In this enlightening episode, Barbara Carmack welcomes listeners to a spiritual journey of reflection and gratitude. She reminds us that each new dawn brings God’s mercy and that by writing down daily blessings, we can focus on the abundance of faith rather than the burden of bills. Barbara shares remarkable stories of God’s faithfulness and reflects on the ongoing challenges faced by society, urging us to consider more profound values beyond wealth and material gain. Drawing on the power of scripture, she highlights the importance of living by the Spirit and walking in faith.
Welcome to Call to Freedom with Barbara Carmack. This is Jimmy Lakey, and I’m delighted that you are joining us for this half hour. You can reach Call to Freedom at Box 370367, Denver, Colorado, 80237, or by going to the website at www.freedomstreet.org. If you want to leave a message or order a Word Power Daily Reading Bible Guide or a Freedom Street Express newsletter, you can call us toll free at 1-877-917-7256 and leave your name and address, including your zip code. If you want to talk to Barbara right now, she is expecting your call. You may call that same toll-free number, 1-877-917-7256 to speak to her. And now, let’s join Barbara in the studio.
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called a freedom. It’s so good to have you join me today. The sunrise ushers in God’s mercy toward you. If you’ve ever been out there early and seen the sunrise, I hope in the mountains, it’s just gorgeous, beautiful. We have too many trees in my yard, but the sunrise is so beautiful and it just ushers in God’s love and mercy. Yesterday is forgotten. You can’t do anything about yesterday. Today is in his hands. So follow him, friend. And tomorrow is filled with his promises. Oh, what a blessing. What a blessing that is to know that tomorrow I don’t have to look at the bills. That’s why Darren brought about that wonderful revelation. And I do it. I’ve been doing it for 16 years. Every month when the calendar goes over, I am writing. things that are blessings for me god’s goodness god’s faithfulness blessings riches wealth everything that he’s promised to us i write them on every day so i don’t look at the bills because if the bills is all you have to look at it it’s pretty sobering it really does So today, Tanner has the board. He’s the producer today for my show. So we wish you all the best, Tanner. And thank you, TJ, for sitting in also. Rachel had an appointment, and so Tanner came in. And I’m so grateful that there are qualified people here at Crawford Media. You are blessed to dispense, for in him you live and move and have your being. And if you’d like to listen to Call to Freedom programs, you can go to freedomstreet.org, click on the resources title, and go to radio shows. You can also look at blogs that we have there, at newsletters, also the Bible guide, any month you want, or the whole Bible guide. And you can download all of that. It’s just so wonderful. Thank you so much, Chris Merchant, for doing that. I need it. I needed that. Man, it was old and archaic, and he’s really updated it. I heard just today that illegal gambling and betting have been uncovered by the FBI, and 34 defendants have been indicted, including coaches and players. Chancey Billups, who used to be a player with the Nuggets, is now Portland Trailblazers coach, and he was arrested. And Rosier, who is a player in the NBA, has received $100 million in his basketball career, and he faked an injury for $20,000 last year. They uncovered this. They’ve got all kinds of surveillance, especially if they’re looking for A mafia backing all of this, which they found out, yes, they are. The Italian mafia is still going. And doesn’t that sound stupid to take $20,000? You’ve made $100 million. Take $20,000 and fake an injury. For what? For what? What makes these rich and famous coaches and players want to bilk bettors out of millions of dollars? Well, if you have bet on things like that, you might be really disappointed. I haven’t. I’ve never done that. So I hope that they really truly uncover this and get all of this settled and cleared out. I know that 1 Timothy 6 verse 10 tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And friends, it truly is. We get to thinking about money, money in the finances. Do I have enough money to get to the end of the month? Do I have enough to pay all the bills? Do I have enough for lunch today? I mean, it’s all money. And I just get so sick of it. I really do. I remember my husband, John, when we had the John Wells Music Center. he would come in the door and he says, wow, I really need to ask the Lord for more money because my pockets are empty. And he used to go for long periods of time without any money in his pockets. And remember, I told you this story. We were traveling full time singing in a motor home and we got to Pennsylvania and all we had left because we had to gas up across the United States was 17 cents in John’s pocket and And he said, girls, go do the gumball machine. Go get some gumballs. Because we knew we had services Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday and Sunday night. And of course, those people were so generous, gave us enough money to fill up the motor home on the way back and do more concerts. God has been so I want to say that