"The Disciplined Life" Pt 4 - Thursday June 25, 2026

“The Disciplined Life” Pt 4:

Kobe Bryant played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers and is recognized as one of the greatest basketball players of all times. A good friend told me a story about Bryant this week. A visitor in LA and had an opportunity to attend what he thought was a Laker practice. However, the only people in the gym were Bryant and a couple guys rebounding for him. This visitor watch Kobe Bryant shoot the same shot from the same spot on the floor for two consecutive hours.

 

Following this display of hundreds of shots, the individual spoke to Kobe. “I came to watch a practice, and you practiced only one shot, why?” The Hall of Famer responded, “So I won’t miss that shot in a game!”

 

Routines can be boring and seemingly mundane, but proper habit stacking not only moves a musician, athlete, or business executive from average to exceptional. The same is true for the Christian life. As a follower of Christ, we are called to a life of holiness. To live as Jesus lived. The sound of those words their immediate frighten most people.

 

Ephesians 5:1 says we are to be “Imitators of God.” We learn about God through one book – the Bible. The Holy Scriptures aren’t a Book we read occasionally. If you desire to live like Jesus a decision must be made – do you really want to put in the time and effort to learn about Lord of Lords and King of Kings?

 

Spiritual growth and faith building require spiritual disciplines. Show me a successful person in anything, and I’ll show you a person with discipline. It wasn’t luck, but the practice of proper decisions on a daily basis. What daily decisions do you make on a daily basis? What personal disciplines do you have in place that are helping you develop spiritual growth and good moral character?

 

Spiritual maturity isn’t a mystery or magical – it’s about practice. Growth and faith building come through repetition – through “CONSTANT USE,” which helps us distinguish between good and evil says Hebrews 5:14 (NIV). This series on “Discipline” will end tomorrow with Bible references admonishing us to build strong spiritual habits.

 

Pastor Carnes

"The Disciplined Life" Pt 3 - Wednesday June 24, 2026

“The Disciplined Life” Pt 3:

Learning something new is always exciting, even if at times, it’s challenging. Putting what has been learned into practice more often than not, requires time consuming practice. David didn’t just walk out on the hillside and throw a stone killing the giant. What he didn’t know was that while he was bored out of his mind watching sheep and occupying his time throwing stones with a sling, he was actually training for a personal battle with a giant.

 

When he took food to his brothers on the front lines facing the Philistines and heard the voice of a Goliath, he was prepared to take him down. How? Because of his repetition of throwing stones in the pasture, David was confident he could defeat Goliath. Spending time alone with his sheep also meant alone time with God. He never doubted God’s presence when facing the Philistine giant.

 

Life can be boring sometimes. It also gets turned upside down with problems and unexpected difficulties. Don’t get discouraged through the hard times, but realize God is preparing you for something much bigger that’s coming your way. David wasn’t aware of the fact that every day spent watching his flock and hurling stones through the air was actually God’s way of preparing him for his encounter with the huge man.

 

God also uses our “sideline” seasons to shape the character we’ll need when He moves us to the frontlines. Everything you have experienced in the past has been preparing you for today. The things we learn today and put into practice are equipping us for our tomorrows.

 

Like the athlete repeating drills, the gym rat repeating reps, or the musician repeating scales over and over, spiritual growth also comes though repetition. Consistent and faithful obedience over time. It’ s step by step – day by day – rep by rep. As you walk with God, each day He is building your faith, giving you knowledge and developing spiritual strength that you will eventually need at some time in the future.

 

Destiny isn’t a mystery and neither is living a daily life for Jesus. It’s a DECISION! The ceiling on your intimacy with God and impact upon those around you is dependent upon your daily decisions and disciplines.

 

Pastor Carnes

 

"The Disciplined Life" Pt 2 - Tuesday June 23, 2026

“The Disciplined Life” Pt 2:

Normal thoughts of discipline generally turn toward correcting a child for improper behavior. Of course, the same can be applied to an adult who’s unruly, underperformed on his job or broken the law in some way. But what about self-discipline?

 

Self-discipline is the effort put forth by an individual to get healthy, stronger, lose weight, prepare for a job, test, career, or any number of things which is good for the individual’s present state and future. Self-discipline also includes the ability to control your impulses, emotions, and behaviors to achieve long-term goals.

 

It’s consistently choosing to do what you SHOULD DO, rather than what you feel like doing. Will power is a necessary component of self-discipline. Will power is the mental energy required to resist immediate temptations and distractions. Developing a disciplined life demands more than an “I want to” or “need to.” IT’S A DECISION!

