Mary’s Faith and the Power of Belief

SPEAKER 01 : 0:10

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 Powered 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.

SPEAKER 02 : 1:04

Welcome to call to freedom. How exciting to live in a world where we know Jesus is coming back soon. Praise God. When the kindness and love of God, our savior appeared, he saved us not because of righteous things we had done. but because of his mercy. And everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior becomes a new creation. The old is gone. The new has come. All is from God. We can’t explain it. There is nothing that can explain what God is doing, but it’s marvelous in our eyes, and we accept it. Oh, friend, you are blessed to dispense, for in him you live and move and have our being. And what a privilege to be live every day on KLTT Crawford. And Call to Freedom, we come to you live. And it was so fun, Kimberly, to hear Nancy DeMoss Wagemuth right before our live show. And she’s talking about the Magnificat. Right. And that’s what we’re talking about.

SPEAKER 03 : 2:02

We hadn’t heard that ahead of time, even though it was prerecorded and ours is not. But we had planned to talk about that today and have that as the memory verse.

SPEAKER 02 : 2:11

That’s fun. It really is. Just to see the theme that comes together. Yes, and so you can, when you listen to Call to Freedom at 1 o’clock, you’ll listen to us live. So if you ever need to call in, 1-877-917-7256, we’d be happy to rejoice with you or to pray with you. That is our calling here. It really is. This ministry is to help our brothers and sisters and to be a help and loving to our brothers and sisters. If you would like to donate to Call to Freedom, you can go online at freedomstreet.org. And there you can see resources, you can see teaching, and just zoom down and click some of those titles and you’ll see a lot of wonderful, good, anointed material there. Also, if you’d like a teal-covered power pack for a stocking stuffer, these are so cool. And the lady that I had received, I had sent six of them off to her, and she said, oh, these are lovely. So if you get, especially a spiral power pack, that’s where all the cards are connected. And Kimberly, you were right. Hello, Kimberly. Hello. You were right yesterday when you said, if you do give online… you need to leave a name and address. Yes.

SPEAKER 03 : 3:29

So that we can send, if you want a calendar, we want to be able to send it to you. And we just, we don’t get any addresses from the online giver. So if you’ve been contributing online, thank you for that. By the way, we are so appreciative of your donations and the way that you let us know that you’re receiving something from us. And so you want to give back. Thank you for that. Because we, Well, we don’t really talk about how many supporters have gone on to be with the Lord. And so we do not have the same support now that we used to have. It’s been many. And I’ve been with you.

SPEAKER 01 : 4:07

We rejoice.

SPEAKER 03 : 4:08

We rejoice with them. But at the same time, we have tears. You and I have shared tears together just sitting and having to say our goodbyes to the precious names on our labels that we have to remove from the mailing list. And so that’s been a very difficult. It’s been, you know, two or three years that we’ve been we’ve lost quite a few people. So thank you. You who are listening, you who are donating online, you have made up the difference for us in a way that was very, very necessary. You have no idea what you have filled in our lives. And we just want to say thank you. We’re so grateful for you.

SPEAKER 02 : 4:45

What a comfort. Yes. So if you would like to have a power pack, you can call me at 1-877-917-7256. Or you can email me or Kimberly at Barbara at FreedomStreet.org or Kimberly at FreedomStreet.org. I’m going to just give them away during the month of December. Okay. Yeah. You know, how many stocking stuffers you need, how many power packs you need. Darren did that one year. Oh, my goodness. We had a deluge. I’m giving away all these CD series and we were inundated, but we would be happy to send them to you. And also, yeah, for the calendar, you can also go to freedomstreet.org and download. Contact us that way or by email at barbara at freedomstreet.org. Also, the meeting is this Saturday, December the 13th, with brunch at 930. And the Christmas meeting starts at 11 o’clock, I think, yesterday. I said 10 o’clock. It’s 11 o’clock. So if you’re coming to the Christmas meeting and bringing a gift and you’re just wanting to sing some Christmas songs and talk about Jesus, that’s the best meeting for you to come to. Yes, yes. And if you’d like to come to brunch, if you’ll call me at 1-877-917-7256. It’s for a reservation. then I will be happy to tell the restaurant that we go to. But it’s 9.30 next Saturday and 11 o’clock for the meeting. This coming Saturday. This coming Saturday, absolutely. Do you know it’s almost two weeks into Christmas? Yeah. Almost two weeks. We’re coming up. Boy, we are. Coming up on it. Oh, and the reading is just so beautiful. I chose Luke 1, 44 through 46. And I want you to really focus on 46. My soul exalts in the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior. This is from Mary’s prayer after the angel told her she would bear Messiah.

