WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

My mom passed away a few years ago. In 1 Corinthians 15:55, God tells Christians to consider the question: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” The answer is that for Christians who take their last breath on earth, death no longer has a sting, and the grave has no victory either. We pass from one life to another, a life that is wonderful and everlasting. But when a pivotal person passes away, those of us who are left are sometimes forced to answer a different question: “Where do we go from here?” Everything is different now and it's kind of scary and empty feeling.

 

My mom’s passing was the end of an era: No dad and mom anymore, no more Christmases like before, no more laughing at silly cards, no more talking about the deer and birds we saw out her big picture window. Certain traditions stopped suddenly, and I asked myself: “What now?”  I realize many of you have experienced this feeling and you’ve gotten through it. People have lost husbands, wives, children, siblings, parents, and best friends. People have lost their countries altogether. I never knew how many things change as a result of certain losses. And I definitely feel like I have gained more empathy for those who have experienced great loss.

 

Some losses are less painful, and then there are those that hit deeper, and the changes are not gentle, but radical. I felt like I was stuck in a bit of an empty space. What am I going to do? This feels kind of lonely and weird. But I had choices.

 

I could either stay in a quandary and just let life happen, or I could change the “empty” to “opportunity.” I chose opportunity. It’s kind of like a rebirth. I could discover new things and make new traditions, but never without the guidance of my Lord would I ever even attempt such things. I had to let God guide me to the next thing, which at that moment, well, I had no idea what that might be.

 

This new frame of mind made me think of Abraham when God told him to take off to a place he didn’t know. 

 

Genesis 12:1-2 says: “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.’”

 

At the time, God didn’t even tell Abraham where He planned for him to go. It was less about the physical destination, and way more about the spiritual relationship, daily destined to pay attention to the Lord’s leading. Abraham’s physical destination didn’t matter nearly as much as his destiny to daily dwell in the presence of God. That is our ultimate destination and destiny as well.  

 

Hebrews 11:8 reiterates: “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”

 

Psalm 91:1-2 gives me inspiration: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

 

My mom loved God; she loved the Bible; she loved adventure; and she loved new things. Her passing not only opened a new life for her, but it opened new things in life for me, too. I now have more compassion for those who have lost pivotal people in their lives. I stick closer to God and to the Lord Jesus, living more by faith.

 

We obey the Lord like Abraham did, making new traditions, but always determined to be flexible to the Lord’s nudgings. We remember to live for God first.

 

Where do we go from here? I don’t know, but I do know we have the absolute best guide.

 

Love, Carolyn

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JESUS THE INSTIGATOR

JESUS THE INSTIGATOR  

When the dentist finished putting the composite filling in my tooth, the dental assistant held something in my mouth that looked like a fat pen. I heard it buzz a couple times. Then she took it out. What the heck was that?

 

The dentist explained that it is a blue light. He said it’s an instigator—it starts a chemical reaction in the two mixed materials for the filling.

 

In looking up the light spectrum, I found that blue light helps boost alertness, heighten reaction times, elevate moods, and increase the feeling of well-being. It’s a high-energy wavelength. I immediately related this to my Lord Jesus.

 

I thought of the verse where Jesus said: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Jesus is like the blue light. He’s an instigator. He gets things started. He starts us out as a fresh Christian when we accept Him as Lord of our lives. His light cleanses us of all sin, guilt, and shame. Later in our spiritual walk when we need new inspiration or a fresh revelation, He’s there to give a jump start.

 

We call on Jesus to give us more light on a situation where we feel like we’re in the dark or confused or anxious. Jesus makes a way out of any aspect of darkness and will continue to guide us with His light if we let Him.

 

I’ve found that when I prayed for the light of Jesus to intervene in a situation, it triggered a domino effect in circumstances that I really had no control over, things I certainly couldn’t change or fix by myself.

 

The Instigator, Jesus, gets things rolling, and then we get to watch and see how awesome the results follow through, often in ways we would have never dreamed of or expected.

 

My dentist said the light instigator shining on the two parts of the composite material made it set up much faster than in the old days.

 

I want to be quicker to call on Jesus’ light in my situations. With His jump start, the results will most likely be speedier too.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

I have published two Spiritual Life Workbooks and am working on number three. They are designed to help Christians grow in spiritual understanding and practical application. These books are packed with 52 short true narratives (one for each week of a year) to inspire and enhance your spiritual growth.

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BODYGUARDS FOR LIFE

BODYGUARDS FOR LIFE

Mario told me he drives 23 hours straight through when he takes his family to visit relatives in Mexico. I asked him why. He replied, “There are many banditos in the hills along the way, and I am protecting my family.” It reminded me of Genesis 24, where Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for Isaac. The servant had doubts about the trip, but Abraham told him, “The Lord will send his angel before thee and with thee, and prosper thy way.” What did this mean?

 

The servant had to travel about 450 miles through rough lands carrying a dowry for the prospective bride. Like with my friend Mario, there were bandits along the way ready to rob the servant of his many precious treasures. Part of the angel’s job was to go ahead of the servant and make sure the bandits were not going to be around to attack and steal the goods. Abraham was wealthy, so he would have had many camels with loads of gold, silver, beautiful clothing, and other wonderful things.

 

The other part of “prospering thy way” was to make sure the servant got to the right destination and receive what the Lord had planned for him (the perfect wife for Isaac). And, indeed, it did happen.

 

How do these scriptures relate to us? If you consider that our lives are a journey, then these verses from Genesis 24 relate to us in many ways and can be applied in many circumstances. Even on a daily basis we want our journey for that day to be spiritually prosperous, and we want to get to the Lord’s desired destinations for each day.

