Tag: evangelism

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Purpose, Word of God

Bad Behavior: Own it and move on

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I’ve often said there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. In my world there’s an even finer line between confidence and lack of forethought. I am that leap and the net will appear kinda gal. So, yesterday as I drove down the road listening to a podcast of some of my favorite people, I should have seen the warning signs. That bristling on the back of my neck, the fact that I was biting my lip, my righteous rage and holy hostility festering just beneath the surface, and then, just as I pulled into my destination it exploded in an iTunes rating. 

So let me back up and tell you how the story began. 

The podcast that I was listening to was a Christian podcast of some characters that I will leave nameless for now although some of you may already know. In faith, I love them. I love their stand for Christ and the great witnesses they are. But they had a day of stupidity and it caught me on a day of pondering it too long. They were talking about the stock market and the fact that one of them loved dabbling in it and was pretty successful. I don’t have a problem with that. And I don’t think the stock market is gambling, even though there’s risk. I theorize that on the idea that it’s investing in the hope of American business. Is it guaranteed? Nope. But neither is going into business. That’s a risk. But if you have the money and you’re investing your money at VT markets with the knowledge it’s not a sure thing, I don’t think God minds.

But then their conversation went somewhere I never expected. Poker and other forms of gambling. Only one of the three was involved, but he was very adamant about the fact that he didn’t consider it gambling because he was very good at it. Therefore it wasn’t a risk.

What? 

The conversation progressed into a the fact that he also agreed with video gambling because he was very good at. At which point he goes on to say that he had recently had a conversation with President Trump’s son, and tried to convince him that they needed to legalize it again because it was a great way to make money. 

What?!

My outspoken, Christian star, who I adore and love listening to, just broke my heart. I have heard this man take a stand on the word of God, witness to lost souls in places that he wasn’t invited for that purpose and do it boldly! But this day his focus is not on the things of God, but rather the almighty dollar and how it’s okay to bilk other’s out of their money who aren’t as good playing cards. Trump’s son, took the high road, and informed him that gambling was indeed wrong in that it destroyed people’s lives. And it was at that point that I pulled into my destination. 

For the record, I didn’t throw stones.  I just pointed to the word of God and that in Romans 14:13 it clearly reads:

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

Whether or not you consider that it is “not an issue for you,” doesn’t change what it is. 

Gambling defined is “To play games of chance for money; bet. Or to take risky action in the hope of a desired result.” That would mean that those who do it are “gamblers.” It doesn’t say only those who lose. And somebody has to lose for someone to win. That’s not so with the stock market. Everyone “can” win. They likely don’t, but they could. 

Probably the preverbal straw that broke the camels back was when he added alcohol into the mix saying “drinking is not a sin, but there are those who are alcoholics, that shouldn’t drink.” But the fact of the matter is, how do you know who’s an addict? And if by your drinking (which this guy doesn’t) and you cause an alcoholic to fall, by drinking in their presence, who’s accountable? I’m pretty sure, you’re a stumbling block.  

Now, that being said, and off my heart, let me put this into perspective as a child of God in times like these. As I told my brother in Christ in my iTunes rating. “I have issues.” I’m not saying I’m perfect. But what I’m saying is if we’ve been given a platform for the Lord, He is going to hold us accountable for how we use it. And in these uncertain days, our time is way better spent witnessing for Christ rather than lobbying for the devil. 

I will continue to listen and watch this podcast. Because I’m not throwing away all the good that they’ve done on the 50 other shows I’ve listened to, because of one bad day. For the record, the other two on the pod cast who are his family, never defended him. They however, didn’t call him out very well. I said all that to get to the point of my bible journaling pic… Life is war. We have to be confident in our battle and we have to be bold in our stand! Don’t destroy your testimony by defending bad behavior. Just own it… and move on.  

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Evangelism, Uncategorized

Why my crown is rockin!

