C-Fire (Christian Fundamentalist Internal Revenue Employees)

06/14/2026

06/14/2026

When You Pass Through the Waters

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:2 (ESV)

Isaiah 43:2 is one of those verses that comforts the soul, but it also corrects something we often misunderstand about the Christian life.

God does not say, “If you pass through the waters.”
He says, “When you pass through the waters.”

That matters.

The Lord never promised His people a life untouched by trouble. He never promised that faith would keep us from every deep river or fiery trial. In fact, Scripture tells us again and again that the people of God will walk through suffering, opposition, sorrow, pressure, and seasons we cannot control.

But here is the promise: “I will be with you.”

That is the anchor.

God does not merely promise explanations. He promises Himself. He does not say we will always understand the waters. He says we will not walk through them alone. He does not say the fire will never feel hot. He says it will not consume us. The presence of God does not always remove the trial, but it sustains His people in the trial.

This is important because much of modern religion teaches people to measure God’s faithfulness by how quickly He removes difficulty. But biblical faith learns to trust Him even when the waters rise. Sometimes God parts the sea. Sometimes He carries us through the river. Sometimes He shuts the mouths of lions. Sometimes He walks with us in the furnace.

But He never abandons His own.

The words of Isaiah were spoken to a people who needed to remember the covenant faithfulness of God. They had failed. They had sinned. They had often wandered. Yet God reminds them that He is their Redeemer. Their hope was not in their strength, their worthiness, or their ability to hold themselves together. Their hope was in the God who had set His love upon them.

That is still our hope.

For the believer, this promise finds its deepest certainty in Jesus Christ. At the cross, Jesus entered the flood of judgment we deserved. He endured the fire of divine wrath in the place of sinners. He was not merely an example of endurance. He was the substitute for His people. Through His death and resurrection, He secured our redemption.

So when we walk through suffering now, we do so as people who have already been purchased by Christ. Our trials may be painful, but they are not punishment for our sin. Christ has borne that. Our suffering may be confusing, but it is not outside the hand of our sovereign God. He is working even when we cannot see it.

The waters may rise, but they will not finally drown you.
The rivers may roar, but they will not overwhelm you.
The fire may burn hot, but it will not consume what God has redeemed.

That does not mean we pretend pain does not hurt. It means we refuse to believe pain has the final word.

The Lord is with His people. Not just when life is calm. Not just when prayers are answered quickly. Not just when the path is clear. He is with us in the waters, in the rivers, and in the fire.

So take courage today. You may not know how long this season will last. You may not understand why the Lord has allowed it. You may not feel strong enough for what is in front of you.

But your strength is not the foundation.

God is with you. Christ has redeemed you. The Spirit sustains you. And the flame will not consume what belongs to the Lord.

The Bearded Pastor

06/12/2026

A Barnabus Word
6/12/26
J Arthur Poulson Sr

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, Eph 1:18 NKJV

The True Light of God produces, provides, and perpetuates enlightenment and inheritance, reminding you of God's love that guides your walk in the glorious LIGHT.

It dominates darkness and provides sight to all who see, filling your heart with hope and reassurance that divine light always prevails.

Just a thought!

06/12/2026

A Barnabus Word
6/10/26
J Arthur Poulson Sr

But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Ex 17:12 NKJV

We, Christians, stand triumphant amid life's battles because of God's help and the support of our faith community, working to carry out God's prescribed plans for deliverance. Together, we stand and succeed.

Just a thought!

06/11/2026

Ask God for Wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
James 1:5-6 (ESV)

James writes to believers who are facing trials, pressure, hardship, and uncertainty. That matters because this verse is not given in a calm, easy moment. It is given in the middle of difficulty. James has just told us to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds, because God is producing steadfastness in His people. Then he tells us what to do when we do not know how to walk through those trials faithfully.

Ask God for wisdom.

Wisdom is not merely intelligence. It is not having a quick answer, a strong opinion, or enough life experience to figure everything out. Biblical wisdom is the ability to see life under the rule of God and respond in a way that honors Him. It is knowing how to live faithfully when the path is hard, when the answer is unclear, and when our emotions are loud.

And James says if we lack wisdom, we should ask God.

That is humbling because it admits we do not have what we need in ourselves. We are not as strong, clear, or steady as we sometimes pretend to be. Trials have a way of exposing that. Suffering reveals our limits. Pressure reveals our weakness. Confusion reveals how desperately we need the Lord.

But the command to ask is also deeply comforting because of the kind of God we are asking.

James says God “gives generously to all without reproach.” God is not irritated by the cries of His children. He does not shame His people for needing help. He does not roll His eyes when we come again in weakness. He gives generously. He gives because He is gracious. He gives because He is Father. He gives because every good and perfect gift comes from Him.

But James also adds a warning: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.”

This does not mean we must have perfect emotions or never feel weak. Faith is not pretending we have no questions. Faith is not acting like the trial does not hurt. Faith is coming to God because we believe He is who He says He is. Doubt, in this context, is not a struggling heart bringing weakness to the Lord. It is a divided heart that wants God’s wisdom without surrendering to God’s rule.

We cannot ask God for wisdom while reserving the right to reject His answer.

That is where we must be honest. Sometimes we want guidance, but only if it agrees with our preferences. We want wisdom, but only if it protects our comfort. We want clarity, but not necessarily obedience. James will not let us treat God as a consultant. He is Lord.

The gospel reminds us why we can come boldly and humbly. We do not approach God because we have earned the right to be heard. We come through Christ. Jesus is the wisdom of God, the Savior who lived perfectly, died for sinners, and rose again in victory. Through Him, we have access to the Father.

So ask.

