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

Which Chair?

The First Chair Experience

The summer of my junior year was musically transformational. I had “half-heartedly” played trombone for 4 years. I really just liked being a part of the band. But that summer as I was going into band camp (real band camp) I was determined to improve. So I practiced all summer on my own and showed up for the first day of pre-camp with Director Jack Downs. This was a time of personal instruction if you desired, but was not mandatory. As I began playing the music, I remember the look of “pleasant surprise” on Jack’s face. He took my 2nd chair music, and replaced it with 1st chair. For those of you who are not band geeks,  1st-3rd denoted your level of ability. 1st was the more difficult piece. Within minutes I had proven my worthiness to receive the better placement. Jack was happy, and I was jumping up and down on the inside at my labored for accomplishment. I was no longer a half-hearted slacker but I was part of the 1st chair seating. Glory to God! I remember that day like it was yesterday, when in reality it was 43 years ago. 😳

1st CHAIR HAS IT’S PERKS!

I listened to an Apostolic preacher this morning preach a sermon on first, second and third chair people. That’s what brought back those fond memories of one of my greatest of high school experiences. 

Joshua. Truly one of the finest of all band leaders. His band blew down the walls of Jericho and defeated an army. Take that football teams of America! Who’s the hero in that story? Just kidding. The hero was God.  But there’s a lesson in those trumpeters. They got to experience that event with Joshua because he had proven his commitment to the home team when he and Caleb refused to be discouraged by the size of the enemy in the land of Canaanites, but rather believed that their God, He who they had first hand witnessed His deliverance, could win the battle against the giants that made the other ten spies feel like grasshoppers. And because of their faith and commitment, God allowed only them of the original wilderness wanderers to enter the Promise Land. 

Yes! 1st chair has its perks! 

Then there are the the second chair folks. They’re still apart of the band, but they’re playing a lesser role. They are not droppin’ walls. They’re cheering the trumpeters on to victory and doing their part to back them up. They’re important, but personally they are far from living their best life. They are far from committed. They’re simply participants. 

2nd CHAIR HAS IT’S PARTICIPANTS

As the years of the nation of Israel went by, the children of God had extreme highs and lows. What was once a burning bush experience with Moses as the leader who brought the Ten Commandments from God off the mountain, became a religion of 613 laws. Laws that no one could keep, setting the people of God up for failure, and causing their relationship with the Lord to become one of participation, much like what we see in the world today. People going through the motions of church, but failing to have a real relationship with the Lord as He intends. 

What was the difference between Joshua and Caleb, and the next generations? The more they became involved with religion and the less they became involved with God in a first hand relationship, they began distancing themselves from the experiences of the past. They were stories they told rather than times they experienced. They carried the banner saying they were God’s children, but nobody was blowin’ a horn and knockin’ down walls. 

How true of todays church. While we will not likely witness an experience like that of the walls of Jericho, each of us in our lives could be experiencing a first hand relationship with God that would cause God to have that same pleasant look that Director Jack had. Jack loved that I had committed myself to the music and he rewarded me with a new position. God would like to do the same for His people today. But they’re content playing 2nd chair. Let someone else teach, preach, sing, testify, serve, etc. I’ll show up for church, and put my dollar in the plate and that will be enough. When I’m out side the church, I’ll say I’m a Christian, but I’ll not offend anyone by asking them if they are or telling them what it means to me. And that will be enough. Hello? It’s not enough. And it is so far short of what God wants for you. 

3rd CHAIR HAS IT’S PART

Somewhere down the line someone coined the phrase “there are no small parts in a play, just small actors.” Meaning that every part is important. And it’s true. But in the roles of God’s children there is neither a small part or small person, and if one is content in standing in the shadow of the church and never growing in the grace of God, they’ll live a defeated, discontent life, and the generations to come will be as those generations of Judges 2:10 that says, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

The children of Israel went from experiencing God to not even knowing Him. 

So which chair are you in today? I pray you are blowing that trumpet loud and strong and expecting a wall to fall for the cause of Christ.  But if you are in chair two or three, I beg of you to examine your relationship with the Lord, and get int practice so that you’ll be called out to do more and to glorify the Lord more in these days of trial when people need to see God working in our lives.

Posted in Christian Service, Faith, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Who are you Joshua to?

Deuteronomy 34:9

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Oh to be “filled” with wisdom! It most certainly is possible, I guess. But for me there is always too much other junk that wisdom has to work it’s way around. Wisdom has to fight for it’s place in my world. This should not be, but I’ve left so many other pieces of junk in it’s path. Of course I speak metaphorically, but… you have no idea how very real that concept is. 

