Empowering the Faithful: A Comforting Message

SPEAKER 02 : 0:09

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. Thank you for watching. 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.

SPEAKER 01 : 1:04

Welcome, welcome, welcome to Call to Freedom. It’s a new day. It’s a new month. Oh, wow. It’s just it’s going too quickly. It really is. Praise God that we serve a God who he’s not a time God. He just blesses every day. This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. It is not our great resources or successes that bring us peace, folks. It is God’s sufficiency. He’s El Shaddai. Grace is our assurance that he is enough and that he will freely give us all that we need. Such a blessing to give to a God. to give blessing and worship to a God that’s going to give back in multiples, not just addition, but multiples. And I just came from the post office a little while ago, and I was caught for a moment in great emotion because, you know, sometimes we are just feeling a little bit in need, and we’re, you know, we’re, We’re going back and forth from stem to stern and not knowing how to meet one bill or another bill. I’m just like you. I mean, the times come when, oh, Lord, how am I going to pay this? How am I going to do this? And I got this precious note. And I love your notes and cards. I am so thankful for you. It says, he put it on my heart that you might be in need of money today. Who else would tell this precious listener that I was in need of money today? So here are dollars diminishing in value. Yep, you’re right. They aren’t worth as much as they were just yesterday. But your kingdom work is not. So here are dollars diminishing in value, but your kingdom work is not. I’m so grateful. Thank you. I’m just caught emotionally for a moment. Thank you. Thank you so much. And all of you who give. I’m so grateful that you are such gracious and huge givers into the kingdom of God. And you really don’t care when Holy Spirit tells you, I want you to give here. You’re giving. You’re not holding back. You’re not… You’re not saying, well, I’ve got some bills here. You’re just saying, well, I do have extra money here. I am going to send it. So thank you so much. I’m not going to give your name, but thank you so much. And as you know, it’s a time of giving cards and cards to people that you love. I’m sorry, I’m kind of hesitant right now. It’s a time of loving people and sending cards and giving cards. It’s a time of love. And if you say, well, I never get cards, then send them. Send them to people that you know. Send them to people that you appreciate. You’ll feel so good blessing someone else. It’s just so much better to give than to receive. And so I’m grateful to you today. God bless you. What a wonderful time to be alive, even in this chaotic time of uncertainty. God is so good to give us each other and to give us the friends and the relatives and the people that we can depend on. And I have special friends that I can really depend on. I’m going to be talking a little bit about that in our chaotic world where we have some people that we can truly depend on. And I want to tell you right here, If you do have a need, and I’ve been sending out power packs because people who have needs, I want you to have scripture in front of you. That’s right. I want you to know scripture for that challenge that you have in your life, specific challenge. And these power packs are so good. And I want you to know that there are always resources you can go to. If not the Bible, then you can go online, but you can also go to freedomstreet.org or you can go to barbara.org. at freedomstreet.org, or hello, or Kimberly. Kimberly’s receiving emails also. So make sure that you are aware of that, that you can go to Barbara at freedomstreet.org and give your praise report or give your heart cry. What are you crying about right now? And God will just bless you so much, and he’ll bless me by you crying contacting me and giving me your support. But not only that, but trusting me to be able to pray for you, which I do, and also to give you scripture that you can stand on while this time of upheaval is going on in your life. And we all have those times. Yes, we do. We all have those times of weakness and of trouble and of things that are going opposite of what we wish they would go. And so I want you to know I’m here for you. I truly am here for you. So be aware of that. And I will let you know. I will get back to you. And in fact, we have at freedomstreet.org, we’ve got not only the radio shows, but we do have wonderful teaching. And you might want to go to Darren’s sessions and look at some of those MP3s that you can listen to, too. give you encouragement to help you to understand a little bit more about this world that you’re living in. It’s so good. You can find the newsletter there for February, also the Bible guide, and you can begin reading the Word of God with me. Oh, so good. I’m beginning another year, my 51st year, and it’s just like I’m beginning because there are so many things that I really don’t know about, and God is revealing them to his people who are in the Word of God. It is the gold standard for our living here on earth. Thank you so much, Archie, for that. Let’s do our Monday Bible slogan. