No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however,

it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11

America Needs a Spiritual

Shift Through GODs Discipline
The modern born-again Christians have focused so much on Gods
love that they have largely forgotten that it is bound up with his judgment and righteousness. The LORD has stated categorically that he
will come and defend his people. The church is uncomfortable with
the Messiah in his role as King and Conqueror. They confuse the
meekness of Christ in his First Coming with the judgment of Christ
in his Second Coming. They find it hard to accept that the Lamb will
dispense bloody judgment on a truly grand scale.Walid Shoebat,
former Muslim converted Christian

ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A Gals To-Do List
Featured Gal: Kerin Cornett

Battle of the Bibles

Silver Threads: A Tribute

Do NOT conform to the PATTERN

of this WORLD, but be TRANSFORMED
by the RENEWING of your mind.

Romans 12:2

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SUMMER 2015
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3

A Gals To-Do List

It is what we do every day that demonstrates our faith, and for
that reason we need to be intentional about how we go about it.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only. James 1:22

Featured Gal:
Called To Be Obedient
An interview with Kerin Cornett. Lean in closely gals and read
what your sister is sharing with you about being a daughter of
the Most High!

Battle of the Bibles

Every word of God is pure. He is a shield unto them that put
their trust in Him. Trust only in Him and He will provide you
with the tools you need.

Cover Story:
Cookie-Cutter Culture
America needs a spiritual shift through Gods discipline.
No discipline is pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on,
however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for
those who have been trained by it. {Hebrews 12:11}

For everyone praying for Gals Set Apart,

from the bottom of my heart... THANK YOU.

{SPECIAL THANK YOUS}

Various Contributors

The County Press

Letitia Lee
Bonnie B. Outlaw
Chris C. Jones
Casey Pearce
Gail Sparks
Anita Mitchell
Leanne Herrman
Heather Ballance-Brown
Angey B. Nicol
Susan Hernandez
Kerin Cornett
Scott, Allison and Abby Smith

{GSAS MAILING LIST}

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From Me To You & Pamper Yourself

I may some help from you ladies to get this thing going
looking forward to moving forward.

Please send your address to Karen Smith

krsdigitaldesigns@yahoo.com
Subscription is complimentary.

{FEATURED GAL EDITORIAL}

Silver Threads: A Tribute

A collection of writings by the late Lida Mae Rogers that was
published in her home-missions newsletter, Silver Threads.

If you know of a Christian woman you feel

would be a great person to be our
Featured Gal, please let us know!

{VISIT US ONLINE}

www.galssetapartmag.weebly.com

{SOCIAL MEDIA}

Find us on Facebook
Search for Gals Set Apart

{CONTACT}

Thank you to my Heavenly Father

for this opportunity to serve You and glorify
You through the pages of Gals Set Apart.
Karen Rogers Smith

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Karen R. Smith
krsdigitaldesigns@yahoo.com
919.631.0093

thank you ...

Thank you to my husband, Scott,

for your support and help throughout all of this.
Thank you to my oldest daughter, Allison for
entering all of the addresses for our circulation
list. Thank you to my family and friends who have
encouraged me and helped me to this point. KRS

here are certain things every Christian should do every day in order to
stay in faith.
But be doers of the word, and not
hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
{James 1:22}
If we merely study the word of God,
and dont put it into practice, then faith
is nothing more than an intellectual
exercise.
It is what we do every day that defines
and demonstrates our faith, and for that
reason we need to be intentional about
how to go about it.

PRAY

Our prayer time is our personal time with

God. This is the time when we block out
the distractions of the world, and concentrate our attention strictly on our Creator.
By connecting with God in this way,
every day, we put ourselves in a better
frame of mind to deal with everything we
will face in our day-to-day lives.
This is something we should look forward to as well. After all, it is the Holy
Spirit who equips us and protects us to
go out to the world and live our faith.
If we miss this step too frequently, our
faith can quickly become superficial.

READ YOUR BIBLE

In order to consider ourselves to be believers, we have to be absolutely clear

on what it is we actually believe in. We
can do this through prayer, personal
reflection, fellowship, attending church,
participating in faith-based activities, and
even through supplemental study. But the
Bible is the very word of God the source
for everything that we all believe in.
The only way to be clear what it is
we should believe in, is to spend time
studying the Bible. You should be purposeful about doing this each

and every day.

As believers, we have to acknowledge
that there are many doctrines and beliefs that exist throughout the faith. For
that reason, we need to be certain as to
what the Bible saysand what it doesnt.
Thats the only way that we can know if a
doctrine or belief truly comes from God.

BE THANKFUL

Its all too easy to sink into self-pityin

fact, its practically the way of the world
(just watch TV talk shows if you doubt
that). Theres plenty happening in your
life and in the world to regret or be bitter about. But its important that we understand that as Christians were called
to come out and to be different. Rather
than immersing ourselves in the negatives that are all around us, its far more
important that we make it a practice to
be thankful each and every day.
Dont underestimate the importance
of this step. A thankful heart is a changed
heart. It forces you to focus your attention on the good things that God has
given you in your life (starting with
eternal life), rather than on the missed
opportunities and unfortunate circumstances that weve all been exposed to.
A thankful heart also makes it easier to
witness to others. The answer to mankinds problems can be found by seeking out God, that point is best expressed
by someone who knows why we should.
Being thankful to God is also a form of
positive thinking. It forces you to think
about all thats good in your life, rather
than spending time ruminating over your
problems. We need to be people of hope,
and the only way to do that is by being
thankful. And thats an attitude that is
developed on a day by day basis.
One other point: Being thankful is a
form of worshipthe kind that comes
from the heart.

