THANK YOU SO MUCH

THANK YOU SO MUCH

The other day I had the opportunity to talk to a guy at work, but when I began to tell him about my writing, I could tell that he tuned out. I know I should be more thick skinned, but I have to admit that it hurt my feelings.

And then there’s you. J I want to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to everyone who read my blogs. This Christmas card picture is for you. I find it inspiring, and I think you will too. There are so many teachings that could come from just this one picture. I hope it blesses you and if it sparks something in you, share it.

I’m praying that the light of God illuminates our every day through this Christmas season.

“Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105).

Thanks, Wendy, for this Christmas card that you and John gave me many years ago. I still treasure it as one of my greatest possessions.

Love, Carolyn

Don’t forget; you can buy one of my books or booklets online to send to a friend this Christmas. Or you can print a copy from a pdf or word doc.

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GOD KEPT IT PROTECTED - KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and protected by the Massorah. On the attached copy of a page from the Hebrew manuscript, you can see the smaller writing around the edges of the text. This is the Massorah, giving the necessary information for that page so that there could be no loss or misplacement of a single letter or word. It locks all the words and letters in their places by recording the exact number of times the different letters occur, the precise number of words, and the middle word of each book. The Massorah also records the number of verses for each book, the middle verse of the book, and many other minute and important details. The Lord set this up to protect His Word over time so that all people from all generations can trust it.

When the English translators got a hold of the Hebrew text, they chose English words to best express their understanding of the Hebrew. A good concordance gives me that same opportunity. I can look up the etymology of any Hebrew word and the intricacies of its definition. As I meditate on the definitions, the Holy Spirit teaches me beyond what I get from just reading the words the particular translator has used.

Often the extended definitions from Strong’s Concordance can give us a much deeper understanding of even the most familiar scriptures. (You can see Strong’s online @ https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=buckler&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1 )

We’ll look at two verses from Psalm 91, and I’ll show you how I look up the meanings of the words, meditate on them, then make them personal without compromising on integrity or how the scripture fits with the rest of the Bible. All of the definitions I’ve used come from Strong’s except as noted in the definition of “Almighty.”

The first verse is Psalm 91:1. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

The word “dwelleth” is the Hebrew yashab defined as sitting down with, remaining, settling down with, continuing with, marrying, being still with. “Secret” is cether, a place where you’re covered, a hiding place, a place of protection. “The most High” is El Elyon, the Highest, Supreme, uppermost. There is no one and nothing higher. “Abide” is the Hebrew lyin which means to stop (usually overnight), implying to stay permanently, remaining, continuing. “The Almighty” is El Shaddai. Young’s Concordance defines this as the God of overflow, constant supply, and source of all sufficiency.

When I meditate on those definitions and put it all together this is what I come up with for myself: “Carolyn, sit down a few minutes and make yourself relax. Settle down, be still and picture yourself snuggled up in the protected hiding place of God, up next to the One Who is the Highest Being ever to exist. He wants you there. You can stay overnight, and then in the morning you’ll be right by His side, and go wherever He goes, close enough that you’re in His shade, enjoying a constant overflow from Him. This is where you are always protected and where the source of everything good comes from and it’s your special place. No one and nothing bad is allowed to get to you here.”

The next verse I want to look at is Psalm 91:4. “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”

The word “cover” is translated from the Hebrew sakak which means to join together and shut up, entwining as a screen, to fence in or hedge in for protection and defense. “Feathers” are from the root word abar which means to soar or fly. “Truth” is emeth meaning stable, certain, sure, faithful, established and right. “Shield” is the Hebrew tsinnah, a word for pointed hook, prickly like thorns or a cactus hedge. It is a large shield that guards by prickliness. It also carries the definition of being piercingly cold. “Buckler” is translated from cochera, a shield that completely surrounds a person.

I meditate on these definitions and put this verse in words that communicate to me: “I am joined together close to the Most High, entwined so close in His screen that nothing and no one can come close to me to cause me harm in any way. I soar with Him and trust His wings over me as we fly together. I only need to believe and speak His truth, which is certain. Since He is the Most High God, His truth is always right. With it I have a shield which not only protects me, but encases me entirely. With it I am the one who hooks and pierces the enemy, not the other way around. When the enemy tries to come against me, the certainty of God impales him as if he fell into a hedge of barbed cactus. The piecing cold freezes the enemy, and without remorse I pierce him through, destroying his power and rendering him ineffective.”

