You Never Know When....

As some of you may know, we took off from Los Angeles on Tuesday morning at 4:30 am, heading east toward the sunrise.  We were bound for a 3-day adventure that would take us across America and conclude in Atlanta, Georgia.  My friend, Derek Owen, was leaving with us from Los Angeles in his own car.  He was driving to Paducah, Kentucky.

Our first day had us driving from Los Angeles to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  When we rolled in to our hotel for the evening, we were wiped out, but so excited from the adventure from the day we had endured as a family.  We had a semi-decent sleep, and the next morning we were ready to knock down another 750-800 miles.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN....

As I was loading my car, a young man approached and ask for some money.  As I looked at him, I asked him why he was in a position to need money from strangers, and why was he homeless.  I meant it from the perspective that this is not God's plan for him.  He answered and said that his grandmother passed away three weeks before, and he had been living with her in her place.  When her apartment came open, he had nowhere else to go.  He was now out on the streets.  I explained to him that he had just walked up to a pastor who loves Jesus, and was homeless myself at one point in my life.  I placed my hand on his head, looked into his face, and told him that this is not what his life was to be about.  God had and has a plan for him, and He longs for him to know Him.  The man began to cry, and then to sob.  He buried his head into my chest and let out a long sob.  I hugged him, and let him have this moment, and let God have His moment with His son.

I told him to wait a second, and I ran inside to the free breakfast buffet where my family was still eating, and I grabbed a cinnamon roll and a big cup of coffee.   I told Rebekah what was going on, and we quickly got all the cash we had on us, and I returned to him.  I showed him the money we had combined together for him, and I gave him his food.  He could not believe it.  Then the Lord told me to tell him that he is not invisible and that my wife and I were doing this because the Lord was telling us to.

I told him how the Lord longed to know him, and with a Father's heart that he couldn't understand until he experienced the Father's perfect love.  He told me that was experiencing it in that very moment!  I asked him if he wanted to trust God, give his life to God, and let Him live in him, on him, go before him, protect him, guide him, comfort him, and live through him to others.  He said that he wanted me to stay with him forever, but if couldn't have me stay with him, and if it wasn't me who was giving him such love and attention, but God Himself, then he definitely wanted to give his life to Jesus so he could have Him with him at all times.  He said this because he had never known joy until this very conversation, and he didn't know why his heart was leaping inside his chest for more of it, but all he could think was, "I WANT THIS!"  So, he prayed to God, and asked Him to be Lord and Savior of his life forever!  AMEN.

Then as I prayed over him, I saw a picture in my mind of a lumber mill, and I saw him working there, and then the Lord spoke to me and told me to tell him to "Come Home".  I asked him where "home" was and he told me "El Paso".  I spoke of the picture I saw and told him of a job for him at that lumber mill.  He knew exactly where that lumber mill was/is, because he grew up just a couple of miles away from there.  He began to laugh hysterically.  He couldn't believe it.  God was changing his sorrow into joy in the moment, and he couldn't catch up with the massive shifting from ashes to beauty.  He kept saying, "WOW, WOW!"  All his life, he had felt invisible because both parents were addicted to drugs and alcohol, and never had time for him, except to beat him for being in the way.  Yet, God told me to tell him that he is NOT invisible, and He loves him, and cannot wait to show him.

After this, he opened his bag, and showed me a pistol!  He said to me, "Kenny, I was going to get some money from you to buy a cup of coffee, and then I was going to kill myself this morning. It was supposed to be my last day today."  He pointed at the place he had planned to end his life.  I looked at him with everything in me, and said, "Yeah, but God intervened, He saved you.  And, you did die.  You encountered His love for you, and you surrendered to Him, you gave up, and He raised you up from such a life, and now you can say that this is truly your FIRST day of the rest of your life."  We hugged, and he drank his coffee.  We laughed and cried together, and I prayed over him, and he prayed right back over me, and one my family, and we prayed to the same God, our Father, whom we both now knew.

He went and sold his gun at a local pawn shop, went to Walmart, bought a pay-as-you-go cell phone, called his aunt, bought a one-way bus ticket to El Paso, with expectation in his heart that the job at the lumber mill has his name on it.  He left that place an orphan in his heart, and he is returning learning how to be a son.  Father, teach him as you have taught me.

