Posted in Christian Service, Church Unity, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Knitting Lessons

Written by talk2shari Published August 6, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Every year our annual tent meeting has a different flavor. We’ve had years when the fires of Heaven came down and stirred out hearts, this past year it was a calming of the heart having just lost our Pastor of 20 years and facing an uncertain time. This year there seems to be a mending of the community for the Kingdom of Christ. Tears well up in my eyes and joy bubbles in my soul when I write those words this morning. I’ve desired it, I’ve dreamt about it… a time when saying the name of another church didn’t come attached to an emotion of frustration. We can’t worship with them because they don’t believe like us, dress like us, talk like us… Woah… I can feel the room getting quiet.

Hasn’t Satan won a mighty battle in the church when he has us at odds with one another? How many souls go out into Hell each year because they didn’t see Jesus in our testimony, just us? And believe me that won’t save anyone. We’ve spent more time telling the lost what’s wrong with the church rather than what’s right. They see no difference in the house of God than they do a social club because isn’t it really just another “click?” Your friends, your family, your four and no more? Harsh topic this morning and one that has the potential to create a ruckus, and that’s okay, I’m up for the fight.

The preacher of last night’s meeting brushed over one of my favorite bible stories; the story of two best friends, David and Jonathan. I love 1^st Samuel 18:1 where it says “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” That’s a deep friendship, an example of Christ-like friendship. Jonathan was willing to betray his own father for the sake of David because he knew his father was wrong and that David was a chosen, anointed man of God. It was more important for Jonathan that he be right with God than right with man.

Which brings me to the question of doctrine. I’m not talking about linking up with churches who do not believe that Christ is the virgin born, Son of God, walked among men, crucified and risen the third day, sitting at the right hand of God, Redeemer. That would make us accountable for sending souls to Hell if we linked ourselves with anything else. But I speak of born again Christians who believe Christ is Lord of all and Creator of the universe, but they do it a little different than I do. It’s not a different doctrine, but rather a different style that has most churches at odds. Doctrine is the foundation of truth, all else is the foundation of men. What are you standing on?

Christ sat down with sinners and we won’t even sit down with each other.

Colossians 2:19 says –

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

If we hope to increase the Kingdom of God we need to do more knitting and less splitting. Whew! That’ll preach! You cannot detach yourself from another child of God without a disconnection of Christ at some point. Because God is the God of all. And if the “Head” of the church is not Christ, then the blood supply is shut off. Scary thought…

Christ said we needed to nourish one another, feed our souls on His goodness and then share it with everyone. I pray that this year’s tent meeting is the beginning of a knitting session with other Christ believers in our community. I love them…preach on preachers! Hope to see everyone at 7 tonight at Victory Baptist Church!

Posted in Life Inspiration

On the Brink of Possession

Written by talk2shari Published August 4, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Deuteronomy 2:31-33

And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz. And the Lord our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.

The children of Israel, after 40 years of wilderness wandering were on the brink of entering the promised land, and earlier on in chapter 2 God begins the journey with instructions to pass through certain parts of the country that are not intended to be theirs, but then came Sihon… and the Lord said it’s already yours, but not without a fight.

There are some beautiful things in life that I’d like to have. My “wanter” is alive and well. But for reasons, some known and some unknown, I have yet to achieve or receive. So this morning as I read through this chapter and heard God tell Israel, “move along, this isn’t your stop.” my heart sank a little. I’ve had to move along a lot in my 30 some odd years of adulthood. Most of which was for the same reason Israel wandered in the first place, rebellion, plain and simple. But now Israel is about to possess their portion of land, the day is finally arriving that they’ve longed for, but not without a fight.

My first thought was, “Why didn’t God strike fear in the enemies hearts and cause them to run, as He had others, why did they have to fight?” God not only didn’t strike fear in them, in verse 30 it says “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.” God stirred up a ruckus.

A Battle Strengthens the Mind

God told them in verse 31 to “begin to possess” the land. It was mindset they needed to have before the battle ever began. I’m not a ‘name it and claim it’ gal, but I believe there are some things that God intends His people to have and before we get it we have to make up our mind that it’s ours. It may not be a tangible something, perhaps it’s a position in life, or a victory over an issue, but whatever it is you’ll know. Because God will give you clues in advance. It’s those desires of the heart that are for His glory.