Studying the scriptures by meditating on them in the method I’ve shown here, is something we can use to personalize God’s truths and make our everyday lives more victorious.

Love, Carolyn

QUESTIONS FOR PONDERING OR DISCUSSION

1.      Look again at the definitions I’ve given you from the verses in Psalm 91. Meditate on them for a few minutes. How would you write up those verses for yourself without compromising the integrity of the scripture?

2.      What are some other passages you’d like to look at, using this method?

FOR FURTHER STUDY

The Companion Bible with notes and appendices by E.W. Bullinger

            Appendix 30 – 33 pages 31-33 The Massorah

            Appendix 93 –  page 133 The Alleged Corruptions of the Hebrew Text

THIS IS A CHAPTER FROM MY FIRST BOOK. A SAMPLE BOOK BIBLE STUDIES, WHICH INCLUDES THIS CHAPTER AND OTHERS, IS FREE thru TUESDAY.

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GOD IS THE PROMOTER

GOD IS THE PROMOTER 

If you’ve tapped into certain talents you were born with, and you’ve made great strides in life, that’s wonderful. But never make the mistake of thinking your talents or special abilities originate with you. If you’re good at something, give God the glory. Give Him credit for putting certain wonderful, inventive, creative, and insightful abilities in you, and give Him the thanks.

The older I get, the humbler I get. A while back someone told me, “You’re a much better gardener than I am.” It wasn’t as much of a statement of fact, as a concession speech, as if we were competing. I was flabbergasted! I had no idea this person was competing with me—over gardening? Crazy.

Gardening is a pleasure for me, a pastime, a hobby. The fact that things grow for me is not because of my great skill, but because of God. He loves me, and I love Him, and so my garden grows. God gives me the insight and the direction, and I just follow and have fun. It works the same with my painting.

I didn’t even start painting as a career until I was 40-years old. I don’t have a degree. The Lord Jesus gives me the ability to see and copy. He’s the one who put me on jobs with prestigious clients—projects other painters would be jealous of. But for me, it’s not about the client; it’s about the challenge and fun of succeeding in the painting itself. It’s the Lord who puts the “how to” in me. From my viewpoint, I’m never in competition with anyone, because I know the Lord is my promoter, and I look to Him. I don’t have to compete.

If it seems that people are trying to compete with you, don’t let it bother you. Be happy with who you are. You are only in a position that others may covet because God put you there. He can do it for them too.

Psalm 75:5-7 tells us promotion is from the Lord: “Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

David was a great warrior because God made him that way. And Saul started off with the God-given ability to be a great King, but Saul got covetous of what David had, and it drove him to mental illness.

1 Samuel 18:6-12 tells us:

“When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.

“This was their song: ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!’

“This made Saul very angry. ‘What’s this?’ he said. ‘They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!’

“So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman.

“David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.

“Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul.”

Saul was stubborn. Instead of being happy with the abilities God gave him, He wanted what David had. But he couldn’t have it and because of his stubborn ambition, he also lost his kingship. 1 Samuel 15:23says: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity [sin in your ancestors, passed down to you] and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”

Meanwhile, God showed David how to avoid Saul, and David kept his heart in the Lord.

So don’t worry if you feel others may be a little jealous of you. Just keep looking to Jesus and be happy with yourself. Let’s be humble and thankful because all the good things we are, came from Him. Other people don’t need to be covetous. They can be just as happy as we are if they just do what we do—humble yourself to Him.

1 Peter 5:6 is the best step to promotion: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” It’s God’s Word. It always works.

Love, Carolyn

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THE DANCING FEET OF AN EVANGELIST

   

THE DANCING FEET OF AN EVANGELIST

It all started when she had to call for a tow truck because again the car wouldn’t start. Jane got surprised by a guy with the ministry of an evangelist, which is delightfully unique. I’m not talking about the evangelists that have the big gatherings, but the boots-on-the-ground guy or girl who lives at ground level like us. To people who are unfamiliar with this ministry, the brash fervor of an evangelist can seem annoying, but once you realize it’s God’s anointing on them, you have to smile and enjoy the flow of their dancing feet. “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tiding of good things!” (Rom 10:15).

