surgery that he would need and the details of the recovery. If you have ever had surgery, you know that that conversation can be a bit overwhelming.  This man decided that he did not want to go through that difficult process. He said, "I'll just deal with it." As a result of his decision to forego the surgery, his kne...

There are so many hinderances these days. It seems that behind every corner lurks temptation or discouragement.  We know that God has given us the authority to take down every hinderance. We don't have to accept what the enemy brings our way.   That being said, one of the obstacles that most often trips up the believer is forgiveness.  I cannot tell you how many times I have heard, "I just can't do it." The pain that comes from offense can be so deeply rooted that it stops us in our tracks.  Literally.  When we do not forgive, we are frozen in place.  The place of the offense becomes our vantage point.  Though we attempt to move forward, we operate from our pain.  Yes, we try to compartmentalize what we have gone through, but that is a temporary and sometimes, false fix.  Just because we are no longer speaking of the offense, does not mean that we have forgiven and overcome it.  So why is forgiveness so difficult?  You cannot f...

We have seen some hot days here in Colorado. If you live here, or have ever visited for more than 2 days, you already know how quickly the weather can change here. Many of residents tend to carry multi-season attire in the trunk of the care.  Even in the heat of this summer, there's a jacket or wrap somewhere nearby.  My days are filled with quite a bit of travel within the state.  It's easy to forget to grab a bottle of water on my way out. Our bible study lessons have been focused on how God uses the elements to save his people. Every lesson I jot down my take-aways for further study and reflection.  As we studied about the plague of bloody water, I begin to think about the people. If the water in Colorado turned to blood, what would we do?  Salt water has to be boiled and purified to be suitable for human consumption.  If you drink it as it is, your kidneys would eventually fail.  They are not made to filter that amount of salt. As you become increa...

When I look at the state of affairs in our government, churches, and homes, I see a common thread. The attack of the enemy is all around us.  He has waged war against everything and everyone standing on the righteousness of God.  It's not a surprise to me.  He is doing what the devil does.  Devilment is his title and position.    The thing we must remember is that our position does not exempt us from opposition.  The titles we hold here on earth will not shield us from the pain and difficulty that comes in life.  We cannot afford to expect shelter behind our education or church elevation.  No amount of prestige or money will keep us from facing off with the devil. He knows his position and governs himself accordingly.   When will we do the same?  When will we know who we are in Christ, and govern ourselves accordingly? We spend too much time focused on what's coming against us instead of focusing on WHO'S coming for us! We are ...

Our world has changed so dramatically in the last two years.  It all happened in the blink of an eye.  One minute we were carefree. We went anywhere and everywhere we wanted without consulting the powers that be. We simply chose a destination, and that was that. Who bothered to ask about the health of that place? Who left the house, but turned quickly around to retrieve a face covering? Who walked around with germ killers as accessible as car keys? No one, and the next minute we were in a battle.  When we face tests we either learn to conform, or we learn to conquer. Which one best describes you? When you conform, you are not only allowing the situation to control you, but also to mold you.  Conforming takes on the traits of that problem.  What seems hopeless will develop hopelessness in you.  What seems unsure will produce doubt in you. It's like a ship in a storm being tossed about in the direction the storm chooses.  When the ship has a sail or its ...

What I'm about to say isn't earth shattering.  It isn't even surprising.  In fact, I know you will be nodding your head when you read it.  I have had some down days.  It seems like life comes at me like a bulldozer trying to bury me under my circumstances. Are you nodding yet? I know you get what I'm saying. That may sound presumptuous of me, but I don't have to know your business to know that you're in a battle.  I know who is stirring up the trouble around you. I know because he is the same one who tries to discourage us all.  Sometimes, the initial response to the attack of the devil is to fight back with our smarts.  We think we can outwit him with our natural thinking, but God showed me a better way.   I was feeling down just the other day, when in minutes, God reminded me of this:  "I'm God! In the midst of calamity, I am still God!" He took my mind back to a series of lessons we had last year in Bible study.  We examined the ...

If there was ever a time of uncertainty, it is now! We can watch every channel of cable available and still have no idea what's coming. We can listen to every talk radio with a clear signal. We can surf the internet for all the buzz words that have been thrown our way.  This pandemic has come with more questions than answers.   In our weekly Bible study, we have been in the book of Revelation.  I have found over the years that many people are afraid when they get into the scriptures about the rapture and tribulation.  In fact, some of those people are believers.  Facing the reality of the after-life can be a harsh awakening for some, but I've found the key to Revelation.  It's important to understand destruction and damnation is coming for those who have not accepted the Lord. It's even more important that the believers know we are protected as long as we hold on to God.  Just like the pandemic, you may not know what will happen, but you know who ...