A Battle Strengthens the Man

Much like the physical battle strengthens the physical man, a spiritual battle will serve to strengthen the spirit of man. If God gave us everything we asked for, we’d be weak and puny Christians; but knowing that our adversary the Devil strikes against us every day, I believe that God puts some training maneuvers in our lives to build us for the battle. The battle we’re in may just be boot camp.

A Battle Strengthens the Memorial

How many movies have been made from the wars America has fought? We love reliving those time of Victory. The victories of Israel according to history occurred in 1422 BC, and here we are in the year of our Lord 2014 remembering their Victory. It’s good to remind ourselves of the sweetness of a battle won, it encourages our hearts.

My ‘wanter’ still wants. There are desires in my heart that just may be on the brink of reality, but I may still have to fight. You may too… get your boots on soldier…

Posted in Life Inspiration

Wisdom for the Weary

Written by talk2shari Published August 1, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Psalm 1…

Six small verses, yet a lifetime of wisdom if we’d only take heed. Needing to hear the wisdom of God myself, below is a running commentary of my thoughts on Psalm 1.

HOW TO PICK A FRIEND

¹Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,

COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY – Those who are anti God, who do not think in the spiritual sense about the earthly sense. I’m flabbergasted that Christians think it’s strange that I put a spiritual spin on everything in my life… please take note that I’m not saying I’m sin free or guilt free in life; that would be far, far from the truth. I’m a sinner saved by grace; but I cannot separate my spiritual walk from my secular walk. So… should I seek counsel, I’m not going to go to those who do. I want the opinion of someone who’s in touch with God on the events in their life as well.

nor standeth in the way of sinners,

SINNERS – Blatant disregard for the commandments of God. We are all sinners saved by grace, but there are those who fail to acknowledge any responsibility for living scripturally and to “hang out” with them is asking for trouble in your own spiritual walk. The old adage “Show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are, or who you soon shall be,” speaks volumes of truth.

nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

SCORNFUL – Disrespectful, discouraging, mocking people who spend more time tearing you down than building you up. I absolutely refuse to spend time with people who leave me feeling as though I’ve been pummeled beneath the hooves of a horse but it’s not to say I’m not exposed to them. I just don’t “sit” and have a lengthy conversation with them.

HOW TO PLAN A PARTY!

²But his delight is in the law of the Lord;

THE LAW – the Word of God. If you want to start and end your day rejoicing tune your mind in to the Word of God all day and by day’s end you’ll have joy in your soul! It’s soothes your soul like drinking an ice cold water on the hottest day of the year. I and promise because the Word of God promises that it is the Word of life.

Philippians 2:16

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

MEDITATE – to ponder and reflect, to take the Word of God and chew on it until all the flavors gone, only to discover that Willy Wonka’s gobstopper had nothing on the Word of God, it never runs out of flavor!

HOW TO PLOT A JOURNEY

³And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Don’t move. Sounds simple enough, but not really logical if you think of it in the literal sense. But if you think about it in the spiritual sense its truth. No matter where you go in life, get there and plant yourself deeply in the Word of God, seeking for the Wisdom of God and the Will of God, and He’ll take care of the rest.

THE PLIGHT OF ALL OTHERS.

⁴The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The sad truth is, all who do not seek God and His ways will perish in the end. It’s our job to PACK A PUNCH for the Kingdom of God by living a life that all may see evidence of God and His plan.

Posted in Life Inspiration

The God of a Messed Up Generation

Written by talk2shari Published July 30, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

For some reason, I get images and ideas in my mind, and they’re turned into facts. So many things I think I know about scripture and then I’ll discover something that I should have known… and yet didn’t. Like the fact that Jacob was in his mid to late seventies when Isaac accidently gave him his brother’s blessing and he fled from Esau. Now, in my mind I had him as a fairly young man, after all, he was still hanging out in the tents with his mom! And while what his mom certainly did was wrong by encouraging Jacob to deceive Isaac, he was in his seventy’s for crying out loud; he really couldn’t blame his Mom because his diaper was too tight growing up. It was time for him to get out of the tent and be a man. And so Jacob fled… and his story continued as he met a greater deceiver than himself (Uncle Laban), married his true love Rachel (second) after being tricked into marrying her older sister Leah. But now that I realize he was in his eighties, that story makes more sense. His eyesight may not have been what it once was!

