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The Private Times of a very Public Gospel

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2 Peter 1:20

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

I praise God for a simple mind. Even when God gives me something that I think is spiritually “deep”, I’m pretty sure it’s from the shallow end of the pool. When I read the scripture I seldom find any grand and glorious revelation, it’s more of an “Oh, so that’s how it is Lord, thanks!” The scriptures (at least the recommended King James Version) are written on an eighth to tenth grade level. God loves simple people, what can I say. Theologians who can delve into the scripture and write page upon page of deep theological studies  have nothing on me, so can I, it’s just when I explain it it’s in much simpler terms. Where Dr. Mryon Guiler, one of my heroes of biblical knowledge, can expound great truths for an hour on two words from one text, I can for all intents and purposes read the text and “get it.” I’m okay with that. The Bible was meant for understanding.

The Big Lie

“I don’t read the Bible because I just don’t get it.”

I said the same thing… and then I got saved. Ahhhhhhh. Yes I said it. I’m not saying you’re not saved, but you’re either not saved or you’re rebellious. I know from experience because I’ve been both. As a baby Christian in 1996 I discovered what 2 Peter 1:20 meant. This morning I discovered it anew! That’s how the Bible works. I recommend you not take my word for anything written here, but read 2 Peter, Chapter 1 for yourself. It’s but 21 verses, it won’t kill you. As a matter of act it will give you life! But here it is, Shari quoted in the simples of forms.

Verse 1-8

The Bible is all that and a bag of chips. No, it’s much, much more! It’s everything you need to get by in this world unscathed by the wickedness you’re surrounded in. It is the precious promises of God. Perhaps we’ve heard that phrase so much we’ve dulled our ears to it. Or perhaps promises have become so “un-meaningful” in life that we’ve stopped believing the word actually exists in its purest form. Well it exists, and through eternity we’ll experience that every Word in the Holy Text was real. And you need it to survive. I warned you I was simple, read it yourself, you’ll probably get much more!

Verses 9-10

Remember when I said if you don’t get the Bible, you’re either not saved or not right. Insert grin here. It’s the truth, God said it first. Verse 10 reads “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure…” If you’re not understanding the Bible, make sure you’re saved.

Verses 11-15

Peter reminds them and now I remind you that you need to stay in the Word of God. It’s your ticket to Heaven. Peter wrote (the Lord said) in verse 11 “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” It’s not just be reading, but by understanding that the Word of God is how the Lord speaks to His children. So you may ask “What about the people who can’t read and understand.” If you’re reading this, you can understand. All others, God will take care of, He’s a very nice God that way.

Verse 16

Peter writes as an eye witness of the Savior.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

We’ll read the Sunday Gazzette and take it for the gospel (foolish mortals that we are) and yet question if the Bible is literal or figurative. Call me simple, but if a guy was there, and speaks as an oracle (truth and revelation) of the Creator of the Universe, I’m gonna believe him over some yahoo that received a “new revelation.”

Verses 17-19

In Peter’s day he walked with the LORD, he heard GOD Himself from Heaven speak to His Son, Jesus Christ. He was there at the mount of transfiguration (Luke 9:27-36) when Christ spoke with Moses and Elias. But now Christ dwells within the heart of the saved, which is how you interpret the Bible.

Verses 20-21

Which is what started this blog today.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Don’t worry that you don’t understand the entire Bible, what you need to understand the Holy Ghost will reveal to you. I’m not a Bible Scholar. I don’t know all there is to know about the Bible, but little by little, (just what my pea brain can get) God reveals to me His Word through the Holy Spirit. It’s not just for Preachers. Peter was fisherman, Matthew was an IRS agent, and so on and so forth God used ordinary people. He’ll use you too. In these perilous times you need to understand current events, and if you want the truth go to the Bible, not the evening news.

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Courage for the Day

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Joshua 1:6-9 ~ Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 

Although all of God’s Word, from every punctuation mark to name is of equal importance, there is sometimes a special emphasis on something repeated. It’s as if God is saying, “Did you catch that? I need you to understand, so here it is again.” We know with the children in our own lives that there is sometimes a necessity to repeat something especially if we fear that they’re in harm’s way. In today’s scripture Moses had just died, Israel was about to go forth with a new leader, into a new land, unchartered territory, much like my own beloved Victory Baptist Church is facing with the leaving of our Pastor. It’s also been on a personal level for me many times over the past few years that I have had to face things never I’ve never been through before. My own unchartered territory. It’s a time that Satan loves to mess with your mind; he loves goading you into doubt and dismay of the unknown. He diligently tries keeping you from the Word of God because he knows that there is power and strength to be found among the pages.