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For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

For the most part television evangelists miss the mark. Not all of them. There are guys like Cal Ray Evans on our local channel 3 on Sunday Morning that will bless the socks off of you, give you solid teaching and truly cares about the reach of his ministry. And then there are others… nameless others… who possibly seek to glorify God, but they’re concern for the congregation of cyber land, radio wave and satellite is more about how many wallets they can reach. Sound like I’m bitter? No, not bitter, but most assuredly frustrated. Because when I read scripture like the one above, and I see the true compassion and dedication of Paul and the others, I wonder where it’s gone to.  And I understand why there is a trust issue in the world when it comes to gospel teaching.  How many of those on the air waves today would be willing to go through a fraction of what bible disciples went through to reach the masses? Would I? Good question. While Paul and the others were preachers of the gospel, it wasn’t only the preachers willing to die for Christ, but the congregation as well. So before we throw stones at ministers of the gospel, we have to acknowledge that the accountability of spreading the gospel does not only lie at the preachers feet.

What is our Hope?

More now than ever the world needs hope. I see it and more aptly read it in the faces and posts of the people I meet through social media, visiting other places and in my own home town. Folks need hope, but they have no idea who to trust when it comes to sharing their struggle. I’ve shared my own struggles with people who I could tell by their reaction they really were not that interested in what I was going through. And so I too find myself retreating inside my head because I don’t want to bother anyone, and I certainly don’t want to feel unloved. And that’s the truth as I feel it when someone turns me off when I’ve risked my personal exposure of pain to tell them what’s going on. O boy… that’ll preach won’t it? How many people have felt like that? And how many of us (myself included) have been the one turning people off?

So what’s our Hope. Our hope is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one that we have to share so that people know when the world let’s you down there is ONE WHO WILL NOT EVER!!!

What is our Joy?

We sing “Joy to the World” this time of year, but who has a depth of understanding of it when the commercialization of Christmas has become so ridiculous?  When people want to get through the Holy Days so they can get to the Holiday. We don’t want to be inconvenienced by church services lasting too long, or the expectation that we should worship Christ in the ways of scripture. From Christ’s birth to His death we find powerful worship. And then post death, pre-return, we find disciples like Paul and his buddies who were willing to be imprisoned, beaten and killed to worship. And we, in a free world, won’t go to church on Sunday, but expect people to believe we’re Christ’s disciples. Nope… can’t do it. 

It’s when I get bitter. 

This year for Christmas I made my sweet delicacies in sparing because of time. I love to bake and cook and treat my family to special foods all year long. But in the process of making my fudge this year, one of my kids came in and I neglected the stove. 🤦‍♀️ Not good. So when I poured my fudge into the pan to cool, I knew it was off. I’d scorched it. It still sits beside me on the table taunting me of my failure and it’s bitter taste. But it also reminds me that Hell’s 🔥 fire will scorch the souls of men someday, and are scorching souls now that were neglected by the church. So you want to know about true joy? 

It’s the saving grace of Christ that allows a soul to go to Heaven and never taste the flames of Hell. That is true joy. It’s why I want to live bolder and pray that God gives me opportunity in 2020 to share the gospel of Christ with people. It’s my prayer every New Year, and at years end I always feel that I fail miserably.

What is my Glory?

You are. Those of you who read what I write, and receive encouragement from it. That is my glory, because I know that that is bringing glory to God. I do not seek the applause of men, but I sure do seek to see the fruits of my labor. I pray that I do better at posting and sharing the gospel every day in some form or another and I pray that I’ll be able to be face to face with many of you this year sharing the gospel in song and word.

The days of scripture being written are done. Revelation caps the book and no other words were added, regardless of what some religions tell you. It’s finished. But the word of God, written thousands of years ago is still as fresh today as it was the day it dripped from the pen of the writer. Every time you open the Bible it’s like a brand new book never read.  And we have need to share it! Because that is where this miserable world is going to find hope and joy and God will be glorified! And I just wrote myself happy!!!!

I pray you know Jesus. I pray you’ll make a commitment to live bolder in 2020. Because there are souls a plenty in 2020 who need Christ! Let’s get out there people and tell the world about our Savior!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Eternity, Evangelism, Uncategorized

What Does it Mean to Wait?

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There are days that I consider myself a fairly good example to the children of God and to the lost… maybe two days out of the month. That would make it multiple so that I could use the tense of “days.” But most days I feel like an epic failure because I know that I’m not living up to the potential within me through Christ. 