People are hurting all around us.  They are desperation with legs, camouflaged in a defeated rhetoric ever exclaiming "I'M FINE, I'M OK", when just under their skin, a storm is raging inside them.  Just under the roar of that storm is the little person inside them screaming out, "HELP ME!" "I WANT TO BE LOVED!" "CAN YOU HELP ME??" Are we ready?  Can we hear them, can we slow down enough to see them?  Can we get our eyes off of our own mirrors to see them?  Are we ready to by moved by His love, to be armed with His love for those who don't know His love?  

Women's Holy Spirit Encounter - Atlanta, GA

This past October, I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to speak at the Holy Spirit Encounter weekend. I usually speak at this amazing conference twice per year for the men.  And we have had incredible meetings with Holy Spirit.  We have seen so many deliverances, salvations, rededication's, and more in these weekend meetings.  Men turn into little boys before their Lord and Savior.  Innocence being restored, wounds being healed, and hope reviving in the lives and hearts in previously beautiful but bound and imprisoned souls.

This time, I was invited to speak to the women's conference!  I flew to Atlanta a day and a half before I spoke, and I got to spend some incredible time with my dad and my older brother Kevin.  The time we spent together was so special, and I will cherish that time forever.  

The highlight of the women's event came before I even spoke one word.  I was introduced to the audience of ladies by none other than my own mom.  Yup.  That was one of the most special moments of my walk with God.  My mom is everything.  She endured during my years of rebellion when I was younger, and has been enduring my dad forever (LOL, had to get ya there pops).  She has always been there with unconditional love and wisdom over me, even in the really difficult years of my life away from God.  I will always cherish her, and I will always cherish the moment she introduced me, her son, as the speaker at this conference.

I shared about the love of God, the real God, as opposed to the religious man-made God we have created in our own image.  I shared about my struggles to find this real God in the midst of so much confusion caused by religion, and the fallen world all around me.  I shared how He found me first, and how he changed my life, and what I have been doing around the world for Him as I just follow Him each day from that first encounter with Him.

When I finished, I handed it over to the director of the event, Mr. Tom Linder.  He is such a great man of God, who just loves.  He loves to love.  He opened the floor to anyone who wanted to respond, and for the next two hours there was a line in front of me filled with women who were rededicating their lives, giving their lives to Jesus for the first time, women who needed prayer, etc.  We had deliverances right there in the line, salvations in the line, and some of the sweetest redemption from wounds and brokenness I have ever seen.  This line seemed to never diminish, and even right up until the time that I literally had to walk out of the building to catch my flight, there were still women, HUNGRY women after His presence, His love, His redemption, His freedom, who were waiting in the line to be prayed for, and to let things go in the coolest exchanges of idols for presence I have ever been a part of.  I was so humbled to see this.

God, yeah You ARE the coolest!!

When You're Tired

This week has stirred a ton of stuff in me, mainly because this week was stressful, tiring, and seemed to produce one issue after another. It seemed though that the more things would come at me, the more I dug in to try and solve them. That sounds great on the surface, but I increasingly began to notice signs that I was pressing, stressing, and...regressing. I had to make it rhyme. Pressing, because things easily agitated me, and I was losing my patience with everything and everyone around me. The slightest thing began to bug me. I felt like everything had to happen in a hurry, and I needed results to everything I was doing rapidly, or I felt like giving up on it. I began stressing, because, in my own strength, I could not yet again provide solutions to many of the issues that faced us this week. I thrive on problem solving. It is like a fun test for me, but when I cannot provide answers to situational problems, I tend to stress. Regressing, in that I was aware the entire time that the reason I was pressing and stressing was that I was not spending time, that critical time, with Jesus. When I do, He takes over, I give these issues to Him, and trust Him in all things. Even though I knew I needed to stop, drop, and invite Him into my crashing world, I still didn't because the little voice of unbelief in me said, "That's not gonna help.", even though I have years of encounter and testimony with Him that crush that lie. Pride does incredibly destructive things to us. It denies you exactly what you need in the most critical time that you need it. So, I wallowed in self-pity, I accused others of not caring about my needs, and I removed myself socially from family and consumed myself in taking care of the family, as any "good responsible father" would do. And I was miserable. I was tired. When you are tired, the natural instinct is for old habits, mindsets, past snares, wounds, behaviors, and mentalities to come rushing in to your aid. Unless you go vertical and set your heart and mind on things above (Colossions 3:1-4), you will welcome them back in and seek their council before you are even aware that you are doing it. When you are tired, that is time more than ever, to guard your heart, and search for wisdom. Go to Him, and ask Him for the ability t remember all that is true, absolute, and eternal, about HIM. Remember that He is your Father, He will always love you, He will never forsake you, He will provide, He will guide you, He will secure you, He will prosper you, He will protect you, He is with you, and that His love will never fail you. As I meditated on these things, my sanity returned, the tempest in my chest began to subside, my peace returned, my awareness of His presence was restored, and I repented for allowing time between us allow for defeated foes to attack and retake my mind and heart for a while. And ya know what, my joy and excitement for life returned. When He is in control, I am not. That is the greatest starting point of any day. You are God, I am not. What a great relief that is. When you are tired, worship Him. When you are tired, turn to Him, and cast what is burdening you onto Him. Once He has it, just relax, and remember how amazing and immeasurably incredible His love is for you. Watch the stress, anxiety, fear, control, worry, and unbelief fall to the ground in the midst of His presence. He is so faithful. Try Him, and you will see what I mean. In Him, by Him, from Him, through Him, and for Him, Kenny Peavy

