"Making Prayer a Priority" Pt 1 of 2 - Thursday May 28, 2026

“Making Prayer a Priority” Pt 1 of 2:

Most people, certainly followers of Jesus Christ, have a desire to become stronger in their faith. There are several things we can do to develop a stronger faith and help it grow, but the Apostle Paul seems to single out “prayer” as the most important thing a Christian can do to enhance their spiritual life. In Colossians 4:2 he instructs us to, “Devote yourselves to prayer…”.

 

Devotion requires giving your time, effort, and attention, entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause. It involves setting something or someone apart for a special dedicated purpose. Devotion will often require intentional sacrifice to faithfully commit to a solemn act – in this case – talking to and listening to God. If we “devote ourselves to prayer…”, what are some things we might expect?”

 

1. An INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ.
2. A right PERCEPTION and PERSPECTIVE of who God is.
3. A POSITIVE FAITH attitude.

 

4. A PURIFYING of my heart.
5. A PASSION for OBEDIENCE.
6. A PEACE with God never before experienced.

 

7. A realization that PERSONAL and PRIVATE TIME in prayer is the pathway to spiritual growth.
8. I will begin to understand GOD does PROVIDE my needs.
9. A great POWER will come into my life.

 

10. I will begin to experience SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY.

 

“ANYTHING THAT WILL DO THAT MUCH GOOD IN OUR LIVES DESERVES NUMBER ONE PRIORITY!”

 

Pastor Carnes

"Calling Upon God" - Wednesday May 27, 2026

“Calling Upon God”

A Christian with spiritual power in their life is one who prays. One who is blessed and receives big things from God, is one who prays. Please do not read this viewing God as a vending machine where you place a pray and receive instant results exactly as desired. The person with spiritual power is one dedicated to the Lord and seeks His will above all things, especially their own will. 

 

In Psalm chapter 5, David lays out a wonderful pattern for us to follow in our daily prayers. I’ll break it down in outline form encouraging you to read and use in studying his words. It may be of help if you’re “stuck” in your prayer life.

 

1. The Power of Prayer:

1. Pray with CONFIDENCE (v 1)
2. Pray with PASSION (v 2)
3. Pray with FAITH (v 3)

 

2. Wrong Living:

1. Arrogance (v 5)
2. Lies (v 6)
3. Irreverence (v 7)
4. Disobedience (v 7)

 

3. Right Living:

1. HOLINESS lifestyle (vs 5-6)
2. Personal DAILY Worship (v 7)

“If worship doesn’t change us, it has not been worship” – Richard Foster

 

4. Enjoying God’s Directive Will:

1. David prays for GUIDANCE (v 8)
2. David prays for JOY (v 11)
3. David prays for BLESSINGS (v12)

“When you please God, it doesn’t matter whom you displease. When you displease God, it doesn’t matter who you please.” – Anonymous

 

Pastor Carnes

 

"Little by Little" - Tuesday May 26, 2026

“Little by Little”

The title above is a phrase similar to just, “Take one step at a time.” Both of these indicate there are things in life that only come to completion over time. One thing most people have in common is impatience. We tend to want things done yesterday!

 

God told Moses, “I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you” (Exodus 23:21-22).

 

Note the words in verse (30), “Little by little I will drive them (their enemies) out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”  “Little by little!” Do you believe God could have wiped their enemies off the map a single stroke? Of course you do! But He didn’t.

 

We want immediate responses from God, but often He chooses to move “little by little?” Perhaps the answer has more to do about us, than Him. Not all of God’s solutions are instantaneous, but delay does not mean He’s not working. Maybe, just maybe, God is using the crisis, so we refocus on Him.

 

Like the Israelites, God wants our obedience. His Spirit is here to comfort, lead, and protect us. We know His promises, but maybe He allows trials and disappointments as a means of building our faith. When we’re absolutely helpless, who do we turn to? Tell me the last time you experienced a serious situation, and I’ll show when your dependency upon the Lord was most evident.

 

Pastor Carnes

"National Moment of Remembrance" - Monday May, 25, 2026

“National Moment of Remembrance”

In December 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, establishing the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance and designating 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day as a moment of silence.

 

The act calls for all Americans to pause wherever they are for one minute to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. The “Moment” is not widely known and a survey found most Americans were unaware of its existence.

 

Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. Veterans Day on November 11, honors all who have served. Memorial Day is the last Monday of May and honors those who lost their lives in military service.

 

The 3 p.m. observance time was chosen because it is when most Americans are enjoying the holiday. On this day and at this time, MLB games halt, Amtrak train whistles sound across the country, and hundreds of organizations nationwide pause to “Remember”.

 

We have the privilege to live in the greatest nation in the world. What has made and keeps it great are our heroes who stand and fight for our freedom.

 

Will you take at least ONE MINUTE on Memorial Day (3 p.m. would be nice, but don’t worry if you miss the exact time) to pause and remember those who have fallen in service and their families.

 

Pray for our country, President and National leaders as well as State and local officials. Pray that God will become first and foremost in the lives of American people.

 

May God Bless America! “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

 

Pastor Carnes

"The Spirit Controlled Life" Pt 8 - Friday May 22, 2026

“The Spirit Controlled Life” Pt 8:

This Sunday is one of the most important days in the history of the Christian church. It’ Pentecost Sunday and the day the Christian Church was born. The Holy Spirit filled the lives of the early disciples after ten days of praying and the spiritual power given them that day allowed them to share the Gospel with 3,000 people coming to Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we too are to continue spreading the Gospel to everyone we possibly can.

