To Die Is Gain

 

Here is an interesting verse, Philippians chapter 1, verse 21:

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  TO DIE IS GAIN!  Imagine that!  OK, why is that?

Well, part of the reason is spelled out very clearly in Psalm chapter 16, verse 11:

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

IN YOUR PRESENCE IS FULLNESS OF JOY!!  In Father God's presence is fullness of joy!

Can we experience this now?  Yes, but there are numerous distractions, alas.  But yes!

OK, speaking for myself, this may sound a bit strange but;

My family loves me and I love each of them (to the moon and back!! You know what I mean?) When I die my family will miss me, but I won't miss them, because I'll be overcome/overwhelmed by the wonderful, joyful presence of Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit!  I hope you can understand what I am saying here.

Here's a quote from A. W. Tozer:

"...we have such a short time to prepare for such a long time. By that I mean we have now to prepare for then. We have an hour to prepare for eternity. To fail to prepare is an act of moral folly. For anyone to have a day given to prepare, it is an act of inexcusable folly to let anything hinder that preparation. If we find ourselves in a spiritual rut, nothing in the world should hinder us. Nothing in this world is worth it. If we believe in eternity, if we believe in God, if we believe in the eternal existence of the soul, then there is nothing important enough to cause us to commit such an act of moral folly."

From his book, "Rut, Rot or Revival: The Condition of the Church, 87-88.

Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

A LIE!

 

Very recently, a LIE entered my mind: no one loves me because I am unlovable.

Why is that a lie?  Well, two reasons: (1) it’s not true that no one loves me and (2) it’s not true that I am unlovable.

Why is that?  The reason is that the Lord God is transforming believers (and unbelievers, too!) into His image.

So therefore, there are people in this world that have the Spirit of God in them, and have been transformed such that they can love, even me!  And, I am being transformed (sanctified) such that the Lord God is breaking off unpleasant parts of my personality.

 Philippians chapter 1 verse 6 says He who has started a good work in me will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ.   See, He won't quit!

And He's doing the same for you!

Jesus is a Savior!! He really is!!

Larry Carroll

Fully God And Fully Man

 

Jesus was fully God and fully Man.

However, there is disagreement about whether Jesus did miracles as God or as Man.

For if Jesus did miracles as God that’s loving and wonderful, but if Jesus did miracles as Man, then other people can, too.

So, Elijah was a man just like us, and in the Bible, in First Kings chapter 17, he prevailed upon the Lord to raise a boy from the dead.  Elisha also did the same in Second Kings chapter 4.

In the book of Acts chapter 9, we read that Peter called on the Lord God to raise Dorcas from the dead, and she came back from the dead.

Also, Peter and John in Jerusalem in Acts chapter 3, and Paul and Barnabas in Lystra in Acts chapter 14, spoke healing to crippled men who were then instantly healed.

This doesn’t prove anything about Jesus. No, it doesn’t, however, we see a clear pattern set, which includes us!  Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

He Cares For Us

He invites us to cast all our care on Him, for He cares for us.

He invites us to come boldly to His throne of grace, for He cares for us.

He assures us that we don't need to be anxious about anything, for He cares for us.

He says He forgives ALL our iniquities, and heals ALL our diseases, for He cares for us,

Why does He care for us?  Because He IS Love!  So He can identify as Father to us!  Do you understand?

And Father demonstrated His amazing love for us by sending Jesus Christ, who is the express image of Father.  Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."

Larry Carroll

Abide In Me (Jesus)

 

Gospel of John chapter 15, verse 7:

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.   (Read the whole chapter.)

This may sound like abiding in Christ, and having His words abiding us, is a means to an end.

But no, it’s a wonderful end in itself. It’s where we want to be. For in His presence is fullness of joy, as written in Psalm 16 verse 11.  He loves us!  And He wants us to love Him back.  How?  Cry out to Him to save you and to draw you close to Himself!

Larry Carroll

 1. Jesus loves me, this I know;
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.
(This is true for you!)

2. I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say;
That I love Him every day!
(Is this true for you?)

It is true for me.
Larry Carroll

He Is With Me, Even In A Traffic Jam

Like most everyone, I really truly don’t like sitting in traffic jams, especially ones where there is no end in sight.

However, I have learned that if Paul and Silas can sing praises to the LORD in the Philippian jail at midnight after being beaten severely, then I can do that too, in a traffic jam.  So I did.

