Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Evangelism, Life Inspiration

In search of good news? You just found it

Written by talk2shari Published February 20, 2018February 20, 2018 Discussion Leave a Comment

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

I have habitual sayings that I don’t realize until someone brings them to my attention. Such as “Jeepers Socks!” Meaning I’m excited. I actually stole it from a friend; I love it because it brings back an era to my mind (even before I was born) that was a much more wholesome time than we live in today. Another quote that was recently mentioned to me was “That’s the reality of it.” I had no clue how often this phrase came into to my daily vocabulary until a friend said it back to me and brought it to my attention.

Well, some days I’d like to duck out of reality. Escape to a paradise island apart from the media, any bad news of any sort or any negative Nellie or Ned and live in total peace for the day. But “That’s not the reality of it.” Life is harsh and we must go on. But take heart dear friend there is some good news!

The State of Iowa advanced a Religious Liberty Bill

Not passed, but advanced a bill that would protect Christians and other faiths from being sued for refusing to serve or act in manner contrary to their beliefs. That’s good news! Iowa should be prayed for and God should be glorified!

Christian Athletes give God the Glory at the Winter Olympics

This article tells the story of several of the Christian Athletes who have given God the glory and spoke openly about how their faith has gotten them to where they are. That’s good news! Pray for them and share their story with young people in your life so that they may have the courage to share their Praises of God too!

Oklahoma University Re-Invites Christian Speaker

Oklahoma University had un-invited Ken Ham, Creationist Speaker, to speak at their university because of campus opposition from the LGBT community. They have since had a change of heart because of an outcry from Christians, legislators and local residents concerning the right to free speech. Glory to God, that’s good news!!!

Revival at McDonalds!

On a more personal note for myself: In 2006 I traveled to the Philippines and while there I stayed with Daniel and Jamilla Caba. Dan pastors a church in Manilla. At that time it was a roof top ministry that was set up every Sunday morning for services and taken down at service end. They’ve since graduated to a beautiful facility. Since January of this year they’ve held 3 evangelistic meetings at McDonalds. They’ve had a total of about 350 people attending those meetings and over 200 made a profession of faith! Today they continue to disciple those who were saved creating more workers for the Kingdom of God.

Please pray for our missionaries on foreign fields, and pray for our missionaries America! Can you imagine having a revival at McDonalds? Can you imagine 200 souls saved in less than 2 months? How amazing would that be?!

In this world that is so inundated with bad news and likely no shortages in the future, it’s good to know that there is still good news to be found in the Christian realm. So on days that I am inclined to crawl under a rock and ignore the world around me, I glory God that within a few minutes of searching the web under Christians news I was able to encourage my Spirit! And with one update requested I received the news from Jamilla.

So today I exhort you! Hoping that his blog encouraged you to continue on. Let no rock be crawled under, else the rocks may cry out! (Luke 19:40)

Posted in Uncategorized

Making Randomness a Habit

Written by talk2shari Published April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 Discussion Leave a Comment

At 6 a.m. I heard my husband talking to someone outside and then the roar of a loud exhaust coming to life. A young man had ran out of gas in front of our house and David poured what little bit of gas he had in the lawn mower can into his truck and sent him on his way, hoping it was enough to get him to the gas station 6 miles out. A random act of kindness, often referred to as Raking someone. What used to be a way life for America now has an acronym. I find that odd. But I also live in a little country town where random acts of kindness are a part of who we are. Oh, be not deceived, we have our share of grumpy pants people too, but another thing about living in a small town is we probably know why they’re grumpy. Sometimes they have good reason, and sometimes they’re just mean.

There was a picture that went viral last week of a couple of guys at a coffee shop praying through a drive thru window for a grieving woman in her car. Oh how it stirred my soul to see it! Such compassion we need more of. I was in need of prayer on Sunday and a prayer group that adopted me in, prayed over my voice; it was humbling to know that people I’d never met would take the time to lift my name to the throne of grace and ask God to help a sister out!

