Join Barbara Carmack and Jimmy Lakey as they delve into the spiritual journey of discovering joy and transformation through God’s word. Explore the intriguing discussions on how faith can serve as a powerful anchor in turbulent times, and learn how living by the scriptures can bring profound peace and healing.
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.
SPEAKER 04 :
Welcome to Calda Freedom. Joy is more than a word. It’s a state of mind. Let your lives overflow with joy. And I think of that beautiful scripture that Kimberly gives us every once in a while from Nehemiah 8, verse 10. Eat the fat. Drink the sweet. Share with others.
SPEAKER 03 :
Share with others. Do not be grieved. For the joy of the Lord is your strength.
SPEAKER 04 :
Amen. That’s so good. It really is. So remember that today, that joy overflows. And when joy, the joy of your heart. is their friend for others, oh, they will sense it. They really will. You are blessed to dispense, for in him you live and move and have your being. And our memory verse for this week has been Psalm 119, verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And Kimberly, the passion, do you have the passion there? I don’t think I do.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think you’ve got those notes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay. I could make it up for you. Hey, let’s do it. Truth’s shining light. Now I’m going to get the giggles. Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions. The revelation of your word makes my pathway clear. And we’ve been talking about the word of God all week, and it’s been wonderful. Oh, every time I go out of the studio, I’m just… excited and I have some renewed energy and it’s wonderful. The word is wonderful.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, he sent his word to heal us and we have healing and we have wholeness because of his word, because of the way the Lord has spoken over us. And I think we forget about that when we are distracted with the things of this life. So it’s good to be reminded. that his word overcomes any situation that we experience in this life. And it’s his word that heals us. It’s his word that comforts us. It’s his word that makes us whole. Yeah. And Matthew four, four, we’re looking a little bit more to the new Testament scriptures on the word. And in Matthew four, four, it says people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. And there it is again, confirmation that we don’t just live on the food that we’re given in this world. We live on the word that comes from the mouth of God. And I don’t know about you, but I have noticed that when I really get into the word of God and I’m, and I’m receiving the revelation, like it was talking about in that memory verse, the revelation of his word, when I’m receiving that revelation, it is so energizing that I’m not hungry for anything else. I actually don’t get hungry. I can go a day or two without actual food when I am really in the word and I’m studying and I’m receiving that energy and that life from the word of God. Yep.
SPEAKER 04 :
I’m sure Jesus, when he endured the wilderness and all the temptation from the devil, God just kept reminding him that he’s the word and scripture after scripture after scripture and Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So important.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, it is. And I didn’t write down the reference for when Jesus said that he is the bread of life. That’s right. In John.
SPEAKER 04 :
First few chapters of John.
SPEAKER 03 :
John, right. He’s the bread of life. So reminding ourselves of that and staying in touch, being in relationship with him, that is a sustenance that is far greater than any other food we can get on this planet. Amen. That’s right.
SPEAKER 04 :
He is everything that we need.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes. Matthew 13 verses 19 through 23 is talking about the seed that is being sown on ground, different ground. And those who hear the word, that’s what the seed is. The seed is being scattered everywhere. So we’re planting seed today just by talking on the radio and talking about the word of God. And we’re sowing seed. We’re scattering it out there on the airwaves. And those who hear this seed, who hear the word, they may not understand it. So the enemy has a chance to steal it because it’s not understood. Or there are others that do understand and they gladly receive it, but they don’t have enough experience in this life. And so troubles of this life might cause them to fall away. This is really just describing different seasons of everyone’s life, because at one point or another, all of us don’t understand exactly what we’re hearing. We just keep hearing and hearing. And faith comes by hearing and hearing and hearing the word of God.
SPEAKER 04 :
A lot of our friends, Kimberly, when they’re reading the word in the mornings or evenings, At night, whenever they’re reading that, they speak it out loud. They read the word out loud so that their flesh and their soul can hear the word of God from their hearts. It’s a great idea. It’s really wonderful. It kind of cements all that you’re. reading in that book with the words that you’re saying, oh, gives it such assurance. It does. Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
Such an anchor. And again, I’m one of those that’s easily distracted. So I can get distracted so easily. I can be reading, reading, reading, reading and realize, wait, what did I just read? Because my mind just started thinking about my grocery list or whatever. And And so reading it out loud keeps me a little more focused. I’m less distracted when I say the words out loud.
