1 John – The Jesus Chick

Posted in Bible Journaling, Evangelism, Faith, Uncategorized

Just Like John

Written by talk2shari Published February 18, 2020February 18, 2020 Discussion Leave a Comment

1 John 1:1-4 KJVS

[1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; [2] (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) [3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. [4] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

It’s still the same story. And it’s still the same truth. From the beginning of Time, and where God is, time has always been; and I need you to know what I know. That’s what John is saying, and that’s what I’m saying this gloomy Tuesday morning as I get ready to embark on a day with my bestie Glo. It’s a joy to experience friendship with her, but more so with the Lord Jesus Christ.

On my heart of late has been the state of the world around me. I see so much heartache. I have friends that are right in the middle of some of the worst struggles of their lives. Many of them know Christ, and for that I’m grateful. Because I know where I let them down, Christ never will. But there are those who don’t know Christ and it scares me, because I know in Him is my hope to go forward through the hard times.

Like John: I have heard

I have heard the Spirit of God coercing me to fight, to take one more step, to try one more time. I have felt the flutter in my soul when I know He’s about to show me something amazing. I have not audibly heard the voice of Jesus as John did. But the voice I hear is still every bit as real and evident. But it can only be heard if you “know” Him.

Like John: I have seen

I have seen the evidence of the Spirit of God moving in my own and others lives. I’ve watched as He has taken control of a situation, a service, or a person and done great and mighty things. I’ve seen times when the answers didn’t come as we wanted, but God brought the strength and the promise of hope that only He can provide.

Like John: I have touched

Picking up the word of God is literally touching God. His breath is in the book. From the day of salvation, and from the first word I read in scripture I felt His presence. No book on this earth has the power to do what the Bible does. It literally floods my soul with happiness to think about how the Lord speaks to this world through those pages. When I read the stories, the Spirit transports my mind to the time, so much so that I know when I get to Heaven, I’ll be able to walk up to David and say, “Brother! Your life inspired me! Thank you for allowing me to see God through your eyes!”

Like John: Christ manifested (made Himself known) to me and and because of that I can make Him known to you so that you too can have the fellowship of God Himself. Glorrraaaay!!! Does that not make you happy!This is a short post, but I needed to stop by for a visit and remind you that you are loved, by me, yes! But most of all by the Lord Jesus. If you’re struggling today, open the word of God and let Him speak peace to your soul. So you too can be “Like John” who through his obedience and sharing of the Gospel teaches us what he was taught first handed. Be like Jesus! Life is about Him, by Him, through Him, In Him! Do you know Him?

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Life Inspiration

Zero Tolerance Christianity

Written by talk2shari Published February 7, 2016February 7, 2016 Discussion Leave a Comment

While I will agree there have been behaviors by self-proclaimed Christians that should not be tolerated, I would not tout them as Christian behaviors. Therein lies the difference and a misconception of the world that all Christians are alike. But in all honesty I don’t think the world cares that we’re not alike, it serves their purpose to collectively lump Christians into a group of extremists trying to take over society. And yet we ignore a real group of extremists who have set their minds to violently take over the world and call them a religion of peace… seriously? “Oh but there’s just a few ‘extremist’ in the bunch that give the religion a bad name,” they say, and then those same “theys” will complain because a Christian organization wrote scripture on a cup and gave away hot chocolate on a college campus. Is this a Sunday morning rant? I sure hope not. It’s not my intent to rant, it’s my intent to give you something to ponder about your own toleration.

We have only ourselves to blame for the intolerance in the world, because we (collectively, as they like to judge us) have been tolerate of their intolerance of us. They say we cannot pray in school, and we say “okay.” They say gay marriage is acceptable in the sight of God, and we say “okay.” They say killing babies is not killing because the baby has yet to be born, but a drunk hits a pregnant woman and kills the child and is charged with murder, and we say that that hypocritical thinking is “okay.” A Muslim religious ritual can be conducted in a public school and it’s “okay,” but we dare not bring a Bible into a classroom. We have a President who has 10 more months to finish his anti-God agenda and the liberal’s hiss like a snake at conservatives who dare object.

Is it any wonder we’ve become tolerate of our own sin? We’ve certainly accepted everyone else’s. God is viewed by socialistic society as an angry God of judgement because He doesn’t tolerate what destroys society. Sin destroys us from within. America is proof of it. They have not had to fire the first shot on our soil to have us cowering to their way of belief. That same notion that has been accepted nationally now knocks on the door of every home and most open the door and offer it cake and coffee, followed by cake and ice cream for the kids because we want them to grow up being tolerate of intolerance.

