The UnSafe Bible

Have you ever been cancelled over your beliefs? Has society ever accused you of bigotry for standing for biblical truths instead of the latest social justice trend? If that hasn't happened in a public forum, it's probably still happened at a micro level where old friends refuse to talk to you for your beliefs. In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches that society has tried to silence, or in modern terms, “cancel,” God's people since way back in Hosea's day. They always attempted to silence the true prophets.

If there's anything great we could say about living in the 21st century, it's how convenient everything is. If there's anything bad we could say about living in the 21st century… It's how convenient everything is. It's spoiled all of us! Today, Pastor Ken teaches that we've lost our patience and expect God to move on our terms, at our pace. However, God's not on your schedule… you're on His. Your prayers may not be answered when you want, but they will be answered at the perfect time.

Hear me out… serving the Lord is a good, beautiful, wonderful thing. Every believer should be serving Jesus as an outpouring of their love for Him. However, as Pastor Ken, your service should not become more important than your relationship. In today's message, you will learn how the Israelites thought that they could replace a relationship with a trip to the altar, and many Christians believe they can do the same by stacking enough chairs, rather than communing with the Creator.

Many people believe that if they do enough things, that is enough to satisfy God at the end of their life. They think they can outweigh the bad with the good. Well… good news, and bad news. The good news is that all good people enter Heaven! The bad news… well, there aren't any good people. Today, Pastor Ken teaches that getting into heaven isn't about what you do but who you know. You cannot do enough good to outweigh the sin in your life, so instead, build a relationship with Jesus.

There's a narrative played out by Hollywood of the foolish boss who has no idea what they are doing, and employees who hate their supervisors and managers. Have you found yourself falling victim to the cultural image they try to push? Do you resent your boss for reasons that don't make sense when you view it from an outside perspective? In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches that you should actively pray for and lift up the authority figures in your life, hoping they will lead like Jesus.

What good is a drill with a dead battery? Or a boat with a hole in the floor? Tools have a purpose, but they have to be functional. Listen… you can charge Hell with a water gun, but it has to actually shoot water! Today, Pastor Ken teaches that the Word of God is the most powerful, life-giving, truth-slinging weapon a believer can wield, but it doesn't do much good collecting dust. You can't face this world on your own, so you'll need a working knowledge of God's Word to help you through it.

Who doesn't love the sweet sizzle of bacon in the morning? After cooking up that delicious meal, what do you do with the grease left behind? You've been taught not to pour it down the drain, and there's a good reason for that. In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches that, much like bacon grease, lukewarm “believers” can cause a lot of damage. When people say they are Christians, but don't submit to the will of God, they clog and restrict the flow of the Living Water. Are you restricting God's flow in your life?

The quality of leadership can be thought of as a spectrum ranging from selflessness to selfishness. Great leaders often think of themselves last and put their employees, customers, team, or platoon first. In contrast to this, the worst leaders are often those who prioritize their own gain above others'. Today, Pastor Ken teaches that if you want to become an amazing leader, the best way to do that is to adopt the servant-leader characteristics of Jesus Christ and put others first.

While we all hope that we never do anything to hurt another person, the reality of life is that it will happen. If you can say that you've never had anyone do anything to hurt you, then you are either lucky, naïve, or lying. In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches that this fact of life isn't just exclusive to humanity, but happens to God as well… in fact, it happens daily. God knows your hurt. God understands your hurt. And just like God loves those who hurt Him, you can try to love your enemies as well.

What is salvation, and how does one get it? Is it the key to wealth as long as you are generous enough? No. Is it spiritual enlightenment gained through enough good works? Not exactly. In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches that we've overcomplicated things and think that our actions lead to our salvation when it couldn't be further from the truth. You cannot work your way to heaven. The only way you will get there is by having faith in Jesus as the resurrected Son of God.