Jane got in the tow truck. The driver was a middle-aged, dark-haired man with a Middle-Eastern accent. Jane thought the music sounded Middle Eastern as well. With all the immigration chaos going on, she was hesitant to ask him where he was from. The last time the car wouldn’t start, she had the same towing company, and the driver was from Iraq, illegal and working off the book. But she went ahead anyway and asked where he was from. He said, “I am from a crazy country in the Middle East.” She asked, “Afghanistan? Iran?”

He answered, “Iraq.” And Jane asked, “Are you a citizen?”

He proudly answered, “Yes. I’ve been here five and a half years. I became a citizen and my wife also and my children. We are all full-fledged American.” He went on to say that he came to America because of religious persecution. He was a Catholic in Iraq. His parents were Catholic, and all his family was Catholic. He said only 5% of the population in Iraq is Catholic and all Christian people face the daily danger of being killed and their possessions confiscated. Then he began to witness to Jane about Jesus and all the benefits of believing in Jesus. 

When a true evangelist gets started, it doesn’t matter if you are a Christian already, a preacher or whatever. When the anointing of an evangelist gets going, there’s no stopping for anything. The fervor of those beautiful dancing feet are in full motion.

This man told Jane that he would talk to his Muslim friends about the 72 virgins they were promised. “What is any man going to do with 72 women?! And what do the women get if they die for Allah? 72 men? What can a woman do with 72 men? How can she take care of them?”

He went on to say, “Jesus promises eternal life. What good does it do to have ten rich houses and ten cars in Iraq if you’re living in a country where you’re always afraid you’ll get killed by someone who wants your things or the government decides to take them? I’d rather have my little house and small car here and be able to go out and be free.”

Jane asked him, “Do you talk to everyone who gets in this tow truck?”

He replied, “Everyone hears about Jesus when they get in this truck.” And he dropped Jane off with a handshake, and a “God Bless You!” 

In Romans 10:15, where God says, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tiding of good things,” the word translated “beautiful” is a Greek word meaning “the bloom and vigor of life.” It is often joined with another Greek word that suggests “grace of movement.” That’s where I get the idea of the dancing feet of an evangelist.

For those of us who are not evangelists, to behold a true evangelist is like watching an amazing ballet, tap dance, or modern dance artist. You are not to interrupt the dance, but watch in utter amazement something that is unique and beautiful, a special gift from God.

When David brought God’s Word into Jerusalem, he couldn’t help himself—he was so full of delight he danced. This is how I see the true evangelists.

“So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:12-14). 

The words “gospel” and “glad tidings” in Romans 10:15 are both the same Greek word “euggelizo,” which means “the joyful tidings of God’s kindness, in particular, of the Messianic blessings.”

When it says, “glad tidings of good things,” the word “good” is “useful, joyful, happy, upright and honorable.”

We need to learn how to appreciate all the ministries in the body of Christ. What a huge blessing for Jane to experience the private dance of God’s evangelist gift this week. I pray that you get to see this sometimes too.

Love, Carolyn

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TOXIC TRIO

TOXIC TRIO

I used to follow some of the teaching ministries of the megachurches until I realized I wasn’t getting the results they promised. After studying the Bible on some of the major demons, I could see that some of these mega preachers were operating under the influence of what I call the toxic trio: Leviathan, Jezebel, and Balaam. Leviathan is the father of pride and is like a snake; Jezebel is a charming spirit, and Balaam manipulates for money.

Job 41 tells us many characteristics of Leviathan. A Leviathan spirit is arrogant. And sometimes Leviathan is called a snake. A snake can be very quiet, and a master of camouflage. A cobra could be right in front of you, and you might not even see it for quite a long time until it rears its ugly head and becomes obvious.

Sometimes the term “Leviathan” is translated “crocodile.” I watched crocodiles when I lived in Africa. They appeared slow moving, lying on the water’s edge or napping in the grass, lubberly. I watched one crocodile barely raise his eyelids to get focused on the exact position of a young wildebeest on the far bank. Then with a sharp whiplash of the tail, he slid his reptilian body into the water. He was hidden for a time as he crossed unseen, then with a violent thrashing, he launched with unbelievable power, up out of the river, his open mouth dripping water. Then with a sharp snap, he closed down on the wildebeest’s leg. The crocodile pulled the struggling beast into the muddy water then began to roll, over and over until the wildebeest’s leg twisted off and tore away from its body.

Leviathan seen in a preacher’s actions and words, twists the truth to make it fit their agenda. They wind a good tale to tear believers apart from each other.