We take prayer for granted. Or at last I do! It costs nothing but a little of our time and can net such results. I have several people on a prayer list in my journal that I pray over and I’ve seen God move over many of them, and others seem to be lying dormant for results. But just like the trees, flowers, and even an old pickup truck that we see coming to life in these spring days, the answer may be getting ready to break through the ground. God may just be waiting to hear us pray one more time.

It’s not that He didn’t hear the first time; but just as He doesn’t have lilies blooming in January in our neck of the woods for a reason, He also doesn’t allow prayers to be acted upon for a reason. It’s not their time. We oftentimes don’t see the results on this side of glory. But as my friend Tracy Miller’s song says, “He’s not a Jeanie in a bottle, but He’s the God of love and grace!”

What are you praying for? Keep on praying.

Whose path may you cross today that needs prayer? Take the time.

The love of God should be going viral every day in the life of a Christian.

1 Timothy 2:1-6

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

JESUS CHRIST. THE GREATEST INTENTIONAL RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS.

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Posted in Life Inspiration, Political, Prayer

10 things to Pray for on the 4th of July

Written by talk2shari Published July 3, 2015July 3, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Whether or not we agree with our Nation’s direction, and let me be clear… I don’t, we are still obligated as children of God and it is for our own benefit that we pray for our Nation and leaders. And by prayer I don’t mean that we pray for a pot fall from a window and take them out. Tomorrow is July 4; a day to celebrate independence. Because of current and past men and women serving our country and willing to risk their lives for our protection we continue today to have the freedom to pray openly and are given a biblical mandate to do so.

Paul, in his instruction to Timothy said, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” – 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Paul understood what it was like to lose your freedom. The very people he was instructing the church to pray for had beat and imprisoned him. Although we are often beat down spiritually here in America, I’ve never been beaten and cast in prison physically. We are without excuse for not praying.

Here’s a few things on my prayer list today for our country:

I pray…

1. That the leadership of our Nation, States and Communities feel the conviction of the Lord Jesus Christ to seek His wisdom.

2. That the children of God in authority are bold to proclaim His Word and the Sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. I pray for a hedge of protection around our Country and that the power of Heaven would thwart any efforts to bring harm in our land by the enemy, especially on our Nation’s day of celebration.

4. That church leadership who have lost the genuine Word of God, would find it again and call their people together and tell them they have found the book as they did in 2 Kings 22:8.

5. I pray that our military, here and abroad would have the mighty hand of God shielding them from attack and that in so doing the enemy would fear our God as the other nations feared the God of Israel (our God) in 2 Chronicles 20:29 – And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.

6. I pray for humility. For all of the United States to acknowledge Who God is.

7. That hearts tremble tomorrow in reverence of our Lord for how He has protected America.

8. For our children who have never known a godly nation. I pray that there are those set before them who are godly showing them the way to Christ Jesus.

9. I pray that the churches, especially my own will line the altar and pray for America this Sunday.

10. I pray for me… and you should pray for you… that we are who God needs us to be for our people.

Gen. George Washington issued this decree on March 6, 1776, calling for a day of fasting and prayer as our country began its long and bloody battle for independence:

“Set apart … as a day of fasting, prayer and humiliation, to implore the Lord and Giver of all victory to pardon our manifold sins and wickedness, and that it would please Him to bless the Continental Arms with His divine favor and protection—all officers and soldiers are strictly enjoined to pay all due reverence and attention on that day to the sacred duties due to the Lord of hosts for His mercies already received and for those blessings which our holiness and uprightness of life can alone encourage us to hope through His mercy to obtain.”

We are blessed to live in the land of the free, but as Christians we are blessed with a freedom far greater than that provided by our nation. The blood of Jesus Christ our Lord freed us from the bondage of sin, and gave us the opportunity to commune with the Lord Himself through the Holy Spirit. That freedom should never be taken for granted.