Whether you are in a new stage of life or not, for you’ll be on the brink of one eventually, this message will help you. Not because I’m anything great, but because the Word of God will not return void; the bible says so.  God told Israel to have courage three times with three important facts. Facts that we need to remember as we move forward in our lives.

Be courageous because I’ve given you a promise.

God promised Israel deliverance into a new land. He didn’t promise them it would be without battles and giants but He promised it would be theirs. I’m for certain it would have been easier on them if they’d have gone the first time God told them to go in obedience, but their disobedience didn’t change God’s promise. We may change our mind, but God doesn’t change His. He may however change the method of the deliverance because of our unwillingness to go along with His original plan… speaking from experience. In my heart I know that God has made promises in my life. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God has a plan, and I believe that as time passes in our lives He reveals it to us as a promise with our obedience. He has a great plan that doesn’t necessarily come easy, but if we continue on His way, it’s a promise.

Be courageous because I’ve given you My Word.

Staying in the Word is crucial in times like these. With the political nonsense going on in the world I found it “enlightening” when Joshua wrote “turn not from it to the right hand or to the left.”  Our political power is not where we need to be turning for guidance. Can I get an Amen on that one? Both sides have a lot of work to do to get in line with God. If you want to know how to live your life or how to make a decision, base it on the Word of God, nothing else. If you want to know how to prosper, Joshua just told you… “Live according to God’s law.” That doesn’t promise you’ll be a millionaire, you may be a “nillionaire” (have nothing) but you’ll prosper in ways unimagined and God will take care of you.

Be courageous I’m with you.

If we believe God’s promises and we earnestly pray for His guidance; if we stay in His Word, we’ll get to where we’re going; but regardless child of God, even when we make the wrong decisions in life God never, ever forsakes us. In the deepest valley’s to highest peaks of the mountain God is there.

Are you in unchartered territory? I am. But I’m trusting in God’s promises, I’m believing in God’s Word and I know He is with me. Be courageous, God’s got ya covered!

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As He Is, So are We

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Psalm 26:2

Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart

In Psalm 26 we find David confident is his walk with God, asking God to open up his heart and look within him, test him and see what direction he would go. He was confident that his relationship with the Lord was in such good form that God would be well pleased. I’m not so sure that I could ever pray that prayer with great confidence! Maybe a window of twenty seconds… maybe then I could get my heart right enough to say God, look now! But please do it quick.

My wonderful husband got me a new camera for my birthday which is coming up in a few days and I was super excited about it! As I looked through the lens at various subjects in my living room, including Sammy the Jack Russell which lay by my side I was well pleased that a snap shot of his fur gave such clear detail. You could see each strand of hair in fine detail. And then I began to wonder if God examined me in such close proximity what would He find? Would it be a picture worth framing or one I’d rather delete? God knows.

In the teen class Wednesday we talked candidly about the subject of Christian testimonies and how important it was to walk as closely to God as possible for we were all examined by our peers. It would do no good to stand and testify about the glorious goodness of God on Sunday morning if we had shouted expletives at a ballgame on Friday night. While none of us are perfect, nor was David as he wrote the Psalm, we must still examine ourselves. Paul said as much in his second letter to the Corinthians but he capped it off with the good news…

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

While I on my own cannot with clear conscience say “All is well within my heart,” because there are seeds of doubt, temptations and pride that can rear their ugly heads at any time; I can say “IT IS WELL” in Christ. His blood has covered my inadequacies in finer detail than any camera can capture. Were it not for that I would live defeated.

So many Christians, myself included, fail to examine their faith before we examine our lives. I speak on the assumption that you who read are saved. If you’re not sure of salvation (click here), otherwise, read on!

Examine Me

We know that we’re all sinners,  Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” so how can one say “Examine me, O Lord?” Because we’re being examined through our faith. And not just our faith, but His!

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Did you catch that, He is faithful! Our part of the deal is to come to Him and acknowledge that we’ve messed up, once that’s done He cleanses us, we can do nothing to cleanse ourselves. So upon further examination God sees a clean heart.

