Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

I have issues…

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

I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I love and hurt deeply. People are important to me… I like stuff… but mostly stuff that connects me to people. But connecting to people opens up your life for scrutiny, and it’s not always healthy. People will look at you and judge a snapshot of time which has taken a movie reel to produce. While my family and I were “connecting” at my Mother’s dinner table yesterday after church, the subject of mental health came up. No comments from the peanut gallery… remember… this is a snapshot – not a movie. J But it was a pretty heavy subject with regards to the lack of access and seriousness of the issue. Those in need of mental health professionals are often lumped in to the criminal side of correction and a downward spiraling multi-generational effect occurs.

So why do I feel I’m qualified to discuss the issue… because I have an issue with it, and I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express a while back, and I guess that wisdom sticks with you for a while.

For 15 or so years I worked for the courts, prior to that for about 6 months I had a temporary hitch as file clerk for the Department of Health and Humans Resources. What I discovered was I could have brought the filing systems with me to the court, because many were the same names, generations of families; second and third generation offenders who were just living out what they had been taught by parents and grandparents. So what does that have to do with mental health? The court was looking at the snapshot instead of the movie. I know… they don’t have time. But that excuse doesn’t fix it and it ended up being why I left the courts, because we weren’t fixing anything. It was like a raw steak… which nauseates me… slap a BandAid on that baby and put it back out in the field, it’s not done. The jail time and fines didn’t finish the crime spree, it just left an open wound waiting to be infected again by something bad. There was no healing.

There were two stories that came to my mind this morning as I thought on the issue of mental health. One was the demon possessed man in the book of Mark and the other was the woman with the issue of blood.

Mark 5:15-20 ~ And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Matthew 9:20-22 – And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

I know your argument, one was mental, one was physical. Yes… but they both had the same cure, and prior to their healing they were both outcasts in society. People didn’t get either one of their issues. And we haven’t progressed too far today. What the people didn’t understand they shunned.

Please understand that I’m not saying all criminals have mental health issues and need to be loved and nurtured to redemption… some people are just mean, and they need locked up. But I’ve seen too many people who if someone had looked at their movie instead of their snapshot they’d have seen an entirely different story. Praise God that Jesus knows the entire story line! And should we as Christians not spend a little time on the movie instead of the snapshot approach at what our people need.

I do tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, and sometimes my sleeve is also filled with other hearts as well. Today my heart is broken for a family that needs their movie viewed…

If today you should come across someone who’s life isn’t pretty… please take a little time to get the story behind the snapshot.

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Takin’ Care of the House

Written by talk2shari Published February 16, 2014February 16, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Being a homeowner is a blessing… and sometimes not so much a blessing, more like a blessed chore. There’s maintenance to be done and cleaning to do, but the alternative of not having your own home is having limited to privileges in one owned by another. And so it is with the soul of man. When my eyes slowly sprung open this morning, it was another day I woke up as tired as I went to sleep. My burning the candle at both ends life style catches up eventually and I my mind crashes for a few days. The life of a Jesus Chick is busy… and not always productive for the cause of Christ. However… on my hiatus from the blog… I did manage to get a new song written down… Yay Jesus!

So when my friend Dewey Moede from New Mexico misses my blog for a few days he calls to check on me or drop me a line to make sure all is well in my life, it encourages me so much! He is such a faithful friend and servant of God, but he knows the importance of taking care of the house…He owns one too.

Being a child of God is much like being a home owner.

There’s maintenance… that’s when you get out the Bible (your tool box for life) and you tighten up some of the things that might have gotten a little loose, like your relationship with God, or your view on worldly things.

There’s cleaning to be done… As a dear old preacher friend of mine once said in his West Virginia colloquialism, “The Bible is a spiritual ‘warsh’ cloth, it’ll clean you up inside and out!”

We have to take care of the temple of God for which He’s given us to dwell in.

1 Corinthians 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Today, is house cleanin’ day Church!!!! I’m super excited to get to see my friends in faith, be encouraged by the Word of God and tighten up a few loose bolts in my life that need attention.

I hope today find you encouraged in the house of the Lord.

Oh… and that song. Well the lyrics are below. The thought came from the Facebook post of another preacher friend and encourager, Dennis Legg. God is so good to send people into your life when you need them, but you have to position yourself in the right spot… that’d be church….