These past few weeks have been a blur; I went from one project and one task to another until they all ran together like melted crayons. I felt consumed. That’s not a good feeling. I had very little rest, mostly just collapses of exhaustion and then I would wake up and begin again. But today… the day after our celebration of the Lord’s birth I feel renewed. There’s nothing pending… well except work. But that’s okay. There’s nothing that has my attention away from the Lord. His word is honey to my mouth, and oil to my joints. I’ve been stale and stiff. I have no other description of how I’ve felt of late physically. Nothing satisfied my tastebuds, and my body groaned under the pressures of the day. But today… not so much… That makes me sad and glad all at the same time. Because I missed Christmas this year. Or at least the Spirit of the season. I was too busy… again. 

But today my mind is slowed down, absorbing the word and the mind of God. I’ve missed Him (I moved, not Him). And I wasn’t a very good example; not like the children of Thessalonica  for which Paul, Sylvanus  and Timotheus wrote to.

1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 KJV

[7] So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. [8] For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. [9] For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; [10] And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Sounding Christians

Ensample is a large example; meaning that the Thessalonians were collectively serving as a group of believers, sounding out the word of God, not only in their hometown but spread abroad! Yes, that’s exciting for those of us on the internet and those of us who are a part of the body of Christ through the local church. Because imagine what the folks from Thessalonica could have done with such a tool. And while I have sore attempted to spread the word abroad, I’m not always successful because I’m not using the tools I’ve been given to their full potential. That’s what I believe the children of Thessalonica were doing. They were being heard… loudly!

Showing Christians

To be a part of an ensample, you have to personally be an example. Showing the love of Christ is more than a December thing. The world seems to get extremely good at showing love this time of year. But by January the feeling has long since faded into background of Christmas and the New Year and new goals and objectives are on their minds. This ought not be the case with Christians. We should have that Spirit of giving 12 months out of the year. Not that we should be giving out fruit baskets continually, but the fruit of the Spirit! 

The Thessalonians were so good at being an example that it says nothing else needed to be said. Oh that I were such a one! 

Serving Christians

The word “wait” gets a bad rap. It is so more often thought of as a spirit of setting, not serving. But add an “er” at the end, and suddenly the spirit of serving, as in being a waiter or waitress, shines a different light on it’s meaning. The children of Thesalonica were not sitting around twiddling their thumbs, waiting for the return of Jesus, they were telling the world about the One that was to return and save this world from the wrath to come. For the record… the wrath is still on our timeline. 

Those who don’t know Christ will not be spared the wrath of God when He pours out judgement upon the earth in the last days. We see the signs of it everyday. God has a calendar too. 

My friend Sue gave me another beautiful date book for me to keep my busy life in view. I love it… but this morning it reminds me that God has something else I need to keep in view. Eternity. Where will you be in eternity? Where will your friends and family be? Let’s find out today and add another mansion address!

What does it mean to wait? Serve not Sit!

God bless ya! Shari

Posted in Bible Journaling, Church attendance, Evangelism

My Burden for the Little People!

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When I make the statement “I have a burden for small churches,” I get a multitude of looks and responses. If the person to whom I’m speaking is not a member of a small church, or usually any church, they just don’t get it at all. But if they are a member, their response depends upon how active and concerned they are for their portion of the body of Christ. Most are very concerned, and bewildered perhaps, on how to do anything to get their church motivated and growing. I get that. The struggle is real in every church regardless of size. It’s very difficult in our apathetic society who sees no need to arise on Sunday morning with their family and attend their local church. That is what drives me to be up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning to write about it. And my soul stirs within me because I know I’m called to exhortation of the “little people.” The forgotten church houses in the hills and hollers of the United States. No, not just Calhoun County, West Virginia. Although that is my first mission field. But after traveling to New Mexico and seeing the battle firsthand on that side of the country, my burden is for everyone from east to west and north to south. That is my mission field.

In reading the book of Revelation, I see the little churches. Although the churches for which John is writing may or may not have been little in size. They were notable churches of the day. But read verses 12-16:

Revelation 1:12-16

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

First of all, the image of John seeing God should get you excited. That will be us one day who know the Lord Jesus as Savior! The seven candlesticks are the seven churches to whom John writes. The seven stars in the hand of Jesus are the seven angels of the seven churches as written in verse 20.

That thought caught my mind this morning as I began to think about my own beloved (a very churchy word with a very deep meaning) Victory Baptist Church and the fact that we have an angel. I have to tell you, with our tribe, that angel gets a workout. That’s spoken part in fun and much truth. Victory Baptist has been my training ground for 23 years. The Lord placed me there because He knew I’d be under great leadership and receive the edification necessary to make a difference in this world. He allowed me to go through trouble, strife and anxieties within and without the church. That too was training ground.

