Category: Not Another Manic Monday Video

Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration, Not Another Manic Monday, Not Another Manic Monday Video

How to Spiritually Prepare for the Cold

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on How to Spiritually Prepare for the Cold

THESE ARE THE NOTES FROM MY MONDAY, OCTOBER 15TH  – “NOT ANOTHER MANIC MONDAY” – LIVE FACEBOOK SESSION. SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM IF YOU’D LIKE TO WATCH THAT VIDEO OR ENJOY ALL THE PIECES I LIKELY FORGOT TO SAY BY READING THE NOTES 🙂

Get dressed, Put your shoes on and don’t worry about provision.”

That’s what I heard as I read Ezekiel 24 on Saturday morning.

I’d been struggling to get back into the reading of this book because it’s so tragic. Israel’s rebellion and punishment from God breaks my heart. It also heaps the guilt on me because I feel like Israel most of the time. The rebellion in my heart never seems to go away. I look at our country, and the shape that many of the people in our nation is in and I could easily go into depression were it not for the fact that I know the end of the book and I know I’m going to be okay, as well as all others who know Christ as Savior.

But what about the bad days that I’m struggling with more than reading Ezekiel. That’s where the scripture I read in the book of Ezekiel really helped out.

In chapter 24, the obedient servant of God, who’s doing his best to live a righteous life, loses his wife. God warned him in advance that he was going to take away the “desire of Ezekiel’s eyes.” That scripture proves the love Ezekiel had for her. But God tells him that he’s not going to cry, or morn, but he’s going to put on his turban and his shoes, and everything else in between I assume, and preach! And as he does, he’s not to worry about the provision of the people. God will take care of him.

That seems a tad harsh for me.

But it also helps me get life into perspective.

Prior to that verse in chapter 22, verse 30, God says “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”

I sometimes feel that that is how God looks at America. But then I know better, because I’m in it. And He hasn’t destroyed us yet. Although I’m a failure sometimes, I also stand in the gap with the word of God, sharing the gospel of Christ and standing for Him, in the gap that has been created by a fallen world.

Yes, America is a mess. But let’s look at us individually. Those of us who are on this blog today, looking for hope and believing that we’re going to find it in the word of God.

Over the last few weeks I’ve had some terrible days. Days I physically did not feel like going on. I had to fight to move. Days that I failed my family and I failed God and I wasn’t really sure what was going on.

I have a feeling this may have been how Elijah felt as he preached judgement and wrath again and again and in the process of that he lost his precious wife; and God basically tells him to suck it up and get back out there.

How did He do it?

Wrap your mind

The tire that the Lord tells Elijah to bind around his head isn’t a steel belted radial. It’s his turban. A piece of fabric that protected his head from the elements of the day as he went out into the world.

We need that in a spiritual form that protects our minds from the elements of the world. Negative people and thoughts of our own and drag us into a mindset that’s unhealthy. Satan always makes us believe it’s worse than it actually is. 

Wow, did I need to hear that. All week I had been procrastinating some things I needed to do because I was sure it was going to be terrible. When I finally got around to it, it was fine. But in my mind I had convinced myself of the worst case scenario.

That’s how Satan works to knock us off our game and cause us to step out of the positions and plans that God has for us. Doubt and fear are never of God. He may warn us of things we shouldn’t do, but He will never incite fear. That’s a tool of the Devil.

So in order to bind our minds we have to fill it with words of encouragement. The word of God is a great place to start! But also godly music, and friends who speak life into you!

Shod your feet

That’s the second thing that God told Ezekiel to do.

Ephesians 6:15 tells us that part of the armour of God is to have “Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” Before that it said to have the helmet of salvation on. God’s word may change forms but it never changes the truth.

Just as Ezekiel spread the word by physically walking in the heat of the sun to get to the people of Israel, we can spread the word by walking in the power of the Son! S.O.N.

Perhaps an acronym for “save our nation.”

