Look to Jesus in the Storms of Your Life

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

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

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

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

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

Look to Jesus in the storms of your life.

Lord Jesus,

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

Love and Blessings,

Carol

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

Hope and Anchor for the Soul

A Christian thought to ponder...

Is your hope in Christ, or is your hope in the world? There are many false hopes in the world, but hope in Christ is true, constant, secure, and eternal. As Billy Graham once said, “For the believer, there is hope beyond the grave because Jesus Christ has opened the door to heaven for us by His death and resurrection.” Hope is found in the promise of freedom from sin through the death of Jesus Christ. 

In Hebrews 6:16-19a, the verse states that the Lord's promises are constant and unchangeable. We can find refuge in Him, and His promises give us hope. And this hope is an anchor for our souls.

 Hebrews 6:16-19a

"Now, when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question, that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls."

As Barnes once said, "Hope accomplishes for the soul the same thing which an anchor does for a ship."  This anchor of hope is steady and immovable. It fastens those who believe in Christ to the promises of God. This hope helps strengthen the soul in the midst of storms and a tempestuous world. If you place your hope in men and this earth, you will only have misery and disappointment. The anchor's rope will become weak and frayed, eventually breaking, causing the ship to crash upon the rocks. If you place your hope in Christ, the anchor's rope will be steady and strong, not easily broken, keeping the ship safe and sound.

Our hope in Christ is secure and an anchor for our souls. It is glorious and a treasure to hold deep in your heart. May you place your hope in Christ and be filled with joy and peace.

Heavenly Father,

You are holy, merciful, faithful, and true. We thank you for Your word to help us navigate through this world. We thank you for your promises and that we have the hope in Jesus Christ to anchor our souls. Help us to always seek you, whether the storm is fierce or the weather is fair and calm, and place our trust in You. 

In Jesus' Name.

Amen.

Grace and peace to you all.

In Christ,

Carol

Hope is Coming

As this new year begins within a world full of chaos, we have the blessed hope of knowing that Jesus Christ will be returning soon. Jesus is coming! Let our hearts be filled with joy at this wonderful news! Even when all may seem dark and hopeless, place your hope in Jesus. Jesus is at the helm, and just as it says in Psalm 2:10-12, he will rid all of those who oppose him.  

Psalm 2:10-12 

"Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

The Lord's plan is unfolding rapidly before our very eyes. The watchmen are sending out the warning calls to all who will hear.  Disaster awaits for those who choose to ignore the warnings and choose not to believe in the Lord Almighty. His divine judgment is coming; Time is short. Jesus Christ will be returning soon. The Blind will continue to be blind, but those whose eyes are open look up and pay attention to the signs. Although we do not know the hour or the day of Christ's return, the prophetic words of the Bible are coming to fruition.

God is speaking to all people, and they need to heed His warning. The people of this nation have pushed God to the side. They have scoffed and mocked God, and they have rebelled against God. Just as it says in the book of Genesis chapter 6 during the time of Noah, this world is filled with corruptness, evil, and wickedness. 

Gen 6:11-12

"Clearly, “the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth” 

The people of this nation have become like Sodom and Gomorrah, evil and wicked. As it says in 2 Peter 2:6, as a result of their evil and wickedness, God will destroy them. God did destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and reduced them to a heap of ashes.

2 Peter 2:6

"and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;"

Just as the Israelites refused to listen to God, so have the people of this nation refused to listen to God's word. They only want to listen to what gives them satisfaction and pleasure. And just as the Israelites were warned of God's wrath to come by the prophets, so have many church leaders and watchmen been warning people of this generation of what is to come if they do not believe in Jesus Christ and repent. As it says in Jeremiah 3:21, "For they have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten the LORD their God." Just as the Israelites have forgotten God, so has this nation, for matter this world.

God repeatedly warned Israel of the wrath that was to come if they did not repent. God's words ring true for everyone that is rebellious and lawless now. They need to repent, or disaster awaits around the corner; For no other gods can save you, no politician can save you, nor can any person save you.  Only God can save you from the wrath that is to come. God is your only hope. He will guide and protect you from the wolves. Look to your great Shepherd quickly before it is too late and you are devoured. 

