Remembering Vance Kitchen – kenbarnes.us
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28a ESV)
3 min read
Ken Barnes
Ken Barnes
Entitlement – kenbarnes.us
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3 ESV)
3 min readWorship and the Word – kenbarnes.us
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 ESV)
2 min readThe Mystery of Godliness – kenbarnes.us
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16 ESV)
3 min readRemembering Our Lord’s Death – kenbarnes.us
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again. 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 ESV
2 min readBrevity the Soul of Wit – kenbarnes.us
Shakespeare once said in the play, Hamlet, “brevity is the soul of wit.” Shakespeare was saying that less words are better than more in communicating something. Being brief is the essence of intelligence and wit.
2 min readSimplicity – kenbarnes.us
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV)
3 min readGod and Medicine – kenbarnes.us
Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” (Isaiah 38:21 ESV)
3 min readA New Creation – kenbarnes.us
For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:15-16 ESV)
3 min readVictory over Death – kenbarnes.us
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54b-55 ESV)
3 min readA Fly In the Ointment – kenbarnes.us
You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! (Ecclesiastes 10: 3 NLT)
2 min readLead Me to the Rock that is Higher than I – kenbarnes.us
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I (Psalms 61:3 NASB).
3 min readDelayed Obedience is Always Disobedience – kenbarnes.us
Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” Genesis 24:55-56 ESV
3 min readA Half-truth is a Whole Lie – kenbarnes.us
And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.
3 min readReleasing the Hound of Heaven – kenbarnes.us
Pray without ceasing. I Thessalonians 5:17 ESV
2 min readDo We Always Need a Talking Donkey? – kenbarnes.us
Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam. Numbers 22:28 NLT
3 min readIt Ain’t Over Until It is Over – kenbarnes.us
But the Angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. Luke 1:13 ESV
3 min readRepentance and Restoration In 2025 – kenbarnes.us
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.1 Peter 4:17a NKJV
2 min readWhat Goes Around Comes Around – kenbarnes.us
Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Have relations with your father’s concubines, whom he has left behind to take care of the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” (2 Samuel 16:21 NASB)
2 min readMake America Righteous Again – kenbarnes.us
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)
3 min readAn Attitude of Gratitude – kenbarnes.us
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; Hebrews 12:28 NASB
5 min readWork Is Worship – kenbarnes.us
The LORD also said to Moses, “Look, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. (Exodus 31:1-3 NLT)
3 min readVote – kenbarnes.us
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:17 NLT)
2 min readElisha and the Ax Head – kenbarnes.us
“Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. 2 Kings 6:6 NLT
2 min readWhat Are You Doing Here – kenbarnes.us
There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. The Lord Speaks to Elijah But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9b NLT
3 min readAs It Happened – kenbarnes.us
So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. (Ruth 2:3 NLT)
2 min readGood but Limited – kenbarnes.us
We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. (Acts 21:4 NLT
3 min readA Footwasher to the Footwashers – kenbarnes.us
My Boys Are Good Boys The mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, respectfully approached Jesus. She had what she thought was a small request. “In your kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on the right and the other on the left” (Matt. 20:21 NLT). Many have noted that only a Jewish mother could make such a request. She wasn’t asking much; only one could be the assistant savior, and the other could be the associate Lord. Jesus must have thought that he had heard it all now.
