Staying Focused on God

photo sxc.hu

A Christian thought to ponder ...

There are times when I will worry about whether I said something wrong to someone or if I offended someone to the point where I will be stressed out about it all week. Sometimes, I focus so much on what people think about me and what I do or say that I take my focus off of the most important one – God. I have let the enemy distract me by focusing on myself, my insecurities, and my doubts. I have ignored the fact that I need to surrender all that stress and worry into God's hands. I need to let Him be in control. When I am so focused on myself, I set my faith and trust aside so, when I step into the water, I am not walking with Him, but I am sinking into the depths of the murky water, just as Peter did in Matthew 14: 25 – 31.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14: 25 – 31.

So, why do we doubt God? Why do we tend to focus on ourselves and not God? Why do we let all those minute events that take place daily in our lives take precedence over God?

It is because of our sinful nature that we focus on ourselves. Satan wants us to be distracted. He wants us to be at odds with one another, and Satan wants us to doubt. Satan wants us to have fear; and to question, judge, and condemn one another. Satan wants us to do everything that is the opposite of what God wants us to do. Satan wants to thwart God’s plans for humanity. The enemy wants us to focus on anything but God. He doesn’t want us to love each other, help each other, or forgive each other. The enemy wants hatred, bitterness, anger, doubts, and fear to harbor in our hearts instead of faith, trust, and love. If we were to just lay all those trivial daily events in our lives into our Lord’s hands, let him handle and take care of everything, and leap out into the waters with blinding love, faith, and trust, we CAN walk on the waters with Him through the storm.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for loving us. Thank you for reaching out to us despite our waves of doubts and fears. As we go about our daily lives, help us to stay focused on You. Help us to surrender all our troubles and worries to You and rest it all in Your hands. Help us to grow closer to You and develop a stronger relationship with You. Help us to be loving, kind, and forgiving towards one another. May Your love shine through each and every one of us each and every day.

I ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

God Bless,

Carol

God's Precious Gift

While looking around at all the hustle and bustle this Christmas, I ponder about how much I hate what Christmas has become. I hate being out amongst all of this worldly, mad-dashing chaos. Why do I hate it so much? I find no comfort in it. However, I do find comfort in God’s Word, and I find comfort and hope in the true meaning behind Christmas. At a young age we get it driven into our heads to believe that Christmas is about flamboyant light shows, or it is about the man dressed up in the red suit, or it is about the number of presents we receive on December 25th. When in actuality, the true meaning of Christmas is about a miraculous birth that occurred over 2000 years ago as recorded in the book of Luke.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2: 10-11

On a starlit night, a brilliant star shone brightly within the night sky, leading people to a magnanimous, humble birth, to a babe who was wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. That baby's name was Jesus. The messiah. A representation of the one Most High. A baby who would become our Savior and would save us from our sins. He would save the lost.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 19:10

God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to save wretches like you and me. He came to save all people. People who have fallen into despair, people who have abused drugs, people who have committed adultery, people who have stolen, people who have lied, people who have been unkind to others, greedy people, and the list goes on and on. All people, regardless of what sins they have committed, have the gift of salavation available to them. Jesus came into this world to save us all, because He loves us all.

 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

Of all the gifts that I have received in my life-time, there is no other gift in the world as amazing as the gift of salvation. I treasure this gift the most.  It is because our Father in heaven loved us so much that he gave us this precious gift.

This Christmas, my prayer is that those who do not know God that they may come to know Him and be born again. I pray for the lost that they may seek Jesus and accept Him as their Savior. I pray that those who do not know the true meaning of Christmas may learn about it's true meaning; about a babe born over 2000 years ago. Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Emmanuel.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for Your precious gift that you gave to us all - the gift of salvation. Thank you for your unfailing never-ending love, mercy, and grace. By Your will alone Lord, I ask that you help those who are lost to seek you this Christmas; to help those who are sitting in the darkness, alone, empty, and never satisfied to seek You and to be filled with Your love and hope this Christmas.
This I ask in Jesus Name.
Amen.

God Bless,

Carol Moore

Wiping Dirty Corrupted Records Clean

A Christian thought to ponder…

What if Christians just viewed each other’s past records as wiped clean, embraced and loved one another the way Jesus’ did?

Acts 3:19  “Repent, therefore, and reform your lives, so that the record of your sins may be cancelled, and that there may come seasons of revival from the Lord…”

Each of us has a record of our own life. A record that God knew even before He created us. Some of us have clean records, some not so clean, and some of us have dirty, corrupted records. Where does your record lay? Mine lays in the middle between not so clean and dirty. I am not perfect. Moreover, I am not worthy or deserving of any kind of forgiveness because I have lied, stolen, envied, worshipped idols, followed other religions, broken hearts, ruined lives, and so on. I have failed God in many ways ever since I knew right from wrong, and I feel like I continue to fail Him. I have strayed from God, I have ran away from God, and I have disappointed God. Before I even dropped to my knees, God knew I needed a reboot, and my system wiped cleaned.