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. And I do what it tells me to do. This is my Bible. It has given me new life. It is the word of God. Oh, I want you to know that you are blessed to dispense. Yes, you are. Just scatter that seed all over. Be like Johnny Appleseed, just scattering that seed and letting it come up. Multiples of multiples. In him you live and move and have your being. The memory verse for this week is just a precious verse from 1 Thessalonians 5.23. And I’m kind of jumping all over in the New Testament right now. Yeah, I’m going through my Bible guide. But there are times when Holy Spirit says, I want you to go here. And does he talk to you, Barbara? He directs me inward. It’s like I have a special secret hiding place that has a speaker in there somewhere. And every once in a while, the speaker comes on and it’s, oh, OK, I will do this. I can’t explain it. But, you know, if you hear from Holy Spirit, you know what I mean. First Thessalonians 523. Now, may the God of peace. Oh, we need that peace. The God of peace himself sanctify you entirely. And may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is telling you here that you’re made up of three parts. You are, first of all, spirit. You’re a spirit man made in God’s image and likeness, his spirit. But you’re also soul. You have emotions. You have a will. You have thinking. All of that is your soul. And then your body, which is the physical part of you that you can touch and you can wash and you can purify. Be kind to your body. And may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely. Here in 1 Thessalonians 5.23, it says, May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, W-H-O-L-E, make you holy and whole, put you together, spirit, soul, and body. and keep you fit for the coming of our master, Jesus Christ. The one who called you is completely dependable. Yes, you can depend on him. He is more than enough. Like I said before at the intro, he’s El Shaddai. And if he said it, he’ll do it. If he said he was going to be with you till the end of time, lo, I am with you always. That was our verse last week from Matthew 28, 20. Lo, I am with you always forever. That’s Jesus Christ saying, I will never leave you or forsake you. And there’s so much going on right now in the world and in the church as well that it makes one’s head spin. And that’s why we must comfort each other with the word of God. You are such a comfort to me. When moments try to dislodge the peace that I have in our Lord Jesus, I either go to the word or I go to a friend who reassures me of what God’s word says. I love those kinds of people. Oh, I do. I have some special friends like that. When I go to visit them or have lunch with them or even have coffee with them, when they’re bringing up scripture, I’m taking it in my heart. Boy, I’m taking it. It’s like a capsule. It’s like my supplement that I take for the day. I’m taking it in and letting it grow and letting it reproduce. When someone comes alongside with comforting words, they have a calming effect on our nerves and our thoughts. And it can be so nerve wracking, but oh, the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. God is so loving and tender in his responses to quell our anxieties. Just Friday, I realized that the world is spinning out of control into a chaotic mess of noise and chatter. Have you heard that? It’s so loud and it wants to get our total attention, but I won’t let it. And you can’t let it. You can’t let all that noise get to you. Yes, sometimes I resort to tears, but speaking the word of God is what calms me, spirit, soul, and body. That’s why I want you to know that when you have confessed Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you need never, and I emphasize never, Fear the wrath of God. That is not for you. The wrath of God. You know what the wrath of God is for? It’s for all ungodliness, unrighteousness, and those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. It’s getting really violent and caustic out there. And Paul and many others warned us about the days before Jesus’ return. Boy, these aren’t indications of Jesus’ return. I don’t know why. You can read 2 Timothy 3. It’s just amen, amen, amen, amen. That’s what’s going on. But when you’re going through it, it’s almost too much to handle. Everyone’s trying to tell you to buy or to get involved with products that will improve your health or your economic situation. I’m just getting so tired of these silver and gold commercials. Oh, and everything else, too. They try to sway you over to their way of thinking. If you don’t have gold stored up, boy, you’re going to lose it. You will not have enough for retirement. You know what I’ve got for retirement? Zip. Zip. God is my sufficiency. He’s El Shaddai. As I said before, he’s the God of more than enough. It sickened me. Again, right after I got into the house and I heard that the Denver schools and schools all over the nation Friday were dismissing classes and letting their vulnerable students in on all the protests against ICE. Yes, they were marching on the streets, these precious students, these teenagers that really are gullible. They don’t know what’s going on. Young people don’t know the truth behind all these demonstrations. They have no idea. They are so gullible at what’s going on. And they think that all these papers praising communism and praising socialism is going to be the future of America. Our forefathers knew better. They knew that there needed to be a republic of the people and by the people and for the people. These young people have no idea, no idea. And shame on the people behind this. I am concerned about these people’s eternal home. The people that are behind all of this protesting and the sentence they will receive for schooling young people in a lie about our country. And that’s what they’re trying to do. That’s what they’re doing. And there are many young people. Oh, parents, when your children get home from school or when they’re in their rooms, go in their room, sit on the bed and say, what did you do today? And that’s what