Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration

Hippies, incense and Jesus

Written by talk2shari Published January 10, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

Jeremiah 18:15

I could not help but digress to the image of the psychedelic incense burning hippy of the days of my youth when I read that scripture. Born in the 60’s, I was born smack dab into the middle of a love fest. Although my parents weren’t hippies, but they did love me. If anything they were anti-hippies. They were the God fearing, church going, straight as an arrow family of the 50’s who refused to come into the new age. Praise God!

That era did however have a profound effect on me, even though I was a tiny tot and early elementary kid at the height of it. The ideological principles were carried right into the 70’s and with the 1980’s we embraced all things new and shiny with the attitude, “I love it, therefore I should have it, right or wrong.”

But in the day of Jeremiah, they weren’t incense burning hippies. They were idol worshipping backsliders who had turned their back on God’s ways and thought they’d found a new and better path. Hmmmm… perhaps it wasn’t so different than the 60’s. Preachers of the 60’s were called Jesus freaks and Jeremiah was indicted by the Jews because he preached truth. Nobody wanted to hear the truth or the consequences of it in Jeremiah’s day and Truth or Consequences was a hit show hosted by Bob Barker in the 60’s. That’s kind of a silly similarity but the results aren’t funny at all. What we have is a nation

Scroll into the new millennia and tell me how we’re better off? We’re not, but I’m not Jeremiah the weeping prophet. The good news is Jesus is coming soon! I’m not praying my nation’s demise or wishing God would reign judgment down upon it. That will come on its own. What I’m praying for is for the churches of America get back to the foundational truth of the Word of God and stop wavering into the “feel good nonsense” that sends people to Hell. And no, I don’t think all hippies are going to Hell. The hippies may be more in touch with God than the white shirt suited preacher that points his finger at the world in condemnation rather than showing them the love of Jesus. But regardless of whether you are a hippie, Jesus freak, preacher or average Joe or Jill, the truth is Jesus is the way, truth and life and nobody is getting into Heaven without understanding that. (Paraphrased from John 14:6)

I’m thankful that I grew up with parents who were very close to the Ozzie and Harriet show of the 50’s. Traditional stay at home mom and working dad with honest Christian values. Now, my mom did go to work after we were grown, my dad became very stylish in his later years, but they never strayed from the old path of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their children strayed, but returned and gave evidence that if you train a child up in the way he should go, when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Church attendance, Life Inspiration, worship

Leave Your Burdens at the Gate

Written by talk2shari Published January 8, 2017January 8, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

For greater than twenty years I haven’t wondered where I’m supposed to be on Sunday morning. I haven’t gotten up on any given Sunday and said, “what a great day to go to the mall! That actually wouldn’t happen on a Thursday! With words unspoken you may have perhaps read that as if it were spoken in a self-righteous church lady voice. Please don’t. There’s no holier than thou or preachy connotation. It’s written in humble gratitude that God gave me a place to call home in the house of the Lord at Victory Baptist Church in Grantsville, West Virginia. It’s church day! And I’m excited about what the Lord will do there.

I’m still in Jeremiah, although I only made it but through one chapter this morning before getting waylaid on this thought.

Jeremiah 17:24-25

And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.

It’s exciting to know that God cares about my church attendance! I was in a meeting one day when someone said, “I can be just as good of a Christian outside of the church as in”. I’d argue, no you can’t. I actually didn’t argue, it was an adult at a youth camp, but I did get my point across. And although this may be an Old Testament scripture, in a land of kings and princes, it’s as relative today as it was when it was written between 630 and 580 B.C.

We need church and not going has consequences.

The above scripture tells of the blessings that God says will come when we attend church, there was also scripture that told of the cursing of turning your back on God. (vs. 27) The blessing of honoring God by putting Him first on the Sabbath is a country going in the right direction. But let’s put it on a personal level, how about a life going in the right direction? For the record, those who argued with me that they could be out of church and still be a good Christian are now out of church. And though I believe they are saved, they’re lives are a mess. It’s not to say that problems won’t come when you’re in church, but what you are is equipped to handle them.

Sunday School isn’t just for children. It’s a place to delve deeper into the word of God. It’s like having a free conference every Sunday! And those who take advantage of it are fewer and fewer. Sunday School is usually followed by the worship hour. It’s a time of preaching and singing and there are those who attend it and miss the whole point by “enduring” it rather than embracing it!