Those who hear God and obey Him will escape the wrath that is to come; But, rebel against God, and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, and you will not escape the great tribulation that is to come.

There is only one savior, and His name is Jesus. And there is only One hope, and that hope is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the great Shepherd that can guide you, comfort you, care for you and heal you. As it says in 2 Chronicles 7, if you call out His name, repent of your sins, turn to Him, and ask Him to come into your heart and life, He will hear you, and your faith in Him will save you. 

2 Chronicles  7:14

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Your Word. Thank you for Your Son Jesus and the gift of salvation, Thank you for Your mercy and grace. We pray that seeds of hope will be planted and people who do not know You may come to know You, repent, and be saved. We pray that the ice will melt around frozen hearts that have chosen a path of rebellion and lawlessness. May they see the Light and Hope in You before Your wrath comes upon the world. 

In Jesus Name. 

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed New Years!

Carol Moore

Sharing the Truth

A Christian thought to ponder....

In today's troubling world, fear abounds, and there are many Christians around the world who are afraid to share God's Word for fear of being ostracized, fired from work, blocked from social media sites, imprisoned, or even killed.

You don't hear about this type of news in the media very much because that detracts from Satan's plan and Satan's agenda. This type of news might stir people up to have sympathy or support towards Christians. Satan does not want people to have any sympathy or support towards Christians.  Satan wants hatred to abound. He wants restrictions on freedom of religion and restrictions on freedom of speech. So Satan's big lie spreads like wildfire that all Christians are racist, homophobes, evil, wrong, and oppressive, creating an atmosphere of hatred and division.

Satan's world is full of lies. It is a world where people only want to hear things that will tickle their ears and not convict. It is a world where right is wrong and wrong is right.  In Satan's world, people don't want to hear anybody else's side or ever hear God's Truth. 

Christians must stand strong in their faith and trust in the Lord as we sojourn in Satan's world. When the Truth has fallen upon deaf ears, keep on sharing the Truth and continue to pray. As someone once said, “The greatest way we can show love to another person is by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.” And as it says in Mark 16:15-16, Jesus instructs us to share the Truth, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Only God knows who will be saved or condemned. 

As you share the Truth with others, you will face bad times, but keep on sharing the Truth and continue to pray. For God is with you during the good times and the bad times. He will hold you up when you face trials. He is your anchor amongst the storm. In scripture, God tells us in Isaiah 41:10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Just as He told Isaiah to fear not, we too have nothing to fear, for God is in control, and He will strengthen us and help us. 

We share God's Word not to gain friends, not to gain rewards, not to gain social status, nor to condemn or crucify others. But we share the Truth to help the lost and misguided, to help others see that Jesus is the way, the Truth and the Life.

Heavenly Father,

You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You are trustworthy and the Bringer of Hope. Help others to see how alive Your Word is and how much You love us. Help give us hope and peace when all seems dark and hopeless. Help us to be bold and to forgive those who would persecute us and even kill us. Help refresh our spirits and help our faith to grow and remain firm. 

We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol Moore

The God Who Sees and Hears Me

A Christian thought to ponder...

How many of you believe that God sees you and hears your cries and pleas for help? The Bible reminds us time and time again that our best recourse in times of trials is to place our hope and trust in Him. To call out to Him. 

In Genesis 16, we learn about the servant Hagar. Some would believe that there is no lesson or truth to be learned in this part of scripture, but I tend to disagree. After all, why would God include Hagar in Scripture, if there was nothing to be learned or to be remembered?  I find this part of scripture very enlightening and valuable in teaching us to place our hope and trust in God. 