 

Also, like Abraham’s servant, we travel with treasures. Our true treasures include our spiritual acuity, and our mental strength, as well as our physical ones. We want them to last and not be lost or stolen along the way.

 

In Matthew 26:53, we see that Jesus could have asked for the help of angels: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” Twelve legions equal 72,000! Then Jesus tells us we can do the same: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).

 

Considering all that the servant took with him, he most likely had other people with him as well, and the angel protected them, too. We can pray as Jesus did, and ask God for protection for our loved ones, as well as for our personal safety and the security of our goods.

 

Part of the angel’s mission in Genesis 24 was to prosper the servant by making sure he fulfilled the purpose of his trip. In this case, it was the right woman. Whatever things the Lord has given you a desire for, you can pray that He sends an angel to prosper your way, too, and direct you to be in the right place at the right time to receive that desire fulfilled in the very best way.

 

It’s also something to note in Genesis 24 that the angel was sent out to prosper the way of a servant. This guy wasn’t a king or a corporate giant; he was a servant. Every single born-again person has access to angels like it says in Hebrews 1:14: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Galatians 3:29 says we are those heirs: “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

 

I hope you will take the time this week to read the record in Genesis 24 in light of your own life’s journeys and reflect on how you can receive the same kind of blessing that Abraham’s servant received: “bodyguards” to prosper your way and get you to your Godly destinations.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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NO ANGELS UNEMPLOYED

NO ANGELS UNEMPLOYED

I had a $20 tip in my pocket for my gun instructor, but when I went to take it out to give to him, it was gone! I dug in my pocket and felt all around, but it wasn’t there, so I felt around in my other pocket—empty except for my keys. So, I went back to the first pocket and dug around several more times, even in the small pocket inside the bigger one—nothing! I glanced at the floor and didn’t see it, so I got another $20 out and gave it to him.

 

Then when I got in the car to go home, I looked around the seat and the floor, again with no success!  

So, when I got home, I prayed and told the angels I would like them to find the $20 and bring it to me.

 

Today I put the same pants on, and after doing errands, I went to take the pants off and there was a little crunching sound in my pocket. I pulled out the $20! The angels had transported it from wherever it was, back into my pocket. And just to show me it was them, the $20 had one corner turned down, like I sometimes do when I don’t have a bookmark and want to remember what page I’m on.

 

That turned-down edge made me smile. If you didn’t know it, angels aren’t always super serious. They can pull a few funnies at times too!

 

I know of three other believers who’ve had angels bring them items they “lost,” so I believed they’d do it for me too.

 

A very important promise from God’s word about what angels do is in Psalm 103: It says:

 

“Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” Well, the voice of his word certainly includes the verses of the Bible. So if I am speaking the Bible with believing in my heart, I speak the voice of God’s word.

 

I prayed Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” And I followed it with Luke 1:38: “Be it unto me according to thy word.” “So, angels, there are the scriptures—the voice of his word—go do your job and bring back my $20, in Jesus’ name.” I believe and I receive.

 

And the angels did it in just one day! We are told in Hebrews that angels are supposed to minister for us. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth the minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” Well, that includes us!

 

I like to think that no angels need to be unemployed. Let’s give the angels an opportunity to get up off the bench and do the job they love to do—going out on the “voice of his word” to minister for God’s children.

 

Getting my $20 back with a fold in the corner was awesome! God’s love for us is so beyond awesome, and there are so many wonderful ways He shows it.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

I have published two Spiritual Life Workbooks and am working on number three. They are designed to help Christians grow in spiritual understanding and practical application. These books are packed with 52 short true narratives (one for each week of a year) to inspire and enhance your spiritual growth.

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OUR YOUTH AND STRENGTH CAN BE RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE'S

OUR YOUTH AND STRENGTH CAN BE RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S

I’ve been very blessed with generally good health, and a lot of my strength and youthfulness I attribute to praying Psalm 103:5 every morning. It says: “He satisfies my mouth with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagles.”

 

As the eagle goes through the different stages of its life, molting takes place, and the new feathers are graciously provided. God created a way for this majestic bird to grow the necessary new, beautiful feathers as it matures. We need the same thing: brand-new feathers to keep us youthful and strong as we also mature.

 

This scripture is not only talking about God providing good physical food we can eat that can renew our youthfulness, but even more important is the bread of life God’s given us to eat—His living Word. As we embrace the truths of the Bible into our hearts and as we speak them out of our mouth, we get new insight, answers that weren’t there before, fresh understanding, and youthful excitement.

 

I don’t know about you, but with everything that’s going on in the world right now, I feel a little faint-hearted, a little weary. But just a few minutes ago, I saw this section of scripture, and I was literally renewed and strengthened in my mind.

 

Isaiah 40:29-32 says: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

 

I believe that taking delight in God’s Word, both the written Word and the awesomeness of the Lord’s presence in our everyday lives, keeps us strong, and our youth can be renewed like the eagle’s. We must believe that what God says is greater than what we experience in the physical world. God’s truths take us out of the five-senses worldly “evidence,” and into His true reality. We must feed ourselves God’s food and drink the water Jesus offered the Samaritan woman in John 4:

 

“Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life’” (John 4:10 and 14).

 

Take the time today to pick up your Bible and read Isaiah 40 from God’s Word. It’s only 31 verses. I know it will bless you. Cling to God. Today, our Lord is encouraging us to rise up like eagles, and we CAN do it!