SPEAKER 04 :
That’s right. And it’s a good time in your devotions to do that. And I have really appreciated that time.
SPEAKER 03 :
So, yeah, getting back on track with Matthew 13, it’s talking about four different grounds. So one may not understand. So the enemy has a chance to steal. Two, you might understand, but you experience so many troubles in this life and distractions. It causes you to fall away. And then there’s another that here’s the word. And it’s crowded out by worries, worries, distractions, fears, and the lure of wealth and just being so distracted with maybe growing your business. And so you are really giving priority to things that are not the word. So the word is suffocated and cannot produce fruit. Yeah. But the fourth, the word that is heard and truly understood, it’s received fully. And then that bears fruit and produces a harvest. So that’s the good ground.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 03 :
And really, I’ve seen myself in every single one of these areas. I’ve been in the place where I haven’t understood. I’ve been in the place where I did understand, but the troubles of life caused me to be weak and maybe fall away. I’ve been in that place where I’ve had worries and distractions in this life and the lure of the next new business scheme. Next new business. I don’t know. I got into some multi-level marketing stuff, I don’t know, two or three decades ago. I think we all did at one point in our life.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, Rachel’s like, yep, yep, yep.
SPEAKER 03 :
And it was so fun. And then to find the next product and, oh, let’s do that with this one, too. It was so fun. So I did get very distracted. And I can say that the word did not take priority in my life. And it was suffocated. And I didn’t. did not feel the same peace, the same groundedness that I do when I’m really in the word. And I love being grounded. Yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Didn’t you even indulge in the stock market for a little while?
SPEAKER 03 :
Indulge? You know, that’s funny. Yeah. And it was a way of investing. I was taught how to do it. And I still know how to do that, but I do not participate now. Yeah. But yeah, that was a group of ladies that were just business minded ladies that they are my friends. And so I just got into their group and we were all kind of kind of exploring it together and learning together. And there are a lot of things we can do in this in this world that will keep us distracted for sure.
SPEAKER 04 :
And away from the word. You’re absolutely right, Kimberly.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. And I know yesterday you covered John one talking about Jesus being the word in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. And when we see verse 14, the word became flesh and made his home. In us, among us, around us, with us. Okay, so this is talking about God becoming flesh. And it happened one time on our timeline. It happened in the past when Jesus came as the Son of God, God in the flesh. So it did happen that way. And while it is referring to a point in time on our timeline, this verse is not just limited to that one point in time because our God is not limited to only one point on our timeline. That’s right. And when we see this verse that the word became flesh and dwelt among us, we can know that it’s still happening. As we are growing in the word and maturing and learning more about the word of God, spending time in relationship with him through his word, then Romans 8, 29 tells us that God knew all of us before we were born. And he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his son. Yes. Okay, if we’re taking that for what it says, that’s truth. He destined us to share the likeness of his son. His son is the word that became flesh and dwelt among us. We are still part of that miracle. We are still becoming. The word in us is causing us to be that flesh where the word is dwelling in us and around us and in communities. And the rest of Romans 8, 29 says, this means the son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become, who will will become just like him. Yes. Just like him. So the word made flesh and walking on this earth includes you who are listening today. That’s exciting to know that that’s part of the plan. And I, the way that I see the different translations of the Bible and how from the time that the King James version, in fact, that that came to us with much conflict that came to the human race. There was always opposition in every good thing. Right. And having an English version now in our hands so that we, Because the Latin language was dying and not everybody knew it, so you couldn’t understand it when you were being told these scriptures in a Latin language. So having the King James Version in our history… Yes, there was opposition. And then that was the version that you were supposed to be looking at, not any other version. And then other versions start coming out, right? And more opposition. It’s interesting to me how that happens. There’s opposition that happens with these translations, but it’s also a picture of each how we’re all becoming different. The word in the flesh we’re receiving in relationship with God. We’re receiving more and more revelation. And these translations are not supposed to be looked at and sneered at and scowled at, but celebrated.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, because Holy Spirit, it is prophesied, will be poured out in the last days on all flesh, Kimberly. Yes. And every one of us who love the Lord Jesus. That’s beautiful.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, that’s good. And so as we are looking at these translations that are coming to us, we can truly dig into them and really find some more revelation. that helps us all become better people. And in our desire to be better people, we can go to those bookstores and online and look for self-help, the self-improvement areas, those sections of the bookstores. And I’ve shopped those sections many times in my past, wanting to learn how to improve my knowledge and my character and my financial status. It’s my, my, my. My relationships, right? Relationships need to be improved, too. And it finally dawned on me that I was trying to improve myself. That’s right. In my own efforts, in my strength. And that’s my old nature. That’s it. This might be a really good place to just take a short break and let TJ tell a little bit about this ministry.
