Tag: Jesus

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Sunday Morning’s Sign

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Sunday Morning’s Sign

chick yield

Words… they’re a funny thing are they not? The same word can mean something entirely different, or a word that sounds exactly the same is not the same word at all – in spelling or definition. What’s more amazing than that is the way our brains wrap around those ideas and understands them. We’re amazing creations of God Himself, and yet that fact is so often forgotten by many.

This morning the word “yield” seems to have my mind’s eye as I prepare myself and my heart for today’s worship. My first thought on the word yield was that precious little triangular sign that gets so many people in trouble. After all, it’s not a stop sign… unless of course there’s another vehicle coming. But if that vehicle is a few lengths away you can technically be within your right to gun it and go, can you not? But if that vehicle happened to have a bubble atop you’d do more than yield… you’d likely stop! (If you had any sense). How much better should we be yielded to God and the Holy Spirit? We realize He’s there, we may even wave hello; but then pull out in front, heading on down the highway without regard to the very Creator. The Law Maker and giver of life.

I hope today you’ll slow down…

Romans 6:13

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

As a bluegrass girl I can’t help but think about the word instrument without attaching it to music! And music reminds me of worship and worship is for God alone! Woohoo let’s have church. That’s when the Attention Deficit Disorder works in my favor. It’s unfortunate that the same thing that draws my mind into God can draw others just as easily away. Same thing two different reactions, just like the word “yield” can be defined two different ways.

Yield – to give right of way

Yield – to produce (such as a harvest)

Failing to yield to God can certainly yield a harvest of fruit that you don’t want in your life. Failing to observe the day of rest as God designed will cause unrest in your life. Failing to understand why we worship will allow Satan to give you something else to worship which will lead you further away from God and further away from the peace He provides. Failing to yield, yields. See what I mean by words being funny!

Words are funny however disobedience is not. It breaks God’s heart. I hope you are yielded to His Holy Spirit today and today finds you worshiping with fellow believers in the House of God!

Love ya! Mean it. – Shari

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

Take Heed Church

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CHICK WORDS

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. – Acts 20:28

I truthfully don’t believe that those who lay out of church read my blog, and I’m totally not offended. I’m quite certain that they likely don’t spend much time with other Christian writers either, they’re just not into it. So I have to ask myself a few questions this morning:

Why they are not in church?

Why they are not convicted about not being in church?

How do we reach out to them?

Acts 20:28 breaks it down quite nicely for me.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves

If I’m spending my Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night performing a role call in my head, I’ve missed the point of attending church. That’s what I needed to hear! Because I do. I don’t do it in condemnation (okay that might be a lie)… I don’t want to do it in condemnation, I am honestly concerned for their spiritual wellbeing and I miss them. But then the flesh kicks in occasionally and I get all pious and holy and miss the whole point of me being in church which is to improve my relationship with Christ and give me the tools to make it through the week; because it’s work to make it in this world. So my first responsibility is to make sure I’m covered spiritually and if I truly did that there would be no condemnation of those who didn’t make it.  But then I’m to

Take heed to all the flock

Once I’ve gotten what God needed me to get I need to turn my attention to the flock. I do that by listening to the Holy Spirit. I cannot oversee the entire lot of the missing masses of church members; which is my issue. I see the number missing and don’t know where to start! What I need to do is pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on who I can encourage this week. One or two will do! Imagine if each leader in the church took one or two, how much quicker we would cover the entire missing mass and in so doing we would serve the way God intended us to, which is a unified body of believers concerned for the welfare of one another. So simple, yet so seldom done.

Feed the church of God

We’re a malnourished generation. We spend so much time doing and so little time digesting the Word of God and applying it to our lives. If we ate literal food the way we feed on the Word of God we’d have been in the grave long ago. That goes a long way to explain why the church is so dead. So how do we feed those who refuse to come to the table? One spoonful at a time every chance we get.