 

Love, Carolyn

 

I have published two Spiritual Workbooks and am working on number three. They are designed to help Christians grow in spiritual understanding and practical application. These books are packed with 52 short true narratives (one for each week of a year) to inspire and enhance your spiritual growth.

https://www.amazon.com/WINGS-Journey-Heavenly-Workbook-Christian/dp/1475244894/ref=sr_1_1?crid=E7BWN2Q2CX56&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._MDCpIwZDSdUj3lhSkGqXpjaNlUmCRA7RQpu3U9IYLtHKmICu8C_h--YLOmCshFe8xo466DFBV_oDF-nmXBtCXkz4duCA50eWpaxEIFCtJva0zEAWFXkqC7xnOXiEESXaWLMsOeHSVAh50PpCNA4BKBd30PLjh41gY-geWjF2jgv4tqPCGvQEbQaLzT2AAYp6UU9b9V5bdhWcikAyDM53QXR1Qt4dqrDC7OOkMOy3lU.dXp4Zv5UByno_HsTgMUqZs4aZpWkrR-iXdqbAD4sT2g&dib_tag=se&keywords=wings+carolyn+molica&qid=1754853222&sprefix=wings+carolyn+molica+%2Caps%2C244&sr=8-1

 

WONDERFUL SPIRITUAL EVIDENCE

 WONDERFUL SPIRITUAL EVIDENCE

For a few weeks now, I’ve been mulling over a chapter about speaking in tongues for my next book. Then one day last week, one of my Facebook friends posted a list entitled “The Benefits of Speaking in Tongues.”

 

In Genesis 41:32, God shows us one of His universal truths when Joseph tells Pharaoh: “and for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.”

 

I believed this principle the first time I heard it, and I’ve seen God work this “double” principle over and over. So, when Tracy put the list of benefits up on Facebook, I took heed, knowing God was confirming His desire for me to take a closer look at some of the “whys” of speaking in tongues. So, I did.

 

The one that really stood out to me was number 7: “To have the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit – Romans 8:16.” The whole verse reads: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

 

So, what does that verse really mean? Whenever I want to understand more about the deeper meaning of a scripture, the first place I go is to a Concordance, where I can look up the definitions of the individual words in that particular verse.

 

In this verse, ‘Spirit’ (pneuma) is capitalized, and is talking about the highest Spirit, God!  The next word, ‘itself’ is doubling down on the capitalized “Spirit.” It’s emphatic!! In other words, GOD HIMSELF is the subject, and HE is doing the action.

 

And what is the action? He is “bearing witness.” The phrase “bearing witness,” in the original Greek, is the word “symmartyreō.” It means “testifying unto, to corroborate by evidence, to bear joint witness together, in agreement.”

 

In agreement with what? “God agrees “with our spirit.” God Himself, as the highest spiritual entity, agrees with each of our born-again spirits. How do we know that? We know it for sure when we speak in tongues, because we could not speak in tongues without a direct spiritual connection with God Himself. When we speak in tongues, it is a joint effort between the person and God.

 

The act of speaking in tongues is a spiritual thing that you and God do together, both giving evidence of spiritual truth. The holy spirit in you that you received when you got born again receives the exact right words from God Almighty, and your part is to speak the words out almost simultaneously as your holy spirit is receiving them.

 

We see that Jesus met with his disciples before he ascended and showed them how to begin to speak in tongues: “He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit!’” (John 20:22AMPC). The Greek word for “breathed on” means to “blow on, or breathe out” as you do when you speak. And the word “receive” here means “to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience.”

 

So, Jesus is showing them that they begin by believing, by breathing out, breathing out the words, beginning to prove the presence of the holy spirit in them, and making a try at it, experiencing the wonderful connection with God through their own holy spirit inside them, speaking out in tongues the wonderful works from God.

 

And what does this spiritual togetherness prove? Why does God want us to speak in tongues? Because it proves the last part of Romans 8:16: “that we are the children of God.” So, every time we speak in tongues, even just a phrase or two, we are experiencing a direct connection with our God, our Father.

 

We are the sons and daughters of the Most High God, and we’ve got the words to prove it.  We’ve got the evidence every single time we choose.

 

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:16).

 

I’ve included the list of benefits, in case you’d like to do your own research on one of the other benefits of speaking in tongues.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

P.S. Thank you, Tracy, for posting the list of benefits and being a part of God doubling down on what He wanted me to find out and share! 😊

 

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"OH MY GOSH, I'M SO OFFENDED!"

“OH MY GOSH, I’M SO OFFENDED!”

I remember when my 12-year-old washing machine stopped working. When we went to buy a new one, the worker told me they had a new delivery service and could deliver within two days. But, they couldn’t tell me what time the delivery would happen, so someone had to be home all day. What?!  They expected someone to stay home all day waiting for the washing machine? That was crazy. I was appalled, offended that they would expect us to put up with such an inconvenience! Added to that, my roommate overheard two ladies in the store complaining about the delivery service, so we were ready for a hassle, but what could we do?

 

As it turned out, our offense was unfounded. The delivery service called us the evening before, and though we had to wait on the line for about 15 minutes, a very nice woman answered and gave us a 2-hour window for the delivery. Two very polite young men showed up right on time, installed the washer, took the old one, and finished the whole process in only 10 minutes! Our offense was totally out of line! Sorry, Lord!

 

These days, it seems that we are so easily offended by everything: the internet is too slow; the traffic is too fast; the radio isn’t playing the songs we like; the neighbor’s dog is barking, and so many other things I can’t even begin to name. If we started to count how many things annoy us or offend us in just one day, we’d probably shock ourselves.

 

Offense is bad for the heart. It’s bad for the nerves. It’s just bad for the universe in general. Matthew 24:10 tells us that when people carry offense, they “shall betray one another and shall hate one another.” Let’s make a real effort to change the course of offense in our world. It’s become quite a big problem. But this kind of problem doesn't get changed by an edict or demand. This kind of problem gets solved by one person, making one decision, one incident at a time. And you are that person, and I am that person. We can change our world, by changing the way we respond to it, one person at a time.

