Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

But Now… Watch how you EAT (Dieters beware)

Written by talk2shari Published January 21, 2015January 21, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Job 4:5

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

I have to wonder how many times in my life I’ve been as indifferent to people as Job’s “friend” Eliphaz was toward Job’s afflictions. Leading into his dissertation of demise he asks Job if its okay if they fellowship together (vs. 1) If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? Followed by, “It really doesn’t matter because I just can’t keep my mouth shut.” (vs 2) but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Lessons from someone else’s stupidity: (it doesn’t always have to be our own)

Eliphaz didn’t even wait to see of Job was up to a visit; in his arrogance he just plodded on believing that his presence and opinion were more important than this friend’s issues. Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” Eliphaz and Shari should be so wise; but he nor I will ever be found guilty of “overthinking” what we say. I do however hope that I have enough sense to glean a lesson from Eliphaz using the acronym E.A.T.

Do ENCOURAGE

Before you go to your friend… take your conversation to God.

I have a feeling if Eliphaz would have gone to God and said, “Lord, I’m just letting you know that I’m gonna go line Job out for You today. I have heard enough of his poor me story,” that God would have lined Elephaz out before he left. It’s not our job to “line anyone out” but we certainly take on that role sometimes. It may be our job to encourage or instruct, which Eliphaz acknowledged Job had done in his life when he said in verses 3 and 4 “Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.”

Don’t ASSUME

(Vs. 5) But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

Eliphaz assumed that it wasn’t nearly as bad as Job was making it out to be saying “it toucheth thee” as if were a light thing. Those happened to be the very words that Satan used in Job 1:11; 2:5. It was no small thing that Satan had done! He had taken Job’s family, covered his body with boils, destroyed his wealth and left him with a wife that told him to curse God and die, and through it all Job stays faithful. But even if it hadn’t been “that bad.” What if Job just had just lost his job, or lost one family member? Who are we to assume that we understand the issues of that person’s life? Those issues may be far greater than we ever imagined and not evident on the surface.

Nor can we assume that the issues of their life was brought upon them because they’re reaping what they sowed.

Eliphaz asked Job (vss. 6-7) Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Our ways are not God’s ways. – Isaiah 55:8 – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

Do TREAT them as if it were You

The reason for the acronym, tomorrow that may be on our plate.

But now… what how you eat!

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Did you think that God had forgotten you?

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

I must confess there have been times that, although I didn’t think the Lord had forgotten about me, I may have thought He was tired of hearing from me. After all, I grow weary of people whining, just think about how many whiners the Lord listens to each day! I was in one of those modes yesterday… whine, whine, whine… I got sick of listening to myself. Praise the LORD it’s Sunday! I needed a spiritual kick in the pants and Isaiah gave me one this morning when I read his words in chapter 40.

Isaiah 40

²¹Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

²²It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Have ye not known? That was a real bell ringer for me this morning. “You know the answer to this Shari, you’ve heard it again and again from the beginning of your salvation and from the beginning of time God has preached it to men. I understand everything you’re going through.”

And He does! The ignorance of men never ceases to amaze me, self-included. We think we catch God off guard by our day to day musings of life, and the scientific world thinks that the answers to creation lies in a text book, when there in verse 22, long before Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue and they thought he would surely sail off the end of the earth; Isaiah proclaims that God “sitteth upon the circle of the earth.” Hmmmm…. and exactly how did he know that. And how is it that Job said that God “hangeth the earth upon nothing” In Job 26 verse 7? That coming from the oldest book in the Bible. Oh how I need this reminder this morning!

God knows everything I’m going through. He doesn’t mind if I whine… well maybe He does, but He tolerates me just the same, I’m not the first He’s heard. You really should read all of Isaiah 40 for your own encouragement today, but by way of brevity to start our day I’ll skip to verse 28-31. The latter of which is one you’re most likely familiar with. But listen to the words leading into it…

²⁸Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

²⁹He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹But 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.

