Month: September 2015

Posted in Eternity, Grace, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political, salvation

Me and Jesus got it all Worked out… No Pope Needed

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chick and Jesus

I’m not a fan of the Pope. I’m not a fan of anyone who tries to come between me and Jesus. I know that’s bad English. I’m okay with it. This is not a Catholic bashing post, it’s not a political post… although I make no promises that politics won’t come up. I started to watch the television news this morning which was left on by my husband as he went to work and then I thought better of it. Why start my day in any greater frustration that the world already does?

The Religious Side of this Event

Yesterday as I traveled down the highways of West Virginia listening to Bluegrass Junction on Sirius radio an oldie but goodie sung by Charlie Sizemore came on titled “Me and Jesus.” Written by Tom T. Hall long before “me and Jesus got it all worked out.” Well I just about took a shoutin’ fit in the car. I came home and looked up the chords and lyrics and now I’m claimin’ that one for myself and have added it to my repertoire of music for pickin’ events. This song somewhat epitomizes what I think of the Pope. How dare anyone this side of Heaven tell me that I need somebody to tell me what thus saith the Lord when I have the Word of God in my hand and the Holy Spirit in my heart. Both of which tell me in Matthew 27:51 “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;” forever granting those who accept His death on the cross as payment for all sin to have access 24/7 to the Lord and Savior. Without the priest. Without the Pope. So that’s the end of that rant… now for the political side of it.

The Political side of this event

Whether or not I agree with the Pope, he is still a religious leader. He and I can agree to disagree and I’ll let God sort out the false doctrine that he’s touting on judgement day. It’s my role as a Christian to share the truth, which I just did, not bash the Pope. I’ll show him the respect that I show any other faith. What they believe is between them and Jesus. I stand accountable for me. But the President’s flagrant misuse of power again and again to slap God in the face, which is what he’s doing with this visit to the Whitehouse by the Pope, will likewise end on judgment day. His arrogance of promoting the gay, transgender, baby killing and Muslim agendas will eventually stop, whether or not American citizens get a backbone and do something about it. On the final Amen – Obama and his tribe of wickedness will stand before a Holy God Who only wanted to be loved for His willingness to die on that cross of Calvary and their arrogance will be gone. Of that I am promised.

The Personal side of this event

Do you and Jesus have it all worked out? Preaching is awesome! Christ died for the church, so please don’t tell me going there is not important, and there is countless scriptures of Christians getting together to worship God to back that up. But neither of those things save you. Salvation is between you and Jesus alone.  Accepting that He died for you so that when you die you can have eternal life with Him in glory. And to the dismay of the Pope, when you “get that all worked out,” you don’t need anyone to help you talk to Jesus. No fancy church… it could be just you kneeled down by a stump in the woods of Calhoun County, West Virginia. Where there is no Catholic Church.

I hope you have it all worked out!

Posted in Christian Service

Things that are separate are sometimes together

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chick ministry

Having worked in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ for several years now I feel that I have a few tee shirts in my closet of the places I have been and the troubles I have seen to allow my opinion to be notable. (perhaps only Post-It ® note worthy) but noteworthy none the less. I have had to take stands over the course of my 19 years in the ministry that were not always popular and on very rare occasions, alone. And when I say alone, there would have probably been many who would have stood with me, if they had known that I was taking a stand. But sometimes in the case of leadership you take an inward stand because the outward conflict would do more harm than good to the cause of Christ if the issue never comes to a resolution.

I know that’s a vague statement, but stay with me and I’ll get this bus to the drop off point.

If you are a part of a congregation of believers where there are more than two, there is likely a separation in the church of ideology. Theology should be agreed upon, but our ideas are just that… “our” ideas. And they often collide like bumper cars in an amusement park, except without the laughter. It’s just human nature. The problem with that is as saved people we’re not supposed to be natural. Learn more about this by earning your master’s degree at the AWKNG School of Theology.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Now I get that we cannot get rid of that natural man that wars against the spiritual man within us but if the natural man or woman wins, at some point in that battle, we’ve stopped listening to the Spirit of God. So what are we to do as leaders in the church when our ideas don’t line up with others in the church and we believe we’re right? When things that are separate, are together. What then?  I’m pretty sure I’m right when I say we should talk to the One Who’s never wrong. God.