Ask when you are tired. Ask when you are confused. Ask when ministry is heavy. Ask when parenting is hard. Ask when the decision is complicated. Ask when you do not trust your own heart.

But ask in faith. Come ready to listen. Come ready to obey. Come trusting that the God who saved you by grace will also guide you with wisdom.

The Bearded Pastor

06/10/2026

1 John 3:14-16
21st Century King James Version
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby we perceive the love of God: because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

06/10/2026

Wait for the Lord

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

Waiting is one of the hardest classrooms in the Christian life.

We would rather move, fix, solve, answer, defend, decide, and control. Waiting feels weak to us. It feels unproductive. It feels like nothing is happening. But Psalm 27:14 teaches us that waiting on the Lord is not passive resignation. It is active trust.

David says, “Wait for the LORD.”

Not wait for better circumstances.
Not wait for people to change.
Not wait for the pressure to lift.
Not wait until you finally feel in control.

Wait for the Lord.

That means our hope is not anchored in timing, outcomes, or explanations. Our hope is anchored in God Himself. The believer does not wait because life is easy. The believer waits because God is faithful. He is sovereign over the delay, wise in the silence, present in the valley, and good in the process.

David knew what it meant to wait. He knew enemies. He knew fear. He knew uncertainty. He knew what it was to cry out and still have to keep trusting. Yet he does not tell us to hurry God. He does not tell us to panic. He says, “Wait for the LORD.”

Then he says, “be strong, and let your heart take courage.”

That tells us something important. Waiting on God is not for the spiritually lazy. It takes strength to trust when the answer has not come. It takes courage to obey when the path is not clear. It takes faith to believe that God’s hand is still working when your eyes cannot see it.

But where does that strength come from?

Not from ourselves. Not from positive thinking. Not from pretending we are not tired. Strength comes from the Lord. Courage rises when the heart remembers who God is. He is not late. He is not confused. He is not limited. He is not indifferent. He is the covenant-keeping God who never abandons His people.

The gospel gives us the deepest reason to wait with courage. At the cross, it looked as though everything had gone wrong. The disciples saw suffering, shame, darkness, and death. But God was accomplishing redemption. What looked like defeat was the very means by which Christ would save sinners.

SincGod was sovereign at Calvary, He is sovereign in your waiting.

The Lord may not explain every delay. He may not move according to your schedule. He may not answer in the way you expected. But He has already proven His love in Christ. He has already shown His faithfulness at the cross. He has already secured the future of everyone who belongs to Jesus.

So do not confuse waiting with abandonment.

The silence of God is not the absence of God. The delay of God is not the denial of God. The hidden work of God is still the work of God.

Maybe you are waiting on direction. Waiting on healing. Waiting on restoration. Waiting on provision. Waiting on a prodigal. Waiting for the burden to lift. Waiting for the next door to open.

Wait for the Lord.

Be strong, not because you are strong in yourself, but because He is strong for you. Let your heart take courage, not because you know how everything will work out, but because you know the One who rules over everything.

And when your heart grows weary, preach the verse to yourself again:

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

The Bearded Pastor :::

Instagram Version

Wait for the Lord

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

Waiting is one of the hardest classrooms in the Christian life.

We would rather move, fix, solve, defend, decide, and control. Waiting feels weak to us. It feels like nothing is happening. But Psalm 27:14 teaches us that waiting on the Lord is not passive resignation. It is active trust.

David says, “Wait for the LORD.”

Not wait for better circumstances.
Not wait for people to change.
Not wait until you finally feel in control.

Wait for the Lord.

That means our hope is not anchored in timing, outcomes, or explanations. Our hope is anchored in God Himself. The believer waits because God is faithful. He is sovereign over the delay, wise in the silence, present in the valley, and good in the process.

Then David says, “be strong, and let your heart take courage.”

Waiting on God is not for the spiritually lazy. It takes strength to trust when the answer has not come. It takes courage to obey when the path is not clear. It takes faith to believe that God’s hand is still working when your eyes cannot see it.

But that strength does not come from ourselves. It comes from the Lord. Courage rises when the heart remembers who God is. He is not late. He is not confused. He is not limited. He is not indifferent.

The gospel gives us the deepest reason to wait with courage. At the cross, it looked as though everything had gone wrong. But God was accomplishing redemption. What looked like defeat was the very means by which Christ would save sinners.

Since God was sovereign at Calvary, He is sovereign in your waiting.

So do not confuse waiting with abandonment. The silence of God is not the absence of God. The delay of God is not the denial of God. The hidden work of God is still the work of God.

Be strong, not because you are strong in yourself, but because He is strong for you.

Wait for the Lord.

The Bearded PastorX Version

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage…”
Psalm 27:14 ESV

Waiting on God is not passive resignation. It is active trust.

The silence of God is not the absence of God. The delay of God is not the denial of God.

Wait for the Lord.

The Bearded Pastor

06/09/2026

A Barnabus Word
6/9/26
J Arthur Poulson Sr

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bo***ge. Gal 5:1 NKJV

As we stand, it is necessary to know what to stand on and for. Our foundation must be God’s righteousness and law (love). After this freedom that only Christ gives, refuse to retreat. Live, love, and lift according to God’s Holy word, and when we falter, ask for forgiveness and seek repentance.

Just a thought!

06/09/2026

A Barnabus Word
6/8/26
J Arthur Poulson Sr

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. [12] And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. [13] But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Matt 24:11-13 NKJV

In this season of lewdness and lawlessness, the Christian must remember to stand and endure. Strive, we must, to overcome the problems, pressures, and people to gain our ultimate blessing of God. Eternal life!

Just a thought!