Prove me

While I by no means believe there is salvation by works, when I received the salvation of God I desire to work! James 2:17  says “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Apostle Paul told the Galatians in  Galatians 6:4 “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” A desire to serve God brings joy to the soul and upon examination is further proof that you are His child, covered by the blood of Jesus!

Try me

1 Peter 1:7 says “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 don’t know if you remember, but I remember what it was like to go through a trial pre-salvation vs. post-salvation. And although trials are still not something I enjoy I’ve never been in one that my relationship with the Lord did not grow. And when I came out on the other side I could look back and say, “It is well with my Soul!” Because God never left my side.

So when I say “Lord, Examine me, prove me and try me.” It’s not that I’ll be found perfect. It’s that I know that God will be found perfect.

John says it well in 1 John 4:17 ~ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

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Empty Satan’s Pockets

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Acts 16:14-20

“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,”

There is great financial gain in many avenues of life, some in sin and some in labor; both have one often common characteristic… distraction. There were two such women in the book of Acts 16 and both have a story of financial freedom. Lydia, merchant in the city of Thyatira was “all that and a bag of chips” as the saying goes, she worshipped God and was a successful woman in the textile industry. And then came Paul! and all of a sudden it was no longer about selling purple fabric but about serving Christ. It’s an oddity to the world how a person can walk away from what they view as success and begin serving the Lord. Lydia’s finances had no doubt brought her freedoms that few women in that era would have been afforded; but her focus changed when the Lord opened her heart to see what great freedom serving Christ brought. Lydia experienced the greatest freedom any woman could have… the freedom that seeing your family serve Christ and the knowledge that come what may, their souls are in the hands of the Master.

And then there was the woman without a name, who through her demon possession was taken advantage of and used as money making scheme by wicked men. Men who were VERY upset, when at Paul’s command in the name of Jesus de-demonized her and she experienced the freedom of deliverance from the financial bondage those men had over her life. On both ends of the spectrum, from the poverty to powerful the same holds true with regards to money… If you’re not using what you have for the glory of God, then you’ll not receive the full blessing of it. When Lydia opened her heart to the things of God, it didn’t say she stopped selling purple, but I have a feeling her purple peddling priorities changed. When the lady possessed with the demon was healed her words that had once distracted those delivering the gospel now focused those who witnessed her healing onto the glory of God!

Luke 16:13 says that “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

I’m getting a firmer grasp on that… unfocused finances are a distraction. Lydia opened up her home and began focusing her financial gain on the things of the Lord and she her household were baptized. Wow. The unnamed lady was no longer a tool in the hands of the Devil but was now a weapon in the warfare, and people were angry. Can I tell you if you’re finances are serving Satan, there’s going to be some unhappy people when you stop. But oh the gain! What about your finances? Are they Christ focused or world centered? Are you asking God what He wants you to do with your gain? Are you allowing your finances to be used in non-glorifying ways? Heavy questions, but worth pondering.

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Stay In It!

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stay in it!

Ezra 6:16 ~ And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

For four years the children of Israel had labored on the temple in Jerusalem. On this day the house was finished. God had commanded it, the elders and others had labored side by side, heathen kings encouraged it, everyone was about it and the house was built. Hallelujah, what a day! Let’s dedicate this house!

Scroll forward to today… who’s building it now? There are no heathen leaders encouraging church in America, but rather encouraging the embracement of pagan religions.

I don’t speak of a physical building, church buildings across the country are a dime a dozen. And hundreds of them, if not thousands sit empty and in shambles. But we know now that the temple where God dwells is within us.

I Corinthians 6:19

 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Are you building it?

I myself sometimes feel like the children of captivity in the land of the free. Freedom of expression we’ve discovered is only free to those who want to hear nothing of Christ. You can pray and build in the name of Buddha, Allah, or a purple cow in the middle of a cornfield and no one cares, just don’t mention the name of Jesus. So how do we build this temple when we are troubled on every side at the very mention of our Lord, media caters to filth and the demons of the flesh are but a mouse click away?

II Corinthians 4:8-10 ~ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Stay on the right side. Don’t cave in to what the world says is acceptable, it’s distressing. When the children of Israel built the temple they used only the best. In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid… (Ezra 6:3a)

Lay strong the foundation of your life which is:

  • The Word of God, stay in it!

2 Timothy 3:16 ~  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

  • The House of God, stay in it!

