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

Elementary Faith is in Living Color!

My thoughts this morning went back fifty plus years. To a singlewide trailer, first at Leatherbark, WV (my earliest memory) 1966 ish and to another that sat on the bank of Duck Creek in 1969. Three bedrooms filled to the brim with not only five children and my parents, but multiple guests every weekend, Sunday’s were spent in church at Leatherbark and then Strange Creek. We moved to the big city a couple of years later to a house on 3211 Spruce Street, Parkersburg, West Virginia, and attended a little church on Murdock Avenue that might have held fifty people and has long since been torn down and replaced with “progress.” My parents moved every couple of years from the time they were married in the 1950’s until our family landed in Calhoun County in the 1970’s. It was here we stayed where my Father became Assessor and my Mother a social worker. The church I grew up in was Mt. Zion Methodist. That’s a brief history for the purpose of pointing you to the common thread in those georgraphical facts which was that there was never not a church involved in our move.

When I married, church was not a priority in my life until I had children; and then only because it seemed like the “thing I should do.” Scroll to 1996, the year of my salvation and that common thread once again ran through my fabric and hasn’t left. Up until 1996, I would say the thread was black and white like the old television screen. Constant but not very focused and a lot of static. In 1996 my faith became living color. It was literally as if a light had been turned on inside my dark brain and life suddenly made sense.

Faith in Living Color! That’s such a vivid image.

Discover the Difference! That was the theme of Victory Baptist Church when I joined there in 1996. There was assuredly a difference. God was celebrated every Sunday and the purpose of the people was to worship in Spirit and in truth. I had never experienced the Spirit moving like it was there. The church was not only in living color it was charged to a neon level of excitement.

1 Corinthians 3:16-23 KJVS
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? [17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. [18] Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. [20] And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. [21] Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; [22] Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; [23] And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Do you know Who you Are?

[16] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It’s ironic that through the Spirit of God, even though He was not dwelling in me until 1996, I knew at the age of nine that I was meant for more. Now, I thought of that in a worldly sense. But that’s not what God had in mind. I was somebody, but not until I repented and gave that body to Christ. It was then all my childhood dreams became reality. I was content at being me, but then God gave me more. I became a singer, a speaker, a teacher, and God placed mentors all along the way. I had confidence never before experienced. It was amazing! But that’s my God!

Do you know You are Holy?

[17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

It is only through God that you are Holy, but if you are saved, you are Holy. In Old Testament times, God set aside everything in the temple with purpose. Every vessel was fabricated to specific details and was to be used in the service for which they were created. Hello? Will that preach or what? When I said I was nine and having covernations with God, that’s no joke. At that tender age God put a desire in my heart that He would later stir up through His Spirit and I became the Jesus Chick. A vessel of purpose in the Kingdom of God. And don’t think that it’s not been a battle. Satan has tried to pull me out of the house of God multiple times and many times almost succeeded. Satan knows if he can get me out of the service of the Lord, where people have seen me shine, I’ll be tarnished and unworthy for service.

Do you know what you were created to do?

[18] Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. [20] And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

I have never been the brightest crayon in the box, nor could I sing or speak in public prior to salvation. It wasn’t that i didn’t have the ability, I didn’t have the confidence or the skill. I am fully well aware that God gifted me and anoints me when I get up before people to do what I do. If I can get out of my head, and not allow the old Shari to creep back in that views an audience/congregation as eyes of judgement rather than souls in need. The wisdom of this world tells me I am less, The Spirit tells me I am all that’s needed in Christ.

Not everyone does what I do. But you have a gift and a purpose of God. Your gift may or may not be unlocked before or after salvation. Because mine was not, I knew it wasn’t intended to be used without the Spirit of God guiding it.

Do you know why you were created to do it?

[21] Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; [22] Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; [23] And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

A child of God is set apart from the world and yet, in the world. I have struggled with that concept for many years. The world is a harsh reality and can distract the mind to the point that the Spirit is drowned out. It’s made it’s way into the church which is why the vast majority are dead. They’re listening to a demonic notion that its fine to worship the created but not the Creator. It’s fine to trust man, but not the Spirit of God. Education is inspiration but the Spirit of God is a loss of control.

Do you think I sound bitter?

You may be right. I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with dead religion, a world educated to the point of idiocy when they dare ask me to believe man and woman are debatable, and a church sits idle with out so much as a breath of support for the Lord Jesus Christ outside the walls of the church. We’ve allowed the concept of public education to take over Spiritual guidance by the Lord Jesus Christ. I may be bitter, but I believe I’m better for it. Because it’s brought me to the realization that I must do what the Spirit leads me to do and I much search for the truth of the Spirit. Of course there’s a deceptive spirit in the world that would love to get me off kilter… But if I continue in His word, I’ll be fine. The word tells me that there was a group of believers that were excited and that turned the world upside down. I want to be that person. I want to follow the Spirit where He leads me. And if the church wants to sit in the pew like a knot on a log… well, I guess they’ll just be knot heads for Jesus. My children and grandchildren will see that God has never been been black and white but He is Living Color!