Being that this is a blog and not a full blown bible study you’ll have to do your own reading on that story, (Genesis 25-27) for it was but introduction. My point in reminiscing those pages was to remind us of who Jacob was. His name literally means “deceiver.” The Bible said about Jacob and his twin brother Esau that “the children struggled together within her;” They were fighting before birth! Now that’s sibling rivalry; and they’re still fighting in their late seventies. But along the road to restoration of the brother’s relationship, Jacob gets a new name.

Genesis 32:24-28

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. ²⁵And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

A few points and then I’ll leave you to ponder this thought as I was left when I heard a message on it.

Jacob began his life in a wrestling match for the position of first born.
He swindled his brother out of his birthright and his blessing and on his way to restoration he wrestles again… but this time with God.
He receives a new name, Israel, and yet… on several occasions throughout the Bible God continues to call him Jacob, saying “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…”

Why would God go to all that trouble to give Jacob a new name and yet continue to use the name Jacob when reminding his servants of Who He was? Could it be to remind those of us who fail God daily, that God, in all His holiness, still acknowledges that He’s not the God of perfect people, but of deceivers? He gave Jacob a new name, Israel; He restored his relationship with his family much the way we’re given a new name in Glory upon salvation and restored to the family of God, but while we walk down here we’re still deceivers. We’re not a perfect people, but we serve a perfect God.

That thought amazed me yesterday… so much that I was still chewing on it today when I woke up and decided to share. I hope you are equally blessed to know that God is still God even when we’re messed up.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Freedom we don’t have, From inside Prison Walls

Written by talk2shari Published July 29, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Rock of Ages Minstry Team, Chaplin Edward Eisley and Me!

Spiritual Strongholds… seems to be a theme in my life recently. It was a theme in teen camp last week and as I walked out of the prison last night where I’d sang, I thought there was really little difference between myself and the inmates. Their prison bars were made of iron, mine were made of flesh. Both kept us from the people and things we love.

From the time I entered the sanctuary of the Salem Correctional Facility I could feel the Holy Spirit at work. The men were happy to be in that place, and had it not been for the uniforms it could have been any church in America. Actually, it was better than most churches in America, this one was filled with life! As I sang I watched several wipe tears from their eyes and a few others sat there cold and calloused to the Holy Spirit’s nudging. In all, twelve men have given their lives to Christ during the four day revival of the Rock of Age ministry.

They challenged the inmates to invite “their community’ to the services for the prize of a Bible and one man had invited 31 men from his unit. I tried to connect with as many eyes as I could when I sang, I wanted them to know that I had come to encourage them, that it wasn’t about me. Apostle Paul wrote pretty much the same thing from inside a jail cell to the Church of Corinth.

2^nd Corinthians 10:1

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

Base and bold. In contrast to each other, but oh so very needful in the service of Christ. If I had gone into the prison with the attitude of the entertainment industry my portion of the service would have fallen as flat as a pancake. I wasn’t there to entertain or to show pity to the inmates. I was there to lift up the name of Christ and hopefully encourage brothers in Christ, my equals, to be bold in their temporary home.

Is that not what earth is? We’re here for just a short while. A prison sentence to a new inmate seems like an eternity, and yet it’s just a little while in the scope of actual eternity.

2^nd Corinthians 10:2-4

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Strongholds. Those things that hold us back from sharing the goodness of God. Most of us are not behind steel bars, but there is still imprisoned. When I walked into that facility last night I was bold in the power of God, I had come to do what God has called me to do. But on the outside…it’s much harder to be bold. Ironic is it not? I felt more freedom inside a prison than outside. Outside is a scary place to me. Most don’t want to hear the gospel and they’re quite adamant, vocal and threatening about it. And I cower back into the shadows and my boldness is gone. Satan is good at what he does.