Even my dream world is filled with garbage and chaos. It may or may not be medicine related that I’m having crazy dreams again. And while I do not believe I have the gift of dream interpretation, I don’t think it’s happenstance that my dream last night was filled with clutter. And that Miss Betty and Louis’ sister Kay had to come and straighten me out. But then again, if anyone was going to straighten you out, and make your world pretty, it would be my previous choir director Miss Betty.

So what does that have to do with wisdom?

Wisdom creates great leaders. Joshua followed the greatest leader of all time. What shoes to fill! And yet he did. But it didn’t just happen, it was intentional. The Lord had a plan to redeem His people, and that plan was to use people to create models of the final plan, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Joshua was a type of Christ, as well as Adam. But before I get ahead of myself, let’s talk about leadership and the wisdom needed.

My husband and I spoke this morning about the need of every organization having good leadership. Else 90% of staff will just do what comes natural. Nothing. Were it not for the leadership of Moses and Joshua the children of Israel would have still been in the dessert wandering around, and the giants of the promised land would have thumped their gourds. That of course is the Bible according to Shari. But I know this because I know me. If it were not for the leadership of Christ, and His encouragement in my heart I would just sit around all day and draw and pick guitar. Perhaps play the fiddle or any other fun thing that came to my mind. The clutter would consume my life and I would get overwhelmed and sit in my self made wilderness. But there is wisdom in me that scripture foretells in the book of Isaiah

Isaiah 11:2

And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord ;

This scripture speaks of Christ and the wisdom that was upon Him, qualifying Him to the office of King! And glory to God, it is the same wisdom at our disposal through the Spirit that now resides within the heart of a child of God. Christ was filled with the Spirit of wisdom from the womb, the Spirit of God came down from Heaven and rested upon Him at His baptism. He Who was anointed to be Prophet, Priest and King and He would loves us so much that He’s willing to share that wisdom with us. Does that not put a shout on you! I love examples like this in scripture that can give me an image in my mind of what God wants me to know.

I’m still in the picture book stage of faith. Don’t judge me. 😀

So why I “think” I had the dream last night…

My life is cluttered with stuff. It’s good stuff, but most days it’s a jumbled mess of what I create it to be. If you went to my office right now there are stacks of “stuff.” Payroll. Billing. New Accounts. Marketing ideas. Stuff to do… stuff that should have been done two days ago. It’s clutter!  But it has to be that way until i can get in there and get it sorted out. The same is true spiritually with me.

I praise God for the Spirit that dwells with in me and is directing me not only in my spiritual life but my work life too. Holding me accountable for what I do. Moses held Joshua accountable as he taught him how to lead and if we allow the Lord, He will will guide us through every facet of life. We are leaders in our own domain and there are people watching to see if we take our jobs seriously. 

As I wrote this today I felt the tension leave my body. At least for the moment. It was the wisdom of God that I received through this word this morning, reminding me that I am not alone. His hand is upon me guiding me day to day. But I have to listen! I have to take this time in His word to reign myself in. I think that’s why God sent Miss Betty to my dreams last night. Betty is a woman I look up to for leadership. She trained our Miss Susan who is a great leader in her own right. 

God gives us Moses’ and Joshua’s to follow so that when we are the leaders we’ll know what to do. 

Who are you Joshua to? There are people looking to you for leadership. Teach them well by example. 

God bless ya!!! Hope this thought encouraged you today. ~ Shari

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Life Inspiration, Purpose, testimony

When Heaven Answers






Have you ever just wanted the day to stop? For the clock to stop winding down and allow things to get caught up and back in order. Life has a way of getting out of control, creating anxiety and feelings of unfinished business. Many of my mornings start out that way before I get out of bed! Mornings are my most productive time. This morning I prayed… “God, please bless my brain.” Lord have mercy, I needed Him to speak to my Spirit and give me words not just for the blog, but I needed a message for myself. I needed the sun to stop before it even finished rising. I wanted to feel God’s power working in my life and as always, He moved and I felt it. I believe that God was faithful to provide a message for us both from the book of Joshua.

Joshua 10:12-13

12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

There was no day like it before, or will we see it in our time again, for it was written, this was one time deal that God took orders from a man.

A little back story is that an ally of Joshua’s was attacked by five other kings for being friends of Israel. By request Joshua and his army came to their aid and God promised victory, even killing more people by casting “great stones from heaven” upon the enemy than Israel killed with the sword. But as the day was finishing up, Joshua didn’t consider the job done. So, in front the witness of Israel, Joshua orders the sun and moon to stop… and it did.

Glory to God! I’ll bet that was a “mic drop moment” in Israel’s history.