God bless ya! And Stay Alive!!!!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration

Who Do You Think You’re Foolin’

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1 Corinthians 3:1

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

Apostle Paul is obviously speaking to saints, because he calls them brethren. He’s not speaking to the heathen in the jailhouse, or the unsaved adulterer but rather children of God.

Those who he had to preach to in a childlike manner, feeding them on the milk of the word, rather than the meat, because they couldn’t take it.

I think we may have caught our Pastor off guard when he came to Victory Baptist Church because we’re the type of congregation that don’t feel like we’ve been to church unless we leave with sore feet. And the harder a preacher preaches at us, the more excited we get. Because we were raised on meat.

This is an area of the country that can certainly understand that, especially this time of the year. My husband has been getting ready for deer season since the last day of last deer season.

Now, I personally am not a fan of meat, in the literal sense, but in the spiritual sense I love a preacher like Paul that jerks a knot in me if I get out of line. What got me to thinking about this was a little girl in our church who handed me her heart yesterday evening as I left church in the form of a note.

I was tired and kind of out of it, so I stuck it down in- my bag and told her I’d check it out as soon as I got home and put it on the fridge.

Well she didn’t want me to put it on the fridge, she wanted me to take action with it, which was evident by her face when I thought back about her asking me if I’d looked at it yet.

When I finally got home and pulled it out of my bag the front of the note said “Shari Johnson, you are incredible!”

Obviously not, or I would have looked at her note at the church.

But the inside of the note said this:

Dear Shari,

I have one request for a lesson on Wednesday, I would like it to be called, “The road less traveled” It’s about hot the path of sin brings only temporary joy, and how the path of Christ brings everlasting joy.

Love, Brylee

Brylee is 11 or 12, going on 32 spiritually. And she is the product of children being brought up by parents who teach their children, not only right from wrong, but the difference between carnal and spiritual.

Brylee knows that spiritual maturity separates the silly from the saints.

Paul wrote a note to Timothy in 2nd Timothy 3:6 and told him For of this sort are they which creep into house, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, lead away with divers lusts.

What sort was that?

3:2-5 ~

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

That’s a whole list of types of people we should avoid.

So lets just take it one verse at a time.

Have you ever seen a time when people were any more self-centered and arrogant? Children who control parents and parents who are unthankful and unholy without regard for anything God or church related. I don’t remember a time when we were growing up that any kind of school function was held on Sunday. Now, that seems to be a day of preference.

These same parents who say they love their children with all their hearts and will do anything for them are raising them without God. I don’t question their love. I really don’t. I question who’s in charge of who? And how do we help them to realize that the very One who created those children they love, and are in charge of their destiny, needs some recognition in the family.

But it’s not just about raising children, it’s about raising us. We’ve become a generation who embraces what the world says is okay, and doesn’t back it up with Bible.

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Whether or not the world says its okay, the bible says that homosexuality is wrong. Breaking a promise is still wrong according to the Bible.  Lying is still wrong. Incontinent (which doesn’t only mean not being able to control your bladder) but it also means not being able to control yourself.  And one that really struck a chord with me this morning, despisers of those that are good. The world resents Christians who are trying to live right, because it makes them feel wrong.

And Paul is telling Timothy that he and his people need to avoid people like that. It’s not that we shouldn’t be kind to them, let them see Jesus in our lives, but when it comes to those people who are tearing us down spiritually, we need to avoid them like the plague.

Verse 5 says From such turn away.

That’s easier said than done sometimes. Sometimes those people are people that we genuinely love. But the problem is, if you hang out with sin, it usually gets on you.

Brylee’s bible journaling art and thought was that sin brings temporary joy. Only the joy that comes from serving Christ will last eternally. This babe in Christ, knows what many adults are clueless to. At her tender age she’s separating herself from the things of the world.

That looks different sometimes at the age of 12 and the age of 56.

For me, separating myself from the world is a little easier because I’m not in the world as much as I used to be when I was in the workforce. But truthfully, when I was in the workforce, I made it a point to show the world I was different. I carried my bible to work. I read it on my lunch break. I had prayer with people that came into my office. I let the world around me know, I wasn’t a silly woman. I was saved by Grace and proud of that accomplishment of Christ, not me.

I was not sinless. But I was aware that I sinned.

I avoided people, and still do, who drag me down spiritually. I don’t hang out with liberals. I’m not going to change their mind, and they aren’t going to change mine. So rather than be frustrated – I’m friendly, but we are not besties.

I can feel the frustration in Paul’s voice as he tells the saints of God, I can’t even have a spiritual conversation with you. I can feel it because I’ve felt it in many Christians today who have allowed themselves to get wrapped up in this world and not wrapped up in the word of God.

I’ve been guilty of it. But we have to try harder ever day to stay away from those that Paul told us to avoid. And we can do that by hanging out more together. The world needs to see us in the public eye being open to the ways of God.

When we dine out… may prayer a big deal.

When you meet a Christian friend, encourage them in their faith, have prayer with them, show them what joy they bring!

You’ve brought joy to me, just by being on line today, or watching me later.  God bless! And I hope that you have a non-manic Monday!