Genesis 16 

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” 13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

We do not fully know what was the customs of during Abram's time as far as the treatment of servants and the servants' roles, but when one reads the passage, it is easy to assume that Sarai was a little too harsh with Hagar. Perhaps she let her emotions control her, which would explain such harsh treatment against Hagar. However, Hagar was no innocent in the situation, and her contempt towards Sarai showed a lack of respect towards her mistress. Her treatment of her mistress was wrong. But, Sarai showed little faith or trust in God when she asked Abram to lie with her servant. In fact, neither Abram nor Sarai trusted God in giving them a son, for they took matters into their own hands by involving Hagar even though God told them that they would have a child. God tells them in Genesis 15 that they will have a son.

Genesis 15

4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Abram and Sarai focused on themselves, their needs, their desires, and their timing. Instead, they should have focused on trusting God and His promises and His perfect timing. As a result, Ishmael was born a wild donkey man whose hand would be against everyone, and he would live in hostility toward all his brothers.

Hagar's son's name, Ishmael, means, "God hears," a reminder not only to Hagar then but to all of us that despite all of our troubles, and afflictions God hears our pleas, our cries, and our prayers. Even though God sent Hagar back to Abram and Sarai, she now had God, Abram's God, to see her through difficult times. Because God looked after Hagar, she did something no one else in all of Scripture ever did. She gave God a new name, “God who sees.” ~ ’El ro’i. God sees you. Hagar witnessed God's mercy, love, and promise. A promise that He would multiply her offspring. She would have more descendants than she could ever count. Hagar humbly submitted to God by obeying Him and recognizing that He was in control, and so she returned to Sarai and submitted to her. 

In Genesis 21, we see Sarah's emotions take hold of her heart, and she tells Abraham to cast Hagar and Ishmael out when she sees Ishmael laughing. Cast out into the wilderness of Beersheba with little water and bread, Hagar and Ishmael cry out. They are dying from thirst. God hears their voices and saw Hagar's tears. He rescues her and Ishmael by showing her a well so that they may have water. 

Genesis 21

8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

God heard their cries, and He saved them. God is our Rescuer, and He sees what you are going through. God hears our cries and pleas. He is merciful and loving. Let Him take the helm and place your hope and faith in Him. He doesn't promise we will not experience problems, but God does promise to work all things for our good and His will. He will never leave us or forsake us. Seek Him. Cry out to Him. He sees and hears you.

O ’El ro’i,

You are the God who sees us. You are our Rescuer. We can trust that you will care for us and help us when times seem grave. Thank you for the reminder in the passage of Genesis 16 and 21 about Hagar. A woman harshly treated and cast out but who showed us how You are the God who sees. We are so thankful for this passage that shows us how you are faithful, true, caring, loving, and how You keep your promises. Hagar found hope in Your promises. She found her Rescuer. You opened her eyes, and she saw Your mercy and love. Help us to place our hope and trust in You, in good times or bad times. 

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol

Divided We Fall

Our country is more politically divided than ever, and with the onslaught of censoring, accusations, lies, incitement, fake news, the woke crowd, the cancel culture, and the condoning of domestic terrorism, a wedge of division has been driven into families, friends, co-workers, and even churches. The left side of the political spectrum believes they are right and the other side is wrong. On the other hand, the right side of the political spectrum believes they are right and the other side is wrong. 

In my opinion, neither side is right, as both sides fall short of being perfect. Only God's ways are perfect. But my question to you is which side-lines up more with Christ and with God's Word? Is it the right side or the left side?

Specifically, is it right to censor people because of their political or religious beliefs? Is it right to condone domestic terrorism, vandalism, and violence? Is it right to shun loved ones, friends, and co-workers because they do not want to get vaccinated or wear a mask or vice-versa? Is it right to censor someone because they dare to share a post that might disagree or differ from what you believe is true or fact? Is it right to tell someone they are a racist when they have never said or done anything racist in their entire life?

So the question is who is dividing who and why are they trying to divide us? The main culprit behind this division is Satan. Satan wants to divide and destroy us. He is using tactics, tools, and people to trodden us, divide us, and destroy us. Satan knows that a nation divided, will fall. He is circling our wagon train and we are in for a great spiritual battle.  

n the video by Olive Tree Ministries, "The Strategy? Deceive, Divide, Destroy", this spiritual battle is brought to light, and Christians need to beware of this purposeful division. Christians need to be sober, vigilant, and put on the armor of God. Satan has got his targets set on us and he is going to throw darts of division, fear, doubts, anger, jealousy, guilt, confusion, violence, and all forms of lawlessness our way.