I don’t believe God will be doing a repeat of that miracle today, but He is still in the miracle business.

A dear friend of mine who has long since gone to Heaven gave me a method of rest that has never failed me. I don’t abuse the privilege, but on nights when I need my rest, and the time has gotten away from me causing me to head to bed much later than I would have liked, I pray this prayer. “Lord, please give me a double portion of sleep.” I’m essentially asking for God to pack 8 hours into 4, or 10 into 5, whatever the case may be. And He does. Because that’s the God I serve. So Joshua’s request doesn’t take me by surprise or allow one doubt to enter my head that’s its true. It’s also backed up by scientific research!

On October 30th, 2017 Cambridge researchers announced that they had pinpointed the date of the biblical account of Joshua stopping the sun — which they claim is the day of the oldest eclipse ever recorded — to October 30, 1207 BCE, 3,224 years ago.

I didn’t need for Cambridge researchers to tell me it was true. God said it, therefore it was. But it’s nice to know they agree.

The story of Joshua gives me two points of pondering today:

  1. God heard Joshua and so did Israel.
  2. God helped Joshua and so did Israel.

In ear shot of Israel, Joshua stepped out on a limb and orders the sun and moon to stop, which can only be done by He who created them. I’m not that bold. But I can step out in faith in the things the Lord allows and so can you. But we first have to slow down and listen, which is why it’s so very important on Satan’s agenda to make my day and yours get crazy. I don’t need the Lord to stop the sun and moon… I need the Lord to stop me.

I need to listen to what the Lord has to say to me and speak that truth to others in the family of God. So that when it comes to fruition, God will be glorified!

I also need to enlist my brothers and sisters in Christ to become a part of the bigger picture that God allows to work in me so they too can experience the power of God at work in their lives as well.

Those days on the battlefield must have ended in the biggest celebration ever, or perhaps they ended it with a nap being that they had been up for 24 hours. But none the less it ended well and gloriously because Israel showed up and God showed out in a major way.

Today… I showed up at the key board. It wasn’t a battlefield, but it felt like one. I needed direction and God provided it for me. I pray that this scripture and these words encouraged you to understand that God has the victory already done, and whatever else needs accomplished, He’ll do that too. Slow down and listen, enlist your friends and let’s get some serious work done for the Kingdom’s glory!

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

The Harlot’s White Christmas

Although Irving Berlin penned the 1942 song “White Christmas” two decades before I was born, it’s still alive and well and topping the charts of Christmas albums across the world 75 years later. That’s an amazing run! Not as amazing as Amazing Grace, but none the less, who wouldn’t want that kind of history for their music? I still prefer those crooning sounds of singers like Bing Crosby that draw you so far into their song you can almost catch a drifting snowflake on your tongue. But as I painted my Silkie Chicken version of “White Christmas” yesterday while feeling in the holiday spirit of 2017, it drew me back to the white Christmas of 1400 B.C.

What? How was there Christmas, before Christ was born? There was actually Christmas in the book of Genesis and throughout the Old and New Testaments, but this morning my Christmas story came from the book of Joshua, with the key character being a Harlot named Rahab. Needless to say, this ain’t your 1940’s Bing Crosby version of the story.

We find this version in Joshua (Chapter 2), when Joshua sent out two men to go and spy on the land of Jericho. The two men went into a harlot’s house named Rahab to lodge because it was a “hotel” of the day, and likely because it probably wasn’t uncommon for many men to travel in and out of that house unsuspected, but Rahab knew who they were and that God’s hand was upon the children of Israel. Rahab wasn’t a brainless woman of ill repute, she was a woman quite aware of the political and biblical events of the day. Harlotry may have been her business, but her family was the affair she was most concerned about.

Hidden by the Harlot

Joshua 2:1-6 ~ And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.  And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

It wasn’t just happenstance that the two spies ended up in the home of a harlot. God’s decides from a vantage point higher than ours, who it is that gets a role in the Christmas program. We want the ones of good reputation, the pretty people. God instead chooses a harlot by the name of Rahab because He knew her heart was ready for rehab.

Hallowed by the Harlot

Verses 7-11 ~ And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;  And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

Rahab reverenced God and His people. She acknowledge that there was power in the God they served and that she and her people had a healthy fear of Him.

It’s unfortunate today that there are many people who don’t fear our God because His people aren’t allowing anyone to see their deliverance. Rahab had seen how God had delivered His people. She’d heard the talk around the neighborhood about the great things God had done and it scared her to death! She knew that her people had nothing that could win against a God so mighty. When is the last time you heard people sharing about the deliverance of God with the community, even though we in the church know it happens. We’ve seen God tear down walls in families and restore relationships, we’ve seen Him wipe out disease and heal our sick, and we’ve seen Him fight and win battles where it would appear all was lost, but God brought the victory. But nobody’s talking about that…

Rahab reverenced God and His people because they were the topic of conversation everywhere!