Recording September 15 at i-58 Studios

This just in.  I wanted to pass this along to everyone.  We are recording a single on September 15 at an amazing studio here in LA.  Please be praying for this.  If all goes well on this single, this will be one of the regular recording spots for us.  Also, be praying for the open doors to key connections and relationships to get the right recordings we are looking for.  Lastly, be praying for the finances to come in for me to pay all my musicians, studio production, mixing, mastering, and marketing.  Here is a link to the studio I will record at.  These guys are awesome.  

http://i-58studios.com/

Dreams are so much fun!

Kenny

The Power of Thanksgiving and Praise On Any Given Day

I had the amazing privelige of having my son Caleb with me as I taught at a Korean American Youth Conference in the mountains near Big Bear, California a couple of Sundays ago.  I was asked to come and speak on worship.  To me, that is like being asked to speak about the ocean.  It's all there, but what would you like for me to specify?  Also, do you have a week? Or two?  Maybe even a month?  I absolutely LOVE speaking about why we are made to worship.

For this crew though, I sensed immediately that we needed to start right the concept of identity.  There is an intense battle in this life over this very topic, and I could sense in the room that this very battleground was well tread upon by the time I arrived at this conference.  They were tired, and many were weary.  As I speak, I often times "hear" impressions from the Lord about where to go.  He told me, in the face of the battle over identity, to take this fine group of men and women right to Psalm 104:3.  It says, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and enter His courts with praise."  When you go to a concert, you are not going to get inside unless you give the person at the gate your ticket.  They are usually accompanied by large security personnel.  You are not getting in without that ticket.  Well, in Psalm 100:4, the ticket is a thankful heart.  This is not about a person at the gate saying to you, "NO!  You are not thankful enough!  Get on the ground and show me some THANKS!  Nobody is refusing us entry.  It is US!  To enter the gates that will lead you into the inner courts of relationship and intimacy with the One who loves you more than you know, you just have to posture your heart in a position of thanks.  SO!  What are you thankful for?  Try it as you are reading this.  Declare to Jesus as if He is standing before you, because He just might be ;), what you are thankful for.

This is what we did together.  I released freedom from fear of man and of rejection in the room, and released everyone to declare what they were grateful for.  That is when we started having fun.  See the minute you begin to use your most valuable weapon (your choice) to go after Him, the battle rages within you.  The tempest begins to erupt inside.  See, you cannot thank God for something if you don't believe He did it.  You cannot thank God for someone when you hate them.  You have to choose at the "fork in the road".  You cannot thank God for setting you free from something, yet want to stay right there in the very prison he freed you from.  The warfare surrounding thanksgiving is HUGE!  We remained here for quite a long time until we began to believe what we were saying.  Then, we ran out of the obvious things to give thanks for, but we were hungry for more to give thanks for.  We waited on Holy Spirit for more.  He gave each of us more.  We then began to thank God for things as He laid them on our hearts.  That is when we went to new depths, dark covered and protected places, and even places in our hearts that we vowed never to return to.  There was intense warfare, deliverance, awesome repentance, and breakthrough.  Just from positioning our hearts to give thanks.  All without music.