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BE FORGIVING

In Matthew 6:14, Jesus tells us For if

you forgive other people when they sin
against you, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you.
If Jesus is truly our savior, than we
must be absolutely serious on this practice. A forgiving heart is another of those
qualities that doesnt come to us naturally.
Its something that comes about through
practice. And we can practice forgiving
people each and every day. Once you get
into the habit of doing so, it becomes second nature like any other good habit.
And its a habit that we need to develop. In our sinful hearts, we desperately
want to see the flaws in others, while expecting complete forgiveness from others
for our own shortcomings. But we cannot
expect forgiveness from others, until we
are ready to freely give it to them. God
requires this of us!

BE A WITNESS

In all that you do, understand that your

behavior is your most powerful witness
to others. All of your best words and impressive pronouncements will become
meaningless if your actions go in a different direction.
Whether we like it or not, the world
will hold us to a higher standard because we are believers. They will be
moved when we practice what we
preach, but turned away when we do
the opposite.
Each day, consider all of your behaviors, and how they might impact others
for good or for evil. Put greater emphasis on your more positive behaviors, and
eliminate or gradually reduce those that
could be perceived as a negative witness.
Do you put any of these into practice
on a regular basis? Are there other steps
that you would suggest that will help us
all to live our faith?

Source: Christian Pilgrimage

christianpf.com/things-every-christian-should-do-every-day

Q&A with Kerin Cornett

Called To Be Obedient
Tell us about when you first accepted Christ
as Savior.
I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home! I
remember attending a revival at our church in the
fourth grade and truly being aware of the message
of Christ. I had been taught about the Lord and had
previously given my heart to the Lord at a tender
age, but this was my first time to feel the Spirit of
the Lord drawing me into a personal relationship
with Him. During that same week I began feeling
the burden to be a witness to my friends!
What do you think is the no. 1 reason women
today arent rooted in the faith as believers?
We are such a blessed nation and generation. We
have access to education, wealth, health care and
ability to pursue our dreams. I believe we as women are overwhelmed with so many choices and opportunities that at times we become overwhelmed
and check-out. We have been taught to play the part
of a Christian. It is easier to go through the motions
and do just enough to get by in life and our faith
than to truly surrender our lives and family to Him.
We are exhausted or too afraid to truly seek out His
will for our lives. What if that requires us to give
up comforts, pursue our true callings, separate from
friends, cost us money, demand more time, etc
We choose comfort rather than true pursuit of Him.

If you had a non-believer come to you with

questions or debate concerning their lack of faith,
how would you react or encourage them?
I found out early in my faith walk that debate
only aggravates both parties. What I have found is
that no one can truly debate a persons testimony.
We all come from different faith systems and upbringings. I realize that my experiences with Christ
are unique to me. I love the ability to meet others
where they are in their walk and LISTEN. We as
Christians are so quick to speak and convince without hearing the others point of view. Many times
by listening to their story, then we are able to pinpoint their hurt or need. Once we show them that
we care, then we can share our faith journey.
We are called to shine our light, but only the
Spirit of the Lord can reveal himself to them. I
love Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
What do you feel is the main thing in todays
culture that is so impactful in a negative way that
may keep people from drawing closer to God?
Busyness! I truly feel we are afraid of slowing down. We have to be involved in everything,
be around everyone all the time and communicate
immediately or we feel we are not productive. I
truly feel this is the biggest lie of our culture. One
of my biggest lessons learned from traveling with
missions: Be still and know that I am God!
Psalm 46:10
Other countries are not so flooded with media
or extra-curricular activities. They value the
felopportunity to sit and truly take time to fel
communilowship with their family and communi
ty. We look at their lack of basic needs
and pity them, but I truly feel we are
the ones that are in spiritual need.
What do you feel is the main thing
that helps a person maintain their
faith? And keep active in their
faith?

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Christianity is the only faith system that places

value on relationship. We have the ability to be in
an active relationship with our Creator!
Scripture says that when we draw
near to Him, He draws near
to us! Isnt that fascinating? We can grow cold
in our faith when we
start pulling away
from Him. When
we include Him
in all aspects
of our lives it
becomes a true
relationship
rather than a
religion.
Tell us about a
significant time/
situation that had
the biggest impact
on your relationship
with God?
After moving away from
all my family in Tennessee to
take a full time ministry position in
Florida, I had two scares with cancer, in my lungs
and in my breast. I became a slave to fear! I
truly woke up in fear and went to sleep in fear.
Not in fear for my life, but the absence of being involved in shaping my children and being
around for my husband. I began to feel paralyzed
with the thought of dying and being away from
our family support system. My paternal grandmother was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast
Cancer and I became angry at God for moving
us away from home. I was able to fly home and
stay with her in the hospital her last week. Every
night I cared for my grandmother and we shared
our hearts, read scripture and prayed together.
I truly believe the Lord healed me of fear that
week! I realized just as Psalm 139 states, He has
every day written down. There could never be a