Why, because the Lord God was there with me.  He said He would never leave me nor forsake me.

This is consistent with the scripture that says, “Rejoice in the LORD always…” Phil 4:4.

Larry Carroll

I Will Bless The LORD

 In the Bible, the account of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail, and their response to it all, teaches us a vital lesson, which is explicitly stated in Psalm 34:

I will bless the LORD at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

They did not wait for deliverance to bless and praise the LORD, they sang praises and worshipped right there in their pain!

And so should we.  And so can we, as we are empowered by the Spirit!  Just choose to do it, for He is worthy, and He is right there in the midst of it all.

But there is more to this.  The parable of the soils which Jesus taught, Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8, shows us that we can be distracted from praising the LORD, not only by pain and difficulties but also by riches and pleasures.

I will bless the LORD at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Just choose to do it, for He is worthy, and He is right there in the midst of it all.  He never left you in your troubles and He is right there rejoicing with you in your pleasures!

Blessings,

Larry Carroll

Do Not Fret Because Of Evildoers

In the Old Testament, we see again and again how the LORD brings beauty from ashes, how He brings victory when circumstances look really bad.  He was a savior then and He's still a savior today.

So for example, it looked pretty bad for Joseph in the book of Genesis on more than one occasion, yet he ended up as the number two man in the mighty Egyptian Empire.

Same thing for Daniel, in the book of Daniel.  The Lord God saved him from the lions and then his enemies were destroyed.  He ended up as the number two man in the Persian Empire.

Same thing for Mordecai, in the book of Esther.  The Lord God saved him on the day Haman planned on hanging him.  And he also ended up as the number two man in the mighty Persian Empire.

Same thing for David, in the book of First Samuel.  The Lord God saved him repeatedly from King Saul.  And he ended up as the King of Israel.

Now we also see, again in the Old Testament, that the Lord God does not look kindly on unrepentant, wicked evildoers.  Here are some verses that describe their end.  Yes, if they repent there is forgiveness, as we see in the account of Saul/Paul in the book of Acts.  But if they don't repent... as they say, it's not pretty.

Psalm 37

1 Do not fret because of evildoers,

Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off;

But those who wait on the Lord,

They shall inherit the earth.

10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;

Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,

But it shall be no more.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power,

And spreading himself like a native green tree.

36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more;

Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Psalm 63

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;

Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;

But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Now Hebrews 13 verse 8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."   So, be anxious for nothing!!  Praying really is where we start in fighting evil.

Larry Carroll

Simple Gospel Message

I have a John 3:16 sign in my front yard.  Why?  To share the Gospel in a simple way.  Here it is below and with some other verses that do the same thing.

But first, let me ask, why did Father God sacrifice His Son, Jesus, for you and me?  He wants to establish a relationship, a good relationship, with each of us!  Even if you have ignored Him in the past!

NLT Version  ---------------------

1. John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

2. John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

3. Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

4. Second Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

5A. Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 
5B. Ephesians 2:9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 

6A. Titus 3:5  he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
6B. Titus 3:6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

7. Revelation 3:20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."

I repeat: why did Father God sacrifice His Son, Jesus, for you and me?  He wants to establish a relationship, a good relationship, with each of us!  Even if you have ignored Him in the past!

NKJ Version  ---------------------

1. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

2. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

3. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

4. Second Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

5A. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God
5B. Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

6A. Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6B. Titus 3:6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7. Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

I repeat yet again: why did Father God sacrifice His Son, Jesus, for you and me?  He wants to establish a relationship, a good relationship, with each of us!  Even if you have ignored Him in the past!

Thank you, Father, thank you, Jesus, thank you Holy Spirit, for redeeming my life from destruction and making me part of Your family!

Blessings,
Larry Carroll

Verses That Encourage Me

 

Scripture List

Verses that encourage me

Hebrews 13:

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.   (He doesn't change! What He has done, He still does, and will continue to do.)

Proverbs 4:

20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;

22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

(Your words are life and health!)

Psalm 34:

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;

The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.              (All means all.)

5 They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.                (All means all.)

7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,

And delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Second Corinthians 5:

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.    (Hallelujah!  Your word is the Truth, LORD! What You say is more true than our circumstances.)

Matthew 7:

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!   (Much More!)

Psalm 103:

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  (All means all.)

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:                        (All means all.)

3 Who forgives all your iniquities,                   (All means all.  Thank You, Jesus!  Hallelujah!)

Who heals all your diseases,                          (All means all.)