Jeremiah’s words struck me when he said to “bring no burdens through the gate… but hallow the Sabbath.” That’s how to enjoy church. There’s a reason it’s called a sanctuary. It’s a place to escape the world. I hope this morning finds you in the house of God with your burdens on the outside. Just be open to listening to the Word of God this morning and let God deal with the burdens. It’s not easy, even for those of us at it for a long time… but it’s needful for a great life and for a great country – that America gets itself back to church.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Grace, Life Inspiration

Were it not for the Place of Grace

Written by talk2shari Published January 7, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

7jan17

I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.~ Jeremiah 17:10

A thorough searching of my heart on any given day will lead me to an awareness of the rebellion that resides there. The old adage “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink,” comes to mind; and you can lead a girl to scripture but you can’t make her apply it. In my *pursuit of God, He’s had to drag me through the book of Jeremiah at times. It’s depressing to hear of the state of Israel, God’s disdain and Jeremiah’s pleading. But there amidst all that frustration are nuggets of pure gold that even a rebellious spirited gal like me can latch onto and say, “God, I’m so glad you brought me down this path.” If I allow myself to be lead, rather than pulling back God takes me to the place of blessing.

Jeremiah 17:7 says :

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.”

Jeremiah was at his wits end with Israel, yet even still he could see the blessing of being in the place of fellowship with God. We cannot control those around us, believe me I’ve tried. And it is enough that I have my own life’s garden to keep the crap out of.

Apostle Paul said it best in Philippians 3:8 when he said, “Yeah doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”

Paul had tried to live by the law, and for the most part he was very good at it. He’d tried to inforce the law on others, and he made quite an impact there to. But no matter what he did, until grace came into place in his life, all his work was nothing. He said it was like dung… aka crap. He’d pulled and pulled against the reins, he’d had others pull against his reins, but there came a day when God took the reins and Paul was no longer in control.

Praise God for grace! Even on days like today when I’m ready to kill people. When like Jeremiah I’ve prayed God’s judgement would reign down on someone, I’ve heard… be grateful for your own grace Shari, you need it too. Stop pulling on the reins… just let me lead you to the water to drink. And then we’ll see where this journey goes from there.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration

Dirty Girdles by the Riverside

Written by talk2shari Published January 6, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

Sounds like the name of a bad country song. But no, it’s a story in the book of Jeremiah, Chapter 13. The lamenting, ever so fed up prophet that God gives an odd instruction to use for an illustration in a sermon.

God tells Jeremiah to get his girdle (a belt of sorts) and put it around his waist and not wash it. Thus… the dirty girdle. Stay with me here! This story is going places. He then tells him to take a trip down by the River Euphrates and hide the girdle in a hole in the rock which God uses to illustrate the soon to be state of Israel. The only one more fed up the Jeremiah, is God.

Verse 11 sums it up when God says

¹¹For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

To go way out on a limb and paraphrase what God is saying to Jeremiah would be “I just wanted my people to hang tight to me, but that wouldn’t listen.”

Isn’t it a sad state of affairs in the life of a Christian that we have but one way to please God, and that’s just to listen to Him. And we can’t do it. At least I can’t. Perhaps you’re more obedient than I am. Even in the course of this morning’s study, I’m taking messages, I’ve got life on my mind and it’s as if I’m saying to God, “Can you hold that thought, I’ll be right back.”

Seriously, did you just shush God, Shari?

That’s basically it. When God has a message and we fail to hear, isn’t that shushing God? That’s about as crazy as dirty girdles in the river being used as a sermon illustration. And as crazy as thought that was it had me heart sick when Jeremiah went back to remove the girdle and it was rotten and torn and the scripture says it was “good for nothing” (vs. 10)

The very thing that will hold us together, like the belt on a man’s britches, is worthless. Because what holds the people of God together isn’t being heeded to. We’re not listening.

In first Peter 1:13 Peter says:

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Again God says “Hang tight, stay with Me, be serious about your faith.” But much like my bible study this morning we’re distracted by life. I believe God understands my weaknesses. He knows I struggle and that you do as well. But all He’s desiring is our company. That’s not much for the Creator to ask for. When we go into the world, take Him to. Make him a part of everyday life. Put Him on like a coat and buckle Him up tight like a belt that can’t be torn off. Don’t be a good for a nothin’. That’s a quote from childhood when someone spoke of a person who wouldn’t work. It’s Friday, the last day of the work week for most… but every day is a work day for Jesus until He returns.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Evangelism, Life Inspiration

Revealing the Cause

Written by talk2shari Published January 5, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

But, O Lord, of hosts, that judgest righteously, that t riest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. ~ Jeremiah 11:20