 

First Corinthians 13 is the chapter in the Bible on the love of God. Verse 5 tells us the love of God “is not easily provoked.” God’s love is like a river; when it comes to an obstacle, it just goes up and over or around. It doesn't stop and have a hissy fit, but just keeps flowing. We need to be more like that, to stay healthy and out of stress.

 

Jesus said this to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). We need to not get so riled up about everything, but calmly and prayerfully observe, then engage in life from a Godly point of view, a God-loving point of view. The Lord will help us and guide us. I’m not saying it’s easy; I’m just saying we need to judge each event on its own merit and not jump to conclusions (especially negative ones) so quickly.

 

We have a real problem in America with critically biased news. But we all are plagued at times with certain biases in our everyday attitudes and actions. Jane and I were offended by our perception of what the washing machine delivery would be like. We were biased by what we heard and swayed to think negatively, and instead it turned out more than wonderful. We need to be more careful about letting offense go wild and ruling our actions, rather than letting the wisdom and peace of God rule.

 

The disciples of Jesus were offended because someone who wasn’t part of “their group” was healing people. But Jesus handled it.  John self-righteously declared, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part” Mark 9:38-40). Jesus had a way to so calmly answer the disciples with the truth and take away the source of their negative bias.

 

When my experience with the washing machine delivery turned out so great, I immediately got on the phone to the store where I bought it. I told the lady in the appliance department the whole story and that the only glitch was that you had to wait on the phone a little bit before someone answered. She was thrilled to hear it and asked me to fill out a short survey so that others would know the truth. I pray that this will help stop the negative talk in the store and help the delivery company with their business.

 

We have a challenge, and that is put to us in Philippians 1:10: “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.”

 

Our greatest goal is to love God above all else. That is the only answer to peace and the removal of offense. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them “(Ps. 119:165). Now that’s an awesome promise and challenge, wouldn’t you say?!

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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FAMILIAR, BUT NOT YOUR FRIEND

FAMILIAR, BUT NOT YOUR FRIEND

In Jeremiah 20:10, God tells us about familiar spirits. Jeremiah exclaimed: “All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, ‘Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him’” (Jer. 20:10). Why revenge? Because if you are following the Lord and the teaching of the Bible, then the devil hates you because he hates the true God, and he gets back at God by going after God’s people.

 

We see in the above verse that Jeremiah calls these spirits “my familiars.” Why? Because they are spirits

that are like stalkers. They are familiar with people as individuals. They are evil and concentrate on weaknesses in a person’s character, calling in other spirits that have affected the person and hurt them before.

 

Familiar spirits know your parents, your grandparents, and all your family history. They know what illnesses you may be prone to. They know how you act when you’ve had one too many shots of Jack Daniels. They know your triggers. They know what sets you off, what makes you angry, what makes you sad, and what makes you sick. They are familiar, but they are not your friends.

 

God has given us the truth about familiar spirits, and He’s given us ways to get rid of them.

 

And God tells us to stay away from those who communicate with them: “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 19:31). Real psychics operate by communicating with familiar spirits. When a person goes to a psychic, they tap into the unseen world and hear from the familiar spirits that have been watching and influencing the person and their family for a lifetime and longer.

 

A familiar spirit that followed your grandfather can tell the psychic exactly what your grandfather might tell you right now if he was alive. The psychic may even be able to know the exact phrases he would use and the psychic can even channel a similar dialect and the voice of your grandfather as well.

 

So what’s so bad about that? Satan uses just enough accuracy to get you to believe that the psychic knows you and can even see into your future. Then they’ve got you. Then the psychic can predict something for you.

 

But what do they predict? They now know enough from the familiar spirits, to know what kind of things you’ll believe. They will say some promising things, but they’ll also say things to mislead you and get you to walk into Satan’s traps.

 

Remember, your familiar spirits are only there to bring you harm, as much as the devil demands of them.

 

 

How do the familiar spirits operate? They are like the coaches on the devil’s football team. They call certain evil spirits onto the field when they see there’s an open door.

 

For example, when things go badly at work, they may call in spirits of dread, rejection or fear, whatever they know from the past, of things that work negatively on you. Hypothetically, they may say, “Hey, spirit of dread, come on over in the morning when he’s half asleep and lay heavy on him. He’s in the perfect frame of mind for you to really get some influence. You’re going to love it.”

 

Or for another person, maybe it’s hypochondria. “Hey, spirit, Jesse is starting to see some people getting sick around him. Just get a few of them to come by and cough a little. I’m sure that’s just the trigger that will get Jesse to take the sickness. He’ll have pneumonia in a week, just like the last time.”

 

Familiar spirits know exactly what spirits to call into their game to block us or hurt us. They feed off our weakest mental, emotional, and physical characteristics, calling in other evil spirit players to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy us,” as Jesus said in John 10:10, the first part of that verse.

 

Just to name a few of those demons: cancer, arthritis, oppression, jealousy, covetousness, anger, depression, low self-esteem, addictions, arrogance, pride, rejection, sicknesses, viciousness, apathy, fear, and on and on. All these spirits were cast out of heaven with Lucifer when he turned against God. But God had a plan for us and a way to send those spirits packing.

 

When I first learned about familiar spirits being the ones who rally up the demon troops against us, I heard that familiar spirits hang around us all our lives, so I wrongly thought that we couldn’t get rid of them. Also, I falsely believed that we only had one. After studying the Bible on familiar spirits, I learned they are usually in groups. So, if you get rid of one, be awake, because you may have to get rid of more.

