What is a Church Family?

 

stock from clipartmag.com

A Christian thought to ponder ...

Is the church family like a marriage? 

A church family is a group of believers or followers of Jesus Christ who are members of God’s household. God is our Father, and we are His children. We are brothers and sisters united in Christ and that union binds us together and makes us a family in the Lord. And as Hebrews 10:24-25 states, the church family meets together to worship God and exercises unconditional love, encouragement, and good deeds towards one another. 

Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The church is a body of imperfect people with different nationalities, personalities, and backgrounds. It is a gathering of sinners who are saved by grace. The church family is there for one another through the good times and bad times. Pretty much like when one states in their wedding vows, “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,” you are pledging a commitment to your church family during the good times and bad times.

  

There are many reasons why people will walk away from their church family just like when a couple gets a divorce. Most reasons are centered around unsatisfied needs. A few of those reasons are their feelings get hurt, they don’t get their way about something, they do not handle correction well, there are not enough programs, the worship music is terrible, the pastor’s sermons are too long, or they don’t feel a connection. 

By the way, many times when you don’t feel a connection with your church family, it is because you don’t get involved or plugged in. There are several ways you can get involved with your church family, such as send a sister or brother in Christ an encouragement card or text message, help out with a meal train for a sick church family member, help with childcare or nursery, pray for the church and church family members, disciple, and shepherd one another, attend a Bible study or group Bible study, and serve within the church body. Get to know your brothers and sisters in Christ, then you can say this is where I belong, and this is my church family, and always keep God at the center. 

However, when a church doesn't keep God at the center, steps away from sound doctrine, becomes politicized, and is following the world’s agenda, you need to take a step back and look at that church and determine if it is following scripture. After Covid, many people went back to their church only to discover that it had completely transformed. Their church was no longer concerned with spiritual Truth but was now concerned with advancing a world agenda.

If you see unsound doctrine within your church family, you need to point it out and back it up with scripture. If you see something lacking within your church body, then you need to step up and serve or approach the elders and pastor about your concern. My question to you is, if not you, then who? Perhaps God has appointed you to this task.

One day all believers will be united. It will be a great family reunion! Newborns, children, teenagers, adults, elderly, disabled, and family members you did not know you even had will one day be with the Lord forever. Differences of opinions, disappointments, confusion, and emotional pain will no longer exist. It’s going to be a time that we can’t even imagine. It will be a glorious day!

Heavenly Father, 

We live in a fallen and broken world that is full of snares and traps that try to bring down the church and your family members. Please give the church and its family members the strength to endure and overcome obstacles. Cover them with your strength, Lord! Help the church and church families to grow spiritually and have a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Help the church and families to love one another and walk in forgiveness and kindness.

In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

Pray you all have a blessed day!

Carol Moore

Interfering with God's Intelligent Design - the Great Reset

A Christian thought to ponder...

What would you do or say if someone told you that humans are of no use and we are going to merge humans with AI and we are going to change humans genetics and animal genetics?

Well this great reset plan is in the process now. The World Economic Forum wants to do a human reset and unleash eugenics across the entire world. Yuval Noah Harari, adviser to the World Economic Forum, states we are the last generation of homo sapiens. He believes humans don't have any rights and wants to create a fantasy utopian world where the elites rule. The World Economic Forum's plan is to change God's creation through genetics and AI. These are a group of elites who are planning to change God's creation to declare themselves as gods. These are evil, wicked people. They are wicked as the people were in the days of Noah, and God destroyed the entire earth with a flood due to this wickedness. The elites want to change God's intelligent design of all living things. God 's creation is perfect to every last little detail. But these people don't believe in God. They scoff and mock God. They think that they can do what ever they want. They think they are in control. But God is in control and He is the creator of all. 

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

And His judgement is coming. He will pour His wrath upon them all. 

8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile (Romans 2:8-10).

Eleven Part Series

Pastor Billy Crone, from Get A Life Ministries, discusses in a seven part series about the Great Human Reset, Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum, and the coming of the mark of the beast. He warns us what the World Economic Forum's plan is towards all humans. 

https://rumble.com/v2a6n3a-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-1.html

https://rumble.com/v2ayefc-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-2.html

https://rumble.com/v2bp45a-march-4-2023.html

https://rumble.com/v2dtfsm-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-4.html

https://rumble.com/v2ev1hm-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-5.html

https://rumble.com/v2jy5re-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-6.html

https://rumble.com/v2l8zze-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-7.html

https://rumble.com/v2nq8ey-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-8.html

https://rumble.com/v2p05gq-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-9.html

https://rumble.com/v2qgrca-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-10.html

https://rumble.com/v2w4wps-billy-crone-klaus-schwab-sermon-series-11.html

Heavenly Father, 

Your creation sings of Your majesty. You are the Creator of all things. We are all created in Your image, and we are all a direct reflection of You. But some would deny that You are the Creator and would destroy Your creation. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. So right now, we ask that You would sabotaged all of these forces of evil at work over this world. That men and women of this world would humble themselves, pray and seek You and turn from their wicked ways and You would heal this broken, chaotic world. We pray all of this, trusting and believing in You and knowing that You will be returning soon to rescue Your people.