It’s not a shocker that many people hate the truth. It’s not new news. Now, the devices of the day have changed in how people handle the truth spewers. In the eleventh chapter of Jeremiah, his life has been threatened: okay maybe things haven’t changed so much. But, more often than not in America today people aren’t lying in wait for you at the supermarket to overtake you in the produce aisle and pummel you with stones because you told someone about Jesus. You’ll likely just be shunned and talked about as an oddity of the community. A Jesus freak. I don’t mind that, it’s a gauge of sorts on my spirituality. If people are talking about how weird it is that I can’t carry on a conversation without dragging Jesus into the middle of it, then I think I’m right on target for my cause. And God is working on the enemy.

As I read Jeremiah and prayed that God would reveal to me a blogging thought that would minister not only to you, but to me, this scripture leapt from the page. It brought to mind David’s question to his brothers at the battle of the Phillistines, “is there not a cause?” Were they not willing to fight for Israel?

Jeremiah said to God “unto thee have I revealed my cause.” He was taking the word of God to the people and they weren’t happy about it. Jeremiah was just doing what he was told. Our message has been clear from the cross…

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. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. – John 10:10

Old Testament and New Testament the enemy’s story is the same. Stop the messenger. God’s story is also the same …

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. – Hebrews 10:30

The Lord will avenge the enemies of God and His people, but for our time here, we have a cause. A cause to get up in the morning and tell people about Jesus. A cause to pray for our families, friends and nations. We’re going to have unhappy people in our lives when we share the gospel, the truth hurts but that is not our problem. God will judge righteously and try the hearts of the people. Both they and us will stand before God one day, but we only stand accountable for us and what we did for our cause.

Have you talked to God about your cause today? Have you talked to someone about Jesus?

Posted in Bible Journaling, Leadership, Life Inspiration

When there’s no way out but up!

Written by talk2shari Published January 4, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

Have you ever been there? You have used your last ditch effort and all human hope is gone, you’re praying there’s nothing lower than where you are, because where you are is no where you wanted to be. It wasn’t that you intended to be there, just… one day you were. In Luke Chapter 8 there are two lives that collide that had me taking note in a new way for this space and time of my life. It was new for me, maybe not new to you, but maybe so! Two people, whose lives were at the bottom, seek Jesus. And they find him in an extraordinary way.

There was Jairus, a ruler over the synagogue who had no doubt heard Jesus’ name a time or two in the Jewish circles. The religious leaders weren’t happy about the Man Who claimed to be God. They liked religion just the way it was. Controlled. There were rules and they could put people neatly in their place.

You can come close.
You may not.
God will meet with you.
You, not today. Perhaps tomorrow when you’re clean.
Perhaps next week.

Religion makes life tidy. It’s repetitious. So tonight I’ll be teaching this thought to my teens. Pray for us as we

Delve into twelve

Jarius had a daughter of the age of twelve, who the scripture says was dying. That’s a hopelessness I can’t (nor do I want to) imagine. But it’s been very real for some people. Darius didn’t go to his religious friends.

I wonder why? Perhaps because you don’t find answers or hope to something new in repetition. It’s the same ol’ same ol’, is it not? He was experiencing something he’d never had to face before. The loss of his most prize possession… his child. He’d do anything to save her. And so he sought Jesus. And when he found him he fell down at his feet. He’d never done that at his church.

What was different? Jesus had power. That’s what the church needs! We need the power of God in our lives doing mighty and miraculous things; but we don’t have it because we’re stuck in repetition.

What do you suppose the reaction would have been by his religious friends? They’d no doubt question him, perhaps laugh, scorn or criticize. He might even lose his position. But Darius didn’t care! If he didn’t have hope, the job was nothing.

And then the collision

She doesn’t have a name, but if you know any bible and I say “she had an issue of blood”, you know her. She had had this issue twelve years. Hmmmm…. Jarius’ daughter was dying at twelve and this unnamed woman had suffered twelve. Significant? Probably far more significant than I’m about to try and explain, but for me it was an “aha” moment for my ministry.

The woman, like Jairus, had no hope of her own. She’d spent every dime she had, she had no doubt lost every relationship she had because no one could be with a person unclean. Her children couldn’t touch her, her husband couldn’t love on her and she was desperate for healing. But what she was about to do was to take her life in her own hands, when she, who was unclean, reached for the Priest. It was forbidden. Her life could get a lot worse and very quickly if anyone knew.

