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Wednesday Thoughts

 

Wednesday Thoughts

 

Pastor's Entry

June 18, 2025

Colossians 1:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Prayer...the most powerful tool in our tool belt. For God's people to be continually in prayer is one of the things satan fears the most. He knows the power in prayer...and he counts on us not knowing the power of prayer. 
Evil will flourish when God's people get lazy about prayer, when we get busy and distracted, when we lose our passion for prayer...yes evil will flourish, evil will destroy, evil will steal from us and eventually kill our spirit. 
In the day and age we live in, it's hard to find anyone who is steadfast in anything! Many do not want to work, many find it hard to get up for church, many do not set aside time for prayer... which is the key to life and life abundant. 
Steadfast prayer...to be determined, to be passionate, to be watchful, to be devoted to the God who created you. 
Satan loves to create a fog in our brains, he loves to keep us under delusion, he loves to keep us weary and exhausted with all of life's busyness for then we have no strength to pray. 
We MUST learn to discipline ourselves to develop the kind of prayer life necessary for spiritual maturity and when we do, we will begin to see victory in all of our life's situations!! 
Prayer should be the heart of the church!! Prayer should be the first thing we turn to when tests and trials come...yes, prayer is the KEY! 
When the church began in Acts 2:42 "they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the PRAYERS." 
Then in verse 43 it says " and awe came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles, and all who believed were together and had all things in common!" 
Teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread, Prayer!! 
DEVOTION!! STEADFASTNESS!! WATCHFULNESS!! THANKSGIVING!!
The church wants the signs and wonders without the awe and reverence of the MOST HOLY GOD! We are too busy for prayer and the time it takes!
But what if, God's people prayed...what if we prayed in one accord...what if we gathered together more than once a week to humbly come before the Living God who hears our prayers?? 
I believe we would see miracles; I believe we would see this nation turn back to "One Nation Under God!" I believe we would see the turning of the tide as the light would reveal the darkness and overcome it!! 
What do you say church?? Are you willing to pray?? Are you willing to take the time to work on your prayer life and see what God will do??Are you tired of living with no power, no hope, no joy?? Prayer is the key to unlock all the doors...it is the key to living life to its fullest, it is the key to knowing our Father in heaven, for it is His will that must be done. How will we know the will of our Father if we do not take time for prayer? Let's wake up people of God and PRAY!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

June 11, 2025

Galatians 5: 1  For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Years ago, I had a friend who took in a neighbor's dog because they were moving. This little dog was a cross between a beagle and a dachshund and he had been tied to a doghouse with a five-foot chain for most of his adult life. When my friend decided to give him a home, she decided to take the chain off of the poor little fellow and let him go free. He still had his doghouse to stay in, and she figured he would be very happy to roam the fields behind her house. 
But the strangest thing happened, when she took off the chain, this little dog would only go five feet away from his doghouse! He was free and didn't even know it!  He had been chained for so long that he still felt the weight of it even though it wasn't there!
Paul was telling the people in Galatia that Christ had set them free!! They were to stand firm in the knowledge of that freedom!! And they were never again to submit to the yoke of slavery!! They were never to go back to their days of slavery; they were never to go back to the chains that bound them!
THEY WERE FREE!!  
Christ has paid our debt! He has set us free!! That is what He came for!! To deliver us from the evil one!! 
When we turn to Jesus, when we repent, when we give our lives to Him....WE ARE A NEW CREATURE!! WE ARE BORN AGAIN!! WE ARE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR LIVES TRULY ALIVE AND FREE!!
How glorious is that!! How wonderful it is to live life abundantly!! Knowing that satan can never bind us again!! He has no power, no dominion, no claim on us any longer!! WE ARE FREE!!
So dear church, once Christ has set you free stand firm in that knowledge and never ever let satan take you back to the yoke of slavery!! He will try, that is why Paul says stand firm!!
Christ wants us free, satan wants us to believe we are bound even after Christ has freed us! 
Stand firm in Christ for He will sustain you through all the storms of life...for He truly is our deliverer, He truly did come to set us, the captives free!!
Praise the Lord for our freedom is in Him!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

May 28, 2025

Psalm 34: 8-22  Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him have no lack! the young lions suffer want and hunger but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing! come, Oh children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. what man is there who desires life and many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it, the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory of them from the earth. when the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all. he keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the life of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

The Lord is good. Fear the Lord. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous. The ears of the Lord hear our cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil. The Lord delivers us out of our troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. The Lord saves the crushed in spirit. The Lord delivers us out of all our afflictions. The Lord guards and keeps us. The Lord deals with the wicked. The Lord redeems the life of His servants. The Lord will not condemn those who take refuge in Him.

Talk about the promises and character of God!! Why do we worry, why do we fret? Why do we wonder what God is like when His Word tells us exactly Who He is!! There is freedom in knowing our Lord and Father. There is power in knowing who we are in Him. There is strength in knowing He is with us, no matter what. There is peace in the stillness of our time with Him, learning His character, learning His love for us, realizing His faithfulness to His children, His beloved. Take heart dear children of the most high God!! All it takes is one taste of His goodness and we will be forever indebted to a Lord who loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus!! To save us!! To set us free from sin and death!! To give us a hope and a future!! Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with your whole heart. I WILL be found by you, declares the Lord! 
How exciting, how wonderful to serve a God Who is true to His Word, Who reveals His character and His love through His Word! Who showed us His love through Jesus the Christ! 
Yes, taste and see that the Lord is good and we will never be disappointed by His grace, His mercy and His love that He has shown us in His powerful Word.
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

May 19, 2025

Psalm 118:24      This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! 