The Word of God speaks peace! My struggle with Ezekiel had less to do with the book, but rather had to do with my state of mind. I was allowing Satan to get inside my head and preventing me from sharing the gospel.

God’s third piece advice for Ezekiel was:

Feed yourself

At the loss of his spouse, there would no doubt be people that would want to help Ezekiel out. God warned Ezekiel not to rely on others for preservation.

The same is true with us. We cannot depend on someone else to feed us physically or spiritually. We have to take care of ourselves.

It’s why I listen to preaching multiple times a week. I feed myself the word of God through any means possible. I read the bible, I listen to preaching, I listen and sing gospel music. Things that feed my soul and encourage my spirit so I can encourage the people God puts in front of me.

Years ago, when I first got saved I claimed 2nd Corinthians 2:1-2 “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me.”

I determined as a young Christian that I would sow seeds of hope and happiness, not seeds of despair and sorrow that I had witnessed so many other saints of God sowing by constantly telling the people around them how terrible life was.

I’ve not always been able to stick to my convictions, but I honestly do try. And that’s why this Monday live video is so important to me. I want to give you hope and encourage you for the day.

I feel that Ezekiel’s example, although sorrowful, is still a great scripture to hang onto today.

As the weather changes, we have need for a turban, or toboggan as the case may be, sandals have been replaced by boots and hot soups are soothing to the soul on these cold days. Let those serve as a reminder that God has you covered too!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration, Not Another Manic Monday, Not Another Manic Monday Video

Why Our Conversations with God are Lacking

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Why Our Conversations with God are Lacking

Below is the video link as well as my notes for the “Not Another Manic Monday” Video Blog published October 8, 2018. Tune in  live every Monday at 10 a.m. on Facebook as I share what the Lord has laid on my heart to encourage us for the coming week. 

VIDEO NOTES:

To begin with, it’s hard to begin a conversation with

  • Someone we’re not familiar with or perhaps may not even know.
  • Someone we’re angry with (if we’re honest)
  • Someone we’re afraid of, or
  • Someone we don’t understand.

It’s sometimes helpful if we have a conversation starter.

Prayer needs are obvious conversation starters. I used to think I was prayer warrior until I realized all my prayers started with “Lord help me.”

Who wants a friend who only comes around when they need something? Don’t get me wrong, God wants to hear everything we need. But He’d like to have some talk time with us just for the sake of getting to know Him better. Not hearing just hearing about our problems.

1 Timothy 2:5  says “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Conversation Starter

So if by way of a conversation starter you heard God ask “Why don’t we talk more often?” How would you answer?

Which one of the excuses would you have, or perhaps another one. But be honest with yourself and ask, what causes me not to have a closer relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you fear Him?

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.”

So let’s break that verse down.

If God hasn’t give us the spirit of fear, who has. Easy question to answer. Satan loves it when you won’t talk to God. Because he knows without a good relationship with Jesus, God can’t work in your life to the fullest extent. So he whispers lies in our ears to keep us apart and a way from a three fold promise.

The Power of God. The Love of God and the Strength of having a sound mind. Power to make it through any problem we’re facing. Love, not condemnation which Satan wants you to have, and a sound mind, meaning that you worry and stress less. Is that not something we all desire?!

So take the time to have that conversation with God today. What’s coming between you and Him?

Tell it to the Scapegoat

Anything that prevents you from having a conversation with God is a sin. Even if you don’t view it as a sin, it is because it’s keep you apart from your Creator.

In the book of Leviticus, an Old Testament ritual was that the priest on the Day of Atonement would take two goats before the people at the temple. The first he would kill which symbolized the blood sacrifice that Jesus would make in the future. The second goat he would release into the wilderness, symbolizing that the sins of the people were carried away.

I love the scripture which says “As  far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

Everything that causes you apprehension with God, is gone. You can visualize it on the scapegoat, running into the wilderness never to return.