The thing about positioning our hearts for thanksgiving is that it prepares our hearts to see.  When we purpose to thank the Trinity for all that has been done for us, we begin to see with new eyes His wonderful character.  What I mean is that He does out of who He is.  His actions merely reflect His good heart.  He is the perfect Father, and as Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us, we see the Father (John 14, 17).  And as we see Him, His goodness, His holiness, His forgiving, patient, loving heart, it leads, through revelation from Holy Spirit, to praise.

As we began to praise God, glorify the Son, and experience Holy Spirit in our midst, things began to shift to action in the room. Starting with our voices.  We evolved in this time from tiny little Korean whispers, to ROARS FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS!  We were experiencing some true revival in our hearts of things dead for long periods of time.  We were erupting with life!  OUR LIFE.  Many of these young people had many many reasons for being there, none of which had to do with their choices.  As we were living Psalm 100:4, people began to take ownership of their walks with God.  It was becoming theirs.  They were experiencing God, encountering His love, and using their choices to go after Him because THEY wanted to.  That is REAL, and that is all we all are after.  What is real.  Or should I say, WHO is real.

Last, I sensed that the Lord wanted them to leave all things not of Him that they have been carrying up here in the mountain, not taking it back down with them.  They were making a stand, and only accepting the Truth from His lips that was setting them free.  So, I made an imaginary grave pit surrounding me, and I invited everyone to come and dump everything that was defeated that day on the cross back into the grave. That time was precious.  Everyone, young and old, staff, students, and even camp staffers in the back, laid stuff down.  My son and I were able to witness some massive transformation in about 3 hours.

Better than any sunset or sunrise is the dawning of a brand new little soul breathing his/her first breaths of fresh air in this world.  Even better than that is seeing someone born again.  Free, with testimony, and ready to spread His Fire by Word and deed.  What would happen in our hearts if we purposely positioned our hearts to give Him thanks?  Try it.  Then let Him lead you to the very places, people, circumstances He wants you to be thankful for.  Dare to let the battle begin, because He has already set a table for you in the presence of your enemies.  He is with you.  He will never leave you.  He just wants to free you, and give you all the reasons to worship Him.    

YWAM LA INFUSION - A DAY OF TRUE FREEDOM IN HIS PRESENCE

Yesterday, I had the awesome privilege to speak at Youth With A Mission Los Angeles, in a summer ministry called Infusion.  I brought Derek, a dear friend I am mentoring, with me to share with these amazing young men and women.  They were so hungry.  We started out by praying for a spirit of purity to be released over us, and we began to speak and even shout out our anticipations for our time together as we sought the Lord.  See, I find that it is always better to just invite Him to be with you, rather than to merely speak about Him.  The Word says to ask for the Kingdom of Heaven to come and that His will be done right here, right now, on earth as it is already being done in Heaven.  You, in essence, become a steward of the atmosphere and power of His Kingdom wherever you go.

A TIME OF FREEDOM

I sensed that God wanted us to go into a time of thanksgiving.  A thankful heart intentionally postures our hearts in humility to prepare us for His presence like never before.  I mean it.  Try it!  It causes you to choose thanksgiving over unbelief, over pride, over fear, over the critical spirit, over cynicism, and any other lofty thought that would exalt itself above the knowledge of the truth of God for your life (II Cor. 10:5-7).  If you want to war for your mind, for your heart, for the right perspective to have over circumstances, situations, or even in relationships with others, then be intentional to purpose yourself to look up and connect with God with things that you are thankful for.  Now, before you know it, you may run out of known things to choose to be grateful for.  That is because you are still on the surface of revelation.  Stay there with a heart of thanksgiving, and ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you more things to be grateful to Him for.  That is when He is allowed to go deep into your heart, to reveal wounds, unanswered questions, issues with others, disagreements, disillusionment, regret, fear, and on and on.  He will bring you back to the days of situations that caused these things mentioned above to be carried around in your heart from day to day.  Then, He will show you how to be thankful for people you still hate, despise, never want to see again. That is when the real tension shows up, because you begin to defend your stance on things, when, at the same time, you sense His love over you drawing you to a sweet surrender of your very positions and judgments to Him.  Before you know it, you begin to understand that the barriers you have built up to protect you from others is the very prison you are trying to be freed from.