I left a little piece of my heart in the prison, I’ll have to go back and see if I can find it. I doubt I will, I’ll probably have to make several trips…

Posted in Life Inspiration

I’m heading to Prison!

Written by talk2shari Published July 28, 2014July 28, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I don’t really have a bucket list per say, but there are certain things I have in mind to accomplish, and one very strange thing that I desired to do was to minister in a prison. I know… I’m weird that way. But from my days of working in Magistrate court I’ve had a much higher tolerance for criminals than for some of the people supposedly working for their good. The arrogance on the part of those out of chains who treated criminals with disdain would grind my nerves bare. How could we ever hope for their correction and redemption when they were given no encouragement to change? Disrespect breeds disrespect. My burden for them likely has more to do with the fact that it was during this time of my life that I was saved; so I understood redemption. I understood that I was every bit as unworthy as the man or woman arrested and brought before our courts, the only difference was Christ had interceded on my behalf.

So when a friend and prison Chaplin asked me a few weeks ago to sing to a prison population during an in house revival, I was grateful for the opportunity. His facility houses over 300 inmates, 80 or so attend his weekly Bible study and worship hour, approximately one quarter of the population; men who found freedom from the opposite side of the bars. Many would likely say that that’s what it took to get them saved. They may or may not be grateful at this point but there will come a day when they will be.

It reminded me this morning of the story of Paul and Silas, who were imprisoned for sharing the gospel and yet rejoiced from within their dark and dank prison cell.

Acts 16:25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

The inmates I’m singing to tonight were likely not imprisoned unjustly, but from inside their cells they’ve discovered the freedom of Christ Jesus our Lord.

My great friend and Chaplin has such a burden for the men he ministers to. Perhaps because he was one of those arrogant people that I referred to earlier. I speak not in disrespect, it’s his story to tell and he does. As a former police officer in the State of New York, he somehow made his way to Grantsville, West Virginia and retired. Something he’s not very good at, he’s done it several times since I’ve known him. But he speaks often of his inability to see past the crime committed by someone on his watch. They were unworthy of a second chance until he discovered how many chances the Lord had given him. And now he’s where he never dreamed he would be, doling out mercy on the inside of the prison rather than doling out justice on the outside.

Today, we’ll be teaming up. He’s ministering the gospel in Word and I’m ministering the gospel in song. I’m humbled to have the opportunity. If you have a minute or two, I’d appreciate prayer. Pray first for the salvation and encouragement of souls who attend tonight’s revival, pray the songs I sing will be chosen in the Spirit not the flesh and will prepare the hearts to hear the message, and last but not least, pray for our safety traveling. The prisons a few hours away and it will make for a late night returning home. I pray blessings for your day as well!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Do you need to hear from Jesus today?

Written by talk2shari Published July 26, 2014July 26, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’ve had afew days off to rest and recoup from VBC teen Camp 2014 and I’m enjoying the lack of responsibility (my house will attest to that fact today). I really must get crackin’, but before I do, I’ve spent this morning just enjoying the Spirit of the Lord. Coffee in hand and Chuck Compton singing the glory down through YouTube videos and I’m a happy woman. It never ceases to amaze me what the Holy Spirit does in the life of a child of God. Jesus told us He would, but we so often allow the world to over shadow our daily steps that we forget Who it is that should be leading.

John 16:13-15 ~ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

How awesome is that! To Shari quote it, Christ said that the Holy Spirit is repeating what Christ would have us to know, and what He would have us to know is everything that He knows. Christ is feeding the Holy Spirit the wisdom we are in need of, and yet we treat it like a radio dial, switching it to another station if it’s not exactly what we want to hear. Color me guilty.

This Saturday morning blog is short and sweet…

Are you in need of wisdom, peace, solutions?…. Tune in. If you’re a child of God you have the answer within but you’ve got to get receiver tuned in to the right station. And there’s only one way to do that… Shut every other noise maker off.