Have we not known and heard that that God is eternal? You can’t get to be eternal by growing tired… that’s a long time. We grow weary, even the young grow weary and some just collapse along the way but God does not. He is there listening to us, encouraging us and cheering us on until we reach the day that we shall be with Him.

Are you waiting? As in serving not as in sitting. It is those who serve God that renew their strength. I’m headed to church today to serve Him in whatever capacity He will allow. It is there that I get my battery recharged and refueled for the week to come. I hope today finds you in the house of the Lord!

Posted in Christian Service, Grace, Life Inspiration

A Thread of Hope

Written by talk2shari Published November 14, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Joshua 2:18

Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.

Threads of Hope…

Over the past few weeks I’ve been privileged to be a part of a Facebook Messenger thread involving about eight people. Various prayers and concerns come down the line and prayers and petitions are spoken on their behalf. It’s been an encouragement to my soul to watch their concern for the members of the group, many of whom I don’t even know other than through this thread.

It reminded me of that thread of hope that Rahab threw out the window to Joshua’s men spying out the land of Jericho. The same thread that was used to help the men escape was the same thread that would later save her own life and that of her family. Should not that be a message to the hearts of the church that we very well could be a thread of hope that saves a soul from destruction?

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

We all face troubles. Today we may find ourselves in excellent shape without travail but that may not be the case tomorrow. How awesome it is to have that thread of hope from Christian friends that we can turn to in our hour of need. God could have saved the Hebrew spies in any number of ways, but He chose to use a harlot who happened to own a piece of real estate right in the heart of trouble. Her life wasn’t easy, she could have given any number of excuses for not helping them out. But she put her safety and well-being aside to help the men of God… and great was her reward!

We don’t do things for other people so that we may obtain the favor of God, but it is for certain that nothing done with His name attached will be forgotten. I’m grateful for the many prayer warriors that God has placed in my path, and I’m humbled that I have the privilege to return the favor because God opened the windows of Heaven when He saved my soul.

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Being the Captor not the Captive

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

From the time our eyes first fly open in the morning we’re in a battle with the enemy, or at least I am. My mind starts rolling with to do lists, my iPhone buzzes with received messages, social media is calling my name and the covers are oh so warm… let’s wait a while… and Izidora the Chihuahua agrees that under the covers is a better place to be. Why move?

I love places of comfort! The church is that to me (meaning my home church building). I love walking into the vestibule where it feels like I’ve just arrived at the home of my best friend; I guess technically I have. Be it a Sunday Service or when I’ve forgotten my computer cord in my classroom and have to go back and fetch it at 9:30 at night, I feel at home. My thoughts are much easier focused on the things of God when I’m in that place, not so when I walk out the door. So many things are vying for my attention and my thoughts are not always godly. As a matter of fact sometimes they scare even me. Why do such thoughts and images pop into our minds? I won’t share them with you for fear you’d know how warped I am… but perhaps you have your own warped mind to deal with. A Word from God for me this morning:

2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

The Captive

I usually have a flee mentality when I get into one of those scary thought moments. I just want to get my mind as far away from that idea as possible by getting into another area of thinking. You know the mode…. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts! But sure enough it won’t be long until those thoughts catch back up to me and I’m in the same boat causing me to wonder if somewhere deep down in the recesses of my mind an evil Shari is waiting to come out. Crazy right? Please tell me I’m not alone.

Satan. He loves exalting himself and having control. Being that I was not raised in a Friday the 13^th movie world and I still close my eyes on the commercial for a horror movie I know that these images and ideas have to be fabricated in some other realm for the purpose of getting my eyes off Jesus and causing fear and anxiety with in me. In that condition I’m of little use to God. So how do I become the captor not the captive?

The Captor

To “cast down” is to utterly destroy those imaginations and things that try to get between you and the mind of God. So how can you destroy a thought that you have no control over?