I’ve experienced the power of Jesus in the midst. That’s where He is. Just like He was in the midst of those seven candlesticks, He’s in the midst of our churches. No matter what our church faces, Jesus is there with all power. We lack nothing of what’s necessary to thrive in his world, and yet we all struggle because the battle is very real. Jesus knows that, and that’s why He’s there.

Those angels that are with Jesus are also there to remind us that although Satan and his minions are out there wreaking havoc, we have our own spiritual realm of defenders. Glory to God! that makes me very happy!

Today I am encouraged in this word. I hope you’re encouraged too! Tomorrow is the Lord’s day and we have a few hours before the bell rings. Let’s do what we can to strengthen the body of Christ by prayer, and an invitation or two! That’s where the growth starts.

Save this meme, and share it with your friends… you don’t know until you ask!

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Uncategorized

Will You be Listed?

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“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea.” Romans 16:1

The final Chapter/Letter to the Romans by Apostle Paul. What joy it brought to my soul this morning to read the names of the servants of God that had served with Paul throughout the churches and the roles they played. I imagined my own name being written down in the books of Heaven as to the service that’s being provided in New Mexico in fellowship and service with Gloria Jones and Dewey Moede.

To say that my time here is a blessing isn’t enough. From the first step inside the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Magdalena to the final dinner prepared by Pastor Paul Holt, the Spirit was moving. I wept as my heart was overwhelmed with the music by their worship leaders. I sang and spoke and listened to the sermon being delivered by a man of God who was filled with the Spirit and wisdom of God and thought to myself, “Shari, you are blessed, don’t forget it.”

To be in service to the King of the World isn’t something to be taken lightly. And yet, we do. Or at least I do.  Gloria and I traveled to Silver City, NM for more site seeing of this beautiful State. We witnessed to the people in the shops and left broken hearted as realized that our message wasn’t received as we’d hoped.

When I asked an artist at one local shop about being a Christian, she quickly said,  “I’m Lutheran, that means I’m fine, right?”

To which my reply was “No, being a Lutheran won’t save you, only Christ can do that. She replied “that’s a personal decision.”

“Very personal I responded.” And went on to explain about my salvation experience. She was kind and took my business card. Perhaps some seeds were sown.

Another young woman in another shop questioned why we were in town. Upon explaining about my speaking and singing, she told us she was of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I questioned her about her belief in Christ alone. She said she believed, but that Joseph Smith was a prophet, not to be worshiped but to be believed. She misunderstood that that statement also meant that she was saying the bible was not the only word of God and that it was incorrect according to their belief. She said that “We were all the same.”

We are not. Apostle Paul was commending people who had laid their lives on the line for what they believed. Not for assumptions or for catering to misguided beliefs. The body of Christ must stand strong in our convictions. Having hard conversations like those and others I’ve had this week may seem like I’m losing the battle, but Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”

We do not know who may come after us and share the news in a way that turns their stories into testimonies of salvation. All I can do is be faithful to what I know as truth.

I feel the Lord commending my soul today just as Paul commended Phebe and the other men and women listed in Paul’s letters. And I want to encourage you to speak Jesus wherever you are.  For me, oh my stars! It’s New Mexico! What a joy and a privilege to be in this place. The mission field isn’t a foreign land (necessarily). It’s the street you live on, your home, wherever you are. God has a work for us to do. It’s a very real assignment.

Paul listed one after another who had ministered with him in various capacities. Will you be listed? And what will it say? God bless you! We are co laborers in Christ and I want to hear what’s going on in your world. Write me and let me know!

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

The Reason is You!

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That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. ~ Romans 15:32

Not happenstance that this verse was on my reading plan today, September 28, 2019. And not happenstance that tonight I’ll fly out to New Mexico to make some new friends and enjoy the fellowship of the Spirit. I certainly covet your prayers for our safety and for the will of God to be done. There is much traveling and not just by plane but by car as well. It will be an adventure and an opportunity to see a part of the country I’ve never seen. But more important than that, it will be an opportunity to share the love of Jesus in a place I’ve never been in hopes of making a difference by encouraging God’s children.

A thought that I’ve had for weeks tumbling through my mind like a constant tumble weed is the notion of how many we touch for the Kingdom of God. The teens and I discussed the number of how many people we think that Apostle Paul may have touched for the cause of Christ.