Social media is an awesome tool to post scripture, but it’s by far not the only way. I cannot count the times I’ve been encouraged by a card, note, phone message or email that had a scripture included. Every time we correspond with friends and family a scripture should be noted. Our words of encouragement are awesome, but God’s are powerful!

Luke’s final thought was God’s final words on the cross. It is finished. His blood bought the church and it is His blood that cleanses each one of us from all unrighteousness. Spread the Word!!!

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Posted in Eternity, Heaven, Peace, salvation

Heaven’s Post Master Has a Message for you Today

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CHICK POSTAGEAs I ran along in the sermon of my friend Roger Carter…(I say “ran” because you’ll not likely walk through one. Once he starts preaching it’s like he’s been shot out of a cannon. He’s not stopping until he reaches his destination. He’s fun like that!), but along the way he said this, “Death is a change of address.” He had to run ahead without me for a little while because my mind got stuck on that thought and I couldn’t let it go. When someone we love moves a distance away we may be sad for a little while, but most of us adjust to the idea. We talk to them on the phone, or correspond by other means and plan for the next time we see them again; and we get excited in the planning process. But when someone dies the conversation is lost… and that’s tough. I don’t make light of it.

When I lost my Dad, I missed those conversations; his sense of humor, his love of family and music and most of all, his love of God. But because of his love of God and his personal testimony of a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, I might have moments of sadness but I have I eons of hope! My Dad simply got a new address, and I know that I know that I’ll see him again in glory and that makes this journey bearable. And in the mean time I ask God to tell my dad “Hey,” and go back to planning our reunion.

So what about that address?

Living in rural West Virginia has many advantages, but one advantage is our source of entertainment… each other. As I began this blog, my mind drifted back to the 1980’s when I worked as an ad manager for a local newspaper. The editor of that paper had moved to our area after retiring as an editor for the New York Times. He absolutely fell in love with West Virginia! But he did have days which caused him ponder his decision. One such day was when he went across the street to the local post office to mail a book to a friend in Canada. He was informed by our elderly post master that you couldn’t mail anything out of the country (and he was serious). After a lengthy argument with the old man, the editor returned to our office, half angry and half in hysterical laughter. I’m not sure if he ever convinced the post master that you could mail things out of country, or if he took his book to another post office, but none the less made for a great story and one we laughed about for years to come.

There’s no physical address for that country where God dwells with my friends and loved ones who have died, but there’s a spiritual address and it’s every bit as real as Grantsville, West Virginia. Are you planning for the trip?

RETURN TO SENDER

A child of God will return to sender in the blink of an eye when their day comes to leave this world. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” That speaks of the day that Christ will call His church home. Many of us will go at once and a lost world will be left in turmoil. That day is likely very near. But for those who pass away before that day Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Confident that he would be delivered, postage paid by the blood of Jesus Christ who paid the price for us to be able to dwell in that city not made of hands but by God Himself.

But what about those who haven’t made preparation?

TURNED TO CINDER

Jesus told a religious crowd the fate of a rich man who died without knowing God in Luke 16:23 when He said “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments”. God doesn’t sugar coat Hell, and just because someone doesn’t believe it exists or chooses not to make a choice doesn’t make it an untruth and their choice is made. Hell is eternal separation from everyone. Look at the people in your life that you care about. Are you prepared to never see them again? It’s not only separation it’s also a place of fire, torment and gnashing of teeth and totally unnecessary. That address was never meant to be on the map, but because of sin and our rejection of God’s forgiveness by and through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, it’s there.

Have you been marked postage paid, or are you lost in transit; having never accepted God’s gift of salvation? It’s the best gift ever! And it’s never undeliverable. No matter where you’ve been in life or what you’ve done, God’s grace is sufficient for all. Don’t spend another second in time without making that decision. Watch the news… and more importantly read the Word of God. Written thousands of years ago and yet they line up together with God’s warning that He’s going to return. Don’t miss the Post Master to Heaven!!!!

