Posted in Christian Service, Leadership

But now… those aren’t your shoes!

Written by talk2shari Published January 13, 2015January 13, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

1 Samuel 13:14

But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

The handsome man that stood a head taller than the crowd had made it two years and then there came that fateful day, (a fate he set himself) when he decided he could fill Samuel’s shoes. After all, he’d lead men into battle, what was a worship service compared to that? I totally don’t know if that was Saul’s attitude, but it could have been. I feel a sense of arrogance in him in chapter 13. When Samuel asked Saul in verse 11 “What hast thou done?” Saul responded “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”

I can tell you one thing, I’m not going to speak in arrogance. I’ve been Saul. I’ve wanted those cute shoes that belonged to some other chick, and yes I thought I could do it myself! After all, I’d done more complex things. Well let me just tell you; it worked about as well for me as it did for Saul.

Saul said that he “forced” himself to do it. Which meant obviously something, or Someone, (God) was convincing him otherwise. We know when something is not our job, but it’s human nature to think that we can do it better, especially if someone’s not doing it on our timeframe. Hello? Who am I preaching to besides me? Jeepers I’m an impatient person. And I have on more than one occasion, many more times than one, stepped into someone else’s shoes rather than obeying the Spirit of God Who said “wait.”

The end result for Saul was that he got himself kicked out of leadership. Fired by God! How sad is that? God had a plan, and it was great! In verse 13 Samuel says to Saul “Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.”

But now… not now. You’ve messed that up Saul. Those cute shoes have gotten me into trouble so many times! You see, I’m a leadership junky! I love it. I didn’t realize I loved it, I didn’t even start out desiring it. All of a sudden one day I awoke to the fact that people were watching me and following me; and a part of me was scared to death and the other side of me thought, “Wow… that’s pretty cool.” So when I saw something that needed done, I needed to do it. Because that’s what leadership does…. Uh oh.

No they don’t!

Leadership lets those whom God desires to use get used. And sometimes those who He desires to use take their time getting into place, and its leadership’s job to not get their knickers in a knot or their panties in a bunch and take over. Especially when it’s a God appointed position! Cute shoes or no, they’re not yours to wear.

That lesson took Saul and I both a while to learn… I hope it takes you less. I hope that because of this blog today you realized it before you stepped into the cute little pumps or espadrilles that didn’t belong to you. God’s anointed positions are serious business; and anointed positions are not just preaching and teaching. Take heed friend, lest we mess with the plan.

FROM THE STUDY “BUT NOW”

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

But Now…a Trip to the Wood Shed for this Chick

Written by talk2shari Published January 9, 2015January 9, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

1 Samuel 2:30

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Eli the Priest had two sons that would have followed in his footsteps, but the scripture is clear on who they had become in 1 Samuel 2:12 “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.” They were unsaved, idolatrous men that certainly knew better. They and Eli were aware of what the responsibilities of leadership was, and yet the sons took their disrespect of the house of God to the furthest extreme and because of it they had caused the congregation of the Lord to sin. Eli knew of this and confronted them in verse 24 when he said ^“Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.” But that’s as far as Eli took it. He continued to allow his sons to be in a position of authority and influence until finally God had had enough and killed them both. But now…judgment had come and Eli had lost his sons. God’s point was made, and the punishment was doled out. For the sons it was death, for Eli it living with the fact that he contributed to their demise by treating his sons’ sins too lightly. It’s a harsh lesson in leadership this morning for me because I too have been guilty of taking the righteousness of God too lightly and not wanting to offend someone.

A lesson in the teen class this week had us examining the question of whether or not our relationships with our earthly father influenced our attitude with our Heavenly Father. I believe whole heartedly that it does. My earthly father was one of the sweetest men you’d ever know, and a pretty passive fellow. He stood his ground on what he believed but he was not a strong disciplinarian nor was he very confrontational. I’m pretty sure I’ve viewed God much the same. I don’t take Him nearly as serious as I should. Please don’t misunderstand… I’m not blaming my Dad for my transgressions, I am without excuse. But I do believe as leaders we have to be careful about imputing our ideas of Who God is from our earthly role models.