we enjoyed at the table. We used to have dinner together. They don’t do that anymore. And we used to sit around the table. Well, how was your day? What did you do today? And they start talking and then they get into a more detailed account of what their day was like. And especially with Kimberly, she was harassed in school. She was threatened in school. And so it comes out when you are there talking. to comfort and to ask questions. And boy, that’s what we did. And I went to school many times, especially I got to know the high school where Kimberly was attending many times and tell them what I thought of them. No, I don’t know if I’d do the same thing today, but I would just go in and tell them, you know, I appreciate them. but they are taking my child down the wrong rabbit trail. And that’s what we need to tell people, especially teachers. Now, Luke 17, verse 2. tells us about these people that are stumbling blocks. It tells us, Now, I know that 99.9% of you have smartphones. So I want you to look up millstone, M-I-L-L stone, and see what kind of a stone that is. It’s huge. And if you have a millstone and you tie it around someone’s neck and throw them into the sea, they’re going to drown. They’re gone. They’re gone. It’s over. It’s over. So that’s what Luke 17, and remember, this is Jesus speaking. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than he would cause one of these little ones to stumble and see these people behind all these demonstrations think they’re doing a good thing. Oh, God help them. God help them. Because they don’t know what the end is going to be like for them. I pray that the eyes of their heart would be enlightened. Oh, Holy Spirit, go and do your work in them. Overturn them like Jesus did the tables in the marketplace. Overturn their hearts and open their eyes to what they’re doing. This phrase in Luke 17 verse 2 emphasizes the severity of the consequences for leading others into sin. A millstone, a large stone used for grinding grain, was extremely heavy, symbolizing a burden too great to bear. In ancient times the imagery of a millstone around the neck was a vivid picture of certain death by drowning. This metaphor underscores the seriousness of causing spiritual harm to others, particularly those who are vulnerable in their faith. Jesus warned of chaos and judgment in the end times, and this scripture from Luke 17, 2 represents that. Being thrown into the sea with a millstone would mean an inevitable and irreversible fate. This imagery is used to convey the gravity of the offense and the certainty of divine justice. I want divine justice, don’t you? But I know it’s going to be fair, and I know it’s going to be truthful. The sea in Jewish thought was also a place of fear and uncertainty in this world, further highlighting the dire consequences of leading others astray. The phrase, and here it is, then to cause a little one to stumble, then he would cause a little one to stumble, refers to those who are young in faith or vulnerable children. Not necessarily children. The term stumble indicates causing someone to sin or lose faith, especially the immature in the faith who are willing to listen to just anything and think that everything is the truth, and it’s not, folks. And it means faith… Someone to lose faith means losing faith in the Constitution or in our legal counsel, in the police who protect us, in ICE. Yes, in ICE and the executive branch of the government. They are trying to throw our young ones to the lion. And I don’t want our young ones thrown to the lions. This warning is a call to protect and nurture the faith of others, especially those who are impressionable. The phrase connects to the broader biblical theme of caring for the weak and the innocent, as seen in passages like Matthew 18, verse 6, who says, Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks. For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to that man or woman through whom the stumbling block comes. The protection of the little ones, the young, the vulnerable, is a reflection of God’s heart. It’s his heart. He loves this world, and he loves especially the humble and the contrite, the lowly in heart. Jesus came to free the captives and to heal the brokenhearted. Now, some of you may be very comfortable and only allow yourself to see the good things. But if you’re one who desires the truth, you’ve got to see the bad and the ugly along with the good. Good, bad, and ugly. I know. Good, bad, and ugly. What a title. And that’s why I implore you to listen to your heart, that Holy Spirit is the comforting one. That’s why he gives us such great hope and peace during these trying times. He says in Matthew 11, are you tired? Are you worn out, burned out on religion? Religion brings fear into the equation. Did you know that? When you’re in a religion, you’re going to realize fear more often than not. Jesus says, come to me, get away with me and you’ll recover your life. Some people like to get away and go on a cruise, you know, get into the warm waters. Well, that’s not what Jesus is saying. I want you to come close. I want you to listen with your heart. Listen with your spirit. You’re going to hear me give you giving you comforting words. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me. Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Oh, and Jesus is grace, folks. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. I won’t bring shame on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Oh, when I heard this, I thought about a song I was listening to the whole weekend. I was listening to John’s album, From Glory to Glory. And here’s a beautiful song. God will take care of you.

