Living Water Christian Church April 14, 2021
Ripping Up Americian Written by Carson Lauder Since the historic election of 2020, I have been thinking of one of the most disrespectful things that was shown throughout this country and maybe the world. It happened during the State of the Union Address given in January 2020 by former President Donald Trump. Seated behind the president in prominent view of television cameras around the world, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the presiding officer. Just as President Trump was concluding his speech, she ripped up her copy of his speech. She just did not tear a few pages off. It was too thick, so she tore off pages in four separate sections. That address contained not only the words of the President, the highest ranking official in America, but also the names and significance of fifteen individuals and or families who were special guests to be recognized by the President in front of Congress and the entire nation. They included Iaian Lanphier, an eighth grader whose great grandfather was Tuskegee Airman Charles Megee, and a highly decorated centenarian World War II Veteran Charles Megee. Others recognized included a young mother celebrating the survival of her daughter’s successful birth at just one day less than 22-weeks, two families in mourning and the interim president of another country. When interviewed afterward, Speaker Pelosi basically called the speech a document of lies. She was 100% correct about the true state of the nation and her actions showed it. We are a nation ripped down the middle and ripped asunder. Many years ago, I was attending a local civic meeting when someone spoke badly about the then president. One of my friends, Bill Barnett spoke up and said, “I really don’t like some of the things he does and stands for, but he is our President, and we should show some respect. Thank you, Bill Barnett. A house divided cannot stand, as well as a divided nation. How do we mend a ripped apart nation? President Abe Lincoln said, “A house divided cannot stand and if we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” Wake up America. Wake up Congress.Have the courage to love, respect, and show concern to each other and to God for nothing less will carry us through. Nothing! Amen. 1 1 1
What are You Dying For? By Carson Lauder What are you dying for? I’m thirsty; I’m dying for a coke. I’m hungry; I’m dying for a burger and fries. Whenever we are really craving something, we have said or have heard it said I’m dying for something. This emphasizes that we want it now! But to really die for something, you’ve got to be kidding me. There is no way I would really die for these things. Pastor James, in a very moving sermon, told of mothers talking with Presidents from Harry Truman to George Bush and asking, “Why did my son have to die while he was serving his Country in wars from Korea to the Gulf War? That’s not an easy question to hear and a much harder one to answer. Very often when my Dad would tell me something I would ask why. He sometimes become annoyed with me and then he would ask me how come I always wanted to know why. Guess that at those times, I was part cat because I was so curious. Once I asked him why and he said, “because I told you so.” And, then I asked why again. After he got mad, I was a little more careful with what I said. We do need to question and ask why because that is how we can better understand and learn. Why God did this happen and why do you want me to do this and what do you want me to be? Why God are there so many tragedies, wars, plagues, killings and destruction? As we grow and mature in our Christian journey, we learn to trust God more. Jesus did not have to ask God the Father why He had to suffer, because He knew. It was God’s perfect plan as He died for you and for me. Thank you, Jesus. Our early Christian leaders left their mother country, landed on new land and established a God centered nation. It’s up to us to keep it and go follow His lead. If we are sincere, He will continue to bless us. Why, because it is a Country worth dying for. Thank You, Jesus! Amen! A brother in Christ, Carson Lauder 1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church March 1, 2021
A STORY OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT Written by Carson Lauder There is one story that the Supreme Court of America can’t change, and it is about Joseph Story who was the youngest Justice to be appointed (at age 32) to the Top Court of our great land. Joseph‘ father had helped organize and participated in the Boston Tea Party of the American Revolution. While seated on the Court, Joseph accomplished great things such the founding of the Harvard Law School. In His 34 years, he wrote 286 opinions of which 94% were accepted as the majority decisions of the Court. He was a committed Christian. Throughout his long legal career, he strongly and consistently tied together legal works and American Law believing that they should never be separated from Christian principles. He said, “One of the beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that Christianity is a part of the Common Law.” In 1833 he said, “The First Amendment was never intended to separate Christianity from civil government or civil society.” Justice Joseph Story believed that it was right and proper to encourage Christianity in the government sphere and the public arena. Justice Story got his story connected to The Greatest Story Ever Told. What will be your story? Amen! A brother in Christ Carson Lauder 1 1 1