In Romans 1:1 apostle Paul said that he was …separated unto the gospel of God.

Separated from what? From the world and natural man to the spiritual. He no longer considered himself to be a part of this this world, yet that’s where he was, and it was his job to share the gospel. As believers, whether or not you’ve been called into the ministry you have still been called to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. So you too have been separated like Paul, unto the gospel. That automatically, like it or not, puts you on a different playing field in life. You are held to a higher accountability than the world around you.

Romans 1:5-6

By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Now if you’ve been called into actual ministry work, your field just got higher still.

Romans 1:9-13

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

Paul desired to preach in Rome, but God had other plans, he was let hitherto. Paul knew through the Spirit of God that he was not to go to Rome, even though that was his desire. And so it is when we get ideas of our own that we want one thing and God wants another. For certain God has only one plan. Paul was in tune spiritually enough to know what it was. So what if there are people in the church with two ideas? It is for certain that only one of them is the one God wants, because God’s not in division. And if there’s division, someone’s wrong. When that’s happened, and it has, I’ve had to step out of the way. Sometimes I had to bite my tongue off. But I had to trust that God’s will would be accomplished. It’s hard to be separate when we’re together. When we don’t agree with someone in our midst. Paul reminded his friends that even though they were not together physically, they had one thing in common. Mutual faith.

Did some people get upset because they didn’t get their way? Possibly. But those in mutual faith, stayed put and waited for God to work out His amazing plan. God’s plan is always amazing, ours may seem amazing, but if God’s not in it, it will end in disaster. Mutual faith is remembering that we’re not here to please us. We’re here to please God.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Do You Help or Do You Hinder the Ministry?

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chick help 2I’m nearing the 20 year mark in my ministry. What an awesome life it has been since that first day of having the Lord Jesus Christ live within my heart; encouraging, convicting and guiding my pathway. About ten years into the ministry I adopted a verse as my life verse: 2 Corinthians 2:1-2 “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?”

There it was for me. The “I’m fine Theory” in black and white. I would strive to be an encourager to all I met and most of all the men and women who served God and this has been a blessing in my life. God has sent many notable preachers, teachers, soul-winners and ministers of the gospel across my path, allowing me to glean from them as I encouraged them. This is not a boast, it’s who God called me to be; and I have not always been successful at it. I have upon occasion discouraged a preacher or two, and have gotten in the flesh on more than one occasion when I’ve determined of myself that “I” was right, or I when I was hurt by a ministry person. Hey, don’t throw rocks, I’m human.

Because of previous hurts I guard my heart. I can quickly withdraw myself as an encourager if I feel that my help is not desired, fearing that it will be viewed as an interference rather than help, or if it will be rejected… that hurts worst of all. I’m highly opinionated… so occasionally my help comes with attitude; and rather than bringing shame to the name of Jesus by getting in the flesh I’ll just shut down before I say something I regret. As you can tell, there is conflict within and without this child of God.

Apostle Paul had great balance with his ability to encourage and energize his audience yet also bring awareness and conviction into their lives. The apostle Paul was a helper and a healer of the ministry. He said in 2 Corinthians 1:24 “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”

As a minister of the gospel, it’s not my job to be in charge of anyone else’s faith or position. It’s my job to help and bring joy in your life so that through faith we can stand together. To encourage you where God called you to be.

When I see Christians tearing down one another rather than encouraging and building one another up I realize why God needs people with a ministry of help… because there’s enough ministries of hindrance.

Things that hinder the ministry. I focused.

  1. Self-Importance(I know what’s best)
  2. Self-Will (I know what’s right)
  3. Self-Regard (I matter more)

Things that grow the ministry. God focused.

  1. Self-denial (God knows what’s best)
  2. Selfless (Other’s First)
  3. Self-aware (Determining my motives, is this for me? Or God?)

