To be honest with you, I don’t feel much like a dispenser of the gospel this week. I’ve struggled spiritually, as is usually the case coming off tent meeting. I get exhausted from full days of rising early, working all day, late nights in the tent and topped off with the joy of house housework and laundry. Which I truly am grateful for the ability to do, but it frankly just wears me out. Add to that mix, six beautiful grand babies that I adore, and who adore me (and my high speed internet) and I’m ready for a nap before the day gets started.
Now that I have you feeling sorry for me, let me add a little more truth to the mix about the fleshly side of Shari that loves BlazeTV and social media. Those two things require little to no effort on my part so I can just allow them to consume my mind and take me on all kinds of trips around the world. So… time that I could be putting into the study of the word of God is spent catching up on the commentary of todays news and what’s happening in Natties world on Instagram, who I have a love hate relationship with because she’s a sinner like me. Except she says bad words out loud and I just occasionally say them inside my head, and talks about things she shouldn’t and calls her self a child of God pretty regularly just after she justifies her behavior. She and I are both train wrecks. I think that’s why I love her and why I have a burden for her.
From Sunday night’s sermon with brother Paul Lucas I got many thoughts to think on, but the crazy one that stuck is the Pez dispenser. Every day this week that thought has been here inside my head, making me smile and waiting for me to write about it. And so today is the day.
I’m pretty sure my head on a Pez dispenser would not be a marketable product, but I’m telling you, in Heaven it’s priceless! Just as it is with any other minister of the gospel of Christ. Can you imagine what a hot ticket item it would with the Apostle Paul. It makes me wonder if they have trading cards in Heaven? Would there be a card game like “Old Maid”, but rather with an “Ol’ Satan” card that if you got stuck with him you lost he game? I know, I know… weird thoughts, right? Welcome to my world. But in this crazy world we live in, dispensing the gospel is a lot like marketing. Except, I don’t have sell it, the Holy Spirit does that work. All I have to do is be the vessel that presents it and then let the Holy Spirit take over with the power of conviction. But just like marketing in todays world, there needs to be some testimony about what that “Product” has mean to you and your life.
The text today is Colossians 1:23-29 KJV
[23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; [24] Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: [25] Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
So there it is! The Pez scripture. Let’s break it down into a marketing strategy as suggested in Local Client Takeover: Mastermind and Coaching Experience Exclusive page:
An Established Company
Who but the church can say they’ve been established from before Creation? What does that say about Product reliability. Who doesn’t want something that was, and is and will be. Nothing on this earth can tout that success. But we who have been saved by the glorious gospel of Christ know that before we were in the womb, God knew us (Jeremiah 1:5) And that where we are God is, and He is a “very present help in trouble”. (Psalm 46:1b) Nobody else’s God can send a legion of angels to rescue us, and most assuredly none of them promise us forever!
1 John 5:11
And this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
Wowzer, I just wrote myself happy again.
That wisdom is an easy speak. Who doesn’t love sharing good news? That’s marketing at its finest and we are part of the a company, “the church,” that’s been an established part of God’s plan from the beginning of time.
An Enduring Company
Most successful businesses didn’t rise to the top without some struggles along the way. And those who were willing to endure the heartache did so for the payoff in the end. Is Heaven any different? I had to do some studying on verse 24. It just didn’t read in a way that obvious as to what it meant.
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
After mentioning his ministry of the gospel, Paul goes on to include more details about what that ministry involves which is suffering, and that suffering is for the people of the church, so that they can see God glorified in his ministry.
I don’t know of anyone in my life that hasn’t had some sufferings at times. But the question is, what eternal purpose did that suffering fulfill? My sufferings have all been with purpose. When I struggled in marriage as a young person, it had purpose to tell others of God’s victory in my life to begin praying for my husband and seeing those prayers answered. When I faced the heart attack and open heart surgery, it was for God’s glory that I faced death with peace. When I fail God, and humbly come before Him and He restores my relationship with Him in this broken world, that is a testimony to those who long to be loved. My struggles pale in comparison to Paul’s but I’m not Paul. I’m Shari, the Jesus Chick, and this was God’s plan for me.
The world needs to see us endure!
And Enlightened Company
How wonderful it is to have the wisdom of Almighty God within us!
[26] Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: [27] To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: [28] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: [29] Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Anyone with an ounce of sense should want what we have, but there’s a few reasons they don’t. The first is the same reason I struggle with being faithful to study the word of God: because the world captures my attention. I’m somewhat in shock at the condition of this world at this present time. I truly didn’t see it happening so quick, even thought the Lord warned, and warned, and I read, and read, but didn’t take heed that it would happen. It never became any clearer to me than when I read a school teachers comment the other day when someone posed the question “Who would vote for a man with Alzheimer’s just to get rid of Trump.” And this school teacher proudly proclaimed. “I would!” My stomach rolled. This mindset is what’s teaching our children. Oh…. my… stars….
While this teacher has told me before that they are saved, I’m hard pressed (not to judge) but to be concerned that they’re deceived. While Trump isn’t an overwhelming example of Christianity… he is still placed into power by God and has done so much that is good. And has been attacked from every side by evil. Which makes me believe even more he is a vessel being used of God.
While I detest politics, I can’t allow myself to ignore it. Because it is a tool of Satan to distract and discourage this world and to draw the people into Hell like the pied piper while they just blindly follow along. But those of us who are saved have the Spirit guiding us so that we are “enlightened” by the wisdom of Almighty God! What an amazing thing. And what an amazing thought to think we’ll be held accountable for what we do with that wisdom and how we handle it. Paul said that he was making perfect people. We know there is none perfect but God, but we who know Him as Lord and Savior will stand before Him perfect one day. And that happened because someone enlightened us about the gospel and what it meant to be saved.
So how about you? Do you have your real estate laid up in Heaven? Are you sending out invitations to others so they can be apart of the family? If you’re saved, that’s your job. Dispense the gospel!!!!! Don’t flip your lid for the world, flip it for Christ!