Hebrews 10:25 ~ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

  • Prayer, stay in it!

Philippians 4:6 ~ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

We seldom have the world encouraging us to build the temple of God within ourselves. If anything they tear it down brick by brick. But if we stick together and encourage one another in the faith we can celebrate every day. I hope today finds you in the house of God that preaches the Word Loud and Strong! Stay in it!

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How to Mess Up a Blessing

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In the midst of our annual tent meeting and a great moving of the Holy Spirit through the people, I have to examine my own life; because I believe that every Word of God, jot and tittle in the King James Bible is truth. So when I read Mark 11:26 – “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasss,” I believe it. And I think to myself, is there anyone that I have not forgiven? Because it’s certainly possible. And though I’m not a grudge bearer, (I don’t waste my time with people who have wronged me because I truly consider it their loss), I still have people in my life who when someone brings up their name, my heart sinks a little. And I don’t want that coming between me and the full blessing of God.

Did you catch that? Not only will we not be forgiven of our own sins (which for me is many) but we’ll also miss out on the blessing of God. Let’s look at the scripture leading up to the previous text. Mark 11:22-26. It lays out a message outline as clear as day on how to mess up a blessing.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Doubt. Woah baby! I’ve messed myself up with that one on more than one occasion. I did not realize that there was a method to this mayhem that I created. Jesus said if we have doubt in our heart it will come to pass. Good night a mighty! How many times have I doubted something good was going to happen and what I essentially did was cause it not to? Now God’s allowed many things to happen in my life that I doubted… that’s called grace. But how much more would He have allowed if I had not doubted it; and spoke it aloud allowing Satan and his band of havoc wreaker’s to hear.

The second step to messing up a blessing is to ask for something while carrying un-forgiveness in your heart. Jesus said that God wants to give us our heart’s desire, but… as you’re standing there praying for it, examine your heart because God won’t give over un-forgiveness.

If you ask me the desires of my heart today I can tell you flat footed and eye to eye it is this:

  1. That my church catch fire to see soul’s saved.
  2. That my entire family get right with God so that there will be no eternal separation.
  3. And for health and stamina to continue on in the ministry that God has blessed me with.

Three serious prayers with eternal ramifications. Why on earth would I let anyone stand between me and those requests? Look seriously at your own life. What has anyone done to you that is worth holding onto and losing that?

I hope today find you and I both with hearts full of love, faith that moves mountains, and forgiveness in abundance.

Psalm 51:10 ~ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

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God called… He wants His Church Back

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God called… He wants His church back.

That was a statement I heard a preacher make on a podcast and my first thought was “I could hear God saying that very thing! It’s for sure we’re not using it the way we should.”

Jeremiah 4:19

My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

It’s no wonder Jeremiah was a weeping prophet. He preached, they ignored. He cried, they partied. Come on! Enough is enough. Can you hear him today? Better still, can you hear an alarm going off inside of you? I sure did. I attend one of the best churches in the country, hands down, I won’t apologize for making the statement… but… we could be better. We’re in the midst of our annual tent meeting and it’s exciting. The preacher is preaching his heart out, the altar is lined and yet still I feel as though there is a cloud over the tent. I feel we are on the edge of the blessings of God falling from Heaven, or a storm cloud.
I keep hearing an alarm in my soul trumpeting “Why is this church here? Yes it’s a beautiful building, yes it’s got great people, yes My presence is known in there but it’s not known out “there.” Why are you not evangelizing my people?”

Owch. I just stepped on my own toe. The church building is a place to worship and hear the Word of God, but they’ll never hear it unless we compel them to come in. Jesus didn’t send His disciples to church, He sent them into the world. Hello? Why do we not get this? When Jesus and the disciples went to church they served; or they turned over tables… either way there was a commotion. I like excitement in the house, what can I say.

Today I need to

b.o.l.d.

If that’s not reason enough, what is? He gave His life for me. I say it, and I believe it, but I sure don’t live like it. God gave us the church organization to encourage one another, to have a place to call home while we wander here on earth, to worship Him and to get re-energized to do His bidding the other 6 days a week, but we’ve turned the pews into lounge chairs. We are way too comfortable; perhaps we should go back to the old wooden pews. I needed to hear this today, did you?

Let’s go tell someone about Jesus!