SPEAKER 01 : 6:58

Wow.

SPEAKER 02 : 6:59

What a reaction. Because in those days, it wasn’t a good thing that you were pregnant and not married. Right. And she was so precious. Full of thanksgiving. Yes. Yes. And when she told him, how can this be? I’ve never had a man. And he said, nothing is too difficult for God. Right. It’s just a wonderful story. Read Luke 1 if you’re not reading it. And then also in Zechariah, our reading in the word power for every hour. And if you would like to read the Bible through with us this next year or complete this year in Revelation, you can go to freedomstreet.org and click on the Bible guide. I don’t remember what category that was in. Resources. Resources. Under resources, look for the Bible guide. Okay, yeah. Well, you’re on it, Kimberly. So that’s great. And just download it, and you’ll have a Bible guide. And, oh, I recommend that. Old Testament and New Testament together. We do like three or four chapters in the Old and one chapter in the New Testament, and we go through the Bible in a year. It has been a blessing. It’s made me congruent, Kimberly. It’s made me feel complete. in my knowledge of getting to know God the Father and also our Lord Jesus. Even though they’re one person, they have so many different ways of showing themselves. Absolutely.

SPEAKER 03 : 8:27

And we were talking earlier about how those who… There are some people who hear the idea of Jesus being the only way to heaven. And when you read through the Bible over and over and over, and especially if you’re open to reading different translations, there is so much to the depth of our God there. the height, the width. It’s immeasurable. He’s immeasurable. His ways and his thoughts are so high. You cannot measure from earth to the heavens that there is no way to measure. That’s right. And, and so when you start getting glimpses of how great he is, it’s, it’ll shock you and you’ll be getting glimpses of Jesus in the process.

SPEAKER 02 : 9:11

That’s right. All the ways Through all the way through. That’s right. And even in Zechariah six, we see where God is prophesying to Joshua, who was the high priest at the time. And he said, listen, Joshua, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you. Indeed, you are men who are a symbol for behold. I’m going to bring in my servant, the branch. the branch and behold the stone I have set before Joshua. No one, no one is going to take that away. It’s Jesus Christ. He’s talking about over and over again in the Old Testament. He’s introducing us to the Messiah. Yes. And this is a time where we’re worshiping him. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exalts in God my Savior. Yes.

SPEAKER 03 : 9:58

I know you do different versions on different days and I’m getting excited about the other versions that will read that in. Yes, yes. It’s fun. That is fun to see Mary’s excitement about how great God is. There’s nothing impossible for him.

SPEAKER 02 : 10:14

No, that’s right. With man, it is impossible, but not with God. And God says that in Zechariah 4, 6, and 7. He says, what does he say? Zechariah 4? Let me go to it real quick. Not by might. I know. I have so many little verses going through my head. Not by might, nor by power. This thing takes place not by man’s might, not by man’s power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Yes. And that mountain that is before you, friend, that if you’re listening and there’s a big mountain in front of you, an obstacle, he’s going to wipe that off. He’s really going to wipe that off as you believe that God is your savior, just like Mary did. Right. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exalts in God my savior.

SPEAKER 03 : 11:03

Oh. That’s right. I think coming back to the I this is just something that keeps swirling. So I’m just going to go with it. Coming back to the idea that there’s nothing impossible for our God and the way that people might think it’s narrow minded to think there’s only one way to heaven. You know, there are those who believe that’s narrow minded. There are those who think it’s a narrow-minded concept to hear that there’s only one way to get to heaven, and his name is Jesus. But when you see how great, how awesome, how vast Jesus is, that currently, I know I say this a lot, but stay with me here for a moment. There are 8 billion people on this planet, each one made in the image of God. Each one made in the image of Jesus. And here’s the idea is that all of that, all of us will want to be his image bearer. That’s not narrow. That’s vast. That’s huge. And if we would all come into agreement and become who he created us to be, that would be his dream come true. That’s not a narrow minded dream.