My Dad as wonderful as he was, did not have the power of life and death in his hands. He could not change a man’s fate for the better or worse. He did not have the power to elevate someone or lower their estate. But God does! He’ll honor those who honor Him, and those who don’t… well…. You might be in trouble.

But now, the Lord saith and we should listen. Call sin, sin; in your life and those you lead. Don’t justify it, deny it or overlook it. That’s not honoring God. The “But Now” study has once again hit pretty close home for me which is why I write. It’s therapeutic and cleansing. I just take you along with me like a kid in trouble going to the wood shed; hoping their father won’t embarrass them by tannin’ their hide in front of their friends. That never works for me; it didn’t work for Eli either.

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political

The morning after… and the Ignorance of Politics

Written by talk2shari Published November 5, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Politics are Satan’s playground. I’m proud to live in a country where we have the right to vote, I wouldn’t want to live in the dictatorship that many live in persecution under, however, my heart grows weary of the antics of the winners and losers. Satan knows just where to attack and who he can use to tear at the core of Christian faith. He knows if he can discourage us and imprison our thoughts with anger that our focus will be off the gospel of Christ. I write to myself this morning for in the midst of the political nonsense I find myself in need of hearing the encouraging words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:11

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

What better tool can he use than the political realm that stirs up the hearts of men and women with passionate pride for their cause and turns brother and against brother, friend against friend? We are so all consumed with the “pride of our cause” and yet the supposed cause, which is our homes, family and freedom is being cast aside so that we can win a battle of politics. Satan wins, and we are ignorant.

Mine will likely not be a popular opinion this morning because people would rather argue and cast fingers of blame than take responsibility for the mess this country is in. I cannot say that my lips did not turn a little upward when the republicans took back over the Senate, but only because they are the more conservative of the lot, not because they are sin free. I’m disgusted with Washington as a whole, every party on the ticket. I’m just as frustrated on a local level because somewhere along the line it became politically correct to blame the voters for not wanting to give hierarchy carte blanche with finances and poor decision with no accountability. I won’t park there lest I be ignorant.

The same people who are “so concerned” for our children and nation care not that Hell is on the horizon and Satan laughs all the way to the gates because he has them distracted with politics. A quick glance through Facebook this morning left me weeping on my keyboard at the children and families hurting because of illnesses and brokenness, and yet the next post would be someone cutting to the core family and friends because they disagreed over politics. I so wanted to get on their post and give them a piece of mind… at least what’s left. But then I decided to read more of Paul’s letter…

2 Corinthian 2:7-8

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

Paul spoke of a man who had been disciplined by the church for sin. He asked the church to love him back into the fellowship of God with forgiveness, not continue to beat and berate him to the point of breaking his spirit. I see Christians too often taking a road so high that no one could possibly achieve it so that they can continue to “look down” at the sinner as though they were not one themselves, especially in politics.

Here’s a news flash: God’s not in your party.

God is Holy and just and will hold accountable every decision of every decision maker. He will not allow His name to be taken in vain and the sanctity of the family mocked. And when I say “taken His name in vain” I don’t speak of cursing. I speak of people who use God to further their agenda.

I don’t want to be ignorant of Satan’s devices. He’ll use me as well as anyone to get someone’s mind off of what matters. Eternity. If your candidate or cause went down, it may or may not be a bad thing. But if a soul goes down into the pits of Hell, and is separated for all eternity from their family and friends. Nothing is worse. Hell is real… but it’s not a playground.

Posted in Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political

Avoiding Transgression at the Election Polls

Written by talk2shari Published November 4, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

“Then Came Amalek.” A sermon that I heard preached over ten years ago and I can’t for the life of me remember the preacher; but I can remember the sermon because it made such an impact on my life. It’s heavy on my heart as I prepare to go to the polls of Election 2014. Every single box that I check has implications on my future. Somehow America has forgotten that they are the ones held accountable for who is elected. There are times when we in good conscience elect an idiot, usually because we don’t have all the fact or they’re a great deceiver. It never ceases to amaze me when they get reelected.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

We may forget transgressions, God however does not.