2 Corinthians 10:6

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Obedience to the Savior trumps Satan every time! Satan may be able to cause those crazy thoughts to enter our mind, but within us is the Holy Spirit! Rather than fleeing, stand your ground. The Holy Spirit stands ready for us to call upon Him and rescue us out of Satan’s little shop of horrors. SPEAK JESUS! You’re not alone. Don’t just shake that thought off and go on with life, it needs to be taken captive. Take the thought and destroy it through the Word of God by dismantling it one word, one image at a time. Is it true to who you are? No. Is it honest? No, it’s a lie out of the pits of Hell. Is it just, unprejudiced? No, it’s fabricated by Satan. Is it lovely, a good report, worthy of Praise? No? So envision the Holy Spirit locking that up behind bars and refocus your mind on Christ!

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things

My mind needed rescued this morning. The Holy Spirit… my Hero!

Posted in Life Inspiration

I know what you seek…

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

Mark 1

³³And all the city was gathered together at the door.

³⁴And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

³⁵And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

³⁶And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

³⁷And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

I can’t imagine the weariness Christ felt as a man, even though He was God. People continually desiring healing and help and each time, as it said about the woman with the issue of blood in Chapter 5 of Mark that “Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”

If they but touched his clothes healing occurred and he felt the virtue (power) leave His body; how draining that must have been when soul after soul required something. After a night where all the city had gathered at the door of Simon’s house because the fame of His ability had spread throughout the community, we find Him arising the next morning “a great while before day” and going to a place alone to talk to God. If Jesus Himself who was healthy and strong needed that time in the morning to power up for the day, how can we think we’ll survive without it.

I never thought about the health of Jesus until this morning. Yes He was human, and I guess the human side of Him could have caught a cold or the flu but if He had gotten a cold He would have just healed it. That’s not the case with us, our bodies die a little more daily, our strength weakens as life sucks the energy out of us. I take vitamins every day to try to get a jump start on all the bad things I suspect I’ll ingest the remainder of the day. I do the same with the Word of God. I need that morning boost. When they found Jesus they said “all men seek for thee.”

I believe that.

I believe that in the soul of every human being on earth there is something that seeks God. They can deny it… that’s okay, I won’t believe it. Because God created them and just as an infant seeks the parents that created it, so do we all seek the Creator.

Oh how I long to know Him deeper… that’s why I have to get up before the rest of the house, before all men, grandbabies, friends, neighbors, church folk, children and telemarketers seek me. They don’t seek me for the same thing they sought Jesus for, but it’s still tiring. I know I’ll need my strength today and so I am here; in Mark 1 desiring to start my day as Jesus did. Alone in prayer. I can’t heal people, or fix problems but I know the one Who can… no wonder the whole town showed up at Peter’s door.

Steal away today, and rejuvenate yourself in Jesus…Seek on friend.

Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Parents: Here’s your sword and shield

Written by talk2shari Published October 22, 2014October 15, 2021 Discussion Leave a Comment

Judges 5

⁷The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

⁸They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

⁹My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord.

This post will be so not politically correct, but that’s okay… because it’s biblically correct. My frustration mounts in my community and country daily. I watch as person after person jumps on the bandwagon of politically correct nonsense and even in my little country home, the big city ways have made their way here. What once would have been unfathomable is now happening on the courthouse steps. I’m not a hater… I’m a God fearing woman who reads her bible and knows what the word of God says about homosexuality. It’s a sin. That’s it in a nutshell. So is lying, stealing, coveting, etc., etc., etc.! One is not greater or less than the other. 1 John 1:8 clearly says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I won’t point my finger at a homosexual population and get on a religious high horse about their sin because I too am a sinner. I will however get on a platform and declare what God says, because He is not a sinner. He is a righteous and just God who will judge all men’s sins for what they are.