Taking Care of the House

Being a child of God is much like being a home owner.

We have to take care of the temple of God for which He’s given us to dwell in.

1 Corinthians 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Today, is house cleanin’ day Church!!!! I’m super excited to get to see my friends in faith, be encouraged by the Word of God and tighten up a few loose bolts in my life that need attention.

I hope today find you encouraged in the house of the Lord.

The Carpenter

Words and Music by Shari Johnson ©

Vs. 1

In an old wood shop on the edge of town, A second generation business handed down

His fingers slid down the board made smooth by hand

Day after day he’d labored alone, With his Daddy’s tools, tired to the bone

Piece by piece he put together the Master’s plan.

He’d saw a little bit, then he’d whittle a while, He’d carve a piece and then he’d stand and smile

As he watched his plan begin to unfold.

Day after day he labored alone, with his Daddy’s tools, tired to the bone

But he knew this piece had a story yet to be told.

Chorus:

It was just an old piece of wood

They said it wasn’t any good

But His vision was far beyond their years

They couldn’t see His plan

He held in tight in His hand

That He’d finish with blood, sweat and tears.

Vs. 2

The piece He had found was rough from the start, But He knew with work He could fill it with heart

And give purpose to what the world had thrown away

Day after day he’d labored alone, With his Daddy’s tools, tired to the bone

Until His plan came together that day

He’d saw a little bit, then he’d whittle a while, He’d carve a piece and then he’d stand and smile

As he watched his plan unfold.

Day after day he labored alone, with his Daddy’s tools, tired to the bone

But he knew this piece had a story yet to be told.

Chorus:

It was just an old piece of wood

They said it wasn’t any good

But His vision was far beyond their years

They couldn’t see His plan

He held in tight in His hand

That He’d finish with blood, sweat and tears.

His final touch was two timbers, three nails, And His plan came together without fail

They displayed it on a Hill called Calvary

It didn’t look like much as the world walked by

But what they didn’t see was the heart inside

That He’d carved in that cross for you and me.

Chorus:

It was just an old piece of wood

They said it wasn’t any good

But His vision was far beyond their years

They couldn’t see His plan

He held in tight in His hand

That He’d finish with blood, sweat and tears.

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Empty Bellied Sheep on the Road to Heaven

Written by talk2shari Published February 12, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Matthew 9:37

King James Version (KJV)

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Our church over the past few months have taken on discipling like we’d not in a very long time. It was indeed discipling that made the difference in my life as a new convert by having two or three people who took an interest in my life and encouraged me daily in my walk with Christ. They walked along beside me encouraging me daily; not necessarily by saying or doing, but simply “being.”

Being available

Every day someone would swing by my office just to say hello, or call to find out how I liked the church or how life was going. I’m sure they had other things they could have been doing. But one thing was certain, I felt loved! They made themselves a part of my life and in so doing I learned servitude.

Being approachable

If I’m not the queen of dumb questions, I’m at least the princess. Getting saved puts a burning desire down within to read the Word of God and with reading comes wondering. While the Holy Spirit certainly poured an understanding into me that I had never known, I still didn’t understand many of the cultural aspects and theological terms. It was wonderful having people that I could unashamedly ask the “dumb” questions and who were grounded in the Word enough to know the answers and in so doing I learned study.

Being abased

Much of the time an outspoken church has a reputation of being haughty or holier than thou. Their focus is on appearance rather than attitude and the result is those around them feeling less, or so it was with me. A perfectly dressed saint did not inspire me so much as a saint (who though he or she may have been dressed to the nines or in jeans and a flannel) would make me feel as though I had just had my feet washed by the King. I cannot count the times my new friends not only took care of my spiritual needs but my physical needs as well – and in so doing I learned humility.

Our primary responsibility is leading souls to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, but that’s only the beginning; the actual work for the cause of Christ has just begun. If I had not had wonderful people encouraging me along my new found path, I’d have been back to the old path in no time flat. Our church had gotten away from that and was doing a great injustice to the service of the Lord. His sheep were walking around with empty bellies.

In John 21:15-17 the Lord asks Peter three time “Lovest thou me?” and Peter (to paraphrase) said – “You know I do Lord!” Christ answered once to feed the lambs, and twice to feed the sheep. The lambs (new converts, the sheep (those who are stable and unstable in church) ~ We all need fed, we all need encouragement. Some days the road to Heaven is long…

Call and encourage one of your peeps today!

