Life Inspiration – Page 67

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Why I Made a Covenant with God Last Saturday

Written by talk2shari Published June 17, 2015June 17, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

The issues of life. They are so many and they change day to day if not minute by minute. We can be clipping along at a steady pace and the bottom will drop out of our world or someone close to us. It’s a continual struggle to find the good in a world full of bad. I loved a post I on social media a few days ago that read “It matters not if the glass is half full, or half empty. It’s re-fillable.”

How true!

There are half empty and half full days, but every day the Lord waits for His children to stop in for a refill. Romans 15:13 says ~ 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.

I will be the first to confess, and my friends will Amen! it when I say I have issues. Every day. Just this morning I woke up overwhelmed by the days before me and the things that I need to get accomplished. The goals that I set for myself are a lot for a 52 year old gal. I sometimes feel like Moses must have felt at the age of 80 when God stopped by and told Him to pack light and be ready. He has things for us to do.

On Saturday of last week God began to do a work in my half empty heart… again. It’s an ongoing project of His. He knows my desires, He also knows my weaknesses. He has seen me at my best and at my worst. Don’t start throwing rocks, He sees you too! God reminds us through Jeremiah 23:24 ~ Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. There’s nothing secret with Him. So why is it that we try to pretend life’s okay. We all have issues.

I for one am tired of saying I’ll do something, anything the Lord asks, and just as quickly pretend I didn’t hear what He said. I’m a very private person when it comes to heartaches and sorrows. I don’t share those well… if at all. It is an area of my life that I do not walk the talk. I want everyone to feel as though they can share their burdens with me without the possibility of judgement, condemnation or any other concern, but I won’t tell another soul that my glass has days of being empty of hope. Saturday was not a day of hopelessness but more haplessness. I just couldn’t see anything positive at work in my ministry. And so God and I talked, and talked… and I tried to listen.

I have a heart of a distraction. I’m so unfaithful to the things of God. At the drop of a hat my attention can go astray. I have a dozen projects going at once, I have obligations to people, my creativity is on overflow… song lyrics run through my head and out my ears, there are unfinished projects that lie in wait in the shadows of my day causing me to feel undone and a failure. That is the confession of the Jesus Chick in all it’s reality. So back to Saturday… I needed to do something. I needed to commit to God in a way that way that binding and that filled me with hope. I wanted a visual reminder that I had a made a Covenant with God that I was ready to abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so with fingertips to key board I penned a written covenant. Click here —> COVENANT WITH GOD if you’d like to read it. I had no intentions of sharing it, but today God spoke to my heart to publish it on this site as another way of keeping it not only before my eyes, but before the eyes of witnesses who read it.

I entered into a Covenant with God the day I accepted Christ as my Savior and said that I would follow where ever He led, but I’ve failed. Praise God that His Covenants are never failing. This Covenant that I entered into Saturday was more of renewal of dedication to the responsibilities that Christ has placed in me. I share it with you today in hopes that you’ll commit yourself to greater service, and that you will pray for me. I need it. Please pray for:

My strength (physically and spiritually) to do the work of God.
Opportunities to serve.
Discernment of requests made on my time.
Humility to step out of the paths of others.
That I be an example of the Leadership of Christ.

Please send me your prayer request and if you are led to make a commitment to God through a written or verbal covenant. I’d count it a privilege to lift you to the Lord.

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Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Heaven, Life Inspiration

God’s Means May Not Mean Money

Written by talk2shari Published June 16, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

I heard someone say, not long after I was saved, that we live far beneath our means. And it’s true. But I fear sometimes that prosperity gospel teachers and the flesh itself convinces believers that as children of God the world is our oyster and because of that we have a right to all we want. God’s means may not mean money. By definition the word means is resources, which could be financial or assets of an entirely different kind. It could mean that we survive by the skin of our teeth for a better day in glory where His world will be our oyster.

But until that day let’s take a reality check.

Romans 8:12-17

¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

“Brethern.” A reminder that they and we are no longer viewed by nation or blood but as children of God. Bought with a price and no longer ruled by the flesh but by the very Spirit of God, leaving us without excuse for falling to the flesh when it says “You deserve…” No, I deserve Hell. But because of the Almighty God engrafting me into His family as an adopted child of grace, I can live above my means. Because I now depend on His resources, not my own.

¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

People who live after the flesh are the walking dead. They are not living in the newness of Christ. It’s the same people that show up to church as 11:00 sharp and leave at 12:00 dull, having received nothing from the service because they had not yielded to the Spirit. They didn’t come at 10:00 sharp for Sunday School because they get “enough” God during the worship hour. Whew! If I stepped on your toe I’m not the least bit sorry. I love ya… but I’m not sorry.

¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Being led by the Spirit of God is tapping into those resources, those means that God grants to every believer for the asking. The resources that fill your heart with so much gladness you don’t have time to notice anything missing from your life.

¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

God didn’t take us to raise because He needed someone to take care of. He took us into His family because He had that much love. He created us… “the Uncreated Creator” as my Pastor says and filled us each with resources to be a blessing to Him. How awesome is it as a parent when your child returns to do something kind for you. It’s not that we need it… but it sure feels nice, doesn’t it? When is the last time that we’ve taken the gifts and talents that God has blessed us with and returned home… not in bondage because God controls us, but because He’s our Father and we love Him like that.

¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

If you’re a child of God, my words should have pricked your heart. It did my own.

¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Whether or not you have a dime to your name or a matched wardrobe of Loui Vuitton it matters not. Because everything here pales in comparison to what’s there. But everything here has a purpose. Are you using it?

Posted in Life Inspiration

I was in the wrong spot!

Written by talk2shari Published June 15, 2015June 15, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Do you ever get so tired of the battle that you’re ready to throw your hands up in the air and cry uncle, or aunt, I surrender or Calgon take me away! The Lord knows I’m there. Everyday there are decisions. I understand the words of Joel when he said in Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Those who had come to fight against God’s people would meet with the Lord’s decision, but in the meantime…the Lord’s people are still caught in the decisions of others and perhaps decisions of their own. Which way to I go?

A friend from church gave me a bracelet yesterday with the Greek word “Telelestai” on it. That is to say “It is Finished!” Christ’s final words on the cross of Calvary. Joy floods my soul to think of the meaning of those three words, a song fills my heart; I strummed it for a while on the guitar last night. I’m not sure if it will be a song for the ears of others, or just from my heart to God’s, but I needed it. I needed to hear those words… for I am in the valley of decision. I need to know, and perhaps today you do as well, that “IT IS FINISHED!”

The decisions that lie before me are old news to God; He knows the end result. What stresses me out is that I am in the valley and the enemy may or may not lie in wait on the other side of the hill. I just don’t know. Because that’s how Satan and his band of warriors work, in the dark shadows of the mountain. We’re not only not promised a rose garden, we may have a few briar patches to fight our way through. When God is about to do something amazing the powers of Hell work to thwart it, God works in the Light and His work is made manifest to all who desire to know. If you can’t see God at work you’re probably not looking in the right spot.

I’ve realized today the valley of decision is not mine. That’s the enemies spot. My spot is just below the crest of the hill, right under the Lord’s wings as He makes way for whatever lies ahead. I’ve read and heard that “valley of decision” verse forever and a considered it a passage for the life of a Christian, for we too have decisions to make, but not from a valley vantage point.

It is finished! The battles that we fight are but sign posts along the route to victory. Stick with the plan… His plan!

John 19:30 ~ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Sunday Morning’s Sign

Written by talk2shari Published June 14, 2015June 14, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Words… they’re a funny thing are they not? The same word can mean something entirely different, or a word that sounds exactly the same is not the same word at all – in spelling or definition. What’s more amazing than that is the way our brains wrap around those ideas and understands them. We’re amazing creations of God Himself, and yet that fact is so often forgotten by many.

This morning the word “yield” seems to have my mind’s eye as I prepare myself and my heart for today’s worship. My first thought on the word yield was that precious little triangular sign that gets so many people in trouble. After all, it’s not a stop sign… unless of course there’s another vehicle coming. But if that vehicle is a few lengths away you can technically be within your right to gun it and go, can you not? But if that vehicle happened to have a bubble atop you’d do more than yield… you’d likely stop! (If you had any sense). How much better should we be yielded to God and the Holy Spirit? We realize He’s there, we may even wave hello; but then pull out in front, heading on down the highway without regard to the very Creator. The Law Maker and giver of life.

I hope today you’ll slow down…

Romans 6:13

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

As a bluegrass girl I can’t help but think about the word instrument without attaching it to music! And music reminds me of worship and worship is for God alone! Woohoo let’s have church. That’s when the Attention Deficit Disorder works in my favor. It’s unfortunate that the same thing that draws my mind into God can draw others just as easily away. Same thing two different reactions, just like the word “yield” can be defined two different ways.