Yes, this is the day the Lord has made...even though bad things may be happening, even though we get up in the morning and still feel the pain of sorrow, a worn-out body or just plain aches and pains. Yes, this is the day the Lord has made!! It's so hard to think sometimes that our Lord made this day let alone to ask us to rejoice in it! How do we do that?? 
It is an act of our will, plain and simple. Every morning we get up we make a choice...to choose life for the day or death. We can speak life into situations, or we can speak death. We can brighten someone's day, or we can demolish it. We get to decide how we are going to live! 
Deuteronomy 30:15-16 tells us that God has set before us life and good, death and evil and if we obey His commandments that He commands us today by loving our God, by walking in His ways and by keeping His commandments, His statutes and His rules then we shall live and multiply and the Lord our God will bless us in the land we are entering and we will take possession of it!
This is one of the secrets to living life rejoicing in every day!! When we get under the circumstances of our lives, we go down hard and fast. When we choose to only think of ourselves, when we choose to see only the negative, when we choose death and evil our enemy the devil will see to it that we will eventually die spiritually and physically also. 
We must remember that the JOY OF THE LORD is our strength and without it we have nothing. Every day we are alive we need to remember that our Lord...our AMAZING, OMNIPOTENT, MIGHTY LORD MADE THIS DAY!!  That each day we get to choose how we will live! That each day we get to choose to make a difference in our corner of the world for good and not for evil. 
Notice that death and evil are used in Deuteronomy as one. Evil leads to death...evil ways, evil thoughts, selfishness, pride, arrogance, you can bunch them all together. Also notice that life and good are put together as one...good brings life, thinking of others before ourselves, humility, pure and lovely thoughts. What a difference between them! 
Deuteronomy 30:19 says that God calls heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life that you and your offspring may live!!  
Dear church, the choice is yours!  To live in willful disobedience which brings death or live in complete obedience to the One Who gives you life?? I pray you choose life!! I pray that you remember that this is the day the Lord has made, and I pray that you choose to rejoice in it!! And that the life and light of Christ shines brighter each day in us as we make a choice to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

April 23, 2025

Philippians 4:8-9    Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me---practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.

How hard it is to think on the things in this scripture. Why is it our minds tend to sway to the negative things that happen or could happen? Why is it that we dwell on the bad traits of those we love rather than the good ones?? Why do we often complain about everything?? Nothing or no one suits us...nothing makes us happy...and so the bad attitude begins...and it affects everyone you come in contact with...you had better believe it does!

Paul was speaking to the church in Phillipi...he was reminding them what to think on. He showed them by his way of living, what they had heard and seen in him. He tells them to PRACTICE THESE THINGS!! Isn't there an old saying that "Practice Makes Perfect??"   Paul knew how easy it was to fall into the trap of discouragement and despair and how easy it was to let our tongues control us! Wherever our mind goes our mouth will soon follow and then we start to slide down the slippery slope of a joyless existence, where it is hard to find joy in anything!
So, whatever is true...whatever is honorable...whatever is just...whatever is pure...whatever is lovely...whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise...THINK ON THESE THINGS!  Paul knew the secret to joy!! He knew how easily satan can rob us of our peace, our hope and our joy! He knew that we must practice, practice, practice thinking on these qualities and not allow our minds to wander into the pit of destruction. Yes, destruction! Satan will destroy you, your marriage, your family and all you come in contact with if you do not keep your mind stayed on these things from above. 
So, if we want peace in our lives, in our homes, in our marriage, in our family...this is where we start! This is the key to living life abundant as Christ calls us to live!! 
Yes, it is a battle because our old sin nature is constantly trying to rule over us...but WE CAN OVERCOME BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY!! 
I would challenge all of us today that the first thing we do when our feet hit the floor in the morning is to remember this scripture and speak it out all through the day!! Put it on your mirror, put it on your dashboard in the car, put it wherever you can see it during the day to remind you when the negative thoughts start to invade your mind that our God is a GOD OF PEACE!! Peace in the storms of life, peace in the valleys of life and HE IS PEACE FOR OUR MINDS!! He will give us peace that passes all our understanding, but we must remember to THINK ON THESE THINGS!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

April 16, 2025

Mark 16: 4-7   And looking up, they saw the stone had been rolled away--it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe and they were alarmed. and he said to them " Do not be alarmed. you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, HE IS RISEN; HE IS NOT HERE!

HE IS RISEN!!!   How glorious are these three words!! With those words prophecy was fulfilled!!! With those words life would never be the same for those who followed Jesus!! 
HE IS NOT HERE!!    He was no longer in the tomb!! Death was defeated!! And Jesus had conquered sin, and He rose from the dead to set us free!!

As I thought about this promise, this miracle, this Jesus, I thought of all those I have known and loved. I thought how much the words "He Is Risen" meant to them, the comfort they bring, the blessed assurance that Jesus paid for our sins and all those who call upon His name. I have been privileged to know those who have walked with Him until death and this promise of a Resurrected Christ is what has seen them through the valley. " He Is Risen!" This is what holds us in the storms, this is what holds us when all seems lost, this is what holds us when we get to the end of our days, for without it we have no hope. 
Our hope is in the MIGHTY POWER OF OUR RISEN LORD!! The One Who conquered sin and death for us!! The One who knew that His purpose was to save the world! He never backed down; He never turned tail and ran...He stayed the course and set us free!!
Oh, what hope there is in Jesus!! Oh, what power there is in His Name!! Oh, what a Savior He is!!
Dear church, as we remember what Christ did for us on the cross in the next few days...let this not be the only time we remember! Each day we need to remember the price He paid so we could live life and live it in abundance! Each day we need to be grateful and praise His Holy Name for all that He has done!!                                                                                                    And Remember.....

CHRIST THE LORD HAS RISEN TODAY!! HALLELUJAH!! WHAT A SAVIOR!!

Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

April 9, 2025

Psalm 115:1   Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness.