diagnosis that could take me one day before or

after what He already had planned! I felt the
freedom to live like I had never lived after that
week! I had a fervency to not waste a moment
with family, fulfilling my calling, and witnessing by living my life without fear!
If a young girl came to you who had just accepted Jesus as savior what is the advice you
would give her?
To get a Bible in a version that is easy to read
and join a womens Bible Study. You will want
a group of women to surround yourself with for
encouragement, advice and accountability. A
new believer can easily fall back into old habits
if they are not reading the Word and learning
how to start a relationship with the Lord
in practical ways. Hard times do not
cease when we give our hearts to
Him, but we are able to share
those burdens with one
another and we become
stronger. We are encouraged by others testimonies of the faithfulness of the Lord in
their journeys.
What do you feel is
the most challenging part about being
a Christian mom is
todays culture?
Being in the world, but
not being of it! We want to
be relevant in our culture, but
still maintain our faith. We hear
the word tolerance a lot these days
when Christians attempt to stand up for
faith that contradicts culture. We are called to
be salt and light, but not to compromise our beliefs. I want my children to learn to blend their
faith with the ever-changing world they live
in. We cannot shelter them at home and expect
them to be prepared adults. We must be open
with them about the lies being told to them by
the media and culture. There is power in knowledge. We need to actively show them in scripture
the contradictions of faith and culture and keep
the lines of communication open. If we inform
them, then they can be educated in their stance
of radical faith.
How do you feel your faith sets you apart from
the world?
We have hope! Everywhere you look there
are reports of calamity, illness and heartbreak.

We as Christians are not shielded from these

events! We are called to walk in faith and obedience despite our circumstances. We have the
promise given to us in Jeremiah 29:11, For I
know the plans I have for you, says the LORD.
They are plans for good and not for disaster, to
give you a future and a hope. We have a mission set before us to spread this good news in the
midst of trials!
How do you feel about social media?
Living away from family and friends is hard
while raising our babies, so social media has
been such a blessing for me! I love the ability
to be involved in the day to day, mundane adventures even though I cant be there in person.
I also love the encouragement were able to
spread in venues that others might not be open
to hear. As believers we have the unique opportunity to share scriptures and positive spins
on social topics for the general public to see. In
this opportunity we also have to be careful to
truly represent Christ and our families. I love
the ability to share a scripture that has given me
strength and hearing feedback from countless
others who needed to hear it as well. We often
feel darkness is outweighing our voice, but we
have a message that others need to hear. We may
not influence the masses with our positive posts,
but if we encourage just one fellow believer or
present the truth to one unbeliever, then we have
done our job!
There is a lot of controversy within our country today between believers and non-believers,
what is your advice to Christians who may feel
overwhelmed or even disappointed in everything happening in our culture today?
There is power in prayer! WE have the power
to change our nation! WE are still the greatest
group in America, but we have chosen that being
quiet to keep the peace is effective, but that hasnt
served us well. God has gifted his people with
wealth, talent and God-given ideas, yet we serve
silently. This could be our finest hour to shine
our light when everything around us is being
invaded by silence. Our greatest tool is prayer:2

Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my
name will humble themselves and pray and seek
my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will
hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and
restore their land. We must go to Him in prayer
then obey what He is leading us to do!
Do you have a favorite scripture?
I have so many! Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 40:31,
Romans 8:28 I would say that a life verse that
has served our family well in ministry is:
Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the LORD with all
your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will
show you which path to take.
Is there anything else you would like to share
with us?
It is the highest honor to be His daughter!
We are living in the exact time and place that
we can have the greatest impact! Our lives are
not our own and heaven is our only home. We
are blessed to be surrounded by great friends
and family, but we are on special assignment.
It is easy to get caught up in the daily tasks on
our to-do list or aspirations we have for ourselves and those we love. Somewhere along
the way we have forgotten that we are simply
called to be obedient to Him and shine our light.
Simple, right? We complicate our lives by trying to compare and compete with those around
us. We are called to live our lives to be a witness and ensure we share the gospel of Christ
with all we come in contact with. If we change
our focus, we will all be able to live the most
amazing lives free of regret and compromise!
Lets prod each other on as sisters in the Lord
through encouragement!
GSA

I married my best friend Matthew in 1999 after we met at Lee University. I began working as an inhome case manager and he worked in various IT positions while serving in part-time ministry at our
home church in Knoxville, TN. Nine years ago we were called out of our comfort zone and placed in
full-time ministry in Ocala, FL. We left our dream home, family, friends, corporate job and salary to
be obedient with our 3 year-old daughter and six month-old son. Our lives would never be the same!
Our bonds grew deeper as a family as we honed in on our spiritual gifts, learned to make strangers
our family, and fell in love with missions- home and abroad! As much as we loved serving in an
associate role and student pastor, we felt the Lord calling us yet again to spread our wings into a new
ministry. Almost a year ago we accepted a senior pastorate in Princeton, North Carolina. Isabella,
12, and Lucas, 9, are
5 embracing a new community, school and friends as we serve together. We are
loving the people,
southern
galssetaparthospitality, and barbeque of Eastern North Carolina.

