Posted in Life Inspiration

Do you need to hear from Jesus today?

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

I’ve had afew days off to rest and recoup from VBC teen Camp 2014 and I’m enjoying the lack of responsibility (my house will attest to that fact today). I really must get crackin’, but before I do, I’ve spent this morning just enjoying the Spirit of the Lord. Coffee in hand and Chuck Compton singing the glory down through YouTube videos and I’m a happy woman. It never ceases to amaze me what the Holy Spirit does in the life of a child of God. Jesus told us He would, but we so often allow the world to over shadow our daily steps that we forget Who it is that should be leading.

John 16:13-15 ~ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

How awesome is that! To Shari quote it, Christ said that the Holy Spirit is repeating what Christ would have us to know, and what He would have us to know is everything that He knows. Christ is feeding the Holy Spirit the wisdom we are in need of, and yet we treat it like a radio dial, switching it to another station if it’s not exactly what we want to hear. Color me guilty.

This Saturday morning blog is short and sweet…

Are you in need of wisdom, peace, solutions?…. Tune in. If you’re a child of God you have the answer within but you’ve got to get receiver tuned in to the right station. And there’s only one way to do that… Shut every other noise maker off.

Prior to writing this blog I was praying for wisdom as to what to write about today. As I was praying I was listening to a favorite gospel singer and blessings were just pouring down around me. And while that was an okay thing to do, I couldn’t hear what God had for me. So I shut it all down, and opened the Word of God and this was the direction He and I walked together.

Christ feeds the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit nourishes our souls. But neither will be in competition with anything else. Shhhhhhh….. listen.

When you’re done reading, and listening to the Holy Spirit, please go back up and click Chuck Compton’s name… get ready for the glory – “Did I mention that I Love Him”

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.

Posted in Life Inspiration

She’s got issues

Written by talk2shari Published July 22, 2014July 28, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’ve said it about “her” and I’ve been her. Issues! If we confess our hearts we’ll have to admit we’ve all still got a few, albeit my issues go far deeper than that of a physical sense. But women are the worst about pointing out another woman’s issues. There I said it. Yes it’s a gender biased statement, and although men have their own issues, women are far worse at pointing out someone else’s and then bringing it to the table to make a dessert of that conversation. There was a woman in the bible who had an issue of blood for twelve years, she no doubt had gotten weaker and weaker until at this point she was either going to face death, or she was going to get healed, but she’d had enough of the world’s theories.

Mark 5

²⁵And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

²⁶And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

²⁷When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

²⁸For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

It doesn’t say anything about four men carrying her bed and dropping it down through a roof top to Jesus to be healed. It says that she alone came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of His garment for she knew if she could just do that she’d be okay. I have to wonder, where were her girlfriends? Why had they not accompanied her to the Master, why did she have to go alone? Why that thought’s on my heart this morning I don’t know, but I know one thing for sure I’ve seen enough girlfriends in my life with issues who didn’t have the support they needed to make it to the Master.

This lady’s determination for healing had driven her to her knees at the heels of Jesus. Not fallen at His feet before Him but trying to sneak upon the Lord! She didn’t want to bother Him, she just wanted to touch the hem of His garment. She’d paid all her finances to the physicians in town who had done her absolutely no good, and without financial support they’d not bother treating her again. She was as low as she could get and Jesus was her last option.

²⁹And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

³⁰And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

³¹And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

She was unseen by anyone in the crowd. Even the disciples, Jesus’ closest friends hadn’t noticed the woman at His heels. I’m sure she likely preferred it that way, she just wanted to be well, and nobody else had been able to help her, and if the issue itself hadn’t done her in, the shame from the issue was going to.

³²And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

³³But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

³⁴And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Her physical issue was healed from behind Jesus, but not until she was face to face with Jesus was she ready to face the world. She didn’t jump up and praise the Lord when she felt the issue dry up, she just wanted to slink back into the crowd. She was grateful, but that issue had gotten her enough attention from the world, she’d been that woman with the issue long enough.

My issue this morning is not with the woman, it’s with the missing friends. Perhaps they were the ones with the greater issue. The ones too busy to help, not wanting to be shamed by her issue. I’ve been the one at the heels of Jesus, I’ve been the absentee friend and the one who spoke of her issues in a gossiping manner. We all need Jesus. Press on girlfriends. Look for that friend who needs carried, don’t let the guys show us up.

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It started with a kiss

Written by talk2shari Published July 19, 2014July 19, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Betrayal. A hard pill to swallow, but when its family, Satan seems to find his way into that pool and will splash the water until there’s nothing left. It’s true in family related by blood or family under the blood. Division is his goal and usually begins with a kiss.

