"Praying for Peace" - Wednesday July 1, 2026

“Praying for Peace”

Jesus said, “My peace I leave with you.” What did he mean and how could that make a difference in your life today? As you look around, you’ll notice lots and lots of things, but genuine peace isn’t one of them. People are worried about a variety of things.

 

It’s very sad, surveys reveal most high school students are afraid of attacks within their school. Of course, many fear the future because this present day isn’t very promising. Did Jesus really mean what He said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do let your heart be troubled and DO NOT BE AFRAID.” So, what do we do when we’re overcome by things we can’t control?

 

At one time or another, we have all experienced fear, anxiety, and worry. For some, it’s a condition that’s serious and requires professional help. But for many of us, it’s a condition of the heart and one that God talks about frequently in the scriptures. God wants to provide His unchanging peace to every one of us who struggles. Philippians 4:6-7 teaches us 4 kinds of prayer that will usher God’s peace into our lives.

 

“Do not be anxious about anything but in EVERY situation, by PRAYER and PETITION, with THANKSGIVING, present your REQUESTS to God. And the peace of God which TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, will GUARD your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The writer first commands us to not worry or about anything. Easier said than done, right? It will take CONSCIOUS EFFORT and practice not to worry!

 

Paul teaches us to take the things making us anxious and put them into God’s hands. That’s first (Prayer). It will be helpful to develop a ritual of when you first get up in the morning (before looking at your phone or anything else) to turn your thoughts upon God. Quote a Bible verse from memory or read a short passage from your Bible. Focus your mind upon the Lord before thinking about anything else. A prayer of PETITION is recognizing your desperate need for God. Tell God you can’t handle this situation and it’s hard not to worry about it. This is our way of acknowledging that we can’t provide for ourselves and that He is the One in control.

 

Thirdly, take that which you are struggling with to God with THANKSGIVING. Thank Him for the times past when you were in need and He answered your prayers. Give Him praise acknowledging and believing the solution to the problem is in His hands. And lastly, make your REQUESTS known to Him. Be specific – if it’s a health crisis, ask for His help in securing the right doctor. Whatever the need, spell it out and here’s why. When we don’t pray specifically, we can’t say for certain if God answered this prayer or another one. PRAY for PEACE, pray SPECIFICALLY, and EXPECTANTLY.

 

Pastor Carnes

 

 

 

"A Daily Decision" - Tuesday June 30, 2026

“A Daily Decision”

Sometimes making a personal commitment to Christ seems overwhelming. Where it truly is and should be a lifelong commitment, it basically is living one moment, one decision, and one day at a time. It’s long obedience in the same direction. If you are one that’s seeking God (wanting to find out more about Him) or a new believer, beware because you will be getting mixed messages. One is the Holy Spirit attempting to convince you this is a life transforming decision when your life is surrendered to Jesus, and there’s another voice saying, “You’ll never be able to live a Christian life!”

 

This is when you get alone, shut off your phone and close off all the outside noise and in your own words talk to God. You may or may not know many scripture verses, but if you’ve sensed a tug toward spiritual things in recent days, I can promise you, that’s not Satan – IT’S THE LORD!

 

The voice of God is the Holy Spirit who speaks to you through the Bible, your conscience, Christian friends, situations. circumstances, victories, defeats, illness, and even in times of loss. Satan condemns and pushes you down filling your brain with negative thoughts. The devils’ goal is to defeat and eventually destroy you, but God sent His Son Jesus to the Cross to save and rescue you.

 

Satan says you’re a loser – Jesus says you are victorious! The evil one says you’re worthless, but God says you have purpose. Satan wants to hold you captive and chained in bondage, but Jesus has come to set you free. Satan tries to convince you that you’re weak and will never be able to live for Christ, but the Apostle Paul teaches us, “I (you can do all things THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME (YOU)” (Philippians 4:13).

