Pastor Caroline - October 31, 2021- Give Thanks to God

Pastor Caroline - Wednesday October 27, 2021 - Be Not Afraid

 

Be Not Afraid

 

Isaiah Chapter 41 Verse 10 in the Good News Bible reads:

Do not be afraid – I am with you!

I am your God – let nothing terrify you!

I will make you strong and help you;

I will protect you and save you.

 

This is a beautiful verse to read at the beginning of your morning.

Be not afraid – sometimes we hear this and in the midst of our situation or circumstance it is hard to just erase or invade our fear. God tells us; be not afraid – or not to fear because He wants us to put our trust in Him. God is bigger than any of our fears and so if we believe in God, then we must believe He is a God who can take us from fear to trust. Trust in Him who is all powerful! Over and over in the Bible we certainly can see that He is indeed trustworthy. Do not fear is found in the word of God over 200 times so I guess God is trying to tell us something. Are we listening?

 

As a matter fact, 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 7 in the Good News Bible reminds me of this

(7) For the spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love and self-control.

One of the synonyms for timid is fear. So if we read this verse again replacing the word timid with fear or fearful, you will realize God does not make us fearful or full of fear. Actually the Spirit fills us with power, love and self-control. This is wonderful to know.

 

Jesus; oh that beautiful name. When we whisper, pray, shout or sing the name of Jesus, peace seems to flow over us. His name calms our thoughts, relaxes our tension, and removes our fears. There is just something about that name: as the song says.

In the Bible Jesus commanded the storm to be still and immediately at His command, it became calm. (Mark 4:30.)  He turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. (John 2:9). He feed over 5000 people in Matthew chapter 14 verses 13 to 23. These are just a few examples of His great power proving to us that as we trust in Him, He certainly can set aside our fear.

 

As we take His hand, so to speak, we sense His power over all things and we become calm because we know He can do all things. So He in fact, can remove our fear making us strong, protected and safe in Him. Know that God is with you and fear not; or be not afraid! His word gives us this instruction in Isaiah 41:10. We opened with that verse. Also again in Isaiah 43:5, we read:

Do not be afraid—I am with you!

 

As we trust in you Lord and believe Your word we set aside our fear because faith overpowers fear. We put ourselves in Your care knowing You are with us at all times. Thank you Lord as You fill us afresh every day.

 

If you go to youtube.com you can bring up the song Be Not Afraid by John Michael Talbot. Have a listen. The voice of this artist is peaceful and lovely. Surely she has a voice of an angel. It does not say who she is so I am unable to give credit to her as an artist. There are several versions so hopefully you will find one you like.

Enjoy now your day, and be not afraid for God is with you.

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Judges Part 7

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - BLOOD and WINE

 BLOOD and WINE

It has been said that the New Testament is concealed in the Old and that the Old Testament is concealed in the New. What this really means is that the details of one part of the Bible are often found in the other and vice-versa. It also indicates just how important the details found in the Biblical accounts are.

In Exodus, the first plague consisted of turning the waters of Egypt into blood. We often say that the water of the Nile River became blood, but in fact the Bible relates that God said to Moses “…stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. There shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:19). And so it was for 7 days.

So the Nile, considered a god by the Egyptians, and in reality the lifeblood to the nation, was temporally destroyed by God to indicate His power and strength over the gods and the Pharaoh of Egypt.

In contrast, in John 2, we read of the first miracle preformed by Jesus at the wedding in Cana. This also concerned water being changed into wine, the same colour as blood. We often read of this but don’t realize the true significance of this miracle. Wine is considered a symbol of blessing, grace, and judgement and also of transformation. When we read of this miracle, it’s not often pointed out that the water that was transformed into wine consisted of the contents of six water-pots each containing twenty to thirty gallons of water. Certainly enough to satisfy each person at the wedding without excess.

So the first plague temporally destroyed the Nile, the same river that saved Moses initially when he, as all Hebrew male children, were under the threat of destruction by order of a previous Pharaoh. Now Moses had returned to show that the gods of the Egyptians were no match for the God of the Hebrews.

