Category: Faith

Posted in Christian Service, Faith

Life’s Hard, but the Soup is Good on Tuesday

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Let’s put the rubber on the road and squeal the tires a little bit for the Lord Jesus. Every week I have good intentions that go by the way side because of a bad attention span. Today I’ve struggled as well to stay focused on the Lord. I just want to run as far away as I can and as fast as I can from the things that take my attention away from Him. I want to turn my eyes upon Jesus and praise Him for where He placed me in this world. I asked the Lord…

Who Am I?

That’s the question that King David asked the Lord in 1 Chronicles 17:16

1 Chronicles 17:16-22 KJVS
And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

I noted his position. He sat before the Lord. Not a stance of worship, not bowed, just a casual conversation, or perhaps a business meeting. That’s kind of the relationship I’ve always placed myself in with the Lord. I’m a member of His ministry team. Jesus said, “I must be about my Father’s business.” If I’m honest right now, He probably should call me on the carpet for not doing my job. I can’t believe I am eleven days into the New Year and have yet to focus on my spiritual path for 2023. Let’s put the rubber on the road and squeal about that for a second. I’m spinning my tires spiritually. Stuck in a place of idleness when there is so much that needs done. I have ministry thoughts every day, but I have few actions. Although I know who God called me to be and what He called me to do, I asked of Him the question David did, “Who am I?” David spoke to the position that God had placed him in. A position of high degree.

[17] And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.

I Am Blessed

I cannot think of myself any different. Of course I’m not in the realm of King David, but, as a Gentile, I’m in a pretty amazing place. Born into a Country with the freedom to worship (at least for now.) Born into a family that loves me, purchased of God to live a life with that the freedom of forgiveness affords. I have to stand in awe at that! I am Blessed far more than I deserve. My excitement for the Lord is not however always the level it should be.

I Am Beleaguered

Lately I’ve been somewhat beleaguered spiritually. Beleaguered… that is not a word I’m comfortable using but it came to my mind as I wrote. It’s defined as a very difficult situation. Did you know you can be in the perfect will of God and yet be in a very difficult situation? I heard a preacher say the other day that we need to be reminded that Paul wrote many of his encouraging words from a prison cell. He said for him that meant you can always find the good in a situation, even in prison you could possibly say, “Life’s hard, but the soup is good on Tuesday.”

That cracked me up! I want that to be my new phrase for 2023. Life’s Hard, but The soup is good on Tuesday. I hope it serves to remind me that I have always got something to be thankful for, even when I’m beleaguered.

I Am Believing

Paul said in Romans 15:13 KJV6
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

The God of Hope! Glory to His Name. Were it not for Him there wouldn’t even be any hope that the soup is good on Tuesday! But the wonderful thing about having been a child of God for 26 years is, there has been many beleaguered moments in my life. I have failed at many things that left me feeling less, but God made me more. I have been hurt by people in and out of the church, but God always reminded me that they hurt Him far worse and He loves them anyway. I have faced illness, brokenness and pain and not one time did God let me down. But every time He lifted me up, and like He did King David, reminded me that I’m a gal of high degree, (well, David wasn’t a gal) but no matter what the world may think. I am seated in Heavenly places, I am promised a life where there is no beleaguerment, only blessing. Yes I believe that. It’s the only reason that I can continue on, on days like today. Life is hard, but the soup is good on Tuesday. And the Word is good every day.

God bless ya! I love ya! Shari Johnson, the Jesus Chick

Posted in Faith, Praise, worship

Does God Think I’m Weird?

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I find myself in a quandary tonight. Questioning who I am in the spirit to the Spirit. Does God think I’m weird? I know He created me to be who I am, but did I take the good senses He placed within me and stir them up with some bad mojo from the world? In reality I don’t think that’s the case, but I believe in searching for the truth until I’ve brushed off the dust and glitter known as Shari. The dust being the old Shari, with notions from my past. And the glitter, which is all things sparkly that can capture my attention. I like shiny stuff, I’ll just tell you. God knows I do. But on the matter of worship, I’m about to get out my broom and dust pan and do my very best to knock the dust and fake glitter off the truth. Because the truth on it’s own will shine.

I’ll start in in Philippians 3:1-5 KJV

There is Security in Rejoicing

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 

Paul is speaking to the church of Philippi. He’s just discussed the fact that he was sending Epaphroditus, who had been sick, so that they could seem for themselves that the Lord had healed him. And in so doing he tells them to rejoice. It’s like David when he went to his brothers at the battlefield and asked them “Is there not a cause,” a reason to battle. The same is true in good times, is there not a cause, a reason to rejoice? Of course there is. We all have our reasons. Sometimes they’re in abundance, other times they are so few when a reason happens it’s that much sweeter but there is a reason to rejoice as a child of God. Paul it was not grievous for him to part company with Epaphroditus but it was for their safety (or for a security) for them. That they could see with their own eyes, God’s work and it would strengthen their souls.  

When I stepped back in at Victory Baptist Church less than 10 days after having open heart surgery, with the ability to sing and rejoice, it not only brought joy to me but to my friends at Victory. Joy to see what God had done in my life. Paul wasn’t without struggles. Good grief he was writing from prison. But even in that place he found joy in seeing God’s work continue in his absence. If Paul could rejoice in prison, can we not in our hardest days?

There is Separation from Religion

[2] Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

A dog could have been referring to a man of impure thoughts. There were those who were attempting to cause division in the church because they refused to come out of religion and into a relationship with Christ. Insisting that the the Gentiles had need of being circumcised for salvation which was the Old Testament Law. Paul criticized the Judaizers because they looked at Christianity backward, thinking that what they did (circumcision) made them true believers rather than the acceptance of the gift of grace given by Christ. I’ve never experienced that depth of religion, but I have experienced religion. The act of participation in something as a means to salvation. The thought that if you just went to church, sang the songs, prayed the prayer and participated in the events, that was salvation. No relationship, but participation. Just like the Jews they were missing the whole point of Christ’s death on the cross. It wasn’t so we’d get a participation award. It was so we’d get a crown! And in the process have something to celebrate.  

