Pastor Odie Kennedy's Pearls

It means a great deal to have a testimony.  It illuminates the awesomeness of God and gives you the victory over your situation.  As the name implies, you must endure a test to gain a testimony. There isn't a person alive that has a perfect life.  We all face struggles and trials in our lives.  Some people resist the test, and question the very deity of God for allowing the test to come. The Hebrew boys, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego faced a trial that threatened to be fatal.  In the 3rd Chapter of Daniel, we see that King Nebuchadnezzar erected a golden image to be worshiped at the sound of the music.  He made a decree that anyone who failed to heed his instructions would be thrown into the fiery furnace.  It was observed that the young men disobeyed and rejected the king's demand to worship the graven image. When they were brought before the king, he explained again the rules of the decree, the reward of compliance, and the consequences of d...

Anger. Rejection. Forgiveness. Healing. Most people are reluctant to admit that they feel anger because of its negative connotation.  Believers tend to suppress their anger in an effort to be loving and forgiving.  Unfortunately, this can cause damage in the long run. When we ignore our emotions, we give the enemy room to attack our mind.  Small offenses become unforgivable acts. Internalized anger can manifest feelings of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and rejection. When my toddler great-grandson gets upset, his Godmother helps him by saying, "Use your words." As a school teacher, she deals with children in various emotional states everyday.  Sometimes they get mad and throw things.  Sometimes they breakdown and cry.  Encouraging them to use their words, gives them a opportunity to say what they feel instead of acting out.  When expressing themselves is welcome, they often feel valued and accepted. Anger is a necessary and powerful e...

Have you ever wondered why your heart and mind cannot seem to agree when you need them to? Are you one of those people that can see the good in those that others always find fault? Do you assume the burdens of others as if they're your own?  If you answered yes, you have a big heart! When you have a big heart it can work against you.  Sometimes you know there are things you need to loose and even cut off, but your heart just won't agree.  You toss and turn all night agonizing over a situation when others rest better than they ever have.  When people hurt you, you say, "that's it! I'm done!" but you end up right back there again. Your big heart can't just walk away. And you probably wish there was a switch that could just turn your heart off.  It doesn't work like that and thank God! Some of my best triumphs, best blessings, and greatest anointing came because of this big heart that God gave me. Sadly, some of my greatest pain and greatest disap...

Currently I am teaching a series on "Forgiveness".  It's a quality that many claim to possess while still struggling with past offenses.  In class I posed the question "What causes unforgiveness?" and among the biggest offenders is church-hurt.  It's probably happened to you.   Your ministry leaders embarrassed you in front of the congregation.  Someone started a rumor about you that caused you to be ostracized.  Maybe it was the time you tried to embrace  your "sister" only to be shunned and pushed away.  Whatever the case, that hurt can be so deep that you find it difficult to forgive. I think if we really understood forgiveness, we would forgive quickly.  I saw a wrestling move once in which the wrestler pressed his forearm against the jugular vein of his opponent until he lost consciousness.  The jugular veins are in your neck and they carry blood from the head, brain, neck, and face to the heart. The jugular is vital and ther...

During the reign of King Manasseh, he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.  Let me give you a brief overview of 2 Chronicles 33:1-20.  Manasseh was a heathen! He built up the shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down, reinstated idol worship, dabbled in witchcraft, and even sacrificed one of his sons.  In other words, everything that God said not do, that is what Manasseh did!  I have been teaching a series on Love. There are many other biblical characters that would fit the bill, but in my opinion, none as deplorable as Manasseh.  He basically spit in the face of God! Nevertheless, he prayed and repented for his sins, and God pardoned him.  He was forgiven.   So often we preach about the wrath of God, but fail to tell people about the love of God.  His forgiveness is love! God isn't like man.  When you wrong someone and apologize, they hold it over you.   Manasseh endured many things as a result of his disobed...

As I sat in church last Sunday, I began to take a panoramic view of the congregation.  I saw so many single young women who love God with their whole hearts. That's not all I saw. I saw the devil trying to attack their self esteem and self worth. When I stood to deliver the message, God began to deal with me concerning the next level of growth. Often times we will compare ourselves with what we see around us.  We may conclude that we fit in, but too many times we feel we fall short.   You may not feel that you are up to par.  You may think that because of your physical appearance, economics, or past relationships, you are not worthy of a good man. Well let me just talk to you right now.  I have to tell you that you are not just good enough, but you are everything that God has made you! It's still true that God does not make junk! Growth comes when we know who we are and whose we are! God made you great! He placed in you tenderness, compassion, love, and s...

Mothers Day this year was one of the best that I have had.  As the day approached, I began to study 1 Kings 16-28. I learned some things that have helped me to keep going.  Let me share them with you. There were two women in a household.  One of the women's baby died when she rolled over on it.  She decided to switch her dead baby with the living baby of the other woman. When that woman awoke, she was cuddling a dead baby.  She began to panic but then really looked at the baby. She discovered that he was not the son she gave birth to. Knowing what the other woman had done, she went to the king.   I had to stop here.  Not anyone can go before the king.  You can't just walk into the royal court.  This woman had a need and she wasn't afraid to break all the rules.  She had to see King Solomon.  She knew he was the only one that could fix her situation. After hearing the plea of this mother, Solomon called for the sword.  Lo...