Pastor Odie Kennedy's Pearls

  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...

In this holiday season, there is so much going on. Driving through the neighborhoods, we see beautiful lights that have been strung with care. Some once bare lawns are not filled with the nativity scene which reminds us of the reason for the season.  Although we have endured the seclusion brought on by the pandemic, we are now slowly gathering. It has been three years since my church had a Christmas Celebration, and it's coming up soon.  Our party is a special opportunity to love on the members of Unity Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ.  As with most holiday celebrations, there will be a gift exchange.  This part of the party is always so much fun.  I love to see the excitement when a gift is chosen from under the tree.  There is something about choosing that makes the atmosphere charged with anticipation.   Now that you are in the mind of exchanging gifts, let me focus on the reason for this post. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let...