1 John 3 – The Jesus Chick

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Eternity, Grace, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Those in Denial Need Not Respond

Written by talk2shari Published October 23, 2020October 23, 2020 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’m a little frustrated with myself that after 4 days of not having a blog post up, my mind is here. But it is, and I might as well park here for a second and get it out of my system. I’m praying that as I go along I’m in the Spirit, not the flesh. I can assure you that one of those is far easier than the other. I’ve been very outspoken about my political stand lately. Because it has spiritual repercussions that are far beyond what most people in this world understand. And no, I’m not saying that I’m a spiritual genius. Far from it. But what I am is informed and in tune with the Spirit of God. And I’ll not apologize or back down from what I believe is truth.

The Final Debate:

Even in the midst of it (the Presidential debate) last night, a person I adore, sent me a post of our President from 1999 about a statement he had made about being pro-choice. What do I have to say about that? “Praise God he changed his mind! And I’m glad that my decisions of 20 years ago are under grace. Now let’s talk about today.” Man (and woman) are as unstable as cooked spaghetti. But God…

For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. ~ Malachi 3:6

There is no debate with God. He doesn’t change His mind, nor does He change His ways, and He for certain hasn’t changed His attitude toward sin. Let me speak from the heart, when I say that my decision to vote for President Trump, to respect the man that God put into office, has nothing to do with who he was in 1999 or any year prior to 2020. My decision was made from information obtained from media sources that isn’t in the hands of the government. CNN, NBC, CBS and unfortunately parts of FOX could be called “the State News.” I literally stay tuned in no less than 6-8 hours a day. I’m not kidding. That doesn’t mean that I’m sitting glued to it. It just means that its playing in the background of whatever I’m doing.

What makes me so sure that my news is different? Because the world hates them.

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” ~ 1 John 3:13

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” ~ John 15:18

“The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” ~ John 7:7

Woah baby, that sums it up, does it not? The world hates the truth. The Democrats (nationally) have gone after President Trump since 2016 because he didn’t play politics. For him it wasn’t about making a name for himself, he already had. (And not always a good one.) But it was about his stewardship. He took this country out of the economic demise it was in and put us back up on less than shaky ground. Far from out of trouble, but far from the trouble the democratic government had us in. He spoke to men and women of God and accepted their prayer and proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ.

But they were offended. Accusing him of using Christ’s name as a political tactic. But they didn’t mind Obama using Ala? Hmmmm, I wonder why? Why would anyone who calls themselves a Christian, be offended by a President who prays in the name of Christ Jesus or gives credence to those who preach in His name.

Look at King Darius of the days of Daniel. When he was anything but a Jehovah God worshipper and yet by Daniel’s life and testimony he decreed this:

“I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.” ~ Daniel 6:26

He knew Daniel’s God was the true God. I believe the same of President Trump. There were times when President Trump would have made the mistakes of Darius, but he’s came a long way because he has surrounded himself, not with politicians, (although they’re their) but he has included, into the mix, God’s people as well. Including a Vice President who is a wonderful outspoken unapologetic Christian man. Glory to God! I just wrote myself happy.

Biden and Harris are corrupt people who have made millions off the American people at the expense of their families. I’m not saying that in judgement. It’s a fact. It is no wonder they see nothing wrong with killing children, because they don’t care for their own. I’ll not apologize for that. Like I said, I’ve been watching an unbiased news and I know the truth because the Spirit of God reveals it to me when I ask. Do I believe every word out of the mouth of every person on the news I watch.

In the words of Biden himself, “Come on man….”

“Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.” ~ Job 31:6

I’ll stand accountable for what I say. Not what anyone else says. But when I hear the truth and the Spirit says listen… I do. And for the record, When we all stand before God, he’s not going to say, “Well done thou faithful Democrat or Republican,” but rather SERVANT. And if you’re serving baby killers, then you are serving the god Molech. Be not deceived.

This election isn’t about money. It’s about evil and control. If you are a professed child of God, I beg of you. Hit your knees and ask God to reveal the truth. He is faithful. We have two weeks to decide whether or not this nation ends up in the lions den with or without angels. Right now there is a spiritual realm waiting God’s direction, and God knows the outcome.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ~ 1 Peter 5:8

There will not be a final debate in the presence of God. His Word is final.

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

What’s Love Got to Do with It

Written by talk2shari Published February 12, 2020February 12, 2020 Discussion Leave a Comment

LIFE: WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT

Tell me something that you’ve created with your hands.

What would happen if someone came in and destroyed your creation?

How would you feel?

Imagine how God felt, when Satan did that very thing. He attempted to destroy what God created beings. And although he can’t, because ultimately God holds the power of life and death, He does wreak havoc with it and it all started in the garden.

But thinking about someone destroying something that you created helps us grasp what it is about God’s love for us. We are created beings. designed exclusively for His purpose but with free will.

So let’s look at God’s love for us through 1 John Chapter 3

(1)

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

When we see the word “Behold” it means there’s something noteworthy here.

John is about to tell us, what manner, what kind of love God has for us. It’s the same love that He has for His only begotten Son. because He calls us the sons (or daughters as the case may be of God. And that God not only sees us as He sees His son, but the world sees us as they see His son.