7 min readCancel Culture – kenbarnes.us
None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” (Acts 6:10-11 NLT)
2 min readIncomplete Obedience – kenbarnes.us
Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have now allowed you to see it with your own eyes, but you will not enter the land.” (Deuteronomy 34:4 NLT)
3 min readThe Cost of Discipleship – kenbarnes.us
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV) The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes,” A tightrope walker once would take a wheel barrel across the wire on his high-air act. The tightrope walker points to a man below who enthusiastically affirms he can do it and says, “If you believe you can come up here and get in the barrel, let me wheel you across the wire. In James 2:17-18 NKJV, it says, Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
2 min readReleasing New Generational Leaders – kenbarnes.us
“This is what pertains to the Levites: From twenty-five years old and above one may enter to perform service in the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and at the age of fifty years they must cease performing this work, and shall work no more.” (Numbers 8:24-25 NKJV)
2 min readA Mother’s Influence – kenbarnes.us
My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. (Proverbs 6:20 NLT)
2 min readA Diamond in the Rough – kenbarnes.us
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 NIV)
2 min readSilencing the Roaring Lion – kenbarnes.us
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NIV)
3 min readA Double Blessing for Spiritual Leaders – kenbarnes.us
After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (NLT)
3 min readA Double Blessing – kenbarnes.us
After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (NLT)
3 min readThe Resurrection of the Dead – kenbarnes.us
For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 1 Corinthians 15:13 (NLT)
3 min readStay Calm – kenbarnes.us
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14 NLT)
3 min readSpiritual Entropy – kenbarnes.us
Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18 (NLT)
2 min readThe Greatest Benefit of Fasting – kenbarnes.us
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4 NIV)
2 min readMe or We – kenbarnes.us
May God be merciful and bless us. May his face shine with favor upon us. Interlude Psalms 67:1 (NLT)
2 min readPrayerless Pews and Powerless Pulpits – kenbarnes.us
Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. (2 Thessalonians 3:1 NLT)
3 min readMy Christmas Story – kenbarnes.us
He (Joseph) took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (Luke 2:5-7 NLT)
2 min readThe Exaltation of Knowledge – kenbarnes.us
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, (2 Peter 1:5 NASB)
3 min readVain Idols – kenbarnes.us
Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. (Jonah 2: 8 ESV)
2 min readWaiting for the Return of Christ – kenbarnes.us
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1:11 NASB)
3 min readThe Me Generation – kenbarnes.us
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire: and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up.” (Daniel 3: 17-18 NASB)
3 min readCultivating Faithfulness – kenbarnes.us
Trust in the Lord and do good; Live in the land and cultivate faithfulness. (Psalms 37:3 NASB)
3 min readA Captive to the Word of God – kenbarnes.us
I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. (Psalms 119:15-16 NKJV)
3 min readWorshiping God or Idols – kenbarnes.us
I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” (Daniel 3:15 NLT)
2 min readOur Sins, Gone and Forgotten – kenbarnes.us
Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s Cross. In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the Cross of Christ. Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)
2 min readReaping What You Sow – kenbarnes.us
While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum. (2 Samuel 15:12 NLT)
2 min readThe Brevity of Life – kenbarnes.us
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalms 90:12 NLT)
2 min readSometimes God Says No – kenbarnes.us
So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:7b-8, 9a NLT)
3 min readGod Said Go, Jonah Said No! – kenbarnes.us
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. Jonah 1:1-3a NLT
2 min readGod’s Book and Bottle – kenbarnes.us
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. (Psalms 56: 8 NLT)
2 min readAs It Happened – kenbarnes.us
So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. Ruth 2:3 NLT
2 min readJephthah’s Unwise Vow – kenbarnes.us
And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” (Judges 11:30-31 NLT)
2 min readThe Doorkeeper – kenbarnes.us
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. Psalms 84:10b NLT
2 min readThe Covenant of Forgiveness – kenbarnes.us
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Matthew 6:12 NLT
2 min readSeek God First – kenbarnes.us
So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord.
3 min readThe Golden Age of the Automobile in Brownsville – kenbarnes.us
My brother, Allen, would round the corner a half block from our house in his 1968 Pontiac GTO. His dual muffler pack would announce its arrival before him getting there. We called it the Golden GTO (Goat).
