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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.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Refocus! You’re a Child of the King

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

You may or may not have noticed my blogs have been scant lately. Somewhere between heave ho and exhaustion I lost my focus. My days were filled with busyness from daylight to dusk the past few weeks and I would literally fall in and out of bed. My time spent one on One with God was brief each day with the exception of the preaching that filled my car as I drove hither and yon down the highway. Okay… enough whining in your ear, now on to tell you why I’m here today. It’s time to refocus and get back into the swing of service, perhaps you need it too. Imagine my surprise when I asked God for scripture along that line and He answered. He is so faithful!

Luke 6

¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

²⁰And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

²²Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

²³Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

What struck a chord in me in that text was ‘that the multitude sought touch Him, but He connected with the disciples.’ Look at verse 20, “He lifted up his eyes on the disciples.” Glory! That put a shout on me this morning. He focused on them, I’m thinking perhaps that they refocused on Him. His eyes are always on His children, but our eyes are often focused on everything going on in our lives and we lose sight of Him. That’s where I’ve been the last few weeks, I’ve lost sight of Him. Praise His holy name He never had His eyes off me.

“Blessed be ye poor” – Money struggles? God’s got a plan His eyes are on you. Don’t give up!

“Blessed are ye that hunger” – Are there things that you desire. It may not be food, but in this flesh we have constant desires that Jesus understands. That desire may not be the will of God, but there may be something you didn’t even know you wanted… God does.

“Blessed are ye that weep now” – Is this a time of sadness and sorrow? Hang on! You’ll laugh again soon.

“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you” – Do you have enemies? What a great tool of Satan to distract you away from your best Friend, Jesus! “and when they shall separate you from their company” – That may be the best news yet. Sometimes we need to Thank God they did walk out on us. “and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” – Are you a victim of gossip? God said if you’re being talked about for His sake, you’re blessed! Serve on soldier.

“Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven:”

JUMP FOR JOY! There’s something about having yourself a holy fit that will refocus your heart on the things of God. I forgot how blessed I was to be a child of the King. I even sing that song!

Below is a really “bad” computer recording of me singin’ that song this morning. Keep in mind that it’s still morning and please ignore the audio quality. Just listen to the words! Hope it blesses ya… if not, just turn me off, I’ll never know.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Don’t Stop in the Storm!

Written by talk2shari Published July 1, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

The image above was my drive in to work this morning. (I know… picture taking while driving is a bad idea) But the Lord gave me this thought as I was driving so I figured He wouldn’t mind if I had an illustration to go with it.

This was the second time in two weeks that I’ve driven one of the most treacherous highways in our area in a down pour of rain. I say most treacherous because every day you’ll likely face one, if not all four of the following, mudslides, rockslides, fallen trees or deer for a 20 mile stretch. Two weeks ago it was as if I was driving in an end times event movie, but it was very real. Two huge trees downed in front of my car, countless water crossings that turned my jeep into a boat, fallen rocks and water falls shooting down off the hill causing ditch lines to become swollen creek beds, it was crazy! Two inches of rain fell in 10 minutes and the hills couldn’t hold it. Today was not quite as bad but bad enough to cause me to continue on in rains I would have generally just pulled off and waited out. But there are very few places up Route 5 east where there is safety in a storm, I felt it was safer just to keep moving.

I thought about my testimony just last night in a Revival where I had praised God for making it through that storm a few weeks ago and how great it was to have the peace of God through something so scary. My thought this morning was “That’s what you get for shooting your mouth off about being brave Shari, a repeat!” And then I heard in my mind… “shshh and listen… there’s a lesson in this storm.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

It’s sometimes more dangerous to sit and wait in a storm than it is to keep going through it. If you stop you may be taken over or swept away, but if you keep moving, in a little while you’ll see the sun again. Glory! Is what I thought. How many times have I just wanted to give up in the midst of a struggle? Stop going to church, stop serving the Lord, quit it all! After all, that’s where a lot of the heart ache came from. But I just kept going, holding on to hope that peace would reign in my life again where sorrow rained now. And sure enough it would!

Are you going through a storm? Don’t stop! Satan will have you in his snare for certain. But if you keep moving, you’ll come through and stronger for it!