4 Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Isaiah 53:

4 Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

Matthew 8:

16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,                 (All means all.)

17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

First Peter 2:

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed. 

Psalm 16:

11 You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Nehemiah 8:

10 Then he said to them, " Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. "

Hebrews 13:

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He, Himself has said, " I will never leave you nor forsake you. "

6 So we may boldly say: " The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me? "

7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Philippians 1:

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Philippians 4:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!      (Always includes now.  I will rejoice now!)

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

First Peter 5:

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.     (All means all.)

Hebrews 4:

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.     (All means all.)

16 Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Luke 10:

19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.          (All means all.)

Lamentations 3:

22 Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

24 " The Lord is my portion, " says my soul, " Therefore I hope in Him! "

Jeremiah 29:

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.    (The Pearl of Great Price!)

14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity;

Jeremiah 32:

17 ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.

26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

(Nothing, Absolutely Nothing!!)

Isaiah 40:

31 But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 54:

17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me, Says the Lord.

John 14:

12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 16:

23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.  (This means in Your presence!)

First Thessalonians 5:

16 Rejoice always,   (Rejoice evermore)

17 Pray without ceasing,

18 In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Hebrews 13:

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Romans 8:

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?     (No one!)

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written: " For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. " 

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hallelujah!!

Joy

Some of my friends (I'm thinking of you, Ben.) know that one of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm chapter 16 verse 11:

"In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

It occurred to me yesterday that I am always in His presence since it is recorded in Hebrews chapter 13 that He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  And that is really, really good news!

Pile on top of this more good news as it says in Nehemiah chapter 8, "The joy of the LORD is your strength!"  Yes, let the weak say I am strong!

OK, I am always in His presence even if I am not always aware of it!  And so are you!  That gives me great joy!

Larry Carroll

Commitment

Helen and I are committed to each other, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.  And I'm so glad she stayed with me through it all.  For indeed, some of it has been for worse, for poorer, in sickness.  And yes, I stayed with Helen all through these years, too, 57 years, and happily, with no end in sight.

We were committed to each other, but the wedding ceremony made it official and made it really real to us.

As believers, we are committed to Jesus Christ, and He is to us.  There is a ceremony that makes it official: baptism.  Just today I heard yet again the price some people pay by getting baptized and making it official.  That price is death in some cultures.

In the Bible, in the book of Acts, when people were converted (became believers) they quickly wanted to be, and were, baptized.

When we baptized people long ago we used to sing, 'I have decided to follow Jesus, (repeat), (repeat again), no turning back, no turning back.

You know I'm sure, that commitment works both ways.  The believer is committed to the LORD, but think about this, the LORD is committed to the believer, which includes right now!  In fact, His commitment to us makes our commitment to another person possible.

Let me tell you what a wonderful thing commitment is for the long haul.  Those of you that are married know.

Larry Carroll

The Power Of Weakness

The Power Of Weakness

Now that's a strange concept isn't it, the power of weakness.  But what comes to mind is this:

Second Corinthians 12:9,10:

 And He (Jesus) said to me (Paul), “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We also read in Scripture this:

First Corinthians 2:3-5:

I (Paul) was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive/enticing words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

that your faith should not be/rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Now, if we look to Jesus Christ as an example here, we see the perfect example of weakness on the cross.  You know He didn't want to die here like this, but He submitted to Father God.  And what a victory it was, since it totally broke the power of Satan over us.  That's called the power of the cross.  It's the power of weakness.

But Jesus didn't always act in a weak manner, did He.  When He drove the money changers out of the Temple, He was not acting weakly.  So, is this being inconsistent?  Yes.  Well, what was the controlling factor in His life?

John 5:19:

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

And similarly, John 12:49:

 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

So we see Jesus was completely and continually filled with, baptized in, and led by the Holy Spirit.  And we can be, too.  I want to be, every day.

Hallelujah!  Jesus!!

Larry Carroll

Everything in Moderation

08 November 2022

 It is commonly said, "Everything in moderation".  Really?  I don't think so.

Jesus said, "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."  This is a command.  DO IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART!!

On the other end of the scale, should we engage in just a moderate amount of sin?  A moderate amount of theft, a moderate amount of adultery, or a moderate amount of deception?  Of course not!