Some of the most pious-looking, soft-spoken, affable preachers are not as humble as they might seem. They convince themselves that they are right. Pride blinds them from being able to take correction from their constituents, and they think they are above the law. They become unbudgeable.

Job 41:15-17 says: “His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.”

Job 41:33-34 says the spirit of Leviathan “is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.”

One of the things Leviathan does is twist or pervert the truth. Isaiah 27:1 says: “In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent.”

We see that a Leviathan spirit has a big ego, and feels that he or she is beyond reproach. But to entice followers in the church, a Leviathan spirit often collaborates with a Jezebel spirit, the smooth-tongued, delightful, charming spirit. Jezebel is oh so convincing. In a man or a woman, the Jezebel spirit is the one who promises the world. “Follow me, and I will give you everything your heart desires.” A Jezebel tells you he or she has all the answers.

In 1 Kings 21, Jezebel saw that her husband was sad. He had a problem, and she was going to be his savior to get that problem solved. 

“Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

“And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

“And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite” (vv. 5-7).

The thing Jezebel didn’t tell her husband is that she planned to kill Naboth to get the vineyard! Some of the mega preachers will tell you they will get you prosperity and long life and many blessings, but they neglect to tell you what they have done to get your attention in the first place and that the prize is not what you think it is.

Then there’s the spirit of Balaam. Balaam would do just about anything for money. In Old Testament times, people paid the prophets to speak what they, the people, wanted to hear. In Numbers 22 we see where King Balak wanted Balaam to condemn the Israelites. Balak sent his men with money for the message they wanted to hear. Balaam was a God-fearing man so he prayed to God about what he should do.

In this blog I’m not trying to say that all mega preachers are bad. But as a Christian believer, watchman, and writer, God requires me to warn His people sometimes, wake them up and tell them to open their eyes and ears to the truth. Balaam was not a bad person. But money got the best of him. He tried his best to wait on God, but he slipped up. God told Balaam, “IF” the messengers came back in the morning, he could go with them. But Balaam was already counting his gold. Instead of waiting for the messengers, he conveniently left out the “if” and jumped up and went with them.

Jezebel entices people by promising great things, but she or he colludes with Balaam to find a way to get paid for it. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, the TOXIC TRIO of Leviathan, Jezebel, and Balaam are bringing even more than triple trouble to the body of believers. Please consider this and take heed to yourself if you have been caught up in a crocodile’s jaws.

Love, Carolyn

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THE AHAB AND JEZEBEL SPIRITS

THE AHAB AND JEZEBEL SPIRITS

A Jezebel spirit is charming. It can operate in a man or a woman. But it can’t operate at full capacity without its companion spirit, Ahab. When Ahab, one of God’s anointed leaders, married Jezebel, it was not a godly partnership. God didn’t say anything against Jezebel, but instead, 1 Kings 16:30 reads: “Ahab did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.” What is it about an Ahab that makes God unhappy? The Ahab spirit makes good people weak and easily manipulated. God doesn’t want His people abused. The Ahab spirit knows that a person wants to feel worthwhile, wants to be powerful and make a difference in life.  But the Ahab spirit makes the person compromise and capitulate to get it.  

An Ahab values peace more than purity. He or she would rather make a truce than a righteous covenant. They fear confrontation and will do just about anything to avoid it. Those under the influence of an Ahab spirit are passive. They like the position of authority, but look for someone else to make the confrontational and difficult decisions. They allow the person under the spirit of Jezebel to have acting authority. Ahab of the Bible allowed Jezebel to set up her witchcraft, her sacrifices to Baal, her strange religions and eventually Ahab sat by, letting Jezebel even murder the true prophets of God. Jezebel is a charmer, funny, engaging and even delightful, but once in control, vicious.

The word “Jezebel” means “unmarried, uncommitted, unrestricted.” A Jezebel spirit is always looking for an Ahab to control. Jezebel is not committed to Ahab but uses Ahab to facilitate his or her plans. And Ahab is a willing client. In psychology, the relationship between Ahab and Jezebel is called co-dependency. Jezebel needs a weak person and Ahab, who hates confrontation, needs a strong one.

Ahab conforms, compromises and counterfeits. He or she doesn’t want to make waves. Peace is prized above truth and the feeling of serenity above purity. 1 Kings 16:31 says Ahab thought it was no big deal to connect with Jezebel and “walk in the sins of Jeroboam.” Jeroboam was a master of compromise. The people were supposed to go to Jerusalem for their feast, but since Jeroboam was afraid they’d want to serve the king there, instead of him, he decided to do his own thing. He made up his own rules, contrary to the rules of God.