4 min readAn Alternative to Obedience – kenbarnes.us
Again, the Devil *took Him along to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and [worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9 NASB
2 min readTrain Up a Child – kenbarnes.us
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it. (Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
3 min readHe Who has Ears to Hear – kenbarnes.us
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Revelation 2:11a NLT
2 min readGrumbling and Complaining – kenbarnes.us
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron again, saying, “How long shall I put up with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are voicing against Me. Numbers 14:26-27 NASB
2 min readThe Unholy Trinity – kenbarnes.us
“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the god far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14 NLT)
2 min readThings are Going to Get Better – kenbarnes.us
What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. (Matthew 10: 29-31 NLT)
3 min readLove and Faithfulness – kenbarnes.us
But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. (Ruth 1:16 NLT)
2 min readContagious Giving – kenbarnes.us
So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project. (Exodus 36: 6-7 NLT)
3 min readThe Meaning Behind the Words – kenbarnes.us
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
2 min readRemember the Sabbath Day and Keep it Holy – kenbarnes.us
“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God.” (Exodus 20: 8-10a NLT)
3 min readOne More, Lord – kenbarnes.us
Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them. (Jude 1:23 TLB)
3 min readStop Blowing Hot Air – kenbarnes.us
Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking? (Job 16:3 NLT)
2 min readWhat if Joseph had __________? – kenbarnes.us
But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (Genesis 50:19-20 NLT)
3 min readThe Great Paradox – kenbarnes.us
“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” (Genesis 41:16 NLT)
2 min readWhat You have is Always Enough – kenbarnes.us
But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!” (Mark 6:37 NLT)
2 min readThe Blessing of Desperation – kenbarnes.us
Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I (Jacob) will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:24,26 NASB)
2 min readFinishing the Race and Christ’s Return – kenbarnes.us
For God had far better things in mind for us that would benefit them, for they can’t receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race. (Hebrews 11:40 NLT)
2 min readThe Fire and the Word – kenbarnes.us
Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”. (1 Kings 18:38-39 NLT)
2 min readHonoring the Word of God – kenbarnes.us
Then Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. (Nehemiah 8:5 NASB)
2 min readAdoration–As the Praises Goes Up – kenbarnes.us
Years ago, I was taught how to open my prayer to the Lord with a very simple acronym that we can all remember… ACTS A-C-T-S A is for adoration—the opening for all our prayers. As David in the Psalms exclaimed, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Adoration was deep within his being and leaped from his soul. When the exiles returned the build the temple, Nehemiah said, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Revelation, a book about the worship of the Lord in Heaven, says, “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” When we are in Heaven, we will no longer need the other items of A-C-T-S in prayer.
3 min readFor Such a Time as This: 2023 – kenbarnes.us
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:4 NLT)
3 min readDancing with the King – kenbarnes.us
There are voices in our society that say to them, “you can be just as good as a man.” This is a step-down because you already are equal with men, and maybe then some. Some would say that Christianity denigrates and makes women second-class citizens. This did not seem to be the case when Jesus lived on Earth. In a culture that truly did subjugate women, they were always there for Him, in good times and bad. Beaming, his face expressed pleasure in his choice for the dance. Everyone in the banquet room soon realized that this was no mere dance. A servant girl had been deemed worthy of being embraced by the King. His acceptance and pleasure in her had elevated her status. Dancing With “The Star” I think you know where I am going with this one. There is a King so much greater than the King of Siam (King Jesus). This King has always had his hand out to us with a look of approval on His face. He gazes upon you like a groom as he watches his bride-to-be approach him on their wedding day.
3 min readA Christmas Story – kenbarnes.us
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NLT)
3 min readTemporary Residents – kenbarnes.us
So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” (1 Peter 1:17b NLT)
2 min readNever Lose Heart – kenbarnes.us
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, (2 Corinthian 4:1 NASB)
2 min readServant or Master – kenbarnes.us
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT)
2 min readFinished and Unfinished – kenbarnes.us
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (Philippians 2:12 NASB)
2 min readIs America Under Judgment? – kenbarnes.us
We couldn’t go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed! (Lamentations 4:18 NLT)
3 min readWhat it Means to be Blessed – kenbarnes.us
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3 NASB)
2 min readHow Much is Enough? – kenbarnes.us
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13 NASB).
3 min readExternal Religion – kenbarnes.us
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised— (Jeremiah 9:25 NLT)
2 min readA Successful Preacher – kenbarnes.us
John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’” ( John 1:23 NLT)
2 min readService and the Cross – kenbarnes.us
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28 NLT)
2 min readSowing with Tears Reaping with Joy – kenbarnes.us
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. (Psalms 126:5 NASB 1995)
2 min readThere is No Distance in Prayer – kenbarnes.us
We hear this word from Matthew’s Gospel: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matt. Years ago, I heard another phrase that stuck with me, and I think about it when I pray with people over the phone or on social media: “There is no distance in prayer.” Because of Christ, we have a strong connection holding us together! Published in “The Upper Room Magazine” May 2, 2022 I met Cletus Hull through Pure Joy Journal, a digital magazine for which we both write. Cletus has been in pastoral ministry for the last thirty-five years with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in western Pennsylvania. He served as a campus minister at the California University of PA (now PennWest California) from 1989-1996. Enjoy the wisdom of Cletus’ blogs.
2 min read