2 Timothy 4:8 KJVS

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

There is Self-Denial in a Relationship

What believers do to serve God is a result of faith, not a prerequisite to faith. Because of what Christ did for me I have a desire to serve Him. To set Shari aside and turn to Christ to say thank You. What can I do for You? Paul said in verse 3

[3] For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Praise God I don’t have to depend on myself for any part of salvation, because I know what a hot mess I am on any given day. And praise God that I don’t have to fit my praise style into a check list made by man because the place for which my praise comes from doesn’t come from me ether. It comes from the Spirit in me. 

When people see me, they look at me as a confident figure. What I am is so insecure I have to exhale any bravery that I can find from so deep within my spirit that it blasts out like a trumpet. The same is true when it comes to praising God. I’m not comfortable standing on a platform singing or speaking for the Lord. So when I do it comes across loud! When I speak even in a testimony it’s not spoken in confidence but rather it is the Spirit bubbling out of me uncontrolled. It is me denying myself silence. The flesh tells me to stay quiet. The Spirit tells me Praise Him Shari. 

I hate religion. It takes the sparkle out of a service. So as I write these words tonight. I feel a sparkle in my soul. It’s not the world’s glitter, but it is gold of the purest sense that will survive being tried by fire. It’s a raise your hand, sing glorrrraaaaay to the Lord kind of Worship.

The dust is gone. The sparkle is real.

Posted in Evangelism, Faith, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Praise

What if we believed the Extreme Possibilities of God?

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2 Chronicles 7:1-3 KJVS
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. [2] And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. [3] And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

I cannot imagine the spectacular site this would have been. Can you imagine sitting in a modern day church service where the power of God comes down in the form of fire, strikes the altar and the sparks fly! In this pyrotechnical world where every thing must be bells and whistles to get our attention, I have the feeling that when God does a fireworks display, it’s way more exciting! And for certain nobody is complaining at the end saying… I’ve seen better. Yet that’s what happens in many church services. People show up more concerned about the thermostat than the thermal power possibilities of the Lord. There’s nothing or nobody at the altar for God to send a fire upon.

What will bring the fire down?

When Solomon had made an end of praying the fire came down from heaven. What a prayer that must have been! I heard a preacher once say that most of our failures are prayer failures. Prayer is the conduit for which our relationship with God flows. But prayer for many (or perhaps I’m the only one) that has a prayer life consisting of more “Dear God I’m stupid” prayers than ones that start out with, “Oh, God….”

I’ve had those prayers. But I’m here to confess it’s been a while since God and I have had any conversations that caused me to step away from the altar with singe on my shoulder. A conversation where I was so touched by the moving of the Holy Spirit that I could physically feel His presence, that joy welled up in my soul because I had seen the sparks fly in the form of revival fires and I felt consumed by His love and power. Yes, it’s been too long.

I fully believe that the only way those moments happen is when there are people at the altar, standing there with a sacrificial heart, prepared to do something. Someone who just had a conversation with God that stirred Him when He seen the desire of His child’s heart was to worship and serve. Oh God, how I pray that’s me! Let my relationship be a consistent conversation where I am so focused on your desires that my petty thoughts have been burnt up.

What will bring the Glory of the Lord?

The priests didn’t enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the temple. There was nothing in the temple but God. What is in the churches across America this morning? I have a feeling it’s more than God. There are some that I’m not so sure God’s even in them at all. I’m not judging, I’m lining up what scripture says with what I see. If you go back to 2 Chronicles Chapter 6 and you read through Solomon’s prayer, this man who had it all, wisdom, wealth and all the delights of his heart, you will not see those things mentioned. But in four verses I felt that I witnessed some of what brought God’s glory down to that house of God.

2 Chronicles 6:30-33 KJV
Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:) [31] That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. [32] Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house; [33] Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

Solomon’s understanding of “Who” God was, his concern for not only Israel but the stranger, the Gentile that would have come into their country to worship “their” God, God honored the heart of Solomon by allowing Solomon and his people to experience His glory. I have to wonder, what would God do if the leadership of our nation, with a pure heart of concern for the people and for the desire to be in the will of God, would pray to God this morning? What would He do in our churches if today His altars were full of people concerned about more than the daily drudgeries of life? I believe we have to start with our own hearts and work our way up. Imagine if one church as a whole got fully committed to serving God and ministering to the people in their community. Then that community got saved and on fire for the Lord and took it to the State Capitol. We look at that as impossible task, but is it?

I know I’m a cockeyed optimist but I believe every word of God from Genesis to Revelation is there to teach us of the extreme possibilities of God. If for nothing else that we never lose sight of the hope of Heaven and how big the God of Heaven is.

Verse 3 of our original text in this post says that when ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL saw how the fire came down and the glory filled the temple they bowed on their faces and worshipped and praised God. ALL of Israel. What would it look like if ALL the church were at the altar this morning. Not out of obligation, not be cause the Pastor said, “Let’s gather at the altar and pray.” But because the conviction of almighty God drove God’s people there with a burden for our nation and our communities and they started praying as Solomon did in 2 Chronicles 6:4 KJV – Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake…

It was a different day when God spoke to the leadership. He now speaks to the heart of every child of God and we are privileged to be in a place that few were in the days of Solomon. And yet we’re not listening. That’s a really scary statement. We’re not listening to the God of the Universe Who keeps our earth together. I’m pretty sure our nation needs to pray “Dear God I’m stupid…” this morning.

But back to my optimistic ways. It’s Sunday. It’s a new day that we have the opportunity to go to church and worship and pray and meet with God in His house with His people and pray for His glory to come down. Let’s do it!

Love ya all, hope you find your way to church today. – Shari, The Jesus Chick.