II Samuel 15: 5-6

⁵And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

⁶And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom wanted his father’s throne but he knew King David’s followers were loyal and an immediate hostile takeover wouldn’t settle well. So he positioned himself between judgment and the King. The church has allowed much the same to happen; the son of disobedience has positioned himself between judgment and the King, and as churches get more and more liberal, desiring to please men, Satan gathers more into his way of thinking and we now have a breach in loyalty.

The Word is Watered

We want a social gospel. One that looks pretty but is without consequence.

2 Timothy 4:3 [Full Chapter]

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

We long to have our egos stroked and leave church feeling as though we can fight hell with a water gun but we don’t want the power of the gospel turned on us. Absalom looked pretty, he had chariots of horses that ran before him and he would stand in the gates and tell men what they wanted to hear, they would exchange pleasantries and before long business acquaintances became his allies and David’s enemies.

America continues to align itself with the world rather than with the Word. We want judgment for everyone else, but we want to judge ourselves. We don’t want preachers telling us how to raise our children, we’d rather give that power to the DHHR because obviously their way works. We don’t want to hear that we need to be in church when the doors are open because the doors to the world are open wider, and the end result is miserable homes and marriages across the country.

Morality is Marred

We’ve allowed government to skew the Word of God. Adolf Hitler said “What luck for the rulers that men do not think.” We’re allowing government to do our thinking for us. If they say their ideas are best for our country, so it is. And yet we’d never tolerate their ideologies in our home…. Yet. Little by little they’re getting a strong hold into the homes of America and adultery, lying and thievery are not “so bad.” Absalom started out with 50 horsemen and for a little while he ended up with a nation. David regained the throne but he lost a son.

It all started with a kiss.

We need to stop kissing up to the world and start getting our homes back on the right track. Hope to see you in church Sunday morning!

Posted in Life Inspiration

When the enemy’s close, God is closer!

Written by talk2shari Published July 17, 2014July 17, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Camp is three days out for the teens at Victory Baptist Church, and I don’t know if they’re more excited about it or me! I have a few first year campers who are uncertain of what to expect; they just know that the other campers are excited so they are too! Me, I’m always excited to see what the Lord will do. So this morning as I searched God’s Word for a word about camp I found a word about camp and life.

Exodus 14

¹⁸And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

¹⁹And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

²⁰And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Who hasn’t known what it was like to have that enemy closing in on them? Just when you think life’s under control and then suddenly on the back of your neck you feel that hot, nasty breath. My stomach churns just to think about it. You’re in a predicament, you’ve prayed and have direction… and now this. Why? I wonder what the children of Israel are thinking as they leave in amazement with the enemy paying their way, there is rejoicing and gladness and then from behind them they hear the hooves of the enemy’s horses. Good grief I hope we get to watch the real movie on IMAX when we get to Heaven, I’ll bet it was a sight to behold.

When the children left there was no doubt the glory of God was on their journey, after all His presence in the cloud hovered above them and guided them out. Now all they needed to do was move forward, but there was the sound in the background…clickety clock, clickety clock, clickety clock… it was if their time was running out. They were on foot with babies and belongings, how could they possibly out run those horses?! And then in real time that cloud moved. What was once above them guiding the way now moved between them and the enemy and while it still provided light on their side, the other side was pitch black and confusing.

The Word of God is proven much the same way today for the sinner and the saint. On the sinners side it’s darkness for there is no light for their path, no guiding force, just a dark path of uncertainty without hope. But on the side of the saint, Glory!!! We have the light that not only guides our way but shields us from the darkness behind. The enemy may be close, but God is closer and above all mightier!

That’s the message I want for my teens this coming week. I want them to understand that they serve the God of Israel, and what that God did for Israel, He’ll do for them. I’ve had my own clickety clock, clickety clock this week. That feeling of impending doom… My God is going before me, and He’s got my back. How’s your week going? In need of prayer, I love the opportunity!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Idiots are everywhere… Can I get an amen?

Written by talk2shari Published July 15, 2014July 4, 2022 Discussion Leave a Comment

I have several friends who suffer from chronic pain. There are days when my heart physically aches because of their days of fatigue and frustration, yesterday was one such day. I hadn’t heard from one of my friends for a few days and I began to be concerned… so I did what any self-respecting media junkie would do I ~ creeped on his Facebook status’ to see what had been going on. He had posted just a few minutes before and I was relieved that his energy level had at least allowed that. That statement is written in all seriousness because I know there are days he doesn’t feel like hitting the keys. It’s a rather odd friendship his and mine. It was fostered through another social media friendship; two men whom I’ve never met but are as close to me as any church member in my own congregation because the Holy Spirit knows no bounds. It is we who put the limitations on Him.