Battle of the
EVERY word of God is PURE: HE is a SHIELD
unto them that put their TRUST in HIM.
PROVERBS 30:5

ust reading the verse above gives me

good chills. He and His Word are MY
shield. His Word is never-changing, it is
the infallible, unfailing truth. Can people try their best to change it to read as they
would like for it to read? Of course! They can
TRY. They can deceive a non-believersomeone who doesnt live with His Holy Spiritin
believing that their version of the Bible is the
correct one. When I say correct, I am referring
to the Holy Spirit-led scriptures. I am not referring to versions of which people just decided for
themselves what God has to tell us.
There have really been some dooseys of
the bible. There is the Klingon version for
those Star Wars fanatics. There is the Word On
The Street, by Rob Lacey, an actor and performance poet (oh, that one is really strange),
there is also the recently published Queen
James Version which is the gay-friendly version. It removes all of the offensive references
on how homosexuality is an abomination. Now,
obviously, I have pulled out some crazy versions
to use as examples, but there are some versions
of the Bible that do have some pretty important
deletions, additions, changes, etc. but they seem
so subtle it may be difficult for a babe in Christ
to discern.
It is important to understand that His Word
can NEVER BE CHANGED. It is also important to understand that His Truth will always
be the very definition of truth even if all of
the printed books were completely destroyed.
If you live daily studying His Word, praying
to your Creator, walking daily with your Savior then His Word will become a part of your
heart. You will carry it with you and He has left
the Holy Spirit to guide you and me in all types
of situations, especially when the printed Word
may not be near us. It is THAT truth that I am
referring to as we think about different transla-

tions of the Bible.

I know. I get it. There are many different
opinions as to which version is best, which
version is easiest to read, which version is
most accurate. I can assure you this article
is not to persuade you as to which version you
should be studying. (Except, I will beg you not
to buy any of the ones listed on the left-hand
column, or of the like.) But as far as the more
common versions, I cant tell you what is best
for you. But I do encourage you to be careful,
do your research and pray earnestly about this
before making your purchase.
On a personal note, I always grew up using
the KJV (King James Version). And, as referred to in the sidebar, this was out of familiarity from my childhood and what my family
always used. I still use it today in church as that
is the version my pastor uses. I also use it when
teaching the Teen Sunday School Class.
About four years ago, I began participating in in-depth Bible studies with my sisters
womens bible study group. The majority of
them, along with the Bible teachers, used the
NIV (New International Version). Around the
same time, I was also just beginning to subscribe to The Billy Graham Evangelistic Associations magazine titled, Decisions and it, too,
used scripture references from the NIV. This
was very new to me, so I did research. I did a
lot of research. I wanted to buy my own copy
of the NIV but I didnt dare make this kind
of decision without praying
about it and finding out
more. I cant stress how
important it is that you
never study from a version that distorts Gods
intended message. I
learned a lot after my
intensive research. Did

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By Karen R. Smith
you know there are 5,686 Greek manuscripts in
existence today for the New Testament? Whoa!
I also learned that most of your common versions were created according to various reading levels. There are versions that have been
translated word-for-word and there are versions that have been translated thought-forthoguht. It starts with the AMP (Amplified
Bible Reading) and ends with The Message
there are a lot of versions in between. After
weeks of research and prayer, I did purchase
an NIV. I use it for my personal Bible studies
at home. So, I guess I am what you would call a
dual-Bible version user. For me, I really like
the system I have. No, your relationship with
Jesus does not require a system but everyone
of us should have a personal relationship with
Him and by default He will give you the tools
you need to come closer to Him and learn the
most about Him. {James 4:8}
When the trials arise in your life, you
will need His Word. When the blessings are
abounding, you will need His Word. When
scoffers want to debate about your faith, you
will need His Word. Essentially, in all manner
of life... you need His Word. Be careful how you
prepare your heart for life. Keyword here, prepare. When God is your shield, you are not only
protected, but prepared.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope

Bibles
that you have. But do this with gentleness and
respect. {1 Peter 3:15}
There is no other faith out there that is the
absolute Truth, so imitation translations cant
hold a candle to His Truth. It speaks for itself.
All of the prophecies have been fulfilled, we see
them all proved in our history books.
I have a friend who says that she knows she
is a saved soul because, I know that I know
that I know. And, thats how she explains it every time. She knows because the Holt Spirit is
leading her heart. No imitation Bible could do
that. If the Holy Spirit is truly dwelling within
you then you know when you have picked up a
bad translation. He will guide you, you will
know. Being in tune with the Holy Spirit is such
an amazing gift, it is truly indescribable. Thus
the reason my friend can only say, I know that
I know that I know. I get it. I know, too.
Take a look at the pie chart below created
from a survey I did on Facebook. You will see
a variety of results. But before I close this column, I must leave you with this reminder from
the Book of Revelation. Consider this scripture
before choosing your version if you are on the
fence about it. And if anyone takes words away
from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away
from that person any share in the tree of life
and in the Holy City, which are described in this
scroll. {Revelation 22:19}
Put your trust in HIM and HE will be your
shieldEVERY word of God is pure.
GSA

This piece is a reprint of an article written

by the staff of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Q: Is the King James Bible

the ONLY reliable Bible?