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Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Don’t Walk Away From the Father’s Table

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chick dinner

Although we are far outside the days of Old Testament Law, and we’re now living in the age of grace, there’s still much to learn from the Old Testament Word of God. Grace certainly doesn’t make it irrelevant or null and void, it simply means that rather than working for salvation we now work towards a relationship with Christ.  Salvation comes from the sacrifice of Christ alone. Nothing else. But relationship… that’s where many Christians miss out.

A Levitical law for the children of priests found in Leviticus 22:12 rang out in my heart this morning.

If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

Meaning this: If the priest’s daughter married outside of the priesthood she was no longer allowed to eat of the holy things and was cut off from the family of priests. Although this sounds harsh by today’s standards, on this Sunday morning I feel that they’re have been many children of the High Priest (Christ) who have willingly walked away from His table today to link hands with the world and have been cut off  from the holy things of God.

Sunday’s are the best! I long for fellowship with other believers and to hear the Word of God as preached by the man of God. My soul feeds on the all of it and carries me through the coming days. My heart has been broken on numerous occasions as brothers and sisters in Christ have walked away from that same blessing and married themselves to the world, forgetting the cross and the cost for which our Savior made. If they were truly saved it doesn’t change the fact that they are still children of the Most High God, but it stops the blessings received at His table.

No more hor s’oeuvres  – The communion with brothers and sisters in Christ, that precious friendship of the saints is no longer enjoyed and thus giving Satan an avenue to implant all kinds of notions into your mind about those friendships that you once treasured.

The Meat of the Word – The Sunday School hour where the Word of God is expounded on in detail and a time that you never outgrow. To say that you no longer need to study the Word of God is to imply that you have learned enough… dangerous, dangerous ground.

The Main Course – 1 Corinthians 1:21 says that “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”  It was the means to our salvation and it is the means to our continued growth in relationship with Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is to sit in a service and listen to the Word of God, that whether there be twenty or two thousand in attendance, the same Word is something different for everyone and exactly what they needed. It never ceases to amaze me!

And then there’s dessert! – That time when the service is coming to a conclusion, you’ve received the meat of the Word, God is working in your heart and then He places the icing on the cake when you feel the stirring of the Holy Spirit as God lays out His best made plans for you today. You step out and kneel at the altar and God meets you there. Oh Glory!!! I love that time.

Has it been a while for you? I hope today finds you in the house of God. If you know what I mean… Praise Him today!!!

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Posted in Life Inspiration

His Wonderful Word!

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chick word

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Air I Breathe

It wasn’t long after salvation that I realized the Word of God was as vital to my spiritual growth as air was to breathing.  If I was going to understand God, I needed to read His Word. As I began to read it, something else happened; I realized it was alive! That’s what the word quick means – Alive! The very breath of God breathed into my life and as He did a passage would come off of the page and take root in my heart. Something I had just experienced in real time would be written in historical time on those pages just like my experience. It was amazing… I was hooked!

I later learned that the Living Word of God would become my counselor, friend and confidant. When it seemed the whole world had walked out on me, God never left my side; speaking peace to my soul day in and day out. If I was living in a manner that did not please God, His Word became brought conviction into my heart and the peace would be gone until sin had departed. It was never any wonder to me why Satan has used every method possible to destroy it in futility. He can no more destroy the Word of God as he could destroy God, for they are one in the same.

The Awe I Believe

Powerful! Oh my goodness. Just by speaking His Word deliverance can come. By uttering nothing, God can answer the unspoken cry knowing just what’s needed. I’m in awe at the prayers that I have had answered. From the serious cries in the darkest times of my life, to the silliest prayer of asking for a parking spot close the mall ~ God has answered. God’s not in to formality. A prayer is a conversation between you and the best friend you’ll ever know. Have there been occasions where my prayer was not answered as I had desired, oh yes. But not one time has God’s answer been wrong, but my request on more than one occasion was not as it should have been.

