Karen Gamble Writes – Page 3 – I write. I teach. I love Jesus.

Proverbs 11:2 Sunday School Lesson Outline

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (NIV)
When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom. (KJV)

I don’t know about you, but if I’m not very careful, my pride can sometimes trip me up.

Unfortunately, pride is not something that we deal with once and we’re done.

Pride stays with us and is typically an issue in some form or another our whole lives.

Not that we are bad or a failure, but because the flesh is stubborn and wants what it wants.

For this reason…

We have to choose to set our pride aside and humble ourselves on a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment basis.

Now there are 2 kinds of pride. One is good and one is bad.

The good one is like when you take pride in something you are doing.

You want to do a good job and you want to get it right.

You care about your work.

Wanting to do a good job and do the best you can is a good thing.

You enjoy doing a good job instead of a half-baked job.

That kind of pride is okay.

The other kind of pride is the one being addressed in this verse.

It’s the bad kind.

Here’s Google Dictionary’s definition of it:

Pride – over-inflated sense of self-importance.
When you think more of yourself than you should.

Category: God, Lesson Outline, Scripture Study, Sunday School | LEAVE A COMMENT

Journaling

For several years now I’ve had the habit of journaling.

Typically, I do it first thing in the morning before I start my day.

I’ve found that writing before the world has a chance to distract me means that my truer, unguarded self comes out on the page.

Sometimes, I vent about people and events.

Sometimes I remind myself I need to buy milk.

Always. by the end of the second page I find God there.

As I’m listing my thoughts I begin to think about and then ask the Lord’s opinion on things.

I begin to become aware of where He’s working in my life and where I need to pray and ask Him to intervene and help me.

Some days I write 3 pages, some days I write 10.

Always, I make a point of laying aside all pretenses and focusing on being my true self, writing my real feelings.

Category: God, Journaling, Life, Trust, Truth | LEAVE A COMMENT

Did Judas Go to Heaven?

One question I’ve seen asked a lot is whether Judas Iscariot went to heaven.

Some say there is no way he could have since he betrayed Jesus.

Others assume he did because the Bible says he regretted what he’d done.

Let’s look at these a little further.

First of all, yes Judas did betray Jesus.

But, at the same time, so did Peter when he denied Christ 3 times before the cock crowed. (Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75 NIV)

If I am real honest with myself, there are times I betray Jesus, too.

No, I don’t do anything “big” like sending people to kill Him.

But…

Category: God, Jesus, New Testament, People in the Bible | LEAVE A COMMENT

Judas Iscariot

One of the people involved in Christ’s crucifixion was Judas Iscariot.

Judas was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus.

He traveled with Jesus.

He had first-hand experiences and in-person visits with Him.

Unfortunately, Judas didn’t see things from the same point of view as Jesus did.

Part of Judas’ responsibility was to look after the money bag.

Category: Holiday, Jesus, New Testament, People in the Bible | LEAVE A COMMENT

What Is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is a holiday in the Christian calendar.

It is always 46 calendar days before Easter and marks the beginning of Lent, a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us as we look forward to celebrating Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Ash Wednesday is observed as a reminder of just how sinful mankind is and our desperate need for Christ and His gift of forgiveness.

Many churches have a service on this day,

Often, the pastor, or other officiant, will mark a cross on the forehead of the people in attendance.

This cross is made of oil and the ashes of palm branches.

For some, it is a reminder that God created us from dust and we will someday return there. (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

For others it references the Old Testament, when it was common for people to repent with sack cloth and ashes, and therefore symbolizes repentance and/or mourning.

Whichever way you view it, by receiving the ashes on your forehead you are acknowledging you regret your sins and grieve over your sinfulness.

Ash Wednesday is not a requirement for Christians and is not mentioned in the Bible.

Participation in this special time is something that each person must pray about and decide for themselves.

It is important that careful thought is given to why you might want to do it, taking care not to do it for show or because others are doing it.

Instead, it should be done as something between you and the Lord as a sign you realize the gravity of your sinful nature and that you understand and appreciate Christ’s sacrifice.

Ash Wednesday services can be very moving.

Whether you choose to take the ashes is your personal decision, but whatever you decide, I encourage you to attend an Ash Wednesday service as we begin this season of reflection.

You might also like to read my post, Lenten Season 2021.

To learn more about the Easter Season, please visit my Easter page, a compilation of previous Easter and Lent posts.

Category: death, Holiday, Life | LEAVE A COMMENT

The Power of Example

The other night while sitting in a fast food restaurant a family came in.

Because they were sitting close to me I couldn’t help but hear their conversation.