Well, where is this appropriate?  How about putting a moderate amount of food on your Thanksgiving dinner plate?  (Oh dear, now I'm meddling!  Alas!)

Larry Carroll

Trouble

Any relationship based on the attitude of "What's in it for me?" will fall apart quickly.  We know this intuitively.  We can picture someone relating to us this way and we see that person as a leech, trying to get from us as much as he can.  Not good.  We want out.

This is also true of a relationship with Father God.  Do people want to relate to Him just for what they can get out of it?  Say, for example, a ticket to heaven?  Why?  Just because it's better than hell?  (Well, yes it is.)  But if you can't relate to the Lord God now, then what are you going to do when you are looking at Him face to face in His kingdom?

OK, that's all good, but that's not where I'm going.

Rather, let's address a situation in which a believer is offended or hurt. He reacts.  He's angry.  He may say, "Hey, I thought my God would make things better for me."  (All better even?)

But the scripture says in John chapter 16 verse 33, " In the world you will have tribulation".  And we also know by experience that this is true.

Well then, what are all the promises of God, written in His Word, all about?  Is my life just driven by random chance, sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, even though I work hard?

Or is He truly a Good Shepherd?

Well, let's look at John chapter 16 verse 33 again.  It says:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  (NIV)

Again:

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  (NLT)

This is Jesus talking here.

You know, there is a lot in this relationship that benefits me now!  The Lord God has filled me with His Spirit, and because the Spirit lives in me I can:

Forgive - and that's really huge!

Rejoice in the LORD no matter what - and that's huge, too!

Not worry (when I turn my eyes upon Jesus and keep looking at Him.)

Trust Him for my sustenance and comfort.

Let me add one more thing.  In Matthew chapter 13 there is the parable of the sower that sowed good seed in different soils.  Only one of the four soils was profitable.  So:

Don't let the enemy steal your life in the Spirit.

Don't let trouble poison your life in the Spirit.

Don't let circumstances deceive you with different prizes.

Hallelujah!  Jesus!!

Blessings,

Larry Carroll

Rejoice In His Presence

So I will not glory or boast in His presence, but instead, I will REJOICE in His presence!  I will rejoice in His grace, His mercy, His peace, His love, His goodness, His salvation!  Hallelujah!

First Corinthians chapter 1, verses 26 through 29:

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 

27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  [He chose David over Goliath or Saul]

28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Jesus!!

Larry Carroll

The Greatest, The Servant Of All

 

"The greatest among you shall be your servant."

We read this in Matthew chapter 23 verse 11.

So, who is the greatest of all?  Well, you know, you learned it in Sunday School.  Yes, Jesus is the greatest of all.  So, He must be the servant of all.

And He demonstrated His servanthood mindset when He washed the disciples' feet in John chapter 13.  They had a hard time receiving it, as expressed by Peter, and we would too, I suspect.

Now Jesus is the same, yesterday and today and forever.  Right?  It says so in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8.

Therefore, He is your servant, too, isn't He?  So what are you worried about?

And we want to be like Him.  Do you know why?  Because we have been filled with His Holy Spirit.  (Well, I hope you have been filled with His Holy Spirit.)

Hallelujah!  Jesus!!

Larry Carroll

Holiness

Holiness is beautiful, clean, pure, and glorious, and therefore is so very, very attractive.  And you can be holy, clean, pure!  Yes, you can.  You can be transformed.  Yes, you can!  Cry out to Jesus to make you holy, clean, and pure. 

And yes, people often come to Jesus because they have a need He can fulfill.  But then, some get close and see His beauty, His glory, and the beauty of His holiness, experience His love and discover He is altogether lovely.  Oh yes, He is altogether lovely.  Really.  And so, we fall in love with Him. 

Hallelujah!  Jesus!!

Larry Carroll

Rejoice In The LORD Always

First Thessalonians chapter 5:
16 Rejoice always
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Somewhere around 1970, my father‘s friend was killed as a pedestrian walking in the street. A car hit her at night.

Her husband told my dad, "Larry, (that’s my father's name, too) I’m not thankful that my wife was killed."  My dad said the scripture doesn’t say give thanks FOR all things, it says IN everything give thanks.

OK, is this just double talk, trying to make the scripture fit reality?  (And not too well, either.)

No, we do not give thanks because our loved ones die, or misfortunes come upon us.  That's crazy!  Instead, we rejoice IN THE LORD, as it says in Philippians chapter 4.  Why?  Because He is here with us and going through it with us, feeling the pain with us.  He has revealed Himself to us, He has revealed His love and His goodness to us, and we won't let go of it, ever!