I’ve asked in pure selfishness that God leave people on earth that needed to go be with Him. I’ve asked Him to pull someone from a fire that needed it for purification and the end result would have been disastrous. I’ve also prayed for innocent people to be delivered from ugly circumstances and they were not… and I cried in frustration. But I still believe that when I get to Heaven I’ll stand in awe of why it was so.

The Armament I Brandish

From nothing of my own I have been given the Words of God to share and encourage others.  A task that I’m more than a little uncomfortable with knowing that the weight of my words can serve to discourage as well as encourage if I’m not tuned in to God’s plan. Praise Him that He is the discerner of my own heart and that even when I fall short, He fills in the gaps because I’m a willing vessel. I pray that the words I write are forever His.  And I pray that they bless your soul.

Thank you for the past responses and the use of your words to encourage my soul in return. I’m grateful. I don’t need them to be “puffed up” in pride but they sure come in handy on the days I’m discouraged to feed my soul with your goodness.

I hope this morning finds you blessed!

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Posted in Leadership, Life Inspiration, Peace

There’s a Rumor Goin’ round… and the Lord started it!

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CHICK VICTORY

Turn on the news, listen in on any number of conversations or watch the trending topics of the internet and it’s bound to be there…any number of headings meant to incite fear or at the least cause alarm; end time warnings, antichrist theories and terrorist threats. Our minds are pummeled with images of destruction and yet those of us in America are blessed to live on a soil of peace, at least for today. I’m dumfounded by either the ignorance of leadership or their willingness to hand over the keys of freedom to a liberal, ungodly lot who have no conscience of evil. That’s a pretty harsh statement, but I’d argue its truth and win. I’m not saying that everyone in Washington is on board… but if they’re not, where in the world are they?

For quite a while it’s been on my heart to blog on this incitation of fear that my own heart has fell to upon occasion, but the words didn’t come until today.

2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” So how is that we can have a sound mind in this chaotic world? Only through the Word of God because it is the only true peace on earth.

In the book of Obadiah, in it’s one and only chapter we find the continuing saga of two brothers at odds; Jacob and Esau. A story that began in the book of Genesis and continues through to today, with Edom (the descendants of Esau) being viewed as an example of the antichrist and Jacob (Israel) the chosen nation of God. A little piece of ground that God chose as His own and is still desired to be the possession of anyone at odds with God. And at the root of it all – the pride of men.

Obadiah 1:1-4

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

One thing for certain is if God starts a rumor, it still truth. The antichrist, the “heathen’s ambassador” is for certain in our path. Much speculation has occurred on who it is or will be, but he has yet to be revealed. We are however primed and ready to accept the god of lies because we’re allowing ourselves to be engulfed in this fear that the world would have us fall to. The world is looking for a Savior, Who’s been there all along, yet they desire one with cape and crown that they can see. And Satan will provide it. He’ll provide it by two methods: Fear and Pride.

Fear will come to those who do not know the Word of God. And they outnumber those who do. Pride is the political hierarchy that believe that “they” are the solution.

God says of pride in Proverbs 6:16-17 – These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

The pride of man says “I am in control,” but the wisdom of God says, “I know Who’s in control.”

It was pride that caused Lucifer to be kicked out of Heaven, caused Eve to want to be as smart as God, caused the tower of Babel to be built which got the nations scattered, caused Herod to kill all those innocent babies trying to exterminate Christ, and will cause the antichrist to demand to be worshipped in the end times. But it is the humility of the Christian faith, that acknowledges the power of almighty God and His sovereignty that will bring peace to the soul in this world of woe.

Obadiah 1:18 – And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.

History has proven God’s word again and again and will continue to do so. Yes we live by faith, not sight. But we also have the historical facts as evidence.

When God said that there would not be any remaining of the house of Esau He meant it. The Edomite extinction began around 300 A.D. when a group of Arabs conquered their capital city Petra and continued through other tenemies until they were completely destroyed by the Romans around 70 A.D. And no one today can tell where an Edomite is located.

