Category Archives: Random Musings

November 7, 2021 · 10:00

Take No Thought

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (Matthew 6:25)

Last week the Wuhan Bug arrived at our house. I felt it first. It came on me Saturday evening in the form of a low-grade fever. I felt my ears “burn” as I worked on a sermon that I was supposed to deliver the following day at an assisted living facility. I called Linda, the lady in charge of the services, to let her know the situation. At that time, I was not aware that I had been “bitten” by the bug, but knowing the precautions taken at the facility to keep the residents safe, I felt obligated to report my condition. Linda, our leader, was a little distraught because she did not have a substitute on such short notice. So, I promised that if my fever left, I would show up and fulfill my obligation. The next morning, I was ready to preach.

I battle allergies constantly, especially this time of the year. So, for me, what I experienced was “normal.” My wife June, on the other hand started feeling bad Monday. That evening, she took her temperature and it was over 100º. The next day she called in sick to work and made an appointment to see a doctor. She was tested and diagnosed with COVID-19. Naturally, when she tested positive, they called me in and I tested positive as well. Keep in mind that I was not “feeling” sick during all of this time, except for the low-grade fever on Saturday night. The doctor prescribed an infusion of monoclonal antibodies and a medical team came to our house on Wednesday to administer the infusion to us. Following the infusion, I experienced chills and high fever the next two days. June had a similar experience, but after that, we both felt much better.

Our experience with the Wuhan Bug was a mild one compared to some. God made each one of us unique. Each one of us has a one-of-a-kind genetic makeup so that viruses affect us differently. One of the reasons I oppose the COVID injection being pushed by our government is that it is designed to manipulate your DNA. In simple terms, the mRNA injected into your body is supposed to “train” your God-created DNA into fighting of the spike protein of the coronavirus. The scientists that developed this “gene therapy” are ignorant (compared to the Designer and Creator of DNA), fallen, humans who are trying to manipulate what God has created. We must remember that these scientists, for the most part, believe that humans evolved from some common ancestor with ape, therefore they have a low regard for the notion that we were created in the image of God. I could go on, but that is not the purpose of this article.

From the beginning of the “plandemic” June and I have rejected the fearmongering propaganda surrounding it. We decided from the onset that we would trust God rather than men. Some will argue that God gave men intelligence to develop medicines and vaccines to help improve the health of mankind. To a large extent, I agree. In the past, medicines and vaccines have been developed from substances God created in nature. Past remedies stemmed from men “thinking God’s thoughts after Him.” These new so-called mRNA vaccines are none of that. They are all developed from manmade substances which attempt to alter or manipulate what God designed and created. You are welcome to disagree, and you have every right to be wrong, but I digress.

In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He stressed, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” The Greek word translated “thought” is merimnaō and it means “to be anxious about” something. The word “anxious” carries the connotation of “sickening worry.” This Wuhan Bug has many people I know and love living in fear, too afraid to come out of their homes for fear of being infected. June and I refuse to live like that without presuming upon God for our safety. We understood that we could be infected, but we also trusted that God would see us through – and He did!

Jesus says to “take no thought for your life.” The Greek word translated “life” here is not the common Greek words translated as “life.” Rather, it is the Greek word, psuchē, which means “breath” or “spirit.” It carries the connotation of the “soul,” which is the very essence of one’s being and existence. A Christian, of all people, should not be worried or anxious about his life knowing that, as Paul said, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8, emphasis mine). If you claim to be a Christian and lack that confidence, then you may need to reassess your position before God.

Jesus goes on to list material things over which we should not worry, but He tied all these back to what He stated earlier. Note that He begins the verse with “Therefore I say unto you.” Anytime we see “therefore” in the Bible, we need to see what it’s “there for.” In this case, Jesus had spoken of storing up treasures in heaven.[1] He stressed the folly of accumulating treasures here on earth, because it decays or can be stolen. “Treasures” can be anything that we value – our home, material possessions, family, time, work, life, etc. These are all temporal in nature. Jesus instructed that we should “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20).

I really long for the day when “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, emphasis mine). I am shocked when I run into Christians that do not share my enthusiasm for the Lord’s return, and in fact, they hope that He does not return anytime soon because they have so many treasures here on earth that they are unwilling to turn loose. Jesus reminds us, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Where is your treasure?