Today was a moderate pain day for me. My mostly self-inflicted aches and pains have come upon me because of poor diet, lack of exercise and age… in my heart I know this to be true. But I’m grateful for the pain. Because of it I know I’m alive and that mine is like a speck of dust on the earth compared to what many others suffer through. If you don’t believe me go on a few prayer sites. It won’t take you long to realize how blessed you are.

But for my chronic pain friends I wanted to give you a word of encouragement.

I don’t pretend that I understand your suffering. And when I hear some “idiot”, especially in the medical field, rail on a person with chronic pain as if they’ve made it their choice to be miserable, I want to show them what pain is and tell them to suck it up and get over it because it’s obviously all in their head. You can click to read more about it. I recently heard an associate say that a doctor had complained about having to treat all the “imaginary pain and illnesses.” And this is an educated person…

The word idiot originates from the Greek word idiotes, which refers to a person disinterested in participating in democracy and public life. These people were viewed as selfish, contemptable and stupid as they were more concerned with their daily personal affairs than they were of the good of the society. Later in the Middle Ages the word took on additional connotations associated with being stupid.

How appropriate for today’s blog. I’ll stop ranting about medical professionals and put us back on the spiritual track. We Christians are just as guilty of judgment when seeing that “constant complainer” coming down the street. I speak from experience. And I still have issues with the negative nellies who suck the life out of me. I’m often more concerned about where I’m going and what I’m doing to take the time to find out what’s behind their poor spirit.

Praise God He is not as fickle as us.

Psalm 28:6-9

He Hears “my” supplications. It’s personal.

⁶Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

He has “my” back. It’s praiseworthy

⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

He increases “my” endurance. It’s powerful.

⁸The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

He’ll take me through…It’s a part of the plan!

⁹Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

If you’re the one in pain, I hope God’s word encourages your heart. If you’re not, I hope you’ll put aside your plans for the day and pick up the Lord’s.

Listen… Hallelujah God does!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Why are you being so Ugly?

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

That was the question to myself yesterday during the business conference I’m attending. Perhaps it was because my sinus’ have caused my head to feel as though it’s going to pop off of my shoulders, or a half dozen other factors of the week, but one session yesterday left me in a seething mood as the rude woman spoke. Her information was outdated and non-relevant and she read all 57 gray and black slides with little emotion and an occasional awkward snicker. The conference folk made the mistake of giving me a link to an online evaluation survey of her piece of the event at the beginning of the session. Well, in my boredom I felt compelled to fill it out on my iPhone. I didn’t care if she thought I was texting and being rude, she was rude. And as I entered each little black dotted rating I happen to wonder what God might think of my own behavior. After all… as a speaker I’ve been extended favor and mercy on more than one occasion and amazingly enough been invited back. Seriously Shari… why are you being so ugly?

1 Peter 3:8-9 ~ Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

A Compassionate People

I certainly want compassion in my life when I have an off day. For certain the woman was not ready for the conference, she stumbled over ordinary words in her slide that would likely not have been an issue if she’d studied. Tell me you’ve never shown up somewhere less than prepared… I can’t. Another issue I have issues with is uncompassionate people who feel compelled to rip everyone apart as if they’re they authority on life, I just about slipped into that one myself.

A Contrary People

I’ve met many a contrary railing people. They’d argue with a fence post if nobody was around, but Peter said contrariwise blessing. I highly doubt God has appointed you or me as “Heaven’s Critic.” Our job is to be a blessing, and that can’t be done when you’re tearing someone apart. Let some chick gain a little wait (or a lot), have on an unkempt pair of jeans or a dress without a slip and watch the party start among critical women. Oh my goodness, I’m meddlin’ now! But it’s the truth and if you’ve been in any church across America you know it’s a fact. I remember one particular time the “slip” issue slipped out of someone’s mouth about a mother of several children. My first thought was “are you serious? You’ve never seen the profile of a leg before?” Not to mention the fact that this perfectly tailored lady had grown children and had long since forgotten what it was like to pile the kids in the car and get to church on time. It was a miracle she was at church, and you dare comment on her lack of a slip. The truth of the matter was, she’ll likely find a slip before that lady finds some manners.

A Called People

Knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing….

We’re called to not only be a blessing but to inherit one. My lesson today, as I began another day of long sessions is to remember what God called me to do. I’m to be the example of Christ. When someone looks at me that should see something contrary to the world. The world will eat you up and spit you out, I should have no part of it. My presence should be like a balm on a wound of a soul in pain, because that’s what my Lord has been for me.

Posted in Uncategorized

Jesus may have rather just had a bologna sandwich

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

If you’ve been saved any time at all you’ve likely heard a sermon preached from the story of Martha and Mary. And if we’d all be honest, when we imagine “our” role in that sermon we’d like to think that we are Mary. After all she’s the cool spiritual chick hangin’ out with Jesus at a time when women weren’t supposed to be hangin’ out with the boys. And we imagine Martha as some old spinster woman with nothing better to do than tattle on her sister because she’s getting all the attention from the boys. Or perhaps that’s just my warped way of thinking. But the truth of the matter is, I’ve been Martha on more than one occasion! I’m forever the server. I was born with a servant’s heart and because of that sometimes I spend more time serving and worrying about things that have no eternal value, that will surely be hay and stubble, rather than making an eternal difference on myself or someone else.