SPEAKER 02 : 12:26

No, it isn’t.

SPEAKER 03 : 12:27

To have eight billion people coming into agreement with him. And I have started praying along those lines because I do believe that’s his heart’s desire. And I want to pray in line with his heart’s desire that even the wicked would have that stony heart pulled out of them and a heart of flesh put in and that they would have their eyes open to see the greatness of our God.

SPEAKER 02 : 12:53

Well, you know, there have been Muslims who have seen Jesus. They have come into, he has come into their room. So when we hunger for a greater, greater one than we are, I can’t even imagine believing in myself because there’s so many mistakes, so many.

SPEAKER 03 : 13:11

Well, we, we do have a limited vision because we’re all human. So each one of us has a very limited vision. But if we could grasp the idea of, that God wants people 8 billion. That’s his hope. That’s his dream. And then that’s just the current population. What about all those from the past? What if we’re talking about all those from the Bible days and from our history books, if we’re talking about all who have lived, how many billions are we talking about? That’s right.

SPEAKER 02 : 13:43

He doesn’t desire that anyone be lost. That’s right.

SPEAKER 03 : 13:46

So if we start praying along those lines in agreement with him, that’s not a narrow minded perspective at all. That is something so vast, so great, so mind blowing that we could really sink our teeth into if we had greater imaginations. No wimpy prayers here.

SPEAKER 02 : 14:08

If it’s your will, God, you know, friend, that it’s his will. You know that he desires that all be saved. And we’re going to have a wonderful full heaven. But I’ll tell you, heaven’s going to be gargantuan. It really is. And who knows? He’s got other planets. We might we might go to Mars. Well, you know, Elon wants to go to Mars. Well, we might see all the planets inhabited one of these days. Well, that will be wonderful. What about every solar system?

SPEAKER 03 : 14:38

What about every galaxy? Explode your imagination. Because there are billions. They’re saying there’s billions of galaxies. Wow. What if we each get to just own our own galaxy and decorate that for the rest of eternity? You know, the imagination is fun, isn’t it? And, and we want to go back to saying not by might nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord, there’s no way any of that is possible for man, but by his spirit, it’s possible. And the Magnificat that you’ve chosen Mary’s prayer, the way that she says, my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. My spirit exalts in God, my savior. She’s the one who said there’s nothing impossible.

SPEAKER 02 : 15:32

Yes, she totally obeyed what Gabriel had told her. I’d like to read from the Passion Translation, Luke 1, 44 through 46. And here is Elizabeth, and she’s talking, The moment you came in the door, Mary, and greeted me, my baby, and that’s John, said, danced inside me with joy. Great favor rests upon you, Mary, for you have believed every word spoken to you from God. Here’s a teenager, Kimberly, that believed every word from God. And so then Mary sang this song. I love this Passion Translation. Yes. The mighty one has worked a mighty miracle for me. Holy is his name. She didn’t think about any consequences of being a pregnant woman. Not at that point. He’s done mighty miracles for me. Mercy kisses all who fear him from one generation to the next. Mighty power flows from him to scatter all those who walk in pride. powerful princes he tears from their thrones and he lifts up the lowly to take their place those who hunger for him will always be filled but the smug and self-satisfied he will send away empty because he can never forget to show mercy he has helped his chosen servant israel keeping his promises to abraham and to his descendants forever How did God do this? Not by man’s might or power. That’s right.

SPEAKER 03 : 17:16

By his spirit. Yes. And when we start to align ourselves with his spirit and his heart, you know, it’s easy to it’s easy to start thinking, well, wait a minute. The Bible does tell us that the way is narrow and few will find it. So we’ll get hung up on those and we’ll start to focus in on the fact that there is a hell written about in the Bible and there is a lake of fire and it exists for a reason and a purpose. So we can get hung up on that. When I say we get hung up on it… That is what distracts us from the heart of our God. It’s not his heart to send people to hell. It’s not his heart to put people in the lake of fire.

SPEAKER 02 : 18:05

That lake of fire was meant for the angels, the fallen angels.