I want to arise a mother in West Virginia. (insert your State here)

That’s what Deborah did in her community, she took the reins. Should it have been a man? Yes. But where were they? And I ask in sincerity today, where are the men in our communities. I’m blessed to attend a church that has several men, but there are many absent husbands and fathers there too. There are many men absent in the homes as well. Often it is because of work, especially in our area where there are so many pipelining families and there is little choice for employment. So what then? What about those Dads?

As a mother in West Virginia I suggest you make the most of those few days you have at home and make church a priority without excuse. My own daughters have husbands who are gone much of the time, so I get the reality of trying to make a family work… I too raised my girls with an absentee husband much of the time because of his time in the fire department and EMS in addition to a regular job that consumed 40-60 hours a week. I really do get it. But there must be biblical foundation in your family if you want to be a greater influence than the world. Because right here in our little country community the influence of evil abounds and what we don’t want our children to see as the “norm” has become so.

Our schools spend far more time dealing with the corrupt than rewarding the good. So what has your child’s attention? In verse 8 of Judges 5 it asks the question “was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?” There wasn’t and there’s not a shield or sword in many of the homes in West Virginia, biblically speaking. Parents want good children, and some do have them go to a christian school, as they are mindful of the education they receive. Then there’s others that argue they don’t have “time” to take their children to church on Sunday. Their influence is what they see happening in the school, on the courthouse steps, in the news and on the television shows that they’re permitted to watch. And then they ask, “Why can’t I get my child to behave.”

Because nobody else that they view is behaving either.

Please, share this with a young parent. And young parent… get that shield and sword out and protect your home.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Raisin Bran Theology

Written by talk2shari Published October 21, 2014June 14, 2022 Discussion Leave a Comment

Luke 18:25 (KJV)

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

For certain in this economy there’s not too many of us that have to worry about the eye of that needle, but whether a man have one dollar or a million he’s still at risk if his money lord’s over how he lives his life. A Tanzanian friend asked me about this verse this morning and I explained it as best I could in layman’s terms, but it caused me to dwell on the priorities of life. America is a blessed nation full of great wealth in comparison to much of the world’s standards. It is said if you have $20 in your pocket you are in the top 5% of the wealthiest people in the world; and while that may be an exaggeration, it may not.

As I cleaned out my refrigerator this week and installed filters from Samsung Water Filters & Icemakers. I also threw out dish after dish of disgusting left overs my soul was pricked at the waste. I threw away more food than many have to eat in a week. I jump in the car and run to the grocery store and give no thought to the gas or the market costs, or eat out on a whim what our parents once had to scrimp and save for weeks to do.

When I traveled to the Philippines and friend and I were eating at an American chain restaurant, Kenny Rogers Roasters, and as we sat by a window a small child came up to the glass with sad eyes and hands out requesting help and it broke our hearts! So my friend and I purchased a dinner and took it out to her and then came back in and sat down. We then watched in disbelief as two men came up and took most of her meal. We witnessed another girl attempt to prostitute herself, and when my friend tried to share the gospel with her and gave her some cash she went into a meltdown for fear the man who was using her as a business would think she was trying to get money for herself. Children, even toddlers ran the streets by themselves searching for food, bathing in potholes in the street living in lean-tos made of tin or under bridges in busy intersections. It was a culture shock and for a while stuck with me as a reminder not to take my life for granted. In Manila there were two sides of town, much like we know here. On the one side the poverty was evident, on the other walled in houses protected the homeowners from seeing any of the destitute people on the street.

Some days I have a wall around my heart not allowing it to see the needs of others or giving to the Lord as I should. I have my own needles eye I’m trying to get through. Not the one to Heaven, I am saved by the blood of Jesus with that promise within but I speak of the narrow way of walking with Christ. It’s a tight relationship… where you are walking so close to Him that the needles not an issue.