Divided loyalties weaken the Christian and make him susceptible to fear and worry. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). You can either put your trust in and serve the things of this world (“mammon”) or you can place your trust in God for His provision knowing that your life, your psuchē, is in His strong and loving hands. If your trust is in Him, the Wuhan Bug should not scare you.

Notes:

[1]  Matthew 6:19-24

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October 10, 2021 · 10:00

In Whom Do You Trust?

The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. (2 Samuel 22:3)

The Wuhan Bug[1] infected the world over a year and a half ago, and while in many places life has regained a semblance of normalcy, the fear mongering persists. No one doubts the potential lethality of the bug, and while government agencies over emphasize and exaggerate the case numbers and death counts, the fact remains that overall, the possibility of infection is rather low.[2]

I live in the Great State of Texas where the draconian measures that were applied at the beginning of this “plandemic” have been mostly lifted. The Texas governor issued an executive order that no business can require patrons to wear masks and employers cannot coerce employees to get the “jab.” However, I live in the far-left-leaning Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex that marches lock-step with whatever the Washington DC “wizards” decree. One still finds many big-name stores with “Masks Required” signs on their doors, but thanks go Governor Abbot, they can be ignored – and I do.

Even with this greater degree of freedom afforded to us as Texans, I see many people driving in their cars or walking on sidewalks or in the parks, far away from any other living soul and they are all masked up. Somehow, the government agencies that claim to care so much about our citizens have failed to inform them that the Wuhan Bug can easily penetrate most masks, especially the homemade ones. They fail to inform the masses that the Wuhan Bug cannot survive on open surfaces or in the open air.

What the caring government agencies do stress, is that everyone must get the “jab” or you will die! One not only needs one but two jabs and a booster! Now they say that the “jab” cannot guarantee immunity for more than a few months, so subsequent boosters will be required. You must get the “jab” or you will die. If you do not take the “jab” you are being inconsiderate and unloving to your neighbor. That is what Jesus would have you do! The current governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, encourages Christians to get the “jab”[3] because the vaccines are from God.[4] Really?

I am happy that my church is open once more and masks are “optional.” We do not need to social distance if we do not want to, and for those who are willing, hugs are once more allowed. I like that. I am a hugger. Sadly, our attendance numbers are not what they were before COVID. We used to run three services on Sunday morning, but we are down to two now, and those are not at capacity. Our Sunday school classes are divided between live and Zoom ™ attenders, and many attend the services online. If there is anything good in this is that our online attendance has increased; we have visitors from all over the country and the world, so God’s Word is going out.

Still, I sense a lot of residual fear in our congregation. Many that attend live services come masked and are careful to avoid close contact with anyone. I understand, but the fear they harbor saddens me. They fear the Wuhan Bug because “caring” government agencies aided by their propaganda arm, the mainstream media, have filled their minds with the dread of a virus which they have less than one percent of catching. They believe that the government truly seeks their welfare.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Why would the government pressure healthcare organizations to coerce all healthcare workers to take the “jab,” forcing many to quit their jobs rather than submit? There is already a shortage of healthcare workers as it is. And why are healthcare workers reluctant to take the “jab” if it is really “safe”? Do they know something we do not know?

Many jobs are being lost because employees refuse to be coerced into taking the “jab” – truck drivers, airline workers, etc. Many businesses cannot hire workers because the “caring” government pays them more to stay home and collect unemployment for doing nothing. There is a hidden agenda by “undercover” Marxists leaders in our government to destroy America and bring it under the One-World Government. They are unwittingly setting the stage for the fulfillment of end-times prophecy.[5] The world elites pulling the puppet strings of our government do not hide their intentions. One can read what they have in mind.[6]

So, the fear that I witness in my Christian brothers and sisters comes from misplaced trust in man – the Whitehouse, Congress, the CDC, the NIH – rather than placing their trust in God. Yes, I see them mouth the words affirming trust in God, but their actions tell a much different story. Many of my brethren rushed to get the “jab” taking the propaganda of the media without doing any research of opposing opinions. Now, many of them who have gotten the first, second and booster “jabs” have come down with the virus and some have experienced adverse reactions.[7]  So much for the safety and efficacy of the “jab.”