Philippians chapter 4 verse 4 "Rejoice in the LORD ALWAYS and again I say rejoice."  "Always" always includes right now!  Right?

Do you think Paul and Silas were thankful for the stripes and the wounds and being locked up in the Philippian prison?  No, they were not!  But they were rejoicing in the LORD and singing praises because He was with them, even in the prison!  They knew and were focused on His great love for them, for He had previously revealed His love and goodness.  Find this in Acts chapter 16.

A few years later, in 1978, my family had the opportunity to do this very same thing!  We gave thanks to the LORD for His goodness in all things, even when my brother died at age 14.  We were not thankful that my brother died; we grieved, but we were thankful that the LORD was with us.  He never left us.  He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace!

Jesus!!  Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

Book of Job

The Book of Job

I am now reading in the book of Job, and what I see is the three friends who sat with Job in silence for seven days! When they finally started to speak, they had good things to share, at least to start.  They were all very wise, and I mean that in a good way.

However, what they had to share with Job was inappropriate, wrong, and hurtful!

If we are not led by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, we will mess up, too. I know by experience, alas.

But God...

Hallelujah!  He redeems, He comforts, He gives beauty for ashes to those who mourn!  So we have hope!  And we praise Him!  Hallelujah!

Let me say that yet again - Hallelujah!!

Larry Carroll

ASK!

 

Ask!

We are free to ask our Father in Heaven for all sorts of things.  And we should!  This is where we start, asking for personal requests where we can see answers!

However, what could we ask that would be really significant - really, really significant!?

Solomon was told to "Ask!  What shall I give you?" In First Kings 3.
And he asked well, for he asked for wisdom to take care of his people.  And he received it!

Ahaz was told to ask in Isaiah 7, but he said, "I will not ask..." which wearied both the Lord God and Isaiah, too.  This led to a prophecy of the virgin conceiving and bearing a Son, Jesus.

Then in Matthew 7, verses 7 and 8, Jesus promises that if we ask we will receive:
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

In John 15, verses 7 and 8, Jesus said:
 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

In John 16, verses 23 and 24:
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Hey, this is Jesus speaking here.  Do you believe Him?

So I, Larry, asked Him, "What should I ask?"  Wisdom, as Solomon asked for sounds good, not just for me, but for all believers.  That could lead to revival!  Wonderful!

But we can do even better than that, as good as it is!

 Ask the LORD to pour out His Spirit on all flesh, as He said He would do in Acts 2 verse 17. 
Note: He said 'all'.  As they say, all means all.

Yes, join me in asking for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, On All Flesh!!  Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

The Lord God Will Reveal Himself

"I'm not a bad person.  I never killed anyone."

How many of you have heard something like that from someone?  And the next thing said is, "So why do I need a savior?"

This could explain why Jesus said the tax collectors and prostitutes enter the Kingdom of God before the Pharisees, that is, before the law-abiding people.  If one doesn't know he or she needs a savior, needs Jesus, that person is going to be content just to live a life of self-fulfillment.

But God...

But the Lord God loves people too much to let them drift along like that, without any awareness of their peril.  He will reveal Himself, whether they like it or not, even more so if you are praying for them.  And you may recall what happened to Saul/Paul, how he was knocked to the ground and heard Jesus' loving confrontation.  The believers were praying intensely!  (Acts 9)

He'll do that with your loved ones, too.  Because He loves them!

Larry Carroll

By Your Fruits

Matthew 7

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

16 You will know them by their fruits.

...

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not ... done many wonders in Your name?’

...

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

So, "many wonderful works" in Jesus' name are not the fruits Jesus is talking about.  Then what could they be?

We get more than a good clue from Galatians 5:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

These elements of this fruit come to us when we welcome in the Holy Spirit, when we invite Jesus into our inner-most being, to save us and to shepherd us.

Note: Don't compare yourself to anyone else, whether you see fruit or not.  This is just between you and the Lord God.  Discernment comes later.

Larry Carroll

Psalm 150

Psalm 150 with my notes in parentheses.

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!

(Praise Him - where. Everywhere. You can't get away from praising Him. I hope you don't want to get away from praising Him. That He is everywhere is a good thing, isn't it?)

2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!