Posted in Christian Service, Eternity, Faith, Grace, Leadership, Life Inspiration

What to do when there’s No Leadership, No Law, and No Limit to Evil

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I detest being judged, and I struggle with the fear that I will place judgment on another. It’s not easy as a Christian to stay out of the flesh and represent the grace of God. There is a verse that is so abused by people who do not understand it, that it’s ridiculous. I know because I’ve abused it myself out of context.

Matthew 7:1 KJV
Judge not, that ye be not judged.

That’s a good verse right? But God does not mean that we are not to view the acts of man and determine if they’re right or wrong but rather let His holiness be the measure for which we judge, and the the judgement be His. We’re to respect the laws of the land and the authorities that we’ve been given, but all should align with the Word of God.

This is a thought heavy on my heart today because of a personal attack regarding a Ridgeview story. And so my only recourse of not getting in the flesh and giving these people of piece of my mind for which I cannot afford to lose is to turn to the word of God and ask Him to give me peace in my heart and satisfaction that I can leave it in His hands.

My search for answers lead me to the book of Judges. Irony? Doubtful. More than likely a dose of reality that I love.

NO LEADERSHIP

Judges 17:6 KJV says
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

At the beginning of Chapter 18 it says again, “there was no king in Israel.” Again in 19:1 “It came to pass in those days there was no king in Israel.

Three times it mentions there was no leadership for the children of Israel. That’s a scary place to be because it said in 17:6 that every man did that which was right in his own eyes. There was no moral fortitude, their depravity just kept getting worse and worse. And as I struggled with the things going on in my community today, those verses hit home. It’s why I can’t be silent when I see injustice. It’s not that I am perfect. God forbid that I even suggest it. But there’s an accountability factor that’s currently missing in most of society because our leadership stinks!

So the story goes, in the Bible according to Shari, that the children of Israel had fallen out with each other because nobody was talking to God unless it was for their own gain. Now, if you read the story in the book of Judges, Chapters 17 through 19, it’s there. They’d fallen away from God to the point that they picked up a spare Priest from the house of Micah and with him they took Micah’s gods as well. I guess so they’d have all their bases covered. And they began to worship those gods. It says in Chapter 19 that a certain Levite had taken to him a wife, and she had played the whore, but he went to get her. And upon his return from fetching her, in the city of Gibeah, he found a home to stay in. But the Benjamites in that city came to the house and attempted to have their way with the Levite. But instead the men of the house sent out the woman. Who was then raped and murdered. The Levite was so upset that he cut her body into multiple pieces and sent the pieces to all the surrounding towns. He wanted them to know judgment was coming. The problem with that was, nobody had a relationship with the Judgement keeper. But they finally went to God and asked Him for His advice. God told them to go fight the battle for justice for the murder of the Levite’s wife. So the battle was on!

Round 1 – Israel lost 22,000 men. God said go again.

Round 2 – Israel lost 18,000 men. God said go again, but He added that they’d have the victory.

Round 3 – Israel laid out a plan and the battle was won.

From that story I gathered this advice for myself. Our county leadership stinks. If I’m going into battle, and sometimes I feel that’s exactly what I’m doing when I’m trying to use the Ridgeview News in a manner that will help our community stay informed; but if I’m going into battle, I better do it with an open dialogue with the Lord Jesus.

There may be more than one round, and I may suffer defeats. God didn’t promise me a rose garden. But it has got to be His battle, under His direction.

NO LAW

I’ve also got to remember that we are no longer under the law, such that they were in the days of the book of Judges. We’re under grace. If I want grace for this battle, I too need to extend grace. Israel did not have a king. I do.

King Jesus! And I don’t want to do what’s right in my eyes, that will for certain get me into trouble. When God took Israel’s battle over, Israel wasn’t the one calling the shots, but God used them to get justice. Will He not do the same if we seek His guidance over our own leaderless community? We cannot turn our eyes away from the fact that the current leadership has accepted sins as heinous as the loss of the Levite’s wife. They’ve mocked God, (see prior story of the Democratic Party.) People have died because of the dereliction of jobs, and while they did not die with malice, the fact that few cared cannot go unaddressed. And the fact that we as a nation have turned a blind eye to abortion, even up to the full term infant we will receive the Judgment of God. This county may not care what I think, but they’ll care when they face God almighty on the day of judgment.

This isn’t an easy conclusion for me to draw. I ruffled some feathers today that caused me to question my own motives. But I hear through the reading of God’s word that God’s people don’t win every battle, but they win the final one. And while that one woman, known only as the whore, didn’t seem like much to anyone, when God got involved, even the lowest mattered. God takes care of the underdog.

Mark 7:28 KJV
And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

Posted in Faith, Life Inspiration

Having an Argument with my Mind

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I’m pretty sure there are times that I’m just one step in either direction from crazy. I’ll begin thinking about a matter that has not transpired, but is possible yet not certain, such as someone or something happening that could cause conflict in my life. And then low and behold I’ll play out the conflict within the recesses of my mind until I’m fully aggravated at that same someone or something. Is anyone else so insane? 

It brought to my mind the time that King David pretended to be insane when Saul sought his life. He sought refuge with the enemy and then began to regret it.

1 Samuel 21:10-15 KJV

[10] And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. [11] And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? [12] And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. [13] And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. [14] Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? [15] Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

THERE WAS AN ACTUAL REASON TO FEAR

Saul and his men weren’t a fairy tale, they were very real enemies to David, and no doubt a plot of Satan who knew that the hand of God was upon David with great purpose. Anyone that seeks to do the will of God and serve Him is going to have a target on their back, not only by Satan, but the world as well. I don’t want to put myself in the caliber of King David, because I’m not; but does God not care about the smallest in His Kingdom as much as the largest? Is not the souls of the people we care for as important in God’s eyes as were the people in David’s day. It was a different dispensation of time, when God was dealing with Israel.  But now God deals with the Gentiles and our mission, like that of David, is to protect the children of God and guide them to Heaven, much like Moses guided the children of Israel, and David lead his men of valor. 