I used the illustration (showing my age) of the shampoo commercial of days gone by when it talked about “if they tell two friends, and they tell two friends and so on and so forth, how many people will hear about the product. Well. If we used that theory believing that Paul preached to 5,000 as a round figure totally guessing number. And each of those would have told two friends about Jesus, some more, some less, and there being 30 generations in 1,000 years, and there being 2,000 years between us and Paul. Now… how many people have been effected? The answer… I don’t know. Ask a math person… I am not that person. One of my kids immediately knew the equation. They were not shocked that I did not.

But all of this is said to make the point, that the reason we do what we do is to get the word out! Jesus saves. That first. But then once people are saved, the blessing doesn’t stop! We have the blessing that comes from the fellowship of God’s people. It’s a little taste of Heaven here on earth.

I’m excited to share in that this week in Magdalena, Reserve and Glenwood. My friend Gloria is excited to share in that too!

Please pray.

And for those we’ll be joining, get ready! Your West Virginia sisters in Christ are on the way!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Eternity, Evangelism, Life Inspiration, salvation

Rewired for Christ

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Romans 6:18-23

If you had to describe your state of mind, pre-salvation what one word would you use?

I would use the word “tumultuous.” Meaning unbridled and unrestrained. I wasn’t connected to anything solid and so I was flailing around like a windsock going what ever direction the wind blew me in. I didn’t have direction and things good or bad seemed to jolt me into a new direction without any thought to where I was going.

So think about your world pre-salvation for just a second. What did it look like?

Coming to the knowledge of who we are in Christ is a game changer for the child of God who happens to be in a place where they can grow in grace and under discipleship and solid doctrine. But prior to that life seems to be …

Short Circuited

At birth we have a disconnect from the Creator. The reason I could be jolted in any direction was because my wires were not connected.  

I thought the definition of “short circuit” was fitting for a person of a lost nature:

[in a device, an electrical circuit of lower resistance than that of a normal circuit, typically resulting from the unintended contact of components and consequent accidental diversion of the current.]

It was never God’s intention for mankind to have contact with the low side of life.  And once we were, we were diverted from God’s control. We were severely disconnected. We fell short… as in “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23

What happens if you grab ahold of a short circuited wire? Nothing good, right? We’re shocked. That too is a reaction to sin. As a child we know when we’ve done wrong. We generally feel bad about the transgression, even thought we seldom confess. The more we do it, is like getting shocked by low does of electricity. We get used to it. Maybe our nerves get seared and no longer feel the guilt that we once did for committing sin. So in order to get a jolt that makes a difference, usually something drastic has to take place.

What took place in Paul’s life that made such a drastic difference?

Acts 9:3-9

 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

I love reading the story of Saul becoming Paul. That’s what happens when we reconnect with God. We become an entirely new person!

Romans 6:19

 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Apostle Paul is helping the Romans to understand that he understands. He totally gets where they came from. Prior to salvation they were following their sinful fleshly ways, but now, there should be something new that they have a connection to – righteousness. They should be drawn to it.

John 12:32 says “And, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

Praise God for that drawing.

A great illustration of drawing electricity is the power between water and static electricity.

It’s in a like manner that we are drawn to Christ. The Water of life! But also prior to salvation, you were not only short circuited there was a

Circuit Breaker

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

The sin that was in our lives is what kept us from coming to Christ. We felt the draw, but there was a break in the connection. Sometimes ever after the jolt of reality that we’re lost, it’s years and years before people come to Christ.

Why do you think that is?

There are probably as many excuses as there are stars in the sky, but the truth of the matter is rebellion. It’s the same reason that Satan and the angels fell. Everybody wants to be in charge. The ol’ “You are not the boss of me attitude.”

It’s a funny comment when a parent says “I brought you into this world and I can take you out.” But that’s illegal. Else it might happen more often. But with God it’s very much the truth! He kicked Satan and his crew out of Heaven, and He will now allow those who have rejected His authority to be in Heaven.

Praise God for

Conductors!

Romans 6:21-22

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Conductors conduct electrical current very easily because of their free electrons. Insulators oppose electrical current and make poor conductors. Common conductors and insulators:

What would be a conductor of the Christian faith?