(Praise Him - why. For what He does and for who He is. What He does is overwhelming and who He is is also overwhelming. That's a good thing, too, isn't it? )

3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

(Praise Him - how. I suppose you can praise Him quietly, too, but don't despise the noise of others.)

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!

(Praise Him - who. Everything that has breath. Well, I have breath, so this includes me. Hallelujah!!)

Praise the LORD!

ESV version

And when? Rejoice in the LORD always...

Larry Carroll

Be Content With Such Things As You Have

 

Hebrews 13 verse 5

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Hmmm, let's see.  Let's work it backward.

OK, I know Jesus said He will never leave us or forsake us.  I know He is true to His word, and I know by my experience over the decades that He has always been with me.

Therefore, for this reason, I can be content with such things as I have, since I have Him.  And that contentment is based on the fact that I have, and will always have, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and all the promises of God.  And that's huge!

And therefore, since I have this assurance of complete contentment, I have no reason to be covetous. 

Well, it works for me... when I am aware of His presence (and enjoying it) and am not distracted by the world, the flesh, or the devil.

Well, LORD, am I aware of your presence right now, or am I too intent on getting the wording of this post just right?  Jesus, save!

Larry Carroll

Spirit to spirit

 

How do you describe color to a blind-from-birth person?  You can't.  Right?

Well, how does the Lord God describe things of the spirit to a natural-from-birth person?  That is, to us?  Good news, He can!  What is impossible with man is possible with God.

First Corinthians chapter 2 declares there is hidden wisdom, the wisdom of God, a mystery. (verse 7)

And in verse 9 it expands it to this, quoting from Isaiah:

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

Adding, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." (verse 10)

God has revealed things to us which our natural senses have no power to comprehend!  And He will continue to reveal them to us!  That's really good news!  Yes, what is impossible with man is possible with God!

But how?  Spirit to spirit!  His Spirit to our spirit.  Hallelujah!

OK, truth be told, we will start by seeing in the Spirit dimly.  But we will grow, we will see more fully as His grace enables us to exercise our faith.

How does this all start?  ASK.  Ask the Lord God to reveal Himself to you.  He wants to.

Larry Carroll 

DAILY

 

I was reading the scripture yesterday and this word jumped out at me: "DAILY"

The Lord God is not stingy with His blessings!  They do not come just once in a while!  Look!  His blessings are constant, as is He!

Psalm 68 verse 19

(English Standard Version)

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.

(New King James Version)

Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!

How did Jesus demonstrate it?  He healed everyone who came to Him!

Acts 10 verse 38

(English Standard Version)

...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

And Jesus is with us now!

Hebrews 13 verse 8

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Do you need Him now?  Don't be afraid to approach Him and ask for His touch, His hand, His blessing!  He already has given you His love!

ASK!

Larry Carroll

Romans 7

Many people know, at least sorta know, that the last half of Romans chapter 7 describes a person, even a good person, as trapped in a place where that person can't do what that person wants to do.  Sin makes him/her powerless.

Verse 19 "For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice."  Alas!

However, the first six verses of Romans chapter 7 describes a marriage that is terminated by the death of one of the two spouses, and says this is how it is, or can be, with us.  [And who is us?  It could be you.]  We are not hopelessly trapped in doing what we do not want to do.  How?

Verse 6 "But now we have been delivered from the law [and from the sinful nature], having died to what we were held by so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."

Then Romans chapter 8 picks it up again, and in it, we all rejoice at our freedom in Christ Jesus.

Does this describe you?  Are you free from all that oppresses, from the law, from the curse of the law, from religion, from that which makes you do what you do not want to do?

Chapter 8 starts out this way and describes how we are delivered:

The NewLivingTranslation says it this way:

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son [Jesus] as a sacrifice for our sins. 

The NewKingJamesVersion says it this way:

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son [Jesus] in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,   [The word "flesh" here refers to our sinful nature.]

That's how we are set free.  God does it; He rescues us!  

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!  He is the savior!  He will set you free from the bondage of sin and self!  He starts the process of setting you free!  And usually starts off with a bang!

Your part is to say "Thank you!  I need this!  I need you, Jesus.  Please set me free!  Thank you, Father God!"

Larry Carroll

Holiness

Holiness - it's a wonderful thing.  It's pure, it's clean, it's beautiful.

Psalm 29:2 tells us to "Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

The Lord God can clean you up, make you holy, make you beautiful. And He wants to.  Let Him do it.