The work of Bible translation is very complicated, and misunderstanding easily arises.
We do not have the original Hebrew/Aramaic Old Testament or the original Greek New
Testament as written by inspired men of God. What we have is an Old Testament in
Hebrew/Aramaic and thousands of Greek manuscripts of part or all of the New Testament painstakingly copied and passed on to us through the centuries.
There are differences in the Greek manuscripts such as minor issues of punctuation,
spelling, word order, certain verses included in some manuscripts and not in others, etc.,
but none of these differences affect any of the major doctrines of our Christian faith.
Some people prefer the King James translation because they have been familiar with
it, often from childhood. Others prefer modern translations because they are more easily understood. Also, modern translators have the advantage of using many older Greek
manuscripts of the New Testament discovered since the King James translation was
made. Most scholars consider these older manuscripts more reliable than the few later
manuscripts available to those who translated the King James Bible.
It is also helpful to remember that, while King James authorized a particular translation for the Church of England in the 17th century, it is no more authoritative for us today than any other translation. It was highly criticized in its day by those who preferred
earlier translations, and it went through a number of revisions. The King James Version
most widely used today is the 1769 revision.
People sometimes pick up two translations and expect them to be word-for-word
the same. When they find words missing or changed, they think something sinister
has happened. In reality, both can be perfectly faithful translations of the original language. The basic structures of languages differ from one another, and translation is not
just a matter of taking a Greek sentence and finding English words to match. A helpful
resource on this topic is the book How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth by Gordon
Fee and Douglas Stuart.
Do not get caught up into a divisive and fruitless controversy over which of many good
translations is best. Instead, consider using a number of them in your study and reading,
and join in prayer that all peoples in all countries of the world might soon have the Word
of God in their own language.
Source: billygraham.org

Which version of the Bible do you prefer and why?

9%
ESV (English Standard Version )

9%

10%
CEB (Common English Bible )

The Message

27%
KJV (King James Version)

45%
NIV (New International Version)

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By Karen R. Smith

America Needs a Spiritual Shift Through GODs Discipline

ook up cookie cutter in the dictionary

and this is the definition you will find
aside from the actual device that cuts cookies
denoting something mass-produced or lacking any distinguishing characteristics. My oh
my! Lacking in distinguishing characteristics.
Look up nation in the dictionarya body of
people in a particular location with a distinct
government. Now, look up distinctnoticeably different. So, essentially, a nation needs to
be noticeably different by way of distinguishing
characteristics.
When a nation begins to lose its distinction
it takes on a cookie cutter factor. For years I
have thought about this and now it seems to
have come full circle.

sense. Why remove something permanently just

because it seems to fix a problem temporarily. That is the cookie-cutter way. Just get the
root of the issue. The heart of the issue. Nip it!
Teach. Discipline.

America! Land That I Love

Now, lets think about America for a moment. A land that I love. A country that I do still
have freedoms of which I am so thankful. Now,
somedays it feels like we are losing our freedoms as Christians, but ultimately we can not
lose what God controls. He is the author of my
salvation and no one can take that away, regardless of the country that I live in. Maybe on this
earth, and in this nation it feels like a loss some
dayswe are being mocked, ridiculed, pushed
down and essentially our new culture wants us
Nip The Problem Areas
Think about when you were a kid, or when hidden. But, these are all signs of the last days
your own children were small. How did your and therefore, a compliment to true believers,
parents discipline? How do you? I recall one and His kingdom calendar is right on track.
time when my oldest daughter was just learning Nothing catches God by surprise.
A friend of ours recently told me that he finds
to crawl, she loved to go right up to the glasstop coffee table and pull up on it. It was a free- it a privilege to live in these last days. What an
laying glass top, on a small base, It could have honor it is to get to see with our own eyes all of
very easily fallen on her. My dad was visiting the marks being checked off the checklist before
and I commented that I needed to move the cof- the rapture. No, nothing has to happen before Jefee table out of the living room until she learned sus returnbut, all of the signs of the last days
not to pulled up on it due to the potential dan- are upon us and we are seeing them multiply evger. His response was, No, dont take it away, ery day. By the way, not all of the signs of the
just teach her not to pull up on it. Made perfect last days are all evil or things of lust. There
are things happening globally that
are of good and of love aiming to
People today do not realize how ripe the world is for
witness to souls who would not
judgment. God is trying to shake us from our lethargy
have heard of Jesus forgiveness
and wake us up. We see a worldwide financial crisis,
otherwise. (I will save signs of the
last days for another article due to
disasters, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, floods, famlack of space here.)
ines and the AIDS epidemic. But try to suggest to a

worldly person that these indicate the beginning of

sorrows and Gods judgment, and they will laugh at
you. The world may acknowledge their belief in the
existence of God, but they live as though God does
not exist. There is a total lack of fear of a holy and
righteous God.
Dr. Chuck Smith
American Pastor; Founded Calvary Chapel, California

Spiritual Shift

Back to how our nation is dif-

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ferent these days than when it was first founded. It has changed. I know, I know... embrace
change, but we should never let go of Gods will
and His Truth in order to embrace anything. If
you think it is ok to worship His Truth, understand His Word and then applaud the opposite,
you are treading dangerous ground. This is why
repentance is so important. True repentance, the
kind where you dont turn back. The kind where
you strive every day to live a life that is pleasing to God. The kind where you make conscious
decisions to not participate in willful sin or any
kind of sin. No, we are not perfect (which is
exactly why your Creator sent a Savior). Yes,
we are all sinners (which is exactly why we are
to repent each day and not turn back to the old
ways.)
We, as a culture, have changedspiritually. Or at least it sure does feel like it when I
watch the news, read my news feed and hear
the chatter among the communities that I am in
daily. I am not talking about Americas wealth,
media, energy, food, population, or even referring to global warming. No, I am talking about
the things that are not being talked about anymoreFAITH in JESUS. Unless you attend a
God-fearing church, participate in Bible Studies, subscribe to faith-based social media pages
or purposely tune in your radio or web addresses
to these outlets that speak/preach the Gospel,
you will likely not hear about Jesus anymore.
This is what I mean by changed spiritually.
Turned away from God. Conscious decisions. A
spiritual shift.