The Amalekite’s transgression:

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

The Amalekites were the first ones to attack Israel as they left Egypt and they attacked them from behind where the feeble and defenseless of the Israelites were located. God could have wiped them from the face of the earth that day, but he waited for an appointed time. When the children of Israel had been at rest for some time this would become a test of obedience for Saul.

In 2 Samuel 15:3-5 Saul has been given the final go ahead by God to “utterly destroy” the Amalekites.

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

Saul failed. He didn’t utterly destroy the Amalekites, he kept back the elite and allowed his men to keep the best of the best from the Amalekite property. And judgment came.

²²And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

²³For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Here’s the Word I received on Election Day 2014

When the attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon occurred it wasn’t necessarily on the feeble but it was on innocent lives that had nothing to do with a battle field. And I believe that America for a few days acknowledged the power of God and His sovereignty over our Nation. We did repent… but not utterly. Our leadership kept some of the spoils and we who elect them allowed those who dishonor God to continue to be in office.

Deciding who to vote for isn’t easy. Israel wanted a King because the rest of the world had one. Saul looked like a king but when push came to shove he sided with the world. He kept the pretty people and the pretty stuff. Those on the ballot may look the part, but what about their hearts. Finding someone who “utterly destroys Amalekitian thinking” and refuses to go against godly principles is tough… if not impossible. (I know Amalekitian is not a word, but for effect it works)

A few automatic red flags for me is:

If they supported abortion, they’ll have no support from me.
If they campaigned on Sunday, they lost me there too.
If the proof’s not been in the puddin’ for their last term as an incumbent. They won’t likely do a better job next time around.
I’ll support my community, I will not however support mismanagement.
I’ll pray for wisdom for me and for my community. I’ll love them… democrat, republican, libertarian, mountain or constitution party.
I have but one King. His name is Jesus.

Posted in Leadership, Life Inspiration

Heart Upgrade

Written by talk2shari Published October 19, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

1 Samuel 10:9 – And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

A chapter before, that would make it Chapter 9 if you’re counting, Saul, the first appointed King over Israel had been chasing donkeys. He was a “goodlier” boy, so the Bible says.

“…there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he.” I Samuel 9:2.

And he was good because throughout this chapter we see Saul’s concern for his father’s donkeys that had run off and concern that his lengthy attempt to find them was going to cause his father to worry over him; and it did. But little did Saul know that the donkey adventure was a staged design of God to put him in contact with God’s man Samuel for the revealing of Saul’s call and a heart transplant.

Saul left home with a servant’s heart and returned with the heart of a leader. How does that happen without the proper education? Funny thing about the giver of knowledge… it’s His to give and requires no certification by a state or national agency.

I love the quote:

“God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.”

I don’t know if Saul ever dreamt about being King. His reaction to Samuel’s announcement was one of great humility, “And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?” But something tells me that in the recesses of Saul’s mind was an untapped dream of what was to become reality. When Saul inquired of Samuel the Prophet as to the where abouts of his father’s donkeys, scripture says in verse 1 Samuel 9:19 “…go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.” So somewhere in Saul’s heart must have been a grander idea about his life besides chasing donkeys.

When God called me into the ministry in 2010 my response was much like Saul’s… Who am I, Lord?” and then He reminded me of all the hopes and dreams I had had as a young girl but never allowed anyone to see. I had suppressed them into the recesses of my own heart so that when God brought them out he had to give me another heart. The old one was still there, but I needed an upgrade. Mine had been clouded with doubt, sin and fear, God couldn’t use that. To be in service to the King there has to be a level of bravery that I had never experienced in my life. Before this when I was put in front of people I’d go to pieces. But that day I had to leave the past behind and move forward with a different heart, a leaders heart.

The thing about being a leader is that you’re in the front! Even today I’m not comfortable with that, so I get why Saul hid “ among the stuff” when Samuel made the news public. (10:22) You know what God’s called you to do, others in tune to God know what God’s called you to do, but the general public know you as the donkey finder, the least of the least.