All the while there are sects in the Church who are removing the blood from the gospel because it seems harsh and intolerant and the God of the New Testament doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings because he loves everyone and accepts them as they are, even Muslim. Yeah… that’s how far we’ve come.

For the record, Christians are not all the same. There’s still a few of us left who believe the inspired Word of God as it was written and without apology. The Old and New Testaments explain that God does not change. Old Testament scripture says in Malachi 3:6

For I am the Lord, I change not

New Testament Scripture says in Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

It’s not God who wavers on His word, it’s man. And before we, who have not changed, get on our high horse and shout to the top of our lungs, “preach that!” Because we’ve stood firm on our foundation… have we also stood firm on our foundation personally?

What words crossed our lips (or minds) this week?
What attitude did we share with friends, coworkers and family?
Did we have God’s stamp of approval on every decision?
Did we turn away from ungodly images or thoughts?
Did we love others as ourselves?
Did we tell someone about Jesus?

At what point does God tolerate sin? On our minimal sins or the world’s maximum sin?

Neither. God has no tolerance for tolerance.

Will we sin, yes, we’re human, 1 John 1:8 says “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

But the difference in Christians should be that it’s never tolerated nor accepted. If every Christian in America would get back to that basic belief-ism and stop allowing the double standards that liberalism has placed our country in II Chronicles 7:14 would come to pass. I’m not ready to give up on America…

Search yourself and ask God to shine the light on darkness.
Never accept sin as an acceptable standard.
Pray that Christian Americans will stand up for God’s word.
Never stop talking about Jesus.
Pray with purpose

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Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Paying off Jiminy Cricket

Written by talk2shari Published March 19, 2015March 19, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Why is it, that if it’s not Christmas, our minds are not on giving. Another Francis Chan study has me pondering this question this morning. At Christmas time the extra dollars seem to flow from our fingers much easier when we see the need of someone, time seems readily available to volunteer to help the down and outers. The needs of a child are first and foremost in our mind to insure that they have the best Christmas ever… and then it’s over. We go back to our mundane lives and there are no more bells ringing at the entrance of store. No more reminders that we need to think of the needs of others.

And then Francis Chan comes along and throws me outside my comfort zone. Actually I had been there for several weeks, because that’s how God works. Then He adds a series like “Crazy Love” into your life as if to say, why are you not listening? Life is about serving others, that’s how I did it and that’s how I’d like you to do it.

1 John 3:16-18

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Nowhere in that verse were the words “at Christmas time.” It is during that season that our excessiveness goes out of control, does it not, or am I alone? We buy in extreme for those we love, we expect in extreme from those we love and we soothe our guilty souls by dropping a few Benjamin’s or perhaps it’s a Jackson or Lincoln. It matters not, it’s often times for the purpose of paying off Jiminy Cricket. (our conscience in case you were not familiar with Pinocchio.) But God is not Jiminy Cricket, He’s the Holy Spirit and so much wiser… and bigger. And He’s around 365 days of the year, not just holidays or movie nights; and He has a much greater purpose than just telling us we’re doing wrong.

James 4:17

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

I feel that I should buy the James 4:17 tee shirt, because I’ve earned it. And not in the good sense. God has been so very good to me. I would be ashamed to tell you how good, in that everything I’ve ever truly wanted I have, and almost every time it came in the form of a gift. The passel of instruments sitting in the chair and on the floor across from me attests to God’s goodness to me. People have invested in my love of music and my love of God. I continually am the recipient of words of encouragement that are priceless and yet cost only a second or two of someone’s day.

To him/her that knoweth to speak words encouragement and say nothing to him/her it is sin.
To him/her that knoweth to tip the box boy and doeth it not, to him/her it is sin.
To him/her that knoweth that child needs new shoes and buys them not, it is sin.
To him/her that knoweth that elderly person needed groceries and bought them not, it is sin.
To him/her that threw away food rather than sharing it with a neighbor, it is sin.

That list could go on a few miles or more, but I won’t. Mainly because my heart can’t bear the reality. Those “to him/her” comments are things I know I’m guilty of, they are not necessarily things you are guilty of. God speaks different purpose to different souls… are we listening?