I advise Christians to develop a healthy distrust of the government – they do not have your best interest at heart – and place your trust completely in God. God cares for you. He knows you inside and out. He maintains a second-by-second record of every one of your more than 3-Trillion cells in your body. He designed your DNA and while “scientists” know part of the human genome (DNA), God programed every single nucleotide combination that makes you, you. God knows the number of days He planned for your life.[8] He already knows the mode of your death – car accident, plane crash, cancer, heart attack, stroke, flu, pneumonia, COVID, etc. You have no control whatsoever in the method of your death. Who knows? You may be raptured out of this world and not see death at all! So why live in fear if you truly trust God? You either fully trust God for your life, or you do not. If you do not truly trust God with your life then fear is knocking at your door. Do not say that you trust God and then go around in fear because of what man has to say. God commands, “Fear not!”[9]

Notes:

[1]  “Wuhan Bug” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2020/03/15/wuhan-bug/

[2]  “Fear” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2020/11/15/fear/

[3]  https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2021/09/28/hochul-vax-sermon-n2596585

[4]  “NY Gov. Hochul says vaccines are ‘from God,’ sends out her own ‘apostles’ to push jabs” – https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ny-gov-hochul-claims-covid-19-vaccines-from-god-sends-out-her-own-apostles

[5]  Daniel 7:7-8; 9:27; Revelation 13:1-10

[6]  World Economic Forum – https://www.weforum.org/

[7]  This shot is not a vaccine in the traditional sense of injecting an attenuated form of a pathogen that allows our bodies to develop natural immunities. Instead, it is an MRNA gene “therapy” that modifies a person’s DNA. Since every individual’s DNA is unique to that individual, the reactions to the MRNA will differ from person to person. This is why so many different reactions to the injection have been reported.

[8]  Psalm 90:9-10

[9]  “Fear Not” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2020/08/16/fear-not/

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September 26, 2021 · 10:00

Church And Politics

For our [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)

I am at the end of my three-year term as a member of the personnel committee of my church. One of the final tasks of my term is to bring in a new ministerial staff member. This week the personnel committee met with the candidate for an interview by the entire committee. In the process of the interview one of the committee members asked the candidate how he felt about politics in the church. He gave what I thought was an appropriate answer. Basically, he said that the church is not about politics but rather about accomplishing the Great Commission.[1] He said that if we teach the Bible correctly, politics will take care of itself. He pointed out that Jesus is neither Democrat nor Republican (nor was He a Pharisee or a Sadducee). As our lead verse (above) states, we are citizens of heaven, not of this world. This world is passing away, but our eternal home in heaven is without end.

I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. The primary focus of the Church – the Bride of Christ – is to enlarge His kingdom, not the kingdoms of this world. That said, the Church, whether it wants to be or not, is involved in politics and must be active in politics. While the Church is not of this world, yet we are in the world for the purpose of being salt and light in the world.[2] That does not mean that the Church must choose one political party or the other, but those parties, that direct our government make laws that either confirm or deny the Word of God. The Church must stand firmly on the Word of God in the world.

When Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18), He did not mean that the gates of hell would attack the Church and somehow the Church would survive. Rather, He meant that the Church would storm the gates of hell and the gates of hell would not withstand the assault. However, it seems to me that the Church is not doing much assaulting lately, rather it seems to be in retreat.

Again, this does not have anything to do with picking a political party. In many ways, they are equally corrupt. However, the Church must stand against ungodliness regardless of the party that promotes it. To do that, the Church must get involved in politics, not partisanism.

Abortion is murder. It is the destruction of the image of God. Child sacrifice is an abomination to God; therefore, the Church must stand up against it with all the resources it can muster. Because politicians take tax dollars to fund Planned Parenthood, and make laws that protect the abortionists, the issue has become political and the Church must get involved.

The gay-rights alphabet movement tirelessly works to promote their perverted lifestyle onto the general public in an effort to “normalize” their perversion. They are not content to impose their aberration on the adult population; that is not enough. They go beyond and seek to corrupt little children with their deviance. This too, is an abomination to God, and He makes that very clear in His Word. Here again, politicians enthusiastically make laws to “protect” the twisted “rights” of sodomites. The Church must fight against such perversion, and that means getting involved in politics.