Photo by Rodolfo Belloli These days we have been enjoying a great outpour of God in our congregation.  I find myself in awe of the love that God has for his people.  He has repeatedly seen us through many hard trials.  How can he love us so deeply in the face of our flaws? What a mighty God!    What I love about God, among so many things, is his never ending reservoir. It seems as if we run out of everything.  We lose patience with our children.  We run out of tolerance with our fellowman. We lack respect for our leaders. We just don't seem to have enough of the things that make us better representatives of the God we serve.  Maybe it isn't that we don't have enough, but that we don't access what is available to us when we need it.    When we go out to eat with our family, we spend the time laughing and talking about our days.  All the while, we are taking bites and sipping down our beverages.  We often don't pay much attention...

So many people are crying out for help.  We never know what people are going through.  What we have seen in the land, has devastated us once again.  All over our nation, there has been bloodshed. It is no wonder that some have given up on the promises of God.   What do you do when the trials and pain of this life seem to disconnect you from the promise? Looking at the story of Joseph, one would be tempted to scowl at the circumstances of this young man.  He loved his father and his father deeply loved him. Though he was hated by his brothers, he continued to share his dreams.   Joseph did not know what would become of him when he landed in the pit.  He listened while his brothers thought they decided his fate.  Can you imagine the pain this must have caused Joseph?  You probably don't have to imagine because you've been there. I don't have to know your testimony to know that you've faced a pit experience in your life.   Wh...

What a weekend we had here in Colorado. Two feet of snow in the city!  We heard the forecast earlier in the week that this storm would be a doozy.  You could feel the anxious atmosphere in every interaction,  People across the state started planning for being on a full lock down.  The aisles of the grocery stores were packed, and our staff was discussing the closure of Sunday service. The safety of our members at Unity Pentecostal Temple is paramount.  We have adhered to and maintained the protocols of the CDC to ensure a worship experience without fear.  When we went to bed on Saturday, it appeared that the weatherman got it wrong this time, but Sunday morning proved he saw the signs.  As my family gathered around the table for our virtual worship, it was apparent that the storm only closed the location.  It didn't close the doors of the church.  Our hearts were yet turned toward heaven.  Two feet of snow caused a major disruption for m...

Shopping has really changed. I miss the days of strolling the mall looking for what I need. Now I just open my shopping apps from my  bedside.  Which app? You can pick to your liking.  Most places have learned how to reach their customers with ease.   When I think of this, I can't help but think about what God has for me.  He has promised to provide for me. He knows just what I need and how to get it to me.  I got a text the other day from one of my favorite shopping buddies.  It was a notification that my package was being delivered. When I read the text, I felt a leap in belly and a push in my back!  When we're facing difficult situations we can get anxious.  We need God to move and in a hurry.  I know what I'm talking about. I've been through sleepless nights, cried all night, and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. In my most desperate battles, I look to God.  Sometimes, he moves immediately, but there are times I...

 I have been blessed with the most amazing personal assistant.  If I tried to list all of the gifts she has shared with me, it would take more than a blog.  I would have to write chapters about her anointing, tenacity, and power.  And what would I say about her ability to reach heaven on my behalf? For now, allow me to tell you that Evangelist Venita O'Hara, whose heart is perpetually turned toward God, has been more than a blessing to me.  As my Special Guest Blogger, I know that she will bless you today as well.                                                                                 Pastor Odie Kennedy                             ...

What an exciting month this has been. It started with great celebrations of people thrilled to say goodbye to 2020, but no inkling that an insurrection was brewing.  It was devastating to see a nation turn on itself.  A body that works against is itself is not only unhealthy, but it is void of true devotion,  This week many saw the culmination of dreams from centuries old. We saw a woman planted firm in shoes no other woman has worn. I don't know what you did at your home, but we stood and we cheered in mine.  We celebrated to see the reflection of our hopes and dreams seemingly staring back at us.   Let me tell the part that gripped my spirit.  When the leader of this nation produced his family bible to be sworn in, I felt hope reignited for this nation.  As he begin to share his address, I heard that hope again.  I watched with great anticipation and joy.  While I wanted to hear the words, I wanted to see what God is doing for America....

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 It seems so easy to get caught up in what we see and hear.  I have from time to time been guilty of setting my alarms to hear the news on all channels.  Keeping up with the constant changes, falling economic system, and perils of humanity can be more than draining.  It can disturb your peace.   Of course, it's necessary to be aware of what is happening in the world, but it cannot become our world. We are spiritual beings living a natural experience.  In order to function as God intended, we have to remember to manage our atmosphere.   I am not talking about your perspective based on what you see.  The beginning of the year, we all were professing greater v...