 Admit to Him that you really need Him, the only one who can bring you to holiness, to purity. to cleanliness, to real beauty - in Jesus.

Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

A Glow You Can't Hide

 

Moses, as he came down the mountain from the 40 days in God's presence, had a glow he couldn't hide. So, for others' sake, he put a bag over his head.

In Second Corinthians 2:14-16, we have a fragrance for the same reason - we have been in the presence of the LORD for a significant amount of time.

And we can't hide it.

Second Corinthians 2:14-16:

14.  Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 

15.  For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

16.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 

And we can't fake it.

Some people are happy with us when we diffuse the sweet smelling fragrance of LIFE all around.  But some people don't like it and want us to "put a bag over our heads".  Or maybe they'll bag our heads for us.  But even with a bag over our heads, we'll still smell sweet.

One speaker whom I respect added Psalm 23:6 here:

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever!

It is so worth the price, being in the presence of the LORD. Psalm 16:11 says "In His presence is fullness of joy!"

And we don't have to go up a mountain to be in His presence, He came down the mountain to be with us continually. And He said He would never leave us or forsake us.

Jesus! Hallelujah!

Blessings,

Larry Carroll

The Lord God is generous

 

The Lord God is generous with those who are generous.

It says so in Luke chapter 6 verse 38.

Read it in its context.

This is Jesus Christ talking here.

Blessings,

Larry Carroll

Soft Hearts

 

Our nation is divided, our politics are divided, and our news media has reported the nation as divided along lines that are not the root of the problem.  It's not right vs. left.

The real division in this nation is between people with soft hearts, people that care for others, vs. people with hard hearts.

People with soft hearts see a need and want to meet it somehow.  People with hard hearts don't care about any of it.

People with soft hearts see many needs, such as:

Pregnant women that feel like they need to make a choice between having this baby or survival.  To them, this is not just a fetus, this is their baby.  Yet to survive - how?

People, especially children, that are hungry.

People, especially children, that are chronically sick.

People in substandard housing.

People that have disabilities.

Young girls that are ensnared in sex trafficking.

People that have suffered loss due to natural disasters, whether they be hurricanes, floods, or wildfires.

People that are troubled or depressed or somehow need psychological help.

People that are lonely.

Immigrants that need to be integrated into our culture.

And actually, we see these needs exist all over the world!

What to do?  Well, if the needy is someone we know personally, then we can personally get involved.  And that will costs us something, money most likely, probably some time, too.

Soft hearted people are the people that give!  These are the people that volunteer to visit the sick, and/or tutor the ESL classes, and/or volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, or spend time and money to make food banks work, or make pregnancy resource centers functional.

If nothing else, they donate big time!

Of course, some needs are really beyond us personally, but we still care about these people that are caught in whatever trap has them.  OK, we can make donations, even small donations like $30 / month for a needy child in a developing country.

We know that a baby in the womb is just as precious as her mother who is struggling to survive.  Both are precious.

To say people that call themselves pro-life are only anti-abortion is really wrong.

And people that are pro-choice for the most part most likely don't want to see babies die in the womb, or even at all!

Soft hearted people: come together!  Work together!  Support each other!

Hallelujah!

OK, what have I missed?

Larry Carroll

Philippians 1:21, And Transitioning To a New Normal

The past few months I've been battling an on-and-off cough and with it an on-and-off runny nose.  It's gotten tiresome.  (The prescription for now is a Symbicort inhaler and OTC allergy relief medicine.)
Also, for the first time in 50 years, I am not going to be maintaining my yard.  A landscaping company will take over the task.
Also, walking around the neighborhood is doable, but, again, tiresome.
And finally, I have accepted my kids' declaration that I am a high-risk older person, and should stay home during this COVID-19 emergency!

So I feel like I started to transition from young-old to old-old.  Oh, I just started, I'm not really anywhere near old-old, but on the path.

A while back Philippians 1:21 caught my attention, which says, "for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  What caught my attention at first is the second phrase, "to die is gain".  That's comforting, and I truly believe it.  However, I knew right away that (for me at this time) this would be a selfish outcome.  So I will not entertain this thought.  It would be a selfish thing since many people I love, especially family, would be hurt badly.

Now I am focusing on the first phrase, "for me to live is Christ", since that is where I am.  I'm not dead yet, nowhere near dead.