I believe God’s called a generation of leaders that are still hid among the stuff. God’s given you the heart upgrade, but you’re still unsure of stepping out into what God’s called you to do. I still have a tendency to get lost among the stuff. But the problem with that is if God’s leader isn’t in the lead… who is?

Everyday Satan tells me to go back to finding donkeys. I thought about that this morning and then thought about what a donkey is… it’s a beast of burden. I don’t need to find the donkeys, God carries my load. He’s called me to show the Light of the World to the people, not cart around the burdens of yesterday, or the doubt, sin or fear.

Posted in Christian Service, Grace, Humor, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

Ten Things About Me

Written by talk2shari Published September 24, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Sometimes I feel like the guy on the left when I see how Christian’s fail in the game of life.

It’s a thought that’s been on my mind lately as I’ve witnessed multiple people upset over a comment from somebody whose mouth was engaged when their brain wasn’t. If I got mad every time someone hurt my feelings I would be mad every day… I just don’t have time for that. This is not a self-righteous rant, because I do fail to follow my own advice pretty often, I don’t get mad every day, but I have my days.

It always shocks me the entitlement of some people who actually believe they’re “doing you a favor” by pointing out an obvious flaw, feel compelled to belittle you or are just plain crass when it comes to social etiquette. And Christians are often the worst! Because, after all, they’re called to go out into all the world and make them feel inferior… or so it would seem. That must have been in one of the funny versions of the bible, because I’ve never read it in the King James that that’s how you win souls to Christ.

Here are 10 Rules I “try” to live by:

If I discuss politics, I make sure I’m in the company of like-minded people. (Most everyone’s mind is made up. You won’t change it.) #WhoTiesThePresidentsShoes – I assumed we were like minded.
I don’t offer unsolicited advice. #JustListen
If someone doesn’t dress like me I realize that I don’t dress like them… we’re even. (Even if you made fun of them inside your head… God heard.) #PunkyBrewsterRocks #NoFashionPolice
If someone is obnoxiously rude I clinch my lips together like the “church lady” and say nothing, because you can’t fix mean with mean. #YouCantFixStupid either.
Some days I’m totally right… I’ll let them find out in Heaven. #CommonSenseTrumpsADegree
I’m saved by faith, not by my Baptist Denomination. #ChristAlone
If I meet a drunk, I remember I’m a sinner. #SinIsSin
Children are adults in training, and too often adults act like children. #ForbidThemNotToComeUntoMe #LiveWhatYouPreach
Don’t resent what nobody else will do, do it with a smile. #BlessedOpportunities #GodsFavor
Only share burdens with the closest of friends and only rarely, else you become the burden. #DontWhine

Verse for the day: Proverbs 19:11

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

To Shari Quote it; “Think before you get upset, “What would God Do and What have you done?”

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Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

The Devil on Facebook

Written by talk2shari Published August 25, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

It seems that one of Satan’s ploys in the world today is take the Name of God and make it look as though it is no greater name than any other. Social media makes me nauseous on a great many days when I see Christian friends that I know to be good people, posts without regard video and images that take the Lord’s name in vain, mock Christianity or walk the line of what is a good representation of the Lord’s people. The Name of the Lord Jesus is taken far too lightly and because of that those who need to see that the Lord is Holy, Just and Powerful don’t. And then we wonder why invitations to church carry about as much desire as a trip to the dentist. Friends this ought not be.

There’s a story in the book of Acts that tells of some men who took lightly the name of the Lord and got a trip to the wood shed like they’d never have imagined!

In the book of Acts 19:13-20

¹³Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

¹⁴And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

¹⁵And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

¹⁶And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

These men were not just any men in the community, they were sons of the priests. They’d been brought up better. As Matthew Henry put it “One would think the temple would find both employment and encouragement enough for the sons of a chief priest, if they had been twice as many. But probably it was a vain, rambling, rakish humour that led them to turn mountebanks, and wander all the world over to cure mad folks.