Living Water Christina Church Febuary 18, 2021
A Bakery and a Fish Market By Carson Lauder After the 5,000 were fed someone quite possibly could have asked a seemingly sensible question of where the bakery and fish market were. You’re kidding, it would have been an interesting answer when they were told that there weren’t any. Well then, how in the world did this tremendous crowd get fed? Well believe it or not some young boy had a basket with five loaves of bread and two fish and Jesus blessed the food. Stop, don’t be ridiculous. Nobody can feed 5,000 people from a small basket of food. Let’s just think this through, after all that little food would hardly feed Jesus and his twelve disciples even if they weren’t really hungry. How in the world did Jesus do this impossible thing? Hey, that’s the answer; this meal was not of this world but of the realm of an Almighty God. The connection was made between His People here on earth and His Spirit in Heaven by Jesus the One True Son. If you’re counting, this was miracle number four although there might have been some others of a lighter kind that didn’t make the headlines in the local papers. Years ago, when my family was involved in the Riverton United Methodist Church, I was a Lay Leader and had the idea that when the offering was being taken, we could receive food items such as canned goods or boxed items. I explained that although this was different, it was something that Jesus might think was a cool idea. I mentioned this from the pulpit several times, and a number of items were brought. This was not “high church,” but neither was Jesus. There are lots of ways to return our abundance to God, so let us not forget that it comes from Him in the first place. Remember, it all comes from Him in the first place! AMEN. A brother in Christ Carson Lauder
Living Water Christina Church Febuary 10, 2021
Built by God Written by Carson Lauder Made in the USA, product of Canada, made in China, product of Mexico; when our family buys products, we look to see where the items were made. You can even find which state or even country a food in our local grocery store was grown or manufactured in. Apples could have come from a tree in New York or Washington State or at home in Virginia. When it comes to “our country,” we can say that America was built by God. Our Founding Fathers knew that as a new land if we were to prosper and grow, we would have to depend upon the guidance of Almighty God to keep us on the clear path of freedom they had chosen. Ben Franklin was coming out of the meeting concerning the ratification of our Constitution when a woman asked him if we had a republic or a monarchy. His famous reply was, “a republic if you can keep it.” How do we keep our great country from slowly sliding into oblivion? We have to remember that our nation is a nation of inalienable rights. All our rights come from the laws of God, and America was founded on Judeo – Christian principles. The greatness of America is something that can’t be taken from us. However, if we don’t put God’s laws first, then we will lose all our freedoms for without Him we are nothing. We need His stamp of approval on every order of business of this
country’s Congress. We cannot accept anything less. Settle Down America! A brother in Christ Carson Lauder
A nation without God's guidance is a nation without order Happy are those who keep God's law 1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church Febuary 1, 2021
A Donkey, an Elephant and a Lamb Living Water Christina Church February 1, 2021 1 1 Living Water Christina Church January 26, 2021
I Love My Rescue Written by Carson Lauder If you’re an animal lover like our daughter Jenna, you might have decorative signs reflecting your love for animals in your rooms as well as some four-footed babies underfoot. Jenna loves to rescue animals, both cats and dogs. She has several signs with different sayings about rescues around her home. “The best things in life are rescued” is one as well as “I love my rescue.” God loves his rescues too! You can be a first-time rescue or someone who has fallen through the cracks and has been rescued more than once. You can be rescued like the prodigal son who was lost and welcomed back home again. You can be rescued from violent storms in your life when you are drowning. Your onslaught of problems may feel like waves pressing you underwater. You don’t think you can make it back to the boat, or to dry land or even through the day. You can be facing a serious business or health problem and can’t see your way through the problem to a new horizon. It is interesting that God has the answer to your problem before you even realize you have a problem. But having given you free will, God will always wait for you to ask for His help. There is one thing you can do and that is to turn everything in your life over to Jesus. With His help, he will steady those overwhelming problems and give guidance in unstable and troubling times. You can be in a no-way-out situation and if you will call to Him and listen to His voice, Jesus will send you help. So, when the bottom in your life is about to drop out, He can rescue you. He will take you in and give you a new home; yes, you can be safe at home and that’s a feeling of love that only a rescue can understand. Thank you, Jesus, for caring and for your love and peace that You give when You take us in. AMEN! A brother in Christ, Carson Lauder