Heaven Hears the Harlot

Vs. 12-18 ~  Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.  And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.

God knew the heart of Rahab before the story ever started. He knew that she was ready to leave the lifestyle she was in and be converted.

So what does all that have to do with a White Christmas?

The red cord that hung from the window of the harlot’s house, that crimson colored rope, signaled her redemption. She and her family would be saved so long as they stayed within the walls covered by the red cord. Another symbolic red covering was that of the children of Israel when the blood over the door signaled the death angel to pass and their family spared the loss of the first born. All of which lead to the final application of the red, covering the sins of the harlot hearts of the world when Christ’s blood was shed on Calvary. That baby we celebrate this Christmas that washed us all as white as snow.

Rahab and all those close to her were saved because of the red cord, and I’m hanging onto that hope that I and all those close to me will be saved when that final day of judgement comes. But like Rahab, I have to be vigilant about opportunities to be used by God.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Faith, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

Fight On Weary Soldier

johsua-3

A quick leadership thought, as I read through Joshua, gave me strength for the day that I thought I’d share. It’s amazing the difference a few days makes in outlook. I attribute it first to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, and the vitamins I take… Don’t scoff… they do make a difference in my clarity of thought. But that’s not why I am here. I’m here to share this thought on leadership.

I love the story of Joshua! Such a mighty leader and one to look to for an example. The scripture that first caught my attention was Joshua 11:5 which said he left nothing undone. I can assure you that last week leaving things undone crossed my mind. I felt like a failure and my multi-tasking ways were crashing in around me. There’s much to do and leaving it undone, would be letting the Lord down. And as it says in Joshua 11:8, Joshua made war a long time. Why did I think that my success would be sooner than later? If Joshua, mighty man of valor and chosen of God fought long and hard for his success; I should expect no less. And it’s really not that I expect less, but I have fear and trepidation that I’m going to mess this thing up that the Lord has called me to do. And then I read And the Lord said unto Joshua, be not afraid because of them. And I realize that Joshua’s them may have not been the same of mine but God controls them all!

Those who are “them” may be people in my world, or self. I’m easily my worst critic and enemy. And so today I draw strength from God’s man Joshua and the Word that God left for such a time as we are in. Nobody said to me every day would be easy in the ministry. They told me it would be tough… I just prefer easy and thought God might make an exception. He did not. God like’s fighters. Those who feel the cause is worthy…

Fight on weary soldier! God’s got wonders to show us today.

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Grasshopper Christianity and the Giant Slayers

chick hopper

Numbers 13:20

 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.

I could not help but think back to the nursery rhyme, “Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean, and so between the two of them, they picked the platter clean.”

Moses in this verse is directing the twelve spies as they prepare to go spy out the new land that the Lord has given them to possess. Moses was Israel’s greatest cheerleader; he believed in them, but more importantly He believed that their God would do as He said. But as human nature would have it, two spies returned in jubilation and ten spies in defeat. The battle had not even begun and they had receded. I’ll give you two guesses on who had the greater influence over the entire congregation and the first guess won’t count. And so that pattern continues in the church today. Of a congregation of one hundred, you likely have twenty giant slayers and ten of those are waiting for someone to bring out the sword. And then you have that eighty, the eighty that drive me crazy! You have your fearless leader and Pastor standing before the congregation, cheering them on to win souls for Christ, and you have the ten or so behind him shouting glory to God, we’ve got this! And crickets and grasshopper in the pew saying the battle is over, let’s just wait till Jesus comes back and He can sort this mess out.

Why did they not listen to Moses’ words, and why do we still not?

Whether it be fat or lean…

Pick the platter clean boy and girls! They’re out there. The fruit of the land is there even in the most barren of circumstances. Right now it looks as if the world is filled with giants against Christianity. The Muslim faith is growing leaps and bounds, the agnostics and atheists are consuming our government, and a thousand little do nothing religions are popping up in every town because everybody knows you need something to believe in. If Joshua and Caleb were here they’d look across America and say “Look at that fruit!” All of these souls searching for something and we have the answer.

But the grasshoppers in the pew look at the other religions and say they’re too many, they’re too powerful. And Moses would ask, “Did God not create them all and can He not destroy or save them all? Be of good courage.”