Posted in Christian Service, Church Unity, Leadership, Life Inspiration, salvation

The Power of the Pig

Written by talk2shari Published February 11, 2014February 11, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

When Jesus Christ walked the earth, He healed the sick, delivered the demon possessed, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, turned water to wine… goodness gracious! The list goes on and on through ages past to eternity. And as sure as His miracles happened so did the Devil have his day.

As Jesus was coming into the country of Gergesenes he met two men possessed of demons; men who terrorized people by blocking the road so that no man could pass; likely struck terror in the hearts of children and adults alike, menaces to society… until the day that Jesus passed by. He healed the two men and cast out their demons and the nightmare on the road to Gergesenes was over. But the nightmare in the city lived on. The problem wasn’t only the possession of people it was power of Satan’s persuasion.

Matthew 8:31-34

So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

They asked Jesus to leave! He Who had just saved their city from terror was asked to leave. Does this strike you as odd as it did me? I have been in scary situations before and when someone showed up to rescue me I was grateful they were around, I certainly wasn’t asking them to leave but rather holding on with all my might. I’m sure the people from the city were “happy” for the two men who were delivered from the demons… but doggone it, did Christ have to take their pigs?

The pig farmers sold Christ out. They went into town and rather than sharing the good news of salvation they complained to the city that Christ has killed their pigs. Unfortunately it’s still present in the church today. We want people saved, but not at the expense of our comfort. The fact of the matter is new converts can bring new issues and costs but I fully believe that had the pig farmers rejoiced in the salvation of the two men, Christ would have replaced the pigs the devil destroyed, probably with something greater!

Don’t let Satan rob you of a blessing by taking your focus off the ministry and on to the mayhem that can come with new ministries in a church. Our purpose is not in the pigs… its in the people and seeing souls saved!

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration, salvation

Salvation: It’s not about signing up, but about giving up

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

There are those who’d have you to believe that Christian living is cookies and cream in the spring, apple pie on a summer day with a dollop of ice cream on top, apple cider in the fall and hot cocoa in the winter. It’s a state of comfort year round for those who live right. And if that is the case I am not the one to look to for answers. Because other than my first 5 minutes at the altar, living the Christian life has been anything but easy. But don’t stop reading there, it’s also been peace at its finest, and for that the ease has been worthy of passing up. If you’re a new convert, meaning just recently having accepted Christ as your Savior, (or an old convert) you’ve made the best decision of your life but it’s an eye opener! You suddenly realize just how many faults and failures you have, and everywhere you turn is a reminder; because this Holy God that you’ve asked to enter into your heart wants nothing to do with sin, and you’ve just discovered how much sin is in your life! The closer you get to Christ the harsher that reality is.

Matthew 7:13-14 says ~ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Jesus says that getting saved is like entering in at a straight gate… simple enough right?… but the word “straight” in this passage is not as in “straight as an arrow” but rather as in the “Strait of Gibraltar,” a narrow and turbulent passage of water that connects the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. That sounds so much more like my life than the straight as an arrow analogy. The thing about water is it’s much easier if you go with the flow than to fight against its current. But when we get into a struggle in life our human nature kicks in and we fight with all we’ve got, believing that we’re not supposed to have trouble; we are children of the King after all! But Jesus says no, you’re going to have trouble in this world because this world is messed up. It’s broken and it’s not going to be fixed until He returns, but in the meantime, flow through the turbulent times not kicking and screaming but rather holding onto Him as your life jacket. He won’t let you go and He sure won’t let you sink.

That is why salvation is not about signing up, it’s about giving up. Signing up means you’ve enlisted to “do something.” You can’t do anything to get yourself saved, Christ already did it and that part is indeed easy for you. But man likes to complicate things, we like to “do something, fix something or reinvent something to make it better.” You can’t make yourself or salvation better.

A very easily understood analogy of Christ is his statement that follows in verses 15-17 ~ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

We all likely know them, those who preach Christ but live more like His adversary the Devil. They frustrate us, or they do me! Because the damage they do to young Christians by pretending that their life is perfect when it’s apparent it’s not, will cause a young Christian to question their salvation decision, throw their hands up in defeat believing they’re wrong and in so doing lose the peace God affords. Salvation takes two hands, and they both need to be holding onto Jesus, not on to anything in this world. The waters may be rough, but hang on child of God, Jesus has you covered! Woohoo… just wrote myself happy!