Where Do We Go from Here? Written by Carson Lauder Where we go from here depends on where we have come from, where we are now and where we want to go. The election is over, the Capitol is torn up and people were killed. The House has impeached President Trump although his term has only a few days left. Welcome to 2021; sounds like a soon to be released movie doesn’t it. Sadly, it’s not. Our great Country is still divided and most likely will be in the future unless the majority of our people will turn toward God and His ways. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) It’s time both sides to humble ourselves and truly become “One Nation Under God”! We need to pay attention to the law. I’m not talking about man’s laws. God’s laws and commandments are where we should stand shoulder to shoulder to heal our country. God’s laws supersede all laws and when we adhere to these laws of laws and not water them down, we can govern with the confidence, assurance and leadership the world needs more than ever. Where do we go from here? Let’s follow the God’s Laws and find out. After all, His laws are W R I T T E N I N S T O N E. A brother in Christ Carson Lauder 
WHAT’S YOUR LINE? Written by Carson Lauder There was a popular T.V. show on years ago called “What’s My Line?” A person was asked questions about what they did in life. The panel would proceed with questions to uncover the person’s connection to what they did. I remember a funny story about a man that had an unusual name and didn’t like it because of the connection to life it gave him. His name was “Odd.” No joking, his last name was “Odd.” He hated his name and was so annoyed by it that he told everyone when he died, his tombstone would be blank. There would be no name, no dates, absolutely nothing would be engraved on it. He told his friends that after he passed, no one would say his name again. Well after his death and burial, his marker was placed on his plot. But you know what happened when people walking through the cemetery came to his gravesite. They looked at his totally blank tombstone, stood shaking their heads, and after a pause said, “Well isn’t that Odd?” What’s going to be on your tombstone besides your name and dates of life? Some people put a lasting message on it perhaps a line or two to sum up how they lived and want to be remembered. Mike Mansfield of Montana as a young man had served honorably as a U.S Marine as well as an Army and later a Navy member. Beyond that, he would serve as U. S. Senate Majority Leader longer than anyone in history. He then continued his public service by serving as U. S. Ambassador to Japan under both Presidents Carter and Reagan. Before he died, he instructed that his headstone would simply read “Michael J. Mansfield, Pvt. U. S. Marine Corps. That’s something to think about. Jesus did not need an inscription because he rose from His grave; but I’m thinking this would have been fitting. “I died so you might live.” Let’s think about that. What will be on our tombstones? A brother in Christ Carson Lauder I Died So You Might Live
1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church November 17, 2020 GOOD TO THE LAST DROP Written by Carson Lauder How’s your life going; is it full and overflowing? Is your life’s content full of flavor, or perhaps it’s nearly empty with no flavor or sparkle to enjoy? ACCORDING TO Maxwell House coffee lore, President Theodore Roosevelt was visiting Andrew Jackson at Jackson’s estate, the Hermitage, on October 21, 1907. During this visit he was served Maxwell House coffee, and was overheard saying, “It’s good to the last drop.” True or not it is a great slogan. Life like our favorite coffee cools sometimes and we have to reheat it. Sometimes we have to add flavors to it. The Christian Faith (I didn’t call it a religion) tells us that God, our Coffeemaker, can make our lives renewed by rewarming our very natures, by adding a little sweetener so people will want to share with us what we enjoy among our Christian friends. By the way we can find it in the “best coffee place“ around, the worship service in your favorite church. If you’re not a coffee person just tell the “Master Chef “what you need to warm your spiritual life. He will be glad to talk with you about what you need to add flavor to enhance your life. I remember when my family worshiped at Riverton United Methodist Church and we had finished taking Communion. The service had ended (I thought) when Jenna our very small daughter suddenly quickly went back and found her cup and drank the last few drops and told us that she wanted to drink it all. GOOD TO THE LAST DROP AND IT DIDN’T TAKE A PRESIDENT TO TELL US. IF WE BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, LIFE WILL BE GOOD TO THE LAST DROP. A brother in Christ, Carson Lauder 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church November 10, 2020 Written by Carson Lauder I was outside at my daughter, Jenna’s house sitting in a chair in the warm sunshine reading a book titled “Living Amazed” by James Robison. What happened next was truly amazing. A butterfly hovered around me and landed on the top of the open book. I watched it for a short time thinking it would quickly fly away. But it didn’t; not until I moved. At that time I did not see how amazing the sign really was. I understand they were first called Flutterbys years ago. The next morning, I was outside again reading the same amazing book about being a servant in God’s world. The sun was getting hot and I was thinking about taking a quick break; when, just then a smaller butterfly landed on my shirt pocket right next to my blue pen that I always use to write my column. WOW! Thanks for