So David had a reason to be very concerned about his safety. 

THERE WAS A POSSIBLE REASON TO FEAR

When I think about the arguments of my mind, some of them are just nonsense and distraction, but then there are others that I feel perhaps it’s the Lord’s way of warning me that there may be something in my future I need to guard my mind and heart on. The world would call it a gut reaction. But my gut has got me in trouble plenty of times, I prefer to think about these times as perhaps a Holy Spirit reaction. After all, is He not of greater influence on me than my belly… don’t answer that. It’s apparent sometimes He’s not.  But when it comes to the matters of my mind, it’s as much of a battle ground as that of King David. 

And when I think about the way I handle things in my life, it’s as crazy as the way King David acted to prevent the King from having him killed. That nonsense and distraction is the very way I handle dealing with possible painful or fearful things in my life. I love telling and writing stories, so that’s the place my mind goes when I want to avoid reality. I’ll provide myself a scenario of possible ways something will play out… as King David wisely did, but mine is not always so wise. 

David had fled from Saul without so much as a sword. But in the house of the Lord was the sword of Goliath, which the priest gave to David when he told him he had fled in haste on the Kings business. What he didn’t tell the priest was that the King’s business was to kill David who he now considered an enemy. A fact that got the priest who helped David and 84 other men of God slain by the swords of Saul’s men. 

David had acted crazy because he was afraid of the men of Gath, who may or may not have killed him. David knew God’s hand was upon him for great things, but it still didn’t stop the fear, whether or not it would have happened. 

When I think about the petty things in my life that cause me stress and anxiety, they are nothing in comparison to David’s battle, but they feel every bit as threatening. A spiritual battle may not cost us our lives, but the darkness of the spiritual realm can cause us to see visions of evil against us. As we get closer to end times and Satan is more aware of his own demise, will we not be a threat to him just as those of the past were. The bloodline is done. It was finished on the cross and Satan can no longer have any threat toward it. But to God’s Kingdom we are the hope of someone hearing the Word of God. The Sword each of us has is one that Satan cannot steal, which is the Word of God. We’ve been given that by our High Priest. He has made sure that it is available. Whether or not we choose to pick it up in battle is our own. But for certain we’ll be better off with the Sword of the Lord in our hand and in our minds than without it. There’s no peace at all with out it. 

I’ve managed to write myself happy again today.

David only pretended to be crazy to get out of the predicament he was in. The world thinks we truly are crazy, and sometimes I’m borderline. But where I know I have a sound mind and a sound doctrine is in the fact that I am a chosen vessel for such a time as this, and so are you if you are in service to the King. By “in service” I mean a saved man or woman, who God saved with purpose. 

Are you distracted today, are you stressed over things in our out of your control? Those are the weapons of warfare that Satan is using against you. Take my advice and get out your own sword, the Word of God, and let God fight this battle for you. And then tell someone about it, they may be going through the same type battle and you could be an encouragement for the Kingdom.

Amen!

Posted in Christian, Church attendance, Evangelism, Faith, Family, Life Inspiration, Peace, salvation, Uncategorized, Word of God

The End is the Beginning of a Great Life!

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As I read Romans 10, Paul’s words pierced my heart for my family. Those are the first people that came into my mind when I read “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” It’s such a simple statement, yet such a hard task to accomplish. Such a simple process, yet it seems the most difficult decision. That was Paul’s desire, yet his ministry ended up not being to the Jews, but to the Gentiles. And what an impact he made there! What can I glean from Paul’s words to make my life more productive for the Kingdom?

The End of What you Know

Romans 10:1-21 KJV
[1] Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

I have people that are so stinkin’ smart, they’re too smart for their own good. They assume they’ve got life figured out. They make more money than I can dream of, have all the “things” that supposedly make their life complete, and yet eternity is nowhere in their scope of concern. They’re good people, or so they think, they don’t realize that their goodness does not enter into the equation of salvation. The same was true with Israel. They thought their goodness was enough, they’re name as God’s chosen was enough. But it was not. They had not submitted themselves to the understanding that they would never be good enough to go to Heaven. There wasn’t enough righteousness in their entire family combined to go to Heaven. It is only through what Christ did on the cross that one can be saved. Their self made theology fills the world today, they need to get out of their own head, and into the mindset of God.

The End of the Law

[4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. [5] For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. [6] But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above : ) [7] Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) [8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Moses said if you think you’re good enough to get to Heaven, you’ll line your life up by the law. All 613 of them and stand before God without failure. Can you do it? I can’t live without breaking one of the Ten Commandments. There is no way under the sun that I can live without breaking 613. Nor can anyone else. That’s why Christ had to go to the cross to pay the penalty of sin for every single man and woman on earth. Because there are none good enough. It is believing by faith in Christ and that work on the cross that allows you to enter in. It is His righteousness, the One who never sinned and was the only worthy sacrifice for man kind. The end of the law is your beginning of faith.

The End of the Difference

[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Paul’s desire was that Israel, his Nation of people was saved. He had been a man of the law, serving in the highest of office in their religion, calling men and women out for being Christian and even killing them. No one had lived any more zealous than he had lived for the Lord and was wrong. He had walked by the letter of the law as a Jew, God’s chosen, but now he understood that it was for nought. He too was now saved, not by what he’d done, but because he believed. He believed because he had a personal experience with coming to know Christ as His Savior. “Christ ask him on the road to Damascus

Acts 9:5 KJV
[5] And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Pricks (goads) was an instrument used to guide livestock. The guiding principals that Paul had lived by were no longer in play. He would have to walk a whole new way, and believe in what he had fought against. Is this not what has to happen to each one of us as we come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Suddenly, we realize that there is no difference in us than anyone else. We’re all sinners. Even the vilest of people that we loath is as good as we are. The Jews lived by their zealous righteousness, that they were above the Gentiles, all other people. But because of God’s grace, he took the difference out of the equation. Everyone stands even at the cross, and it is only those who kneel to it that can be viewed as worthy through the blood Christ shed for them.