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

A Message from the Keeper – What He gives back, He’ll be in

Written by talk2shari Published February 6, 2014February 6, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Matthew 3:1-3 ~ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John the Baptist came out of the wilderness eatin’ bugs and wearing leather britches; he was the toughest hombre of the day. He’d known Christ from prebirth (having lept in his mama’s womb when Mary came to visit after the Lord had revealed His plan to her). He was excited then and he’s excited now but he doesn’t deliver his message in blazes and bling; it’s simplistic, rugged and humble. It’s straight forward. The salvation of the Lord had begun in the wilderness when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, the law we could not keep; and its completion began in the wilderness when God gave John the Baptist the message of the Keeper, “Repent!”

Turn away from Sin to Sanctification

The Holy, Creator of all the universe, Who created this earth in perfection only to have it marred by the fallen angel Lucifer needed a sacrificial way to restore His relationship with mankind. Throughout the Old Testament the blood of slain lambs was a temporary fix for sin, but at this point God was about to reveal the final sacrifice. And the initial announcement didn’t come from where they’d have expected it… the church. They were waiting for a King in a splendor greater than King Solomon to arrive on the scene, but instead God sends a cowboy preaching on sin. And it works! Because deep in the core of God’s creation lies a seed waiting to take root, and when it hears the Word of God it’s a fertilizer on the soul that makes that seed grow the sinner know that it is God who speaks, and a desire to know Him springs forth. Every Word of the gospel spoken after that is water on the dry thirsty ground making them grow in the grace and wisdom of God’s design. It’s seldom traditional… there’s still a wild side about it. It’s as if we’re still blazing new ground, although it’s not new. But because sin has taken root in the world it is what is considered the norm. So when a child of God begins to see sin as it is (to be fled from) the world doesn’t understand why we’re so against what’s normal.

Turn away from Religion to Relationship

In John the Baptist’s day and in ours religion is a part of the problem. Religion doesn’t like leather. Unless it’s on the embossed seats of their pews. Religion likes tradition, things that don’t change… but when God’s involved things change. Religion doesn’t want a relationship with God, it wants rules. Everybody doing the same thing, the same way, every day, day in and day out and what occurs is legalistic ritualism. So, when God does speak it scares them to death, it’s not the norm.

John the Baptist had spent time away from the world and the message he received and still delivers is “Repent!” There’s no works involved in a relationship with Christ, it’s simply turning away from what the world offers, and turning to what Christ offers. The work comes when we build relationships with people so that we can introduce them to Christ. That’s work! Because religion has convinced them that God is a sharped dressed, Rolex wearing, untouchable man that flies around in a jet looking down on the people. When in reality God is common clothed, barefoot Lord that will stand toe to toe and eye to eye with His creation to prove that He loves them and wants to be a part of their lives in non-traditional ways.

Non-traditional is not about what we wear, or eat, or any man created ideas. Before you think that what you are, is what God’s about… you need to ask Him about it. Turn away from everything in your life and give it to God… what He gives back, He’ll be in.

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation, Uncategorized

Narrow Escape!

Written by talk2shari Published February 6, 2014February 6, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Okay… maybe not so narrow for me, I had gone through a few hours before the massive pile of rock came down into Route 5 East of Grantsville, West Virginia, but my brother in law missed it by only minutes. I praise my Lord for my self and every other soul that did not get crushed by this rock today. I have another day to tell someone about Jesus, to tell my husband and children I love them. I spent the evening with the greatest kids in the country… my youth department at church, and all because God chose to spare me .

If the big rock had gotten me, I’d have been with the Rock of my Salvation Jesus Christ without regret or worry! What about you? I pray you know Him today!

The Road to Salvation

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

David: The Pizza Boy with the Heart of a Warrior

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

I have no idea how many times I’ve read the story of David and Goliath, but long before I had read it for myself I had heard the tale. Even most unchurched people can give you a generalization of the story having never read one Word from the Bible. The greatest story of underdog to victor known to man, beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind. And as I was drawn into the story this morning I found myself self standing on the hill above the valley of Elah with my pom-poms cheering David on as he fearlessly went to battle Goliath alone. I knew the story… I knew how it would end… but it didn’t stop the excitement that bubbled up in my soul as I read it again. Because going into the battle David wasn’t the warrior, he was a disrespected, part-time pizza delivery boy who kept a few sheep. But inside him beat the heart of warrior.