Yield – to give right of way

Yield – to produce (such as a harvest)

Failing to yield to God can certainly yield a harvest of fruit that you don’t want in your life. Failing to observe the day of rest as God designed will cause unrest in your life. Failing to understand why we worship will allow Satan to give you something else to worship which will lead you further away from God and further away from the peace He provides. Failing to yield, yields. See what I mean by words being funny!

Words are funny however disobedience is not. It breaks God’s heart. I hope you are yielded to His Holy Spirit today and today finds you worshiping with fellow believers in the House of God!

Love ya! Mean it. – Shari

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Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Take Heed Church

Written by talk2shari Published June 9, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. – Acts 20:28

I truthfully don’t believe that those who lay out of church read my blog, and I’m totally not offended. I’m quite certain that they likely don’t spend much time with other Christian writers either, they’re just not into it. So I have to ask myself a few questions this morning:

Why they are not in church?

Why they are not convicted about not being in church?

How do we reach out to them?

Acts 20:28 breaks it down quite nicely for me.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves

If I’m spending my Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night performing a role call in my head, I’ve missed the point of attending church. That’s what I needed to hear! Because I do. I don’t do it in condemnation (okay that might be a lie)… I don’t want to do it in condemnation, I am honestly concerned for their spiritual wellbeing and I miss them. But then the flesh kicks in occasionally and I get all pious and holy and miss the whole point of me being in church which is to improve my relationship with Christ and give me the tools to make it through the week; because it’s work to make it in this world. So my first responsibility is to make sure I’m covered spiritually and if I truly did that there would be no condemnation of those who didn’t make it. But then I’m to

Take heed to all the flock

Once I’ve gotten what God needed me to get I need to turn my attention to the flock. I do that by listening to the Holy Spirit. I cannot oversee the entire lot of the missing masses of church members; which is my issue. I see the number missing and don’t know where to start! What I need to do is pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on who I can encourage this week. One or two will do! Imagine if each leader in the church took one or two, how much quicker we would cover the entire missing mass and in so doing we would serve the way God intended us to, which is a unified body of believers concerned for the welfare of one another. So simple, yet so seldom done.

Feed the church of God

We’re a malnourished generation. We spend so much time doing and so little time digesting the Word of God and applying it to our lives. If we ate literal food the way we feed on the Word of God we’d have been in the grave long ago. That goes a long way to explain why the church is so dead. So how do we feed those who refuse to come to the table? One spoonful at a time every chance we get.

Social media is an awesome tool to post scripture, but it’s by far not the only way. I cannot count the times I’ve been encouraged by a card, note, phone message or email that had a scripture included. Every time we correspond with friends and family a scripture should be noted. Our words of encouragement are awesome, but God’s are powerful!

Luke’s final thought was God’s final words on the cross. It is finished. His blood bought the church and it is His blood that cleanses each one of us from all unrighteousness. Spread the Word!!!

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Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Don’t Walk Away From the Father’s Table

Written by talk2shari Published May 31, 2015May 31, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Although we are far outside the days of Old Testament Law, and we’re now living in the age of grace, there’s still much to learn from the Old Testament Word of God. Grace certainly doesn’t make it irrelevant or null and void, it simply means that rather than working for salvation we now work towards a relationship with Christ. Salvation comes from the sacrifice of Christ alone. Nothing else. But relationship… that’s where many Christians miss out.

A Levitical law for the children of priests found in Leviticus 22:12 rang out in my heart this morning.

If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

Meaning this: If the priest’s daughter married outside of the priesthood she was no longer allowed to eat of the holy things and was cut off from the family of priests. Although this sounds harsh by today’s standards, on this Sunday morning I feel that they’re have been many children of the High Priest (Christ) who have willingly walked away from His table today to link hands with the world and have been cut off from the holy things of God.

Sunday’s are the best! I long for fellowship with other believers and to hear the Word of God as preached by the man of God. My soul feeds on the all of it and carries me through the coming days. My heart has been broken on numerous occasions as brothers and sisters in Christ have walked away from that same blessing and married themselves to the world, forgetting the cross and the cost for which our Savior made. If they were truly saved it doesn’t change the fact that they are still children of the Most High God, but it stops the blessings received at His table.

No more hor s’oeuvres – The communion with brothers and sisters in Christ, that precious friendship of the saints is no longer enjoyed and thus giving Satan an avenue to implant all kinds of notions into your mind about those friendships that you once treasured.

The Meat of the Word – The Sunday School hour where the Word of God is expounded on in detail and a time that you never outgrow. To say that you no longer need to study the Word of God is to imply that you have learned enough… dangerous, dangerous ground.