What kind of faith would that have taken? A bold faith! Do you have it? I pretend I do, but I’m not so sure. She crawls on the dirty ground to touch the dirtiest part of his garment. The part that had been dragging through the streets of camel poop and pee and heaven knows what else. She didn’t care! She knew if she could just touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole. So she did… and she was! And He knew!!!

What would have been her reaction then? I’ll bet her heart leapt into her throat! But even so she confessed to the Lord what had happened and His words to her was “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”

Wow! Was where I was when I read that today. Here in the midst of Jesus traveling to heal Jarius daughter, He finds another daughter who needs Him too. An old one… like me. One who needs a miracle in her life and she receives it through faith. But just before the party is about to break out the streets someone comes to Jesus from Jairus’ home and says “don’t bother, the girl has died.”

But He went in any way and there was grief everywhere. But Jesus said she wasn’t dead. And they laughed Him to scorn. But the last laugh was to be on them when Jesus raised that little girl from the dead and told them to get her a bologna sandwich!

Two daughters. Two miracles. One old. One young. The old needed healing. The young needed resurrection.

Can I say that the leadership of the church needs a healing and the bleeding to stop. Jesus’ blood covered it all. Every sin, every wicked thing in our life has been healed by Jesus and we need to get on with life.

So what about the young? They need resurrected! Time is short and there is a host of young people going to hell because they’ve believed what the world has said. The parents and the leaders need to humble themselves and fall before God, and the young need to listen and allow Jesus to give them a new life.

Delve into Twelve? How many months have we just been given? Twelve. What will we do with them? Are you Jairus, the woman or the child? Or… are you the repetitious religious one without hope? God has what we need to make 2017 amazing but it’s going to take some bold believers! Be one.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Church attendance, Evangelism, Leadership

We have 17 days to prepare, Are you ready?

Written by talk2shari Published January 3, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

Then cometh the wicked one… saith the scripture in Matthew 13, verse 19 in the parable of the sower of the seed. Those words make my stomach queasy. It’s not by happenstance that Christ uses the seed in His parable; stealing the seed has been from the beginning the goal of Satan. He attempted to steal, kill or at least mar the perfect seed of God that was placed in the womb of Mary. He was of course unsuccessful, so he had to come up with plan “B”. If he couldn’t rid the earth of God’s Son, he would do his best to mess with God’s productivity through the church, and on that scale his successes far out weigh ours.

I must say that I’m excited about my ministry for 2017. I’ve been laying the foundation for the last few months in my teen class to warn them in advance that I had expectations for 2017. It was often times met with the sounds of crickets or a look of resistence to the possibility but I have not let that deter me one iota. I’m tired of the status quo of the church vs. Satan and we have no one to blame but ourselves. There’s no wonder as to why the state of America is what it is… it’s that way because we’ve allowed it. And although Trump is a partial answer to prayer, he isn’t the answer to America’s problem.

I’ve watched in my own church as we fought valiantly to stay together when we were without a Pastor, only to go into a state of rest when the Lord delivered a great one into our lap. What America falls at risk to now is the status quo becoming “enough.” Satan loves it when America says it has “enough.” Not too much Jesus else we’ll be a fanatic, not too many services or it cuts into “family” time. Don’t’ get me started on there’s no need for Sunday School because worship is enough. And then when worship time comes, we don’t want to get excited, wasn’t showing up enough.

One by one Satan picks at the seeds planted in the church until there’s nothing left but barren ground because we’re not discipling saints or leading leaders. Soul winning is left to the Pastor because the liberal crowd has convinced us to keep our mouths shut in the world because the world finds Christ offensive. We send kids into the world and tell them not to be like the world, but yet the world is their only example; being that the adult Christians in their life don’t have the back bone to open their mouths about how good God is, or show by example how to invite and encourage people to come to church.

Church has become the lowest priority on the list, and the first one off the list if something better comes along, or folks just are feelin’ it.

Wow… that was harsh wasn’t it. No, it was just what I needed to hear and likely what you need to hear to kick start 2017. Now the task is set before us not to let off the throttle. I can very easily do it when I’m met with resistance. I’ve began filling my calendar with action, not just talk.