The End of Excuses

[14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? [15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

For many in my family and yours too likely, there’s 101 reasons not to go to church on Sunday morning. This is the greatest of tragedies for the people of God. Many of them may be saved, Christ does not say, “Thou shall go to church.” But while we are no longer under the law, the law is not void. We’re forgiven, but we’re not excused to sin. As a Baptist it’s often said of us that we can do on Monday, what we say is wrong on Sunday and be okay. No… that’s not how grace works. While grace offers forgiveness, if you are a child of God, you’re not excused to live without accountability. There are consequences for stupidity. And one of the stupidest things God’s people and the unsaved do, is their thinking that they don’t need church.

Church is one of the greatest gifts that God gave His people. It is there we build our relationship and understanding of the word of God that allows us to live in peace. The very thing that everyone desires, and few have. They don’t have it because they have no relationship with God or His people. Victory Baptist Church did not save me, Christ did that, but it for certain has shaped me into who I am and has afforded me a peace that I never knew prior to salvation. By attending church I receive the word of God from the man of God. I have friends that lift me up in prayer and give me opportunity to do the same for them. I have the sweetest fellowship that is not in the world. You may have friends… but not friends like those in the Lord. As a child of God I have the desire to be in His House, in His word and with His people. He puts that desire in everyone of His children and we are without excuse for not following it.

[16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [18] But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. [19] But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. [20] But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. [21] But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

God knocks on the heart of everyone and asks them to believe in what He’s done. He’s stretched out His arms to a world begging for love and peace and offered it to them, but they’ve rejected it, both Jew and Gentile. It’s not easy to be humble. But it is so worth what you receive in exchange. There’s no excuse for not being saved. You have the opportunity today if you’ve read my blog. I’ve written it in love, in hopes of new kinfolk. Let me know if you’d like to join the family of God, I’d love to share with you how you can be apart of His life giving, love feeling, peace knowing family.

Posted in Faith, Family

The 7 Precious Things to the Child of God spoken of by Peter

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on The 7 Precious Things to the Child of God spoken of by Peter

When I think of something precious in my life, it is nothing of material fiber. My husband is precious to me, my children are precious to me, my parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins are all precious to me. Most people would likely agree. But the things that Peter speaks of in his letters (epistles) are things that are a part of my life, but I don’t know if I’ve really understood how precious they are.

Defined in the 1828 Webster dictionary as:

PRE’CIOUS, adjective [French precieux; Latin pretiosus, from pretium, price. See Praise.]

1. Of great price; costly; as a precious stone.

2. Of great value or worth; very valuable. She is more precious than rubies. Proverbs 3.

3. Highly valued; much esteemed.

The word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 1 Samuel 3.

1. The Trials of Faith are more Precious than Gold

1 Peter 1:7 KJV
[7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I’ve not always appreciated the trials of my faith. I’ve often times been angry with myself for having allowed myself to get in those fixes. How on earth could that be precious? But Peter knew trials! He was persecuted, hunted and eventually killed by crucifixion upside down. Yes the knew trials. The trials I’ve known have more often than not been self inflicted, but then again, so were some of Peters. And as I look at them now, and think how those trials brought me so close in relationship to God, the same closeness I desire today, but can’t often feel because the world has me so distracted. Those times were precious when it felt as if God had pulled me upon His lap and held me through it all. The is no feeling of safety like that.

2. The Blood of Christ is Precious

1 Peter 1:19 KJV
[19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Not long ago we had communion at our church. It’s such a special day and an opportunity for the saints of God to do it in “remembrance” of the sacrifice He made that day on Calvary. But as I drink in that sweet juice and eat the dry wafer it’s very hard for me to comprehend His suffering. But then I think of that little lamb, that is so adorable, bleating for mercy as it was sacrificed, an animal with such tender eyes, and I can certainly understand why the Lord was compared to it. As He hung on the cross there was no crying for mercy, He gave up willingly, and the grief that must have been in God’s heart that day would have been far beyond what anyone has experienced with the death of someone they love. Watching the penalty of sin be given to the perfect Child of God, who had never known sin is still more than I can wrap my mind around. I have my own children, the loss of them is an unbearable pain I do not want to know. But God’s Son, not only bore unimaginable pain, but He did it as a gift for a world that is so ungrateful. Peter witnessed it first hand, not as I try to “imagine it”, but in reality. He knew the Man on the cross face to face. The way I long to know Him.

3. The Chosen of God is Precious

1 Peter 2:4 KJV
[4] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

There is far too much emphasis placed on man in regard to religion. Peter had no concept when Christ said “Upon this rock” will I build my church, how man would take that out of context and make stone pillars and give titles to him that he had no desire to have. It is on Christ the solid Rock that the church is built. Peter may have been crucified, but his crucifixion spared no one from the pits of Hell. Only the precious blood of Christ could do that which was why He was chosen of God and set above any earthly king or any heavenly angel. There was nobody who could do what God’s Only Son did. Being “disallowed”, rejected by men did not stop Him from giving His life. I too rejected Him for years, having heard the gospel.

4. The Believers know He is Precious and are not Confused by the World

1 Peter 2:6 KJV
[6] Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

The cornerstone of our faith is belief. The very foundation of a child of God is believing that He is Who He says He is. Such a precious thing is that wisdom that those who are lost don’t know that they’re missing out. Not only do they not know, Satan uses them to do his best to confuse and confound the rest of the world into believing the lies of Hell. Believing there is no Hell. Believing there is another way. All of which is false and will condemn them to eternal separation. This world loves their children just as I do mine, but Satan has blinded them from understanding that their refusal to accept the love of Christ, will one day separate them from any love they’ve ever known. Knowing that I am spared that heartache is something that is so much more precious than I understood on the day of my salvation. As time passes, more and more I know the depth of God’s love.