Because of those dirty, corrupted records, I often think about how or why  God would ever want me to serve Him; I feel so unworthy, but I know that God loves me, and He has forgiven me of all my sins. So, how can one get past that feeling of unworthiness and not let the enemy cloud our hearts and minds with fears, doubts, sadness, regret, and bitterness? 

• Keep focusing on God.
• Dive into the Word everyday.
• Pray to God daily. 

The people in this world may hate and despise you, but if you demonstrate to all of them Christlike qualities - love, kindness, and forgiveness you might lead others to Christ, or you might lead others closer to Christ. It states in Ephesians 4:32 that we are to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”  It is difficult when you don’t see those same Christ-like qualities (and I am so guilty of this as well) within the Christian community; Instead, you are more apt to get cold, deathly stares or an icy, cold shoulder from other Christians that are quick to condemn you or ostracize you because of those past records. And we, who are the fallen and broken, let those past records and those people who have condemn us hinder us from helping God complete His work. Instead we begin to focus on ourselves and on how people dislike us, hate us, or how much of a disappointment we are to God and others. We let the enemy take all the joy out of everything, not realizing that those marred, black-stained, corrupted records have been wiped clean. We have a clean new record; We have been born again!! Hallelujah!!! 

Start today by focusing on God and His plans and not on the plans of the enemy. The enemy wants to prevent people from drawing closer to God; We cannot erase those dirty, corrupted records on our own. Only Jesus can erase those records that mar our lives. Jesus died on the cross to save us from those darkly blotted records. Seek Jesus, repent, and ask Him to forgive you of all those black corrupted marks upon your records. Focus on God’s plan to reach the lost and reach out in brotherly and sisterly love towards everyone.

Dear Lord,

I love you so much. Thank you for always being there for me, standing by my side, and being my Rock. Thank you for dying on the cross for all our sins and for providing us with clean new records. Thank you so much for your love, grace, and mercy and accepting us as your children despite those dirty, corrupted records. Amen.

May you have a blessed week!

Carol

31 Day Challenge Part 2: Accepting One Another

31 Day Challenge Part 2: Accepting One Another

Photo by: (c) huhulin www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography

A thought to ponder...

What if we didn't judge by appearances or differences. What if we just accepted and loved each other for who we are. I am so thankful to the Lord that he accepts us and he loves us for who we are.

In my previous blog post I described a 31 Day Challenge for "One Courageous Community" within our churches. Today, I would like to share another challenge. One truth that I think we can all say we struggle to follow is in Romans 15:7,  "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, to bring praise to God."  How typical it is for each one of us to reject or to exclude each other because we might dress differently, behave differently, look differently, are from a different generation, the list can go on and on. When Jesus approached someone, he didn't look at their status, or their knowledge of the law, or how they dressed. He looked at their heart. He was deeply concerned for a person's spiritual welfare and the heart of the non-believer. He came for the lost.

As it states in Matthew 9: 10-13, Jesus came for the sinner and for the lost.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to show love towards one another, encourage one another, and help one another grow closer to Christ. A church needs to be one unifying spirit in worshiping God. A church should not be a dividing spirit segregated into groups or individuals. A person should walk through the doors of a church and feel loved, welcomed, and a part of the church family. No one should ever feel unaccepted, hated or unwelcomed just because of who they are. How many of you have ever felt this way at a church? I know I have felt this way at a church. The atmosphere within that church made me not want to go back to that church. It made me want to give up on church altogether. Despite my unhappiness, I wanted to be obedient to God and to be obedient to my husband, whom wanted to attend this church. I also knew I wanted to keep learning about God, so I endured going to an unloving, unwelcoming church. There were times I felt excluded and left out of conversations. No one ever wanted to get to know me personally. A person should never feel this way when attending a church. A church should exhibit a Christ-like attitude and nature. 

So, look around on a Sunday morning or during a Bible study. Do you see anyone sitting alone? Is there anyone who is being excluded from an event, conversations, etc.? Are you judging someone because of their background or perhaps their past or are you accepting them for who they are? A wretched sinner just like yourself. Let us join in unison in building each other up, not tearing each other down. Let us join in unison in growing closer to God and reaching those who do not know Him.

Love and Blessings!

Carol

31 Day Challenge

Photo by: (c) huhulin www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography

31 Day Challenge

A thought to ponder.... 

I wonder if there were to be a poll on how many Christians grumble against each other, what the outcome would be?