While it’s true that the new President elect has created in me a freer expression of my Christian values, if America doesn’t do something with those Christian values, and the economy takes off, the world views will take off with our children and the church will continue to go into decline. Proven fact is prosperity doesn’t draw folks to Christ, it usually draws them away. And as evil as this nation has become there are plenty of things to draw them to. So we need to get a head start. President Trump takes office the 20^th. We have 17 days to prepare, what are you going to do with yours? You can mark it down that Satan already has a plan.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Life Inspiration

All Aboard! 2017 Is Just Ahead

Written by talk2shari Published December 31, 2016December 31, 2016 Discussion Leave a Comment

I struggled a few days in searching for my 2017 word. I wanted it just right! I wanted something that would cause my mind to go into motion, and in a positive direction when I heard the word. I pondered the word “potential” for a few days and I looked strongly at the word “purpose.” Both of which are mighty fine words and I still consider them to be sub points. But when pursuit came into my head it stirred up the imagery of chasing God’s plan, seeking His will in the direction of my life. Most of the time in scripture, if not all the time, pursuit is used in the form of “pursuing the enemy, as to overtake them.” I’ve felt like that’s been me for the most of my life, with my focus being on my enemy’s pursuit of me. Feeling I was about to be overcome; always on the brink of destruction. That’s a frustrating life to lead. It always wears me out!

So for 2017 I’m pursuing God. And the great thing about that is He’s pursuing me back! He’s not running from me, He’s running toward me. The pursuit is in seeking the next step of God’s plan.

Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:16-19 KJV

That new thing! That’s what I’m pursuing. Isaiah spoke to Israel about the flight out of Egypt, a time that they were being pursued and God drowned the enemy in the sea. For me, I want the enemy drowned in the sea of forgetfulness never to rise again or be remembered. 2017 is unchartered territories, it may be wilderness, rivers or dessert. But God will make the way if I seek His will for my life.

I’m in pursuit of purpose to reach my full potential in the Lord Jesus Christ. He, Who pursued me through the Holy Spirit, He Who erased my past and cast my sins as far as the east is from the west.

Pursuit doesn’t have to be your word for the year for it to be your plan action. I found the following quote in a recent study that said “Allowing God’s plan shouldn’t create more pressure, but rather lessen the burden to figure things out.” I love that! If I stop looking backward, or steering forward, the pressure is off me for direction. Pursuing will hopefully look more like train ride. I just need to get on board and let the Engineer do the work. When it comes to a stop; get out, do the job at hand and then get back on board for the next adventure.

All aboard! 2017 is just ahead!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Just Keep Going

Written by talk2shari Published December 29, 2016December 29, 2016 Discussion Leave a Comment

The coming of the New Year always brings with it the potential for change and opportunity. I’m not one to make resolutions, more like intentions; because I know my history of follow through, and it’s not good. But that mindset is likely a part of my problem. I’m always quick to concede that a battle is over rather than seeing it as an opportunity for a new or revised plan. I grow weary in the waiting and the wanting and wonder if it was merely wishful thinking. Wow… that’s a lot of “w” words. But they’re not my points. My point of today’s blog came to me courtesy of the book and story of Ruth, the Moabite. A Gentile gal chosen by God to be in the lineage of Jesus, a woman with purpose because she just kept going.

She lost her husband… and kept going.

Times were bleak… but she kept going.

She didn’t know how or if it would work out… but she kept going.

She didn’t know the people in her future… but she kept going.

I have a Ruth personality, but I often times get a Naomi mindset. Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-law who had lost her husband and two sons, she was depressed and frustrated and decided to head back home to Bethlehem. She tried to make Ruth stay with her own family, but Ruth had adopted Naomi as new family and she was going where Naomi was going.

The book of Ruth is just four short chapters. I recommend you read it and not take my word for it, but while you’re here with me, let me tell you the impact this story has for me and the coming New Year. I don’t talk a lot about the frustrations of life because I don’t want to be a discourager. But trust me when I say that I have more than a few. When my jobs quit me… I didn’t quit working, God told me to and I didn’t listen, so my jobs quit me. Funny thing about your jobs quitting you… so does the income. Huh… who knew! And living on one income isn’t fun. But God has done amazing things with nothing. He is the only One who can. I have been provided for in amazing ways. And yet… there’s always room for a few woe is me stories. Naomi had a reason to be sad. Her husband had taken her into a land that ended up being a land of famine and then had the nerve to die on her. How rude! Followed by the death of her only other providers, her sons.

So let the rubber meet the road when I say that sometimes things happen because we’re not where we’re supposed to be. Naomi and her family should have been relying and serving God all along, but they’d chosen another path and so did I. When I finally set into the fact that God wasn’t going to allow me to work in the secular world I hit road block after road block and a few stumbling blocks of my own that haven’t allowed me to be “The Jesus Chick” to full extent that I desire. But as I approach 2017, the third year in service to the Lord, I approach it with a new mindset.