because God has been so faithful. Oh, he’s been so faithful. He is a faithful God. In fact, Revelation 19 says that on Jesus is written faithful and true. Oh, that’s his name, faithful and true. Our memory verse for this week has been Jeremiah 10, verse 12. Jeremiah is not a really lovely book to read. It’s all about punishing all of the enemies of Israel, including Israel and Judah themselves. So I picked out this wonderful verse from Jeremiah 10, verse 12. The message translation tells us, It is God whose power made the earth, whose wisdom gave shape to the world, who crafted the cosmos. He thunders and rain pours down. He sends the clouds soaring. Have you ever watched the clouds in an afternoon? Oh, they’re gorgeous. They’re beautiful. And then for sunrise and sunset, colors glorious. God embellishes the storm with lightnings, launches wind from his warehouse. Oh, and what did we do? We make idols of things on this earth that we make, we create. And God was really against the Old Testament idolaters who made their own gods by carving wood that would stand up, but they could do nothing for the person who carved them. And then if somebody came along and hit them, they’d just fall over. So what kind of God is that? What kind of idol is that? Oh, I serve a God who’s wonderful. and he’d perform so many miracles for me. I hope you see that every day in your life. I really do. As you’re listening to this program, just going back and realizing what God has done for you. I’ve been meditating on Galatians 5 because the fifth chapter of Galatians is dear to my heart. Darren and I studied that chapter so much, and it does give a complete accounting of what Holy Spirit will help us get rid of and what Holy Spirit will help us develop for our own spiritual growth. I’m so grateful that I don’t have to stand on my head or try to figure out all the things that need to happen in my life to get me to the maturity that God wants me to attain. And he wants all of us to grow, friend. But we don’t have to do it in our own effort. One beautiful verse that I love is Philippians 2, verse 13. It says, He is at work in us both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Yeah, my pleasure comes along, too. He gives me my heart’s desire. But it’s for his good pleasure because we know as we are maturing, God does the very best for each and every one of us. We aren’t missing a thing. You aren’t missing a thing in your life when you follow God. Well, maybe you remember when you were in college and you thought you knew everything. Yeah. I did. When I got to be my junior or senior year, man, I knew everything. And then you were put down by someone who knew more than you did. We just don’t know it all, folks. We don’t. And that’s why we need a helper. We need a teacher. We need a guide to come alongside us. And every day, every minute of the day now at this time in my life, and I’ll be 81 soon. Boy, I never thought people would live to be 50, let alone 80. Oh, Holy Spirit is there instructing me as to what to do next. Every time I’m there turning around to say, okay, what am I going to do? He’s right there giving me ideas. So even when I’m typing notes for today’s broadcast, Holy Spirit is giving me words as I’m typing. Yes, as I’m typing, he’s giving me the words to say. And he’s always bringing new ideas to my mind and ways to do things better and more efficiently. That’s our friend, Holy Spirit. And I I ache sometimes when I think that some of you never acknowledge him. You never talk to him. Jesus promised that he would bring a comforter alongside you. So now Holy Spirit is your best friend. And how many of us neglect him every day and don’t speak to him? Well, I make sure at the end of every day in my journal, I say, I love you, Holy Spirit, because I want him to know that. I want him to know that I love him. Let’s go to Galatians 5.16, since I’m talking about Galatians 5. And it says here, But I say walk by the Spirit. Whose Spirit? The one I was just talking about, Holy Spirit. Walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. And Holy Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. Like these NBA players and coaches I was just talking about. Their desire is for more money. It’s just almost impossible for me to conceive of that when they’re millionaires and some of them are billionaires. and they want more. See, that’s that sinful desire. These two forces, wanting Holy Spirit to do what he wants to do, and then the sinful desire, these two forces are constantly fighting each other in your mind. So you are not free to carry out your good intentions. When you allow those battles to continue in your mind, you’re not casting them down. I cast down that thought in Jesus name. Then you’re allowing them to continue to struggle and work and be divisive in you. I don’t want that to happen in you. In verse 19 of Galatians 5 said, when you follow the desires of your sinful nature, boy, and there are a bunch of them. The results are very clear. Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, that’s these idols that we worship in this world, sorcery, witchcraft, sorcery includes witchcraft, and that’s manipulation and control. You’re wanting manipulation over your husband, over your wife, over your children, over your boss, over your employees, whatever you do, you’re manipulating and Paul calls that sorcery or witchcraft, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division. Verse 21 says envy. And I remember one of the things that Malcolm Smith spoke of when I was listening to his program in the 70s. Yes, in the 70s. Some of you have not been born. You’ve been born after the 70s. He mentioned that the one commandment we all break. There’s one commandment we all break. And that’s that you are coveting your neighbor or you’re coveting that car or you’re coveting something. But we’ve all broken that commandment. So God knew we were going to break the law. So he brought Jesus into the scene with that grace, that wonderful grace message. So don’t envy, my friend. There’s going to be drunkenness, wild parties, other sins. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God. Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives. And I hope most of you know, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And there’s no law against these. I’ll tell you, they’re free. You’re free to mature. You’re free to establish them as long as you live. All those wonderful fruit of Holy Spirit. So the thing I want you to remember from today and that it is possible to walk by the spirit and live in him. That’s why every day I say on the air. In him we live and move and have our being. Praise God. Romans 8 verse 14 tells us, For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God. Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God. And when Paul goes one step further and tells us that we are God’s children, and when we call him, we can call him Abba. And I remember Darren saying that when he heard Jewish children following their mom or dad, they would say, Abba, Abba, Abba. That’s daddy. That’s daddy. That’s an endearing daddy. And we can call God, Father God, the creator of the heavens and earth, daddy. That is so intimate and comforting for me, especially, you know, when you’re up against a deadline or going through an emotional upheaval to be able to cry out, Daddy, Abba, Father. And then Paul goes on to say we’re joint heirs with Jesus. This is in Romans 8. Oh, praise God. And since we are God’s true children, we qualify to share all his treasures. Treasures. We like treasures. We like gifts. We like treasures. We like Christmas because of the gifts. I don’t think that ever gets old. So it says we qualify to share all his treasures. What are some of his treasures? We need love. We need peace. We need his righteousness, right standing with God. No more condemnation. No more inferiority. No more unworthiness. Oh, no more unforgiveness. We need those treasures of his. For indeed, we are heirs of God himself. This is from Romans 8, verse 16. And since we are joined to Christ, we’re joint heirs with Jesus, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has. You know, like I just said before, it’s like having Christmas all year long. Who wouldn’t want that? John 14, verse 26 says, And you know, this is Jesus talking. He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Holy Spirit guides us into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak. And he will declare to you the things that are to come. Holy Spirit’s focus here, folks, is always on the things that God has for you every day. to tell you how he wants them taken out or how he wants them delivered. You know that Holy Spirit is in you. So when you’re hearing that prompting in your spirit or that still small voice, you know that’s Holy Spirit trying to instruct you. Those instructions are invaluable, but his focus is always on the Lord Jesus Christ. Even now, Holy Spirit brings up things I haven’t thought of, and I’ve been here for a long time. Things I haven’t thought of for a long time. Things that are essential and make my day a day of joy instead of frustration. Romans 8 goes on to say, So we take those groanings and we bring them up, especially when we’re witnessing or when we’re praying with a friend, when we’re giving advice. I ask Holy Spirit when I’m on the phone with you or when I’m doing an email back to you, I’m asking him for advice for what to speak to you or how to give you advice from the word of God. Isaiah 30 verse 21 says, shall hear a word behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it. Listen to that. This is the way, walk in it. That’s Holy Spirit. When you turn to the right or you turn to the left or you take a rabbit trail or you do something that you decided in a split moment and you really didn’t think about it or pray about it, the word comes back to you. This is the way, walk in it. I hope you remember that. This is the way. Walk in it. We love to know that God is with us every day, every day. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou, God, are with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over me. Oh, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. That’s what I’m praying for you, friend. Oh, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Praise God. Praise the Lord. 2 Peter 1.21 says, For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by Holy Spirit. So as you’re reading through the Bible with me this year, and I hope you are, From Genesis to Revelation, these men, and maybe a woman here and there, these men wrote under the unction of Holy Spirit. God spoke to Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit spoke to them, and they wrote it down, or we wouldn’t have the Bible today. And I’m so grateful to these men. I want to meet Jeremiah. I want to meet Isaiah. And I want to meet these Old Testament prophets and John from the New Testament. And, oh, everyone, Paul. Oh, my goodness. They had such wisdom. Where do you think they got their wisdom? From God himself through Holy Spirit. I like I like that being carried. I’m going to say this again. Second Peter 121 for no prophecy. And that’s Old Testament prophecy that was given that would be manifested then in the New Testament or even now. I like the idea of being carried along by Holy Spirit. I really do. I like that idea. And 2 Timothy 1.7, we know that. You know that. God has not given us the spirit of fear. No, he’s given us a Holy Spirit who gives us power and love and a sound mind. So do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by the testing you may discern what is the will of God, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Oh, so don’t be conformed by this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind as you read the Word of God and as you study the Word of God. It’s so important. So we walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. It says that in Galatians 5 that we’ve been studying today. And you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. For these are opposed to each other. They’re in your mind. That battle is in your mind. Keep casting those awful thoughts down. And bringing up, bringing up the word of God into your spirit to keep you from doing the things that you want to. These battles are going on because the enemy doesn’t want you to do God’s will. That’s it. He doesn’t want you to do God’s will. But if you are led by the spirit, you’re not under the law. Praise the Lord. Well, we’re going to try this song. We’re going to try to sing how sweet it is. This is John and me on one of our first records we did. How sweet it is to know him.
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I was lost deep in sin, couldn’t find I was searching endlessly, looking for reality.
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What could I do?
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I was lonely still, but someone told me how sweet it is to know the Lord. How sweet it How sweet it is to love him. How sweet it is to trust him, this friend of mine. I’ll tell the world about him. I just can’t live without him. How sweet it is to know him, this friend of mine. I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto me, my child, this day. I’ll give you rest. I know you must be worn and weary, and your days must be so dreary. I’ll give you rest. I’m so glad this news was brought to me. free and now my soul is glad for now I found out how sweet it is to know the Lord how sweet it is to know him how sweet How sweet it is to trust him, this friend of mine. I’ll tell the world about him. I just can’t live without him. How sweet This friend of mine, this friend of mine.
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Oh, thank you. Oh, how sweet it is to know him. How sweet it is to love him. How sweet it is to trust him, this friend of mine. I hope you know Jesus today. If you don’t, all you have to do is, Father God, I know that I’m a sinner. And I want a new heart and a fresh start. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for keeping me. Lord Jesus, I will serve you for the rest of my life. That’s all it takes. And you’re a winner. You’re just a winner. So don’t allow circumstances to dominate your attitude or spiritual mindset. You don’t obsess on the problems. But you confess the answers. That’s right. You confess the answers. You don’t obsess and try to tell everybody the problem. God knows it. And your friends are probably sick of hearing you talk about it. So just thank God that he’s got the answer. Praise the Lord. The mindset on the flesh is death, but the mindset on the spirit is life and peace. So I hope you have that life and that peace today. Oh, praise the Lord. You have a winner mindset. I want to tell you that today. God bless you. Darren and I will be on the radio tomorrow. So join in again at 1 o’clock or 1015 or 230 or 530 in the morning. God bless you and keep you and take joy.
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Thank you for listening to Call to Freedom with Barbara Carmack. You may get in touch with Barbara at Call to Freedom, Box 370367, Denver, Colorado, 80237. Or you may leave your message at 1-877-917-7256. Call to Freedom is a listener-supported radio ministry. Barbara and her power partners invite you to come on board with us and become a network of hands holding up Call to Freedom ministry. Power partners support Call to Freedom with prayer and monthly financial support. You will be blessed supernaturally. We invite you to visit Call to Freedom’s website, www.freedomstreet.org, where you can hear Barbara’s daily radio broadcast 24 hours a day or order materials. You may share your praise reports and heart cries by mailing them to Call to Freedom, Box 370-367, Denver, Colorado, 80237. Or you may email us at barbracarmack at freedomstreet.org. Until next time, remember, Jesus loves you, Barbara loves you, and take joy.