The spirit of fear that the world would desire Christians to have shouldn’t be there. If we read and understand the Word of God we can know, regardless of what appears to be going on in the world, God still has FULL CONTROL. And there will come a day that the pride and arrogance of those in the world who desire evil against the nation of Israel and the people of God will be as Esau. None remaining. Amen.

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Posted in Life Inspiration, Peace

The Ultimate Storm Shelter

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chick shelter

On Tuesday May 27, 2015 I had places to go and people to see… and a flat tire. A fact that I had been alerted to by a light on my dashboard (a symbol I had known from before.) But when I looked at the tires a day ago, they were Rall round, so I “assumed” a tire was just a little low on air and I’d get to it eventually. Eventually came as I prepared to leave for a revival where I would be singing and my husband prepared to leave for a motorcycle ride before the looming storm was to hit. He happened to notice that my tire was no longer round! So being the dutiful husband he is, he frustratingly desired my presence at the Fire hall (Where he is chief) to put air in my tire. After 34 ¾ years he still has yet to figure out that car maintenance is not my forte. Turns out there was a nail in the tire and that was the prelude to things to come. After my hero husband fixed my tire I left for the my own church to pick up a sound system that I had left there, and seconds before arriving at the church heaven opened up! I could barely see to pull onto the church lot, quarter size hail began pummeling my Jeep, winds whipped this way and that, moving my car more than a little. I couldn’t get out of the car or the hail would get me and even though I was parked just a few feet from the door I was helplessly stuck. So I waited out the few minute storm that felt like several. The damage was horrendous all around me. Four trees had been snapped off like twigs on the hill above the church. One toppling across the church van and taking out a transformer. New spring leaves were everywhere! And when I say everywhere I mean they plastered every vehicle and home in the area. You couldn’t tell if you were driving on the highway or a lawn. A few homes in the area were damaged, power was knocked out and several roads shut down by falling trees, but praise God, no injuries. Until my husband got hit in the head and knocked unconscious later in the evening by a large branch while moving debris. Don’t worry, my hard headed husband is fine! I made it to revival and it was quite a night of rejoicing.

If I were building a house, that paragraph would be the front porch. But don’t fret, it’s a small house and I have just a few points  to make on a lesson in the storm. Perhaps you’re having one in your life.

Isaiah 25:4

For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Regardless of the storm we need not fret that God has it under control.

Financial trouble? He is strength to the poor. It didn’t say that He would make us rich, but that He is our strength. Being low on funds usually lends itself to being low in spirit. It takes a toll on you emotionally, spiritually and can even affect you physically… unless… you turn it over to God. And though it can still be an up and down struggle, for we are human; the load gets lighter, and if we can master faith it can dissolve completely. Because God owns the universe, and our struggle didn’t come without His approval. It has purpose. Perhaps to draw our eyes to Him.

Distressed? Be it literal or in the spiritual sense the Lord is our strength. He hears your every prayer and knows your ever need. He strengthens our hearts with His own grace if we’ll allow.

In a storm? Storms come in varying degree and much like the one that I sat through they can leave us feeling stranded yet not alone. That storm quickly came and went without warning giving little time for fear. It was more of a contemplation of action. That’s what needs to happen in our life storms. Start looking for God’s plan of action… He’s not going to let you be destroyed.

Feel the heat? The heartaches of life can feel like the sun is bearing down on you inches from your brow. But there’s a shadow you can run to that will cast shade over your life and give you a refreshment like a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. It’s called the Word of God. It’s being in the presence of God whether reading His word or attending a church service. You need that filling station!

Because the “blast of the terrible ones” can come at any time from any direction we have to be prepared. If you’re going to stand like a wall in the face the adversity that’s coming your way you need to know where your salvation lies.

And that my friend is in the arms of God. He’s the ultimate storm shelter! I pray you know Him… if not, please, please ask me to introduce you!! Comments are always desired and responded to. I’d love to hear from you today.