Maybe it's the control freak in me, or maybe it's the lack of patience… but I have a hard time watching someone do something incorrectly when I know I can help them. Do you? If only they'd stop pushing so many buttons or hold the knife the proper way, all their problems would be solved! In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches that people all around you have issues that you can help with, because you know the solution. You know that Jesus is the solution. So why not help them out?

Do you remember when you first accepted Jesus into your heart? How did your life change? Confessing your sins and accepting Jesus might have been the easy part of being “born again.” The harder part is navigating the life changes that come with following Christ. Some of your long-time friends may not understand how the Holy Spirit is reshaping your heart and desires. Today, Pastor Ken explains how your life transforms when you accept Jesus and what it means to grow in your faith as a believer.

Did you know that as children of God, you're called to live by a specific set of standards? The good news is that these standards are clearly outlined in Scripture, and it just takes obedience and a willing heart to follow them. In today's message, Pastor Ken explores the standards God calls you to live by, and how the foundation for a relationship with God is simple. As Paul writes in Romans, “If you confess Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Life isn't always fair! Thankfully, our God is not only fair, He's also merciful. Like a loving Father, God sometimes has to discipline us when we make mistakes. Often, this discipline can take the form of allowing a trial or hardship to continue in our lives. But His goal is always the same: to draw us closer to Him. In today's message, Pastor Ken shares how God sometimes has to work a little harder to get our attention, just like He did with the nation of Israel, which was stubborn and ignored His warnings.

Many of us fall into the trap of searching for meaning and fulfillment in the things of this world. Whether it's a career, money, or fame, these things can easily become idols that pull us further from God. The truth is, real fulfillment only comes from a relationship with God. God isn't looking for us to just “play church,” or go through the motions; He wants a real relationship with us. In today's message, Pastor Ken reminds us that chasing anything other than Jesus will always leave us empty.

Deep down, most of us know right from wrong. But when we make a mistake, we often try to defend our actions or shift the blame to avoid accountability. On the other hand, when others make mistakes, we can be quick to judge and demand justice. Today, Pastor Ken explains what a “justice meter” is and how Jesus has already taken accountability for our sins on the cross. It's a reminder that real freedom comes, not through judgment, but through the mercy and grace we find when we walk closely with God.

Have you ever heard the saying, “One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch?” The same is true for your walk with God. If you're constantly surrounded by people who aren't focused on Him, their influence can change you. Today's culture often pushes you to conform to the world, but as a follower of Jesus, you are called to stand out and lead others to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Today, Pastor Ken explores how bad influences and a love for worldly things can jeopardize your relationship with God.

Just because people know what they're supposed to do doesn't mean they always do it. Just think about the highway, isn't the speed limit posted all up and down along the way? But does that keep people from driving however they want to? In today's message, Pastor Ken teaches you that everyone should know that God exists and that they're accountable to Him, but does that keep them from doing whatever they want? What about you? Are you living your life with a good conscience toward your creator?

Everyone's got a marketing strategy today. Whether you're a fast food chain, a realtor, or you run a carwash, you want people to buy what you're selling, and so you've got to pull out all the stops to get their attention and win their business. In today's message, Pastor Ken shares with you the importance of letting the Word of God speak for itself. You don't need a slick marketing scheme. You're not looking to sell anything. God's Word is effective when you just allow God to speak for Himself.

We, the people, oftentimes want to blame leadership when things go wrong, but are we completely without fault? You hear all the time, “Did you see what so-and-so did? Can you believe the audacity?” But are we all that better in our own sphere of responsibility? In our responsibility towards God? In his message today, Pastor Ken challenges you to look in your own heart before pointing the finger at leadership. Are you walking with the same level of integrity that you expect from them? 

Listen to this from Hosea: “For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.” It's uncanny how much the sins of the world today are like those that we read of in Israel in the book of Hosea. Today, Pastor Ken urges you to look to Jesus, because He's the only hope you have of escaping this sinful world.