Remember When?

Some people dont like to hear Christians talk

about remember when. Remember when going to church on Sunday mornings was a given?
Remember when everyone in the family waited
until the blessing was said before taking that

first bite? Remember when the divorce rate was within families? Apparently, there was a spiritu- cookie-cutter solutions to heart and soul issues
not increasing? Remember when young people al shift that happened somewhere along the line. obviously is not fixing this country. But rather
respected their parents and teachers? If you are Because I feel certain no one reading this feels pushing us down the wrong pathshifting away
thinking I am too old-school, that is ok with me. that sexual abuse, of any kind, is ok. A fallen from God.
How about we go back to teaching our chilSometimes my eleven-year-old will com- world we live in, for sure.
Did you know that the sales in the pornog- dren right from wrong, according to what the
ment on how she wishes she lived in the 1950s.
This is because she knows the life of America raphy industry makes more money than Holly- Bible says?
How about we start being the head of the
back then. A time when there was not a worry wood? The sex industry is the largest and most
of an internet predator, a time when kids could profitable industry in the world. There are even household again with Christian values?
How about we hold each person accountable
roam the streets more freely until dinner time, a studies that show that pastors are more likely to
time when competition to see who gets the most be addicted to porn than a non-pastoral position. for their own actions instead of making changes
likes on instragram was never a thought... the Disturbing, huh? A spiritual shift? I think so. A across the board?
A one-size-fits-all government is not the way.
list goes on and on. I know that it was also a fallen world. Turning against God. Conscious
But our God does fit all, if we choose Him. But
time when the man of the household was also decisions to turn away.
The need for more money, bigger homes, nic- we must make a conscious decision to choose
the Christian head of the householdthe man
who loved God and taught his family to love er vehicles, etc. is also another sign of a spiritual Him. Come near to God and he will come near
to you. {James 4:8} This indicates a deciHim, too. (I am thankful to have this
sion on our part. America, take a step
man in our house!) A time when
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
toward Him!
teaching your children to turn to
scripture for guidance (and actually
who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
helping them through it) instead of
The Ultimate Teacher
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
ignoring the problem. A time when
When the teacher of the classroom
{Isaiah 5:20}
debt was not a household norm. A
works directly with the student that
time when you knew that if you had
needs help in a certain area, then you
sinned against your friend or family, you had shift. Not because people own these things... oh will see progress. But if the teacher punishes the
sinned against God. A time when asking forgive- no, its because we go into debt to acquire them. entire class due to one students bad behavior or
ness of the Lord Jesus was knowing with 100% (Or, we work extra long extras away from our low scores then no one benefits. Only frustracertainty your sins were removed from the sight families to acquire stuff!) Debt is not pleasing to tions arise. Same for our country as a whole.
of the Father. A time when our self-worth wasnt the Lord. Most of us have some kind or another, Lets apply help where help is needed, lets dismeasured outside of God, and the praise of men but to continue to be slave to your lender is not cipline those who need it. Ourselves included! It
wasnt needed more than the applause of heaven. what God would want for us. Borrower is slave starts at home!
Now, I am not saying that things were perfect to the lender. {Proverbs 22:7} Financial guru,
Right before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He
back in the days of remember when. After all, Dave Ramsey tells us that once you no longer left us with the most powerful teacher there is
we have been living in a fallen world ever since have debt you feel such an enormous burden re- His Holy Spirit. When people within a nation
Eve and Adam took that bite. But, you cant leased and you can finally live againfor God. stop heeding the warnings of His Spirit, begin to
deny the direction of our countrys spiritual You will finally feel the spiritual shift back to- turn their backs on His guidance, that nation will
ward him. And thats just one way.
shiftgoing backward.
crumble. We used to be a nation that was known
for loving a powerful God. That alone made us
stand out above all nations. Yes, individually, we
Where Did Things Go Wrong?
God Is For Me
I honestly have no idea when this spiritual shift
When I watch the news and I see our country have people who put their trust in Him and want
started in America and I dont claim to have the make rulings that clearly go against his Word, it to be pleasing to Him... but overall that is no lonanswers. But what I do know is, that when a man troubles me. Where a true believer is concerned, ger what makes us distinct as a whole.
I feel that America has made a spiritual shift
is a Christian, is the head of his household and ac- all of this equality is one-sided. There seems
tive within the church, that is when you see great to be many protections for most everyone, but when we think about all of these things and
happenings to the family unitin America.
if you are a Christian, your rights are wrong. more. It is time to shift gears, to back when
Studies have proven that most homosexuals But, God tells me in Romans 8:31 that if God we prayed, studied His Word and worshipped
were sexually abused at a young age (mostly by is for me then who can be against
men). Some argue this was not true for them, me? God is for me. So, ultimateBreak away from the cookie-cutter culture
some argue it was true for them but they were ly believers will be alright in the
and do HIS work regardless of what the rest
already gay before the incident. (You can do end. Its the time between now
your own research here.) But if statistics are and then that we must continue
of the world is doing.
true that potentially more than 70% of lesbians to stand up for Gods Truth.
were sexually abused by a man when younger,
When I see how we are makBe different. Stand Out. Stand Up... for Him!
then what happened to man/mankind? Where is ing permanent decisions across
Gods head of the household when this hap- the board just to temporarily fix a
pened? Where is the protector of the children problem, it bothers me. These

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Do not conform to the pattern

of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind.
{Romans 12:2}

the one, true God. We can still do all of these

things in todays culture. As a matter of fact,
with all of the technology today, it is actually
much easier and yet some people would still
rather use their time abusing children, being
addicted to pornography or working more
hours to pay off their debt. And that doesnt
even begin to scratch the surface of all the
ways we have shifted.