This is what happened yesterday... and then there was BREAKTHROUGH! From Thanksgiving, we went to massive repentance throughout the room, and people began to give up their positions, their wounds, their judgments, bitternesses, fear, suicidal thoughts, and other behaviors they participated in to protect their hearts.  We were living Isaiah 61:1-4, MOMENT BY MOMENT.  See, God's way is just better.  He doesn't give you coping mechanisms to self-medicate.  He heals you, sets you free, and gives Himself to you in the most real way you can possibly imagine.  He is not religion, and His love is not even debatable, unless you have never experienced His love.  Many had not experienced this love until yesterday.  Before I knew it, people were being delivered, and then after their freedom experience in His presence, they would then turn around and begin praying and prophesying over others as if they had been free for years!  Instantaneously, freedom in one would unleash hunger for freedom in others.  One would confess his/her own sin and struggle, and at that moment, would choose Christ over the lies, and would make a new commitment right there.  We would rally all around, speaking declarations of TRUTH over their lives.  As soon as one was FREE, then there were many many others trying to be the next one to confess their sins in order to receive and know the FREEDOM they just witnessed before them.  By the end, 3 hours later, these beautiful people began to boast of how they were bound in sin and imprisoned by fear and orphaned in identity, but "Jesus saved me today".  "Jesus healed my heart today."  "I was addicted to porn, but I want everyone here to know, that I am free this day!  I have been set free, He has forgiven me, and all I want to do is know this freedom more and more, and to give His love away!"  Revelation 12:11 says that "They overcame the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony...", and I could not agree more.  The atmospheric shifted from things like religion, fear, suicide, lust, and unbelief at the beginning to an atmosphere of love, joy, excitement, FREEDOM, and hearts of evangelism for others to know His freedom.

MINISTRY SUMMARY

Jesus Christ is not philosophy, a debate, a religion.  He really is who He says He is, and He really loves us like He says he loves us.  His presence is the greatest gift He could ever give us.  This is because everything we have ever been designed to dream up about love, acceptance, value, safety, comfort, rest, sonship, identity, freedom, peace, and true joy can all be found in His manifest presence.

Oh God, thank You for Your PRESENCE!

Your son,

Kenny

Take Up Your Cross & Follow Me

Matthew^24-26 


Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

This is the message I am meditating on these past few days, and as I think it through, I have been so convicted of how my mind and heart have tried to compete, work within, and try to even find validity with the mentality, the culture, and what is considered "normal" by the ways of the world.  I am a Christian, and Colossians 3 tells me to keep my... "mind focused on things above", to keep my... "heart focused on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God".  Be dependent upon the ways of Christ, not the ways of man.  This automatically makes me vulnerable to others, as it will soon be evident by following this direction from Colossians that I will stand out like a sore thumb.  So, is it worth it.  I am going to suffer things like relationship and friendship with others who will not be able to relate with me if I walk according to the Spirit, as opposed to the flesh.  I will suffer a huge blow to my reputation among others.  But what I gain is this immeasurable and incomparably great relationship with Jesus Christ, who reveals, who strengthens, who refreshes, who protects, who promotes, who gives me favor, and grace to walk it out with Him.

But first I have to make a decision to get up on my cross, die to the ways of the world, and my habitual need and/or love of them in order to have made the choice for dependence on Him.  The power is in the CHOICE!  World, or Christ.  Ways of man, or His ways.  What I have learned from experience on this earth, or what I need to learn from Him.  How to teach myself in my own power and abilities, or radical dependence upon His presence, mercy, grace and favor.  Every day it comes down to this right here before anything else can come into play.  We pay a price for the things that we want.  We either sacrifice our soul to the things of this world, which invade us as we consume them, or we offer our lives to the One who dreamt us up in the first place in order for Him to redeem us, to reconcile us and to pour all of Himself into us, that we may become the fulfillment of all He has hoped for from the beginning.

Open my eyes Lord, so I can see the values of these two directions.  The world, or You. What can compare to You oh God?