If you’re in (or even close) the Grantsville, WV area I want to invite you to our 14th annual Old Fashioned Tent Meeting. We’ve been havin’ a time with Dr. Sebby Volpe, our evangelist. He’s exciting. He rev’s your engine and has you pointed to the altar of Grace ever step of the way from service start to end. Come and join us! We’re HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

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A Lesson in Leadership

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2 Timothy 3:14

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

As the Pastor of our church gave his departing message yesterday morning my heart was divided. Although I was glad that the Lord was allowing him to move on to new and exciting places, he had played such a pivotal role in who I was as a Christian. In 1996 he pierced me with the words of Christ and I gave my heart to Jesus. He then didn’t just turn me loose to ride with the wind, he and many others discipled me into servitude so that I would become a leader in the ministry. Humbling…

As he spoke on 2 Timothy 3:14 I reminisced over the past 17 years of my life under his ministry and was grateful for the lessons I’d learned. I will continue on! I’ll lead as I’ve been lead…

Leaders are not Entertainers

Although I love to laugh and have a great time in the ministry if that laughter does not edify your soul I’m nothing more than an entertainer. I’ve witnessed dozens of speakers who I would love to orate as well as, but when they were finished orating I wasn’t moved with compassion or inspired to do great things for the Lord, I was entertained.

When Paul healed a man and the excited crowd wanted to do obeisance to him as if he was a man of great power, Paul quickly pointed them back in the right direction. Acts 14:15 – And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

When speaking or teaching before people everything we say and do should point back to Savior. It should never be about us, it should be about Him! Encourager… not entertainer.

Leaders lead through Experience

I was not born a leader. As a matter of fact I was born a stray-er. I was that one that the Shepherd had to seek after that strayed away from the flock. Likely lured off by something shiny! It was through experience, trial and error and sometimes trial and error again that I have managed to be recognized as a leader in the congregation of the Lord. And I don’t say that trivially. As a friend said to me recently, experience isn’t always the best teacher, it’s sometimes the only one we’ll listen too. Were it not for the grace of Almighty God, and His interventions to get me to this place, under the ministry of these people, I’d still be straying. But instead He has allowed me through the education of experience to be able to point people to Christ. Who would have ever thought that the “directionally challenged” me would be put in such a position? Only God can do that!

Leaders lend an Ear

Isaiah 49:1

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

From a small child I heard God calling my name, but unlike Isaiah I wasn’t in tune with the Holy Spirit enough to understand what God was doing in my life. It wasn’t until years and years later that I look back on those times and realize that God called me for such a time as this. I’m still learning to listen. Not only to God but to those that I lead. I have a tendency to run ahead and in so doing I sometimes miss what’s been said. I inadvertently offended a co-worker not too long ago by getting out of the car and walking ahead of them, rather than waiting until everyone walked in together. I live with the mission of Point “A” to point “B”. Let’s get where we’re going! I often lead that way too, wanting to get to where we’re going without slowing down along the way to listen to someone along the journey. I’m learning to slow down, it’s a hard lesson. But a worthy one.

I hope today finds you encouraged! God Bless You!

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Have You Heard It?

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Galatians 4:6

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Have you heard it? The Holy Spirit within your heart desiring to be in the presence of Almighty God? It’s Sunday morning and I’m thankful for the Spirit that dwells within in me, the One that reminds me that I have been adopted into the family of God and that His desire is to commune with me as Father and child.  I am reminded of the feeling of hopelessness that filled that spot prior to salvation, when Sunday mornings didn’t matter in more than Saturday morning; both were just the weekend. That feeling makes me nauseous. The feeling of “not belonging.”

We all have that desire within us to belong, do we not? We may squelch it down beneath the pride of “I don’t need anyone to make me happy,” remarks but if we’ll allow ourselves to get real for just a minute we know that it’s a lie. A lie fabricated by Satan himself to make us feel that we are responsible for our destiny and happiness.

This morning you’ll find me in the fellowship of my brothers and sisters at Abba’s house. It’s a place I’ve called home since 1996 and I love even the aroma of the building, because I know that it is where I first met God. Where I first felt a part of the big picture of creation. The world had let me down, I was frustrated with the circumstances of life and then in one sparkle in the eye of my Heavenly Father, the feeling of disconnect was gone. I belonged!

I’ve always been a part of an awesome family; parents and siblings who loved me, a husband and children, and now grandchildren! But it’s not the same. It’s not the same as realizing that you are a child of the Creator of the universe and that He now travels with you where ever it is that you go. Hearing your heart cry… “Abba, Father, are you there?” and your soul answer “Yes, I was waiting for you today.”  Oh, my soul leaps within me!

