Tag: 2 Chronicles 7

Posted in Evangelism, Faith, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Praise

What if we believed the Extreme Possibilities of God?

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on What if we believed the Extreme Possibilities of God?

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 KJVS
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. [2] And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. [3] And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

I cannot imagine the spectacular site this would have been. Can you imagine sitting in a modern day church service where the power of God comes down in the form of fire, strikes the altar and the sparks fly! In this pyrotechnical world where every thing must be bells and whistles to get our attention, I have the feeling that when God does a fireworks display, it’s way more exciting! And for certain nobody is complaining at the end saying… I’ve seen better. Yet that’s what happens in many church services. People show up more concerned about the thermostat than the thermal power possibilities of the Lord. There’s nothing or nobody at the altar for God to send a fire upon.

What will bring the fire down?

When Solomon had made an end of praying the fire came down from heaven. What a prayer that must have been! I heard a preacher once say that most of our failures are prayer failures. Prayer is the conduit for which our relationship with God flows. But prayer for many (or perhaps I’m the only one) that has a prayer life consisting of more “Dear God I’m stupid” prayers than ones that start out with, “Oh, God….”

I’ve had those prayers. But I’m here to confess it’s been a while since God and I have had any conversations that caused me to step away from the altar with singe on my shoulder. A conversation where I was so touched by the moving of the Holy Spirit that I could physically feel His presence, that joy welled up in my soul because I had seen the sparks fly in the form of revival fires and I felt consumed by His love and power. Yes, it’s been too long.

I fully believe that the only way those moments happen is when there are people at the altar, standing there with a sacrificial heart, prepared to do something. Someone who just had a conversation with God that stirred Him when He seen the desire of His child’s heart was to worship and serve. Oh God, how I pray that’s me! Let my relationship be a consistent conversation where I am so focused on your desires that my petty thoughts have been burnt up.

What will bring the Glory of the Lord?

The priests didn’t enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the temple. There was nothing in the temple but God. What is in the churches across America this morning? I have a feeling it’s more than God. There are some that I’m not so sure God’s even in them at all. I’m not judging, I’m lining up what scripture says with what I see. If you go back to 2 Chronicles Chapter 6 and you read through Solomon’s prayer, this man who had it all, wisdom, wealth and all the delights of his heart, you will not see those things mentioned. But in four verses I felt that I witnessed some of what brought God’s glory down to that house of God.

2 Chronicles 6:30-33 KJV
Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:) [31] That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. [32] Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house; [33] Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

Solomon’s understanding of “Who” God was, his concern for not only Israel but the stranger, the Gentile that would have come into their country to worship “their” God, God honored the heart of Solomon by allowing Solomon and his people to experience His glory. I have to wonder, what would God do if the leadership of our nation, with a pure heart of concern for the people and for the desire to be in the will of God, would pray to God this morning? What would He do in our churches if today His altars were full of people concerned about more than the daily drudgeries of life? I believe we have to start with our own hearts and work our way up. Imagine if one church as a whole got fully committed to serving God and ministering to the people in their community. Then that community got saved and on fire for the Lord and took it to the State Capitol. We look at that as impossible task, but is it?

I know I’m a cockeyed optimist but I believe every word of God from Genesis to Revelation is there to teach us of the extreme possibilities of God. If for nothing else that we never lose sight of the hope of Heaven and how big the God of Heaven is.

Verse 3 of our original text in this post says that when ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL saw how the fire came down and the glory filled the temple they bowed on their faces and worshipped and praised God. ALL of Israel. What would it look like if ALL the church were at the altar this morning. Not out of obligation, not be cause the Pastor said, “Let’s gather at the altar and pray.” But because the conviction of almighty God drove God’s people there with a burden for our nation and our communities and they started praying as Solomon did in 2 Chronicles 6:4 KJV – Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake…

It was a different day when God spoke to the leadership. He now speaks to the heart of every child of God and we are privileged to be in a place that few were in the days of Solomon. And yet we’re not listening. That’s a really scary statement. We’re not listening to the God of the Universe Who keeps our earth together. I’m pretty sure our nation needs to pray “Dear God I’m stupid…” this morning.

But back to my optimistic ways. It’s Sunday. It’s a new day that we have the opportunity to go to church and worship and pray and meet with God in His house with His people and pray for His glory to come down. Let’s do it!

Love ya all, hope you find your way to church today. – Shari, The Jesus Chick.

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Are you ripe for the pickin’?

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Are you ripe for the pickin’?