In July, I got the chance to go to a Ladies Camp Retreat. I had the most amazing enlightening privilege and experience of listening to the guest speaker, Kari Patterson, teach about One Courageous Community within our churches. The theme verse was John 17:11 “That they may be one as we are one.” When Christians are not unified and are divided, they cannot produce the fruit that God intended them to produce. In order to reach the lost, we must be unified with one spirit and one mind and live in a Christ-like manner. We cannot be isolated into groups, ostracizing each other, treating each other as outsiders, and causing strife, for if we do, we only demonstrate that the community within our churches is fragile and fracturing. If the vine is fractured and splitting into pieces, it will not grow and produce fruit. We must love and serve one another.

At the end of the camp retreat, Kari asked us to take on the 31-day challenge of practicing with friends and family to transform ourselves into being more Christ-like and strive to attain that one community - one spirit and one mind. Within the next few posts on my blog, I want to share a few of these challenges to help others grow into One Courageous Community. And if you have never heard Kari Patterson speak, I encourage women ministries at churches to attend one of her engagements.

One of the first biggest challenges brought to my attention at the camp and one I really struggled with is,  don’t grumble against each other. I think that this is something we can all struggle with and are all guilty of doing. There have been times in my life when I grumbled about someone and then later felt convicted about what I said. I thought to myself, "I just failed God in so many ways." My mouth was spewing out poison. In the book of James, chapter 5, verse 9, it states, “Do not grumble against one another, brothers so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” We are told not to grumble against each other, but when certain people aggravate you, or they are rude to you, or they are unkind to you,  it can be difficult not to grumble or complain about them. However, it is so important that we speak encouraging and positive words about each other. We are to love one another and speak in a positive light. 

In Exodus 16 and 17, the Israelites were grumbling against Moses and Aaron. They could only think of themselves and their circumstances. They blamed Moses and Aaron for leading them into their present situation. They were so focused on themselves and their struggles that they forgot it was God who led them out of slavery. They should have been focusing on God, and praising him for all he had done for them. 

Grumbling can be a cancer that can grow and spread division. By not grumbling against each other, we can take the first step in demonstrating a Christ-like character and a step towards having a one unified courageous community.

Love to you all and God Bless!
Carol

The United States Supreme Court Defines Marriage

What this nation deems now as a union of marriage is far from what the Bible states is a sacred union of marriage. President Obama claims it is a victory. Since when is a sin considered a victory? I thought the President was a self-proclaimed Christian? If you are a non-believer or not a true follower of Jesus Christ it would be considered a victory. I tend to go along with what Franklin Graham states "The President is leading this nation on a sinful course, and God will judge him and us as a nation if we don't repent".

I believe Christians cannot and should not shove the Bible down people’s throats, but we are to be examples of God’s Word and we are to share the Word with others willing to listen. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try to explain and quote scripture, people will not see that what they are doing is wrong unless God wills it so. Many are blinded to the truth due to the enemy’s deceiving tactics. You can only plant the seed, let God do the rest of the work. Fake Christians will twist and add words to Bible so as not to offend people. 

True Christians must remain strong and faithful. As pastor Greg Laurie states, “We must stand our ground”.  Also, it will and has come to the point where Christians are going to have to choose as to which side of the fence they are on. Are they on the side of the fence that represents the true Word of God or are they on the side the of the fence that represents the secular world and compromises and twists the words of the Bible aiding and abetting the enemy to do his deceitful and cunning work. 

Fifty years ago this nation had prayers in school, families sat down at the dinner table said grace and ate together, and they raised their right hand over their hearts and spoke the pledge allegiance to God and our nation. Now after the Supreme Court’s decision, God has been completely taken out of the family picture and this nation has deemed itself above God. We are a nation patterning ourselves after ancient Rome and we will soon meet the very same fate… a condemned country headed towards dictatorship, control and uncertainty. As disobedience, wickedness and pagan acts saturate this country it is only understandable that God should punish this nation, as we have become a nation that has directly violated His laws.

Why Should Christians Care?

Christians should care because Jesus gave us a task to reach out to those who do not know him and share the Good News.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)

So what is the Good News? That despite your sins and/or sinful past God loves you, we love you and He has a plan for you. The only thing that is required of you to be a follower of Jesus Christ is to seek him in prayer, ask him to forgive you of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. For

Jesus said to Thomas and all believers, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)s. 

Is Homosexuality a Sin?

Well, according to the Bible it is. “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Leviticus 18:22 (KJV) and Romans 1: 22-32 (KJV) makes it quite clear the fate of all who practice such immoral sexual acts. But it is not an unforgivable sin. All of us our sinners. Sin is sin whether you lie, steal, kill, commit adultery. All sin is equal in God's eyes.

“22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

According to the secular world homosexuality, is not a sin. It is also considered discrimination to think or state otherwise. If you are a believer of God, you have to take a stand, for there is no standing in the middle with a foot in this world and a foot in God’s world. We are to set our minds on the things above, not on the things of this earth. As it states in Colossians 3:2 (KJV), “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

We are all born with sin. Not one of us has a right to point a finger and condemn one another. But traditional marriage is defined by God as one man and one woman, even though the media and many so-called Christians and non-believers try to convince people otherwise. For it states in Mark 10: 6-9 (KJV),

“6 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.