How often do we give our mighty Lord the glory for who we are, what we have and for the privilege of serving Him!! Everything we are, everything we have, all that we accomplish is because of Him! 
His steadfast love and His faithfulness are part of the package of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. How often do we give Him glory, honor and praise for His dying so that we might live!! How often do we thank Him for His promises that are all through His Word that are true and trustworthy?
How often are we still and just know that HE IS GOD??
As things unfolded this past week and tragedy was miraculously averted, I saw the Hand of God and His protection in a mighty way! So, I give glory to Him!! I give glory to His mighty Name!! And I am thankful for His ever-abiding love and faithfulness in the storms of life! For our God is a faithful God! Our God is a righteous God, and our God is a God Who sees and knows our every need and hears our every cry!!
Psalm 22:3 says, "But Thou art holy, O God! You that inhabits the praises of Israel!"  Our God inhabits our praises!! He brings us life in them!! He brings us peace, hope and an assurance that HE IS GOD!! 
So today dear children of the Most High God...praise His Holy Name if for no other reason than that HE IS THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!! HE IS THE MIGHTY CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE AND YET HE HEARS OUR CRY!! AND YES! HE LIVES IN OUR PRAISES!!
Lift your hands O ye people and praise His Mighty Name!  For we give You the glory Lord!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

April 2, 2025

1 Chronicles 28:9-10
And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it!
David, the man after God's own heart was passing the baton to his son Solomon. He was passing to him words of great wisdom and hope. He was passing the plans and purposes of the Lord God Almighty to his beloved son of whom God had chosen for a very important task. It was his duty and obligation to pass along his faith and his belief in God to his son. It was imperative to tell Solomon that God had chosen him for a special purpose and plan and that if he turned away from that plan he would be lost forever! This is a very serious charge the Lord gives to us as parents.
How often we forget to pass along what we know about our Lord to our children! How sad it is to think of what they miss because we are negligent in our duty to tell them that the Lord has a plan and a purpose for their lives. How many wander around not knowing they have been called by a Mighty God and that there is purpose for them in His Kingdom!  
It makes me grieve over the times I have forgotten or just chose not to remind my children of the call on their lives, of how special and important they are to the Lord and that a Kingdom purpose is theirs for the taking if they seek the One who created them. 
Matthew 6:33 tells us to SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU! 
David tells Solomon to be careful and that God has chosen him to build a house for the sanctuary and then he tells him to BE STRONG AND DO IT!!
How often our children need us to tell them to be strong and do what they need to do!! To encourage them!! To tell them that our God has given them a hope and a future if they serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind! To give them the tools to succeed in a world full of chaos! A world that tells them they will never be good enough, smart enough, pretty enough! A world where right now satan is the ruler and his job is to destroy all those in the image of God.
So today let us think on these things, let us remind and encourage all those we have under our tent (Psalm 91:10) those that the Lord has given us to teach, to discipline, to encourage, to love. As you read the rest of Chronicles it is a powerful reminder of the call of God on our lives and on the lives of those around us!! Do not allow the evil one to destroy your loved ones!! Do not allow him to rob them of their destiny in Christ!! Teach them to seek first God's Kingdom and everything they need will be given to them and teach them that the riches of Christ will look much different than the riches of the world! 
Church! The Lord is calling us to a higher calling!! He is calling us to have a heart for His people just like He does!! He is calling us to BE STRONG AND DO WHAT HE IS CALLING US TO DO!! Are you willing?? Are you ready??

 

Past Entry

March 19, 2025

Matthew 6:16-18       JESUS SAID, " And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." 

Fasting with prayer has several purposes. The first is to honor God, second it is a way to humble ourselves and put spiritual concerns above our own desires so that we may experience more of God's power, and presence, third a time of mourning over personal sin and the sins of the church, the nation and the world, fourth a time to seek our Lord and to reaffirm our devotion to God, and fifth to deepen our relationship with God and strengthen our resistance against spiritual forces! 
Fasting is not preached about much and certainly not thought about much, just the way satan likes it. Jesus, Himself fasted for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness and because of that He was spiritually strong and knew how to conquer the devil in the temptations that followed. 
Fasting is a powerful tool in our tool belt, and we very seldom use it...WHY?? It is hard!! We live in a world where we do not like to give up anything!! We like our lifestyle, we like our food, we like our comfort...WE DO NOT LIKE HARDSHIP!! 
Jesus tells us that we are to fast in secret, not let anyone know! He does not want us to be like the hypocrites who want everyone to know how religious they are!! When we fast in secret where only our Father knows, I believe it builds our relationship with Him. It builds our awareness of our own weakness and reminds us of His strength and power. 
I don't know about you, but I want to be stronger in Christ! I want to be able to stand against the forces of evil, the temptations that come, the tests and trials that try to destroy us!! 
So why wouldn't we want to seek the Lord in fasting and prayer...when we fast there is a seriousness that comes with it...we are desperate for Jesus, we are hungry and thirsty to know Him more, we need His healing touch, we need His deliverance and basically, WE JUST NEED HIM!!
Dear church, I would ask that you seek the Lord in this matter! If you are dealing with a bad report, a disease, hopelessness, despair, pain, unforgiveness, regret, shame, guilt, anger...take it to your RISEN LORD WITH PRAYER AND FASTING! See what He does!! See what happens when you put Him first above ALL things!! 
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret WILL REWARD YOU!
Yes, there is reward in fasting...yes, there is peace in fasting and yes there is redemption in fasting. Will it be hard? Probably! But we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

March 12, 2025

Psalm 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalm 50:15  And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

Deliverance...what is deliverance??  The Oxford Dictionary tells us that deliverance means the action of being rescued or set free!  How many times has God delivered us? From the evil one, from pain, from hopelessness, from bad situations, from ourselves?? If you are like me, I am sure I do not have a clue how many times my Lord has delivered me from things that I could not or did not see! 
Yet there have been times when I knew I had been delivered, when my Lord had delivered and rescued me beyond a shadow of doubt! 
This week I saw someone be delivered, rescued from a dire situation. A situation that when I looked with my physical eyes, I could not see how it would ever get better! I was so grieved, and heart broken and I cried out to my Lord for mercy for this person. Psalm 50:15 tells us to call upon our Lord in the day of trouble and He will deliver(rescue) us!!  Then we are to glorify Him...His holy and mighty Name!!
So today I glorify His Name!! Today I proclaim that our God is faithful and that He does deliver us from the evil one!! He is our Redeemer, our Savior, our Healer, our Rescuer!! Yes! He is MIGHTY GOD, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!! 
No matter what is going on in our lives that Truth remains the same!! Our Lord has been in the business of deliverance and rescue since the beginning of time, and HE HASN'T CHANGED!! 
We know there will be tests and trials in this life, for the unrighteous and the righteous but the Lord delivers the righteous from them all so we may glorify Him!!
So church, let's give Him the glory! Let's not forget to call on our Father in Heaven!! The one who knows our frame, who knows our every thought and every cry we make!! 
Today I give thanks that He heard my cry and many others who cried out for our sister Darlene's deliverance!! Yes, He has rescued her again!! Just like He does all of us. Our Lords timing is perfect and when He is ready for us, He will call us home, but in the meantime, we call on His name to rescue us in times of trouble and trust His wisdom, mercy and grace for our lives.
For we serve an amazing God and a good, good Father and He never leaves us nor forsakes us!!
Be encouraged today dear church!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