There are many other ungodly legislations that could be addressed. The crisis on our southern border for example, is a cesspool of human and drug trafficking. It is all an affront to God and His Word. If the Church is going to storm the gates of hell, it must get involved in politics.

How do we do this? Unless you are living under a rock, the evidence is all around us.  The news media (as far as it can be trusted) tells us it is taking place. There are other independent news outlets that can inform us on what the mainstream media withholds. There are many other Christian resources on platforms such as YouTube, Rumble and others that tell you what the mainstream media does not want you to hear. It takes effort, but God does not have us here in this world sit on our blessed assurance, watching the world go by on the way to hell. Pastors should be reading the new media almost as much as the Bible so that they can identify sinful legislation and those promoting it, regardless of political party, and call on the church to get involved in fighting it.

Just because the Church is non-partisan does not mean that it should not engage in politics. One way or another, the Church is involved in politics. It can either fight for righteousness or allow itself to be overcome by wickedness.

Notes:

[1]  Matthew 28:18-20

[2]  Matthew 5:13-16

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August 29, 2021 · 10:00

Who Cares About You?

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

With all the COVID shutdowns, mask mandates, and constant browbeating about taking experimental and unproven injections, it seems that many have become convinced that the government propaganda is really intended for our wellbeing. After all, realizing that the lockdowns caused great financial burdens on families throughout the nation, our government stepped in and sent money to almost every family. I even received a check even though I did not need it. Then when job losses lingered, our government provided generous unemployment checks to all those affected by the lockdowns they imposed. So generous were the unemployment benefits, that when things started to open up, and businesses needed workers, few were willing to go back to work because the unemployment checks were better the money they could earn working.

What a wonderful caring government we have that wants to take care of its people! It matters not at all that the government has no money to just give away. The government has no means by which to produce wealth. It only has what money it takes from taxpayers, and here in America, the number of taxpayers continues to decline while freeloaders increase. What the government cannot collect from taxpayers, it just arbitrarily and indiscriminately prints to make up the difference. But, the people do not care, as long as they have they have beer money and some left over for groceries. Why, they do not even have to pay their rent because big brother will take care of that too.

So, if big brother says to take a shot because it is for your own good, they are more than happy to get in line for their turn. However, these who believe their government values their wellbeing, are blissfully ignorant of a human flaw that makes those in positions of power avaricious of greater power. One way they achieve greater power is to appease the masses by providing carefree sustenance and a sense of equity among all. “You will own nothing, and you’ll be happy.”[1]

But do not be fooled. The government does not care about you. The government wants to control you, and you are happily going along with it. You wear your mask when told to and even when not told to, just make sure no one gets offended. You line up and take your jab as every good comrade, I mean citizen, should. What you do not know is that the mask is useless against the Coronavirus, or any virus for that matter.[2] In fact, Dr. Fauci said that at the very start of the plandemic. Another bit of information kept from you are the number bad outcomes from the injections – miscarriages in pregnant women, neurological problems which are irreversible, blood clotting, heart problems and even death.[3] These facts are recorded and made public by the CDC, but your government cares so much about you that it does not want to worry you. Just take the jab and trust your government.

This last week provided us with a perfect example of how much our government cares about its people. In a sudden, though not unexpected, move, our President decided to pull all of our troops out of Afghanistan. I do not know of many who believe we should have been there as long as we have been. Russia spent many years in that place and accomplished nothing. So, why did we think we could do better? Once we got Osama Bin Laden, we should have pulled out in an orderly manner, of course. However, there are those that profit from war and they “support” politicians that support them. “Oh! The tangled webs we weave!” Our government makes a big to-do about our fallen and wounded heroes, but if it really cared about them, it would not keep sending them off to fight senseless wars. And what about the wounded families at home? They get a folded flag and a litany of pointless platitudes. Our people honor their heroes more than the government does. Many non-profit organizations provide for the needs of our fallen and wounded warriors, while our government cares more for illegal border crossers (potential Democrat voters) than for our own service men and women.

So suddenly, and without warning our troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan without first removing our civilians that are in that country, or those Afghanis that assisted our troops. They have been left to their own resources to get themselves to the extraction point through a gauntlet of Taliban rebels.