Three things happened that changed Ruth’s life when she kept going:

The plan was a step of faith.

She leapt without the net appearing. That’s what faith is. And I need that faith for 2017 as I live bolder and braver for Christ and believe that God’s plan is going to come to fruition. I need places to speak, I need place to sing… God knows that. I believe He’ll provide. I need to provide an income for my family, not for wants but because a ministry costs money. That’s the reality of it. So the net that I’m counting on appearing is a net worth that will allow me to serve God unencumbered by the woes of the mighty dollar.

The purpose of Ruth was faith

Ruth’s story is one of great purpose. She didn’t know it then, it was just life. But look at the impact her life has had. We’re still reading of her thousands of years later. She’s a grandma to Jesus! She shouldn’t have been there, she was a Gentile from a heathen nation of idol worshippers. But she stepped into her purpose in faith and God rewarded her.

Her proposal came because of her action of faith

When Boaz proposed to Ruth, she had taken some pretty bold moves in the place of the threshing floor. She came in the night and laid down at his feet and ask him to cover her. She didn’t want anything that He didn’t want for her. She laid her life down, and Boaz bought her from the kinsman who was entitled to her by the culture she was in.

I’m very much living in a world that would have me for dinner and cast me aside if it had its druthers. A ministry for me is the unknown. It’s just laying myself at the feet of Jesus and saying Lord, if You don’t cover me, the world’s going to bury me. It takes a strength that I don’t personally have to step out and say, I’m the Jesus Chick. I believe that Ruth was saying “I’m Boaz’s chick” if he’ll have me. And he did. And the rest as they say is written in the book.

Are you living in God’s plan and purpose? Has He made a proposal for you, and have you accepted. That proposal starts with salvation… but then it continues with the plan of action. What potential lies before you in 2017?

Posted in Bible Journaling, Holiday Humor, Life Inspiration

Judges, Grudges and Smudges – A Merrier Christmas for the Church

Written by talk2shari Published December 17, 2016 Discussion Leave a Comment

I read that headline and thought… “Wow Shari, that ain’t very Christmassy!” And it’s not, but it is real. And I like being real so long as it doesn’t take me to a dark place that leaves me and everyone else feeling worse than when we began. I love encouraging people. But I also feel that there are times when we need to take a look within and ‘clean the house before company comes,’ just like we do during the Holidays.

Holidays are a time that many families put aside petty differences for the sake of the season and bury the hatchet in the holiday ham rather than their brother in law’s head. But what about the church? Believe me when I tell you that I had to do a little holiday cleaning there myself this week. So it brought me to this blog to perhaps help myself and hopefully a few others understanding the spiritual impact of judges, grudges and smudges in the church.

These three culprits undermine the work of the Lord every day in churches across the land.

The Judges

Romans 14:10-13

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

Judging is so easy and it sneaks up on you before you even know it!

Did you see what she wore…
Did you hear they said…
Do you know what they did…

I wonder if you didn’t have an image of someone’s face run through your mind as you read the bullet points. I did. Doggone it, why is that? Because we’re human and the flesh will rise again and again. But it’s our job to put it back in it’s place. And that place is yielded to the Holy Spirit. The scriptures says that we’re to give an “account of himself to God.” Not tattle to God and every one else in the congregation about what little sister seatsaver did that you thought was offensive. What is it that you’ve done that you need the mercy of God for.

The Grudges

Romans 14:14-18

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

So what if they eat pork. That comment goes a lot deeper. It says so what if they’re opinion differs from yours. So they didn’t vote like you do. Dress like you do. Eat like you do. If you’re vocal about your Christianity then you better know what the word says about it. God had said that eating the meats that had once been forbidden for the Jews was now okay. But some couldn’t get past the traditions of the law. And Paul said if it causes them to stumble and have evil thoughts, I just won’t eat it in front of them. Better that than cause an argument. For me this brought to mind a political ideal that when it comes to Christmas dinner, it might be better just to eat the fish than cause someone to eat crow. Leave the election out of holiday conversation.

The Smudges

Romans 19-23

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Paul’s asking the Romans. Are you a Christian only before God, and not before others? If in tearing someone apart for what they believe in you destroy your relationship with them and your impact for Christ, what have you gotten accomplished for the good of the Kingdom? Everyone sins. Everyone has need of mercy and grace. It shouldn’t just be at Christmas but it sure wouldn’t hurt to keep that in mind at Christmas dinners.