March 5, 2025

Isaiah 40:31   But they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Have you ever been just so tired that you felt like you could not put one foot in front of the other...that you just couldn't do one more step?? Weariness is a terrible thing. You feel tired and weak in your body and then it starts to affect your spirit. It is then that the roaring and prowling lion, Satan, comes in for the kill...the moment he has been waiting for!! He waits for these opportunities! 
When you are weary for some unknown reason we tend to pull away from church and the body of Christ. We start to listen to other voices instead of the voice of TRUTH! There are many excuses we can use and do use...thus the hopelessness starts to happen...we fall into the pit of despair because we have cut ourselves off from the herd. 
It's interesting to me that we as so-called believers will cut out church much quicker than a doctor's appointment, or a shopping trip or a sporting event! Why is it that Sunday mornings we just can't do one more thing??
Believe me, I have been there! 
Dear church, dear children of the MOST HIGH GOD!! We must realize we are in the greatest fight of our lives!! We must gather with the brethren, we must wait on the Lord TOGETHER!! It is imperative to continue to be in fellowship together!! Bible studies, Sunday School, Worship! We must arm ourselves with the Truth of the gospel! For if we do not, we will grow weary, we will faint, we will be devoured by the cares and troubles of this world. Satan will see to that. 
Isaiah tells us to wait on the Lord!! To seek Him, to fellowship with Him, to become a part of the body that He is returning for!! Don't miss out on what our Lord has planned for you!! When we wait on the Lord, our strength WILL be renewed!!  We will mount up on wings like the eagles who soar majestically in the sky!!  We will be able to run and not grow weary!! We will have the endurance to actually finish our race!! We shall walk in the fullness of our amazing God and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!! 
So today...wait on the Lord, seek His holy face and let Him renew you as only He can!! For His mercies are new every morning to strengthen you, to comfort you, to energize you for the day ahead. 
Our Lord knows our frame, He knows we are weak...but remember church when we are weak, HE IS STRONG!!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

February 12, 2025

Hebrews 10: 24-25  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near!

Two weeks ago, I took a sick day, and I missed church, for me that is a rare event, and I could tell it made a difference in my walk with the Lord that week. It's a strange thing but even in that little bit of time I felt a somewhat cut off from my sisters and brothers in Christ. Oh yes, I talked to them on the phone or by text and email, but it just wasn't the same! It's hard to stir one another up in love and good works in Christ when we cannot see each other's faces!! Paul is reminding the Hebrews not to neglect gathering together, to make it a priority to meet together!! Why is this so important?? What does it matter if we don't see each other?? 
I want each of us to think about the importance of the body of Christ gathering together...what does it mean to you?? For me, the encouragement and the love I feel when I am with the true church helps get me through the week...I feel encouraged in the knowing that our Lord has called us to walk together on this journey called life!! 
As the Day draws near when our Lord returns the gathering of God's people is of the utmost importance!  We will be able to give each other the support, love and encouragement that each one of us will need as the tests and trials come. Our time together with believers of the same mind and spirit will be a blessing not only to us but to our Lord as we worship and honor Him. As we come together and study, read and discuss God's Word we will be better equipped to share the good news of our risen Lord to others!! 
Dear church, I know it's so much easier to stay in bed and cover your head on Sunday mornings, especially after a long week of busyness and stress. It's so much easier to neglect the gathering than to gather, especially on those cold, cloudy winter days. 
So, I will say this to you...satan loves that!! He loves to divide and conquer! He loves to separate God's people because he knows the power that is within a church full of prayer warriors! A church full of worshippers!! A church full of those who let nothing stop them from gathering together!! 
I believe if we are looking for an excuse, we will find one in all areas of our lives!  And most of the time we do what we want to do! I am as guilty of this as anyone else, but I have learned the hard way when I feel the least like going to church that is when I should be there!! When I feel the least like seeking my Lords face that's when I need to seek Him the most!!
Each of us are important in Christ's body...each of us have a place in His church...each of us are precious in His sight...and each of us are called for such a time as this...YES! WE ARE!! 
So, as we the church ponder on the importance of gathering together...let us remember that in 2 Timothy 3:16 it tells us that all scripture is God-breathed and profitable for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK!! 
Let us gather together in one accord church...strengthening ourselves in love and good works so that we will be ready as Christ's Church when He comes... without spot or blemish or wrinkle!! For we must always remember the Day is drawing near!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

February 19 2025

Luke 9:51 When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. 