For background I recommend you read 1 Samuel 17, don’t take my word for any of it.

Only a chapter before teenager David had been anointed the new King of Israel and returned to the fields to tend sheep. But this day his father Jesse had sent out the would be king to deliver bread and cheese (Israeli Pizza) and a few other supplies to his brothers on the battlefield with King Saul. I have to wonder if there wasn’t a little bit of animosity among his brothers over David’s prognosticated career from the way that his older brother Eliab belittled him on the battlefield.

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

Even this doesn’t discourage David when he responds, “What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Lessons I learned from the Pizza guy…

#1 – they have good taste in food, but that’s not really a very spiritual lesson, so here’s my life application today.

There’s no glamour in the prep work

Long before I was given the opportunity to be coordinator of the teen department I was a ruddy shepherd. I felt a calling to work with youth, but having teens of my own, I warned the Pastor that there were days I didn’t even like kids. So he put me in the nursery. Ha! That’ll teach me for being honest. But that’s where I was and so I prepared my lessons as if I was teaching a future Charles Spurgeon, and in truth I may have been. But I took my job serious, and I fell in love with it! Year after year of serving Christ I was graduated up through the youth department, K-2^nd grade, 3^rd -5^th Grade, Junior high and then finally to my current position with the teens, Sunday School Superintendent and speaking to women. I needed that time of preparation for what the future had in store.

David’s defense of the sheep prepared him for the defense of Israel. My simplistic bible studies for babies eased me into teaching and gave me a primary understanding necessary to explain the gospel to a “baby Christian” who may be 57 years old. If you’re in the toddler ministry it may be your calling, or it may be the Lord doing prep work. Work it well!

There’s no glory in grunt work

I doubt David was too excited to hear he was carrying “pizza” to his brothers, but it got him near the battle, and for that he was likely glad. His brother’s words were filled with indignation but rather than allowing his temper to get the best of him David used those words to fuel his passion for the purpose. “Is there not a cause?” I’m using creative license here, but I can hear David’s passion that’s been squelched on more than one occasion by a naysaying adult rising up in him. If you’re a passionate person, you get it when the naysayers don’t. You see the vision when everyone else is seeing defeat. Don’t let their doubt discourage you! Is there not a cause? Did God not put that purpose down in your heart for a reason? Carry the pizza, mop the floors, change the diapers, do whatever it is that needs done but watch for the open door.

There’s a Glitch in their team work

Saul and his army of men were facing Goliath alone, they had left God out of the equation. But not David… in verse 36 he tells Saul “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”

Can you hear Davd, “God’s prepared me for this, and God’s still on the throne… He’ll take care of me.”

So… what does Satan have in front of you that’s too big to hit… remember it’s also too big to miss. All those years of delivering Pizza may just be ready to pay off!

Posted in Uncategorized

Canaries and Crows: Natalie Grant and the Media

Written by talk2shari Published January 29, 2014January 29, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

“We left the Grammy’s early. I’ve many thoughts, most of which are probably better left inside my head. But I’ll say this: I’ve never been more honored to sing about Jesus and for Jesus. And I’ve never been more sure of the path I’ve chosen.”

Natalie Grant tweeted those words and then the media sang… only not like canaries, more like the obnoxious sound a crow makes. (Cawl, cawl, cawl)… so I’m going to take their advice and “call” it like I see it. American media (for the most part) is a biased, one sided, self-promoting group of people in the hands of Satan. Harsh? Yea, I guess. But I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with Christians being bashed for taking a stand on the side of morality. In the nineteenth century, leading newspapers reported from a Christian perspective. Today, however, journalists increasingly take an anti-Christian stance while claiming to be neutral. I’m wondering how colleges and universities now define the word neutral. According to Merriam Webster it is defined as – : not engaged on either side; specifically : not aligned with a political or ideological grouping <a neutral nation>:

This doesn’t sound like any of the media I’ve heard recently. More arguably the new definition of neutral is Liberal neutrality, which is the idea that the liberal state should not promote any particular ‘conception of the good’. Meaning I assume in my simplistic mind that “everyone’s idea of good is right.”