So therefore, we must fix our eyes on Jesus and keep rooted in His Word. We must not let the enemy divide us or our churches.  As Paul tells the people in 1 Corinthians 1:10, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Paul knew a church divided would fall right into the enemy's hands. A church divided shows that we are being controlled by our sinful nature. Division shows that we are living as people of this world. A world of people that is full of hate, cold hearts, unforgiveness, unkindness, impatience, immorality, and divisiveness. We must stand united in one mind and one body and live in a Christ-like manner.

For we, who are born again, live for Jesus. We should not condone any of this wicked behavior and division. The only division that should be clear is that we are showing that we are God's chosen people. 

Heavenly Father,

You are Sovereign and You are our Hope. We thank You for equipping us for battle and for giving us Your armour. Help us to stay rooted in Your Word. Help us to rest in Your strength and wisdom to help us in the oncoming spiritual battles. Help us to stand united in one mind and in one body and help us to hold fast to our confession of faith. 

In everything we give thanks and give You all the glory. 

In Jesus name,

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed day!

Carol Moore

I Will Be With You

Even though you may be facing great, fiery trials, whether it be cancer that is spreading and growing throughout your body, financial hardships, or a broken marriage there is hope and joy in the Lord.

You may not think so, but you will find peace in the Lord, if you cast all your worries and doubts on to Him. The Lord cares for you and He loves you. NOTHING can separate you from the love of God.
Trust in Him. Draw upon His strength and guidance and He will walk you through the fiery dark trial. 

And you will find encouragement in His Word. The more you get to know the Lord, you will see that your worries, anxiety, and depression will diminish. And as your faith and trust grows in Him, you will realize that He has always been there and He will never leave you.

Do not let the enemy win. Do not let the enemy discourage you. The enemy wants to drag you down into the deep, lonely, dark waters, whereas, the Lord will see you through those deep, dark waters. He is your Light in the darkness as it says in Isaiah 43:2 " When you go through the deep waters, I will be with you"

Heavenly Father Lord God,
We ask that you would give people strength, trust, courage and hope to overcome the present battles that they face. Help keep the enemy at bay and prevent him from dragging people down into the dark areas that he loves to dwell in to weaken and destroy people. Help those struggling to have a desire to draw closer to You and to seek You during the dark trials of their lives. 

We ask this in Jesus Name.
Amen 

Amidst Tragedy There is Hope

Many think tragedies are brought on by our sins. For example, in the book of Job, Job's friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, believed that Job’s suffering was brought on due to some great sin that Job had committed. The three of them urged Job to seek God and repent. God has punished people for their sins, such as God punished the Israelites' to wander in the wilderness for forty years for their disobedience and unbelief. But not all tragedies are brought on by our sins.

Some tragedies are brought on or allowed to test our faith. As was the case in the book of Job in chapters 1-3, Satan was allowed to test Job’s faithfulness. Satan was certain that Job's faithfulness would fail amongst tragedies and anguish. 
How true will we be to our Lord when tragedy strikes? Will we stand firm in our faith and hold fast when tragedies strike, or will we begin to blame God, hate God, or run away from God because He has allowed such circumstances to happen in our lives?

Perhaps the tragedy is a wake-up call to shake you to your core to get you back on the right path towards God. God may use several tragedies to draw you back to Him and to get you to lean on Him for strength once again.

The tragedy could be the result of simply of living in a fallen world. A world that once was perfect, but due to the fall in the garden, the world is now in a state of suffering, decay, and death.

Or maybe, the tragedy is meant to show God's glory and to bring someone who is a non-believer to Him. 

We may never know, or we may never understand why certain tragedies befall us, but we can rest assured that God does, and He is in control. Maybe not during the tragedy, but later on in life, you will see His great love for you, His plan for you, and His goodness. Goodness, you say!? Yes, because amidst the tragedy there is hope. And that hope is in Jesus. Place your hope in Him amidst the tragedy, and He will carry you through.