Have you ever known you were to do something?? Something that maybe you did not want to do but nevertheless you knew you were to do it. 
Have you ever heard God's voice? That still small voice that calls us into truth?? That calls us into obedience?? That calls us out of our comfort zone?? 
Jesus in this scripture knew that His days were numbered and soon He was going to fulfill the prophecies of old. He knew that the something He was called to do would cost Him His life!  Jesus had to set His face to go to Jerusalem where He knew the outcome, He knew what awaited Him and He had to determine in His heart what He was going to do. Could He have disobeyed...I believe He could have... Jesus had the same choices and temptations that we face and with each one of them came a decision! 
Deuteronomy 30:19 " I call heaven and earth to witness against you that today I have set before you life or death, blessing or curse. therefore, choose life so that you and your descendants will live!"
Each day we must set our face to follow our Lord Jesus the Christ! Each day we have a choice to make...life or death. In every situation we choose! It's not easy to follow Jesus! His disciples learned that the hard way and if we are His disciples we will too. Jesus promised to deliver us from the evil one and He will. Jesus promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us, and He won't!! Jesus tells us that He is the Way the Truth and the Life and so if we have set our face to follow Him no matter what may come, no matter what tests and trials we go through we will not waiver, we will not compromise, we will not stray off the straight and narrow path. We will look to the hills from whence cometh our help, our help comes from the Lord...THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!! 
Sometimes it's hard for us who follow Jesus to understand the strength of our Savior, His resolve, His courage. He always knew and understood it was His Fathers will He had come to fulfill. 
How about us?? Do we realize that we are on this earth to carry out the will of our Father?? To be strong in the Lord and the power of His might??
To set our face, our minds and our will on our Lord!! To make sure that we are ambassadors for Christ?? To proclaim the gospel and bring light and life to all we know and meet?? 
Jesus had His mission and purpose to fulfill, and HE DID! 
We also have a mission and purpose to fulfill...ARE WE? 
Dear church, set your face towards Christ and live for Him!! Praise Him!! Serve Him!! Honor Him in all you do!! And get ready to see the Mighty Hand of God move in your life!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

February 5, 2025

Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Children, how precious they are and how important is it to teach them. Do we realize the importance of passing on to them the Word of God? Do we realize that we will be held accountable for what we teach our children or what we do not teach them! 
The people of God... the Israelites...were being charged by Moses to love the Lord with all their heart, soul and might!! To keep His Word in their hearts!!  And isn't it interesting that in the next sentence Moses tells them to teach their children, not just teach but be diligent about it!! To persevere in their teaching of God's Word to their children!!  To be careful!! To be energetic!! To be persistent!! 
How persistent, how energetic, how careful are we to teach our children?? Do we give up to easy when they frustrate us?? Do we figure they know enough and become lazy in our teaching?? 
Dear church and all our church families...NEVER GIVE UP!! Never stop teaching the word of God to your children! 
Moses tells the Israelites to talk about God's commands. WHEN??  When we sit in our houses, when we walk by the way, to let His word be the last thing we talk about before we go to bed at night and the first thing we talk about when we wake in the morning!! WOW!! How important is it to teach our children?? 
Moses also tells the Israelites to bind His Words on their hands, put them right between their eyes and write them on the doorposts of their houses and their gates!! 
In other words, EVERYWHERE THEY CAN BE SEEN!! 
Today as we look around us at the dear children, I pray we become aware of the seriousness of this scripture as a people, as a family and as a church. We have a sacred mission before us dear church...are we prepared?? Are we awake?? Are we diligent enough to get the job done before it's too late?? 
To those who are reading this, I would ask these questions...Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might?? 
And if you do...are you teaching His children?? What are you doing to bring these dear ones to Jesus?? How does your life reflect Christ??
My encouragement to you today is to BE DILIGENT!! BE PERSISTENT!!  AND MOST OF ALL TRUST YOUR RISEN LORD TO SHOW YOU HOW TO REACH THE LOST!! He Will!! 
The time is short, for some shorter than others, there is not a moment to waste!! 
Wake Us Up Lord!! Oh, Yes Dear Lord Wake Us Up!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

January 22, 2025

Daniel 2:21-22  He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have an understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells within Him.

This scripture in Daniel is very powerful!  We as human beings often think we have the control of all that is around us...we try to control the weather, the climate, government, churches, families...what Daniel is telling us here is that our God is all powerful and there is nothing He does not see or know!!

This past Sunday we had many different forecasts of when the snow was going to begin...did anyone really know?? With all the technology in the world at our fingertips the only One who knew when the snow was going to begin was our omnipotent Lord. 
Our Lord removes kings and sets up kings and I have to believe this is for our benefit or for our discipline. Our Lord allows things to happen, only He knows what we truly need. As we have seen in this last election, the Lord will have His way...Yes! He Will!! 
As time goes on and we seek more wisdom and knowledge more will be given to us...we will see our Lords strategy and we will see HIs protection from the evil one. He will reveal to us the deep and hidden things if only we seek them. 
He knows what is in the darkness and as we seek the light that is within Him we will know it to. 
As we begin another four years with a new president...let us keep this in mind, that is if we truly believe and trust the Hand of our Father, that this president is in the Lords hands, and we need to be in prayer for all to see the light of Christ and for the darkness to be revealed! 
So Lord we pray today for Your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven and for YOUR WILL TO BE DONE!! 
May we all look to Jesus and trust His judgement in our lives, in our church, in our families and in this "One Great Nation Under God!!" 
Yes, Lord deliver us from the evil one that is trying to destroy our nation and all that we know and love and let us always remember that Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever!!! Amen!!

Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

January 15, 2025

1 Corinthians 15: 50-52  I tell you this, brothers and sisters; flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed!

Change!  Does anyone really like change?? Often, I think when we say the word "change" the word "unknown" pops into our head! How is this going to work or how will that change how I do things; how will it affect me and mine?? Change is getting us out of the routine of what we are used to and putting us in a new place! An unfamiliar place, a place where most of us do not like to be!! 
In a way we fool ourselves, change happens all around us, every day!! Every morning, we get out of bed there are changes! Even the way our hair looks in the morning for most of us!! 
Paul was telling the church of Corinth that they will have to change in order to enter the kingdom of heaven! Flesh and blood cannot enter!! He tells them to get ready for in the twinkling of an eye WE WILL BE CHANGED!! The trumpet will sound and all those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ will be changed to be like Him! These perishable bodies will become imperishable, and we will live forever with our KING!  But in order for that to happen "change" must occur!! 
I personally do not like change! I still have one of the older cell phones that doesn't work half the time because I do not like having to learn something new!! I know how to work the old one (when it works) and I don't want to learn how to work another phone! In other words, "DONT CHANGE IT!!"  Even though a new one would work better and be more efficient!! We are definitely creatures of habit, but often times we miss so much because we afraid to try something new!!!  Some synonyms for new are "fresh, original!" It makes me wonder why I am so afraid of change!! Why wouldn't I like something fresh and original, something new!! There is always the unknown, our lives are full of unknowns! But each day we open our eyes, we do not know what will change in the course of that day! But for those of us who are believers and trust that our Lords mercies to us are new every morning we believe that our Lord will see us through any change that happens that day! 
As the church, as the body of Christ we must learn to trust and to be excited about where our mighty Lord is going to take us next!! Some will follow and some will not, but for those of us who are desperate for a relationship with Jesus we must keep our eyes on Him, the Author and Perfector of our faith!! Life changes in the twinkling of an eye but our Lord never changes!! He is always trustworthy and true to us; He never leaves us nor forsakes us!! He is always moving us forward...taking us from glory to glory to glory!!
Dear church, together let us be ready for the changes that come and know that if we believe that our Lord is King... all will be for our good and His glory!!
And yes, as the old hymn tells us...it will be well with our souls.
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