SPEAKER 02 :
Want to stay connected with Freedom Street? Get the Freedom Street Express newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Explore our Voice of Freedom blogs and dive into Darren Carmack’s teachings, all at freedomstreet.org. Or just email us anytime at hello at freedomstreet.org. Freedom Street is a listener-supported ministry with no sponsors, and your donations make it possible for us to stay on the air sharing the good news of our freedom in Christ. Thank you for standing with us.
SPEAKER 03 :
We appreciate that so much. Um, and we’re talking today about how the word of God is what transforms us and changes us and that there is no hope in improving yourself when you’re, when you’re focused on yourself and you’re trying to change your relationships, your old nature, your character, your financial status. That’s all about yourself. And God is the one who brings his word. And it’s the washing of the water of the word that causes us to be transformed.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. Paul even talks about it in Colossians, Kimberly, in the third chapter. It says, set your mind on the things above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body, your physical body, as dead. to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. So Paul is saying here, you just die to Christ. I’m crucified with Christ, it says in Galatians 2.20. So we know. That life is a submitting, a submitting, a submitting. And boy, that’s difficult on the flesh.
SPEAKER 03 :
It truly is. To lay down our desires to improve ourselves in order to trust that the word of God will be what improves us.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. See, there’s a real switch there. When you’re born again and you stay in some of the habits that you had, if you don’t get into the Word of God and that Word transforming you, because the Word is alive and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, or you say two-mouthed sword.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. Because it’s us coming into agreement with the word. So we’re speaking it, too. That’s why we call it a two mouth sword. There’s one mouth that spoke it first. And that’s God himself. Our mouth comes into agreement. And that’s what makes it sharp, super sharp, because we’re coming in alignment with him. We’re being transformed and we’re being changed and growing together. becoming more like him. We were made to be the image of God.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. You were talking earlier about Matthew 13 and how we go through those first three soils. And we’ve all been through that, throwing the seed of the word of God on pavement or concrete that it doesn’t grow up. And then all the troubles of the world and we fall away and crowded by worries and distractions in this life. We all have been involved with the first three soils.
SPEAKER 01 :
That’s right.
SPEAKER 04 :
But that fourth soil, when we finally learn, okay, Lord, this is your thing.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
You’re the one that brought us here for our betterment.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Not for just yours, but for our very best. Then we realize, hey, he’s in this with us for the good, for our good. Right. Yeah. Awesome.
SPEAKER 03 :
When I get into groups and I’m connecting with people, very often, especially if it’s a newer group, one of the biggest questions is, what do you do?
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, that’s right. Yeah. What do you do? What do you do?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. And it was a number of years ago that I just said, Lord, I don’t want to be boasting about what I have done, what I am doing. I really want you to get glory. How do I answer this question? Mm-hmm. And one of my favorite songs is Love God and Love People. It’s by Danny Gokey. I love to listen to that song and just dance to it. Love God and love people. And I think I was listening to it shortly after I had asked my question. How do I answer? What do I do? How do I give you glory? And so then I started answering when people ask me, what do you do, Kimberly? I say, I love God and I love people. Okay.