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for Your great love and for the hope You gave us through Your son Jesus. A hope You have given us to be the light that leads us and comforts us during great and small tragedies throughout our lives. As you tell us in John 16:33, we know Lord that we were never guaranteed to have a trouble free life.  In fact, you tell us that we will, but we can be at peace for You have overcome the world. We thank you Lord that you will carry us through these great and trying times.

Amen.

May you have a blessed week.

Carol

Fear Not

Imagine it raining. And then imagine it starts to rain a lot and then it begins to rain so much that fields, roads, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds all begin to flood. The powerful waters begin to rise higher and higher. Mass hysteria begins to plague people as the churning waters rise. People begin to claw at the ark with their hands and pound their fists into the ark. Panic permeates throughout the air. There is pushing, shoving, screaming and wailing as the waters begin to rise higher and higher. The people were corrupt. They chose to believe in themselves and the things of this world and not in God. They refused to repent. So, the door was shut. The people could have placed their hope in God but decided to place their hope in themselves and in the world God created. They had no hope. They had no peace. Only hopelessness and fear clinched their hearts.

And now a pandemic has unleashed across this world. Lives are being lost. Our way of life is being torn apart. Panic, fear, hysteria has gripped people’s hearts. But you can find peace amongst this turmoil, if you just turned to God. A peace this world can never give you. A satisfaction that will fill your heart and soul. He promises to help you, to deliver you, to strengthen you, to uphold you, to be with you wherever you go, to give you peace, if you only look to Him. Turn to Him today. This minute. This second. Before the door is shut.

Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do, I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

O Mighty God,
You are All Powerful, You are Sovereign and You are in Control. We praise You for being Our Great Helper, Our Great Redeemer, Our Great Strength, Our Great Comforter during these times of trouble, turmoil, uncertainty, and unrest. You are bigger and greater than any virus. Help us to feed on Your Truth, Your Word and not the fear the media unleashes. Please bring comfort to those who are in fear. Enshroud them with peace and serenity. Please heal those who are sick and suffering from this virus and please bring peace and comfort to their loved ones. And please may this be a time that Your light shines through the darkness and that the people who are in fear or who are suffering from this illness may seek you for truth, for protection, for guidance, for comfort and for hope.
Amen.
Pray you all have a blessed day!
Carol

Fear Not the Battle

Fear Not

stock by ArwenArts

A Christian thought to ponder …

As we are all glued to the television watching the latest horrific events in Orlando, Florida, my heart goes out to all the victims’ families and friends of this senseless violent crime. I cannot help but ponder about this tragedy and all the other tragedies that we encounter in our lives. There will be those who blame God and will become bitter and angry and there will be those who will draw close to God and will lean on Him. 

Everyone goes through trials whether it is losing a loved one, divorce, an addiction battle, bullying, anxiety, cancer, losing a limb or mental illness there are all sorts of battles we encounter each and every day and throughout our lives. It is how we handle those battles that will determine how close of a relationship we have with God.

If you are trying to fight the battle alone, you will never succeed. You need God to lead the march and face the enemy and the trial head-on. You need to place your trust completely in him and fear not. God told Abram in Genesis 15:1 “fear not, Abram, I am your shield, your reward shall be great.” He strengthens us and provides us protection God told Israel in Isaiah 41:1 that he will strengthen, help, and uphold them. God is our fortress and protection. And whatever battles we might encounter in our lives, those battles are a time when we need to draw close to him, to lean on him, to depend on him, to seek him when the odds seem so much against us.

Debra was used by God to help lead the Israelites to victory because she had faith in the Lord where others did not. If it weren’t for God, Israel would have never been freed from the bondage of Egypt, would have never made it through the wilderness, would have never been victorious over the Canaanites. We too can be victorious if we place our hope, faith and trust in Him. Fear not, He will fight for us. He is on our side and will never leave or forsake us. And if you allow Him too, He will heal your heart and transform you.

