Trust in the Lord

Photo by Carol Moore

A Christian thought to ponder...

Do you think our nation's leaders' will solve all of our current problems? Do you think the global elites have all the answers to our problems? Do you think Donald Trump has all the answers to our problems? Do you think Joe Biden has all the answers to our problems? How about Klaus Schwab, the United Nations, or the World Economic Forum? 

The answer is NO. I got news for you, these leaders and global elites have created the problems we are presently in, and they plan on creating more crises and dilemmas. They only answer to themselves. Only the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is the answer to all of our problems. Only He can save us from the crises the elites created. It is only the Lord you can trust. Why? Because humans are untrustworthy. It tells us in Psalm 118 not to trust in man but to trust in the Lord.

 Psalm 118:8 "It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in man."

We are all inherently born with sin and are imperfect. Our hearts are full of stains and impurities. Only one person is perfect, sinless, and pure of heart. His name is Jesus. Only Jesus can save us, no mortal man. We are told in Psalm 146:3, "Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation." You will not find salvation in any man or woman, machine, device, tree or stone. You will find salvation in Jesus Christ alone. He is our Savior. The apostle John tells us in John 3 that He died on the cross so that those who believe in him would have everlasting life. 

 John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Trusting in Jesus means believing in Him for our salvation, devoting ourselves entirely to Him, and abiding in His word. As it shows in the following verses, we can lean on Jesus for wisdom, strength and rest. We need only to trust in the Lord.

WISDOM 

We are to seek the Lord for wisdom. In Proverbs 3:5, it instructs us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean on him for wisdom. 

 Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." 

STRENGTH

We can lean on Jesus for strength. In Isaiah 26, it tells us the Lord is our everlasting strength. He will strengthen us when we are weak. Just call on his mighty name.

Isaiah 26:4. "Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:" 

REST

He shares our burdens and will come alongside beside us and carry our load. When we place everything into his hands and rely on him for everything in our lives, we will find rest for our souls. In Psalm 62:1, it tells us our souls can rest because he is our Deliverer, our Savior. 

Psalm 62:1 "My soul rests quietly only when it looks to God; from him comes my deliverance." 

Our Deliverer is dependable, reliable, and trustworthy. Psalm 16:8 tells us to constantly trust in the Lord as He is always by our side. 

Psalm 16:8 "I constantly trust in the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended." 

Trust in the Lord. He is sovereign and in control. The wicked people of this world may think that they are in control and are winning, but they will soon find that their wicked and corrupt plans will come crashing down all around them. Their ending is as the fate of Sodom and Gommorah. So, do not place your trust in the world and all that it holds, but put your trust in the Lord. 

Heavenly Father, 

You are our Rock and Anchor, sovereign and in control, and are faithful and trustworthy. Thank you for Your steadfast love that never ceases. Give us the grace to trust You more. Help us to make a commitment to trust in You with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. Steady our trust in You so that it may never waiver, no matter what trials come our way. Help us to lean on you for strength. Help us place our burdens into your hands and rest in you.

Amen.

God's Judgment Upon the United States

photo from pixabay

A Christian thought to ponder...

Do you recognize the United States of America anymore? Is it the land of the free and home of the brave? Is it a country where people love more than themselves and would risk their lives to defend it? Is it a country where every life is important?

Oh America! Oh America! You are a country that has been fractured. You have become unrecognizable. It is no longer a country that upholds the moral values that our founding fathers once held high. John Adams, the second president of the United States, once said, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. . . . Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

The United States of America is drowning in immorality. It has become a lawless, depraved nation. Our leaders are breaking down this nation's constitution bit-by-bit and are trying to destroy the United States. Other countries around-the-world are asking what has happen to the United States of America? The answer is, the United States has fallen into moral decay. I believe that God has swung down his gavel and he is ready to execute judgment upon this sinful wicked nation. Just as it says in Romans 1, He has abandoned the rebellious to their shameful desires and foolish thinking. Therefore their lives have become full of all evil and wickedness.

Romans 1:24-29 "24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. 28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip."

In the video, "God’s Judgment Against America | It's Going to Get Even Uglier" Pastor Carter Conlon speaks out on how the people of this nation have turned their backs on God and are now under the judgment of God. This nation has chosen a path of depravity, lawlessness, sexual immorality, evil, wickedness, hate, greed, deceit, and malicious behavior. As it shows in Isaiah 1 Israel rebelled against God and turned their backs on him. As a result his judgment was brought down upon them. The United States likewise has turned their backs on God and have become rebellious like the people of Israel. 

