An Overloaded Wagon

Parable by Rosemarie Kowalski

The story is told of a man who met God in a lovely valley one day. “How are you this morning?” God asked the fellow. “I’m fine, thank you,” the man replied. “Is there anything I can do for you today?”

“Yes, there is,” God said. “I have a wagon with three stones in it, and I need someone to pull it up the hill for me. Are you willing?

“Yes, I’d love to do something for you. Those stones don’t look very heavy, and the wagon’s in good shape. I’d be happy to do that. Where would you like me to take it?”

God gave the man specific instructions, sketching a map in the dust at the side of the road. “Go through the woods and up the road that winds up the side of the hill. Once you get to the top, just leave the wagon there. Thank you for your willingness to help me today.”

“No problem!” the man replied and set off cheerfully. The wagon pulled a bit behind him, but the burden was an easy one. He began to whistle as he walked quickly through the forest. The sun peeked through the trees and warmed his back. What a joy to be able to help the Lord, he thought, enjoying the beautiful day.

Just around the third bend, he walked into a small village. People smiled and greeted him. Then, at the last house, a man stopped him and asked, “How are you this morning? What a nice wagon you have. Where are you off to?”

“Well, God gave me a job this morning, I’m delivering these three stones to the top of the hill.”

“My goodness! Can you believe it? I was just praying this morning about how I was going to get this rock I have up to the top of the mountains,” the man told him with great excitement. “You don’t suppose you could take it up there for me? It would be such an answer to prayer.”

The man with the wagon smiled and said, “Of course. I don’t suppose God would mind. Just put it behind the other three stones.” Then he set off with three stones and a rock rolling behind him.

The wagon seemed a bit heavier. He could feel the jolt of each bump, and the wagon seemed to pull to one side a bit. The man stopped to adjust the load as he sang a hymn of praise, pleased to be helping out a brother as he served God. Then he set off again and soon reached another small village at the side of the road. A good friend lived there and offered him a glass of cider.

“You’re going to the top of the hill?” his oldest friend asked.

“Yes! I am so excited. Can you imagine, God gave me something to do!”

“Hey!” said his friend. “I need this bag of pebbles taken up. I’ve been so worried that it might not get taken care of since I haven’t any time to do it myself. But you could fit it in right between the three stones here in the middle.” With that, he placed his burden in the wagon.

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” the man said. “I think I can handle it.” He finished the cider, then stood up and brushed his hands on his overalls before gripping the handle of the wagon. He waved goodbye and began to pull the wagon back onto the road.

The wagon was definitely tugging on his arm now, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. As he started up the incline, he began to feel the weight of the three stones, the rock, and the pebbles. Still, it felt good to help a friend. Surely God would be proud of how energetic and helpful he’d been.

One little stop followed another, and the wagon grew fuller and fuller. The sun was hot above the man pulling it, and his shoulders ached with the strain. The songs of praise and thanksgiving that had filled his heart had long since left his lips as resentment began to build inside. Surely this wasn’t what he had signed up for that morning. God had given him a burden heavier than he could bear. The wagon felt huge and awkward as it lumbered and swayed over the ruts in the road. Frustrated, the man was beginning to have visions of giving up and letting the wagon roll backward. God was playing a cruel game with him. The wagon lurched, and the load of obligations collided with the back of his legs, leaving bruises. “This is it!” he fumed. “God can’t expect me to haul this all the way up the mountain.”

“Oh God,” he wailed. “This is too hard for me! I thought you were behind this trip, but I am overcome by the heaviness of it. You’ll have to get someone else to do it. I’m just not strong enough.”

As he prayed, God came to his side. “Sounds like you’re having a hard time. What’s the problem?”

“You gave me a job that is too hard for me,” the man sobbed. “I’m just not up to it!” God walked over to where the wagon was braced with a stone. “What is this?” He held up the bag of pebbles.

“That belongs to John, my good friend. He didn’t have time to bring it up himself. I thought I would help.”

“And this?” God tumbled two pieces of shale over the side of the wagon as the man tried to explain.