Called To Be Different

Dont temporarily remove the coffee table as

a way of permanently correcting. How would a
child ever learn that way? Correct using disciplineGods Word. Thats what it is for. By the
way, correcting/warning is not judging. Who-

ever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. {Proverbs 12:1
NIV} Be prepared to confront a situation but remember to bring glory to God. Do I believe our
nation could do more with regards to discipline?
Yes. Those who disregard discipline despise
themselves, but the one who heeds correction
gains understanding. {Proverbs 15:32 NIV}
Does America proclaim Gods excellencies?
Have we been called out of darkness and into
His light? Are we a nation that calls evil good
and calls good evil now?
I first asked you to look up certain definitions.
Now, I urge you to LOOK UP to Heaven, for He
is coming back. Be ready. Be personally ready.
Individually, we need to hone on our own per-

sonal relationship with Jesus. Together we can

break away from the cookie-cutter factor and
be back a nation who stands out with distinguishing characteristics ultimately for Gods will.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of
Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. {Matthew 24:44 NIV}
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people for his own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of him
who called you out of darkness into his marvelous
light. {1 Peter 2:9 NIV}
GSA

Hot Topics in America (and our everyday lives)

It all boils down to one thing. You either believe the Bible as Truth or you dont.

Sometimes Gods truth is actually hard to accept, even for the most faithful. But nothing changes His Word. Not your feelings, not your
intellect, not your wealth, not your anything! Confessing Jesus as Savior and yet applauding what He tells us is sinful and ultimately
shifting away from Him. I know, the Word offends sometimes. Well, suck it up girlfriend... God disciplines His children.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those
who have been trained by it. Now thats straight from your Father in Heaven. He tells you that in Hebrews 12:11. Whats better, is that
His Word will comfort you and guide you more than it will offend you the longer you study it, apply it and bring Glory to Him through it!

*KNOW WHAT GODS WORD SAYS ABOUT THESE TOPICS

SO YOU CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS...
Cookie cutter solution = Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

Cookie cutter solution = Main Stream Media

Cookie cutter solution = Remove Objects that Offend

Romans 1:26-27

Leviticus 19:16

John 7:24

HOMOSEXUALITY
Romans 1:26-27

GOSSIP

Proverbs 11:13

RACISM

Gods solution = Repent and never look back

Gods solution = Repent and never look back

Gods solution = Repent and never look back

Cookie cutter solution = Promoting Use

Cookie cutter solution = Say feels good at the time

Cookie cutter solution = Abortion

Romans 13:13

Colossians 3:8

Luke 1:41

DRUNKENNESS

BAD LANGUAGE

HUMAN LIFE

Gods solution = Repent and never look back

galssetapart
set
setapart
Gods solution = Repent and never look back

1 Peter 4:7

Ephesians 4:29

James 2:9

Psalm 139:13-16

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Gods solution = Repent and never look back

hank you from the bottom of my heart

for all of the prayers and support you
all have expressed for Gals Set Apart.
This little home-missions magazine has really grown. The mailing list has far more
names and addresses on it than I ever imagined it would with only its third mailing.
The responses and messages and I receive
from ladies with ideas for article topics,
featured gal recommendations, the list goes
on and on. I am happily overwhelmed by
it all.
In order to continue this project, it has really been made clear that I need to begin
selling advertising in order to pay for the
print and postage. Originally, I was totally
against this idea. I never wanted to be a
burden on anyone to help me with this.
Then one day I was attending a womens
Bible Study simulcast and I met an amazing lady who came right up to me and inquired about GSA. She wanted to know
more about it and she made a comment that
I will never forget. She said, dont put all

yourself

PAMPER

from me to you
of this on yourself, allow others to have a
part in it and you will amazed at what the
Lord can do with it. And, you know what?
She was exactly right! If this is the Lords
work and not my own, which it is HIS...
then allow His children to help. It is not just
MY project. He called me to start it, not to
hoard it all for myself. She commented that
she would love to be a part of something
like this. You can find out more about this
amazing gal on pages 4 and 5. She is our
Featured Gal this issue. Kerin Cornett, I
will forever be grateful for all of your encouraging words and support. You are a
blessing to many.
I have also had several friends who are
small business owners who have told me
they would love to advertise in this magazine should I ever begin doing so. Well
ladies... its time.
There is much to do to set everything up
correctly. I will need to learn a lot about
non-profit accounting and such but I feel
confident that you ladies will be helping

me along the way.

What an awesome family I have, of sisters in Christ ,to be so willing to help me
through this. Its true... its not just my
thing, this is Gods project.
I will posting advertising information
soon to the website and to GSAs facebook
page as well. I look forward to working
with you ladies more on this end of things!
Please continue the prayers for this magazine and most of all, pray for the lost. May
GSA continue to plant seeds, encourage and
bring others closer to our Heavenly Father.
GALS:
Gals Always Loving and Serving
God bless
you my sister,

Karen R. Smith

brown sugar
vegetable oil
vanilla extract
MIX ...