In the same way, the first miracle of Jesus was to illustrate that His transformative power could produce enough wine (grace, blessing, and symbolic of His blood) to satisfy everyone. It was an early way of saying that His grace would be sufficient. As the first plague revealed to all Egypt that they were in fact lost, so the first miracle indicated that God’s grace and future sacrifice would be sufficient for all.

Symbolism in the Bible: certainly something to think about.

Pastor Caroline - Sunday October 24, 2021 - The Lord is My Shepherd

Pastor Caroline - Wednesday October 20, 2021 - Your New Day

 

Your New Day

 

Psalm 62 verse 5 in the Good News Bible reads:

(5) I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him.

 

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never be mine is an old saying (from an old song perhaps?) I used to hear my mother say. This is so true.

I cannot today, change the events of yesterday, and today, I cannot predict the events of tomorrow. Today I start a new day, the moment I open my eyes to a new morning. Before I get out of bed, I say good morning to the Lord and I thank Him for this new day. I also lift a prayer, asking Him to guide me as I serve Him today. Perhaps I can make someone’s day a little more pleasant by doing something for them. Maybe I can visit or speak on the phone with someone who is a shut-in for whatever reason. A smile goes a long way when I see someone down in the dumps as they say. Buying a coffee for the person behind me in a line up lets that person know someone cares.

 

As I listen to God first thing in the morning He sets my day up to be a good day. I expect Him to stay with me all day because His word tells me in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31;

(31) But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.

This is a powerful verse reminding me that my strength is renewed and then I will not get weary and I will not be weak. I am off to a good start in my new day. I can depend on God alone; as I put my hope in Him.

 

Proverbs chapter 3 verse 6 in the Good News Bible tells us;

(6) Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.

This tells me God will make clear my path so every day I trust in His word and instruction for my life. He wants me to have a good day, a day filled with His goodness and joy and for me to share that with others. When I spend time with God, reading His word, lifting prayers of praise, thanks and intercession, and listening for His direction for this day expecting all to be well; then, I can have a good day in Him. Seek the Lord with all your heart and your new day will be filled with the joy of the Lord.

 

As you take personal time with God first thing in the morning He will share with you the plan He has for your day. He will teach you how (1) to balance your day from the pressures and the pleasures this day will bring, (2) to exercise self-control, and (3) to encourage those around you as you are a blessing to those in need.

 

We all can be instrumental in creating a positive impact on the life of someone we meet today. Jesus, through us, can change the very life of someone we sit with today, through our conversation or our helping hand. They will see Jesus in us and want to know more about Him because our life is a testimony of His mercy, grace and love.

 

I once read this little line and it stayed with me;

— If you are too busy to start your day with God

Then, you are busier than God intends you to be.—

This is so true.

 

So take those precious moments with the Lord when you awake and start your new day with Him. Once you start to do this; I assure you; you will be glad you did. Your day will be so much better with God than without Him. He will empower you to be the best you – you can be!! Enjoy your new day - every day – with the Lord as you awake to the fresh start of each day and to His purpose and plan for your life.

 

        This is Your New Day!!

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Judges Part 6

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - THORNS

 THORNS

In the dictionary a thorn is described as a sharp pointed aborted branch, something that wounds, annoys, or causes discomfort*. This is why the Bible often refers to circumstances as being “thorns in your sides” (Judges 2:3) or “thorns in your eyes” (Joshua 23:13). The image portrayed is one of pain and discomfort caused by the presence of something sharp in a place where it should not be.

In addition to pain, thorns may also imply entrapment and inability to function. God said there would be problems for man when He cursed the ground and said “…thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you…”(Genesis 3:18) and as a result, Jesus, when referring to a parable about  sowing seeds, said  “…some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop” (Mark 4:7).

The concept of thorns in the Bible has always been used as a symbol and means of impediment to man. In Joshua, the remnants of the nations that remained in the land God promised “…shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you” (Judges 2:3).