 

The Jesus Chick Attending the Calhoun County Christian Fellowship Dinner at Brooksville Baptist Church with Chuck and Rosemary McDonald
The Jesus Chick Attending the Calhoun County Christian Fellowship Dinner at Brooksville Baptist Church with Chuck and Rosemary McDonald. Photo bomb compliments of Donna Steigleder 😀

It seems like yesterday I had my car packed for the Windom, Minnesota revival with excitement and expectation of what the Lord would do in that place. It seems like yesterday because the revival that started for me in that place is still burning in my heart. From that revival I came back with a hometown desire to see Jesus at work in our neighborhoods and God is ever so faithful to give us the desires of our heart, especially when He is glorified!

The movement of Christian friends had already began with several men gathering each month from several different churches for a fellowship. So, even before I gathered some gals for a breakfast and ask if they’d like to follow suit, God had prepared the foundation. I was just a willing participant that God chose to use in our plight to see revival in our home town. My friend Dewey Moede was the vessel for Windom. His prayer did not come to fruition in a day or two… it took years. It’s all about God’s timing. That was my response to a friend who ask last night, “How did the fellowships begin.” We were ripe for the pickin’ and God picked us to begin a great work. I believe that.

It has to start somewhere.

Ripe for the Pickin’

I recently read of the great New York revival in 1857 and it has once again stirred the fire of desire within me. The North Dutch Reformed Church of Manhattan decided to reach out to the lost masses of people who surrounded them and to accomplish this, the congregation employed a 48-year old businessman, Jeremiah Lanphier, as missionary to the inner city. That one man started a group of men praying, who became thousands and thousands across America.

Lanphier handed out a pamphlet that on the reverse side said:
A day Prayer Meeting is held every Wednesday from 12 to 1 o’clock in the Consistory building of the North Dutch Church, corner of Fulton and William Streets. This meeting is intended to give merchants, mechanics, clerks, strangers and businessmen generally an opportunity to stop and call on God amid the perplexities incident to their respective avocations. It will continue for one hour; but it is designed for those who find it inconvenient to remain more than 5 or 10 minutes, as well as for those who can spare a whole hour. Necessary interruption will be slight, because anticipated. Those in haste often expedite their business engagements by halting to lift their voices to the throne of grace in humble, grateful prayer.

Following the economic crash of 1857 over 30,000 jobs were lost in New York City. That and other tensions in our nation made that city “ripe for the pickin’” by God too. According to some eyewitnesses, within six months’ time these noontime prayer meetings were attracting 10,000 businessmen, all of them confessing their sins and praying for revival.

Some would say it was just a knee reaction, well, I guess it was if being on your knees is the reaction they’re talking about. Yes, the crisis I’m sure lead to some crying out, but that’s the thing about despair, its usually not until then that anyone bothers to cry out. It’s all about the timing. America is certainly in a time of despair.

Our favorite revival verse 2 Chronicles 7:14 says “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Ready for Repentence

The people in that city had repentant hearts. They confessed sin, they acknowledge and honored God, they were ready to make things happen once God had chosen them and allowed them to be in the place. Perhaps that’s what’s happening in America now. God is getting ready to do some amazing things because we’re desiring it with a humble heart. It takes a humble heart to get past the name over the door of a church. Revival cannot happen among people who are more concerned with the name of a Church than they are about the name of Jesus. That’s good preachin’ right there.

There are differences in churches attending the meetings in Calhoun, with the exception of Jesus Christ. They are men and women who love the Lord and want to see people come to know Him. They all believe that He is the Way, the Truth and the life and that no man cometh to the Father except through Him. And God is honoring us in this place.

I’m excited about the fire kindled in my soul and I’m praying that it spreads to your town too.

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Life Inspiration, Political

How to set America back on the Right Path

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on How to set America back on the Right Path

americas path

We’re coming down to the final days of the primary election, and although I’ve pretty much made my mind up on who I’m voting for, I’m not happy with any of the choices. I don’t like having to vote in a leader of our nation by choosing who is the least evil. But here we are!

The world would have us believe our nation is without hope, but as long as I serve Jesus Christ, being without hope is not an option. Because He is hope defined! And so to find His hope we must go to His book and follow history, which does seem doomed to repeat itself, but we can also use the historical facts to revise the plan that our idiot leaders have put in place. Not very godly calling our leaders idiots? Probably not, but I stand by it.

Here are my steps to setting our nation back on the right path:

Act like a Child

Hey, they’re pretty good at it already! But look at the child Josiah in 2 Chronicles 34 who began to reign as king at the ripe old age of eight! He had way more sense than our current administration.