December 30, 2024

Colossians 2:7  Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the Truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness!

As we begin another new year this scripture could have a great impact on how this next year will turn out for you!!  
Did you know that tree roots grow under the ground as far as the branches grow above it? As we watch a tree grow and see the wonder of that growth, we must remember that the growth underneath the tree is just as significant as the growth above it! 
In this scripture Paul was addressing the church in Colosse, he was giving them sound advice on how to live their lives. We are to root our lives in Jesus, allowing our lives to grow deep in the knowledge of who He is. As our roots grow deep our lives will be built upon this firm foundation and our faith will grow strong because we have been taught the Truth! We will not be tossed to and fro by the winds and the waves as the world is or even many churches today. 
As we learn to know the Truth of the gospel and we learn to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we will not be shaken! We will learn to be thankful in all circumstances, we will start to understand the true JOY of the Lord and we will overflow with thankfulness and praise to a Lord who sees every need, every sorrow and every care we have. Jesus will teach us how to live a life of victory, how to live a life of praise and how to live a life full of the goodness of God!! 
In this year ahead let us remember to thank God in all areas of our lives! Let us thank Him in the good and the bad!! Let us thank Him just because HE IS THE LORD!! 
Dear church, Be rooted in Him, build your lives on Him and watch as your faith grows stronger and stronger!! Learn as much as you can about Jesus, fill yourselves with His Word, so that when the hard times come there will be nothing but the Truth that will come out of your mouth! 
I have seen the wind whip and bend the trees in my yard, I have seen some fall but those whose roots are deep...they STAND!
Be ready to STAND my dear brothers and sisters for Christ is coming soon, the signs are evident, and we are called to be ready in season and out. Do not let the winds and the waves overpower you, for if we are rooted in Christ WE WILL STAND AND WE WILL OVERCOME! 
For he who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!!   
Blessings and courage for an exciting NEW YEAR IN CHRIST!
Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

November 27, 2024

Colossians 2: 6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord. so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving!

Tomorrow as we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us truly think about what we are thankful for. Even when we have all the world has to offer there is nothing greater to be thankful for than our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ!  Without Him we have nothing and are nothing. 
This particular scripture tells us that we are to walk in Him...rooted and built up in Him!! We are to be established in our faith so that nothing can turn us from our Lord. When we received Christ, we became a new person! We were given the chance to start over!! All the stuff that had been living inside of us was washed away by the power of His precious blood!  And if this does not cause us to be thankful then I do not know what would! We have been given NEW LIFE!! We have been given a SECOND CHANCE!! We have been SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD!! 
So tomorrow as you look around the table at those you love...let us remember there is a great banquet table to come in the Mighty Kingdom of God where we will sit and eat with our Risen Lord!! Tell those you love about this table and how you want them to be there, tell those you love about the sacrifice of Jesus who layed down His life so we could have life and life abundant, tell those you love that you are praying for them and most of all tell them you love them.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 
Yes, church we have much to be thankful for and may we carry the love of Christ to all we know!

May you all have a Blessed Thanksgiving every day!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

November 20, 2024

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing. give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you!

Have you ever wondered what the will of God is for you? Have you ever felt as though you had no purpose, no goal, nowhere to go? 
Paul in this scripture is telling the church in Thessalonia what God's will is for them and for all who follow Jesus! 
Our Lord's will is to rejoice!! To pray without ceasing and to give thanks in ALL circumstances!!  What would life be like for us if we took this scripture to heart?
That no matter what came our way we would rejoice and not allow satan to rob us of our joy! What a difference it would make!! If we allow satan to rob us then he will finish the job, we will give up on prayer and we will not be thankful for anything that we have in our lives. We will become bitter, we will covet what other people have, and we will lose our faith. We will not care what God's will is for us at that point and we will live our lives without hope and we will lose our victory in Jesus!!
When we truly walk in the will of God in Christ Jesus there will be VICTORY! There will be JOY!! There will always be days when we feel like we are fighting a losing battle, that is when we turn our eyes to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!! We go to Ephesians and remember to put on our armor and last but definitely not least we start to praise His Holy and Mighty name!! 
Scripture tells us that our Lord inhabits the praises of His people....so we praise Him, we glorify His name in the good days and especially the bad days!! Yes!! We give Him the glory and we thank Him for the many times He has rescued us from the clutches of the evil one!! We magnify His Holy Name and give Him honor!! For HE IS THE LORD!!! 
Dear church, God's will for you is very simple...REJOICE!     PRAY!!    GIVE THANKS!! This is the remedy for a life that has lost all hope. This is the remedy that will bring you out of the darkness into His marvelous light!!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this next week...be thankful and remember we serve a Lord Who is A GOOD GOOD FATHER to us!! GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART AND SEE HOW IT CHANGES YOUR LIFE!! 
Jesus tells us in John 10:10...I came to give you life and life abundant!! Hold onto that promise and see the mighty hand of God move in your life!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