When anyone takes the stand in court, they're required to swear an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… Unfortunately, even at that, too many people still try to find a way around actually telling the truth. In today's message, Pastor Ken warns you about the sin of taking false oaths. The nation of Israel was guilty of this during Hosea's time, and you're not immune to it today. It's a matter of the heart; Do you have the integrity in your heart to always speak what's true?

We oftentimes think of sin as something we do, but sin is also when we don't do something that we ought to do. Think about it for a second, if there's a stop sign at an intersection, and you just keep on driving, then isn't that still breaking the law? It wasn't an action you took, it was the action that you didn't take. In his message today, Pastor Ken shares with you that, as James puts it, “He who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Is there anything in your life that you've been leaving undone?

There's a lot of joy that comes when someone chooses to follow Jesus with their whole lives, but also, those people are extremely susceptible to believing things others say quickly. In today's message, Pastor Ken says being a new believer is great, but you also must be careful, so you don't follow false doctrine. You must read scripture to know what's true from what's not. Jesus wants you to follow Him and know Him so you can have an abundant life through the death and resurrection of His Son. 

Forgiveness is a hard thing to do. We often want to keep our grudge and control the situation. When you truly forgive someone, you allow God to step in and mend a broken relationship. Today, Pastor Ken says that sometimes when you forgive, you must choose to forgive someone daily. It's a lot easier to hold a grudge, but God wants you to forgive because Christ forgave you. Despite your shortcomings, Jesus chose to forgive, so you should too. Forgive others as Christ forgave you.

When a child is adopted, it's the choice of the family that adopts them to accept them into their family. In today's message, Pastor Ken says the story of Hosea is an example of how Jesus adopts us into His family. He chose you. Jesus wants to be with you in eternity. All you must do is choose to follow Him and let Him lead your life. Have you chosen to follow Jesus? If you haven't, there's no better time than right now. He's seeking you and wants to give you every opportunity to follow Him. Trust Jesus today!

One of the most common things we do as Christians is minimize our sin and try to make ourselves seem better than we are. Today, Pastor Ken says God doesn't ignore our sin but has given us a way to be forgiven. He sent His Son as a sacrifice for all the wrongs you've done and are going to do. Jesus came so you can have a relationship with the Father. He loves you and wants you to trust in Him daily. Follow God wholeheartedly and live in the freedom He's already given you. Find satisfaction in His love!

We're living in a time when anxiety is at an all-time high, and people are trying to find solutions to it. In today's message, Pastor Ken says God can give you peace amidst not knowing what's coming next in your life. You must trust Him and allow Him to cover you with peace beyond all understanding. God loves you and wants you to have your hope rooted solely in Him. Even in the anxious times, trust that God has a plan for you and is constantly working things out for your benefit and your good.

When we're born, we're instantly surrounded by brokenness because this world is full of sin. Today, Pastor Ken says we can only overcome the world through Christ. When Christ becomes all we know and see, we're freed from the things that enslave us. Sin's rampant in the world, but God has given you the power to say no to sin and yes to victory through the death and resurrection of Christ. He loves you so much that He sent His Son as a ransom for all sins committed in the past, present, and future.

As Pastor Ken continues to teach through the book of Hosea, he'll be challenging you to return to your first love and to do those good works you first did when you fell in love with Jesus. Our first love is the love Christ gives us for God and each other. Don't allow your love relationship to cool into mere religion. You should be zealous for the truth, but that zeal should be tempered so that you are always “speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ”.  

Today, Pastor Ken will explain that there is overwhelming evidence for the existence of Jesus, both in secular and biblical history. The greatest evidence that Jesus did exist is the fact that literally thousands of Christians in the first century AD, including the twelve apostles, were willing to give their lives as martyrs for Jesus Christ. People will die for what they believe to be true, but no one will die for what they know to be a lie. Remember, if Christ was not raised from the dead, believers will not be either.