 

Then I woke up to the truth of Philippians 2:10 and James 4:7. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” And, “submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Neither of these verses says that familiar spirits are excluded from the demons that must bow and flee.

 

If I am resisting and rebuking any kind of spirit, using the frequency of the name of Jesus Christ or the frequency of the blood of Jesus to cast them out and send them away, the Bible says they have to flee. That includes familiar spirits! And as I’ve shown you in other preach letters, if a spirit doesn’t obey, it’s off to chains under darkness with no “get free cards!”

 

So, when I realized I could get rid of any familiar spirits around me, I did it. I rebuked a familiar spirit that kept calling in a spirit of dread. I ended up having to give it a one-way ticket to chains under darkness, and it has never bothered me since. Praise God.

 

I hope you’ll think about this, and when you recognize that certain evil spirits have been summoned into your life, you kick them out, along with the familiar spirit that brought them in! Freedom is that close.

 

Jesus said: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). Part of the more than abundant life is getting free from those familiar spirits. Instead of letting them be familiar, let’s make them total strangers and send them far away!  

 

Love, Carolyn

 

 

You can find my books on Amazon. You’ll enjoy awesome spiritual adventures and wisdom from the Bible that is perfect for applying to our current lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

THE LORD CONFIRMS HIS WORD WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING

THE LORD CONFIRMS HIS WORD WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING

This event happened in 2015 when the Lord confirmed to me the stress-releasing power of the Word of God. I was grinding on some fiberglass sculptures. It was really hard work; there was lots to do, and we were in a rush to get the project done. I was taking it way too personally, as if I had to get it all done by myself, and I was stressing out. There were only two of us working on it, and my partner was feeling sick, so he wasn’t able to work as quickly as usual.

 

My arms were getting so sore from grinding, and I noticed that my shoulders were super tense. I had them raised up by my ears in a tight and pinching way. Mentally and emotionally, I was worrying and stressing out, questioning whether I could keep this up. Was this going to end in total failure?

 

Then I remembered the scripture Jane and I repeat every morning in prayer: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing” (Isa. 10:27).  The Lord Jesus told me to physically put my shoulders down. I let them ease down as the next thoughts rolled in: “This is not my responsibility. The burden is off my shoulders.”

 

For the rest of the day, I continued grinding, and the whole time my physical shoulders were at ease, relaxed. At the end of the day, the painting boss came over and told me he was sending all his guys over to help with the grinding so we could get the project done on time. It was amazing. I thanked the Lord for what happened.

 

From that time on, I noticed that I stopped the mental stressing, and my shoulders stayed at rest. The few times I started to hunch them up, I quoted the scripture again from Isaiah 10:27, and they instantly released. The “burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder.”

 

To literally have my shoulders relax back down from being hunched up around my ears was a sign—a confirmation that I was truly released from all the stress.

 

In the next week and a half of work, there were more opportunities to get stressed, but my shoulders weren’t hunching. I believed that the burden had been removed just like Isaiah10:27 says, and I had a physical confirmation that I was free mentally and emotionally, and it was GREAT!

 

From that one incident back in 2015, I learned a lesson I’ve used over and over in situations where I would have gotten stressed: physically put your shoulders down in a relaxed position, and claim Isaiah 10:27. It really works.

 

As Christians, we should be expecting righteous signs and confirmations. The Bible tells us that when Jesus gave instructions to His apostles to preach the gospel, “they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16:20).

 

We often just hope we’re doing the right thing and never really ask about confirmation. But here it is in scripture saying that when the Lord works with us, He also confirms His word so that we can see the results. We have a relationship with God, and our Lord Jesus, where we can ask for confirmation. And here it is in scripture saying that He is totally able and WILLING to do it! “He confirms with signs following.” What an exciting and reassuring promise!

 

As I was thinking about the Lord confirming what the Bible says, God showed me that even Mary needed to get some confirmation about what the angel told her about having the Christ child. She went to visit her cousin, and sure enough, Elisabeth confirmed the angel’s words with a prophecy over Mary: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb…that the mother of my Lord should come to me” (Luke 1:42-43).

 

Mary believed in her spirit, but it was only after Elisabeth’s confirmation that Mary got her soul in line and, in her entirety, really truly believed. “And Mary said, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord” (vs. 46). Her mind, emotions, and decisions were now settled and in solid agreement. (Read Luke 1:26 – 56).

 

The Lord Jesus confirmed that the work burden was off my shoulders. He gave me the physical sign of releasing those tight shoulder muscles. Mary, the mother of Jesus, got a confirmation in the form of a prophecy from a relative.

 

The Lord knows that sometimes we have difficulty hearing and believing the things spiritually said to us and done for us, so he gives us confirmation, which is a promise we can learn to ask for and expect. What was done for the apostles is for us too: “The Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16: 20).

 

I pray that as we do our best to live and preach the good news of Jesus this week, we will see God’s wonderful confirmations in our own lives, too. Have a great week.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

You can find my books on Amazon. You’ll enjoy awesome spiritual adventures and wisdom from the Bible that is perfect for applying to our current lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

JOY IN THE MORNING

 JOY IN THE MORNING

I wrote about the following incident a few years ago, but the message is still pertinent for current times:

It was a horrible day at work. I’m glad I didn’t let my mouth say what was blaring in my head. At least I had that much self-control. I could have flattened someone in about a minute with the words no one got to hear. I tried just about everything I could do to stay calm, be reasonable, get the peace of God working in me, but it wasn’t working. I was angry beyond the circumstances, and I didn’t know why. I’m so glad it doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, I’ve learned to just hold my tongue and get through the day.