Oh yea… that’ll work.

As a music lover, and believing that the origin of music was designed by God and for God, what many call music today I call noise. But I don’t begrudge them their right to listen to it, I just don’t get it. And I don’t have to, it’s their life. So when the Grammy’s decide to dole out awards for varying music styles, I expect there to be music that I don’t particularly like recognized. And that’s okay. I didn’t watch the Grammy’s by the way, but I was interested in a particular group who were in the running, Dailey and Vincent, so I got up Monday morning looking for results, only to find article after article bashing Natalie Grant for having the audacity to stand for what she believed in.

If you didn’t watch the Grammy’s and don’t know the controversy it included a gay wedding on stage officiated by Queen Latifah and performances deemed “risqué” that were not “child appropriate” by Beyonce and her husband. So as a Christian artist, Natalie Grant walked out because she was offended. But according to our “neutral” media she’s not entitled to her opinion, only theirs. And the question music lovers on both sides of the argument should be asking the Grammy Association is “What did any of that nonsense have to do with the artistry of music?” All it served to do was take the attention away from what the Grammy’s are supposed to recognize which is talent. So please don’t try to tell anyone that someone there wasn’t promoting their own agenda, not music.

So… what does God think of all this?

Romans 1:22-32 ~ Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Stand on Miss Natalie. God is watching.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Something Beautiful & Good: You!

Written by talk2shari Published January 28, 2014January 28, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I have about as much of a clue on why God tolerates my antics as I do on figuring out what makes the world tick. My attention span is that of a two year old (I kid you not). I’ll apologize ahead of time or behind time for a conversation in which my eyes glaze over. It’s not you, it’s that ol’ ADD, which can stand for Attention Deficit Disorder, or Adult Defiance Disorder which I have no medical diagnosis of either, but I’m pretty sure I have both; and they could be treated with a big stick.

I’ve been working on a guitar piece that was humming softly in my brain when I got up this morning. It’s a chorus by Bill Gaither titled “Something Beautiful.”

The lyrics are:

Something beautiful,

Something good;

All my confusion

He understood;

All I had to offer Him was

Brokenness and strife,

But He made something beautiful

Of my life.

I “get” that song, or better yet God “got” me when He inspired Bill Gaither to write it. My world has been filled with confusion since day one, it’s what makes me, me. And it’s what frustrates anyone who has to deal with me. Even in reading what I just wrote I can imagine your eyes glazing over! But please bear with me as I let you in on something God shared with me this morning in my confusion…

Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:11 ~ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

In His Time

So, you’re not feeling beautiful today? Me either, inside or out. But God said He made every thing beautiful in His time… not mine. In Heaven when God created Shari, He created me just the way I am. His time is eternity past, present and future – and because I know (because scripture tells me) that He knew me before I was born I can be rest assured that my ADD behavior did not catch God off guard. ~

Jeremiah 1:5 ~ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Somehow, someway, God has a plan for me. Not a new and improved version, this version. And in God’s time, where He is, where He can see yesterday, today and tomorrow He sees and loves me as He created me, as I am. In His time, age, size, hair color nor any other human elements matter. He sees us as He created us… beautiful. Who are we to argue?

In our Heart

God has set the world in their heart. He has placed within us a design, and inner working that allows us to know we are a part of His creation, but we must wait with patience (again… not my strong suit) to discover what that complex plan is from beginning to end. If we made a delectable baked dessert and took it out of the oven half way through it wouldn’t be eatable. But, wait until it’s done and it’s the delight the creator intended. I don’t know what God’s plan is for me… and that frustrates me to no end that He didn’t discuss it with me, but in truth He may have discussed it with me prior to my appearance on earth. The desires in my heart may have come from a conversation in eternity past, that’s why they’re my desires today. Interesting thought… But another truth is, that confusion comes from the fact that there is no good in me, except the goodness of God through the Holy Spirit. I have this old nature that continually battles with the new nature that came from Salvation. But in spite of it God gave me a job to do and it’s a gift. Listen to verses 12-13 ~ I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

The desires of my heart, the person God created me to be is a gift meant for enjoyment. So rather than living in discouragement we should remember that we came with a purpose instilled in our heart.

The Bible is your user manual… crack it open and get some direction for the day!