Posted in Christian, Christian Service

Sometimes I’m a Real Piece of Work

Don’t ask me about mathematics, geography or science. None of which are my strong suits in life. Do ask me about life, I for certain will have something to say. I have ideas and opinions, I am far from an expert, but I make every attempt to live my own life with biblical principles in the forefront of my day and with the acknowledgment that I will one day stand before Almighty God and answer for my antics here on earth. There will be no excuses for any shoddy workmanship this side of Heaven. 

Ephesians 2:10 KJV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Now, let’s get real. I am an epic failure most days. I guess one might say that I am an expert on failure. That often causes me to have mercy for mankind. And then sometimes my mercy is a limited human resource. Praise God, His is unlimited. 

In this current era of time I am in the thick of politics. And I’ll just tell you, it’s a rock and hard place to keep a constant flow of mercy. People are stupid and I know for a fact that there is a sect that watches me to see how “The Jesus Chick” will react. And my ordained walk is sometimes with a serious limp. 

So I take Paul’s words this morning, and before I get too far into my day, I look at his well spoken advice. 

The Workmanship

“We” are His workmanship. All of us. Created with a purpose (s) in this life. I speak of it often because I know that possibly for the first time in my life, I’m where God wants me. Shining the light on truth in my community and in the word of God. And unfortunately in that order which is NOT the will of God. My mornings should be first the Good News, then the bad news. But it’s not. I get straight out of bed and start my day producing what bits and pieces of news I have for Calhoun County, West Virginia. This is where I fail. I will attend meetings with fellow Christians and absolute heathens, and I’ll just let you in on a secret, I more often than not like the heathen’s more. 

His workmanship in me is to be a writer and an orator. The wonderful thing about the written word is it can be rehearsed again and again. And I do.  I write it, read it, correct it, read it again, and often critique it before I put it out for consumption. (And still there are errors) But the spoken word, unless it’s studied and prepared (which I do for events), but in life can get you into a heap of trouble! Especially if you are passionate about the topic. 

I am passionate about news. I love listening to news reports. I want the truth and I seek it from people that I trust. That’s tough. Because there are people I have trusted who turned out to be absolute liars! But that workmanship is on them. I am responsible for the workmanship of Shari. 

Ask yourself this today, what were you created to do?

I asked myself, followed by Paul’s wordage “in Christ Jesus unto good works?” 

The Works

That’s the result of the workmanship. 

So God created me to be a “wordsmith.” I love that phrase. It makes me sound like I know what I’m doing. And when I write and speak with forethought as to what God would say in the circumstance, I’m not too shabby. But when I get in a big way, or I am trying to please or at the very least not offend man, that’s when I feel my report card in Heaven will say, “Needs improvement and talks too much.”

What brought this on? Several recent conversations with multiple people. 

Have you ever tiptoed into a room with an old wooden floor. Creak, creak, creak. That’s what my conversations felt like. I was tiptoeing around what I wanted to say and I could hear the floor creaking beneath my feet and God saying “Spit it out Eli.”

I didn’t. I was created to share words, both mine and more importantly the Word of God but I failed because I allowed the flesh to cause me to be more concerned with hurting people’s feelings than God’s. 

Ouch.

The Walk

On Christmas night 2023 I began staying with my Mother at night for fear she would fall. I also started making an attempt to get her to eat better. At the age of 88, her mind and her physical strength are weakening. I feel as if I need someone to stay with me, to make sure I’m walking upright and edifying myself on the Word of God. 

Life takes a toll. The workmanship that God produced in me had no flaw, until the flesh marred it. 

Ephesians 6:15 KJV

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

The last piece of armor that Paul told us to put on is the gospel of peace on our feet. Why? Because our walk is critical to standing before a flawed world. People are watching and waiting for us to fail. I oblige more often than not. But today’s study reminded me that be it word or deed I need to walk worthy of my calling. You too have a calling. Let’s help each other

Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Life Inspiration

How’s Your Hinges today?

chick labor

There are days when I write that I think I’m writing to read what I have to say. Then I am reminded of the preachers of little country churches who preach Sunday after Sunday to a house of  a half dozen filled seats and a dozen or so good intentions who didn’t show up; it is then that I count it a privilege to have a place that I can share what God speaks to my heart. Every soul that reads the words I write, and are encouraged by my thoughts are soldiers in the field of battle that I’ve had the opportunity to support. God knows each one and I’m encouraged by that. It still however does not stop me from counting and complaining. For myself as a writer and speaker, and for the Pastors that labor and study to fill the pulpit on Sunday, preaching to more air than mass.

Ecclesiastes 12:8-11

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

It reminds me of that song “I’m working on a Building.”