Pastors, teachers, social media posts, evangelists, ministers of the gospel, songs…

So many! You and I, if we’re doing what we should are conductors of the power of God. People see it in our lives, we touch people with our actions and words, just like the wires that carry electricity. We too can jolt people into the reality that they need Christ. They may break the circuit by rejecting it, but they can’t stop us from sharing it. Because we are

Hardwired

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our decision to accept what Christ did on the cross creates within us a hardwire to the Lord. We can’t disconnect from it.

Verses of reminder:

John 10:27-29 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

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.

John 10:28 – And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.

John 5:24 – 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.

John 3:16 – 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.

Romans 11:29 – For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.

Jude 1:24 – Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

1 John 5:13 – These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

2 Corinthians 1:22 – Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Romans 8:38-39 – For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Philippians 1:6 – Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

It’s important for us to remind ourselves that God is in charge of the connection. Not us. We might walk away from God, but He will never walk away from us.

He will continue to call His children home when they stray. Because that’s how He loves us.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Evangelism, Leadership, Purpose

For God is My Witness

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on For God is My Witness

On my radar of hopes, prayers and desires for the past five or six years has been an Albuquerque, NM trip, Not entirely for selfish reason, but I must confess there is always some selfishness in my hopes and dreams, because they become so very personal.

I will not say that my trip is in line with the desires of Apostle Paul, because when Apostle Pauls said “by any means,” that was sometimes as a prisoner on a boat with a shipwreck in the future! I am not that brave. And while I would prefer a first-class flight, that’s a bit expensive too, so I opted for a less than typical mode of transportation. The train. It’s a long trip, but it’s much cheaper, and I think a little bit of an adventure. I’m always up for that! Especially if it gets me in a new part of the country where God can use me.

And so as I begin to study my way through the book of Romans, with a heavy heart about more than a few things… this trip being one, Paul’s words spoke to my already tender heart.

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, and without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; – Romans 1:9

God is my witness, that although I fail Him miserably and I will not say that I pray without ceasing… I cease. But, I do serve Him with my spirit in the gospel of His Son. I am passionate about my role in the Kingdom There’s something about traveling that makes my heart flutter with joy, because I know it will be an adventure and I know that if I go in His name and in His will, He will make things happen.

Why Albuquerque? Good question. And it deserves an answer. It was 6 plus years ago that I connected through social media with Radio man Dewey Moede. God was dealing with Dewey’s heart to leave his job and go full time ministry. I was struggling with that same issue. I still am. Although I’m full time, it’s not quite what I had in mind.

Kind of like when Paul’s boat hit that storm. I’m sure he would have preferred even coach tickets. He wasn’t expecting first class. But what he got was the prisoner’s pass. I’ve felt like that many times in the past 5 years. I’m not asking for sympathy, I don’t deserve it, I just want to be real.

Paul continued in verse 10 to say, making requests, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

And there it was. The train trip (at length) made sense, and the fact that God could prosper my journey through the winning of souls or the encouragement of the church made my soul rejoice. Some might say I’m making the word fit the circumstances. I don’t believe that because the last thing I want to be is out of the will of God. I will say that my circumstances fit into the word.

When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he’d never met them. They were a group of believers that left Peter’s conference, also known as “Pentecost” and went back to their country and got busy planting churches and spreading the gospel. Paul had hopes and dreams of meeting those he’d heard about, and encouraging them in their faith.

He wanted to impart to them some spiritual gift! Me too! He wanted to comfort them! Me too! The work of the ministry is a struggle. It’s worth every bit of it, but there are days it’s not easy to go on. I spend much of my time encouraging believers and ministries by offering them my help using the gifts I’ve been given in music, graphic arts and speaking.

My desire is to do that more and more and travel anywhere the Lord leads. Like New Mexico.

The price on that ticket stub is the cost today of the ticket only, there are other expenses as well. It may go up as time goes by. I’m also not going alone, I plan to go with my bestie Glo, who’s been a part of my ministry from the beginning. If you’d like to contribute, that would be more than awesome and more than appreciated. You can contribute through the Paypal button below, or contact me directly.