 

Each day the Lord reminds us of two distinguishing facts in John 10:10, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; BUT I have come that they (you) may have life and have it to the full (a life of purpose and meaning).”  Every day you have a choice – will you put your life in God’s hands and walk with Him, or allow the evil to influence your thoughts which directs your behavior? Remember, you are never alone when you’re walking with God!

 

 

Pastor Carnes

 

 

"A Deep Settled Peace" - Monday June 29, 2026

“A Deep Settled Peace”

My wife taught me many years ago and reminds me of this fact whenever she thinks I need it, “God doesn’t make sense!” It took a minute, but finally I realized God either does or allows things that seem strange to us at the time, but in the end, He has a purpose. The Bible says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23).

 

This past Sunday I began a short series of teaching on, “Why a Loving God Allows Suffering,” which is livestreamed on “You Tube” if this interests you. Class begins at 10:00am (EST). We just started, so you can catch up quickly.

 

We all agree there are lots of problems in our world. Tension between groups of people is high and growing. There’s hatred and violence in our streets, sickness, broken relationships, seasons of loss that break our hearts, and financial struggles that keep us awake at night.

 

Often you’re reminded of the words of Jesus in John 16:33, “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.” In moments of suffering or a relational conflict, sometimes it’s difficult to just get through the day. When you feel weighted down, it’s easy to feel isolated, or wonder if you’ve done something wrong.

 

When we begin to question God, we often question ourselves wondering what we have done wrong. If God is so loving and kind with the ability to heal, where is He? The “Why me?” question rolls around in our head along with, “How long will this last?” There are times we must conclude some things may never be answered this side of heaven. Let me add, if you’re in a really tough situation doesn’t mean it’s a sign of spiritual failure. (If it is, you’ll know it).

 

Personal problems are a part of the human experience that Jesus Himself assured us we would face. But the beauty of the gospel is not found in the absence of trouble, it’s found in the “PRESENCE of PEACE” amidst the trouble (Philippians 4:7). John 16:33 offered the disciples (and us) a lifeline. He acknowledged the inevitable pain of the world so that we would know where to look when it arrives. Our hope is not anchored in a life free from difficulty, but in a Savior who has already conquered anything and everything that threaten to defeat us. Because Jesus has overcome the world, we can face our hardships with confidence. Bring your brokenness to the One who loves you most and lean into His embrace.

 

Pastor Carnes

 

 

"The Disciplined Life" Pt 5 - Friday June 26, 2026

“The Disciplined Life” Pt 5:

When a person accepts a new job, he expects a training period which includes protocol, a procedural manual, and a form explaining polices. Depending on the expectations of the employer, more often than not, the training period may be over a couple days or weeks. Of course, the purpose of all this is to help the individual become the best employee they possibly can and be an asset to the company.

 

A person must be taught how (trained) when expected to do something they’ve never done before. When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, they become a “New creation, the old life passes away and all things become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a new life and thankfully God has given us a manual to read (the Bible), and One (the Holy Spirit) to guide and teach us. If we obey the instructions in God’s manual, we’ll experience a transformed life.

 

Learning something new requires commitment, discipline, and practicing it over and over. I don’t want you to take my word for this, so today a few of many Bible verses will be identified with each providing a word or words that indicate learning obedience is a repetitious process. Those words are CAPITALIZED. Take time to look these up in your Bible.

 

TEACHINGS  (2 Timothy 3:10). CONTINUE in what you have learned (2 Timothy 3:14), ALL SCRIPTURE -is GOD-BREATHED and useful for TEACHING – REBUKING – CORRECTING – TRAINING in righteousness so the person of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16). CONTINUE to work out (Philippians 2:12), let love and faithfulness never leave you; BIND them around your neck – WRITE them on your heart and you’ll find favor with God and man (Proverbs 3:3-4).

 

“Brothers, as you have obeyed, CONTINUE to work out your own salvation for it is God who works in you…” (Philippians 2:12). TRAIN up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The mature, who by CONSTANT USE have TRAINED themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14). TEACH God’s laws and commands to your children and their children as long as you live (Deuteronomy 6:1-2). Holiness is long obedience doing right things.

 

Pastor Carnes

"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