 

When I get in that state, I know it’s deeper than what’s just on the surface. It affects me so that I even forget to ask the Lord what’s going on. My emotions start ruling, so I’m not in a good receiving state to get the Lord’s solution either. But once I calm down, and I always do, He lets me know why I got so upset.

 

Sometimes it’s not even so much something inside me, as it is a reaction to the bigger atmosphere around me. Have you ever noticed that when the atmosphere around you gets agitated, you tend to get agitated as well? It’s contagious.

 

But one thing I always know is that God’s favor is on me, and David says in Psalm 30:5: “In his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” I’ve always found that to be true. The Hebrew word for “morning,” in this verse, can be translated “breaking forth of light.” The light of morning is the end of night and the darkness. Jesus tells us in John 8:12 that he is our light, “saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

 

In the next verse, David declares: “And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved” (Ps. 30:6). When we really trust the scripture, we will always be rich on the inside. To know that we can have a terrible day and that God will see to it that the next morning will be better is a true treasure. A big part of being prosperous is knowing and experiencing how fast God can turn things around for us.

 

When I calm down after a particularly rough day, I pray to the Lord that He will show me what happened and why. Even if I don’t find out all the answers right away, I know that when the light of Jesus comes, I will not only understand what happened, but I will know exactly what to do about it! That’s what it means to have a Lord who cares enough to always give us a Godly solution to any dilemma or trauma.

 

David was in a much worse situation than me. Time and time again, people were after him to kill him, and he not only had hope of joy in the morning, but he believed it with all his heart. He knew the value of joy in the morning after a bad day. We have so many things in our world that we can’t trust, but, like David, we can always trust our Almighty God that what He says is true.

 

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Num. 23:19).

 

If God says we can have joy in the morning, then we can. Who are we to argue with God? Wouldn’t that be sin? Rebellion?  

 

So, my lousy day ended, and I received answers as to why I reacted the way I did. I also know how to be prepared if the same type of demons try to set me up in similar circumstances. Now I am calm, thank God, and this day will be a great one! Remember this verse from Psalm 30:5 and apply it: “In his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  

 

Love, Carolyn

 

In my books, WINGS: A Journey in Faith Vol 1 & 2, you’ll find awesome spiritual adventures and wisdom from the Bible that is perfect for applying to our current lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss

THE LORD OF SABAOTH STILL ROARS

THE LORD OF SABAOTH STILL ROARS

Yesterday at my weapons class, while my instructor was teaching me, the Lord Jesus was talking just as fast and pointing out the phrases that were super important to remember. Among them was, “We don’t say we want to kill them. What you are doing is stopping them from doing what they want to do!” Jesus quickly said to me, “That’s the right way to think,” and I turned to my instructor and said those exact words to him. I instantly thought about God as He is described in the Bible many times as “the Lord of Sabaoth, “the Lord of hosts.” If you look up the word “hosts” in the Concordance, you see that it is “that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host

1.      army, host

1.      host (of an organised army)

2.      host (of angels)

3.      of sun, moon, and stars

4.      of whole creation

2.      war, warfare, service, go out to war.”

 

God doesn’t go out to war out of a motive of hatred, but instead, out of love for His people. He has righteous anger toward His and our enemies and gets furious when His people get hurt, oppressed, and treated wrongfully. We need to understand the truth about the Lord of Sabaoth.

 

Once in Chicago, before I knew how the Lord of Sabaoth works, my friend Jane and I were riding in the El Train and a girl who was much taller and bigger than me was sitting across from us. She got this evil look on her face and she started throwing lit cigarettes at Jane. I asked her to stop, which just got her doing it more. I didn’t hate the girl, didn’t want to kill her, but just wanted to stop her from what she wanted to do.

 

A fury came up in me that was not from me. I got up from the seat, grabbed this big tall girl by the front of her shirt and physically pushed her up against the wall. She stopped and that was the end of the story. We got off at the next stop.

 

Knowing about the Lord of Sabaoth is certainly not an excuse for justifying anger. The only way to really know if it’s your anger or God’s is to study the Lord of Sabaoth from the Bible and ask God to show you in your own life experience.

 

There are lots of examples in the Bible of how the Lord of Sabaoth works. Take the record of what happened with Sodom and Gomorrah as recorded in Genesis 18 and 19, for instance. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was living there. He allowed all kinds of evil to take place, and he never stood against it. Finally, it got so bad that even the earth itself couldn’t take it. The Lord of Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, was there, and only Lot and his children were saved. Paul states: “Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrah” (Rom. 9:29). 

 

It was the Lord of Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, behind the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the saving of Lot. Do you see both sides of the Lord of Sabaoth here? Yes! The Lord destroys the enemy and rescues His own. The hosts in this situation were the physical elements of destruction—fire and brimstone in and above the earth, and the angels that came to rescue Lot and his family.

 

Another example is with Noah: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Man became so evil that he corrupted everything, including the earth itself. Man was given dominion over the earth, and sin continues to affect it in a destructive way. The Lord of hosts was there with the flood, to destroy the evil, and save Noah and his family. 

 

The following section of Psalms 18 describes to us a spectacular record of God working as the Lord of Sabaoth to rescue David from the oppression of evil men. He is willing to do the same for us.

 

David says:

 

“I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented [were before] me.

 

“In my distress, I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth.

 

“There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also and came down: and the darkness was under his feet.

 

“And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind…. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire…. He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me” (Ps. 18:3-17).”

 

Yes, there are times when things or people are too much for us. We can’t handle everything. Some things are too much for even the strongest of us, and God can only put up with so much abuse toward His people. It is then that the attributes of God as the Lord of Sabaoth go into high gear. 