the sign God; now that’s amazing! If you don’t know who James Robison is –then get to know him. He’s truly one of Gods amazing people. I thought that he would be an excellent president for our Country, and apparently, I was on the right track because years ago the world’s richest man at the time, H. L. Hunt called him in for a lengthy discussion about gearing up for a look at a run for the top leadership role. Mr. Hunt was turned down because Pastor Robison said “a preacher for God is the highest position in the land.” The next day I was reading a column by Cal Thomas from whom I borrowed my Presidential quotes for the “It’s In the Bank” Carson’s Corner. Mr. Thomas did another completely different article about national debt, and had used the same quotes in July which is where I first read them. His first article was printed a couple weeks before I wrote mine. What’s interesting is Cal Thomas’ second article on the national debt came out on the same day Pastor James emailed out “It’s In the Bank”. To make it more special it was one of four new columns I had sent James. He could have chosen another one and then Cal Thomas article and mine on the national debt would not have appeared on the same day. Amazing, so amazing! Two butterflies, two newspaper columns in the Northern Virginia Daily, my Carson’s Corner column emailed from a choice of four columns I had sent to James for use over the next month for our Living Water Christian Church members. That’s how God does things and nothing can be more amazing than that.
1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church November 5, 2020 The First Transfusion Written by Carson Lauder Have you ever given blood? Have you ever received blood? We can’t receive unless someone has given. It’s a lifesaving process. I have given blood. It’s not uncomfortable and doesn’t take long. Blood has to be available. Receiving blood for new life is a process (as you know) called transfusion and brings you “new life”. A transfusion is a fresh start – a change that can refresh and renew you. It is a change that can allow you to go on freshened and renewed. Jesus gave his blood that dripped from his body and ran down onto the wooden cross that He was nailed to. This was real blood that allows you be renewed spiritually and completely. Today when you get real blood it travels your whole body as it is pumped by your heart through the eyes to see the world differently, through the lungs to breathe in fresh air for a fresh start, through the kidneys to cleanse the whole body. It’s important to remember that even after the initial cleansing we have to be renewed again and again. Thanks be to God for His Son and the first transfusion and our new life, but don’t forget to have your life checked daily and be renewed again and again. As we pile on life’s miles, we need to go to our service station. (You are invited to join us at Living Water Christian Church) at least once a week to check vitals and make sure your new blood is being continually purified. 1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church October 22, 2020 From the Womb to the Tomb Written by Carson Lauder I remember the story of a woman who was on the way to abort her baby. She had made an appointment to have her baby aborted. On the way she was hit by a car driven by a man. She survived but the fetus did not. He was arrested and charged for murder, before she was able to legally murder her child. That’s completely wrong and absolutely upside down! One was accidental and the other was intentional. Either way a human life was taken. If you are reading this, it’s because you weren’t aborted. Extermination or abortion – both are wrong in God’s sight. To snuff out a life before the first breath is taken is against the laws of heaven. It’s about time the laws of the United States of America understand this and stop this from happening. The Chief Judge of all life understands this. It’s about time our earthly judges do. And write laws that we obey! And God the Father would bless His children even more. AMEN! 1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church October 9, 2020 Vote Where? Anywhere? Written by Carson Lauder You have to be kidding. What, you can vote anywhere? That’s right anywhere! Hurry on down to Hardee’s! O thank heaven for 7- Eleven! Have it your way! Whoa, stop. What’s wrong with this? From commercials enticing us to eat fast food or grab a quick snack, the importance of the family eating dinner together has changed. Back in the early days of voting, people would leave early to travel hours, even days by horse and buggy just to be able to cast their vote. Now voting means that we are so busy that we have to have early voting with extra dates and options just to vote. What’s next? Voting in your truck, car, or even your boat. Let’s think this through. If the privilege of voting is really important let’s find a more grounded way to vote. If we take this right seriously as legal voters then we can come up with a better and more reliable system. Sure, everyone is busy, but what’s the rush? “In person” means that as a legal citizen, I take pride in the most important right and responsibility that our country can give its voters because I care enough to vote. It certainly could be helpful especially in larger cities to have an extra voting day or more locations. Our great country needs to work at voting, but making it too easy is not the only answer. I wrote the above article at 6 am on Monday September 21st and thought it was finished. I then picked up my copy