Isaiah 1:4 "Oh, what a sinful nation they are—loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him."

Just as God punished the nation of Israel with curses, confusion and frustration in all that they did until they were completely destroyed for their evil actions and abandoning God, so this country faces that same fate if we do not repent as a nation.

Deuteronomy 28:20-29.  “20 The Lord himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning me. 21 The Lord will afflict you with diseases until none of you are left in the land you are about to enter and occupy. 22 The Lord will strike you with wasting diseases, fever, and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, and with blight and mildew. These disasters will pursue you until you die. 23 The skies above will be as unyielding as bronze, and the earth beneath will be as hard as iron. 24 The Lord will change the rain that falls on your land into powder, and dust will pour down from the sky until you are destroyed. 25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You will attack your enemies from one direction, but you will scatter from them in seven! You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 Your corpses will be food for all the scavenging birds and wild animals, and no one will be there to chase them away. 27 “The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, scurvy, and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. 28 The Lord will strike you with madness, blindness, and panic. 29 You will grope around in broad daylight like a blind person groping in the darkness, but you will not find your way. You will be oppressed and robbed continually, and no one will come to save you.

According to Pastor Carter Conlon, we have tested the limit of God's patience. God's judgment has now been brought down upon our nation, for we have allowed perversion and immorality to enter the school doors. Wrong is right, and right is wrong, and this nation has twisted the Truth with propaganda and lies. Teachers, government leaders, school boards, and adults in this nation are attempting to force children to partake in wicked, evil, immoral behaviors and actions. I pray Pastor Carter Colon's words enlighten your minds and hearts and open your eyes to the Truth. May God have mercy upon this nation and may He protect our children.

Dear LORD, 

We pray for those who are lost and do not know You. We pray that You would protect them from Satan's influence. We pray that You would convict them concerning their sin and help them to understand the state of their eternal condition apart from You. Help them to see their need for You.

Please draw them to Yourself and salvation. Show them that you are the way, the truth and life. We lift the children up to you Lord. We ask that you would send Your mighty angels down and protect them from the enemy. Please shield them from those who would do them great harm.

We ask this in Your glorious name. 

Amen. 

May God be with you and bless you throughout the week!

Carol

God's Rainbow

 

A Christian thought to ponder...

Does the rainbow represent a symbol, a mythology, or one of God's promises? In truth, it represents one of God's promises.

God created the rainbow to show his everlasting promise that He would never flood the earth again. As stated in Genesis 6:5-8, God destroyed the earth with a flood and destroyed all because people had become so evil and wicked it grieved God. There was widespread corruptness, violence, sexual immorality, and wickedness; people were prideful, hateful, focused on self-pleasure, and full of self-indulgence. All accept Noah. Noah found grace in the eyes of Lord. 

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

It is written in Genesis  9:11-17 (ESV) that the rainbow is an everlasting covenant between God and all living beings. It is a divine symbol within the sky to remind us of His everlasting promise and to remind us that God is mighty, just and merciful.

11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

If you were to actually examine and break down the actual color spectrum of the rainbow, it has numerous colors. The human eye can only see seven colors. God's intention for the rainbow was not to represent pride, nor to represent a group, nor to represent some symbol, nor to represent some mythology. But the rainbow represents a divine promise to all living creatures on the earth that God would never destroy the world again with a flood due to human wickedness, corruptness, and evilness. 

Some men and women would have you believe that the rainbow represents an organization that promotes diversity, equity and pride for the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (sexual or gender identity). The original pride flag was designed in the 1970s by drag performer Gilbert Baker and friend Lynn Segerblom. The original eight pride flag colors were hot pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo and violet. Hot pink represented sex, red represented life, orange represented healing, yellow represented sunlight, green represented nature, turquoise represented magic and art, indigo represented serenity, and violet represented spirit. The colors and style arrangement have changed over time. There is specific pride flag for lesbian, gay, transgender, bi-sexual, non-binary, polysexual, abrosexual, drag queens, genderfluid,  asexual, demi sexual, pansexual, and on and on. They have over 30+ flags to represent each gender/sexual preference within their organization. But the pride rainbow flag is a false representation of the one and only true rainbow. The organization's agenda celebrates everything that God abhors and condemns. In Proverbs 16:5 it states how God abhors pride. "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished. Satan is the ruler over all people who are filled with pride. “He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.” Job 41:34 (KJV). Satan desires to lead people away from the One True God, who is good, righteous, merciful, faithful, loving, longsuffering, and just.