It looked pretty good, but it was a counterfeit. Jeroboam made some gold statues similar to the ones they made in the wilderness, set up two places for the feast—places much easier to get to than Jerusalem, and he changed the feast month to make it more convenient for him. (See 1 Kings 11:26-16:27.) It didn’t work out well for Jeroboam or his people.

When compromise starts, it escalates into the making up of new rules and situational ethics. Jezebel is allowed to make the rules, while Ahab feels obligated to religiously follow them, for fear of confrontation, a fight, or losing the relationship entirely.  An Ahab recognizes wrong, but fear binds him. The Ahab can see a wrong but is afraid of the consequences of standing up to it.

The devil always wants to set up unhealthy, unholy co-dependent relationships and the Ahab/Jezebel is a perfect example.

The great thing is that both of these spirits are flighty—they easily flit back and forth, in and out. They’re fickle, which makes them easier to tackle and take out. They’re renters, not homeowners. When we recognize their characteristics, we can do something about them.

Rebuke them in the name of Jesus Christ. Tell them they cannot be in charge of you anymore. Tell them to find someone else to bother, or better yet, go out to outer darkness, in the name of Jesus.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). We are bold and brave. We do not have to be co-dependent with anyone but the Lord. He is our safety, our leader, our standard.

We don’t bow to anyone but God because only He deserves our love and trust. The Lord loves us enough to hear our prayers and set us free of any demons. His rewards for relationship are everlasting and eternally good.

Love, Carolyn

God inspires these articles, and you can find other great life-changing insights in these digital downloads and paperback editions. If you would like to receive a free sample book, email me at cjmolica@hotmail.com .

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ADMITTING WEAKNESS AND GETTING STRONG

ADMITTING WEAKNESS AND GETTING STRONG

Our good friend Valerie was in town for work and had to leave her two kids with her ex-husband. She said he was trying to recover from alcoholism, but when she spoke with him on the phone, she could tell by his slurred words that he’d been drinking. She was terrified. She told us her world was falling apart. What did I do? To be honest, I was caught off guard and didn’t do the right thing. I got emotionally caught in her downhill spiral. How often have we done that?

We know that Jesus always has answers for every situation, but we let ourselves get swirled around in the whirlpool of the other person’s problems and get sucked down the drain of disaster with them; nobody gets helped that way. We can empathize too much and get overwhelmed ourselves.

We said we’d pray for Valerie and then she left and I felt this emptiness as I saw her walk away. I prayed for Valerie that night, but I still had a niggling feeling that things weren’t quite right with how I handled the situation. Somehow I missed something.

I didn’t realize what it was until three days later. Jesus told me what was wrong. I’m a minister, and I should have taken her outside away from other people and prayed right there. That was when she needed it.

Jesus let me know that I’d messed up big time and I needed to repent, which I did. Of course, I felt terrible, and since Valerie had already gone back home to another state, I emailed her to apologize. I’d lost the opportunity to minister to my friend at her point of need.

I thought of James 2:15-16 where it says: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and you say to that person, ‘God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,’ but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing.” As it says in Hebrews 1:1: “NOW faith is,” not later when I get around it.

This experience was a great wake-up call for me. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. But Jesus has given us the ability to overcome our weaknesses. My strength is in my writing. My weakness is in thinking on my feet and acting immediately. But I’m determined, with Jesus’ help to change that, “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16).

I don’t want to be “unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake” (Rom. 13:11). “Let the weak say, I am strong” (Joel 3:10). I hope this story is helpful to you and I know we’ll all be ministering more quickly and efficiently in the love of Christ.

Love, Carolyn

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A BIBLE IN YOUR ROOM?

A BIBLE IN YOUR ROOM?

Whenever I travel, I always look in the bedside drawer to see if there’s a Bible. I can’t remember not seeing one. But last week there was an article on MSN news, saying: “If Rocky Raccoon were to check into his room today, there’s a lesser chance that he would find Gideon’s Bible. Bibles are disappearing from hotel drawers around the country, according to a survey from STR, a hospitality analytics company.” After they took prayer and the Ten Commandments out of schools here in the US, there was an increase in school killings. I don’t want the same thing to happen around the country with the hotels, the places people go for vacations.