So, I will get better.  I will pray.  I will heal.  I will strengthen myself.  I will rejoice in the LORD and praise His holy name.

And I want to enjoy the promise in Psalm 92 verses 12 through 14 which says, "the righteous...will still bear fruit in old age."  So I will still bear fruit in old age.  That sounds exciting, actually.

Hallelujah!

Blessings,
Larry Carroll

I'm Gonna Sing, in the Middle of the Storm

Raise a Hallelujah (I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm)

(Bethel Music)

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive!

We're living in a storm today, 16 March 2020.

The Coronavirus is here!  We have no vaccine for it!
Schools, churches, businesses are closed, some for two weeks.  Who knows, maybe longer.
Supermarkets were cleaned out last week, and it could happen again.
People are being laid off.
The stock markets are losing about 1/3 of their value.

But (some of the) Italians are singing from their balconies.  I like that.  Good for them, well, it's good if they have hope.

Singing in the middle of the storm is what Paul and Silas did in the Philippian prison, in Acts chapter 16.  Why?  Because the LORD promised them (and us) that He would never leave them or forsake them.  He was with them.  And they had a great deliverance!

The LORD said He will never leave you, too, since He is the same today as He was then.  And He is no respecter of persons.  Do you believe it?  Believe it!

___________________________________

A confirming scripture from Luke chapter 12, NKJV

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Believe it!

The Good News

The Good News

A friend of ours was talking with Helen and me last night and was asking how we can know that one religion is the best one, or is the right one.  He then said that for a community to live in an orderly fashion, it's just logical that people should not take other peoples' stuff or their wives, or kill each other, and that they should tell the truth, and give honor where it is due.  So how do we know which religion is right, since they "all" point us in a direction to do what's right?

Well, OK, since a religion is primarily a code of behavior, or a code of conduct, then anyone of them (maybe not some crazy ones) can setup a code that enables people to live orderly lives.  This is what governments attempt to do with laws.

But that is not the gospel; that is not the good news.  The good news is Jesus Christ: all He is, all He has done, all He is doing, all He has revealed to us, all He has freed us from, and all He enables us to do.

Jesus revealed to us what the Lord God is like, since He is God come as a Man.  [If you want to know what God is like, look closely at Jesus Christ.]  Jesus showed us that the Lord God wants to treat us as His own kids, to be to us a loving Father, to draw us to Himself, with only our best interests in mind.

Jesus made it possible for us to come into, and enjoy, Father's presence.  He setup the family as a model.  We see this as we read the first four books in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which describe Jesus explicitly.  In fact, the whole Bible reveals the goodness of God and His desire to develop a loving relationship with each of us.

Alas, I'm afraid many Christians see "Christianity" as just a good code of conduct, which hopefully will enable them to get along well with their neighbors and coworkers.  The afterlife is just a big unknown that we don't want to talk about.  Alas.  And God is scary!

No!  Father God is not scary!  Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and come to you, and to reveal His goodness, His mercy, His grace, His joy, His peace, His love!  Ask!

Larry Carroll

The Parable of the Fig Tree And The Purpose of the Fig Tree

The Parable of the Fig Tree
The Purpose of the Fig Tree

In Matthew 21 we read:
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

In Mark 11 we read:
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.
13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
...
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

There is a lot written on this account in the commentaries, since it is quite surprising, and to some people quite troubling. Why was this tree "cursed"? The fig tree is one of the things that symbolizes the Jewish nation, not just here, but elsewhere. And that's what people see here. OK, I understand that.

However, I see something else, in addition to the usual lesson.

Here is what came to me this morning:

Jesus cursed the fig tree, yes, but He didn't say, "Die", or anything like it. He just said, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again -or- Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." Same thing.

Here's my thought: If something alive loses its purpose for living, why should it continue to live?

So the fig tree died immediately. Having beautiful, showy leaves is not a good enough purpose for a fig tree to live. It must bear fruit. Let me repeat; it must bear fruit.

The same is true for people. People, individuals, need a reason or a purpose to live. They need significance. They need to "bear fruit."

Do you have a purpose? Yes, you do. Do you know what it is? Hey, the enemy is lying to so many and telling them they have no purpose, no value, no reason to live. It's a lie! Is this lie being spoken to you? Reject it!

OK, here are two reasons to live that Jesus gave us in Mark chapter 12. This is for everyone!
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.
31 And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

So, start here!

Larry Carroll