Baker and Segerblom - Original Pride Flag

Another flag, during another time, also represented pride. The Nazi flag represented German pride and symbolized their persecution and hatred of Jews. The red represented the social thought underlying the movement. The white represented their national thought, and the black swastika was an emblem of the Aryan race. 

By German Government - Die Hoheitszeichen des Deutschen Reiches, herausgegeben vom Reichsministerium des Inneren, 1933, Tafel I, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=551410

Sin is sin is sin. Pride is a sin in God's eyes. Sexual immorality is a sin in God's eyes. Hate is a sin in God's eyes. Murder is a sin in God's eyes. Lying is a sin in God's eyes. The list of sins can go on and on. But people don't want to be told or reminded of what sins they are committing. But to use God's divine symbol for something wicked and evil and warping and tainting what God's rainbow truly represents is a heinous sin, especially pushing and forcing this symbol's agenda onto young adults and children.

Just as Noah lived in grave times, so do we now. Our day and age are rapidly becoming much like the days of Noah. Evil is abounding. Wrong is right, and right is wrong. Hearts have become cold, darkened, and self-centered. As it states in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, people are focused on self-pleasure, materialism, immorality, violence, idleness and reject all things that pertain to God. 

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

But we have the rainbow as a reminder that God will not destroy the earth again with a flood. A flood isn't coming again, but God's wrath and judgment are around the corner. Just as stated in the book of Revelation and many other books of the Bible, God will not allow people to continue to commit evil and wicked sins. The wicked must be punished. We do not know the exact day or hour, but the Lord will be returning soon. 

If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so now. Seek him during these dark days of uncertainty. Look to him. He is our light and hope. Pray to him and accept the free gift of salvation. Ask him to come into your heart, repent of your sins, and you will be saved.

Dear Lord,

I admit that I am a sinner and I believe that you died on the cross to save me. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me of my sins. Take control of my life and help me to live a life that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you for the free gift of salvation and that I will spend eternity with you.

Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Carol

Heaven or Hell: Which Are You Headed For?

 

Castle door stock by Elandria. Sky stock my own.

A Christian thought to ponder...

Are you going to heaven or are you going to hell?

This is a pretty blunt question. Some people do not like it when you ask blunt questions. It is also a reasonably simple question. As the answer is either A or B. There is no in-between answer. It amazes me that when you ask non-believers this question, they have a hard time answering it. They either refuse to answer the question, are defensive, they will mock the question and God, or they will have a meltdown. Talking about heaven and hell can stir up all sorts of emotions, such as fear. People have a fear of the unknown or a fear of what others might think. And then of course, you have downright rebellious people who hate God and do not believe in a heaven or hell. 

However, it is an important question. Why? Because people's souls are at stake. I once shared this question bluntly with a family member, and this person had a meltdown. They went to their mental health counselor and complained, and their counselor told me I could no longer talk about religion with the family person. Never mind about my first amendment rights. This family member has a weird perception of who God is. This family member is not living a godly life, and they do not believe the Bible is the living word of God. I feared for this person's soul. Hence, I asked the question are you going to heaven, or are you going to hell? 

Charles Spurgeon preached a lot about heaven and hell. He was a very blunt preacher. As it has been said by other Christians, "he was a preacher out to save souls." Not with words that were pleasing to the ears but with words that would convict the souls of his listeners. He wanted people to see that heaven and hell were very real places. 

"Shall we keep men in a fool's paradise? Shall we lull them into soft slumbers from which they will awake in hell? Are we to become helpers of their damnation by our smooth speeches? In the name of God, we will not!"                                         

The fact is if you believe in Jesus Christ that he is the Son of God, and he died for your sins on the cross, and he rose on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God, and you have asked him to forgive you of your sins, you will be saved from an eternity in hell. You will spend eternity in heaven. You will be amongst the great gathering as it says in Revelation 7:9-10, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'"

Heaven is the place where believers will gather before the throne of the Almighty. It is a place of beauty, and a place of ultimate rest. It is a place that is free of persecution. It is a place free from the cruelty of humanity. Let's see what the Bible says about heaven.