November 13, 2024

Hebrews 12:1-2   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right Hand of the throne of God. 
Endurance... the ability to keep going through life's trials without giving up, wavering or compromising. A virtue that is considered a hallmark of true Christian faith.
Do we really know what the tests and trials of life really are?? We get weary and we think it's a test, we get overwhelmed, and we think it's a trial. This past week I have felt very overwhelmed and yes, weary...Why? As I sought the Lord on this, I realized I was forgetting my first love, Jesus. When we forget Who we are serving, and we forget Why we are doing it we become weary. 
Life can cause you to become weary, serving in the church can also cause you to become weary.... following the Lord is not for sissies. 
When Jesus endured the shame of the cross, He knew that the JOY that was waiting for Him could not be compared to anything He suffered here on this earth...even the horrible death of the cross. Jesus ran His race; He knew that His Father had called Him to come into the world not to condemn the world but to save it. He knew the WHY, He knew the importance of His victory over sin, and He knew that He had to overcome sin and all that satan had thrown at Him and He knew His ultimate sacrifice would change the lives of all those who were lost.
Endurance! How the church needs endurance! How we need a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit! How we need fresh fire!! How we need to remember our first love, JESUS!! He will refresh us!! He sent the Holy Spirit to baptize us with FIRE so that we would not grow weary in well doing!!  So we would have the strength to stand in times of trouble, the strength to serve Him with all of our heart and to LOVE HIM with all of our being!
Following Jesus is not easy, remembering His sacrifice sometimes is forgotten because of the busyness of our lives.
I would ask those in the church, WHY are you doing what you are doing? WHY do you go to church?? WHY do you serve in the church?? WHY do you call yourself a follower of Christ?? Is it because you love Jesus the Savior?? Do you love Him with your whole heart?? Is it for Him that you serve?? We cannot lose our first love!! If we do, we will become frustrated and weary and we will give up. Only Jesus through the Power of the Holy Spirit can keep us refreshed, revived and full of passion for His work!!
Remember your first love dear church and our Lord will sustain YOU, He will give you the strength, the passion and the endurance to run your race! And when that race is over...we will see Jesus and I believe His words may be to us...WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, WELL DONE!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

November 6, 2024

Psalm 40: 1-3   I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry! He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, by making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

Today we have seen our Lord move on behalf of His people!!  He heard our cry!! He has stayed His hand from judgement upon this nation for now. He has heard our cry!!  Even though we deserve judgement...He is long suffering, and he does not want any to perish. He is a God of mercy and we have seen His mercy on this nation today. He has answered our cry!
He will raise us up out of the pit of destruction, the miry bog that as a nation we have been sliding into. He has rescued us again for now. He will set our feet once again on the Rock...Jesus the Christ and He will make our steps secure...He will secure this nation again for now. 
Today we must humbly bow before a great and mighty God and give Him praise!! Praise for His mercy, praise for His goodness, praise for His love for His church...His people! 
There will be many today who will see and fear and know that HE IS GOD!! And I pray that there will be many who will put their trust in Him again. So now church is the time! Now is the moment that our Lords church must wake up and stay awake!! We must realize this is a grace period and there is much to do in these days. 
Abortion is still happening, child sex trafficking is still happening, the woke agenda is still in our schools confusing our children and grandchildren! Yes, there is much to do but as we have seen..... OUR LORD DOES HEAR OUR CRY!!!
Psalm 40: 4-5 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord His trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts towards us; none can compare with You!! I WILL PROCLAIM AND TELL OF THEM!!! YET THEY ARE MORE THAN CAN BE TOLD!!
Great is our Lord and His mercies are new every morning!! Let us take advantage of this mercy starting today and tell the world about Him!! Let us proclaim that only God could have done what happened today!! Let us give thanks with a grateful heart and give our LORD praise!! FOR HE IS WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE!!!
Blessings and Courage for the days ahead!
Pastor Karen

 

Past  Entry

October 30, 2024

2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. for what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has the light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement does the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God! 

As I look around at this beautiful Fall season the only thing that ruins the beauty is the ugliness of some of the most gruesome and dark decorations of this so-called holiday Halloween. 
Years ago, I was someone who celebrated Halloween, I loved the parties, the costumes, especially the excitement and fun it would bring! It was fun to dress up and go around and get candy, never knowing the evil behind what was actually happening on the dark and evil high holy day for satan and his followers. 
I remember driving to a Christian Ed meeting about the party we were having for Halloween, and I heard my Lord say to me..."What does light have to do with darkness??"  My life changed in an instant! Hard to believe that change could happen that fast, but it did!! When the Lord opens your eyes and convicts your heart.... change happens, and I saw Halloween for what it was. 
Halloween was a time people believed that on that day the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off the spirits. The Celtics from where it originated from believed that the boundary between the living world and the realm of the dead thinned, allowing spirits good and evil to roam the earth. Where is God in this??? There are many things about Halloween that I do not have space to write, but I would challenge you to look deeper!
I know Halloween looks very innocent and it's just "fun" for so many...and as I found out years ago it is not very popular to stand against it, but what does the light of Christ in us have to do with the darkness of satan?? 
2 Corinthians 6: 16-18 and 7:1.... God said, I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from their midst, and separate from them, says the Lord, and touch NO unclean thing; and then I will welcome you. and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty! Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God!
Church, no matter how innocent it seems, no matter how much fun it is, no matter what the world or even some pastors tell you...we must live a life of holiness...no compromise!! We must live a life with moral purity, spiritual integrity, separation from evil and we must live only devoted to God!! The King, the Righteous One, the Holy One!! The One True God!! 
Good and evil do not mix!! They cannot co-exist as some like to believe! Ephesians tells us that we do not battle flesh and blood, but the powers and the principalities of this present darkness! I pray that the church will open its eyes!! I pray for the church to seek wisdom and discernment to see what Truth is!! I pray that the Lord opens our eyes to see what is good and what is evil!! 
I pray for the church across this nation to stand up for good, to stand up for the Holiness of our One True God!! I also pray for this election that the darkness be revealed to all who follow Christ, that we may not be deceived!! Open the eyes of our heart Lord for we want to see You!! 
FOR WHAT DOES LIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH DARKNESS?? WHAT DO GOD'S PEOPLE HAVE TO DO WITH THE HIGH HOLY DAY OF SATAN???  Dig in and do your research church, do not be deceived!! Learn to live in the true joy of the Lord not in the deceitful and fleeting fun of the world!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past  Entry