Although thorns can imply pain, they also can mean a relief from pain as well. In Genesis, the pain suffered by Abraham when he felt he would have to sacrifice his son to God was relived when the ram was found caught in the thicket or thorn bush and was used for the sacrifice instead of Issac. In the same way, some people are caught by thorns. Proverbs puts it this way: “Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them” (22:5). Jesus, in the parable of the sower, explained in this way:

…the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 

Now the ones that fell among the thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience

(Luke 8:11-15)

So thorns can imply entrapment, pain, or problems ever since God cursed the ground. He said it would bring forth thorns and thistles that would eventually become difficulties in your bodies, sight, and relationships. But by snaring the ram in the thorns, God took away Abraham’s pain that would have been had with the sacrifice of Issac. In coming to Moses in a thorn bush that wasn’t consumed by fire, He eventually took away the fear that Moses had in the need to confront Pharaoh. And by accepting the crown of thorns from the Roman solders, Jesus took away the sins and fears of humanity.

The thorns that God cursed the ground with in Genesis were literally taken away by Christ at His crucifixion.

Small details but all are important in the Word of God.

Just something to think about. 

*Dictionary.com

 

 

Pastor Caroline - Sunday October 17, 2021 - God Has a Secret

Pastor Caroline - October 13, 2021 - God Is Always Present

 

God Is Always Present

 

Jeremiah chapter 23 versus 23 and 24 in my Good News Bible reads:

(23) I am a God who is everywhere and not in one place only.

(24) No one can hide where I cannot see him. Do you know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?

 

Isn’t it amazing, to know God is everywhere? His word clearly tells us we cannot hide from Him. Psalm 139 verses 7 to 12 clearly state;

(7) Where could I go to escape from you?

(8) If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there.

(9) If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the furthest place in the west,

(10) you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me.

(11) I could ask the darkness to hide me or the light around me to turn into night,

(12) but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are the same to you.

 

God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere). He is a God who is all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere!! Now let this sink in for a minute before you read any more.

 

It is so comforting to know God cares about us and that we have a God who is all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere, guiding our lives. This has to be one of our greatest blessings from above, wouldn’t you agree?

 

God can see us in our struggle, in our times of trouble, in our joys and in the best times of our life; He is always present.

To know God is to love Him and thank Him for everything He does for us.

 

He is with us at all times, giving us protection with His power as we read in verse 5 of Psalm 139.

 

God has created us and wants the very best for our lives. He is a faithful God who gives us His promises and we can rest in those promises. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 23 reads, again in my Good News Bible;

(23) Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep His promise.

 

Because God is all powerful and we believe in Him, we know we are conquerors. Jeremiah chapter 32 verse 17 tells us,

(17) Sovereign Lord, you made the earth and the sky by your great power and might; nothing is too difficult for you.

So from this I can see we serve a powerful God.

Verse 19 tells us: You make wise plans and do mighty things; you see everything that people do, and you reward them according to their actions.

Our God is a God who will reward those who are faithful to Him and punish those who disobey His commands. He is always present; He is all powerful and all knowing. We cannot hide anything from Him.

 

This is the God I serve and want to serve, all my days here on earth. I am glad He is everywhere in heaven, and here on earth. What an awesome God. We will truly never understand how awesome He is until we meet Him face-to-face.

 

God is always there. Hallelujah and Amen. Enjoy His presence.

 

 

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Judges Part 5

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - THANKSGIVING

 THANKSGIVING

Many cultures have for centuries celebrated fall harvests with festivals and ceremonies. Thanksgiving as such apparently developed during the time of the Protestant Reformation as a harvest festival and from there spread to other locals.

In the US, this day was apparently first associated with a 1619 event at Plymouth in present day Massachusetts. In the same year, the arrival of a group of settlers in Virginia, under the auspices of The London Company, ended with a religious celebration as dictated by the group’s charter. It required “that the day of our ship’s arrival the place assigned…in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”* In Plymouth, the pilgrims, in association with the native people, celebrated a good and plentiful harvest.

