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

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

Hypocrisy and the Church

"Even so, you also appear on the outside to be doing right in front of people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin." Matthew 23:28 (AUV)

A Christian thought to ponder...

How many people have left your church that you attend due to hypocrisy amongst the leaders or fellow believers? 

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary hypocrisy is, "a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not: behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel" or "the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion." A hypocrite, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is, "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs."

I would wager quite a few of us at one time or another have witnessed hypocrisy within the church and have participated in it. All of us have said or done things that contradict what our Christian faith stands for and what we are called to be, such as loving, kind, gentle, caring, patient, good, and forgiving. I know I have.

But what is hardest to see within a church is when the leadership is full of leaders who are hypocrites. Hypocrites who state one thing in front of a person, but behind this person's back, they spout evil and slanderous words from their mouths. Hypocrites who will put an on performance at church to demonstrate just how good they are, but when they get home or arrive at work, they are a whole different person.  This behavior is false and misleading and misrepresents Jesus Christ, whom we are to follow. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 to be careful about putting on false, kindly acts to be only seen,  "Be careful that you do not do your good deeds in front of people for the purpose of being seen by them, for [if you do] you will not have a reward from your Father in heaven (AUV)." God knows our hearts and just as it is stated in Jeremiah 17:10, "I am the LORD who searches the heart, who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves, according to the fruit of his deeds (ISV)."

Our deeds determine what we deserve. If our deeds, actions, and words are full of falsity and hypocrisy, we are doing Satan's will, not God's will. How can one follow a shepherd that cannot even follow the will of God and the ways of God? When shepherds shine only pharisaicalness and self-deludedness, it damages the church. But the thing of it is, we are all leaders, for we were all called for the great commission to go out and share the gospel. None of us should be entrapped with such ungodly behavior, but we are all human and sinful by nature. We need to be correcting one another, and we need to be confessing to our Father in Heaven, seeking His forgiveness, and seeking forgiveness from those we have hurt, shattered, blind-sided, belittled, mocked, or knocked down with our hypocrisy. 

Hypocrisy turns people against the church. When our actions and words are not pleasing to God and are not Christ-like, we fail as followers of Christ. We are no better than all the other sinners out there who do not even know Christ. As we see in Luke 6:42, "Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye (NASB)," if we are too focused on how pious and righteous we are, we cannot see the log in our own eye, and we lose the ability to grow in Christ and the ability to help others grow in Christ. As it states in Philippians 4:8, we need to focus on what is good, lovely, and admirable in people, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Let us show others how we know, love, and walk with God.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Your word. Thank you for the Holy Spirit to convict us when we have sinned against You and others. Lord you know each and every one of our hearts. Help us to have a heart like Yours. Help us to stay focused on what is good, lovely, and admirable in all people. Help us to seek forgiveness from those we have hurt or caused suffering. Help us to be loving, caring, patient, gentle, kind, truthful, patient, good, and forgiving towards others. Help guide us and show us Your will in all things and may our actions and words bring You glory.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol Moore

Wiping Dirty Corrupted Records Clean

A Christian thought to ponder…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear Lord,

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

May you have a blessed week!

Carol