The Main Course – 1 Corinthians 1:21 says that “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” It was the means to our salvation and it is the means to our continued growth in relationship with Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is to sit in a service and listen to the Word of God, that whether there be twenty or two thousand in attendance, the same Word is something different for everyone and exactly what they needed. It never ceases to amaze me!

And then there’s dessert! – That time when the service is coming to a conclusion, you’ve received the meat of the Word, God is working in your heart and then He places the icing on the cake when you feel the stirring of the Holy Spirit as God lays out His best made plans for you today. You step out and kneel at the altar and God meets you there. Oh Glory!!! I love that time.

Has it been a while for you? I hope today finds you in the house of God. If you know what I mean… Praise Him today!!!

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Posted in Life Inspiration

His Wonderful Word!

Written by talk2shari Published May 30, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Air I Breathe

It wasn’t long after salvation that I realized the Word of God was as vital to my spiritual growth as air was to breathing. If I was going to understand God, I needed to read His Word. As I began to read it, something else happened; I realized it was alive! That’s what the word quick means – Alive! The very breath of God breathed into my life and as He did a passage would come off of the page and take root in my heart. Something I had just experienced in real time would be written in historical time on those pages just like my experience. It was amazing… I was hooked!

I later learned that the Living Word of God would become my counselor, friend and confidant. When it seemed the whole world had walked out on me, God never left my side; speaking peace to my soul day in and day out. If I was living in a manner that did not please God, His Word became brought conviction into my heart and the peace would be gone until sin had departed. It was never any wonder to me why Satan has used every method possible to destroy it in futility. He can no more destroy the Word of God as he could destroy God, for they are one in the same.

The Awe I Believe

Powerful! Oh my goodness. Just by speaking His Word deliverance can come. By uttering nothing, God can answer the unspoken cry knowing just what’s needed. I’m in awe at the prayers that I have had answered. From the serious cries in the darkest times of my life, to the silliest prayer of asking for a parking spot close the mall ~ God has answered. God’s not in to formality. A prayer is a conversation between you and the best friend you’ll ever know. Have there been occasions where my prayer was not answered as I had desired, oh yes. But not one time has God’s answer been wrong, but my request on more than one occasion was not as it should have been.

I’ve asked in pure selfishness that God leave people on earth that needed to go be with Him. I’ve asked Him to pull someone from a fire that needed it for purification and the end result would have been disastrous. I’ve also prayed for innocent people to be delivered from ugly circumstances and they were not… and I cried in frustration. But I still believe that when I get to Heaven I’ll stand in awe of why it was so.

The Armament I Brandish

From nothing of my own I have been given the Words of God to share and encourage others. A task that I’m more than a little uncomfortable with knowing that the weight of my words can serve to discourage as well as encourage if I’m not tuned in to God’s plan. Praise Him that He is the discerner of my own heart and that even when I fall short, He fills in the gaps because I’m a willing vessel. I pray that the words I write are forever His. And I pray that they bless your soul.

Thank you for the past responses and the use of your words to encourage my soul in return. I’m grateful. I don’t need them to be “puffed up” in pride but they sure come in handy on the days I’m discouraged to feed my soul with your goodness.

I hope this morning finds you blessed!

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Posted in Leadership, Life Inspiration, Peace

There’s a Rumor Goin’ round… and the Lord started it!

Written by talk2shari Published May 29, 2015May 29, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Turn on the news, listen in on any number of conversations or watch the trending topics of the internet and it’s bound to be there…any number of headings meant to incite fear or at the least cause alarm; end time warnings, antichrist theories and terrorist threats. Our minds are pummeled with images of destruction and yet those of us in America are blessed to live on a soil of peace, at least for today. I’m dumfounded by either the ignorance of leadership or their willingness to hand over the keys of freedom to a liberal, ungodly lot who have no conscience of evil. That’s a pretty harsh statement, but I’d argue its truth and win. I’m not saying that everyone in Washington is on board… but if they’re not, where in the world are they?

For quite a while it’s been on my heart to blog on this incitation of fear that my own heart has fell to upon occasion, but the words didn’t come until today.

2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” So how is that we can have a sound mind in this chaotic world? Only through the Word of God because it is the only true peace on earth.

In the book of Obadiah, in it’s one and only chapter we find the continuing saga of two brothers at odds; Jacob and Esau. A story that began in the book of Genesis and continues through to today, with Edom (the descendants of Esau) being viewed as an example of the antichrist and Jacob (Israel) the chosen nation of God. A little piece of ground that God chose as His own and is still desired to be the possession of anyone at odds with God. And at the root of it all – the pride of men.