Amen.

A Jesus Revolution

A Christian thought to ponder...

Is the United States in need of a religious revolution? The definition of revolution, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is "a sudden, radical, or complete change." Why would the United States need a religious revolution? There are many reasons this nation is in need of a religious revolution: churches have fallen asleep, churches have allowed the wolves to come in and devour the sheep, a blatant perversion of the Church, a disregard for Scripture, many people have left the Church, and God is being canceled from everything to schools to the workplace. A dark force is trying to destroy the Church and everything it represents. Hate is growing, violence is growing, drug addiction is growing, division is growing, complacency is growing, pride is growing, coldness of heart is growing, and sin is growing.

This nation is in serious trouble, for it has turned its back on God. A revival, a great awakening or a religious revolution is in need. There have been past religious revolutions that have had a profound impact on the Church.

A religious revolution happened when John the Baptist baptized crowds of people in the Jordan River, including Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Luke 3:7 tells how John the Baptist was baptizing multitudes of people, "Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him." John baptized only those who responded to his evangelical message and sincerely repented of their sins. He was a voice crying in the wilderness and paved the way for the coming Messiah. As stated in Luke 1:76-77, he prepared the way for the LORD, “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins." John the Baptist's obedience and calling set the path for a greater revolution that would impact lives of many.

The Greatest Christian revolution happened when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, started his ministry on earth. Prophecies were fulfilled in the Old Testament from when Jesus was born to the time of his death on the cross. Isaiah 7:14 foretells his birth, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Jesus preached and proclaimed the Truth to hundreds. He healed hundreds, performed all sorts of miracles, and died on the cross for the sins of all humankind to save them from the wrath of God. There has been no greater sacrifice or gift to humanity than Jesus giving his life to save us. As it states in John 3:16, whoever believeth in him would not perish but would have everlasting life, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus' message of the Truth has reached millions, and millions of lives have forever changed. 

A Christian revolution occurred in the 13th to 16th centuries and was known as the Reformation. In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of the All Saints' Church. Many say during this time is when the Protestant Reformation movement had actually begun. The movement revealed that the Catholic Church was heretical and brimming with corruption. During this revolution, many protestants were killed at the hands of the Catholic Church. The blood of martyrs stained the Catholic robes forever, and the Reformation changed many lives.

A Jesus revolution began in the late 1960s and 1970s in California, where Lonnie Frisbee, charismatic, hippy, Pentecostal evangelist, and self-proclaimed prophet, met Chuck Smith, pastor at Calvary Chapel in California. They teamed up and sparked a movement that spread like wildfire across the United States. Thousands of rebellious hippies found love and acceptance in this movement and were born again. Later these hippies were given the title Jesus Freaks. Thousands were baptized in Southern California in the Pacific Ocean at Pirate's Cove Beach in Newport Beach, California. Despite Lonnie's personal struggles, God used him and Chuck Smith to lead hundreds of people to Christ. 

As you can see, God has used various people to accomplish His plans throughout the centuries. God can use anyone to accomplish His plans. Perhaps even you. Time is running short. Now is the time to reach out to the lost, broken, and stray and share the Gospel message. It doesn't matter what sins one has committed or whether one is black, white, brown, or yellow, let them know that Jesus loves them. Share the Gospel with family, friends, co-workers, with people within the community, or on social media. Let's start another Jesus Revolution!

Have a blessed week!

Carol

The Power of Prayer

stock photo from Lightstock

Prayer is the most powerful tool God has given us. It is a way to connect and unleash our hearts to God. It is a way to praise God, confess our sins, give thanks to God, and petition our needs or others' needs to God. 

Prayer teaches us to be dependent upon God and not on the world. God wants a relationship with us and wants us to draw close to Him. However, we must remember that God is not some genie in a bottle. You cannot rub the bottle and expect God will pop out of the bottle and grant your wishes. That's not how God works. We must be open to doing God's will and be accepting of God's answer to our prayers. Also, we must abide in Him and live holy lives.

There are numerous examples of prayer throughout the Bible. There are accounts of men and women praying to God in the Bible. Such as Moses praying on behalf of his people in the wilderness, Hannah praying for a child, Mary, the mother of Jesus, exalting God, or Jesus going off alone to pray and be with the Father. 

King David was a man of prayer. The Psalms have many of King David's prayers to God. There is one particular prayer by King David in 2 Samuel. This prayer shows his humbleness and adoration of God.

David’s Prayer 2 Samuel 7:18-29 (NIV)
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!
20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
22 “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.
27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Even King David knew how powerful prayer was and had a close relationship with God.

American pastor and televangelist Pastor John Hagee, knows how powerful and how important prayer is. Pastor Hagee gives a moving short sermon on the Power of Prayer in the video below. He says, "a prayer-less Christian is a weak Christian. A prayer-less Christian is a miserable Christian." Prayer strengthens us and gives us peace and hope. Prayer teaches us to put our trust in the Lord and not in people. Nothing is impossible for God. Prayer is powerful. 