Today it is my prayer that you and I stay ever mindful of our stewardship to the Lord and His desires for our lives. His desires may mean we put ours aside in part or completely. It may mean pushing outside of our comfort zone and offering help to someone or it may be as simple as not buying that extravagant or not so extravagant thing. It will most likely be different for each of us. But as I prepare to go eat my bowl of Raisin Bran I hope I truly understand how blessed I am and I hope you are blessed.

Posted in Life Inspiration

That’s my God!

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

On shouting ground again this morning with the Word of God! Some days I’m just as apt to give God a sigh of frustration with the world here below. That was last night… Oh how my heart broken for God when I saw once on fire Christians now catering to a world who would who has not hope, and the unsaved looked at me as though I was to be pitied because I didn’t have the intellect to know that God does not exist. I watched as my fiddle case was examined by one such man as he read the verse from Psalm 100 that I have scribed across the case with a sharpie. He admired my penmanship but appeared not to know the Author. They attempt to play gospel music as though it were any other song, but they can’t. Ha! I love it, that’s my God. The One that shows up at the party uninvited and says “Hey, I created you. Don’t pity my girl Shari, you should be so lucky to have what she does.”

Whew Doggie! That’s my God!

Psalm 71 put me in this mode this morning. I was feeling a tad forlorn from the antics of my fellow pickers last night. They’re good people, please don’t miss understand. I wasn’t at some bar in the boonies… well I was in the boonies but not at a bar. It’s a friendly non-alcohol gathering of musicians that are wonderful, wonderful people… but there are a few who would rather God not come up in the conversation because it makes them extremely uncomfortable. It makes them uncomfortable because they don’t understand my God.

Read the “My’s of Psalm 71”. I encourage you to read the whole chapter it’s quite a read.

My Trust – (vs. 1) When the world has let you down, in Him you can depend.
My Strong Habitation – (vs. 3) When there no place that feels like home, He is there.
My Rock – (vs. 3) He’s solid and unmovable. There is no storm that can phase my God.
My Fortress – (vs. 3) On my ever side, even my blind side. God has me protected.
My God – (vs. 4) When I accepted Christ Jesus as my Savior in 1996
My Hope (vs. 5) Today is the anniversary of my Father’s death in 2003, but because of My Hope I’ll see Him again!
My Trust – (vs. 5) When my brother was killed at 19 and my Mother was asked why she didn’t blame God, she said how can I blame the only One who will allow me to see him again. That’s trust!!!
My Praise – (vs. 6) From before my birth God created me to be who I am and love His people the way I do. I’ll rejoice in every opportunity to serve Him.
My Strong Refuge – (vs. 7) That same purpose has on more than one occasion caused an attack on my life but in Him I have safety that no man can touch.
My God – (vs. 12) It bears repeating!
My Help – (vs. 12) Indeed this very morning he helped me out of the pit of despair the world had created and planted me back on shouting ground.

Oh, Read on weary Pilgrim, we serve an awesome God who’s there for you this day.

I love ya, hope I encouraged you. Be blessed Friend.

PSALM 71 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

²Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

³Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

⁴Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

⁵For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

⁶By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

⁷I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

⁸Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

⁹Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

¹⁰For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

¹¹Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

¹²O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

Posted in Life Inspiration

I Settled for a Creek when I could have had the Sea

Written by talk2shari Published September 3, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’m never any more shocked at the depravity of man than when I look in my own heart. The selfishness and continual desires to feed my own will always amazes me. I wonder why I’m not spiritually satisfied until I realize that I’m too carnal minded to obtain it. I want “stuff”, to be entertained and to certainly not be inconvenienced. I want quick understanding of the Word so that I can get back to the business of the day. Ah… I can put God first and look holy so long as it doesn’t take too long. Yes… this trip has been a reality check for me. Our couple of day get-a-way served to remind me that I can experience that same feeling of rest in the arms of Jesus, from Calhoun County, West Virginia. And the view is every bit as nice.