There’s a difference in working for Jesus and working with Jesus.

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

There are things that absolutely have to get done, else there would be chaos. I get that… mainly because I’m often the root of chaos. But there comes a time when Jesus would rather just have a bologna sandwich and have the extra time to sit and commune with you, than to see you put all of your time into an eight course meal, collapse at the end and be frustrated in the middle. Truth? Indeed.

I don’t think Jesus was chastising Martha, I think He wished she “got it,” just like He wishes we did. When we’re hustling and bustling about in our daily lives whether that’s at work or at home, Jesus is saying, come and sit by me for just a minute and scratch half that stuff off your list.

But in sitting with Jesus, sometimes He it’s too intimate. He starts getting inside our head, and perhaps it reveals more about why we’re doing dishes than we like to confess.

A conversation with Jesus and I might go something like this…

J – Hey Shari, come and sit with me for a while.

S – Okay

J – So, I understand you want out of debt.

S – Yep.

J – Let’s look at your finances.

S – Um… You know what Jesus. How ‘bout some beans and cornbread. It’ll take me just a minute. (so off I go… busy work for Jesus!….And then I’m back.

J – Thanks. Dinner of champion’s right there. How about that family of yours… I know you pray for them, but we don’t talk a lot about a plan for them…

S – Doggone it Jesus, I forgot your coffee! What kind of server am I for Pete’s sake? I’ll be back…. Okay, I’m back. Here’s Your coffee… just like you like it.

J – Awesome that you know how I like My coffee… And yet some of the folks of the church have needs that you know nothing about. When’s the last time you’ve called…

S – Time for dessert! Let me whip up something…

All the while Jesus would have just rather had a bologna sandwich and my attention.

Get the picture? I got it all too well.

Are you serving for Jesus, or with Him?

When’s the last time you and He sat down for a serious soul searching one on one? This is not a “you should” message. This is a “Me too” message.

Love ya… Mean it.

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Ridiculous Faith!

Written by talk2shari Published July 5, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Woohoo! Here I am burning daylight with Jesus on a Saturday morning! There are a great many people who would look at that statement, shake their head and under their breath say “Jesus freak.” And that’s okay. I’d have said that too in 1995. But then came 1996 and life radically, drastically changed and there was no turning back.

As I read the parable of the sower this morning in Matthew 13 I could see myself in all four. Prior to salvation I heard the Word of God, but it went in one ear and out the other. It might cause me to ponder life for a second, but in three seconds my thoughts were back on worldly tasks and toys. Or I’d get into trouble and turn to God for a second, but two seconds after I was out of trouble I had long since forgotten my need for a Savior. And too often to count I battled my way out of trials and tribulations like fighting gnats on a hot summer night, seldom ever striking anything that hit me.

But what a blessing it was this morning to read Matthew 13:18-23 and see myself in a whole new light!

Matthew 13:18-23

¹⁸Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Being brought up in a Christian home I knew to turn to God in times of trouble. So I’d open up the Bible and read it thinking there’s got to be an answer in here for me. And had I been reading it for an actual solution rather than some magic pill to make all things better I would have likely found an answer; but for the most part it might as well been written in the original language, because I understood nothing! So imagine my surprise when I got saved and the scripture came to life! It is a living Word. I didn’t understand the whole book, but what I read I gleaned so much goodness from I carried it everywhere I went and read it like it was the hottest magazine on the market.

²⁰But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; ²¹Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Psalm 119:165 says “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” What once would have sent me seething out the door of a church suddenly had me captivated shouting bring it on! There wasn’t a preacher who could preach long enough or hard enough to me, I thrived on hearing the Word of God and although it might pierce my heart with the truth, Christ was quick to cover it with a balm of gladness as He spoke to my heart “Don’t worry… that sin’s covered too!”

²²He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

As a new convert I watched as friends who had accepted Christ walked away from the church and back out into the world and the world embraced them with a tender hand and then smacked them down to the ground. I waited for them to come back; some did, most didn’t. I praise God that He spoke to me each time and “That’s what the world has for you, stay with Me.” And so I have!

²³But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

I pray I’m a fruit bearer. I pray that no word spoken from my mouth or written by these hands do anything but show you what Christ has done in me, for me and through me. To the unsaved I pray I look so ridiculous that they have to look a little while longer, and in so doing the too discover Christ!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Refocus! You’re a Child of the King

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

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

Luke 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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