I didn’t enjoy my drive in this morning. I wanted at times to turn around and go back to the house. But I feared that I’d run into worse things by turning around. I’m now safe in my office, ready to see what the Lord has in store for my day.

So two lessons for me. Keep on keepin’ on… and be careful what you testify about! Just kiddin…. I’d do it again!

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

But what about Monday?

Written by talk2shari Published June 23, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Psalm 147:1-5

Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

God’s understanding is infinite, ours lasts about twenty minutes; just long enough for the preacher’s sermon to be over. It’s almost as if when the lights are flipped off after the final service on Sunday, so was the message. We go from worship mode to work mode, or wife mode or whatever mode it is that is the next event in our week. Jesus is left in the back of the pew with the dog-eared pages of our hymnal. It’s a favorite spot we like to turn to, but just on Sunday. We have a burden for the lost…on Sunday, we pray for the sick… on Sunday, we study the Word… on Sunday. But what about Monday?

Praise the Lord He doesn’t turn us off on Monday.

Today, at some point, I can almost guarantee you’ll walk past the brokenhearted who feel like an outcast. They didn’t get spiritually recharged at all on Sunday. Sunday may have been spent in one argument after another, or dealing with broken pipes or broken people. They have wounds that are deep and you very well may have the ointment of healing within your words, or just an outstretched hand. The Lord gathered together those of us who were in the house of the Lord yesterday for the purpose of encouraging us to take the message back out of the church to the masses that are hurting just like we were pre salvation. We forget what it was like to have no hope.

I had the opportunity to lead a young woman to Christ yesterday at the altar. She was shouting before I got the scripture out of my mouth. I’ve never experienced someone so excited and ready to meet Jesus. My heart fluttered and my fingers fumbled through the pages as she and I traveled along Romans Road together. Oh my stars! What an exciting day. She met Jesus and found hope, I met a new sister in Christ and found happy!

Today, regardless of the circumstances in your life, your path will likely cross someone who needs to see the hope of Sunday in you on Monday. That message you got yesterday… at least I hope you got it… needs to go out. The preacher gave you some seed to sow today; plant it and watch it grow!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Did you see what my God did?

Written by talk2shari Published June 18, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

If you’re looking to see God glorified you don’t have go very far into your day to see the failure of self-proclaimed Christian people. I say self-proclaimed because it’s not obvious from their behavior. But what’s the excuse of those of us who genuinely, (not perfectly) try to serve and glorify God. Why is our praise not more evident? Why is it when we win victory over a battle in our life we hesitate to tell the unsaved world Who it is that’s responsible for our Victory? We’ll give God credit for life and death situations because to even the world that’s not unreasonable, but what about the everyday battles.

What about the ‘whew’ moments when you were a few buck shy meeting the bill demands and it suddenly appeared, the good doctor’s report that wasn’t real scary but it was scary enough in your world, the not so bad mechanics report on your car issues, the fall that almost happened, that unexplained blessing that was sent your way today on the job or in the home, what about those times and why is it important?

A saint of God well known for his praise was David. He penned the majority of psalms, he gave credit to Whom credit was due and not just his fellow warriors were aware but the heathens around him as well, so that all were without excuse; they’d been told God prevailed in David’s life. One example is 2 Samuel 22:47-51

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me. And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

This is possibly a reference to the many perils that David had experienced at the hands of Saul, Absalom his son and many others. His friends and colleagues had seen him low, his enemy had assured themselves they’d won the victory over him only to see him rise from the ashes of defeat! He wanted them to know where his strength was derived; and because of that David’s reach was extended. He says in verse 44

Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.

People whom David had never met would be his servants because they’d hear of David’s God and desire to serve the man who’d had the blessing of God upon him. How much greater of an impact could the church make if we’d praise God more? If we were giving God His just dues for everything in our life, would they not desire to serve that God?

Praise Him for His goodness today, somebody needs to hear!

Posted in Life Inspiration

But I want That!

Written by talk2shari Published June 17, 2014 Discussion 1 Comment

How many times have we said it? We know it may not be the will of God for our lives, but we want it. We’re not sure we can even afford the maintenance, but we want it. We have two similar, but not exact… we want it. Color me guilty. We’re a spoiled nation. I’m never any more aware of it than I am when I speak to my friends in other countries whose idea of luxury is more than one meal a day; those whose meager belongings would likely fit in a grocery cart and I’m complaining because I don’t have the latest and greatest of some new trend that I’ll tire of tomorrow.