And how does the world (those who don’t know Christ as Savior) see Him?

Unimportant. Of no significance to their lives. And that’s the same way the world sees Christian people. We’re not important to them. Even though they’re important to us. It doesn’t hardly seem fair, and that’s likely how God feels too.

What if that thing you created could talk. and it tells you that it likes your friends better than you, and wants emancipation (no longer to be yours.) How would that make you feel. Life and love is all about perspective. we need to be able to identify with God. And the only way to do that is to learn more about Who He is. He already knows us, He created us, but we don’t know Him unless we read His word. Because there in lies the image and character of God.

He loves us like sons and daughters. How should we love Him? (Like our Father)

How can that image get messed up? What if you don’t have a good relationship with your earthly father, do you think that will affect how you feel about your Heavenly Father.

(my relationship with my dad)

I was loved, but my dad was very Passive. Non confrontational. laid back.

Too often I look at God in the same light. Which is so far from Who He is.

(2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

John continues on to tell us that we not only are the children of God, there will come a day when we will be like God

What’s going to be one of your favorite parts of being like Jesus?

For me I think it’s got to be living without sin. To never have an ugly or evil thought. To never fear.

(3-5)

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. [4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. [5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

I think that may have been John’s favorite thing too. And this is what we have faith for… that one day we’re not going to be messed, and we’re not going to live in a messed up world. It’s why we study the word, and work on having a relationship with Christ, because through the word we are purified.

My friend John said that the Bible is like a spiritual washcloth. It’ll clean you up? How does it do that? What happens if we don’t read it?

We feel dirty, and often times unlovable.

Dick Jarvis found this little dog one day at Bakers mart. It was skiddish and wouldn’t come to anyone. Scraggly mutt. But Dick started feeding it, and it became his friend. He took it home and cleaned it up, and it was the cutest little critter. It made a home with his purebreds dogs. That’s a good example of what it’s like to be a child fo God. The Jews were the purebreds. We were the mutts, but God adopted us into His family, and now we are loved every bit as much as the children of Israel. But no body lost their position .

That purity (cleanses) that we experience is something the unsaved will never experience. They do not know what it’s like to live guilt free.

Jesus manifested (made Himself known) to the world so that we could be forgiven. He has never sinned. There fore He was the perfect blood sacrifice for our forgiveness of sins. By having a relationship with Jesus, we get to experience what it’s like to be without sin. We’re not. We do sin. But when God looks at us. He sees nothing.

The world can’t understand that, because they’ve never experienced it. And they won’t unless they get a relationship with God. Without having a relationship with God, you’ll never understand the depth of His love. How could we ever believe that our family loves us, and we love them if we never spoke.

(6)Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Abide means to continue in a place. To wait patiently.

As a little child, or with my own children, I remember what it was like to wait until one of my parents got home. I can remember how excited my children were when I got home from work. That’s the very same attitude we should have when waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. But too many Christians or church goers know just enough bible to be dangerous. They fear the coming of the Lord, because they’re not ready for His return. If we’re ready, and in a good relationship with Him, we can’t wait until He comes back. Because it’s then that we know we’re going to experience that purity and perfection in our own bodies that Christ has in Him.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. [8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. [9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

John sends us a warning not to be deceived.

How do we become deceived in this world? Where do we see deception?

Television

Hollywood certainly gives us a jaded view of what our lives “should” look like. What we should have to make us happy.

Social Media

Everyone’s family is perfect except yours, right? Wrong.

Our brains are inundated with lies so many times a day that we begin to buy it. And then we buy what ever it is they’re selling, because that will make us happy. We believe that nobody can disagree with us, or they’re not fully committed to us. If we get our feelings hurt, its because those people didn’t love us enough.

But the truth is, this world is broken, nobody or nothing will make you happy. Only Christ can do that in a way that leaves you satisfied. If it’s in the world, there will be a new version before the day is over that you bought whatever it was that you thought would make you happy.

But there is no new and improved version of God. He has never changed. And Christians shouldn’t waver either. There is an emotion of love, but there should also be an action of that love.

[10] In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. [11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. [12] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous

Just as Christ made himself known to the world. We have to make ourselves known to the world too. It’s not to puff ourselves up, but rather to point people to Christ.

Just as Gods hasn’t changed, neither has His message. It’s one of great love. And that’s exactly what the world needs to see now. They don’t need to see hatred, and animosity towards each other and the unsaved. they need to experience the love of Christ through us, so that they’ll desire to know that love themselves.

13] Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. [14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. [15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. [16] 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. [17] 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? [18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

There should always be evidence of God’s love in our life. And it has to be with action. But when the world sees Christians hating on each other and the lost, that’s how they view God. And Christians are going to stand accountable for that.

THE CONCLUSION

(19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. [20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. [21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. [22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. [23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. [24] And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

If we want people to understand the love of Christ, we have to share what Christ’s love looks like.

Christ’s love

LISTENS TO OTHERS

OBEYS THE SPIRIT

VALUES THE CREATOR AND THE CREATED

EMPOWERS AND ENCOURAGES PEOPLE

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?