SPEAKER 03 : 21:19

Be not dismayed, whate’er be tide, God will take care of you. Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you. God will take care of you Through every day or all the way He will take care of you God will take care of you All you may need He will provide God will take care of you. Nothing you ask will be denied. God will take care of you. He will take care of you. God will take care of you.

SPEAKER 1 : 22:51

God will take care of you.

SPEAKER 03 : 23:05

God will take care of you will take care of you.

SPEAKER 01 : 23:41

Oh, God will take care of you. Isn’t that beautiful? Jesus mentioned several times that when people reject him, that their doom is hell and where there will be gnashing of teeth. That was a strange word for me. It always has been. Gnashing. And when you spell gnashing, it’s a silent G. G-N-A-S-H-I-N-G. What does that mean? And here’s what I found. The grinding of teeth in a frenzy of emotion. Now, some of you have TMJ, and that’s when your jaw becomes almost locked. You’ve been grinding your teeth so much that you have, it’s a gnashing, it’s a grinding. Matthew 8, verse 12 says, but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Who said that? Jesus in Matthew 8, 12. Jesus warns that rejection of his message results in judgment and immense spiritual torment. And I don’t like to bring up this subject, but I know that it’s necessary, folks. It really is. Matthew 13, verse 41 through 42. And if you want to listen to this again, you can go to freedomstreet.org and I’ll have it up. By the time of three o’clock this afternoon, Matthew 13 verses 41 and 42, the son of man will send out his angels and they will weed out of his kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. No law. They don’t want any law, but they will throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. There will be the separation of the unrighteous from the righteous on the day of judgment and the accompanying anguish. Now, Matthew 24, and these are all Jesus words. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Again, it paints a sobering portrait of the faith fate awaiting those who are judged unfaithful. Oh, so you see three examples of gnashing teeth declared by Jesus himself. I’m going to talk more about this tomorrow. I want you to know there is such hope. And that’s why I put that song on by John. God will take care of you during this time. The wrath of God will not be on you, my dear friend, because you have Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life. Remember that. Jesus is going to keep you safe no matter what. And if you die, praise God. We go to an absolutely wonderful place. I want you to remember that. Oh, it’s going to be glorious. He’s got a feast for us. He’s got our homes ready for us. He’s got a heaven that is more brilliant than anything we could ever experience on this earth. Oh, God bless you and keep you and stay warm. Go get a cup of cocoa or hot chocolate or tea or coffee. And remember, Jesus loves you. God loves you. Take joy, my friend. Take joy.

SPEAKER 02 : 27:01

Thank you for listening to Call to Freedom with Barbara Carmack. You may get in touch with Barbara at Call to Freedom, Box 370-367, 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.

SPEAKER 1 : 28:39

Thank you.