2 Chronicles 34:1-2

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

He didn’t go to the right or the left. Wow, could we learn a lesson there? And that’s not a plug for any other political party, that’s for throwing the political party notions out completely. America could begin an incline if we just walked straight. If honesty was the rule, not the exception. If we turned our nation back to God and acknowledged that because of Him, and only Him, we are still here. Not to the right or to the left… just straight.

Even as a child Josiah knew that. Perhaps because he was yet to be jaded by the politics of the day.

Break Stuff

Another childish attribute that may be worthy of re-visiting. I don’t mean in the literal sense, although that would work, but what about breaking up collective groups of people who go against the foundation that America was established upon. You know… the foundation that made us a great nation.

In verses 3-4 Josiah, now at the age of 16, he began to seek after God and through God’s guidance he broke up those who worshipped other gods and destroyed their nation through idolatry and filth. “But it’s a free country,” they say, “We’ve got rights” they say. I’m okay with that. But I too have rights; and my rights tell me that you don’t have the right to corrupt my children and grandchildren, take away my ability to defend myself and speak the gospel where ever it is that I want to. And if you try to take that from me, it’s my right to break stuff. Like breaking up your organization who only wants freedom for self, not for others. A nation returned to God because a teen decided to break stuff. Whew! That’ll preach.

Verses 3-7

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Build Stuff

At the age of twenty six, when he had finished breaking stuff, Josiah began to build, and he began with building the spiritual side of his nation. America could do wonders for the economics of our nation if they’d start building back the churches. Josiah’s leaders put finances under accountability and put the worshippers back into place. They weren’t worried about who had the finest chariot in the community they were concerned with making the house of God back into its prominent position. Josiah knew that God had to be central in getting his nation back, so they began to rebuild the church. Oh my stars can I get an Amen. We have the buildings… but we need the accountability and worship, and we need to be building God’s church by filling His pews with people. Are you building? Are you inviting people to church?

Verses 8-14

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem. And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the Lord, to repair and amend the house: Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick. Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.  And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses.

Have Story Time

Remember what it was like as a child, or when your children were small and how they loved to be read to? When Hilkiah “found the book,” the very Word of God that had been forgotten Josiah insisted that they be read to. And the entire nation heard the word of God! I almost cut this blog down by picking out parts and piece of this scripture to fit my points. But then I thought, that’s what’s wrong with America. We’ve stopped reading and listening to the Word of God and that’s who we got ourselves in this mess. So this is the entire chapter of 34, and it’s still just a very small portion of what God needs us to hear. Finish the chapter, and then determine in your heart to make a difference and hold on to Hope! Don’t forget that church day is in just a few days… get busy building!

Verse 15-33

And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it. And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book. And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect. And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord. Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again. Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.  And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.  And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.  And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. -And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.

 

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political

Bandage & Balm Christianity

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Bandage & Balm Christianity

chick balm & bandaid

With the recent Supreme Court Decision it’s hard not to think about the return of Jesus Christ and what that’s going to mean. I’m tired of being expected to sit silently while all around me liberals promote an anti-God agenda in the name of freedom. There are friends, who I love, that have given their stamp of approval on the “pride” cause because society has convinced them that it’s acceptable. They’ll never convince me that in their heart they do not know better because I know how they were raised. They were brought up in Christian homes where the truth was preached and “that decision” wasn’t up for debate. God said it was wrong… end of discussion.

I don’t put myself upon a pedestal like some sin free saint, I put myself level with all sinners saved by the grace of God. Sin is sin… homosexuality, lying, stealing, coveting, jealousy, etc. and yes “pride.” The very word they are so proud of, God said He hated.

Proverbs 8:13

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

The very symbol that they use to promote their sinful agenda God used as a sign of the covenant that He would not wipe the human race off the face of the earth again.

Genesis 9:11-13

And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

That in itself is a prideful act of deliberate rebellion.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says  ~ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Yes… it’s the go to verse for anyone wanting to remind America that we need to get our Nation back in line with God. And while that’s truth as a whole; we’ll not stand before God as the United States of America, we’ll stand before God alone.

That verse is not a call to action for the unsaved rebellious world. That my friend is a call to action for us. We who proclaim Christianity. I don’t care what the Supreme Court says is okay, or what some backslidden preacher said was “now acceptable,” it only matters what lines up with the Word of God. And for that I will stand accountable. And so will the rest of the world. One on one. God and man before the throne on that day of Judgement.

Like I said, I am a sinner saved by grace. I make mistakes too so I’m not a stone caster. I’m a Jesus loving, Bandage and balm carrying Christian ready to patch up any sinner with the Word of God the same way I patch myself up daily. I have no issues with homosexual people… I have issues with Christians who lie to them and tell them their sin is okay.

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