What about you, have you heard it? If not then you need some one to One time with the Lord. Here’s how the adoption conversation goes:

God, I can look at creation and know that it didn’t “just” happen. (1 Corinthians 11:14) I can feel love and know that it didn’t come from an organism that evolved into something else. I believe You are the creator of all. And I want to be Your child and feel a part of that wonderful family of God. You are a holy God that I’ve been separated from by the rejection of Your Son. (John 12:48) I believed I could do it on my own. But I was wrong. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23) I need You and I realize that the only way that I can come to You is to accept the sacrifice that made it possible. I believe Your Son died on the cross of Calvary to pay the debt I could not pay, I believe He rose again the third day and ascended back to Heaven to be my intercessor. I don’t have to understand it all, I believe that because I hear You speak to my soul. (Romans 10:9-10)

If in reading that statement you believe it and you felt your heart leap within your chest you’ve just received your adoption certificate. I encourage you to click on the scripture links and read what God says, don’t take my word for it! And then you need to go meet your family at a good bible believing, Spirit filled church that preaches the Word of God. As Preacher T.D. Jakes put it, they preach “Hell hot and in 15 minutes.” And I’d love to know, please message me below and let me know of your decision or find me on Facebook and private message me there. God Bless you!

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Things that Restore a Relationship

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Things that Restore a Relationship

#thingsthatdestroysarelationship

Trending today on twitter ~ things that destroy a relationship

I find it somewhat odd that most everyone wants a great relationship with those they love but the media caters to anything but. Television, social media, print media and most all other forms of media have a fascination with promoting the worst of the worst. It’s a most definite trend for people young and old to make their heartaches known to the world on social media and then in the next post tell the world to mind their own business. What irony! And the end result of all that ranting is more heartache and a destroyed relationship, the very thing they didn’t want.

So… how do we not destroy our relationships?

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

The greatest of the three is love, but love alone is not enough to keep from destroying a relationship else many couples would still be together; all three are crucial.

Faith

While a foundation in the faith of Christ Jesus is key to any good relationship, I have unfortunately witnessed many Christians with lousy relationships, in many of these cases I’ve seen that a relationship moving too fast destroys the entire relationship. Somewhere between “I do” and “I’m done” they lost faith in one another. I don’t throw stones; I may have the 33 year wedding anniversary tee shirt but it’s got some holes in it. But as I grow closer in my relationship with Christ, what I discover is my relationship with David grows closer too! We haven’t always been perfect, or anywhere close, but there are some things that have kept us together, and faith in each other is one of them.

Mariam Webster’s definition of faith is:

1)     Allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty. A fidelity to one’s promises,  sincerity of intentions

2)     Belief and trust in and loyalty to God: belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion; firm belief in something for which there is no proof, complete trust.

3)     Something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs

Can you see why it’s so important? Allegiance, fidelity and a sincerity of intentions… that’s what we all want! But we’re human, we let each other down, break our promises and sometimes our sincerity is about as real as a signature at the bottom of a letter to “To Whom it may concern.” I speak truth, do I not? But when faith in God comes into the picture we learn to trust Him to help us trust each other and it’s that “strong conviction” that will keep a relationship together in the toughest of times.

Hope

1)     To cherish a desire with anticipation; to desire with expectation of obtainment

2)     To expect with confidence: trust.

3)     To hope without any basis for expecting fulfillment

Sometimes that’s all we have. Faith appears to be gone, the “I love you’s” are no longer spoken, but we hope (a cherished desire) that a certain relationship will be mended. It would be a sad world without it. With it we can dream and imagine of that day when our relationship with that person is restored and whole again and with faith God can align all the circumstances for that very thing to happen. I have that “tee shirt” too.

Charity (love)

The greatest of these. And why is it the greatest? Because it is the foundation of both faith and hope.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have the ultimate relationship with both Him and those we love. He gave His Son for an example that we might understand loving people takes sacrifice.

How do we not destroy a relationship? We continually take an honest look at ourselves first and in so doing we’ll see that we’re messed up too. If Christ can give His life on the cross for us, surely it’s not too much to ask for a little compassion and understanding from us toward our family and friends.

#ThingsThatRestoreARelationship