5. The Believers know He is Precious, but the world does not

1 Peter 2:7 KJV
[7] Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

I cannot explain to the lost how I have felt the Spirit of God that dwells in my soul bubble up and almost take my breath. I cannot tell them how I know that He is real. But if they’ll only take one step in His direction He’ll meet them in a way that they’ll know too and it will clear any confusion in their mind. That is precious! Too precious not to share in hopes that someone will come out of the wicked world into a separate place created for the child of God Who believes in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. No more lambs, no more sacrifice. It is finished! Glory to God.

6. The Believers know how precious other believers are

2 Peter 1:1 KJV

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like a precious faith with us through the righteousness of God b and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Sunday’s are more than a day to be in God’s house, it’s a day to be with God’s people who share the same faith that I do. I can tell them how I feel, and they don’t look at me like I’ve got two heads, they get it! I can have a heartache and I can share it and it’s only half as tough to make it through. Prior to salvation I had many friends, but not like those I’ve made since salvation. That is a precious friendship indeed because it comes from knowing Christ together.

7. There are Precious Promises for the Child of God

2 Peter 1:4 KJV
[4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This week I have suffered a great deal of pain. Aching bones and other health issues have caused me to miss out on things I really wanted to accomplish. But there will be a day when the promises of God will replace this vile body with a brand new body and a restore the family that has gone before me into my life again. There are things that I want down here, nothing precious, just things. But there are going to be things that my mind can’t even imagine waiting for me in Heaven. I try to share that notion with my grand babies often. I want them to see Heaven as real. I want it to be a place they don’t want to miss out. Because God created it for us. How exciting are all these precious things that God has given to us for our time spent on this earth.

I pray these 7 things encouraged you as they did me and helped you connect a little closer to God through the wisdom that He provides in His word. Blessing! ~ Shari, the Jesus Chick

Posted in failure, Faith, Family

Russia is not our issue tonight

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Russia is not our issue tonight

I have not thought a great deal about the Russian and Ukrainian war. My mind has been so busy on my own life that the issues outside my own site line haven’t been on my heart a great deal. But what has been on my heart a great deal is what is in my sight line and it should be on your heart as well. My family. My children. My grandchildren. That’s what’s on my heart.

I listened to a preacher tonight on you tube, I’m not even sure of the denomination or what caused me to stop on his video, I was searching for someone else. I listened at the beginning to a lady who wasn’t a very good singer. I confess I fast forwarded through her song to get to the message. A message I didn’t even know what was. I just felt drawn to it. He wasn’t a fancy preacher. He was in khaki’s and t-shirt with tatoo’ed arms. He’d have turned the religious off before they even got started listening. But as soon as he spoke I could feel the passion of Christ bubbling out of his soul and I knew he knew Jesus. And so I listened.

I listened as he spouted statistics:

  • 68 Million internet searches each day are for pornography
  • 200,000 American men and women meet the dsm-5 criteria for having an addiction to pornography
  • 40 million American men and women visit pornography sites often, every 2 weeks or more
  • 74% of those who check into a substance abuse treatment facility report using drugs at the age of 17 or younger.
  • 10% of those were 11 or under
  • Every 47 seconds a child is abused in America, 700,000 annually.

No, Russia is not our problem. It is for certain a problem and it for certain needs prayer, but we’re not going to fix it from our houses this evening. We’re going to have to leave that to God because the idiots in the White House are clueless and any opinions we do have aren’t welcome there.

But what about the ideas in our homes. What are they in line with this evening? Are we apart of any of the statistics I mentioned a paragraph or so ago? Why do you supposed so many homes have an issue with porn? Why is there a drug and alcohol problem in so many homes? Why are children abused? Why is depression and suicide so prevalent. How on earth can America solve the problems in Ukraine when we can’t even stop our children from falling victim to the enemies we’ve allowed to come in our homes.

Jesus said in the book of Mark 9:42 “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

I listened as he spouted standards

There was a time, an era for which I was brought up in, that children were not exposed to anything remotely vile. Cuss words were the exception to the rule and were looked upon as we look upon cocaine today. Nobody took it lightly. But now cuss words are nothing in the eyes of man. But I can tell you they are putrid in the heart. They’re hurtful and they embody evil that intends to damage the soul of the one who hears them. I hate them. But I can also tell you that they are such common place in the world for which we live that I’ve found them crossing my own mind far too often when I’m angry. As the preacher used to say, I won’t say them, but if somebody else will write them down I point to ‘em.

Standards are so low that I’m not even sure that word is in the new Webster’s dictionary.

What happens when the bar gets lowered in a race. If there’s no effort needed to win, who even tries? The school system is so concerned about the standardized tests that they’re taking and that we compete with other schools, states, countries, etc. but in the process of testing they teach nothing about ethics. As a matter of fact, morality has become the stepchild nobody wants to talk about, because it offends people when it’s around.

I’m not only casting stones at the schools, which believe me I can bring a pile of rocks to that fight, but I’m casting stones at my own door with my own grandchildren. I can very easily turn the other way when the kids are watching a video done in poor taste or vulgar ness because I don’t want to deal with the argument. And in so doing I’ve lowered the standard in my own home and the kids are striving to be better, they’re stepping over hurdles that are laid on the ground. And from that I’ve allowed a toddler that we protected from evil to now be allowed to walk beside of evil as a friend. My stomach turns to think of how far the standards have lowered, if we even have any.

I listened as he spouted stumblingblocks

Romans 14:13 Paul said, “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 brothers way.”

Those things that offend the pure little minds of children, those things that take our own minds into a dark world we shouldn’t dare to travel in are the very things that will cause our children not only to not try and run the race, but to fall down and not bother getting up.