The article went on to say: “Over the past decade, about 15 percent of hotels have stopped providing in-room religious materials. In 2006, almost every single hotel (95 percent) put a Bible in their bedside drawer. Today that number is only 79 percent. Most major hotel franchises allow individual hotel owners to decide whether or not to stock their drawers with religious scripture. And as more hotel chains aim to attract Millennial travelers, they are taking Bibles out of their rooms.

“When Marriott opened its new Moxy and Edition hotels, they decided they wouldn’t put religious books in the room because the ‘books don’t fit the personality of the brands,’ a spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times. Millennials are the least religious generation in American history. They’re also one of the most highly-targeted marketing demographics.”

After reading this, I decided to call ten of our local Hotel/Casinos and ask if they had Bibles in their guest rooms. I got some interesting answers. One fellow said no one ever asked him that question. He assumed the Bibles were there, but he wasn’t sure. He called a couple of different departments and found to his surprise that they weren’t in the room, but you could call down, and they would get you one. He sounded a little sad.

Another hotel gave me the same answer. Ten out of ten calls and not one person could answer me on the first try. Every one of the people who answered the phone at either reservations or the concierge had to call somewhere else to find out if they had Bibles in the rooms or if they didn’t.

I was happy to find out that seven out of the ten Hotel/Casinos here in Vegas said yes to my question; they do have Bibles in the guest rooms.

So as the traveling season is upon us, you may want to consider this as you choose where you want to stay. And if you choose to stay in one of the hotels or motels who decided that offering Bibles “doesn’t fit the personality of their brand,” God still loves you.

The MSN article tells us: “There’s a new, Millennial-focused amenity that comes standard: about 98 percent of hotels now offer in-room Wi-Fi. So those that miss the bedside Bible can now instead browse a digital version of whichever scripture they prefer.”

Love, Carolyn

You can read one my books or booklets on one of your devices, as well J.

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FRIENDS IN HARD TIMES

FRIENDS IN HARD TIMES

One month after her surgery Anne entered into the familiar storefront meeting room. All her old friends were there but they treated her differently.

She looked pale and weak, not the funny, fearless person they knew pre-surgery. They smiled politely and got involved in other conversations, leaving Anne out. What was going on?

The Holy Spirit told me they were afraid. They were used to a person who looked healthy, was strong and wise. She was still the same wise person, but physically she didn’t look healthy and strong like before. They didn’t know how to handle it, so they didn’t talk to her. They avoided her for several months after her surgery.

At first, I was mad at them for being so callous and disrespectful, but then I realized THEY were the ones to be pitied.  They were missing out on a great experience. What they could have gained in wisdom, understanding, and guidance, they had given up because of their fears.

They just couldn’t seem to see past Anne’s exterior appearance and perceived weakness.

People get sick and have things happen to them that change them. That’s just a fact of life. But as Christians, we need to be able to give them the respect and love they need.

The other day I was driving home from work, and Jane was in the passenger seat. We were approaching a corner where we’ve seen a skinny raggedy-looking homeless man many times waving and smiling at everyone. The Lord told Jane to give the guy $2.00. He was so excited and talked super-fast as he told us he had been off of drugs and alcohol 15 days now and he could drive, and he could work. Jane and I both told him, “good job!” He “God blessed” us several times as we said the same back to him. When we drove off, we both realized the guy was not nearly as excited about the money as he was about having someone to tell his story to and them telling him he was doing a good job. People want to be respected and appreciated.

Our God looks at the heart of a man or woman. When God sent Samuel to find a king to replace Saul, even the great prophet was only looking at the exterior:

“And it came to pass, when they were come, that he [Samuel] looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam 16:6-7).

God doesn’t look at race or nationality, male or female, background, culture, sickness, weakness or health. God looks straight through to the heart, and we need to practice this too.

We all go through down times, weak times. We don’t want to abandon people when they’re going through something. James 3:17 says the wisdom of God is not hypocritical and neither is God’s love.

When people we know are having a hard time, we need to be spiritually sensitive to their situations. We need to have a little more patience, respect, and love. Isn’t that what we want when we feel down or weakened?

Love, Carolyn

The holidays are here. One of my books or booklets would make a * * ! ! ! GREAT RANDOM GIFT  #GOLOVE for a friend or family member who’s maybe going through a bit of a hard time.

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