October 16, 2024

Matthew 13: 47-50  Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Last week was the end of our garden for the season! We had a bumper crop of tomatoes, and I probably canned at least 40 quarts! So we pulled out the dead tomato plants and saved the good tomatoes that were still hanging on the vine and threw the others away...those that had spots, holes where birds had gotten to them and were just plain rotten on the vine and on the ground. 
The separation of the good and the bad...it had to be done mostly because if there were rotten ones mistakenly put in the bucket just one would have caused them all to rot.
In this scripture, Jesus is talking about the same thing...there will be a separation...there will be a time of sorting out the bad, the rotten from the good. The evil from the righteous. When the net is cast, when Christ comes there will be no more changing our minds, there will be no more forgiveness or mercy... judgement will begin! 
Tonight, my heart is grieved for those who WILL NOT turn, who WILL NOT repent, and I grieve for those who have never heard the REAL TRUTH! I grieve because when our Lord comes, they will be separated and thrown into the fiery furnace for eternity!! 
2 Peter 3:9 " The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone come to repentance.
This scripture shows us our Lords heart...He does not want any to be lost and neither should we. Why is the church so lackadaisical, so unaware, so blinded to this fact?? Could it be that the Lord is waiting on His church to go out and make sure everyone hears the gospel?? The good news?? So that the choice is theirs and that they are not caught unaware of who God is?? They are not caught lacking in knowing the Truth?? There are many who do not know the goodness of God...who do not know the price He paid, who do not know they even need a Savior. 
Dear Lord, we turn to You tonight and repent of NOT carrying Your Most Holy Word to the lost! We repent of our own selfishness and of our fear of man. For what can man do to us?? We ask Lord for boldness; we ask for a heart like Yours so that, if at all possible, none should perish! We thank You Lord for Your mercy and forgiveness and while we still have time to take this mercy and forgiveness to the nations!! 
Give us a heart of fire for You Lord and for Your people!! We ask all of this in Your Powerful Name Jesus!! LORD OF ALL!!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

 

Past Entry

October 9, 2024

2 Chronicles 7: 14 If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

So who are Gods people?? Is it Israel?? Is it the Gentiles?? Is it us?? 
Israel, God's chosen people...the ones to whom the Good News was supposed to come from. The ones who were to preach the gospel of Jesus the Christ to the world!! Yes, Israel was chosen. When they failed to recognize Jesus the Messiah when He came...our Lord grafted the Gentiles into His chosen people. Then we were charged to go out and make disciples, to take the message of salvation to all people!! So, we are His people!!
With that great privilege comes great responsibility and with that responsibility comes the task of learning how to follow Jesus. One of the traits of a true believer is humility, a humbleness before a great and mighty God. An understanding of who we are and Who He is!!
Humbling ourselves in prayer and seeking the Face of our glorious Lord!! And as we repent and turn from our wicked ways, our sin, Our Lord will hear us when we pray, and He will forgive our sin and then He will heal our land. 
What a promise! He will heal our land! Oh, how our land needs healing!! Oh, the innocents that we have slaughtered in the name of women's rights!! Oh, the children we have mutilated in the name of letting children choose what or who they want to be before they even know who they are to start with! Oh, the compromising the church has done in the name of justice and love! Oh, the children that are being sex trafficked all over this nation, living in fear and will never see their family again.  How our world has become twisted, and the Word of God has been used to satisfy our sin!! 
Today I give a message to the church of Jesus Christ!  We are God's people! We are the sheep of His flock!! We are His beloved!! We are called for such a time as this!! And we must humble ourselves and pray! We must seek our Lords face and stand against the wicked ways of the evil one. We are called to put on our armor and to stand!! Then our Lord will hear our cries!! He will forgive us, and He will come and heal our land, our families, our churches, our nation....ONE NATION UNDER GOD!! Yes!! That is who we are!! We are the people of GOD!! We are called! 
Dear church!! We have one of the most important elections coming up ever in our lifetimes...this is a spiritual war we are in!! Never forget that!!  We must pray with all our might for the Lords will to be done!! For the darkness to be revealed and for the Lord to heal our land!! 
The Lord Jesus is our only hope!! His Word is what we stand on!! Pray as you have never prayed before for God's almighty hand to move on behalf of the dear children, our families, our churches and this great nation!! 

 

Past Entry

October 2, 2024

1 Corinthians 15:51-52   Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. but we shall be changed., in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed!

What we have seen in this last week has been a truly unbelievable sight. We have seen devastation beyond our imagination. Think about how "suddenly" lives were changed, lives were lost never to be the same again. 
When Paul tells the church in Corinth this mystery that all shall not sleep but that they will be changed...what could he possibly mean? I believe he is alerting God's people that one day in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet everything will change!! 
For so many in North Carolina, Tennessee and all the areas around them life changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Life as they knew it was gone! My heart grieves and aches for them and I pray for them to find help and relief.  It reminds me that one day our Lord will come!
The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we all shall be changed!! And we will be with Lord!

Are we ready?? Every day we need to prepare ourselves to meet the Lord, because one of these days we will!
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 " Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain!"
Here is the advice that Paul gives to the church...this is how we prepare, this is how we stay alert and ready to meet Jesus!! So, church as we watch the terrible destruction of a place where flooding like this seemed inconceivable, think on these things. We never know when test, trials, and change will come. We must remember our hope is in Christ Jesus and His righteousness! Our hope is in His promises and His protection. Our hope is trusting in Him through it all. For the trumpet will sound one day, maybe sooner than we think, maybe later than we think, BUT IT WILL SOUND!! 
And in the twinkling of an eye life as we know it will end and life eternal will begin. Life with Christ or life burning in the fires of Hell forever!! 
Are we ready??? I pray church that we are and that we remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of our Lord!! And the promise is our labor will never be in vain!! 
Behold! I tell you a mystery!
Blessings, Pastor Karen

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