God continued to unload the wagon, removing both light and heavy items. They dropped to the ground, the dust swirling up around them. The man who had hoped to help God grew silent. “If you will be content to let others, take their own burdens,” God told him, “I will leave these things lying here.”

“But I promised I would help! I can’t leave these things lying here.”

“Let others shoulder their own belongings,” God said gently. “I know you were trying to help, but when you are weighted down with all these cares, you cannot do what I have asked of you.”

The man jumped to his feet, suddenly realizing the freedom God was offering. “You mean I only have to take the three stones after all?” he asked.

“That is what I asked you to do.” God smiled. “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. I will never ask you to carry more than you can bear.”

“I can do that!” said the man, grinning from ear to ear. He grabbed the wagon handle and set off once again, leaving the rest of the burdens beside the road. The wagon still lurched and jolted lightly, but he hardly noticed.

A new song filled his lips, and he noticed a fragrant breeze wafting over the path. With great joy, he reached the top of the hill. It had been a wonderful day, for he had done what the Lord had asked.

Reflection

Christian thought to ponder…

Have you ever felt like this man? Overburdened, overworked, or taxed beyond your limits. Overloaded wagons can become wearisome, taxing, and can deflate one’s joy quickly, especially if the burden is quite heavy. God does not ask us to carry someone else’s burdens that they refuse to carry, but He has asked us to serve others and help others in their time of need.

In verse 1 Peter 4:10, it emphasizes that everyone has unique gifts that we can use to help and serve others. By using these gifts we have been given, we can serve others within our communities and be God’s representatives.

 

Furthermore, in verse Mark 10:45, it emphasizes the core of Jesus’ ministry, showing that a true follower of Christ serves others. Jesus’ life is an example of how we should live, and it should compel us to want to serve others. Throughout the Gospel, Jesus repeatedly showed how He connected and served others. He turned water into wine, healed the sick, fed the hungry, freed those possessed by demons, and even washed the disciples’ feet. In following His example, we should exemplify a life of humble service and mirror His love and light to the world around us. 

But sometimes in our efforts to serve others, we can feel overwhelmed by placing too many rocks in the wagon. We tend to get burned out, tired, weary, and weighed down when we pick up every rock that comes across our path and toss it into the wagon. We have not sought the Lord’s guidance or help nor acknowledge that the burden is now too great. Some of us tend to have this “Me” mentality that “I can do this” or “I have got this.” And then the pile of rocks keeps growing and growing and before you know it.  As we see in Psalm 55, verse 22, the good news is that we can cast our burdens onto the Lord, and he will sustain us and help us up the hill.

Moreover, in the book of Matthew, chapter 11, verses 28-30, it tells us that, if we go to him in our moment of heavy labor and lean on Him, He will  give us rest. The burden that rests upon our shoulders will become light. Christ is our Burden Bearer. He will sustain us, and He will give us peace and rest. Go to His feet and seek His will.

Lord,

Our wagons can become so full that we are bogged down, weary, and tired. The burden has become so heavy we can no longer pull the wagon up the hill. Help us to remember that you will sustain us, you will never let us slip and fall, and you will give us rest. Refresh our spirits, fill us with Your joy and with Your peace and Your strength. Help us to know when to say “no” and do only what you have called us to do. Help us to seek You in all things and keep our eyes fixed on you. Thank you for being our Burden Bearer. We love you and we need you every day.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Words that Reflect Christ

A Christian thought to ponder...

How many of your words that flow from your mouth each and every day, are a true reflection of Christ? Whether our words are good or bad, they show what is truly in our hearts. 

Satan thrives on us using our tongues in a manner that is not pleasing to the Lord. Our words or lack of words can destroy lives, marriages, relationships, friendships, and hearts. Forgiveness and love are not in the enemy's vocabulary or part of his agenda. Instead, his agenda is full of division, hate, anger, and unforgiveness. We cannot tame the tongue. Not without the help of God. 

In the book of Ephesians, chapter four, in verse twenty-nine it instructs us that our words are to build each other up and encourage one another. Our words should not be piercing, harsh, ungodly, or full of corruption.