I speak from experience when I say that I’ve been guilty of hindering the ministry. But my hearts true desire is to grow it. So… question of the day… Do you help? Or do you hinder?

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political

A Man and His Concubine (An American tale?)

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chick tale

So this morning I sat out to spend some time in the Word of God and settle for myself a scripture that I had heard over the weekend being used out of context. Funny thing about God… my ways are not His ways. In the process of searching out that scripture I found three references, the first of which was not the one for which I sought to understand. That of course was the one God opened my eyes to. The scripture reading for me today was in the book of Judges, Chapters 19-20. I was drawn into a dark, gruesome and horrific story of a man and his concubine.

Judges 19:1-2

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah. And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

That’s quite the story opener is it not? Here’s what caught my eye: Israel has no leadership… wow, doesn’t that sound familiar. You’ll note I’m not asking a question. We all know that we have no leadership. Well… technically poor leadership. By the biblical responsibilities of the tribe for which he belonged this unnamed Levite man of the story should have been a minister of God. But to Shari quote what I’m reading, he’s shacked up with an unscrupulous chick and has to go chasing after her back down to her daddy’s house in Bethlehemjudah where life is just one big party. His father in law convinces him again and again to spend the night in party central until finally after five days he says, ‘I gotta go.’ So he, the dame, and his servant saddle up their donkey’s and hit the highway. The first towns they come to are heathen towns for which the servant suggests they stay. But the Levite informs him that they’re not staying in a town belonging to people who are not Israelites. It must have been their version of Las Vegas. So they passed through those towns and come to their own people in Gibeah, who won’t give them the time of day or a place to stay! So now they’re homeless in the street; when along comes an out of town farmer who has a place to stay there in that city and brings them in for the night.

The story only gets worse.

Sodom and Gommorah rises from the ashes as some men in the city (of their own people) come to the farmer’s house “wanting the men” to join them. The farmer decides to appease them by offering up his own daughter (which they deny) and the Levite’s concubine (whom they accept) and take her and rape her all night, returning her dead in the morning on the farmer’s doorstep. Horror movie in the making. So the Levite returns to his hometown, cuts his dead concubine in pieces and sends the pieces out to his own people in the form of a shock-o-gram intending incite war on the Benjamites who killed her.

Following the Lord’s approval the war ensues, killing twenty-two thousand of their own Israelites the first day, and eighteen thousand the second day; which caused them to question God if this battle was such a good idea.

God said go, so they went and victory was theirs the third time.

When I read this terrible tragedy my first thought  was, “sounds like America.” This could possibly be a State of the Union address illustration if we’d get a President who was saved. Totally judgmental I know… But I’m not taking it back. I’m tired! I’m tired of America whoring after whoever or whatever it is that’s out there in all of their political correctness with total disregard for what we’re marrying into (literally and figuratively). The Iran deal that’s on the table is like climbing in bed with the terrorist and when they slit your throat proclaiming…. “I didn’t see that coming.” Really? Our Washington representatives allowing the President to visit and call the  homes of criminals while making no attempt to comfort the hearts of grieving police families is every bit as appalling as the farmer and the Levite’s willingness to sacrifice their women so that the men would leave them alone. And every bit as stupid as their shock when the woman was returned raped and murdered. So by comforting people who kill cops… cop killers will stop, is that the theory? American powers that be have given our children to be killed in abortions, but we’re shocked that they would cut the babies apart and sell them.

Suddenly the story in Judges isn’t so unfamiliar is it?

And so they incite war within America. They turn it into a racial, gender, rich vs. poor, educated vs. non-educated, etc. etc. until everyone has something against someone. The 40,000 people lost in the battle for justice in Israel were killed by their own people. The average American sees it but sits helpless. What’s the answer?

Here’s a few ideas:

  • Israel didn’t need a King, they had God. So do we!
  • Stop sleeping with the enemy ourselves. As servants of God, why are we marrying the world’s ideas? It doesn’t matter what the world says is right. If God says it’s wrong it is.
  • The enemy that’s doing the most damage is in our own camp. It’s not the people who “aren’t like us,” that we have issues with. They, like us, need God.
  • Stop allowing access to our children (those born and those unborn)
  • We’ve literally had the body parts of an innocent child sent to us.