I will reserve further comment about this bone-headed operation.  It really churns my innards. One can find no greater proof than this that your government cares nothing for its people. Britain, France, Germany, and others went right in and rescued their people, but not the “superpower” with the greatest military in the world.

You know what? Your government does not care about you. Who cares about you? God does, and the sooner you get a grip on that great truth, the happier you will be. God loves you so much, that He took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, and gave His life to cover your sins. And if you will place your faith and trust in Him, He has secured a place for you in His presence for eternity. Your government has not done that for you! If you do not know Him, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  https://off-guardian.org/2020/11/12/own-nothing-and-be-happy-the-great-resets-vision-of-the-future/

[2]  There is more than sufficient documentation on this matter that the reader can find with a little effort.

[3]  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html

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August 22, 2021 · 10:00

Paper Tiger

The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. (1 Samuel 2:4)

Unless you have completely isolated and insulated yourself from the outside world (and I would not blame you if you have; sometimes I wish I could completely detach from the constant flow of bad news), you know that Afghanistan has fallen into a complete state of chaos. Our puppet president, Joe Biden ordered a rapid withdrawal of our troops from that God-forsaken country. Granted, the move should have been made long ago – like shortly after we killed Osama Bin Laden. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to withdraw and he picked the wrong way.

Our government keeps making the same mistakes in these fruitless campaigns. The first is the foolish notion that we can go into a country and turn it into a “little America.” The Afghani culture has been around for thousands of years. What arrogance makes us think that we can go in there and teach them “our” ways overnight? If any change is to take place it must come from within and not imposed from without.

The second mistake our government keeps making is assuming that the enemy will respect our “rules of engagement.” We want our soldiers to “fight nice” and “play fair.” The Taliban perceives that as weakness. Furthermore, we are on their turf. They know every nook and cranny and can hide where our most sophisticated electronic surveillance systems cannot find them. They also have an abundance of patience and can wait us out indefinitely. They are defending their turf and we are the invaders.

Plenty of other problems could be listed in this fool’s errand, but the result remains that our nation is on display before the entire world as a big loser. The big and mighty superpower of the United States of America has been wadded up and tossed aside by a second-rate army of barbarians like a paper tiger as China gleefully refers to us.

Our enemies flex their muscles while our leaders vomit out a litany of incoherent excuses for the embarrassing debacle. China will soon take over Taiwan and warns us to stay out of it. Iran is ramping up their production of high-grade uranium for making nuclear weapons. Israel knows that it can no longer depend on America to have its back against its enemies. As a result, Russia has ordered Israel to stop aerial bombardment of Syria. That allows Iran to bring in weapons to attack Israel from the north. Ezekiel 38-39 predicts that Israel will be attacked from the north, and that it will be defenseless against the attack. The stage is set. Israel cannot depend on the U.S, and the armies led by Gog of Magog are moving into place. According to Ezekiel, Israel’s only help will come from God.

Does Russia fear the U.S.? Not a chance! They boast of hypersonic missiles for which the U.S. has no defenses. Our NATO allies have lost all faith in America, the paper tiger. In less than one week, America has become irrelevant and insignificant in the world. Yes, we may roar like a vicious tiger, but the roaring of a paper tiger means little.

It saddens me to see the suffering and desperation of the Afghani people. Christians are being beheaded. Muslim women are being beaten and raped. Little 12-year old girls are being taken as “wives” for the Taliban animals. I feel sad for the Christians, but at least they get a quick trip into the presence of our Lord. But these poor Muslims are lost and hell bound. I pray that through all of this some will come to the Lord.

It also saddens me to see America fall from its former place of prestige. However, this must be. America is not in end-times prophecy. It cannot be. Israel cannot be dependent on a superpower for protection. They need to come to the realization that their only help must come from God. They are not at that point yet.

While I am troubled by what I see, I am all the more encouraged knowing that our Lord’s return is very near. And if the Lord’s return is near, that means that the Rapture of the Church is even closer. If the paper tiger is weak now, think how much weaker it will become when millions of God’s people suddenly disappear in a “twinkling of an eye.” If you think things are chaotic now, just wait until the U.S. loses almost one-third of its population! I am ready for that!

Reader, are you prepared for what is ahead? You can miss the major mess if you attach yourself to the Savior. If you want to know how to do that, read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

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