That wasn’t necessarily the case in Sarai’s day. What she wanted was a child, not an unreasonable request, especially for the culture of the day. But she grew tired of waiting and tried to fix God’s problem for Him.

Genesis 16:2

And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

I posted a quote yesterday that I heard on Sirius XM radio on my way to work in the morning.~ “Worry is not believing God knows what’s best, bitterness is believing He was wrong.” I don’t know who’s thought it was, but I thought it was profound! And then when I added the story of Sarah to the equation later on in the day, I thought God may have just been trying to tell me something. Possibly He’s trying to tell you too!

It wasn’t that God didn’t want Sarah to have a child, but her timing was off. So in her attempt to fix God’s problem she created a problem for the entire nation of Israel. (Ishmael, the son of her handmade) is the root of the Arab nations which continue today to be a thorn in Israel’s side, and ours! Ahhh, but surely your decision won’t have a lasting effect? After all, yours is not a child, it’s a car, or a stereo, or cute shoes. As with most issues in life, it was Sarah’s heart issue that was the problem.

She had told Abraham, “the Lord hath restrained me from bearing.” To restrain is to “keep something under control.” It wasn’t that Sarah couldn’t have children, it was that the Lord was preventing it and Sarah knew that. She was in a sense saying “God says it’s not my time, but I believe it is.” Timing is everything, whether it be a child, a job, or something materialistic.

Sarah’s decision didn’t please God and it didn’t please Sarah. We find her later complaining to Abraham in verse 5 “And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.” If I’m reading that right Sarah still had quite the attitude and her relationship with the Lord may have been a little skewed. In my mind the phrase “the Lord judge between me and thee,” is the equivalency of saying “If you don’t believe me, just ask God.” Had either of them done that, we’d not be in the fix we’re in today in the Middle East. Sarah now expected Abraham to fix the issue.

Times haven’t changed much. We still play the blame game and wait for someone else to clean up our aisle. We need more prayer prior to our decisions for less problems afterwards.

Are you trying to rush God? Stop. Are you angry because it didn’t go as planned? Stop. If a wrong decision’s been made, repent and allow God to walk you through. If you haven’t crossed the line yet, now would be a good time to reflect back on Sarah’s story and consider the far reaching consequences of your decision.

If someone else’s bad decision is the issue, forgive and allow God to work through both of you.

If this message encouraged you, I’d love to hear about!

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

Stress and the Greatest Coping Factor known to Man

Written by talk2shari Published June 14, 2014October 20, 2023 Discussion Leave a Comment

Saturday morning as a kid was spent watching cartoons like Bugs Bunny & Daffy, Scooby Doo Where Are You, Josie and the Pussy Cats, The Adventures of Mighty Mouse, The Pink Panther Show and a few dozen others. I had little responsibility and zero stress. I was blessed. I know now the zero stress factor did not hold true for every child. Click on view website if you want to know more about stress reduction. It no longer holds true for me either, so Praise God! for salvation. It didn’t eliminate the stress factor but it is certainly the greatest coping factor known to man.

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not insinuating that saved people don’t have stressful days or days you’d just as soon pinch the head off someone than to hear them utter another word. We have those days, believe me. But the difference is, I don’t pinch their head off and when stress comes I have a refocusing mechanism on the inside of me that helps me to cope with the stress off the day; the Holy Spirit.

While some may seek various methods to cope with stress, others might explore alternatives like cbd vape juice, recognizing the value of both spiritual and natural remedies in finding balance and peace. Just as faith serves as a source of strength, some individuals find relaxation and relief in the soothing effects of CBD vape oil, emphasizing the diverse approaches people employ to navigate the challenges of everyday life. Ultimately, the choice of coping mechanisms, whether rooted in faith or natural remedies like CBD vape oil, reflects the deeply personal and intricate ways individuals manage the complexities of stress.

In Acts 3, Peter stood before a crowd of people who had just witnessed a miracle, it was a great day! Most everybody wants to serve the God of miracles. But what about the disastrous days ahead that God’s Word warns us of; the days we don’t want to think about. The day of the lame man’s healing the people were refreshed in seeing him healed, it was a day of rejoicing and praising God; but how much sweeter will it be in the troubled times ahead that you will still feel the refreshing of the Lord.