• In Revelation 21:4 it says the Lord will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those who have entered through the gates of heaven. There will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. A place of rest. 
• In Luke 23:43 Jesus calls heaven paradise.
• John 14:2 it says there are many dwelling places.
• In Revelation 2:7 it says the the tree of life will be in the paradise of God.
• In Revelation 22:1 it says the water of life will be coming from the throne of God.
• In Revelation 21:11 it shines with the glory of God. 

Hell, on the other hand, is an altogether different place. It is a place of torment, destruction, unrest, and fire. Let's see what the Bible says about hell. 

• In 2 Thessalonians 1:9 it says it is a place of everlasting destruction.
• In Revelation 20:10 it says it is a lake of fire and brimstone and the place where the devil, the beast and the false prophet will be cast into. It is a place where one will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
• In Revelation 14:11 it says it will be a place of no rest day and night.
• In Matthew 13:42 it says it is furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

From these list of verses, I don't think hell sounds like a very appealing place. Just as heaven is everlasting, so is hell. Heaven and hell unquestionably exist. The believers who are holy and righteous will enter the gates of heaven. The non-believers who are depraved, immoral, rebellious, and wicked will enter the gates of hell. Psalm 118:19-20 affirms the righteous will enter the gates of heaven, "Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD." Nowhere does it say in the Bible that the unrighteous will enter the gates of heaven. Unholy people cannot be in the presence of God. But those who believe in Jesus Christ, have sought forgiveness, and have been born again will enter heaven's gates and stand in the presence of the Lord. 

So, I am asking this question again are you going to heaven, or are you going to hell? Are you going through the gates of the righteousness, or are you going through the gates of the depraved? 

Heavenly Father,

You are holy and righteous. You are the Creator of all things. One day, You will create the new heaven and earth. What a joyous day it will be when we stand in Your presence. We thank you for your Word to teach us and guide us. We pray for the souls who mock you, don't believe in You, heaven or hell, and have been blinded by Satan. We pray that You would soften their hearts, help them all to see the Light and the Truth, and give them the spiritual sight they need to break the influence that Satan has hold over them. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Carol

Are You Modeling Jesus?

 

Do your words and actions model Jesus? In other words, do your words and actions line up with Jesus? Do you portray Christlike characteristics, or do you portray characteristics of the world? Does being extremely rude to a salesperson at the door show others that you are a follower of Christ? Did you ever think that maybe you could have planted a seed in that person’s life when you opened the door? Now that opportunity to share the Truth with that person is lost because you chased that person away. Does being rude to people at a grocery store show others that you are a follower of Christ? How would you want to be treated? Would you want someone to be rude or mean to you, or would you want someone to treat you with grace and love? There is an important verse to remember in Luke 6:31 (NLT) that Jesus shared with his followers and the crowds of people at the sermon on the mount  “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

That is a powerful verse - "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." And the greatest role model for us all is Christ Jesus. Throughout his ministry he treated others with love, grace, mercy, and kindness. Jesus loved even those who persecuted him and mocked him. As Christians, we need to model these same characteristics. Remember, all of us are sinners, all of us were once difficult people, and all of us do not deserve His grace.

Human relations can be difficult, but we all have our faults and shortcomings. We are all like broken vessels that have many cracks. But now, Christian brothers and sisters, we have been made new by the Master Potter. We have a chance to be used by the Master Potter to help grow the seed or to help water the seed. How? By showing love to others, by being tolerant, by showing grace to others, by being kind, by having empathy toward others, by being humble, by giving of oneself, by practicing hospitality, by being fair and reasonable, and by striving to be holy. And it has been said that the best manual on human relations - is the Bible. There are many passages in the Bible that can guide us in how we are to treat others. For example, Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Or another great verse is in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

We are accountable to God for all of our own actions and words. How we respond to others bears witness to this. Will you practice what you read in the Bible; or will you practice what the world has taught you? What can you model that will show others how great Jesus is and might soften their hearts to want to get to know him? In Ephesians 4: 17-24 Paul testifies how we are to model ourselves as new vessels, 

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

We are new vessels now. We no longer have impurities that can weaken a vessel. We have been made new, created after His likeness. How can we, who have received forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace from God, not show godly characteristics towards others? If we do not, how can we call ourselves Christians.