Heavenly Father,

We humbly come before You and we thank You for hearing our prayers. We want to draw close to You and depend only on You. Help us to be prayer warriors like King David. Help us to exalt You as Mary once did. Help us to be faithful and devoted to prayer just like Jesus. We praise You and give thanks for all that You do. Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Love and Blessings,

Carol

Look to Jesus in the Storms of Your Life

Matthew 14:28-33
"28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,[d] he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”" 

One of my favorite miracles in the Bible is when Jesus walks across the water towards the disciples in their boat. It is a message of power, hope, and compassion. This miracle is recorded in all three gospels. 

The miracle happens at the sea of Galilee, and the disciples are in a boat. The sea is stormy, the waters are churning, the wind is blowing strongly, and Jesus is walking on the surface of the sea towards the disciples in the boat. Imagine what was going through their minds when they saw Jesus walking toward them.  Fear? Awe? Bewilderment? It states that the disciples thought they saw a ghost. Jesus tells Peter to come to him. Peter steps out of the boat and starts to walk toward Jesus, but Peter takes his gaze off Jesus and begins to focus on his surroundings. Peter lets the strong wind seize his heart with fear. As a result, Peter starts to sink into the stormy waters. Jesus grasped Peter's hand, took hold of him, and tells Peter you have little faith.

How many of us can say we took our eyes off Jesus during a storm? Did you have doubts that Jesus could save or help you? Did you let fear grip your heart? 

This miracle shows that Christ is in control. He is in control of the forces of nature, and he is in control of all things. But it also shows that our Lord is compassionate and gives us hope when the storms around us seem like they are to much to bear. If you place your faith and trust in him, he will help you walk across the stormy seas. He is your anchor in the storm. He will rescue you from the stormy waters. You just need to take hold of his hand and trust in him. 

Look to Jesus in the storms of your life.

Lord Jesus,

You are our Rock in the storms of our lives. When the wind is raging all around us, you are our safe retreat and our One and only hope. Shelter and protect us when the raging storms come our way. Help give us the courage to stand firm and place our hope and faith in You. For you are the only one who can rescue us from the storms.  Amen.

Love and Blessings,

Carol

Spiritual Peaks

 

Photo by Carol Moore

"The highest spiritual peaks

 sometimes lead directly

                                            to the darkest spiritual valleys"

                                        From Every Miracle in the Bible.

Christian thought to ponder...

As we travel the highest spiritual peaks, can we fall into dark spiritual valleys?

The answer is yes. Elijah, God's prophet, discovered this when Jezebel attempted to discredit him and threatened his life. He ran, he was terrified, and he abandoned his ministry. He begged God to let him die.  

1 Kings 19:2-4 (ESV)

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

How easy it is for us when things get tough to want to give up and flee from our troubles and hardships. Depressed and exhausted, Elijah was in a state where he couldn't go on any further. But, how great is our God, how wonderful He is, and how good God is! God provided for Elijah, He cared for him, and He strengthened him. He restored Elijah's ministry.

1 Kings 19:5-8 (ESV)

5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

There will be peaks and valleys as we journey in this world. But great is our Lord! He brings light into the darkness. He gives hope when there is despair. When you are in those darkest valleys, call upon the Lord. He will strengthen and restore you just as he did for Elijah.

Psalm 40:2 "He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along (NLT).

Heavenly Father,

You are great and mighty. You are faithful and true. We thank you that we can depend upon you when have fallen into the dark valleys in our lives. We thank you that you strengthen and restore us in our greatest time of need. Help us to stay focus on You and seek you when all seems hopeless and dark.

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol

The Days of Noah

Jan Markell from Olive Tree Ministries talks to ministry representative Ken Mikle about the times we are living in presently. Are we now living in the times that Jesus talked about in Matthew 24:37?  

Matthew 24:37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day (NLT)." 

We are living in a time like no other. Our nation is in turmoil and divided. Ideologies are being forced upon people, there are continual threats of violence and violence is at an all-time high, propaganda is being spewed across news stations, the decimation of the US dollar, a one world agenda, and  so on. Are we at a crossroads? Is God's judgment at hand? Is there any hope for our nation?

Yes, there is hope, and that hope is in Jesus Christ. We can take comfort in knowing our Lord will be returning soon. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, we have the blessed hope of his return and when the trumpet blasts, we will be raptured with those who have gone before us, and we will meet our Lord and Savior in the air.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

He will be returning soon. If you have not placed your hope and trust in Jesus Christ, now is the time to receive him as your Lord and Savior. Repent today and believe in him, and follow him. 

Prayer of Commitment: 

Lord Jesus,

I am a sinner. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins. Right now, I turn my life over to you and receive you as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me. Amen.

Pray that you all have a blessed weekend.

Love and Blessings,

Carol