of the Northern Virginia Daily and read an article about a new voting machine. I couldn’t resist adding the new conclusion below. A resident in Mason, Michigan was obviously trying to make a joke that turned out not to be so funny. The resident put a toilet on his front lawn with a sign that read “place mail-in ballots here.” The clerk of Ingram County filed a complaint with police over the display, saying it could mislead people who aren’t familiar with the voting system. “It is a felony to take illegal possession of an absentee ballot,” the County Clerk said. “Elections in this country are to be taken seriously, and there many people who are voting by mail for the first time this election. The police are investigating the clerk’s complaint. I would hate to see some of Michigan’s ballots flushed down the toilet; it might clog the system. Our great country needs to work at voting, but making it too silly is not the answer either. A brother in Christ Carson Lauder
1 1 1 1 We Can’t Change HIS-TORY Written by Carson Lauder We can’t change HIS-story. HIS-story states that from the beginning God created everything. We can’t rewrite what has been done. PERIOD! What we can do as a God-fearing people is to create a better future that will leave a better world behind. We have to stop destructive living and live constructively. LET’S CULTIVATE AND NOT DI SIN TEGRATE our earth built by God. If your roof leaks you don’t tear down the whole house, you repair it. If your foundation is sinking you again don’t demolish the entire structure you fortify it. That goes for anything in the rest of the house. A little paint goes a long way in giving a new look. A new roof will keep out the storms of life. A better and stronger foundation will keep things from caving in. So, as we repair and improve our living conditions today, we insure a better and stronger HIS-story for tomorrow. And that will be HIS –TORY. A brother in Christ Carson Lauder 1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church September 25, 2020
What’s on Your Menu? Written by Carson Lauder Uncle Marlin in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania would often tell the story of two friends who worked and always ate lunch together. In those days almost everyone brought their lunch from home. Every day one of the men would unpack his lunch, look at his friend with disgust and say, “peanut butter sandwiches, I hate peanut butter sandwiches.” His friend would answer, “Why don’t you ask your wife to pack something different?” The upset man asked, “Why, I pack my own lunches.” I’m sure you laughed, just like I always did. But sometimes we do the same! We keep doing the same things the same way and don’t understand why we keep getting the same results. Why do we continue to pack in our lives every day what we know we really don’t want there? Do we use our time wisely? Who do we hang out with? Do we really strive to do our best? How is our spiritual diet? Is our spiritual diet well rounded? Do we pray daily with thanksgiving and praise, or do pray to God only when we need something? Do we share God’s love and concern and the Bible with people we meet as well as our church friends? Do we really know that God is in control of our lives? Are we hungry for God’s word? So, let’s not pack something into our menu that we know Jesus would not like. That would be a real joke and that would not be very funny at all. A brother in Christ Carson Lauder
1 1 1 1 Living Water Christina Church September 15, 2020
Keep Your Hands off Our Statue Written by Carson Lauder Statues are being removed in this Country; but there is one they should not touch. It’s called the Emancipation Statue. It’s the statue of President Lincoln and young Archer Alexander who was the last slave captured under the Fugitive Slave Act. The statue was put in Washington, DC back in 1876, exactly 100 years after the U. S. Constitution was written. (Maybe that was a God Wink!) This monument was also known as the Freedmen’s Memorial. And it was paid for almost entirely by former slaves who wanted to honor President Abe Lincoln. D. C. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton is seeking to remove the statue with the help of Congress. It is rarely noted that many enslaved African Americans pushed for their own emancipation. Archer Alexander had escaped from four owners. Pastor William Greenleaf Eliot took him in and sheltered him, until Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to picture a statue of Jesus (instead of Lincoln) with a young boy kneeling. Jesus would have his hand on the boy’s head, saying go now and proclaim that you have been released from bondage. There are many details of Archer Alexander’s story not included because of limited space. What we can learn by studying HIS-TORY and the Bible is that no country or people should dominate anyone or any people from now on. We’re not perfect by any means; we’ve made mistakes. But today is a new day in HIS-TORY. We need to remember the past so we don’t continue to be unchristian to any one at any time. God has forgiven everyone if we confess we have wronged Him. Go and sin no more. A brother in Christ Carson Lauder So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.John 8:36  | ||||||||||||||||
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Living Water Christian Church
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Let us not give up meeting together… let us
encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 |
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