The daughter, about 10, mistakenly thought she didn’t get her drink so she went up to the counter to ask for it.

When she returned with her drink, her mother pointed out the girl’s drink had been sitting on the table all along.

Pointing to the new drink in the girl’s hand, she added, “We were dishonest. That’s not our drink.” She went on to explain to the girl what the error was and why it was wrong.

I was impressed.

Most people wouldn’t have given it a second thought and would have either consumed or thrown away the extra drink.

Not this mom.

When this mom noticed the error she pointed it out and went the extra mile to make sure her daughter understood.

She realized the importance of being faithful in the little things.

It made me think about my own life.

Am I faithful in the little things?

Do I take care of the details?

Do I cheat others without meaning to because I’m not paying attention or think it’s no big deal?

To God it is a big deal.

We’re called to be faithful in the small things as well as the big ones.

Jesus said:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” ~ Luke 16:10

I doubt the mom realized what an impact her actions made not just on her family but on those around her.

I’m guessing she was solely focused on honoring God with her actions and parenting, but I heard and saw her witness loudly and clearly.

There’s a lesson there.

I need to pay more attention to the seemingly minor details because they truly matter, not just to me but to those around me as well.

As I go through the next week I will be paying careful attention to details to make sure I am faithful in the little things.

I hope you will, too.

(This post first appeared on my now defunct blog).

Category: Faith, Family, Life | LEAVE A COMMENT

Prisoner Alert

One of my personal prayer focuses is Christians imprisoned around the world for the cause of Christ.

Currently, there are 23 known men around the world who are in prison for sharing their love of Jesus with others.

The website, PrisonerAlert, a ministry of the Voice of the Martyrs, lists these men by name and gives a brief biography of each as well as listing where they are held.

By clicking on the individual prisoner’s profile you can find a place where you can write them a letter of encouragement and/or petition a government official to ask them to release that prisoner.

Will you please pray for these men and ask God to strengthen, empower, embolden, and comfort them?

Will you also pray for their release?

It is my hope that through their experiences others will be drawn to a relationship with God and that rather than squashing faith in Christ, their imprisonment will cause the love of Jesus to spread far and wide as these men stand strong for what they believe in.

For more information, please visit the website PrisonerAlert.com.

For information on countries which restrict Christianity or the sharing of the gospel, please visit The Voice of the Martyrs.

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. –Hebrews 13:3

Category: death, Faith, Life, Prayer | LEAVE A COMMENT

Praying in the Night

I used to have a lot of trouble sleeping.

Sometimes I woke up 3 or 4 times a night.

I would usually look at my phone, get up and walk around the house, or read before trying to go back to sleep.

Sometimes I would pray or read my bible.

Mostly, though, I just played on my phone.

Over time I began to sense that maybe the Lord was trying to talk to me during these wakeful moments.

I wasn’t sure, so I typically would just go back to sleep.

Then one day while doing my daily bible study I came upon this verse:

On my bed I remember You;
I think of You through the watches of the night. –Psalm 63:6 NIV

It was then I realized that not only was that probably the Lord prompting me, but that we are actually supposed to focus on Him as we are drifting off to sleep.

I read some cross-reference verses for this (what I call chasing a verse) and came across these:

Category: God, Life, Prayer | LEAVE A COMMENT

It’s Easter Sunday!

Today is Easter, the day we celebrate Christ’s triumphant rise from the grave.

It’s the day we remember how He beat death and hell as He paid for our sins so we can be reconciled to God.

Today – let us rejoice as we celebrate that Christ is risen indeed!

³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NIV

To learn more about Easter read my post, What is Easter?.

To learn more about the Easter Season, please visit my Easter page, a compilation of previous Easter and Lent posts.

Category: God, Holiday, Jesus, Life | LEAVE A COMMENT

It’s Good Friday

Today is the day we remember Jesus’ crucifixion and the sacrifice He made for us when He died to pay for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God.

⁶You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! ¹⁰For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! –Romans 5:6-10 NIV

If you have not yet trusted Jesus for your salvation, I urge you to take time today to talk to God about your situation.

If you have trusted Him, I encourage you to take time today to reflect on this gift and what it truly means for you.

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:16-17 NIV

For a more complete explanation of Good Friday, please see my post, What Is Good Friday?

You might also like to read my post, What is Holy Week? which gives a more in-depth explanation of why this week is so important.

To learn more about the Easter Season, please visit my Easter page, a compilation of previous Easter and Lent posts.

Category: Holiday, Jesus, New Testament | LEAVE A COMMENT