What an awesome way to visualize our sins! Running away from us.

The last point for today is to have a

Tell it to Jesus

It’s a conversation that I had last night in the preparation of this morning’s video blog. I needed somethings to go away. I had to get very honest.

I’ll share those with you, because I need to get them out in the open and perhaps your struggle is similar.

  • I feel every burden of my family on my shoulders. Everyone’s. And I most always think that it’s my fault.
  • I don’t ever feel that I measure up before God or man and that I’ve failed everyone who loves me.
  • I feel that my value is tied to my pay. Which for someone in the ministry, (not a paid ministry) that makes my value “0”.

That may or may not be your issue. But something probably is that keeps you and God from having in depth conversations.

I hope that today you’ll take the time to talk to Jesus. Tell Him the truth about why you and He don’t talk as much as you should. And let’s start this Monday on the right foot, getting closer to our Lord.

God bless ya!

Posted in Evangelism, Life Inspiration, Not Another Manic Monday, Not Another Manic Monday Video, video

Let’s Talk About Us

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Let’s Talk About Us

Notes from Monday, October 1, 2018 live feed. Video Below 

If you ask me where my “Happy Place” is in the word of God, I would tell you John 14. Verses 1:6

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

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

So I give you three points to ponder today as we start the new work week. Help, Hope and Happiness and they’re all found in those verses.

Jesus begins by telling us “Let not your heart be troubled.” Whatever it is you’re facing this week, Jesus has it under control.

In Psalm 121:2, David wrote “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”  I’ll put these scriptures in the comments below when we’re done.

David understood and we need to remember that at the Creation of the earth, God the Father and God the Son were there. The Creator of all the earth. The Scriptures said “Let Us make Man” Genesis 1:26 The “us” was God and Jesus.  If He can speak a tree, an animal an ocean into existence, what is any problem that we have.

If He can speak life from nothing, can He not speak over your problems, and either take you through, around or out. God has the power to do all three.

The rest verse 1 says “Ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

That’s the “Us” again that from the foundation of the earth.  David said in Psalm 119:114, Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.”

John 1:1 says In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

Sometimes that gets confusing; how can God and Jesus be one? Well to confuse us further, They’re actually three. And I don’t profess to have it all figured out. But to help my mind fathom what it means I have to understand the Word that was written.

Isaiah 48:13 says “Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand together.”

The universe cannot contain God. But the Son walked on earth. That helps me to understand the roles the two of them play in Creation. And the Holy Spirit, the third part of the Trinity, I feel within my soul.

It’s because of that I have Hope, and know that God is my protector. He is within m and understands everything I’m going through. He knows my every thought.

Verse 2 of John 14 reads, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

This earth and all the sorrow in it, is temporary. God is preparing us a world beyond what our imaginations can fathom!

Another verse in Psalm 144:15 b (meaning it’s the latter part of the verse) says “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.”

Those who understand verse 6 when Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

The only way you can have true happiness is through Jesus Christ. And believing in His finished work on the cross. Jesus Who walked as a man, and died as a man on this earth that He created, did that on the cross to pay the price for our sin so that we could go to that happy place He is preparing.

I made that decision in 1996. I lived 34 years in fear of Hell. Also a very real place. But praise God, I got saved! I hope you know Jesus today. And if you don’t, please, private message me and you and I together will walk the road to salvation.

If you know Him, I hope you’ll write the verses that I gave you down somewhere you can see them this week and hang on to the hope that comes from the Word of God.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration, Not Another Manic Monday Video

3 Steps to a Great Day

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on 3 Steps to a Great Day

I love being live on Monday’s! But what ever the day is you’re tuning in, I hope that his video serves as a word form God to encourage you and help make your day a little sweeter. Tune in every Monday at 10 a.m. to my “Not Another Manic Monday” Vlog and please share this with your friends! For questions or comments, send me a message or find me on Facebook by searching for The Jesus Chick!