7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

This controversy is not about hating homosexuals. How can we hate those whom God loves? God’s design for the sacred union of marriage is between a man and a woman, not Adam and Adam or Eve and Eve, but Adam and Eve. But as this country moves forward, it moves further and further away from the Christian beliefs our founding fathers once held. Christians will soon be the minority, and the media will do its best job to paint Christians out as evildoers. Yet all along, the main goal of a Christian is to help gather the lost sheep. Help bring the lost sheep back to Jesus Christ and to aid those who have been led astray. 

Many of us Christians have walked the path into darkness and have been led astray. It is a darkness that blinds you from the truth. It is a darkness that hardens your heart, and it deceives you into believing that what you are doing is right and not wrong. The enemy is powerful. His goal is to see the end and destruction of all mankind. 

Yet through this controversy, we are to love one other, but that does not mean Christians should condone a sinful lifestyle. We need to reach out to those who do not believe, help them get to know God. Once one gets to know God, all the sins that take up one's life will begin to disappear. You will have the desire and yearning to have a deep personal relationship with Jesus. To get to know Jesus read the book of Matthew and then read the book of John. Get to know Jesus! 

Darkness is surrounding this world, and Satan is trying his best to deceive and confuse us all. Do not let him win. God knows we are not perfect. We are all born with sin. Bring it to his feet and let Him help you, and let him show you through His Words what His design and plan is. 

God’s Design for Family

• Created Adam to care for all living things.

• Created Eve to be Adam’s companion and helper.

• Adam and Eve are joined in unity become as one flesh for Eve was made from Adam’s rib. 

• Parents to raise their children up to walk in His ways and to know and love Him.

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called ‘woman,’for she was taken out of man. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh”(Genesis 2:23-24)

In Matthew 19:4-5, Jesus reaffirms this: "He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one’?" 

God’s Goals

• To make himself known to all men and women.

• That no one should perish but repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

• To have a personal relationship with you.

Satan’s Design for Family

• Deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden to cause the downfall of man and to prevent the Messiah from being born

To destroy God’s design for family and all mankind

• Through divorce             
• Through homosexual marriage             
• Through polygamy            
• Through pre-marital sex            
• Through abortion             
• Through transgender             
• Through death

Satan’s Goals

• To cause pain, torment, depression, sadness and disconnection.

• To deceive and confuse as many of God’s people as possible

•  To have people disregard the truth of the Bible.

•  To have Christians compromise and be apathetic towards God’s word.

•  Manipulate and deceive non-believers that they were born this way or it is the only solution.

• To portray Christian’s that they are hateful people.

• To undermine and twist God’s words about sinful acts and being obedient to God.

• To portray God and believer’s in a negative light.

• Use non-believing government employees and the nation’s leaders to achieve his agenda.

• Use the media to twist the truth about God and true followers of Jesus Christ.

• Use the race card (yet it is not an issue of African American, Caucasian, Asian or Native American etc.) to target against Christians to avoid the issue that homosexuality is actually a sexual preference and lifestyle people choose by their own free will.

• To harden the hearts of Christians who are not true followers of Jesus Christ; to stir up hate and cruelty.

• To destroy God’s people who are a reflection of God.

• To elevate himself above God.

Where Christians have Failed

Each and every one of us has failed, but we can be thankful and sing praises for those who have been saved.

• Not being warm, welcoming, loving and accepting of ALL people/sinners who walk in through the church doors.

• Being hateful, mean and cruel.

• Not reaching out to those lost, hurting, lonely and feeling disconnected.

• Not letting God be the one to change the sinner.

• Not teaching children about God’s design for family.

• Closing the church door to God and not letting Him fill His holy place with His presence.

• Not teaching and sharing the true Word of God.

• Compromising beliefs and twisting the truth.

• Not sharing with others of own experiences with battling with sin and how God helped triumph over those sins.

What Christians Need to do Now

• Pray for those who are still lost.

• Pray for this world.

• Give thanks to those who have been saved.

• Reach out to those who are lost.

• Share with those who are lost how God rescued you from the darkness and brought you into the light.

Testimonies from Homosexuals who Found Christ & Changed Their Lives

These are just a few. There many testimonies out on the internet and within churches.

•  http://blogs.cbn.com/homosexuality/archive/2008/11/20/deceived-by-homosexuality.aspx
•  http://www.precious-testimonies.com/BornAgain/w-z/ZornesJennifer.htm
•  http://www.christian-faith.com/my-testimony-about-deliverance-from-homosexuality-by-maw/
•  http://2praisegod.com/testimony/2009/07/overcoming-homosexuality/