So what’s the harm in a few cuss words.? When’s the last time that caused someone to read their bible? When have those words encouraged a child or an adult for that matter, to do better.

So why should we expect morals and ethics to be taught in the school? Perhaps if they were taught a few staff members might learn them as well. I remember every single teacher that cussed and everyone that didn’t. And I can tell you which ones I had more respect for, even though I might not have liked them at the time. But when I can walk into a school system and hear faculty cussing like sailors and kids chiming right in among them, there is something seriously wrong.

The church as a whole has become a stumbling block because we’ve accepted these things as the norm. And “it’s not our job to interfere in public schools.”

All of those statistics that the preacher preached this evening are right here in our community. They’re in our homes. They’re next door. They’re in the pew beside us and we’re not paying attention. I needed my own fanny kicked this evening for not paying more attention to what stumbling blocks I have allowed to come into my own home that will cause the standards to be lowered.

God has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It’s we who change.

This message was brought to you through my own sight line. I needed to hear it and see myself for who I have become. Substandard in the eyes of God.

Posted in Christian, failure, Faith, Family, Life Inspiration

Faith: Without it life just happens

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Faith: Without it life just happens

I watched many of my relatives live out their lives of faith. I was thinking this morning how blessed I was to have family who spoke of faith in my presence and the conversation was of their relationship with the Lord, just like their relationship with each other. They knew Him like they knew their brothers and sisters. They spoke of Him in their daily walks because He was in their presence and they determined their directions in life because of that relationship. I still have many family members for which I talk of faith. What a blessing! I unfortunately have many that have no concept of what it’s like to walk with Christ, and for those my heart is broken.

But today my thought is on the unseen. The hope I personally have in what the world says there is no evidence of. But there is. And if you know Christ, you too know there is.

Hebrews 11:1 -2 KJV says
[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.

Just as it was then, so is it now that my elders obtained a good report because they stood before us and reported to us of what Christ had done in their life. Evidence of His presence.

There are many things I cannot see, but I have faith it’s there. I cannot see the air, but the fact it fills my lungs lets me know it’s real. I cannot see gravity, but I adjust my life to it’s circumstances. I do not jump off cliffs because that’s gonna hurt. I don’t drop a piece of glass because it’s gonna break. I turn the steering wheel in my car at the onset of a turn, because otherwise gravity will pull the car in an adverse direction. Gravity is not always your friend. It takes no faith to disrespect gravity. Just live your life, and crap will happen.

The same can be said about faith.

THERE ARE TOO MANY CLIFFS TO LIVE WITHOUT FAITH

I cannot say for certain where I would be if I had not found faith in Jesus Christ, but I am most certain it would be a very dark place. Because that’s what state I was in prior to faith. I had a worldly mindset that life would workout, because it always did in the movies. Well, it didn’t in real life. And when bad things happened I opted to ignore them rather than deal with them because that was easier. It was like stepping off of a cliff and thinking the ground would “catch” me softly. I was ignorant. I had seen faith from my elders lived out in front of me, but I chose to ignore it thinking the world had more to offer. Surely there was something better to do on Sunday morning than church. Well for the love of Pete, I can’t think of what that would be now. Because I know that on Sunday morning I’m going to receive the word of God in my church which will prevent me from stepping off a cliff on down the road when it comes to making decisions in my life. That’s good preachin! If you’re not in church, if your’e not in a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, there’s no soft landing for what’s coming down the road.

THERE ARE TOO MANY THINGS TO GET BROKEN WITHOUT FAITH

Number one on that list would be the heart. People will break your heart even if they love you. It’s part of life. And because of that so many people have lost hope in their friends and family and have turned to earthly things for comfort. I have a friend who fell physically this week and broke herself all over. Literally. Her body is bruised, she has broken bones and scraped edges and she hurts dreadfully. Life happens when you least expect it. Bodies break. Hearts break. But isn’t it amazing that the Lord Jesus Christ can heal both the physical and the emotional if we allow it and are receptive of the ointment.

In Jeremiah 8:22 KJV Jeremiah asks the question:
[22] Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Why did the people suffer when there was obviously a cure for what ailed them? Why then are the broken hearted and broken spirited not healed in our world today when the soothing balm of Christ is there waiting to heal it all? I couldn’t see it either pre-salvation, so I’ll not be throwing any stones. The reason I would suffer from brokenness is because I would not take care of my spirit and soul. I would allow people to trample it and even I would damage it because I would not take of myself. But then Christ came into my life and I realized how valuable I was to God. I realized that He loved me like I had long to be loved but had never found it. People hurt me. But God has never one time caused me pain. His comforting presence is felt in my life daily! It is evidence that He is there when He soothes my tired and weary soul. Hallelujah!

THERE ARE TOO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS TO LIVE WITHOUT FAITH

I cannot tell you how many times I have driven my life into a ditch because I chose to just “let it run it’s course.” That’s a bad idea. That’s as dumb as not steering the car. Without guidance and direction in our lives there will only be dented fenders and totaled lives. I speak from experience. I am now the elder! My dad did not always make wise choices as a young man, but then praise God he found Jesus. My uncle Brooks and Uncle Carol did not always make wise choice but then they found Jesus, the same is true with their sisters and the witnesses they were because I could see how their lives took a turn when they began steering it by the Word of God. It’s amazing how life changes, and even the smallest of decisions you realize should be made by the foundation of the word of God for good results.

I just preached myself a sermon! I still make regular pit stops in a ditch line with many of the decisions I make. I am a woman of faith, but I’m also very much a woman of flesh that can fail to do what I know I should do. How about you? Where are you at in your life with gravity? Do you understand the “gravity” of your life without faith in Christ. There’s an eternal ditch, that’s actually not a ditch at all, it’s a pit called Hell. The worst thing in life you can do is let gravity take it’s course. There is no return from that bad turn when all is said in done.