Prior to writing this blog I was praying for wisdom as to what to write about today. As I was praying I was listening to a favorite gospel singer and blessings were just pouring down around me. And while that was an okay thing to do, I couldn’t hear what God had for me. So I shut it all down, and opened the Word of God and this was the direction He and I walked together.

Christ feeds the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit nourishes our souls. But neither will be in competition with anything else. Shhhhhhh….. listen.

When you’re done reading, and listening to the Holy Spirit, please go back up and click Chuck Compton’s name… get ready for the glory – “Did I mention that I Love Him”

Posted in Life Inspiration

It may be his job… but you can send him packin’

Written by talk2shari Published July 25, 2014July 26, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

A week filled to the brim with blessings… a new little sister in Christ, getting to know our new Pastor & and his family, rekindled friendships, falling to sleep to sounds of children laughing and the Floridian Pastor, outside my dorm room, playing the guitar with camper Connor Boggs and singing Almost Heaven West Virginia, Country Roads, take me home… what a sweet week! But now I’m home… and happy to be so; there’s only so much fun one chick can take, and I think my husband may have missed me a little.

Satan had done his best to steal the joys of the week before, during and after camp. It’s his job and he’s really good at it!

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A verse that should be written on the outside of every suitcase, vanity mirror, coffee cup, even the toes of our shoes… upon the places we’ll look before, during and after our destination. To serve as a reminder that the joy God has set before you on your journey is on the verge of being dismantled if you allow it. The last thing he will willingly allow is for you to have a joyful time. He’s been on me like white on rice since I walked in the door of the house. Messing with my mind, placing discouraging and attempting worrisome thoughts in my mind.

I determined that I needed to:

Thwart the thief

Matthew 6:19 says – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

He cannot steal what he does not have access to. The joys that I have experienced and that the Lord has in store for me today are laid up in Heaven. They weren’t at camp, they aren’t in my home, car or any other physical place on earth. They are in the spiritual possession of my LORD. What I can do though is allow Satan to get my eyes off of the spiritual side of the blessing and onto the tangible side. The part that moths and rust corrupt. Things break, (hearts included), plans change or fall through, personalities clash, things don’t always work out, but the blessings that God provides in abundance are those joys within our soul that Satan can’t touch!

Take captive the killer

Oh my stars! I don’t know how many times during camp Satan would try to kill the Spirit of the service, or the relationships of the kids and counselors. I spoke to the kids one morning of a vision that God had put into my mind of two wrestlers by the camp fire; the host of heaven on one side and the host of hell on the others cheering the wrestlers on as they struggled on the brink of falling into the fire. That’s what our services were like. Satan did his best, but God is better! Hallelujah!

Dismantle the destroyer

If you want to dismantle Satan’s ill intentions you’ve got to take some pieces out of play.

Pride’s got to go.
Self has got to go.
Your plan has got to go.
Your way has got to go.

Those are game pieces that Satan can manipulate on the board to his advantage. Those things take your focus off of the Lord Jesus Christ and put it on to the things of earth, where our treasures are not.

IN GOD THERE IS LIFE ABUNDANT! God is good, all the time. Even in a storm the goodness of God can be found. Stop settling for less.

Following the news of God’s abundance is the news of God’s goodness:

John 10:11

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

He has His life for us so that we could have life in abundance… don’t turn it down.

Posted in Life Inspiration

She’s got issues

Written by talk2shari Published July 22, 2014July 28, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’ve said it about “her” and I’ve been her. Issues! If we confess our hearts we’ll have to admit we’ve all still got a few, albeit my issues go far deeper than that of a physical sense. But women are the worst about pointing out another woman’s issues. There I said it. Yes it’s a gender biased statement, and although men have their own issues, women are far worse at pointing out someone else’s and then bringing it to the table to make a dessert of that conversation. There was a woman in the bible who had an issue of blood for twelve years, she no doubt had gotten weaker and weaker until at this point she was either going to face death, or she was going to get healed, but she’d had enough of the world’s theories.