 

The decisions we make today will determine where we’ll be tomorrow. “When you’re born, you look like your parents, when you die, you look like your decisions,” said Dr. Crawford Loritts.” Training for the athlete requires discipline, as does learning to play a musical instrument. Concentrated study is involved for occupations as one learns the operation of certain things. The point is, discipline requires doing things over and over and over. How does this apply to our spiritual lives?

 

As believers, we want to let our life be an example for Jesus. You’ve heard it many times, becoming a Christian is easy – living the Christian life isn’t! It takes work – lots of work that involves a personal commitment to daily disciplines. A person that works out at a gym is familiar with doing reps. It’s lifting a certain amount of weight until it becomes routine, then adding on a few extra pounds. It’s like the learning a new play in football or a new set in basketball. The play is run over and over and over until it becomes natural and easy to do.

 

Sport terms are being mentioned because they are easy to understand and make sense. The same principle must be applied to our spiritual life. Tomorrow I’ll give scripture references and disciplines that should be put into practice.

 

Pastor Carnes

"The Disciplined Life" Pt 1 - Monday June 22, 2026

“The Disciplined Life” Pt 1:

Google states, “Discipline,” is the practice of training people to obey rules or code of behavior. In a broader sense, it encompasses self-control. It also states discipline is an act of teaching proper conduct to children for future behavior. If a person lacks self-control, they are out of control.

 

What does discipline mean to you? It’s fair to say, it’s different things for different people. It certainly can apply to personal behavior and one’s conduct. It also could mean a regimented routine of training for military personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters, athletes, and countless other things. Discipline includes time management making sure adequate time is set aside for study, forsaking certain things so effort can be put forth to reach a personal goal.

 

There’s one thing for sure. We all need discipline in our lives, especially when it comes to Christian conduct. God calls believers to a higher standard of lifestyle. He identifies this lifestyle as “holiness.” Ephesians 5:1 describes the Christian life in four simple words, “Be imitators of God!”

 

Spiritual growth comes through systematic and often sacrificial training. It’s setting spiritual goals and committing to those goals. If we’re to “imitate God,” then we better find out as much about Him as we possibly can. How does He relate to people, act under pressure, and respond when abused or criticized by others? I can promise, once you dig into God’s Word and discover what Jesus is really like, you’ll say, “ I could never live like that!” And you’re right.

 

Thankfully we don’t have to do it alone, for the more we read and study about Jesus, we discover the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit will help us. What relief to know we don’t have to fight spiritual warfare and other battles alone. But like the soldier, we must be prepared for battle every moment for they come without warning.

 

Over the next couple days, I’ll be sharing some things to help each of us develop a “Disciplined spiritual life.” Faith isn’t mystical or magical. It’s practiced obedience which allows God to form our spiritual reflexes through repetition.

 

Pastor Carnes

"Breaking the Chains of Sin" Pt 5 - Friday June 19, 2026

“Breaking the Chains of Sin” Pt 5:

Today many people feel “snared” (Proverbs 29:6), meaning held captive by a sin or sins. They feel so “entangled” (Hebrews 12:1-2) that they’ve come to believe they will never be able to escape its grasp. What they may not know is that believing this is to denounce the power of God and the promises He gives us in the Bible. Forgiveness, peace, and restoration, is not only available, but attainable.

 

Two things must take place before deliverance can happen. First, you must answer the question Jesus asked the paralyzed man, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6). Secondly, you must believe God can break the chains that are holding you captive. “If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed” (John 8:36). If want freedom, follow these 7 steps.

 

1. There must be a DEEP DESIRE. You must want whatever is holding you captive to be broken. A desire to change.
2. Seeking change will require a STRONG COMMITMENT. It’s personal and Satan won’t let you go easily.
3. HELP from OTHERS is needed. It’s okay to get professional Christian counseling. Attend therapy groups. Replace the places that tempt you with places that encourage you. A change of friends may be necessary.
4. Expect SET-BACKS. There will be times you may stumble. Failing doesn’t make you a failure. Evaluate the situation as to why you fell and make it a steppingstone rather than a stumbling block. Get up and get going!

 

5. Place complete TRUST in GOD and those sincerely wanting to help you. You don’t have to walk this road alone. Attend church services, join a small group Bible Study, find a solid Christian friend to confide in.
6. Have a VISION of what YOU can BECOME. Imagine what life will be like for you, your family, and friends. God is more interested in your future than your past..
7. Be DETERMINED! This isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a decision every morning when you get out of bed and countless decisions throughout the day. That decision? I WILL NOT give up because I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS and THERE’S NO TURNING BACK! Jesus loves you and what He’s done for others, He can do for you!