SPEAKER 03 : 18:09

Well, you know, I’ve told you that I’ve talked about this and I don’t know how you feel about it. But I’ll just say it on the air that I actually feel so free in thinking that that lake of fire is for all the parts of me that are a distraction and an obstacle that keep me from my father’s heart. I have so many thoughts and I’ve got so many tendencies and habits and pathways in my brain that are a huge distraction from him. And if I think that there’s a day when I will never have to fight those, and it’s because that part of me will be in the lake of fire, I’m excited about that. Can I be excited about that?

SPEAKER 02 : 19:01

Yes, you can. Verse 7 of Zechariah 4 says, What are you, O great mountain of obstacles? And Kimberly, you were just talking about that. The obstacles in our lives that keep us from having that intimate relationship with Jesus. But here was Mary. We’re going to have this song here. It’s just beautiful. Here’s Mary saying, Oh, my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exalts in God my Savior. Go for it, Rachel.

SPEAKER 04 : 19:42

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. And my spirit exalts in God my Savior. For he has looked with mercy on my Lord. And my name will be forever exalted For the mighty God Has done great things for me And his mercy From age to age And holy, holy, holy He has foreseen in every generation. He has revealed His power and His glory. He has cast down the mighty in the earth. has lifted up the meek and the lowly. And he has come to vow his servant Israel. And he remembers his promise to our fathers

SPEAKER 1 : 22:58

It is there.

SPEAKER 03 : 23:05

Oh, that’s beautiful. It is beautiful. Holy, holy, holy is your name, my Lord. And holy are your ways and high and lifted up are your ways.

SPEAKER 02 : 23:15

And she stayed with Elizabeth. And I guess I would, too, when somebody is so excited about who I am bearing, I would stay with her. And she stayed with Elizabeth because I knew I know probably the gossip that was swirling around. Wow. Right. Right.

SPEAKER 03 : 23:33

In community. Yeah. Yeah, so we’re talking about Mary, if you just tuned in, and the faith that Mary has, the way that we want to grow our faith and believe for big things. And when we get our eyes on smaller things, like the way is narrow and few are they who find it, if we stay focused on the narrow way and focused on what hell might be there for and what the lake of fire is there for, and we’re trying to discern and judge all of those things, then That’s when we’re distracted and we’re not necessarily hooking into the heart of our father and what his big plan is, his thoughts that are so much higher than our thoughts, his thoughts about forgiveness and pardon and bringing all. That’s what he longs for. Will it happen? I don’t know. That’s not what I’m I’m not preaching that it will happen that way. That’s not what I’m saying.

SPEAKER 02 : 24:35

And that’s probably not the majority of our assignments. Our assignments is to bring the love of God to people.

SPEAKER 03 : 24:44

And pray that people will know the true God. And talk about forgiveness. You know, I think I have just enough time to end with this. When Hannah, my oldest daughter, chose to leave me out of family photographs at her wedding five years ago, that actually was hurtful to me. And I didn’t understand it. But five years later, I visited her and we we had a really good time together. She mentioned to me that she always remembered that I didn’t care for being in photographs. She always remembered that. And now she’s struggling with it, too, at her age that she’s at and just some changes in life. She doesn’t really like to see herself in photographs. And I knew in that moment I have a choice to make. Am I going to hold on to what I thought was happening five years ago that was hurtful? Am I going to hang on to the hurt or am I going to allow my mind to change and say, you know what? Maybe she was actually thinking of me in a good way and sparing me from being in all those photographs, knowing I don’t like to be in photographs. I could either think that she was leaving me out spitefully or she was leaving me out mercifully and I get to choose how I’m going to look at it. So in my choice, I’m either holding on to bitterness or I am releasing and giving forgiveness and letting forgiveness cover. That’s who our God is allowing forgiveness to cover. Anyone, anyone who chooses his ways over the world’s ways. And that’s a big vision. That’s, that’s a big project. That’s something that looks impossible when you’re looking at the entire population of the planet and how many people, how many family squabbles there might be. So choose forgiveness today.

SPEAKER 02 : 26:44

Yes. Choose forgiveness. The body of Jesus Christ is wonderful. And we hope that you’re a part of that. You’re a member of that. God bless you. Call me at 1-877-917-7256 for the party and the brunch Saturday. God bless you and keep you and take joy.

SPEAKER 01 : 27:06

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 calltofreedom.org. 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.