Today, Pastor Ken will remind you that God is the Designer and Craftsman of everything in the universe, and He created human beings a step above all the rest. By breathing His own life into that man, He created the man and woman “in His own image”. That means that human beings are more like God than any other created thing. We have an eternal spirit, just as God has. The wise person bows before the Creator and willingly submits himself or herself to the only One who truly knows how we are made. 

As Pastor Ken continues his teaching series through the book of Hosea, he'll encourage you to put on the whole armor of God because the enemy is actively trying to destroy the Church. Thankfully, we are promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church! The enemy uses all the same tactics and tricks. He uses your flesh against you and sends temptations your way that could cause you to take your focus off of Jesus. Remember, greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.  

Hosea's wife, Gomer, practiced unfaithfulness as a lifestyle. When she conceived and bore children, God told Hosea to give them prophetic names symbolizing the Lord's judgment on Israel. For example, Jezreel foretold a great massacre that would happen in that valley, and Lo-Ammi means “not my people,” signaling God's rejection of Israel. Hosea warned of painful consequences, invasion, and slavery. Today, Pastor Ken will explain that Hosea's message was clear—sin brings judgment! 

Conflict in Israel has been a reality whenever Israel has existed as a nation. Whether it was the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, or Romans, the nation of Israel has always been persecuted by its neighbors. Why is this? According to the Bible, it is because God has a special plan for the nation of Israel, and Satan wants to defeat that plan. Today, Pastor Ken will explain that satanically influenced hatred of Israel is the reason Israel's neighbors have always wanted to see Israel destroyed.

God called Hosea to marry a harlot. His wife, Gomer, was a prostitute and was repeatedly unfaithful to their marriage covenant. This resulted in multiple children by unknown fathers. Yet, Hosea remained faithful to her. This relationship offered a real-time analogy for the relationship God had with Israel. As Pastor Ken will explain in today's message, the children of God chose to be unfaithful to Him, choosing idols and lifestyles that served their own desires, but God remained faithful. 

“God helps those who help themselves…” Do you hear that and assume you're hearing Scripture quoted? This concept is often attributed to the Bible, but it's not theologically sound. As Pastor Ken will point out in today's message, this is a man-made concept, and it relies on the strength of man to do something that's impossible. We're incapable of helping ourselves on a spiritual level. We can work hard and experience some earthly success, but spiritual success is only found through Christ. 

As we dive into the book of Hosea, we may find a lot that we can relate to in our modern culture. Sexual promiscuity, materialism, and idolatry in many forms are pervasive in our culture, just like they were for Hosea. These things have been normalized, and most of us feel like the odd ones out when we resist these things. As Pastor Ken continues our study of this minor prophet, we can find some not-so-minor guidance and reassurance for how we need to live our lives as believers in a hostile culture.  

Have you encountered anyone today who claims to be a prophet? Oftentimes, they make claims about the future, attributing their wisdom and knowledge to a Divine source unique to them. But what makes a prophet a prophet? As Pastor Ken will clarify in today's message, this is only a part of the role of a Biblical prophet. Ultimately, their main job is to point people back to God. When the focus is on one person's ability to tell the future, their focus is not on God, and they aren't truly a prophet.

God spoke our world into existence. He took nothing and made something incredible. He breathed life into humanity. As Pastor Ken will point out in today's message, God doesn't need us to accomplish His will. He could destroy all of this in a second and start from scratch. Yet, He chooses to involve His Creation in His work. He gives us purpose and value and He loves us. Yet, instead of embracing that and pouring ourselves into His service, we're quicker to question Him and doubt His motives.

Why are the “Minor Prophets” called “minor”? As Pastor Ken will clarify in today's message, it has nothing to do with their weight or value in the grander scope of Scripture. As we begin our study of these rich, theological, and historical texts, we'll find truths that are just as crucial to our understanding of God and His dealings with Israel as the books of Isaiah, Daniel, or Ezekiel. God inspired these books to be a part of our Bible and as we'll find in our study, they can have a serious impact on our spiritual lives.