I choose You today, and I will choose You tomorrow.  This is my daily declaration before the sun rises.

Atlanta Weekend Trip: Master's Commission & Holy Spirit Men's Encounter

Well gang, I have to tell ya that this past weekend was awesome!  I got to hang out with my long-time friend a bit, speak at the Atlanta Master's Commission, and finally speak at the Holy Spirit Encounter's Men's Retreat in North Georgia.

This weekend, I sensed in prayer that I was to speak on the orphan mentality.  Someone who has an orphan mentality is usually someone who has a very difficult time trusting anyone but themselves.  They are bound by fear, and crave intimacy, yet, shuns it the same, because it requires a trust they cannot give.  They are extremely independent, and rely on nobody more than themselves to get things done, or to simply do anything.  Orphan mentality produces a victim spirit, one which causes a person to justify his/her own actions by blaming others.  There is never responsibility taken.  It's always "their fault".  A disagreement on any issue equals an assault on their very being.

I was talking to my good friend who actually is an orphan, and she told me that as an orphan, she did what she could to survive, and there was nobody for her until she was adopted, and even then, she had developed such habits as to not allow anyone to do for her, for she might learn to open up and believe in them, and eventually love them, and THAT's when they would pull the rug out from under her.  We as people, even though many of us were not orphaned as babies or small children, have all possessed the same tendencies, because unless we know true Love from a Father who made us, who loves, who will never leave us, or who will never be too busy for us, or who will never be exasperated with us because we want His attention or because we don't; unless we know the perfect Love, we will possess an orphan spirit.  This kind of mentality causes us to be lords of our own lives in everything we do.  We make all the decisions, we decide what is best for us, we judge others who don't measure to our standards, or who may simply have a difference of opinion.  Anyone who runs in our circles become competition, not friends.  Resentment, jealousy, rebellion, and independence become companions to help us through our day.  Before we know it, we are not the ones in control, but we are the ones controlled.  Therefore, any form of civility is mere act.  We really just wanted our parents to love us.  Can I say that?

As I shared this to both the master's commission group in downtown atlanta, and the next afternoon at the Holy Spirit Encounter in North Georgia, the response was incredible.  So many people are dealing with this sense about themselves.  God opened the door to forgive, and to repent.  His love in the room was so real, and people responded.  People repented of pornography, infidelity, drugs and alcohol, hate and bitterness towards others who wounded them.  They made a declaration right there that they were not going to continue the cycle of rejection, and wounding others.

I was able to speak to most of all who came to the Holy Spirit conference, and almost to a man, there was a new, fresh understanding of what they had been under all these years, and also a fresh determination for freedom from such an identity as the orphan spirit.

I encourage all reading this blog, the only way to displace the absolute feeling of inadequacy, or illegitimacy, is to know who you really are.  The only way to know who you really are is to encounter the revelation that God LOVES YOU.  YES YOU.  The world can try to pull you down to it, and all its ruin, but when you have the love and support of your dad, let them try.  How much more when Abba Father the Maker of all, has His eyes on you, and loves you with all His heart!  Then and only then, can you be free from opinions, from expectations, and free to trust others.  For me, it is still a work in progress, but I am so excited about who He is, and who He says that I am.  No man can ever take that away.

Romans 8:14-17

 ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[g] Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

SWAGGER WAGON: From Kenny & Rebekah

Always Let Love

Happy Valentine's Day everybody! Love is an untamed unpredictable force that has you singing with the birds one minute, and singing the blues the next. Never try to tame it, for it is it's best when it is wild and free. To know love, you must risk everything, and when love sees the risk you take, you will earn love's attention, gain it's service, and it will win her heart and pull her to you. But love is the only thing that truly wins the heart of another. Be good to love, and never control it, or it will leave you and find another who cherishes and cares for it. Always let love show you what you cannot see yourself.
Love is superhero. It has x-ray vision into the hearts of others. It has ability to withstand amazing suffering for others. It always believes the best in people. If you let love, it will show you revelations about everyone around you, it will free you from your cycles of pain and loneliness, it will turn you from selfish to selfless in a minute, and it makes you want to help people around you. If you let love, it will teach you. How to love. How to listen when you don't want to. How to do things when you don't want to. How love things you don't want to. Because love rescues from the prison that can be your self and frees you to the limitless possibility of helping others. If you let love, it will show how to truly live.