SPEAKER 04 :
I hope there’s more of that as we get older and we retire, that we can say that I love God and I love people and the word of God is very important to me. Yes. That kind of thing. Yes. Get them stimulated a little bit to ask questions. Well, what are you replying about or what you are relating to? Yes, relating to. And then you can go into a deeper conversation about God and his love.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right, because it is all about relationship. Why we’re here. That is the call. If you don’t know what your call is on your life, if you don’t know what you have been assigned to, it is relationship. That is what we are all born for. And in Ephesians 5, 25 through 27, it says Christ loved the church. This is relationship that Christ wants with his church and his people. Christ loved the church and gave his life for her and makes her holy and pure, cleansing her through the showering of the pure water of the word of God. Yeah, I love the message translation. It says Christ’s love is marked by giving, not getting. His love makes the church whole. His word evokes her beauty. Everything he does and says, his word is designed to bring out the best in her. Oh, that’s beautiful.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. Even in Acts, it says it’s better to give and giving in joy and peace and righteousness. It’s better to give than to receive.
SPEAKER 03 :
And I love wanting to bring out the best in other people. I want to do that. I don’t do it well. Well, I’m still practicing, but bringing out the best in others is what Jesus does. And we were made to be the brothers and sisters. He’s, he’s the first born. Like we said in Romans eight, he’s the first born of many and that’s you and that’s me. And that’s all you listening. Um, second Corinthians chapter three in verse 18 says, but we all with unveiled faces are Beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, we’re being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of the Lord. This happens by reading his word and we’re transformed as we read his word and we get to know him better. We’re looking at the goodness of God, the beauty of God, His peace, His patience with us, His kindness and His goodness. We are transformed by that, by looking at that. The New Living Translation says, “…so all of us who have had the veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.” And the Lord, who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. That’s right.
SPEAKER 04 :
You know, this message isn’t the most popular, Kimberly. People want to hear sensationalism. They want to hear the best there is in the news. They want to hear the up-to-date reports. And I enjoy that. You know I enjoy that. But nothing takes the place of the word of God.
SPEAKER 03 :
Nothing does. That’s right. Yeah. There’s the message translation of Second Corinthians 318. It says, God removes the veil. And there they are. Face to face, nothing between us and God. Our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah. Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.
SPEAKER 1 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 03 :
Wow. You know, that kind of hints at the idea of Jesus being born into this earth as a human being. He had to grow and learn and mature by continuing to stay in those scriptures that he was given and learn. And so he had a learning curve, too. Yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Just think of the steps of our learning curves, Kimberly, all the years and the maturity that took place or maybe hopefully maturity. Right.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, you were mentioning again back to Matthew 13, those different soils. That is definitely a journey and it’s a step by step process. When we first hear the word, we might not understand it. And so we don’t even hear it and it’s just stolen right away from us. But we get to hear it again. And when we hear it again, we might understand, but we might not be very experienced with the trials of this life. That’s right. And so then we can wilt. But it’s just a step by step process. And it’s a beautiful, beautiful journey. Yes. I like seeing that beholding the glory of the Lord produces a desire in us to choose. We then get to choose his glory and his goodness, his forgiveness and his faithfulness. That face to face, that picture of being face to face with him. It’s the best way to see him. And this is what transforms us into his image. Not more knowledge, not these self-improvement sections of the bookstore, but more relationship. That is what changes us. And it’s the word transform in the Greek is the word metamorpho. And it’s the same word used for Jesus being transfigured on the mountain in Matthew 17.
SPEAKER 04 :
I’ll bet those disciples were never the same that came down the mountain with him.
SPEAKER 03 :
So that’s the same word that’s being used to say that we are transfigured. We’re transformed by the renewing of our mind in the word of God. And he is the one who does that for us. And hopefully when people get to know us in our transformed place, they will never be the same. Hopefully. They will be changed, too. Yes, that’s right. And they will hunger and thirst for more of that.
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, we need that family. We need that family of God. And it’s more important, Kimberly, to me, as much as I love you and the family, my biological family, that family of God is much more important.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right. Yeah. So as you are moving through your day today and over the weekend, keep looking at the Lord. Allow yourself to be uncertain and unsure and choose instead to be sure of God’s goodness, his peace, his joy for you and be transfigured by his word. Amen. You will not be disappointed.
SPEAKER 04 :
You will not. Remember, the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. So I’m talking to you today, telling you Kimberly is also announcing, take joy.
SPEAKER 1 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
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.