 

The Holy Spirit not only empowers one to share their faith, but when totally surrendered to the Lordship of Christ it’s also the Holy Spirit’s power that helps us walk, talk, and act like Jesus. This isn’t a one-time prayer or single surrender; it honestly should an everyday prayer of seeking the fullness of God’s Spirit.

 

Christ died to set us free from sin and from a long list of laws and regulations. Christ came to set us free – not free to do whatever we want because that would lead us back into slavery of our selfish desires. But because of His death and resurrection, we are now free and able to do what was impossible before – to love God and others.

 

There are four voices we hear every single day – our own, others, the devil’s, and the Holy Spirit. We must discern who’s talking and the Holy Spirit helps us do that. Living a godly life is rooted in surrendering to God’s will, renewing your mind, and actively practicing virtues like love, forgiving, and self-control (see Romans 12:1-2).

 

Galatians 5 gives a wonderful comparison of the virtues of a person living away from God and following their own sinful desires.  A description of one that’s controlled by the Holy Spirit follows. I call this the GREAT EXCHANGE. It’s getting rid of bad things in our life and replacing them with God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit). See the contrast below.

 

When following the desires of your sinful nature, the results are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasure, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21(NLT).

 

When accepting Christ as Savior followed by a total surrender of heart, mind, and will, the things above eventually fade away and are replaced by the Holy Spirit who takes control of our life. “The Holy Spirit produces the characteristics of God known as the “Fruit of the Spirit.” They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (vs 22-23 NIV). Quite the exchange, don’t you think? Which type life do you wish to have – one where Christ is the center of everything or led by your selfish desires? It’s your choice!

 

Pastor Carnes

 

 

"The Spirit Controlled Life" Pt 7 - Thursday May 21, 2026

“The Spirit Controlled Life” Pt 7:

The first step toward Godliness is recognizing the guilt of your sins and then asking Christ to forgive you. It might be interesting for you to know, salvation comes because God reaches out to you first. That’s the guilty feelings referred to followed by a sense of believing, “There has to be a better way to live,” and there is. However, attempting to make changes on your own is almost always short term. You’ll learn, changes don’t come from trying – real change comes from the inside out as the Holy Spirit is directing you. Change isn’t from trying, it’s from TRUSTING!

 

It’s God’s Spirit that convicts us from sin and convinces us changes are necessary. He also shows us, we can’t change without the Holy Spirit’s help. I love the word “help.” I always need help – you need help – we all need help. One of the names or characteristics given to the Holy Spirit is “Helper.” God sent his Spirit to help us live a life of holiness. It’s impossible to live that kind of life without His help.

 

As sinners who are hopelessly lost spiritually, we need a Savior and God sent His Son into the world. Having no sins of His own, He died for your and my sins. Think of it this way, “All have sinned,” and Jesus came to rescue us! Salvation is a term used to explain the crisis event of a person repenting of all sins and receiving Christ as Savior. They become a new creature and now changes begin to take place. 

 

At salvation, a person immediately becomes a born-again Christian. They are a babe in Christ and because of their repentance, changes begin to take place in the mind. New thoughts and desires come such as reading the Bible, praying, going to church, joining a Bible teaching Sunday School class at church or a home Bible Study with friends.

 

As a new believer or one that feels stagnant in your spiritual journey, think about this. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven after his resurrection, He informed the disciples, “I must go away so my Father can send you the “Helper” (John 16:7). The Helper is the Holy Spirit. He will give you wisdom, discernment, guidance, and comfort. You are on a new journey, and the Holy Spirit is here to help us become and live like Jesus. (Part 8 tomorrow – The Great Exchange).

 

Pastor Carnes

FW: "The Spirit Filled Life" Pt 6 - Wednesday May 20, 2026

 

 

From: Gerald Carnes
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 10:14 PM
To: 'blog' <mariettanaz.mariettafirstnaz@blogger.com>; 'mailchimp' <us9-036feab685-bf4cf57256@inbound.mailchimp.com>
Subject: "The Spirit Filled Life" Pt 6 - Wednesday May 20, 2026

 

“The Spirit Filled Life” Pt 6:

We closed yesterday’s devotional with a series of things to get out of our lives as recorded in Ephesians 4: 3-32. If you didn’t see that blog, get a Bible and read the passage. God doesn’t expect us to live perfect lives, but He does want us to live a life of holiness.

 

Many people say they want to live a Christian life but think they are incapable of doing so. Some feel their past sins are so great, even a loving God couldn’t or wouldn’t forgive them. I’ve said it before, we tend to overestimate the power of Satan and underestimate the power of God. People have habits and addictions they would do anything to break (and have tried) but feel it’s impossible to do at this juncture in their life.

 

At salvation, Jesus forgives us of every sin. Keep in mind, He knows everything about you – your strengths, weaknesses, attitude, desires, and habits. Despite what you’ve done, God is your Creator. He brought you into this world. His Son Jesus died a brutal death on the Cross so that you could repent of everything you’ve ever done wrong and be set free. Repenting is the first step toward Godliness. Don’t be surprised when Satan throws everything in hell at you. There’s no way he will give up easily and let you serve God.

 

Many say, “I just can’t do it!” This might shock someone, but the second step toward Godliness is admitting, “I can’t do this!” And you can’t. Satan is more powerful than you are and knows every evil trick in the book to confuse you, wipe away your confidence, self-worth, throw temptations at you, and will attack when you become vulnerable by letting your guard down. Satan wants you to quit – give up. He’s a master at convincing people of what they can’t do.

 

We find the devil’s mission in John 10:10 which is to destroy our lives. It says, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy. But “I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” I Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion; seeking someone to devour.” Despite every attempt of Satan to destroy you, remember God is on your side. You are His child and despite the attacks of the evil one, God says, “You are more than a conqueror through Him who loves you.”

 

Pastor Carnes