Please, if you have not accepted what Christ did for you on the cross, that He died, took the keys of death and Hell away from Satan and informed him he would never again have power over it, and because Christ did that, you have the key to Heaven. Just believe in Christ and what He did for you on the cross. You don’t have to fully understand it all to make that decision. Just refuse to fall for the lies of Satan, and God will fill in the blanks. Then you too will have the evidence of things not seen!

Glory to God I wrote myself happy! Have a blessed day! – Shari

Posted in Christian, Faith, Peace, Prayer

In Search of Good News

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on In Search of Good News

Yesterday I had had about as much bad news as I could stomach. On the national scene and on the local scene it just wasn’t good. Russian war crimes and more Ukrainian victims is off the scale of my comprehensive thinking. Locally citizens were choosing to tear each other down rather than just agreeing to disagree about a matter; or Heaven forbid, consider that there might be other solutions than their own. I was trying to cover news objectively and unbiased, but I’m human and I really just wanted to tell a few people what I thought of their behavior. But I did not. I chose to suffer anxiety until I fell asleep. That made everything so much better.

But this morning is a new day. For everyone of us! We have a choice whether or not to focus on the negative or the positive and to choose God’s side regardless of the arguments below.

My question for myself this morning was, if I had ask yesterday, what God thought of each issue that was causing a knot in my stomach, what would He have said? Let’s take the biggest issue right now int he world, the war against Ukraine. What does God want me to do about that war? Is there anyway that I can help those people.

Oh yes, there is a way. My mind went to three men on a hill in Rephedim…

Exodus 17:10-16 KJV
[10] So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. [11] And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. [12] But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. [13] And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. [14] And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. [15] And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: [16] For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Three men on a hill, not in the battle, just observing from afar. Moses lifted his hands and there was victory, but if his hands went down there was defeat. So the two that were with him, his brother Aaron and friend Hur, stayed up his arms and helped a brother out. Can we not do the same for Ukraine today? Can we not lift them up in prayer and cause the battle to sway on Ukraine’s behalf? It is not for me to say if God will do that, but how will we know if we dare not ask. And would we not want someone somewhere praying for us in like manner if this attack had happened on American soil? Prayer doesn’t seem like much until it’s all you’ve got.

Three men on a hill saved thousands of lives. Think about that! Do you have two friends you can gather with today and pray? Or just you, God won’t mind in the least if it’s a private conversation. But we have got to lift people in prayer if we want to make a difference from where we are.

How to pray for Ukraine: From “Send International”.

  1. Ask God to redeem this situation by drawing many people to Himself. May Ukrainians discover that Jesus is the only true source of peace, safety, comfort, truth and freedom
  2. For the opening of corridors both for evacuation and humanitarian aid around cities under attack in Ukraine. Many people in these cities are without heat and electricity.
  3. For many churches that opened their doors to neighbors offering food and shelter.
  4. For protection of many kids and parents who will spend another night in bomb shelters, metro stations or on the roads to safer places and all brave volunteers risking their lives to evacuate people.
  5. For logistics of getting funds and humanitarian aid to churches and refugee camps so they continue to have food, medicine and other supplies.
  6. For protection of lives but also church buildings that were built so sacrificially for years. May these churches be a beacon of light for those who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
  7. For many pastors leading their flocks at this critical time of decision and risk. They carry a heavy burden.
  8. For many believing men who will have to bear arms against a professional army as the war continues. There is no other alternative for them, that we know about. Pray also for the many women who are fighting as well.
  9. For the Lord to cause the opposing army to lose the will to fight, be afraid, be confused, or use other methods to stop the war.
  10. For many volunteers who are setting up camps for refugees, so that they will have necessary funds, places for accommodation, and physical strength to serve.
  11. For many believers to stay strong, continue trusting the Lord and not to give in to panic, fear and desperation.

Now, What about the day to day stresses in our own lives. First, think about the Ukrainian prayer list. That alone should put most of our lives into a different prayer category. Few, if any, who read this post are facing that kind of prayer need. But that’s not to say our needs aren’t important. They are and God cares about each and every one of them.

But today, I’m going to choose to focus on three men on a mountain. There’s a bluegrass song by that title with the the lyrics, “Three men on a mountain, up on Calvary, the one in the middle was Jesus, He died for you and me.” His arms were outstretched too, but not like Moses.’ His were stretched out in sacrifice. Today I can pray for Ukraine and know that my prayer is heard for the land far away. But because of Jesus’ sacrifice and my belief in it, He’s in me, comforting my heart and taking care of the battles that I am facing on American soil as well. There was a child in our community diagnosed with cancer this week… that’s a real life battle. That’s life in perspective. There were some seriously hurt feelings yesterday, God heard it. And He’ll handle it. In His time and in His way.

Today there is good news. God is on the throne. He sees everything happening every where and I feel so much better knowing that He understands my every fear and heartache and that He too has experienced it all. My Pastor said in a sermon last week that “Christ had to experience death, so that He could take it away from Satan who thought he had the power over it! Glory to God isn’t that an amazing thought. Satan will continue to wreak havoc for a while, but his day is coming. And until then, we have hope and security in knowing that we do not have to rely on anyone else to lift up their arms in battle. We have the right through the blood of Jesus to go before the throne ourselves and say “Lord, I need you! Please help.”

I don’t know about you, but this word wrote me happy! Three men on a mountain… yes I was as unworthy as the thieves hanging with Jesus, but He has prepared a place for me, just as he did the thief who accepted Him on the cross. Jesus took the fear of death, hell and the grave and replaced it with hope and peace! Glory! That is such good news. I pray you know that feeling today. If you do not, message me and let me pray with you. If you have a prayer need, I’d be every so grateful to be your Aaron or Hur and lift you up to the Lord. God loves you, and so do I. I even love the people that I wanted to pinch the heads off of yesterday. Hey… I’m still human. I have not got my glorified body and this one is still very much in the flesh. I understand frustration. But not as much as Jesus understands and He can help.