Church attendance is not proof of salvation, but the lack of church attendance is evidence of commitment issues. If people attended work like they do church they’d be fired. And before you say that you have to work to survive and pay bills, let me call to remembrance the scripture in Ephesians 2:17-22 (speaking of Jesus)

17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Sunday is the day we go to the hardware store! While that job that pays the bills is important for survival and filling your house with the necessities of life therein, it’s a temporary housing unit for life. Our permanent dwelling isn’t finished yet. (Lest we’d be in it!) And the building material necessary for that life is found in the house of God and in the Word of God.

Solomon said that all was vanity. We spend so much time living for ourselves that we forget our real purpose. Solomon the preacher was wise and taught the people. The people were wise in that they showed up! He reminded them that this life is short… James 4:14 says ~ It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

The words of the wise (the preacher) are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. He’s talking about the building, that’s us! Paul in verse 22 of Ephesians said “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:” That’s the church! The men and women of God who share His word have got the construction material for you to build your house, and if you don’t  show up at the hardware store on Sunday, and read and study His Word the rest of the week, your doors may fall off the hinges, or your pipes might break! The preacher is a goad… it doesn’t sound very flattering but I hope I’m a goad to. Someone that pokes you and prods you into living closer to cross of Christ. That was the first thing He built for us… and then He died on it. So that we could live in this house of flesh and serve Him where we are.

Glory to God! I’m workin’  on a buildin’, I’m workin’ on a buildin’, I’m workin’ on a buildin’ for my Lord, for my Lord!

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Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

Eternal Security: Praise God He Has the key

There is much debate of eternal security, and while I’ll not debate it with you, I’m persuaded to share it with you today. Turn me off if you will, it’s okay, we’ll talk to God about it later. I was reminded last night that salvation is in the heart of the believer not in the mind of the conceiver. It doesn’t matter whether or not I think you’re saved, it matters whether or not you are, and that, my friend, is between you and Almighty God.

I only know what I know… Satan is a liar and a loser! If he tells me once a day, he tells me twenty that I’m lost. He’ll discourage me at every turn because I fall to the flesh and am not what I should be, so how is it that I know that I’m so certain I have an eternal home in Glory? Because as Paul wrote to my Brother in Christ Timothy in his letter:

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

It would be a sad reality if I were in charge of my destiny, I can’t even keep track of my car keys! I know that I’m a child of God because He bears witness to my soul, speaking great peace in the hour of struggle, bringing His word into my mind as if it’s on a flip chart in my head… “This is what you need today, Shari….” And it always is! We walk and talk just as sure I do with co-workers and friends, He’s very real. So how do I justify in my head that a blatant sinner is saved?

It’s tough. I’ll not lie in that regards. My only solace is that I know what I did to get saved… I accepted what Christ did so that I could be saved. That’s it. I did nothing, He did it all. I know I’ve sinned since that day of salvation and yet He still loves me. Yes I’m repentant, but I’m still a sinner saved grace though I have no desire to go back into the life style for which He saved me out of. So why do other’s choose to? Because Satan’s good at his job.

Did they really get saved? I don’t want to give a lost soul an easy out by believing the lie that you can say a few magic words and all is right with God. It truly does take a repentant heart; one that has discovered they’re a wretched sinner in need of salvation that only Christ can provide. It takes believing in sincerity that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, that He rose again the third day and is now in Heaven, making intercession on our behalf with God the Father. I don’t claim to know it all, but I know that and that’s all that matters. Creation itself testifies of God the Creator, but knowing that God created the earth, and accepting what He did on the cross is two different things. Creation is beautiful, and while the end result of salvation is beautiful the price our Lord paid was ugly and not to be taken lightly.

So can a man (or woman) that’s lived the last ten years of their life as a drunkard go to Heaven? Did they at some point in their life in all earnestness, even as a child, believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ… if so, then yes? How they got to the drunkard stage knowing what the Lord did for them, I don’t know. But I know this, scripture doesn’t lie…

EVERLASTING LIFE DOESN’T END

John 5:24 (KJV)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

ETERNAL LIFE DOESN’T END

John 10:28 (KJV)

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

EVERLASTING LASTS FOREVER

John 3:16 (KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

NOT OF YOURSELF – GRACE ALONE

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

IN NO WISE CAST OUT – NO, NOT EVER!

John 6:37

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

That my friend is just a few of the verses from the divine, inerrant Word of God that proclaims it is God Who takes man to Heaven, and not we ourselves. If He was great enough to save us, He’s certainly great enough to keep us.

Creation not only testifies of the greatness and vastness of God, for which our finite minds cannot possibly comprehend, but more importantly His Holy Spirit testifies within us that we belong to Him.

You must ask that question of yourself. Do you remember the time He saved your soul? Was there a definite change in your life at that time? If you’ve back slidden, turn around; if you’re unsure turn to Him, but make sure that you know that you know!