 

So how does this apply today? The Lord of Sabaoth still roars. As Christians, we have God in Christ in us. That means that every aspect, every characteristic of God, is in us, including the Lord of Sabaoth. David didn’t have this.

 

God, in Christ, in an individual, wasn’t available in Old Testament times, but He is now. Think about it. Have you ever felt so angry that you could hardly contain it? I’m not talking about fleshly anger. I’m talking about a spiritual anger, a holy anger, an anger that rises up from deep inside you, an anger that is unusual, kind of just out of nowhere. You might even wonder, “Why am I sooo angry?” That’s the Lord of Sabaoth.

 

We’ve got to get to where we recognize the Lord of Sabaoth. If no one has the guts to allow the Lord of Sabaoth to operate, then the devil will just continue to walk all over God’s people and hurt them and abuse them just like with Lot, Noah, and David, and the devil will have the opportunity to win in their lives.

 

In Isaiah and Jeremiah, God says we are the watchmen on the towers of the city walls, there to watch and sound the alarm when the enemy comes against God’s people. In Ezekiel 22:30, God said He looked for someone to stand up for His people, but there was no one. Philippians 2:13 says: “For it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” His good pleasure is to protect, save, and deliver, as well as give hugs and kisses. Adam didn’t protect the Garden of Eden. He was a wimp, and look what a mess became of that.

 

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:26: “Be ye angry and sin not.” In the notes for The Companion Bible, E.W. Bullinger explains that the word “angry” is in the imperative mood, [which indicates a command or strong request], and it is a positive command showing that righteous indignation is referred to. We are to allow the Lord of Sabaoth to work in us and not be afraid of it or second-guess ourselves. We need to just let it fly, knowing that it is in love that we act, to defend, protect, and rescue. The Lord is willing to teach us how to know the difference between our own anger and His. Our part is to believe and step out in faith.

 

Recognizing and allowing the workings of the Lord of Sabaoth in our lives is an important aspect of our spiritual growth.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

Here are some other places in the Bible that you can learn about the Lord of Sabaoth:

Lord of Sabaoth, Lord of Hosts:

1 Samuel 1:11,1 Samuel 15:1-3,1 Samuel 17:45, 2 Samuel 5:10, 2 Kings 19:3, 1 Chronicles 11:9, Psalm 24:10, Psalm 46:7, Psalm 59:5, Psalm 84:12, Isaiah 1:24, Isaiah 3:15, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 10:33-34, Isaiah 13:4, 13, Isaiah 14:27, Amos 4:13, Amos 5:15, Zephaniah 2:9, Haggai 2:6, 8, Malachi 1:14

Watchmen:

Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 62:6, Jeremiah 61:7, Jeremiah 51:12, Ezekiel 22:30  

Power in us:

John 17:23, Galatians 2:2, Philippians 2:13, Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 1:18-20

 

In my books, WINGS: A Journey in Faith Vol 1 & 2, you’ll find awesome spiritual adventures and wisdom from the Bible that is perfect for applying to our current lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

 

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OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S BLESSINGS GO OVER THE TOP

My friend Hector came over after work one day to cut some of the branches off my mulberry trees—the ones that were hanging over the roof of the house. I was picturing maybe six branches max, but the Lord had something else in mind. Hector became God’s fulfillment of Ephesians 3:20 (CEB version): “Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us.”

 

Hector stood back and looked at my trees with the eyes of an expert artist, and he began to sculpt away. By the time he was finished with the first tree, it was perfect AND... the pile of branches began to grow high. He cut, and I pulled the limbs and branches to the side and started making piles.

 

Then we started on the second tree, and this one presented a few more problems—dead branches at the top, crisscrossing branches, etc. So, Hector took off the major ones and came back a couple of days later to finish up.

 

Deuteronomy 28:2 tells us: “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.” That’s how I felt. I was given the ultimate tree-trimming job, when I only expected a few branches to be cut. I could picture Jesus standing there with a big smile on His face, saying, “That’s what I wanted, for my girl to be blessed and surprised, over the top!”

 

One of the Hebrew names used for God in the Old Testament is El Shaddai. It means the “God of more than enough.” And God delights in overflow. That’s what it was for me with the tree trimming, and I was so happy.

 

Psalm 23:5 says: “God preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: God anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” It’s God’s delight to give us more than enough—to overflow us with spiritual anointings, supernatural wisdom, love, mercy, and much, much more. And many times, He’ll work through people who are willing to pass on His El Shaddai blessings.

 

I shed tears of joy thanking the Lord for sending me Hector to help me and do way more than I expected, in a truly El Shaddai way, to carry out God’s will to bless me. And of course, I thanked Hector too, with a nice big check and lunch for him and his wife. 😊

 

Have a great Father’s Day today, and take special notice of how our loving Father, in the aspect of El Shaddai, blesses your life this week.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

In my books, WINGS: A Journey in Faith Vol 1 & 2, you’ll find awesome spiritual adventures and wisdom from the Bible that is perfect for applying to our current lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

 

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A TIP TO ENHANCING YOUR SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY

A TIP TO ENHANCING YOUR SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY

Genesis 24:40 is one of the scriptures I pray every morning. It gets me to expect the Lord to interact with me in a supernatural way every day, and He does.    

 

The context of this scripture is when Abraham wanted his servant to go back to Abraham’s homeland to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham was sending his best servant, along with other servants, and camels loaded with riches for the dowry. It was well known that there were bandits along the route, and it could be a very dangerous trip.