If you let love....

Salvation @ 35,000 Feet

Last week, I was in Costa Rica, and had an amazing time with the staff and students at the YWAM base there, as I just shared with all of you in my last blog. What I didn't share with you yet about that trip has to do with my trip home. I was originally scheduled to fly home by way of Houston. Because of the snow storm over alf the country however, Houston airport shut down. I had to fly through Newark, New Jersey. So, from San Jose, Costa Rica to Newark. Ten from Newark to Los Angeles. Ahhhh! I was bummed but at least I could get home. I was counting my blessings when the Lord spoke to me to be alert and ready, because He was going to lead someone to me so I could listen to them and lead them to Him. I couldn't wait!

From Cota Rica to Newark, nothing happened. I met people here and there, but clearly not anything like I sensed from the Lord. I waited. I got off my flight in Newark, and quickly boarded my plane bound for Los Angeles. As I was getting on the plane, a male flight attendant greeted me as I went to take my seat. Instantly, I knew that I was to speak to this man. I prayed, and I felt like God told me that this man would come to me. So, I waited. We too off, and by the time we were a few minutes in the air, I absolutely fell sound asleep. A hour later, I woke up and watched a movie. After the movie was over, we were right at half-way to Los Angeles. Well, to be honest, I had to stretch my legs, and to go to the bathroom as well. As I walked to the back of the plane, I saw there was a small line for me to wait in. I waited, and as I became te next one in line, I waited just beside where this man was seated. He noticed I was wearing a Costa Rica hat, and spoke to me, asking if I were from there. Examined to him that I was teaching missionaries abou God, their identity in Him, and their purpose on this earth to know Him, His ways, and then to give Him away to all who don't know Im yet. I shared that I am a musician, and we do concerts, and raise awareness for orphans, prostitution ministries, homeless ministries, home building initiatives, and other platforms to give Christ's love away. He asked how did I come to end up doing this? I shared with him my testimony of a life of rejection, insecurity, loneliness, hurt, and fear of never eing loved that drove me into a life of drugs, partying, and ultimate despair. I shared how God was my Hero, my Rescuer, my Savior, and my Lord. He stopped me, and asked me to come to the center of the plane wit him.

It was there that he told me that he lost his wife the year before to a heart attack. He shared that he was so lonely and at he cannot trust people. He asked me to help him. I told him that the only answer I could give Him IS the only answer there is. I asked Him if he wanted to give his life to Jesus as is, and told him that Jesus loved him as is. I told Him that Jesus was with us at 35,000 feet, and that He so wanted to live with him forever. My friend began to weep a deep sob of loss for his wife, and then a deeper sob of a little boy who just wanted to be loved by someone who would not leave him. I prayed with him, and he gave his life to Jesus right there in the center galley, by a new line of people waiting to go to the bathroom.

Lord, thank you for my friend, and I pray that he comes to know as I know you. As my Father, who will never leave me. Who will always love me, and work all things for good over me. Thank you for using me to bring your son home. I ready for your next kid. Use me!!

Your son, Kenny

My Time In Costa Rica With Youth With A Mission

Last week, I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica to visit the Youth With A Mission base there.  I have dear friends I have made over the years there, and I was asked to come and speak to the new students in the School of Worship, and in the Discipleship Training Schools currently underway there.  I was so amazed at the level of growth during the week with students.  Most of these students came from deep religious backgrounds, so they knew the scriptures by memory, but were so jaded and hardened at the same time.  Many had deep disappointments, many had serious wounds from church, from parents, from friends, etc.  God began to address heart conditions almost immediately from day one.  He moved in the way of words of knowledge and prophetic words over many students over the first two days.  God was calling people's identity and destinies to them, and addressing any lies and comparisons that ruled their mindsets.  There was a lot of tension, followed by lots of personal decisions made for more of God, and then incredible breakthrough for the students.  By Thursday, we were all packed in the vans going to the beach, because 26 students wanted to be baptized!  Oh yeah!  26!  We had a great day together, the trip alone was so much fun.  By the time we got there, it was time for a game of futbol! I scored three times.  Had to share that.  Old man still has it!  Or a little bit of it left.