Heavenly Father,

We just pray for comfort and healing for all of those who are suffering from this terrible tragedy. And we ask that this may be a time that Your light shines through the darkness and that the people suffering may seek you for truth, for protection, for guidance, for comfort and for hope.

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol

Failing to Reach the Millions

Failing to Reach the Millions

The people that will be left behind during the tribulation will be people we failed to reach out to in brotherly and sisterly love. Throughout our lives, we have condemned, judged, and despised people. I am eternally grateful that my heavenly Father does not hate us, but he loves us ALL unconditionally. Just as he loves us, so should we love others, for we are to live for Christ. For if God did not love us, there would be no hope in this world, but because he loved us so much, he sent his one and only Son, Jesus, to take on the sins of this world. Jesus reached out to the multitudes of sinners, the lost, and the forsaken and gave them hope. Where many of us condemn and judge, Jesus showed mercy and love. Many of us shut the doors on people because of their past sins. We find them disgusting or vile. Yet, we do not know their true hearts nor the circumstances of their past. We see only what the enemy wants us to see. Only the Lord knows our true hearts, and He has changed the hearts of many.

Ezekiel 36:26

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Copyright © PhotoXpress

The Lord knew Paul's heart. On Damascus Road, when Christ spoke to Paul, his heart changed. After that event, Paul began a journey of sharing the Gospel with many. The Lord also knew Peter's heart, and Peter's heart changed when he followed Christ. He knew Matthew's heart, and Matthew's heart changed when he followed Christ. And why did all these men's hearts change? Because Jesus reached out to them, revealed the truth, and showed them love, kindness, and mercy. The enemy takes delight in stripping others from knowing his love and the truth. We are helping the enemy win his battle when we behave just like him instead of Christ-like.

We are ALL children of God. Because of His love, there is hope, and there is still time to reach the millions who do not know Him personally.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for loving us and for sending us your one and only true Son to die on the cross for all of our sins. As we develop a closer relationship with you Lord, I pray that you will open our eyes and hearts and reveal to us how you want us to share that truth with the millions of people who still don’t know you personally. What you sacrificed for us, there is no greater love. Help us to draw close to you and depend on you at all times and to see others through your eyes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Ways to reach out to the millions

http://persecutionproject.org/

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/

https://www.persecution.com/

http://www.bibleleague.org/

http://www.prisonministry.org/index.htm

http://hopeaglow.com/prison_ministry.htm

Pray your week is blessed!

Carol

Please Take Me Home Lord

image by Lightstock

It has been awhile since my last post. I have been working on some writings, but time has not been available to me to post them, due to school and studies. But tonight, I felt compelled to write this poem addressed to my Lord and Savior Jesus. It seems I talk to him more than anyone these days to guide me and to help me through my daily struggles. I would not have made it this far in my life without Him. Thank you Jesus for always being there for me when the fog enshrouded me with doubt, fear, hopelessness and tears.

Please Take Me Home Lord

The enemy despises me.

He hates me.

The enemy does not want me to be even present within Your great halls.

There is little comfort or compassion found within the enemy's halls,

only hateful penetrating eyes hidden behind masks

and ever changing chameleons’ visible only to Your eyes.

I yearn for Your company.

I yearn for Your friendship.

I yearn for Your kindness.

I yearn for Your love.

For there is none other,

none greater,

than You O’LORD.

Please take me home.

The enemy want's us to believe we are a hindrance to the people we love in this world.

The enemy wants our past sins to drag others down to the enemy’s gates.

The enemy wants our sins to keep others from blooming with Your glorious truth.

There are so many who are blind and innocent they do not see the enemy reaping about.

Please take me home.

For there is no other place I rather be than with You oh LORD

This world despairs me

The enemy attacks me silently

All seems hopeless without You LORD.

Please take me home.

For my home is not of this world,

my home is with You.

For you are the light that shines ever so brightly,

that dries my tears away.

You are my rock.

You are my inspiring hope.

You are the radiant truth.

You are my Savior.

Please take me home.