 

We never know what a day can bring, but there’s a great thing God teaches us early on in the Bible, in Genesis 24:40. It’s a very important life-enriching key God wants us to believe and trust in.

 

Abraham’s servant arrives safely in Abraham’s homeland and tells the story of what Abraham told him before he left: “And he said unto me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way’” (v. 24:40a).

 

We have angels available to us, too. And we have “Christ in us,” as it says in Colossians 1:27. God sent an angel ahead of the servant to “prosper” his way—no bandits stealing from him, no major injuries, but instead, a good and successful journey. Can you see why I pray this scripture every morning, for every day?!

 

But there’s another part of this scripture that is equally important to having a great journey. The second half says: “and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house’” (v. 24:40b). The servant did find the perfect wife for Isaac. Not only was the journey good, but he reached his Godly destination! Isn’t that what our hearts desire from our life experience every day—to reach our Godly destinations?

 

What the Almighty God made available to Abraham’s servant, is what he makes available to us today. God put this in the first book of the Bible for a reason, and He has not changed His mind about it one bit!

 

Here are just two incidents that happened this week, illustrating this important key of praying Gen. 24:40 at the start of our day:

 

Wednesday of last week, we were delayed for just a few minutes in getting out of the house at our usual time.  As it turns out, there was a huge accident at a busy corner near our house—three police cars, a fire engine, and the EMTs lifting someone into the ambulance. Had we been at that corner any sooner, we would have been in that accident!

 

Yesterday we went to our favorite grocery store. Our friend Stella has been promoted to a higher position in a different store, and when we didn’t see her on what we thought was her last day earlier this week, we were super disappointed.  So yesterday, when we went, we were kind of down in the dumps about Stella not being there anymore. But then, out she came, and it happened that the Lord got us there only five minutes before she was leaving the store for good! So, we got to exchange numbers and say our goodbyes.

 

How does it happen that we were minutes from being in an accident, and got to see our friend in the few minutes before she would be gone?

 

I could give you several other incidents from this past week that illustrate this important key, but I’m sure you can think of wonderful things that you have seen in your own lives, as well. If you want to start seeing even more, I encourage you to start praying this scripture at the beginning of your day, and let me know what happens.

 

“And he said unto me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way [and get me to my Godly destinations] (my add)’” (Gen. 24:40).

 

Enjoy your journeys and successful outcomes this week.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

In my books, WINGS: A Journey in Faith Vol 1 & 2, you’ll find awesome spiritual adventures and wisdom from the Bible that is perfect for applying to our current lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

 

HONORING THE TRANSITION FROM CHILD TO YOUNG ADULT

HONORING THE TRANSITION FROM CHILD TO YOUNG ADULT

A few years ago, I was invited by a coworker to her daughter's Quinceañera. It has its cultural roots in Mesoamerica and is widely celebrated today throughout the Americas. Traditionally, it is a gift from the father to his daughter on her fifteenth birthday. As I was driving over to the event, I was thinking about how important it is for a teenage girl to be honored. And to be respected by her father first, but also by her mother, her family, and other adults, can be paramount to a young girl’s future. Teenage girls are fragile. What happens to a teen girl has a lasting effect. Her relationships with men in the future will show reflections of how her relationships went with her father, brothers, and other men in her teenage life.

 

Boys go through changes when they become young men, and I believe they should be honored and recognized, too.

 

I believe that events (big or small) that bring families together to take special notice and give honor to a child transitioning to adulthood can be instrumental in giving teens courage, confidence, and assurance of a good future, with the support of adults who have gone before.

 

I believe that there should be mention of God and the Lord Jesus as the sovereign guide of their future, and the Bible principles as their ultimate standard for every decision.

 

“In Luke 2, the Bible gives us a short synopsis of Jesus’s transition. He had to go from being a child, a teen, and an adult, just like the rest of us.

 

“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.  And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast” (Luke 2:41-42).

 

At this feast, the Hebrews celebrated the great Exodus from Egypt, and how, when the angel of death slew the firstborn of all the Egyptians, he “passed over” the children of the Israelites. 

 

“And when they [Joseph and Mary] had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.

 

“And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions” (Luke 2:43-46).

 

Just like any teenager, Jesus found something that fascinated him and distracted his attention away from his parents. He must have thought it was much more interesting to hang out with the teachers than to stay with his parents.  

 

“And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2: 47).  Here we see that the Jewish rabbis honored him. And isn’t that just the case sometimes? The parents can’t see how amazing their kids are, but other adults see and go on and on, lavishing the kids with praise.

 

“And when they [the parents] saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, ‘Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.’

 

“And he said unto them, ‘How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?’  And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them” (Luke 2:48-50).

 

“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” Here we see that Jesus, as a teenager, was generally obedient to his parents, and that’s a great teaching lesson for teenagers. The other thing is that Mary thought about what was now happening in this transitional phase in her son’s life. She was taking time to really look at her son, not just as a child, but as he was turning into an adult.

 

We see in the next verse that Jesus truly was becoming a man. I don’t know if, in the Bible, any formal celebrations took place surrounding the time of transition. Jewish Bar Mitzvahs started in thirteenth-century France. What we know is that the Bible says that shortly after the incident in Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve years old, he was honored by God and by men.

 

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:41-52)

 

Parents, if you haven’t already done it, how about considering some kind of special event, even if small, to give your transitioning child some special honor, recognition, and assurance of support for whatever he or she may desire for the future. Every teen deserves the stability of not only an adult’s love but maybe even more, their respect and honor.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

More insight into how to connect our lives with the truths of the Bible:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BOOKS+BY+cAROLYN+mOLICA&crid=16D4X7I4BV76Z&sprefix=books+by+carolyn+molic%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_noss