Today’s blog isn’t meant to incite war, it’s meant to cause you to first examine yourself, and then the world around you.

What state are you in?

  • Spiritually? Do you have a right heart with God?
  • Literally? I’m in West Virginia… where are you?

It’s time to examine both and start cleaning house. Don’t wait until they’ve taken your family and then start the battle. Start protecting what’s yours.

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Life Inspiration

Life’s Laundry: What to do when the color’s run

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CHICK LIFE 2

Funny thing about life… sometimes it’s not funny at all. There are days when I’m trying to sort the laundry of life and make sure that my thoughts are segregated like the laundry piles (lights, darks, heavily soiled, and the “good clothes). Perhaps that’s a little too metaphorical. So let’s do some laundry together and perhaps you and I both will get some things about life figured out.

The Lights and Darks

I have two sides… do you? There’s the church side of Shari. The light side. I love that side! It’s the side that gets to talk to Jesus, study His word, help His people, and do my Father’s business… it’s the side I honestly long for. And then there’s the dark side. It’s the side of me that fights with the light side for domination. I would love to bury it in a hole in the backyard. It’s distracting at best, it’s often times judgmental and desires only the best in life, no matter the cost.  I try to keep them separated, but they occasionally collide and the colors run. I’m trying to do my Father’s business and something shiny pops into to my head or onto the side of a web page…I’m trying to help someone and then that judgmental notion wonders if I should even bother, they won’t appreciate it…I sit down to study God’s word and then something more entertaining comes to mind… I start talking to Jesus, and it ends up being a “Dear God I’m stupid” conversation when I know God has something to tell me but He can’t get a word in edge wise for my rantings and “please forgive me’s.”

The Good clothes vs. the Heavily soiled

I don’t even let them touch! My husband David works at a job where he may sit in a truck all day on a computer, or he may step out of the truck and get doused with oil and various chemicals that make for some interesting stain removal, usually impossible stain removal. There is no way that I would allow those grimy duds to lie next to my Sunday Go To Meetin’ clothes. Sometimes…I do people the same way. Grimy beer drinkin’, cussin’ swarpin’ people that blaspheme God. What about the tribe of liberals that scream for everyone’s rights but believe that I have none as a child of God? They make me nauseous. How on earth can I witness to them, they shut me down before I walk in the door.

Did they? Or did my divisive thinking separate me from them before God could work His magic through the Holy Spirit?

I spend a lot of wasted time going over my laundry lists. The light and the dark sides, God knows both. Good vs. Evil, God loves both. All four require treatment.

The light side is in need of exhortation. Hebrews 3:13 reminds us to “exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” We need the fellowship of other saints to encourage us to keep the dark side at bay because we’re still sinners saved by grace. I love that the writer said “while it is called To day;” meaning… don’t  put it off until tomorrow, because by that time somebody might have already fallen back into sin. We all can you know. The problem with the lights and darks is not that they’re there, but that they go untreated. We don’t encourage each other enough and we don’t confess to one another enough. James 5:16 says “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  The proper way to treat the dark side is to bring it into the light. Not that the two should mingle, but that the dark is made known and then it loses its hold. But we’re afraid to tell our friends about our struggles with the dark side, so it bleeds into the light side until that side is dull and dingy. We need a good friend that is not judgmental, but righteous through the blood of Christ, another sinner saved by grace that know they too have a dark side. Do you have that friend? Are you that friend?

The good clothes vs. the heavily soiled require basically the same treatment. Non-judgmental Christians encouraging non-Christians. The difference would be in the stain removal. While a Christian’s stains are already removed by the blood of Christ, they simply need some freshening up; the unsaved person has sins that are in desperate need of removal but require pre-treatment. Before I can help an unsaved person become clean, I need to spend some time preparing my heart in prayer and preparing they’re heart for the Holy Spirit to do some work before I arrive.