Sound like anyone you know? For starters, Christians are the children of the High Priest, (Hebrews 9:11) and yet for the sake of comedy we’ll make light of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, not in an illuminating way but in indignant way. I highly doubt the Lord is laughing at a post that has profanity or other godless images and chatter. Though we generally are not mocking to the degree that the men in this story were, we’re no less accountable and I’d hate to be on the receiving line of being made an example for the community as these men were.

The good news is that example set some people on the straight and narrow.

¹⁷And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

¹⁸And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

¹⁹Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

²⁰So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Not the way that the Lord would like to see the gospel prevailing but effective none the less! My word for you today. Post on Christian children… but glorify God. Don’t share a post that takes the precious name of our Lord in vane or brings shame upon your faith.

If Christ my Lord had a Facebook Account

Or tweeted a tweet or two

Would He “like” the posts and comments

Made by me and you?

Would He smile at the video clip?

And understand that OMG

Didn’t really mean His name

For goodness sake, you see

After all He knows your heart

He knows you’d never use His name in vain

And though He did, the lost did not

When they viewed that “light” profane.

So when you later told that friend

How awesome your Lord was

He looked at you with eye brows raised,

I think we know the cause…

Posted in Uncategorized

It started with a kiss

Written by talk2shari Published July 19, 2014July 19, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Betrayal. A hard pill to swallow, but when its family, Satan seems to find his way into that pool and will splash the water until there’s nothing left. It’s true in family related by blood or family under the blood. Division is his goal and usually begins with a kiss.

II Samuel 15: 5-6

⁵And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

⁶And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom wanted his father’s throne but he knew King David’s followers were loyal and an immediate hostile takeover wouldn’t settle well. So he positioned himself between judgment and the King. The church has allowed much the same to happen; the son of disobedience has positioned himself between judgment and the King, and as churches get more and more liberal, desiring to please men, Satan gathers more into his way of thinking and we now have a breach in loyalty.

The Word is Watered

We want a social gospel. One that looks pretty but is without consequence.

2 Timothy 4:3 [Full Chapter]

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

We long to have our egos stroked and leave church feeling as though we can fight hell with a water gun but we don’t want the power of the gospel turned on us. Absalom looked pretty, he had chariots of horses that ran before him and he would stand in the gates and tell men what they wanted to hear, they would exchange pleasantries and before long business acquaintances became his allies and David’s enemies.

America continues to align itself with the world rather than with the Word. We want judgment for everyone else, but we want to judge ourselves. We don’t want preachers telling us how to raise our children, we’d rather give that power to the DHHR because obviously their way works. We don’t want to hear that we need to be in church when the doors are open because the doors to the world are open wider, and the end result is miserable homes and marriages across the country.

Morality is Marred

We’ve allowed government to skew the Word of God. Adolf Hitler said “What luck for the rulers that men do not think.” We’re allowing government to do our thinking for us. If they say their ideas are best for our country, so it is. And yet we’d never tolerate their ideologies in our home…. Yet. Little by little they’re getting a strong hold into the homes of America and adultery, lying and thievery are not “so bad.” Absalom started out with 50 horsemen and for a little while he ended up with a nation. David regained the throne but he lost a son.

It all started with a kiss.

We need to stop kissing up to the world and start getting our homes back on the right track. Hope to see you in church Sunday morning!

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political

The Accountability Factor in America

Written by talk2shari Published July 9, 2014July 9, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

The Heading caught me this morning as I flipped through my Ryrie Study Bible… “He Reforms the Nation.”…

Who reformed the nation? Josiah. I love his story! Crowned king at eight years old, reigning until he was thirty nine in Jerusalem and it says that he “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” 2 Kings 22:2

Oh for a Josiah in America…

He made the church fiscally and physically accountable

22:4-5 ~ Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house,

I don’t think that it’s rocket science to know that churches (I speak collectively) have stopped holding themselves accountable. It’s been the topic of conversation a couple of times in my teen class lately to beware of high dollar preachers who use God’s money to fund their high dollar living. I’m all about providing for a Pastor, and I think he deserves top quality stuff, after all he’s in charge of our spiritual health and that’s a pretty hard job. But I don’t think any preacher needs a 10 million dollar home and a Mercedes in the garage paid for by the collection of the saints. Now… if he has other moneys coming from other incomes and he chooses to use it for that, that’s his business. However… on that note I think he’s going to have some explaining to do the Lord.