Some say, in Canada, the first celebration of Thanksgiving occurred during the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher from England in search of the Northwest Passage. But the first official Canadian Thanksgiving occurred on April 15,1872, when the nation celebrated the Prince of Wales’ recovery from a serious illness**

Thanksgiving was initially a holy day of thanksgiving to Almighty God. It was a day of giving thanks for bestowed blessings. But today it has become for many just a holiday; a day of rest, a day off from work, a day to finish up those last summer projects, and to perhaps start needed winter preparations. And of course, a day to have a dinner with family, a special dinner to enjoy but probably without really thinking about the ultimate provider of such a meal. We have so much we should be giving thanks for: we live in a part of the world which is essentially free from major climatic problems, no earthquakes, or major flooding, no excessive fire or drought. We for the most part have adequate food, fuel, shelter and comfort and although there certainly could be improvement, there are hundreds of millions of people who have much less. For the most part, however, we take it for granted as if we’re entitled to what we have.

We are told “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In fact the word “thanks” occurs 75 times in the NKJV of the Bible and the phrase “thanks to the Lord” occurs 17 times in Scripture. In addition “thanks to God” is written a further 4 times and “give thanks” a further 39 times in the Bible

In many ways, praise is only another way to say thanks to God or to someone to whom you are grateful. Giving praise for something received implies thanks for the same and we are told to “…continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

This Thanksgiving “continually give praise” and “in everything give thanks” are expressions we should be more aware of as we consider all the blessings we have been given in this part of the world. Everything may not be ideal, but compared to many we have been endowed with what some would certainly call a bountiful harvest. 

It’s something we should be constantly thinking about.

Pastor Caroline - Sunday October 10, 2021 - To God, With Thanks

Pastor Caroline - October 6, 2021 - When You Pray

 

When You Pray

 

When you pray, God listens. When you listen, God talks. When you believe, God works.

                        -  Author Unknown

 

While strolling through my phone I found this saying on a picture. It made me think for a while, and then I thought this is what I should share for Wednesday. So I asked the Lord for a writing to go along with the saying. It is as follows.

 

Put God first, turn off your phone, and spend time with Him. When we pray God loves to hear our voice. He listens. Our prayers should be of thanks, adoration and gratitude. Thank Him for all He does and for the very world we live in. Also give Him your offer of service to Him. Tell Him you are available and willing to do in this day, that of which He desires.

Ask Him to forgive you for your transgressions.

Take time to really talk with God. Tell Him your troubles and your joys. He’s interested in all that happens in your life. Come to Him with a contrite heart, a heart that is truly sorry for the mistakes you’ve made.

Perhaps a song or favourite scripture comes to mind. Then sing, read or recite that to God. When you are at a loss for words go to the Scriptures. May I suggest, the book of Psalms as it is powerful in prayer.

 

God listens to us as we pray. When we come to Him with a heart open and full of faith He hears our cry.  1 Peter 3:12 tells us in the Good News Bible:

(12) For the Lord watches over the righteous and listens to their prayers; but He opposes those who do evil.

God answers our prayers, sometimes with a yes, and sometimes with a no and sometimes he asks us to wait. When a yes arrives, we see the answer to our prayer, when we receive a no, we must realize God sees the big picture and this no is for our best interest. We must let go and let God be God of our life in our time of no, and accept that He knows best. When we receive a wait, then we must wait patiently; again trusting Him for the very best in our situation.

 

God talks to us in our dreams, visions, and in our thoughts. We must learn to hear His voice. In the storms or calms of life He has a way of getting our attention. In the very creation He provides, we hear His voice.

 

When we believe, we just know something is about to be. Mark chapter 5 verse 36 says, “Don’t be afraid, only believe”. This was when Jairus’ daughter had died and messengers came to tell Jesus of her passing. Jesus then told them, “don’t be afraid, only believe”. Jesus later told them she was only “sleeping“ and after a few minutes alone with her she walked out of the room, alive and well. And in the same scripture of Matthew the woman with the issue of blood, touched the hem of Jesus‘ garment and was healed of her disease she had suffered for 12 years. Because she believed that if she just touched His garment she would be healed, and she was! Her faith, her belief, made her whole. Let God fill your heart with belief and you will see His mighty works. Miracles still happen today. Praise the name of the Lord! Jesus told us: if we can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Mark 9:23

 

I see the work of the Lord in the rising sun day after day, in the moon that lights a black sky, in the rain that waters the land, and in the food we receive from the land. His mighty works are all around us, every day! There are things we believe because we see them, but; there are things we believe yet cannot see. I cannot see Jesus, yet I believe He is with me. Jesus told Thomas in the story of Jesus and Thomas, found in John chapter 20 verses 24 through 28; “Happy are those who believe without seeing me!”