After a good game, it was time to get in the water, and dunk some "old man".  I explained to them that this is much much more than mere symbolism.  This was a radical choice to leave what the world calls "normal" in the way of earthly, worldly thinking, and embrace a life the Lord Jesus bought for us on the Cross so long ago.  "We are buried with Christ unto the baptism of the death of the old man.", I would tell them.  "We are then raised with Christ into brand new life forevermore."  "Is that what you want?" "YES!!", they would scream.  I asked them if they had any last words before the old man died a watery death.  So many of them wanted me to hold them down under the water an extra 5, 10, even 15 seconds before we would pull them back up.  Some sang a song of declaration, some gave incredible statements of determination and life purpose unto the Lord.  This was certain.  They knew what they were doing.  They were dedicating their lives that very moment to the purposes and dreams of God for their lives.  I was so moved.  That day, I was able to baptize heroes, and champions.  I was deeply humbled.

God, I pray that I never stop giving You away to others, and You never stop sending me to them.  I am Your son and vessel FOREVER!!

Amen

Time For Purity

Someone emailed me today about something they saw over me this past Sunday when I was leading worship at my church.  They said that there was such a sense of freedom and joy that I was giving off as I was singing and worshiping.  This struck me, because I have never felt more free in all of my life to be who God has called me to be than right this moment.  Also, as I thought about it, I am extremely happy as a person, being where I am, and doing what I do.  I love it!

So, I began to think of why I was so free, and how did this person see it.  I mean, we have financial issues sometimes.  As missionaries, there were times where Rebekah and I would pull back on what we ate so the kids could have what they needed.  We don't own a house, and have been trying to own a home for as long as I can remember.  That used to really get me down.  There have been times I struggled with loneliness, sometimes what would be called depression even.  There were months we didn't know how the rent was going to be paid.  I mean many months.  We are not entirely out of those woods yet, but there are differences in my mind, and in my understanding now.  What changed, and how?

As I thought about these questions, I sensed God speak into me and say, "Me".  He is so right!  I have given Him more of the little things that in and of themselves seem so insignificant and small, but together make up a huge portion of my life, my heart.  See, last year, I was reading the beatitudes, and I got stuck on Matthew 5:8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  I asked Him to reveal to me what a pure heart looks like, and how to get one, and if I would really see Him if I had one.  Bad questions to ask if you really want to know, and are willing to find out.  God began to really reveal the conditions of my heart.  Meaning, where I wasn't aware of before, I became aware of how selfish I was, how perverted I allowed my mind and mouth to be, how compromising I allowed my speech and exercise goals to become. How I spoke to my children, listened to my children, and how I treated my wife, even how I spoke to my own mom and dad.  How I thought of my younger brother.  I even found things hidden there about him that I didn't know were making a home in my heart.  I found fears that silently operated my behavior like the man behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz.  I felt weak and wanted to retreat from the very things I loved to do (lead worship, teach) before these revelations.

God told me that He would do two things in 2010 for me.  He would reveal what was in my mirror (identity), and clean the dirty spots so I can see me like He does, and He said He was going to consume my heart like a fire and purge what is not from Him, so that my motivations would follow a simple pattern: "Yes Lord".  This past year should have been a difficult year had it not been for what He told me He would be doing in my heart, and for my identity.  I was able to see everything around me as a backdrop to a play that He and I were playing lead roles in.  Some days, it felt like a tragedy, some a drama, and some days, a fun comedy.  All in all though, 2010 was an incredible year for me to SEE GOD.  He was right!  As He purifies this heart of mine, I can see Him at work more, all around me, not just inside me.  I, more than ever before, have been able to really see how He sees me, and when that happens, I am complete.  In Him, I find my rest, for I know that I know that He loves me, He made me, He is happy with me, and He is continually conforming me one millimeter at a time.  He gives me a pace not dictated by the race and anxiety of this world who doesn't know its identity, but a pace that is constructed by a relationship with Him that is greater in value than anything this world has to offer.  When I know that He loves me, everything else bows in second place.  That is the origin of the peace I carry through my days, and that is the foundation of the freedom that my friend was able to see in me on the stage Sunday.

You have done a mighty work in me Lord.  I am so encouraged from the days past for the days ahead, and I know that you are already there waiting on me.  So, I rest in You today.