Isaiah 48:16-17

¹⁶Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

¹⁷Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Get Close

Come ye near unto me… You won’t hear God from a distance. He’s not a shouter. There’s a reason that scripture has God speaking in a “still small voice” because it is then that you have purposed to hear what He has to say. God is not going to vie for your attention. Satan will yell and distract from afar, but God will speak as a friend who’s telling you the greatest secret on earth except it’s not a secret.

Get Real

God’s message (although tailored to our soul) is a universal message. He’s not an exclusive God He’s an inclusive God; He wants everyone to come to Him and hear what He as to say. From the beginning of time He’s been the creator of knowledge. Whatever it is that man discovers, God created it… how much better is He! He sends a message through preachers, teachers, friends, even the wind so that we may know what it is He needs us to know, He not only controls the message, He controls the messengers… He’ll make sure it’s delivered, but we have to be in a mindset to receive it.

Get Ready to Go

The plan’s been established and everything is in place for us to profit and receive direction and yet there always seems to be one thing standing in my way; complete obedience.

¹⁸O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

I could have had an endless sea of goodness from the Lord, but I’m willing to settle for a shallow creek. Oh the water is pretty, cool and good… but how much more God had instore.

Posted in Life Inspiration

It may be his job… but you can send him packin’

Written by talk2shari Published July 25, 2014July 26, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

A week filled to the brim with blessings… a new little sister in Christ, getting to know our new Pastor & and his family, rekindled friendships, falling to sleep to sounds of children laughing and the Floridian Pastor, outside my dorm room, playing the guitar with camper Connor Boggs and singing Almost Heaven West Virginia, Country Roads, take me home… what a sweet week! But now I’m home… and happy to be so; there’s only so much fun one chick can take, and I think my husband may have missed me a little.

Satan had done his best to steal the joys of the week before, during and after camp. It’s his job and he’s really good at it!

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A verse that should be written on the outside of every suitcase, vanity mirror, coffee cup, even the toes of our shoes… upon the places we’ll look before, during and after our destination. To serve as a reminder that the joy God has set before you on your journey is on the verge of being dismantled if you allow it. The last thing he will willingly allow is for you to have a joyful time. He’s been on me like white on rice since I walked in the door of the house. Messing with my mind, placing discouraging and attempting worrisome thoughts in my mind.

I determined that I needed to:

Thwart the thief

Matthew 6:19 says – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

He cannot steal what he does not have access to. The joys that I have experienced and that the Lord has in store for me today are laid up in Heaven. They weren’t at camp, they aren’t in my home, car or any other physical place on earth. They are in the spiritual possession of my LORD. What I can do though is allow Satan to get my eyes off of the spiritual side of the blessing and onto the tangible side. The part that moths and rust corrupt. Things break, (hearts included), plans change or fall through, personalities clash, things don’t always work out, but the blessings that God provides in abundance are those joys within our soul that Satan can’t touch!

Take captive the killer

Oh my stars! I don’t know how many times during camp Satan would try to kill the Spirit of the service, or the relationships of the kids and counselors. I spoke to the kids one morning of a vision that God had put into my mind of two wrestlers by the camp fire; the host of heaven on one side and the host of hell on the others cheering the wrestlers on as they struggled on the brink of falling into the fire. That’s what our services were like. Satan did his best, but God is better! Hallelujah!

Dismantle the destroyer

If you want to dismantle Satan’s ill intentions you’ve got to take some pieces out of play.

Pride’s got to go.
Self has got to go.
Your plan has got to go.
Your way has got to go.

Those are game pieces that Satan can manipulate on the board to his advantage. Those things take your focus off of the Lord Jesus Christ and put it on to the things of earth, where our treasures are not.

IN GOD THERE IS LIFE ABUNDANT! God is good, all the time. Even in a storm the goodness of God can be found. Stop settling for less.

Following the news of God’s abundance is the news of God’s goodness:

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

He has His life for us so that we could have life in abundance… don’t turn it down.