My attitude can only reflect Christ if my heart does. They’ll only see Jesus if I act like Him.

I hope my laundry metaphor helped you today, it helped me to remember that I’m still a sinner, lest I look down my nose at a sinner.

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Forgiveness, Life Inspiration, Political

So you want to be whale puke?

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chickk hmmm

In the well known Bible story by the saved and unsaved alike, Jonah is told by God to go to Nineveh.

Jonah 1:1-3

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

Tarshish is not Nineveh. It is the opposite direction of Nineveh, a city of 120,000 or so people, full of wickedness and Jonah has been told by God that he needs to go preach the gospel. But Jonah doesn’t want to preach the gospel to those heathens… Jonah doesn’t care if they get saved. Well God did. And because of his disobedience Jonah ends up in the belly of a whale for three days until he’s whale puke. This is not just a story, its history from the Creator Himself, who gave Jonah his marching orders.

And the good little Christians say, yes Amen. Teach that Jonah a lesson!

And then there’s the Kentucky County Clerk, Kim Davis. And Christians and non-Christians alike are slaughtering her name in the media because she had the audacity to stand on the side of God. So perhaps you’re saying… the two stories don’t even match up. Jonah was given an order by God…

Let’s take a journey to Acts 5:27-32

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Should Christians obey the law? Of course… except where it’s contrary to God.

So what is my correlation to this story and Jonah’s. Both stories tell of those sent out to share the gospel which is the responsibility of every saved person, not just preachers. It’s our responsibility to tell the truth of God’s Word. God’s Word says in Romans 1:25-32

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Sound familiar? God gave them and He gave America what they said they wanted. And just as it was for them, so will it be for America that putting a stamp of approval on sin starts a down hill spiral that we’re not prepared for. God did not put His stamp of approval on homosexual marriage and He under no circumstances changed the Word of God to say it was okay. As a Christian it’s my responsibility to spread the TRUTH of the gospel, else it’s a lie. Jonah didn’t care if Nineveh knew the truth until God made him whale puke. I’d rather stay out of the belly of the whale, and apparently so would Kim Davis.

As for her divorces. Those are under the blood because she repented from her sins. She didn’t say they were right, she said she was forgiven. Just as a homosexual can be forgiven for living contrary to God’s plan. But how will they know to repent if “good Christian people”, who don’t want to offend them, are telling them it’s okay? They won’t. And that’s why there’s gonna be some serious whale puke across America. It’s not pretty… but it’s the gospel.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Don’t Turn Down This Blessing

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chick I Am 3

Do you want a blessing? I can’t imagine you saying no. In the gospel of John, six time Jesus gives us an “I Am” message so that we may know Who He is. You may say, but I know Who He is, He is God. He is Lord of my life, He is the reason I exist. And that’s all true. But if you’re like me you look over these “I Am” verses and what they mean to you as you walk with Him, Who you know.

John 6:35

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The Bread and Water

Sounds like prison food does it not? Well, the truth of the matter is there are days I feel like I’m in a prison of sorts. The world around me is filled with some of the most vile and wicked people and ideas and my mind cannot fathom why they are so. I long for purity, even in my own mind that can get drug into the cesspool of life. Can you identify? Maybe not. But the purity of the Bread and Water that Christ affords is just what I need. No frills. Just the plain and simple truth. God is still in control and will provide my every need – physically – spiritually – and emotionally. Bread and Water will be just fine.

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The Light

As a child I was afraid of the darkness, as an adult I’m not real brave in it. We know that it’s not the darkness necessarily that we’re afraid of, but what might be in it. By the same token the unknown of life is just as scary when we’re seeking direction, or we’ve got a road ahead of us that we’ve never traveled; and we’re pretty sure it’s going to be rough. How awesome to know that every step on the path before us will have a light. It may not appear until we’ve moved our foot, but it’s there and even in the darkest of times our world is illuminated by the God who created the universe. If He can speak light into a void of nothing, He can certainly cast it forth in our hour of need. Do you need direction today? Move your foot and then look for the light!