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Shari har

Posted in Christian Service, Eternity, Life Inspiration, Praise

Will it be likewise done for us?

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chick memorial day

Memorial Day… pre-salvation it was holiday meant for family picnics and outings. The loss of family brought so much sadness to my heart that I chose to push it into the recesses of my mind and vowed I’d deal with it “later.” Later finally came by the way of grace and mercy, but not until. In an unsaved state I could find no goodness in death. But on the other side… oh glory… tears well up in my eyes and my soul threatens to burst from my heart when I think of the death of God’s saints now!

I was invited to sing once again, for probably the 15th year, at a Memorial Day Service at Minnie Hamilton Health System, our local Nursing Home facility. I can see some of you flinching now at the thought of such a heart wrenching service. Open your eyes… it’s fine! It’s a service I look forward to every year, because in no way is it a sad service for me. As they read the names of patients who have passed away over the 17 years of the facility, I looked back on my ministry in that place. I’ve been saved 19 years, and when the facility opened God burdened my heart to be a part of it, and what a blessing it has been! I had been touched by almost every name on that list in some way. By their smile, their encouragement to me as a singer and to praise my work for the glory of Jesus Christ. He is Worthy!

Psalm 145:4-7 says:
One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

What a privilege it is to be a part of the Word of God. I am “that” generation. And many of those nursing home residents who have gone on to glory have been that to me, and comedic relief as well!

Not long after I started visiting the nursing home and trying to encourage them, a tiny little lady (a societal sort) bellowed to the aid delivering her lunch, “A peanut butter sandwich, you people charge me $3,000 dollars a month for a peanut butter sandwich!” I still laugh today and can hear the curtness in her voice. In the Nursing Home’s defense there was more on her plate than that, but she was not impressed! I will also enter here that Minnie Hamilton is one of the best ranked assisted living East Brunswick, NJ facilities in the state… it’s a great place. They just didn’t impress Miss Ena that day!

Another resident was a man crippled from birth, named George. No brighter smile was ever seen for the glory of the Lord than this man. He viewed his time there as ministry and wheeled himself bed to bed to make sure every soul was saved. Oh goodness, how can I be sad to have known such a man.

I sat in awe for many years as I watched a husband come daily with a chocolate pudding cup and a Hershey ® bar, and feed it bit by bit to his disabled wife following her lunch. He lovingly stroked her hair, and told Este how much he loved her…

Often times as I’ve ministered in song using a standard hymn, I’d notice a patient who didn’t even know their name or family mouth ever word of that hymn that God had seared into their mind.

I discovered a distant cousin one day on my journey through the halls and she was quite the character! “Po Ol’ thing” she’d say about the other residents. Not realizing she was one too, she assumed she was there for entertainment.

My Magistrate Court lunch break for many years was spent with Miss Hettie and Miss Mabel where it was like a tea party every day to be in their presence. I have good memories…

It’s not all roses and sunshine. There were days that I wept, but they were tears of compassion and when God called them home I rejoiced! And now we memorialize them because God said to remember the work they did for Him. My question for us all is will it be likewise done for us? Have you told someone about Jesus today? Go tell it on the mountain… over the hills and everywhere…

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Posted in Life Inspiration

The Invisible Jesus

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chick invisible

Someone becoming aware that I’m “The Jesus Chick” usually brings three typical reactions:

  1. Joy from fellow believers (I love that!)
  2. Rolled eyes from people who believe I’m a fanatic
  3. Changed conversation from those who don’t want to talk about Jesus

I’m okay with all three because it doesn’t change who I am, and it certainly doesn’t change who Jesus is! It also doesn’t change the truth; which is what everyone says they want, and yet they really don’t. In John 8 we find the story of the woman caught in adultery, and the religious sect that wanted to stone her. But when Jesus challenged them with the truth “…and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her,” (vs. 7) We find the world walking out. They knew the truth… we all sin!  We just don’t like to name it.  I always wondered if what Jesus “wrote with His finger on the ground” was their sins. Jesus knew them too. Conviction is a powerful tool of the Lord. That’s why when people hear the truth their reaction is much the same as the typical reactions to me. They love it, ignore it or change the conversation!