Ephesians 4:29

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

In James 1:26 it states that those who claim to be religious, and yet do not bridle their tongues and spew unrighteous babble, then their religion is for naught. Their words do not glorify God.

James 1:26
"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless."

Our words should be Christ-like and pleasing to God. As the psalmist prays in Psalm 19:14 that God would keep him from sinful actions and govern and sanctify his words and thoughts, so should we also ask this in prayer.

Psalms 19:14

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

We need to store up God's words within our hearts. His word is a light to our paths.

Psalm 119:105

 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Do not fall into Satan's trap and speak words of hate, pride, corruption, and destruction. Let your words be a reflection of Christ.

Heavenly Father, 

Forgive us when we say careless words that hurt and destroy people. Thank you for the reminders throughout Scripture how our words should build people up, encourage people, and be pleasing to You. Convict us when our tongues are as sharp and piercing as daggers. Guide our words so they speak wisdom, love, and encouragement. 

In Jesus' name, amen.

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.

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

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

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 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

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 Rejection of God and God's Redemptive Plan

A Christian thought to ponder....

Sexual immorality and perversion are running rampant in this nation. Many people are blind from seeing the progressives' agenda as wicked or evil. Why? Because they have rejected God. As a result, God has allowed darkness to come upon them, and they have become blind. The Bible clearly states it in Psalm 81:12, "So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas."

Because they have rejected God and refused to believe in God,  God has allowed them to walk this evil path. They are blind, and they do not understand (Isaiah 44:18).

There is nothing we can do to open the eyes of the blinded other than to pray that their eyes will be opened to the Truth.  In 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 it states, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” We need to keep praying for those entrapped in sin and for the unbelievers. Ask God to open their eyes and help unbelievers to see their need for Him. We need to keep sharing the Truth.

In this video, Pastor Tom Hughes and Tim Thompson share what is going on with Disney's agenda of the sexualization of young children and how America is being destroyed from within by the left wing's agenda. 

This agenda that is being pushed by the Disney company is wicked and evil.

However, we must remember that sexual immorality is not an unforgivable sin. For instance, look at King David in 2 Samuel chapter 11. David was so blinded by his passion for Bathsheba that he committed adultery with her. He then had her husband killed when he discovered that she was pregnant with his child. 

2 Samuel 11:4-5 and  11:14-15

 

4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

14 So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.”

But the Lord forgave David when he confessed his sin. He turned to God and repented and sought the Lord's forgiveness. 

2 Samuel 12:13-14

13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. 14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”

As it goes on in chapter 12, God punishes David for his horrible deeds. God allowed his son to die, his household to rebel against him, and his wives were given to another man. David, a man after God's own heart, had fallen into the trap of sin. The enemy ensnared him. 

The enemy methodically and purposefully lays out traps to destroy people. He does not want anyone to go to heaven to be with the Lord eternally. He wants you to go to hell with him to be in anguish, pain, and torment eternally. He wants people to reject God. 

But just as David was redeemable from his sin, so are each and every one of us. John MacArthur stated, "All of our sins, even the ones we don’t recognize, are the sins that nailed Jesus Christ to the cross. They are the sins for which He died. And yet we witlessly, ignorantly, and sometimes even willfully, continue to live in these same sins." 

We need to open people's eyes to the sin, and we need to share with them that despite what they have done or are doing in the present moment that Jesus loves them and that he died on the cross for all of our sins. God knows who has been called and who His children are. We do not. Our job is to share the Gospel - God's great plan of redemption.

Heavenly Father, 

We thank You for blessing the United States. You are Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Only You alone can revive and restore the United States. We lift this nation up to You and seek your forgiveness for our abominable sins. Our nation has strayed so far from the principles and practices of our great founders, who drew up our constitution based on Your Word. Help guide the men and women in positions of power, both in local and national government. Give our leaders the grace and wisdom to guide our nation back from the path of destruction, and onto the path where You are the One in Whom we place our trust.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Grace and Blessings to you all!

Carol Moore