The Door

John 10:9

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

In my testimony of “that door” I tell the story of the day I opened that door and ask Jesus in. It’s an amazing story (at least to me) because it’s mine! That day my house became His house. Bought and paid for! I could go out into the world, or I could just stay in, but either way I enjoyed His company.

The Shepherd

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

The house that was bought and paid for was paid for by the blood of the Lamb. He Who created the lambs, and at one time required their sacrifice for atonement of sin became the Lamb of God Who was the final sacrifice needed. He is the Shepherd because He has been the lamb. He knows everything we go through because He came to earth and experienced it for Himself. And then in the final moments of His life, with His flesh fighting against Him, He won the battle for us to have eternal life with Him. No matter what you’re going through today, He knows all about it and wants to take care of it. Let Him.

The Resurrection

John 11:25

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Glory!!! To have that knowledge will get you through the bleakest of times. When my Dad passed away in 2003 I had no idea of the peace that would flood my soul in those dark hours. To know that my Dad was only temporarily gone from my presence made that pain subside and turn to hope. The hope that we all who know Jesus have and that hope is that we’ll be joined together in Heaven with Him. But not only that hope… the hope of life here. Before knowing Christ we are dead inside, but when we accept Him there is a new man that arises within us that walks and talks differently. The new man has a new purpose and that’s to show others the hope he/she has found in Jesus Christ!!!

The Way, Truth, and Life

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I remember the BC days, before Christ entered my life. I was the walking dead. I had no idea which direction I should go in life, the truth was vague at best and my life was without meaning. Sound dramatic? It was dramatic. My life looked great on the outside, but inwardly I was in turmoil. I needed to know the way, the truth and the life that God had for me. But I didn’t know how to find it. Not even in the church I attended. But God sent someone my way to show me the Way, the Truth and the Life. Perhaps I’m that person for you today, or perhaps someone else was. If you know Jesus, it’s your turn to tell someone else.

The Vine

John 15:1

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

The Vine. That life giving stem for which the fruit thrives and survives and God Himself is the husbandman. Our Father is our Farmer!!! He gets in there and digs the impurities out of our soil (soul) and then He fertilizes us with the richness of His Word that causes us to grow and produce fruit ourselves. That fruit then is our responsibility to show them how to continue clinging to the True Vine so that they too can produce fruit and just imagine a vineyard that goes for a million miles and that’s what Heaven is going to look like if we help God farm the land.

I love the “I Am’s!” God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They stir my soul. I hope they stirred yours today too.

Posted in Life Inspiration, Pocket Testament League, Prayer

Let me know how this works for you

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Let me know how this works for you

chick prayer

The ACTS prayer method.  I was reminded of it in a Pocket Testament League devotion yesterday, and today it was again on my heart, desiring that sweet Spirit of the Lord in my life.  Have you felt it today, or has it been a while since you got that bubbling up in your soul so vast that you feel at any moment your mouth will fly open and the Holy Spirit will assuredly burst onto the scene? And then He does! His indwelling becomes an out pouring of praise of and gratitude for what He’s done in your life.  It’s amazing!

  • ADORATION
    • Tell Him how much you love Him and watch and feel as you are loved in return.
  • CONFESSION
    • We all know our short comings, for me they are many. What an awesome feeling just to clear the air with the Lord. He knows what we’ve done, but He longs to hear His children confess their sins and turn away from it and back to Him.
  • THANKSGIVING
    • Have you counted your blessings lately? It’s amazing and humbling when you start thanking God for all you have; especially when you look at the world around you and see the countless who have not.
  • SUPPLICATION
    • Our prayer list at church gets longer and longer, my own does too. There are so many people in the world suffering, who need someone to lift them up in prayer. For me it’s overwhelming at times. But like the blessings I have to name them one by one and not dwell on the fact that I can do nothing, but that God can do anything. Who has He laid on your heart today?

ACTS. Such a small acronym with big results. I hope you’ll use it for your model prayer today and then let me know how the Lord blesses it!