Obadiah 1:1-4

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

One thing for certain is if God starts a rumor, it still truth. The antichrist, the “heathen’s ambassador” is for certain in our path. Much speculation has occurred on who it is or will be, but he has yet to be revealed. We are however primed and ready to accept the god of lies because we’re allowing ourselves to be engulfed in this fear that the world would have us fall to. The world is looking for a Savior, Who’s been there all along, yet they desire one with cape and crown that they can see. And Satan will provide it. He’ll provide it by two methods: Fear and Pride.

Fear will come to those who do not know the Word of God. And they outnumber those who do. Pride is the political hierarchy that believe that “they” are the solution.

God says of pride in Proverbs 6:16-17 – These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

The pride of man says “I am in control,” but the wisdom of God says, “I know Who’s in control.”

It was pride that caused Lucifer to be kicked out of Heaven, caused Eve to want to be as smart as God, caused the tower of Babel to be built which got the nations scattered, caused Herod to kill all those innocent babies trying to exterminate Christ, and will cause the antichrist to demand to be worshipped in the end times. But it is the humility of the Christian faith, that acknowledges the power of almighty God and His sovereignty that will bring peace to the soul in this world of woe.

Obadiah 1:18 – And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.

History has proven God’s word again and again and will continue to do so. Yes we live by faith, not sight. But we also have the historical facts as evidence.

When God said that there would not be any remaining of the house of Esau He meant it. The Edomite extinction began around 300 A.D. when a group of Arabs conquered their capital city Petra and continued through other tenemies until they were completely destroyed by the Romans around 70 A.D. And no one today can tell where an Edomite is located.

The spirit of fear that the world would desire Christians to have shouldn’t be there. If we read and understand the Word of God we can know, regardless of what appears to be going on in the world, God still has FULL CONTROL. And there will come a day that the pride and arrogance of those in the world who desire evil against the nation of Israel and the people of God will be as Esau. None remaining. Amen.

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Posted in Life Inspiration, Peace

The Ultimate Storm Shelter

Written by talk2shari Published May 28, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

On Tuesday May 27, 2015 I had places to go and people to see… and a flat tire. A fact that I had been alerted to by a light on my dashboard (a symbol I had known from before.) But when I looked at the tires a day ago, they were Rall round, so I “assumed” a tire was just a little low on air and I’d get to it eventually. Eventually came as I prepared to leave for a revival where I would be singing and my husband prepared to leave for a motorcycle ride before the looming storm was to hit. He happened to notice that my tire was no longer round! So being the dutiful husband he is, he frustratingly desired my presence at the Fire hall (Where he is chief) to put air in my tire. After 34 ¾ years he still has yet to figure out that car maintenance is not my forte. Turns out there was a nail in the tire and that was the prelude to things to come. After my hero husband fixed my tire I left for the my own church to pick up a sound system that I had left there, and seconds before arriving at the church heaven opened up! I could barely see to pull onto the church lot, quarter size hail began pummeling my Jeep, winds whipped this way and that, moving my car more than a little. I couldn’t get out of the car or the hail would get me and even though I was parked just a few feet from the door I was helplessly stuck. So I waited out the few minute storm that felt like several. The damage was horrendous all around me. Four trees had been snapped off like twigs on the hill above the church. One toppling across the church van and taking out a transformer. New spring leaves were everywhere! And when I say everywhere I mean they plastered every vehicle and home in the area. You couldn’t tell if you were driving on the highway or a lawn. A few homes in the area were damaged, power was knocked out and several roads shut down by falling trees, but praise God, no injuries. Until my husband got hit in the head and knocked unconscious later in the evening by a large branch while moving debris. Don’t worry, my hard headed husband is fine! I made it to revival and it was quite a night of rejoicing.

If I were building a house, that paragraph would be the front porch. But don’t fret, it’s a small house and I have just a few points to make on a lesson in the storm. Perhaps you’re having one in your life.

Isaiah 25:4

For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Regardless of the storm we need not fret that God has it under control.

Financial trouble? He is strength to the poor. It didn’t say that He would make us rich, but that He is our strength. Being low on funds usually lends itself to being low in spirit. It takes a toll on you emotionally, spiritually and can even affect you physically… unless… you turn it over to God. And though it can still be an up and down struggle, for we are human; the load gets lighter, and if we can master faith it can dissolve completely. Because God owns the universe, and our struggle didn’t come without His approval. It has purpose. Perhaps to draw our eyes to Him.