 

Pastor Carnes

"Breaking the Chains of Sin" Pt 4 - Thursday June 18, 2026

“Breaking the Chains of Sin” Pt 4:

When God created you, He gave put everything in you to lead a Christian life. There’s a reason you are here – you aren’t here by accident – you are not a mistake. You have meaning and purpose. As you’ve walked through life it’s possible some family members or friends have distorted or confused your God given purpose and somewhere along the way you lost or never found your spiritual identity.

 

While some may have led you down paths you wished you had never walked, it isn’t too late to turn around. God still loves you and His purpose for your life is still intact. You are special in His sight – a designer’s model if you please. You may feel trapped and controlled by the evil one sensing there is no hope.  Beware, for even as you read these words there are two voices speaking to you. One (Satan) is saying “You will never be able to live a Christian life. You’ve fallen to far, you’re in a hopeless situation, and everyone has given up on you!”

 

That’s the voice of evil speaking. The other voice is the God who created and brought you into this world. He knows your personal history. What you’ve experienced with family and friends. Your successes as well as your failures. He knows what you’ve done and what you should have done. Others have given up and maybe even closed a door prohibiting you from coming back. But that’s not God because He opens doors and stands with His arms spread wide.

 

“COME UNTO ME,” he says. Your life may be described like some one who said there are wild horses in me and I can’t control them. They take me places I don’t want to go. They make me do things I don’t want to do – I’m a lost cause! You may be lost, but like a sheep that’s strayed from the flock, the Good Shepherd is near and will rescue you.

 

There are three ways to deal with wild horses controlling your life. One is by letting the horses run wild claiming it’s not your fault and put all blame on others. Or deciding, “I’m my own person and I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, with whomever I want.” You have that choice, but how’s that working for you?

 

The second way is to kill the horses running rampant inside of you. But doing that will stifle your God given personality. It will also destroy any motivation to move forward and become the person God wants you to be. In a sense, destroying that personal will and grit removes the strength to face and fight the battles of evil.

 

There’s a third way of handling these wild horses – it’s GOD’S WAY!. God provides each of us with a bridle and saddle in which we can ride and control the wild horses within us. He enables us to take control of our life and helps us make right choices. Of course this is the HOLY SPIRIT! Proverbs 21:31 says, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle – but the victory belongs to the Lord.” Psalm 32:9 adds, “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle.” Everything you need to turn your life around is available and it’s found in Christ Jesus!

 

Tomorrow will the last of this series and will give seven steps that if followed, will “Break the Chains of Sin.”

 

Pastor Carnes

"Breaking the Chains of Sin" Pt 3 - Wednesday June 17, 2026

“Breaking the Chains of Sin” Pt 3:

Proverbs 29: 6 says, “An evil man is SNARED by his own sin.” Evil is defined as profoundly immoral, wicked, or depraved behavior. It refers to actions, motives, or forces that cause deliberate harm, pain of suffering to others or themselves. Evil is the opposite of being “good.” Snared, as mentioned in Monday’s blog is the attempts of Satan to trap a person into wrongdoing.

 

There are hosts of people today wishing they could break certain habits of sin but are discouraged because several attempts of escaping that bondage has not been successful. There are lots of things that can hold a person hostage. Here are a few. Pornography, uncontrolled anger, lying, jealousy, lust, gambling, illicit sex, alcohol, drugs, abusing others verbally, or physically. There are other things that can hold a person captive wishing they could be freed.

 

Some things hold people in mental captivity that they may not consider a sin, but it is detrimental to a person’s welfare. Things like low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, loneliness, a broken heart, being forsaken by parents or other relatives, divorce, memories of being molested as a child, and the inability to forgive yourself for a committed sin. Satan is relentless. He knows a persons’ vulnerability and will attack that area of their life at every opportunity.

 

Sin may be a “snare,” but Scripture offers hope to any person feeling trapped and in a hopeless situation. Hebrews 12:1-2 is a great example; “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the SIN that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.”

 

These witnesses are references of those wonderful people mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11. They stand in testimony that God has the power and grace not only to forgive sin, but to break the chains that hold people captive setting them free. God only knows the number of people He released from bondage that were suffering what you are. There’s HOPE and POWER in the name of Jesus. You too can be set free!!

 

Pastor Carnes