Salvation is awesome every day, but its importance is never any more understood than on the bad days when you need someone to hold on to and it seems the world has walked out, or even if they’re there, there’s no comfort found in them. That’s when the Holy Spirit rushes in and there is an unexplained calm that comes over you and you feel the presence of the Lord.

There are times I long for the no responsibility cartoon days. But I’m ever so glad that when reality bites I have a friend in Jesus.

Do you know Him? Trust Him. If you don’t… let me introduce you. Click here: https://thejesuschick.com/the-road-to-salvation/

Posted in Life Inspiration

Good Grief How’d that Happen?

Written by talk2shari Published June 13, 2014June 13, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

We live in a world where everyone’s looking for the miracle. The miracle of anti-aging, super strength, etc., etc… and yet any given Sunday they miss the greatest miracle of all.

Acts 3:7-13 ^~And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Surprised by the Healing

No one was any greater surprised than the man who was healed himself. He leapt! Forget taking it easy your first time ‘round, this man knew his body was healed. He didn’t stop there he leapt and praised all the way to the temple! And when he got to the temple he held on to the men of God. Maybe I’m overthinking the verse, but this morning was the first time I had noticed that he “held” Peter and John when he got to the temple porch.

What a great message for the new believer and the old believer. When I got saved I was running to church every day for something. Seriously. I couldn’t get enough. And you better believe I held on to the man of God because I wanted to glean from him every ounce of knowledge I could. But there came a day when I had to loose that hold and step off the porch on my own.

When the long term Pastor left last year, many in the community assumed our church would fall apart. They’d accused us of worshiping the preacher because we loved him so. There were a few who attended the church for the preacher, but for the most part we certainly proved that theory wrong. When he left, we held on to each other down here and God in Heaven. So that when the new preacher arrived last week, our body of believers was still very much in tact and going strong!

Searching for the How

Those who hadn’t experienced the healing of the lame man came running to the porch to see for themselves. And when the saw him they were amazed! But the apostles warned to make sure they gave the credit to Whom the credit was due, and that was Jesus! I don’t want to belittle the education of doctors and other medical professionals but the healing comes from God. Without the wisdom made possible by God the healing wouldn’t take place. Without the miraculous body that God created us to have (which often heals on its own because of Him) Healing wouldn’t take place. Praise Him! And never fail to give glory for how the healing came and Who made it possible.

Skeptics for the Holiness

Non-believers are skeptical of Christ as a healer and they’re skeptics of Him as a Savior. Nothing’s changed since the day of the crucifixion in relation to sinful man. For the most part, the world still doesn’t get it. They continue to scoff and rail on Him and His followers, but without His holiness, whether they like it or not, what would this world be? I believe it would be the worst sci-fi movie of death and destruction you’ve ever seen multiplied to the largest known number.

They can deny our Holy God all they want, it changes nothing on that end either. God’s still God. Amen! It’s our job as believers to sing His praises loud and long until He returns in Glory. And hopefully we’ll have more saints standing on the porch with us for His glory because of our praises.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Three Ways to Destroy a Relationship

Written by talk2shari Published June 10, 2014June 10, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Cranky Pants

Proverbs 15:1 ~ A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

I try really hard to be a little Susie Sunshine, realizing that my attitude has the power to turn the helm of a relation-ship from blue skies to stormy seas with just a few words; but I can on any given day be the Gloomy Gus especially if I’m under stress, overly tired or not feeling well. Short curt answers are a telltale sign that something is not right, something a wise man like Solomon likely figured out with his 700 wives and 300 concubines. One thousand women… what was he thinking?

There are days it’s best just to walk away or at the very least answer softly. It seems that we feel we have the greater right to speak harshly to those we love the most, and yet we’ll bite our tongues off to keep from offending the a co-worker or friend. Why is it that? Likely one reason (speaking from experience) is that we have those curt conversations at the end of very long days, or at the beginning of one where the night was too short.

Rest on my friend, and speak easy.