Distressed? Be it literal or in the spiritual sense the Lord is our strength. He hears your every prayer and knows your ever need. He strengthens our hearts with His own grace if we’ll allow.

In a storm? Storms come in varying degree and much like the one that I sat through they can leave us feeling stranded yet not alone. That storm quickly came and went without warning giving little time for fear. It was more of a contemplation of action. That’s what needs to happen in our life storms. Start looking for God’s plan of action… He’s not going to let you be destroyed.

Feel the heat? The heartaches of life can feel like the sun is bearing down on you inches from your brow. But there’s a shadow you can run to that will cast shade over your life and give you a refreshment like a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. It’s called the Word of God. It’s being in the presence of God whether reading His word or attending a church service. You need that filling station!

Because the “blast of the terrible ones” can come at any time from any direction we have to be prepared. If you’re going to stand like a wall in the face the adversity that’s coming your way you need to know where your salvation lies.

And that my friend is in the arms of God. He’s the ultimate storm shelter! I pray you know Him… if not, please, please ask me to introduce you!! Comments are always desired and responded to. I’d love to hear from you today.

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Shari har

Posted in Christian Service, Eternity, Life Inspiration, Praise

Will it be likewise done for us?

Written by talk2shari Published May 22, 2015April 6, 2021 Discussion Leave a Comment

Memorial Day… pre-salvation it was holiday meant for family picnics and outings. The loss of family brought so much sadness to my heart that I chose to push it into the recesses of my mind and vowed I’d deal with it “later.” Later finally came by the way of grace and mercy, but not until. In an unsaved state I could find no goodness in death. But on the other side… oh glory… tears well up in my eyes and my soul threatens to burst from my heart when I think of the death of God’s saints now!

I was invited to sing once again, for probably the 15^th year, at a Memorial Day Service at Minnie Hamilton Health System, our local Nursing Home facility. I can see some of you flinching now at the thought of such a heart wrenching service. Open your eyes… it’s fine! It’s a service I look forward to every year, because in no way is it a sad service for me. As they read the names of patients who have passed away over the 17 years of the facility, I looked back on my ministry in that place. I’ve been saved 19 years, and when the facility opened God burdened my heart to be a part of it, and what a blessing it has been! I had been touched by almost every name on that list in some way. By their smile, their encouragement to me as a singer and to praise my work for the glory of Jesus Christ. He is Worthy!

Psalm 145:4-7 says:
One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

What a privilege it is to be a part of the Word of God. I am “that” generation. And many of those nursing home residents who have gone on to glory have been that to me, and comedic relief as well!

Not long after I started visiting the nursing home and trying to encourage them, a tiny little lady (a societal sort) bellowed to the aid delivering her lunch, “A peanut butter sandwich, you people charge me $3,000 dollars a month for a peanut butter sandwich!” I still laugh today and can hear the curtness in her voice. In the Nursing Home’s defense there was more on her plate than that, but she was not impressed! I will also enter here that Minnie Hamilton is one of the best ranked assisted living East Brunswick, NJ facilities in the state… it’s a great place. They just didn’t impress Miss Ena that day!

Another resident was a man crippled from birth, named George. No brighter smile was ever seen for the glory of the Lord than this man. He viewed his time there as ministry and wheeled himself bed to bed to make sure every soul was saved. Oh goodness, how can I be sad to have known such a man.

I sat in awe for many years as I watched a husband come daily with a chocolate pudding cup and a Hershey ® bar, and feed it bit by bit to his disabled wife following her lunch. He lovingly stroked her hair, and told Este how much he loved her…

Often times as I’ve ministered in song using a standard hymn, I’d notice a patient who didn’t even know their name or family mouth ever word of that hymn that God had seared into their mind.

I discovered a distant cousin one day on my journey through the halls and she was quite the character! “Po Ol’ thing” she’d say about the other residents. Not realizing she was one too, she assumed she was there for entertainment.

My Magistrate Court lunch break for many years was spent with Miss Hettie and Miss Mabel where it was like a tea party every day to be in their presence. I have good memories…

It’s not all roses and sunshine. There were days that I wept, but they were tears of compassion and when God called them home I rejoiced! And now we memorialize them because God said to remember the work they did for Him. My question for us all is will it be likewise done for us? Have you told someone about Jesus today? Go tell it on the mountain… over the hills and everywhere…

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