Mark 5

²⁵And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

²⁶And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

²⁷When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

²⁸For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

It doesn’t say anything about four men carrying her bed and dropping it down through a roof top to Jesus to be healed. It says that she alone came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of His garment for she knew if she could just do that she’d be okay. I have to wonder, where were her girlfriends? Why had they not accompanied her to the Master, why did she have to go alone? Why that thought’s on my heart this morning I don’t know, but I know one thing for sure I’ve seen enough girlfriends in my life with issues who didn’t have the support they needed to make it to the Master.

This lady’s determination for healing had driven her to her knees at the heels of Jesus. Not fallen at His feet before Him but trying to sneak upon the Lord! She didn’t want to bother Him, she just wanted to touch the hem of His garment. She’d paid all her finances to the physicians in town who had done her absolutely no good, and without financial support they’d not bother treating her again. She was as low as she could get and Jesus was her last option.

²⁹And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

³⁰And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

³¹And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

She was unseen by anyone in the crowd. Even the disciples, Jesus’ closest friends hadn’t noticed the woman at His heels. I’m sure she likely preferred it that way, she just wanted to be well, and nobody else had been able to help her, and if the issue itself hadn’t done her in, the shame from the issue was going to.

³²And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

³³But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

³⁴And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Her physical issue was healed from behind Jesus, but not until she was face to face with Jesus was she ready to face the world. She didn’t jump up and praise the Lord when she felt the issue dry up, she just wanted to slink back into the crowd. She was grateful, but that issue had gotten her enough attention from the world, she’d been that woman with the issue long enough.

My issue this morning is not with the woman, it’s with the missing friends. Perhaps they were the ones with the greater issue. The ones too busy to help, not wanting to be shamed by her issue. I’ve been the one at the heels of Jesus, I’ve been the absentee friend and the one who spoke of her issues in a gossiping manner. We all need Jesus. Press on girlfriends. Look for that friend who needs carried, don’t let the guys show us up.

Posted in Life Inspiration

No Monkeys at Camp!

Written by talk2shari Published July 21, 2014July 28, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I really don’t know at what point in my life I was introduced to the gospel. I was brought up in church from birth, and yet didn’t come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ until the age of 34.

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Are those verses not amazing? Theologian Francis Junius told of how as a youth he was “infected with loose notions in religion,” as he puts it. But by the grace of God discovered faith in Christ by “accidently” reading John 1:1-5 which his father had purposefully laid in his way. Loose notions of religion… how appropriately does that describe our world today? Because of the light hand taken with the gospel at many of the churches I grew up in, the light of God did not penetrate my soul and I too had loose notions of religion. Oh, I believed in Christ (as does Satan), but I had no real comprehension of Who it was that Christ was. I believed that God created the universe, but what about those monkey’s people told me about in school? I didn’t really believe it, but it cast enough doubt into my mind that I was confused as to the creation of mankind, after all learned people were telling me these atrocities. Adults wouldn’t lie, right? My idealistic world of two Ozzie and Harriett parents didn’t prepare me for secular teaching and liberal preaching did solidify anything in my mind about Jesus Christ.

Tears well up in my eyes when I think of what children today are being exposed to. At least, Hallelujah and praise His Holy Name, I had a decent foundation. I had good parents. But the world is harsh.

When God gives that final exam in Heaven… “What did you do in your life for me?” There are going to be some educators who are going to stand before Almighty God and give an account for why they preached a monkey religion and cast confusion in the minds of children. “But it was a State Mandate! They’ll cry…” And God’s response… I don’t know. That’s for God to deicide, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be good.

That was a station break, now back to my sin. From the creation God was. Christ was. From 1962 Shari was (in human form anyway). And even as a child, in the pit of my soul I knew there was a Creator. God revealed that to me, but I was in darkness and I comprehended it not. I didn’t understand until I heard the Word of God preached in 1996 and it was literally as if God flipped a switch in my soul and I said, “Oh Jesus! Thank You for causing the darkness to flee, I’ve been scared and alone for 34 years.”

This morning I woke up in teen camp 2014. I fear that the switch has not been turned on in all of my campers, I’m pretty sure of it. They won’t get any monkey religion from me or any other leader of Victory Baptist Church this week; they’ll get the gospel. Please pray for our youth and our leaders. I hope to have some awesome stories of salvation this week!