There is a battle going on at all times for the souls of people. Satan is the enemy that we're at war with. He is trying to lead people into darkness, and they are following Him blindly. Today, Pastor Ken will encourage you to be engaged in the battle. There are people being led astray. You have the truth that can lead them back to the light. Think of yourself like a soldier on a mission from God, because that's what you are. You're on a rescue mission. Get engaged in the battle for people's souls.

Do you have peace? Not just a surface-level absence of hecticness in your life, but do you have peace in the biblical sense? Do you have shalom? In today's message, Pastor Ken will explain how shalom encompasses so much. When you accept Jesus in your life, He has made peace with you. When you were broken and lost in your sin, He made a way to be reconciled to Him. Even when life seems to be unsettled and difficult, you have eternal peace because of the hope you have in Jesus.

We often want to fit God inside a box, don't we? Maybe it's that we think we can understand or even control Him that way, but God doesn't fit in our boxes. We try to keep God in the box of a Sunday morning in our church building. In his message today, Pastor Ken will challenge you to accept that God is so much bigger than Sunday morning. God doesn't just exist when you go to church, and your worship of Him shouldn't exist only on Sunday mornings. Worship God everywhere and every day.

Can you imagine a life without pain and sorrow? If you find yourself in a city and stop to listen, you'll hear the buzzing of activity and the persistent wailing of sirens. There'll be car alarms, fire alarms, ambulance sirens, fire sirens, or police sirens. At times, all those sounds will be combined into a dissonant declaration of brokenness. As Pastor Ken will encourage us in today's message, God is preparing a perfect city for us in the New Jerusalem, where all that pain and suffering will be gone.

Our world has tried to paint religion, and especially Christianity, as antiquated and primitive. If you're enlightened and educated, you're expected to write off the mystical, supernatural elements of religion. But, as Pastor Ken will point out in today's message, a worldview without the supernatural disregards centuries of human thought, experience, and historical evidence. This world, with all of its complexities and inexplicable circumstances and events, needs a Creator and Deity to make any sense.

Have you ever imagined what it would've been like to have been born into royalty? We tend to look at the children of royalty as spoiled and rotten, which is often accurate, but it comes out of a sense of unfairness and jealousy. Well, as Pastor Ken will point out in today's message, when you're born again through Jesus, you become the son or daughter of spiritual royalty. With this status, we don't need to see ourselves as entitled, but we can have confidence that our Father will support and provide for us. 

Anyone who has not received Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life will face His judgment. Pastor Ken warns in today's message that today is the day for salvation. Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone. There is eternal separation from God on the line. Pastor Ken urges you to surrender your life to Jesus today. All you must do to receive salvation is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe it in your heart. By doing this, you receive eternal life with the Heavenly Father and salvation for your soul!

Pray God's promises and His Word back to Him! As you learn today from Pastor Ken's message, God is always receptive to you reminding Him of what He has said in His Word. Maybe there are specific promises in your life that you have been believing and hoping for. Pastor Ken encourages you to bring them to the Lord in prayer. Remind God of the promises that He has made to you. Remind Him of His faithfulness through reciting His Word to Him. Be bold in coming to the throne room of God. He cares for you!

Do you have a person or a group of people that you would like to see God's judgment come upon? In today's message from Pastor Ken, he can relate to the feeling, especially when you feel like the people deserve it. However, what if instead of praying for God's judgment, you would pray for their salvation, for a softened heart, and a changed mind? Pastor Ken encourages you that as a follower of Jesus, mercy always triumphs over judgment. God wants to see all of those who are lost come to Him in faith.

It's important to recount how the Lord has shown Himself faithful to you! Today, you learn from Pastor Ken's message that the more you express your gratitude to Jesus through prayer, the more you realize all that He has done for you! Pastor Ken emphasizes the point that Jesus loves you so much that He was willing to die a criminal's death on the cross for you. When you take the time to reflect upon that, you see just how much Jesus has sacrificed for you. Express to Him your gratitude through prayer.