What I found interesting in John 8 this morning were verses, like so many others, that I have previously just skimmed over.

John 8:58-59

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Convicted by Jesus’ words the religious sect picked up stones to kill Him. But it wasn’t His time. So Jesus hid Himself. Literally vanished from their sight. But an invisible Jesus didn’t change the truth, whether or not they wanted to hear it they were still held captive.

In verse 32 Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” On the counter side of that, if you ignore the truth you’re willingly being held captive by a lie.

The Invisible Jesus. He’ll eventually stop revealing the truth to you, and salvation will be further and further away; just where you thought you wanted it. And Jesus will have “passed by.”  The two saddest words ever.

Failing to acknowledge Jesus may make Him invisible, but it doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist. And what you’ve allowed to pass by is what you know you’re looking for and why I love being a Jesus Chick:

  • Peace (regardless of circumstance)
  • Love (when nobody’s around to love on you)
  • Healing (even of a broken heart)
  • Answers (to every question)
  • Solutions (to every problem)
  • Insight (to the mysteries of God)
  • Oh the list is endless…

Do you see Him?   He’s precious… and so  worthy of following.

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Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration, Peace, Political

How To Deal With An Idiot

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on How To Deal With An Idiot

chick idiot

Do you ever have those days where you’d like to jerk a knot in someone? I know… that’s not very godly is it? But I’m being honest when I say that I’ve had multiple lately. I will confess that often times it’s entirely me, but other times there are people who I fully believe need a knot jerked in them. I’m not sure where that phrase came from, and although I’m pretty sure it’s just an idiom and you cannot literally jerk a knot in someone, it still leaves room for fantasy and makes me feel better when I imagine I’ve done it. Especially when I’m in the presence of an idiot. I know… I know… another ungodly word but the world is full of them! At least since the 14th century when that word came into existence. And I need wisdom today on how to deal with them, and me. And there in God’s word, at Biblegateway.com was the answer in the verse of the day! God didn’t even make me look for it, He laid it out in pure sight as if to say… “Yes Shari… you need some help.” Perhaps you do too!

James 3:17-18

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

How to deal with an Idiot:

  1. Remember first that in comparison to God, none of us are even close to intelligent! But the wisdom that is from above is first pure. However, the Creator of all the universe saw fit to infuse us with His wisdom through the Holy Spirit, therefore we have access to that pure wisdom from on high, but fail to access it. That is idiocy. We rather trust in our own though process which most usually ends in disaster or at least a lesser blessing than God intended.
  2. Seek Peace and speak Peace. Then peaceable, gentle… When I say idiot, I’m not referring to a person’s mental aptitude, I am more often than not speaking of a person’s moral attitude. In the political climate of today it seems that idiocy was a prerequisite for office and the nation just blindly follows along as if we have no say in the matter. Dear gussy…. I’m an idiot too! It’s frustrating, is it not? But God instructs us to live in peace with all men. Meekly… anger in control. Getting up on a soapbox with contention and hatred toward people won’t fix America. Getting down on your knees in prayer would be a good start. That would be seeking peace. Speaking peace would be to stand on the Word of God boldly, but meekly (gentle).
  3. And easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits. A sure fire way to stop a productive conversation is to assume those who disagree with our opinion have nothing good to say. Sometimes their adverse opinion is there because the Lord’s good Words came out of a foul Christian’s mouth.
  4. Pick Apples. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. If you sow peace with your words, you’ll reap peace in your soul. If we go to the Word of God, and eat of the fruit that God provides, and take the seeds that God plants in our souls and replant them in the world… how awesome will our harvest be!

It really is so very simple, that even the simple minded can understand it. Christ is the answer.

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