Mix ingredients until you find your desired thickness.

Scoop a palm full. Exfoliate your hands and elbows.
Rinse with warm water.
Ahhhh...
Soft as a babys bottom!
Make up a little extra and store in cute little glass jars.
Hand write scripture on a little piece of paper
to attach with it and give it a friend!
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By Lida M. Rogers

October 1999

The Holy Spirit has impressed me to write a lesson on a subject which is seldom heard from the pulpits in
todays society. I trust it will give you some insight as to what the scriptures reveal to us in regards to the
Holt Spirit. May God help each of us to make our calling and election sure as we face the future together with
the Lord Jesus Christ. SURELY HE COMETH SOON. 2 Peter 1:10
Lida Rogers

The Person of The holy GhosT

LIDA M. ROGERS
This piece is a (partial) reprint from
Silver Threads, a home-missions newsletter originally published in October
1999, written by the late Lida M. Rogers.
She began her newsletter in the 1990s.
Issues included encouragement,
prayers, Bible studies, a collection of
her poems and, of course, loaded with
scripture references.
FUN FACT: Lida Rogers was my grandmother. Born in 1925, she lived her entire life dedicated to the Lord and gaining souls for Him. She was a licensed
minister in the Pentecostal Holiness
denomination and preached more than
half her life. She entered the gates of
Glory in 2005. I pray that this section
of GSA will be a tribute to and a revival
of her home-missions newsletter.
*I have made only a few punctuation
corrections, but have left everything
the way she had originally worded it.
To find out more about the author or
to receive a copy of the original newsletter, please contact Karen by visiting
our website at galssetapartmag.com/
weebly. The website offers contact information.

Recently, I was reading scriptures in Mark 3:

28-30 and also in Matthew 12:31-32. While
reading them I was touched deeply in what
it was revealing to me. Lets look at them
together because I believe its time for people
to stop and realize the seriousness of the hour
in how one relates to what these scriptures are
telling us.
Matthew tells us along with Mark that the
words of Jesus on the subject of the Holy
Ghost is very very important. Matthew records: Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be FORGIVEN
unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And
whosever speaketh against the Son of Man,
it shall be forgiven of him,WHOSEVER SPEAKETH AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST, IT SHALL
NOT BE FORGIVEN HIM, NEITHER IN THIS
WORLD, NEITHER THE WORLD TO COME.
Who is the Holy Ghost and why is it that one
can speak against God the Father and His Son,
Jesus Christ and be forgiven but not forgiven
when they blaspheme the Holy Ghost? One of
the most serious errors in the minds of many
people concerning the Holy Ghost is that He
is simply a principle or an influence. Oh! My
dear one, the Deity of the Holy Ghost (Spirit)
as sometimes the scriptures reveal Him is a
part of the Holy Trinity. He, too, was in the beginning with God and His Son Jesus. Hebrews
9:14. He is equal with them as this is seen during the baptism of Christ. Matthew 3:16-17.
And is mentioned by Jesus Himself just prior
to His ascension form the Mount of Olives.
Matthew 28:19-20. He has a work in the plan
of salvation. Titus 3:5. And He calls all people
to repentance.
The Holy Ghost is referred to as a person in
the Word of God and should never be spoken
of as it but always as a personality and in
the masculine gender. He was and still is the
Comforter and the Advocate. The Greek word
for describing Him is Paraclete which means
One called along side to help. He is referred
to more than 50 times in the book of Acts.
Seventeen personal acts of the Holy Ghost,

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such as can only pertain to a personality, yea,

a person with real spiritual intelligence given
to humanity as recorded in John 16:13-15. Jesus said, When the Comforter is come, Whom
I will send unto from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father,
He shall testify of me. John 15:26. OH! What
a promise! On the Day of Pentecost, that promise was fulfilled. Acts 2:4.
The Holy Ghost is referred to in the scriptures as fire, wind, water, oil, dove, seal, pledge,
counselor, intercessor, helper, teacher, assistant, and comforter. He dwells in the bodies of
believers. James tells us in chapter 2 verse 26,
that the body without the Spirit is dead. This
thought when adopted in the spiritual realm,
helps us to understand something about the
invisible personality of the Holy Ghost.
I begin this {paragraph} with a deep concern in my heart with tears flowing down my
cheeks because the Holy Ghost is so wonderful
and glorious. Yet, there are many people who
mistreat Him by the way they live, talk and
walk. He can be grieved {Eph. 4:30}, He can be
lied to {Acts 5:3} and He can be sinned against
so stated Jesus in the scriptures penned on
one page.
Blasphemy, the strongest of the following
terms:
It refers to any remark deliberately mocking or contemptuous of God, His Son and the
Holy Spirit. The God we have to do with will
certainly deal with us hereafter. {Mark 3:29}
not according to professions but our practice.
To speak impiously of Gods nature, attributes
or works is a dangerous thing. Yet, we find
folks doing this today as did the Scribes who
came down from Jerusalem. They committed
the unpardonable sin of blasphemy in saying
Christ had an unclean spirit and His works
were of Satan. {Mark 3:3}
One may sin against God the Father and the
Son but not against the Holy Ghost (Spirit).
Why is this? All because He is the very heart
of Gods emotion and He is the last resort for
salvation. There is NO ONE else to turn to after
one has rejected the call of the Hold Spirit.