But that lifestyle makes me nauseous when there are so many people struggling in their lives, so many ministries that are could use money for the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of the Kingdom. I heard someone say the other day, and I may have mentioned it previously but it really stuck in my soul that we need to pray for “enough.” And then I think that anything above “enough” should be prayerfully and purposefully used.

He made the church Spiritually accountable

22:11~ And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

They, like us today, were without excuse. We have the book; now it’s up to us to adhere God’s expectations.

He made them politically accountable

23:1-3 ~And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after theLord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

Conforming started at the top and worked its way down from the King to the people. If there is any hope for us to have the heading in America that “He reforms the nation” it’s going to have to go from top to bottom; but I can assure you it’s going to have to start at the bottom and works its way to the top. America is going to have to hold our government accountable…but first the churches in America are going to have to take a long look at how they’re handling the Word of God that is so readily available but seems seldom read. The church is going to have stop conforming to the world’s standards and expecting the world’s compensation for a service that Christ said was every Christian’s responsibility.

Posted in Uncategorized

Jesus may have rather just had a bologna sandwich

Written by talk2shari Published July 7, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

If you’ve been saved any time at all you’ve likely heard a sermon preached from the story of Martha and Mary. And if we’d all be honest, when we imagine “our” role in that sermon we’d like to think that we are Mary. After all she’s the cool spiritual chick hangin’ out with Jesus at a time when women weren’t supposed to be hangin’ out with the boys. And we imagine Martha as some old spinster woman with nothing better to do than tattle on her sister because she’s getting all the attention from the boys. Or perhaps that’s just my warped way of thinking. But the truth of the matter is, I’ve been Martha on more than one occasion! I’m forever the server. I was born with a servant’s heart and because of that sometimes I spend more time serving and worrying about things that have no eternal value, that will surely be hay and stubble, rather than making an eternal difference on myself or someone else.

There’s a difference in working for Jesus and working with Jesus.

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

There are things that absolutely have to get done, else there would be chaos. I get that… mainly because I’m often the root of chaos. But there comes a time when Jesus would rather just have a bologna sandwich and have the extra time to sit and commune with you, than to see you put all of your time into an eight course meal, collapse at the end and be frustrated in the middle. Truth? Indeed.

I don’t think Jesus was chastising Martha, I think He wished she “got it,” just like He wishes we did. When we’re hustling and bustling about in our daily lives whether that’s at work or at home, Jesus is saying, come and sit by me for just a minute and scratch half that stuff off your list.

But in sitting with Jesus, sometimes He it’s too intimate. He starts getting inside our head, and perhaps it reveals more about why we’re doing dishes than we like to confess.

A conversation with Jesus and I might go something like this…

J – Hey Shari, come and sit with me for a while.

S – Okay

J – So, I understand you want out of debt.

S – Yep.

J – Let’s look at your finances.

S – Um… You know what Jesus. How ‘bout some beans and cornbread. It’ll take me just a minute. (so off I go… busy work for Jesus!….And then I’m back.

J – Thanks. Dinner of champion’s right there. How about that family of yours… I know you pray for them, but we don’t talk a lot about a plan for them…

S – Doggone it Jesus, I forgot your coffee! What kind of server am I for Pete’s sake? I’ll be back…. Okay, I’m back. Here’s Your coffee… just like you like it.

J – Awesome that you know how I like My coffee… And yet some of the folks of the church have needs that you know nothing about. When’s the last time you’ve called…

S – Time for dessert! Let me whip up something…

All the while Jesus would have just rather had a bologna sandwich and my attention.

Get the picture? I got it all too well.

Are you serving for Jesus, or with Him?

When’s the last time you and He sat down for a serious soul searching one on one? This is not a “you should” message. This is a “Me too” message.

Love ya… Mean it.