As Christians, we are to love and show grace and mercy towards others, even to those who are non-believers or those who are difficult. We cannot do this on our own. We must seek God and his Word. Lean on Him. Only with His help will we be molded and shaped into followers that model Him. Perhaps in showing love and kindness towards others, hearts will be softened, and seeds will be planted, and our words and actions will show others what the Gospel message is all about - love and redemption.

Heavenly Father,

You know our hearts and minds. We who fail time and time again, yet You continue to show us love, mercy, and grace. Help us to do the same. Help us to be models that exemplify You. We humbly thank you Lord for allowing Your Son to die on the cross all those years ago. Just as Christ Jesus was nailed to the cross, so were our sins nailed to the cross. We praise You, we thank You, and we love You. 

Amen.

Faithful in Prayer and Prayer Tools

 

Stock photo from Light Stock.

A Christian thought to ponder...

Is your prayer life faithful and consistent?

My answer to that question is no. I fail so many times by letting things in this world distract me. Many times, when I am praying, whether at night or during the daytime, my mind will drift. My mind will not stay focused, and I get sidetracked from praying reverently to the Lord. It is similar to when you are in a deep conversation with someone, and then suddenly you get sidetracked by your cell phone or something else, and you abruptly turn away from the conversation. It is rude and disrespectful. So the same principle applies when you are praying to the God only ten times more. For God is our creator, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega, and the great I AM. He deserves one hundred percent of our attention and devotion.

Prayer is powerful, but it is also very personal. It is a way to connect to the Lord intimately. It is a way to cry our hearts out to him. It is a way to show our love for him, praise him, thank him, seek his assistance, strength, peace, direction, or protection, and it is a way to petition the Lord. Many women in the bible sought the Lord out in prayer by praising him, thanking him, and petitioning him. For example, in Mary's prayer (mother to Jesus), in Luke 1:46-55, her words show adoration and thanksgiving. 

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

In 1 Samuel 1:10-11, we see Hannah crying out loud to the Lord and petitioning him to give her a child.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

To be faithful in prayer, one needs to pray daily, fervently, and continuously. And just as it states in Philippians 4:6-7, we are not to be worried about anything and pray about everything. 

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

God will give us peace of mind and heart when we free our minds of all anxieties and place all of our troubles at his feet.

Prayer Tools

One way I connect with the Lord is through a prayer journal. A prayer journal is a great tool to reach out and connect with God by praising and worshiping him, confessing sin to him, and petitioning him. In addition, it is a great tool to use for reflection. You can go back and reflect on past journal entries and thank the Lord for helping you through a rough time or thank him when he answered prayer. Also, by writing in a prayer journal, I noticed I get less distracted by the things in this world. I am more intent and focused on my prayer and petition to God. 

Another prayer tool I use when I journal is the ACTS prayer model. ACTS is an acronym that stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. When using the ACTS prayer model, I will sometimes pick one or two verses from the Bible to meditate on and pray over. The Psalms is an excellent book to use for the ACTS prayer model. 

So what does ACTS stand for?

A:

Adoration of prayer: it is paying honor to God, or showing fervent and devoted love to God. It is praising God for who he is. It should focus on God's attributes, God's actions, and the Names of God. 

C:

Confession of prayer: it is acknowledging a sin or a conviction and confessing it to the Lord. 

T:

Thanksgiving of prayer: it is an expression of thanks to God. What are you thankful for, or what has God blessed you with that you are thankful for? 

S:

Supplication of prayer: it is a humble petition to God for needs that you may have or the needs of others. 

An example of the ACTS prayer model in my journal would be like this:

Heavenly Father, 

You are gracious, almighty, faithful, and good. You are the Great Promise Keeper and always promise to be with us. We are never alone, for you are the Good Shepherd always near, ever watchful, and protecting Your flock. You are the Great I AM, and there is no one like You. I praise and worship You and give You all the glory for all things. 

Forgive me for allowing the things of this world to distract me from being faithful and consistent in my prayer life. Please forgive me for placing the things of this world above You. I want a closer relationship with You. Please help me resist those things that tempt me and draw me away from You.