Critical People

Proverbs 15:2 ~ The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

We likely all have that person in our lives that always sees the glass half empty, it’s never good. Perhaps you’re married to them. I am married to the guy that sees the exact water level. It’s neither half empty nor half full, its 4.2 ounces. I don’t dare ask his opinion unless I really want it, because he gives it and it’s usually brutally honest. It’s a good thing he’s married to a little Susie Sunshine! But I have my days as well. A critical spirit begins when we start having conversations in our head that eventually work their way out of our mouths. We’ve somehow formed the idea that our opinion is expert, and sometimes we are. It’s always better to assume you’re not than to open your mouth and prove the point.

Crude Profanity

Proverbs 15:3-4 ~ The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

I know there’s no “Cussin’ Christian’s” out there, (she said sarcastically and a tad bitter) but just in case there are, Solomon had a few words to say about it.

If I weren’t such a failure in so many other respects in my own life I could get up on a soap box and preach about this one a while. I guess Solomon felt the same way when he said it was “breach of spirit.” It puts a crack in a Christian testimony as wide as a canyon. And there’s not enough Christian service or words that fix it in the eyes of a lost person. They’ll be hard pressed to ever believe there’s a difference between the God we serve and the gods of this world. If it’s said to a friend or family member it breaks their spirit as well. There’s something far more demeaning about “those” words than the average word. And a relationship is on shaky ground.

I don’t know why I parked in this spot today, other than to encourage you to choose your words wisely, get some rest, and love the people in your life like there’s no tomorrow. Because you don’t know if there is.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Westboro Baptist, Brad Paisley and the Selfie… this ain’t Christianity folks

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

Seriously, I’m not a Brad Paisley fan, (I have nothing against him either, I wouldn’t know his songs if I heard them playing on the radio) but his picture trending through Facebook and Twitter caught my eye and my captured my heart a little. If you don’t know the story, his concert was being picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church; so he went outside and took a selfie. One writer wrote

“It makes you wonder how far down Brad Paisley is on their list of things to protest? He must fall somewhere between “ice cream” and “yoga pants.”

It made me wonder if the folks at Westboro had ever read their Bible, or what version or perversion they’re reading. The picture speaks a thousand words, or at least 697 in this blog. And the words their picture speaks is not in their favor. God does hate some things, but not the things on their posters. God doesn’t hate drunks. He loved them enough to die for them. He warns against alcohol, but doesn’t warn against the person who drinks it. There is no “Thou shalt not love the drunkard” commandment. If Jesus were to walk the highways today he very well might walk into a bar and sit on the stool beside the drunkard. He wouldn’t tell him (or her) that they’re wicked and He wouldn’t scream repent in their face. The conversation would likely go more like the chat He had with a woman at another drinking hole; the woman at the well. When she returned home after meeting Jesus she told her family ^“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” – John 4:29

Christ’s conversation would not condemn, but rather reveal the real reason they’re drinking, and through His compassion their soul would be satisfied and their thirst quenched. And the repentance part. He’d say it… but it would likely be more of a whisper. That’s truth. That’s gospel.

It’s ironic (and quite sad) that the things God hates are the very thing these picketing nitwits epitomize. They’re proud (look at that gals face), lying, wicked imagining, discord sowing people. They’re not a bit more Baptist than I’m an accountant. (You’d have to know me to know how silly that title would be on me).

Proverbs 6:16-19 says

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

These folks need to take a few selfies of their own by examining their own lives. I actually thought this group no longer existed, I guess I was out of the loop.

My whole point in this little rant is that my heart tires of the bad name Christianity get because of the misrepresentation of our faith by people like this. In one of the comments on an article written about this event someone posted that “God doesn’t exist.” And it’s because of this nonsense that they don’t see Him. My stomach rolled over to think that the Westboro people are indeed shedding innocent blood. They’ve caused the innocent blood of Christ to be of no effect in the lives of lost souls by spewing hatred in the name of Christ.

If you happened upon this blog and you’re not saved, it wasn’t by accident. You need to know that they are not the Ambassadors for Christ.

Christ’s people (if they’re biblical): Love unconditionally, take regular “selfies” and understand that they themselves are a wretched sinner saved only by God’s grace, and they don’t carry a sign, they carry a cross as a sign of humility. I sure hope you see God the way I intended… a Friend who loves you the way you are, but loves you too much to let you stay in that condition. As my friend Perry Noble says, “It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to stay that way.”

Love ya! Mean it! – The Jesus Chick