(click here for more messages from Pastor Kevin Barner)

July 2007

Dear Friends of ICA,

While traveling throughout Moscow recently, a big impression was made on me as I observed the people around me (15 million of them) going through their daily routines. Many of them seem to have little or no convictions upon which to base their lives. They seem to just exist day-to-day, hoping to survive the next twenty-four hours, with no aim or purpose.It caused me to evaluate my purpose & convictions in life, & how I value the days God has given me. We tend to base your decisions on one of four motivations in life: circumstances, conveniences, criticisms, or convictions. Yet only decisions that are based on your convictions will last and leave a lasting legacy. May these thoughts below equally inspire you.

Six Convictions to Build Your Life On.
People who have made the greatest impact on this world, for good or bad, are those who had the deepest convictions. They weren’t necessarily the smartest people, the brightest people, the most educated, the wealthiest, or even the most famous. If you’re going to build convictions, you need to build them on something that’s going to last. Everything changes. Fads change, fashions change. There’s only one thing that never changes. That is the truth of God. If it was true a thousand years ago, it will be true today and it will be true a thousand years from tomorrow because truth does not change. The Bible says this in Isaiah 40:8 (NLT): “The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever.”

1. It’s All About God.
It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not about profit, politics, or anything else. It’s all about God. Until you understand that, life is never going to make sense. In Romans 11, the Bible says, “For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power. And everything is intended for his glory.”
 
What’s the implication of that? If it’s all about God, and it’s not all about making money or being popular or anything else the world thinks is important, then the implication is that it is more important to love God than anything else.

2. Only The Church Will Last Forever.
Nothing on earth will last forever – no business, government, or nation. But the Church will.

3. God Expects Me To Love Everybody Else Too.
It’s all about love. Life is not about the acquisition of things, achievement, or popularity. It’s about learning how to love. If you miss that, you miss the lesson of life. God says the most important thing is to love him. The second most important thing is in Mark 12: “The second most important commandment is love your neighbor as yourself.” Who is our neighbor? That’s not a new question. It was asked right after Jesus said this. Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. The short answer is everybody is your neighbor. That means you’re to love the unlovely, those who are different. It’s easy to love people who agree with you & who you think are cool. God says he wants us to love even our enemies (Luke 6:35). That’s a tough one.

 4. The Whole World Needs Jesus.
The whole Bible testifies to this through the Great Commission. In it, Jesus tells us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Does it say, go and make disciples of some nations? No. All nations. No nation is off limits. As Christians, we report to a higher authority – Jesus Christ. If the whole world needs Jesus, then we have to share the Good News. To keep it a secret would be criminal. If you knew the cure for a dreaded disease – like cancer or AIDS – and you didn’t share it, that would be criminal. We have something better than that. We know the cure for the human heart.

5. Everything Is Possible With God.
The Bible says, “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible.’”(Matt. 19:26 NIV) Jesus also said: “According to your faith it will be done unto you.” (Matt. 9:29 NIV) You know what the implication is? God’s waiting on you. God is waiting for you to trust him. God wants to use you. He wants to bless you. He wants to do amazing things in your life. He wants you to be a world changer. You just need to stop saying, “I can’t.” That’s a lie. All things are possible to him who believes God. God gets the most glory when we trust him for the impossible. 

6. History’s Conclusion Is Inevitable.
I believe this with all my heart. It’s done. It’s finished. There’s no doubt. The Bible tells us how it’s going to end. One day, God’s going to wrap it all up here on earth and he’s going to take his children who've trusted him to heaven for ever and ever. In Matthew 24 the Bible says, “The Good News about God’s Kingdom will be preached in all the world to every nation, to every people group, and then the end will come.” It’s a certainty.

God richly bless you.

Your Loving Shepherd,
 Pastor Kevin

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