Thank you for taking care of all of my needs and my family's needs. Thank you for all Your blessings. Thank you for Your Son Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, and thank you for the hope we have in him and for calling me into Your family. 

I lift up in prayer our Christian brothers and sisters who are being persecuted in red flag countries. I pray that You would protect them, help them have loving and forgiving hearts towards those who persecute them, strengthen them, give them peace, and provide for their needs spiritually and physically. I also lift up all the non-believers in the nations of the world. I pray that You would open their eyes to the Truth, that they would be humbled, and that they would turn to you in repentance and faith.

I ask all these things according to Your will and all for Your glory and praise. Amen. 

I hope and pray that you find these prayer tools helpful in your prayer life and helpful in organizing your thoughts and prayer requests.

Heavenly Father, 

You are sovereign, loving, merciful, faithful, and true. Thank you for Your Word to guide us, shape us and mold us. Thank you for giving us prayer tools to reach out to You and develop a closer relationship with You. Help us to make prayer a priority in our lives. Help us to stay focus on You and seek You at all times. Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed weekend!

Carol Moore

The Perversion of the American Church

As you will see in the following videos, many churches in America today no longer preach the Gospel, for they have been seduced by the world and led astray. They have fallen for the great deceit or the great lie. These churches are no longer recognizable as a church that serves, praises, and worships God, nor preaches sound Biblical doctrine. Instead these churches have wicked leaders that have clawed their way into the church and have cut and sliced God's Word to satisfy their needs and desires. Just as it states in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV), these leaders are preaching words to tickle ears that seduce people and feed them lies.

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."

 

These Christian leaders and individual Christians have made the Church into a corrupt, wicked den of lawless followers of Satan. In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (ESV) it states how deceitful and rebellious these false leaders are, 

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness."

These false leaders silence or cancel those who speak the Truth, or who are against their agenda, or against their beliefs. They scream racism or disinformation that helps contribute to the spreading of the serpent's great lie.  

This great lie that Satan is using to destroy the church perverts or denies Biblical Truth. As Larry G. Johnson from CultureWarrior.net states,

"Satan’s strategy is to defeat the church by subtly injecting the god of self into the church body. It is the little foxes that destroy the vine. At first he encourages a little compromise here and there. Mix in bit of disunity. Allude to the harshness and inflexibility of the Bible. Question the relevancy of the Bible and the church in light of modern problems. Concentrate the churches’ focus and efforts substantially if not exclusively on the temporal problems and injustices in the world. Attempt to discredit the truth of the Bible through science and psychology. Finally, the church elevates self above God. The new church is now consumer-oriented, and its patrons are clients to be pampered. The gospel is softened so as not to offend. Therapy replaces salvation in dealing with sin. Worship becomes entertainment. Commitment becomes optional as church attendance for many is limited to an hour or two on Sunday mornings a couple of times a month. The gospel of self-improvement is preached instead of the word of God found in the Bible."

Satan was created by God. He was a servant of God that rebelled against God, for he wanted to be God. Satan is a fallen angel and a creature of evil. He is joyless, unholy, and hateful. He is against Christians and wants to see their demise. He wants to see the fall of the Church. He wants to pervert the Church. He wants to draw people away from the Church. He wants to transform the Church into a body that is unholy, ungodly, disobedient, and rebellious to God. He wants all of mankind to perish and spend eternally in hell. 

Jesus Christ is the son of God who died on the cross for our sins. He rose on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God. One day he will return and rule over the earth. Jesus Christ is good, full of joy, holy, and he loves us. He died for our sins so that all who have been called would be saved and spend eternally with him and dwell with him on the new earth.

The greatest threat to Satan's plan is for the Church to be empowered and be obedient to Jesus Christ. If the Church lives and preaches sound Biblical doctrine, it cannot fail. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we need to share and teach the Truth and expose these great lies that these false churches, false leaders and false Christians are using to attack, infiltrate and cause a great perversion of the American Church. Awaken! Rise up and share the Gospel.

Heavenly Father,

You are almighty and faithful. You are good and loving. We thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to empower the Church. We thank you for choosing us to be your holy people. May Your will and thoughts direct us. Help us to reach those whose ears have become deaf to the Truth. Let them hear your voice as we share Your word. Destroy Satan's work and all his plans to attack Your Word. May all that we do and say bring You the glory.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

May God bless you richly this week!

Carol