If you’d like to be a part of the Jesus Chick Ministry, by prayer, financial or you’d like to know more about what I do through out the week, message me, I’m an open book! It’s the gospel.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Evangelism, Purpose, Uncategorized, Word of God

We are People of Purpose

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on We are People of Purpose

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Romans 1:1

And that’s all the further I made it before my mind started reeling. Thinking about Paul, who he was, who he became, and the fact I’ll meet him some day in glory! And the absolute fact that I am so not like Paul. He was so very committed to everything he did. It reminds me of the children’s rhyme:

There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead
And when she was good, she was very very good.
But when she was bad, she was dreadful!

Sorry! But that’s how my mind works. And that’s kind of how Paul was. When he was a Jewish Pharisee, he was very good at being very bad to the Christians, but when he became a Christian, oh my stars!!! that same zeal that he used to persecute and kill saints of God, he used to spread the gospel every where he went. He sowed seeds that would no doubt harvest a mighty crop of kids for the Kingdom. Oh, that that would be said of me… or you!

We are people of purpose, but we tend to forget it; or at least I do. Maybe you’re better.

As we continue reading Paul gives us more insight on our purpose as he scribes his letter to the children of Rome.

The Gospel

Romans 1:2

 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

Malachi 4:1-6

1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

That’s the whole chapter, just 6 verses, but my what a kick in the pants and a reminder that this story wasn’t new in  Paul’s day, and it isn’t new in ours, but what it is the prophecy fulfilled, for what the old testament revealed. And Paul’s reminding the church of that very thing.

And there in those 6 verses we see the reminder of why we should be far more diligent at getting the Gospel out. Just as Christ came the first time, He’s coming again; but this time He will not be the gentle man that the world loves to view Him as. He’s coming as King of all and Lord of all and He’ll judge the earth in righteousness. And those who do not know Him as Savior, our chance to see them saved will be gone. Who are we going to meet today that we’ll not see in Heaven? That’s a sobering question.

The Good News

The good news is that though His return is imminent, for the time being we still have time. So, what will you and I do with it? I’m asking myself that question in all seriousness.

Romans 1:3-6

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

If you’re saved, you’ve been called. And unlike the iPhone, you can’t pretend you didn’t see it. You can reject the call, as many of His children do, but somebody is going to suffer the consequences of our disobedience. That’s the bad news.

The Grace

Thank God for it, I’m going to need an abundance.

Romans 1:7

To all that be in Rome,

  • …or Mt. Zion, West Virginia
  • Grantsville, WV
  • Windom, MN
  • Albuquerke, NM
  • Manilla, Philippines
  • Marietta, Ohio

Well, you get the picture.

beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even in our failures, we are still His beloved. He didn’t die for perfect people, else there would have been no reason. He died for folks like us who failed before we were saved, and we’ve failed afterwards. But the difference is, we now know the whole story. It’s been revealed to us through His word that there is a purpose for us on this big ball of dirt! It’s to tell the world about the wonderful news of Jesus. And that the evilness of this world will be overcome. We will win the victory. But only those who know Jesus.

Who can you share that news with today?

Posted in Bible Journaling, Eternity, Uncategorized

The Fool Hath Said “God Will Wait”

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on The Fool Hath Said “God Will Wait”

They used to say “There are no atheists in fox holes.” I don’t think that’s true anymore; the arrogance and pride of man is shockingly ignorant.

We’re in the second night of tent meeting at Victory Baptist Church, in Grantsville, WV and while the church in the holler is feeling the Spirit of God move in a mighty way, the world around us goes on, oblivious to the truth of God, that He’s coming back. And you’d better be ready!

Psalm 14

1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

The context of this scripture does not speak of men in general, but rather a specific group (Sennacherib’s invasion of Judea) to which David is writing and directing this Psalm. Well, I too could write and direct a Psalm toward specific groups of people that I feel fall into the category of fools. But I won’t. They will not listen and my words would offend and do little for the cause of Christ. So I’ll direct my thoughts to those who perhaps will listen, the children of God.

While we would never say there is no God, we will skirt on the issue of foolishness by pretending His return is far, far in the future. So I pose these questions for you and I today.

If Jesus phoned you personally and said, “I’ll be leaving Heaven in 15 minutes to call my children home,” who would be your first call? I have to ask myself that question too. And why haven’t I been more persistent about their salvation?

Would there be any materialistic thing that you’d look at and say, “This is worth staying for?” Mmmm…. Not when I got a mansion there waiting! However, you’d think that some of the things for which I put great value on were worth staying for, because I sure waste enough time on them.

My third and final question is this… “How soon after reading this will we forget the questions?”