When doubt creeps in let faith chase it away. God’s love and mercy are powerful in our lives and we see the evidence of that every day in all the things that happen. When I see the world around me, I believe there is a God who created it. I did not see Him do it but I am experiencing the works of His Almighty Hands!!

 

I pray, I listen, I believe, I receive!

Nuff said 😊😊

 

Enjoy this day in Jesus as you pray, listen, believe and receive.

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Judges Part 4

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - NOTHING CHANGES

 NOTHING CHANGES

Since the dawn of time, mankind has seemingly always wanted to react to information in its own way. There is always seems to be a comfort in doing things one’s own way or by listening to someone who seems to support your way of thinking instead of listening to so called outsiders or others who have different opinions.

In fact, at the very first, did not Eve appear to think this way when she saw the forbidden tree in the garden? She already had seen that: “…the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and…desirable to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6). She may have already been having these thoughts before she was confronted with “…Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1) to which she in part replied “…God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”(Genesis 3:3). And to this the reply was “…You will not surely die…”(Genesis 3:4). As a result of this, two events evolved.

Firstly, the word of the authority (God in this case) was put into doubt. And secondly, Eve did not instantly die as might have been expected if the threat were true. When this did not happen, it became easy to disbelieve and deny the entire instruction, and from there to go on to total disobedience.

Has anything really changed? When an authority tells us we need to follow some protocol today, do we not often have doubts regarding such because we already have pre-formed opinions ourselves regarding the same protocol? And when nothing seems to happen as a result of our doubt, then denial and disobedience soon seem to follow. We often forget that just because nothing happens initially does not guarantee that repetitive actions won’t lead to punishment in the future.

Just because Eve didn’t die immediately as she probably expected does not mean that death did not occur; it just happened in another but unexpected way. And when we disobey the authority of today a type of death may develop in the same four ways that happened way back in the time of Eden.

First, physical death does occur. “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Therefore, we all know that we will eventually die. This, however,  happens in many ways and under many different circumstances but probably none more so than at present. We still like to do things our way rather than do as we are instructed. Over 700,000 people have died in the US since the start of Covid, many of whom would probably still be here if they had followed authority.

Secondly, for those involved, there has been the death of relationship between authority and those people. When Eve disobeyed God, the trusting relationship between herself and God disappeared. Likewise the trust and connection between authority and many people has been shredded recently due to the doubt and denial that has developed from death of that relationship.

Thirdly, when Eve broke relationship with God, the relationship between her own family members also died. This became most evident when Cain murdered Abel. Such would not have happened if trust in God and obedience to Him had continued. Likewise, today, due to the difficulty some people have with doing what is needed to be done, families have been split and communication has been difficult due to the firm opinions held on both sides of the fence regarding the situation faced by society at the present time.

Finally, there has been in many cases the death of one’s mental health and psychological well being. In the early times, we became separated from our initial identities and our God given relationship. The physical world also became more difficult to deal with and unstable. Our emotions became more confused and chaotic, and the future became more blurred. Likewise, today, emotions have become more frayed and torn, mental difficulties more prominent and common, while at the same time the physical world has seemingly become more unstable than ever before with the present global situation only exacerbating all of these problems.

So we still, in many cases, refuse to recognize authority and continue to ignore God’s direction. The first people saw only too well how such action led to their death; spiritually, interpersonally, mentally, and eventually in the physical sense. Has anything really changed? In our continued desire to do things our way and to refute God’s direction, and the direction of other well meaning authority, we too have in many cases suffered the losses of spiritual faith and relationships between friends and family, and experienced emotional upheaval and premature physical death.

Perhaps more of us should really do what common sense tells us and do what we all know in our hearts to be right.

It’s at least something to think about.      

Pastor Caroline - Sunday October 3, 2021 - God is Love