Satan does not care about grasshopper Christianity. The pew sitting people of God who show up at 11:00 sharp and leave at 12:00 dull. He will let them set in their pew and rot. But the ones who come to church to sharpen their sword… Satan is all over them. That’s why you need courage, because you’re in the frontline of the battle and you’ll have giants in front of you every day. But the same God Who created it all, is the same God Who can remove them from your path, or give you the strength to knock them over.

Fight on child of God, and the leave the grasshoppers to God. This message was written for me… chief grasshopper watcher.

Posted in Grace, Life Inspiration

But Now… an awkward alliance turns awesome!

broken chick

Joshua 9

12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:

These were the words spoken to Joshua and the children of Israel by the Gibeonites in order to deceive them into believing they were from a far country; yet instead they were neighbors to Israel for whom God had instructed Israel to make no treaty with. Joshua knew enough to talk to God before he went into battle, but what’s the harm in a peace treaty? God loves us to be buddies, right? Ummm… not always. It wasn’t long before Joshua had figured out that he’d been duped, but they had already sworn peace in the name of the Lord, and that’s serious business. So instead of killing the Gibeonites, the Gibeonites became Israel’s servants.

All sounds innocent enough, but Israel had still sinned in that they had failed to seek counsel of God. God may continue to use you, He may continue to bless you, but not to the degree that He would have if obedience had been factored in. But it’s the rest of the story that I love about the Israelites and the Gibeonites. They were not supposed to be mingled in with the children of God, and deceitfully got there. But God’s got a plan and as human as we are we can’t mess it up. God used the humility of Gibeon as a life lesson. They were humbly willing to be servants to the house of God if their life was spared and because of their willingness to serve Him He continued to use them.

After Joshua 9

  • The Gibeonites became servants at the tabernacle, just as Joshua had commanded.
  • Gibeon becomes a priestly city; the Ark of the Covenant stayed at Gibeon often in the days of David and Solomon (1 Chronicles 16:39-40 and 21:29).
  • At least one of David’s mighty men was a Gibeonite (1 Chronicles 12:4).
  • God spoke to Solomon at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4).
  • Gibeonites were among those who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:7 and 7:25)

Isn’t it great what God can do with us when we come to Him in humility and love, willing to be used where ever it is that He sees fit. As Gentiles we were not God’s chosen people, but in His great mercy He allows us to be a part of the family of God, grafted in, adopted in as one of His own. It was an awkward alliance that Joshua made, but because of it Gibeon was saved. Stop kicking yourself because of your past mistakes and rather see if God can turn awkward into awesome!

Posted in Life Inspiration, Political, Uncategorized

Where Would You Land This Thanksgiving?

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth, oil on canvas by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe (1914). public domain
The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth, oil on canvas by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe (1914). public domain

Pretty much on a daily basis, at some point, I throw my hands in the air and ask God why my country is governed by idiots? And then I remember that they were elected, and we are the idiots. I’m still at a complete loss of understanding why anyone thinks we’re going in the right direction. Liberal or not, Democrat, Republican, Independent, Mountain or Valley Party (Yes I know there’s not a Valley Party, but there should be, because who better to argue with the Mountain than a Valley) And we know that politics is all about argument not solution. My way or highway. Truth?

And so it was that our nation began on the same principal.

pilgrims

A brief study of the original settlers, and I mean brief, because my attention span is not long enough to study history at length, proves that we’re no better or worse than the day we landed. The Jamestown Settlers and those of Plymouth Rock pre-defined the nation. There were those who sought the world and those that sought God and today we have the same dilemma.

Joshua told Israel in Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

The flesh side of me would like to make this a political rant this morning, but the condition of America doesn’t fall in Washington’s bailiwick. It is we who are accountable for not telling them Who it is we serve. Instead we’ve allowed them to dictate to us that we are in service to them; even though we all know from historical truths that that was never the way government was intended to work.

My study of the contrast of original settlers spurred me on to hang on ever so tight to my Lord and the foundational truths of the Bible. If I am to survive this world on the winning side I must

  • Seek God not wealth, He’ll provide your needs
  • Keep my family together, God gave them to you and you’ll answer to Him for your stand
  • Remember that God gives the increase, He can also cause a decrease
  • Godly cooperation and collaboration is key to the church’s success. There is no I in team.
  • Troubles will come, Stay together regardless
  • Don’t play church, It is not a social club or political party, it’s a relationship with Christ and your ticket to the New World!
  • God’s plan is providential, He opens and closes all doors of potential
  • In all things, thank God, not vessels

As we embark on this Thanksgiving week, whose side are you on? That’s not a political question, it’s a faith question. Are you thankful for the ship or the Savior? Living in America is great but we’ve lived in the land of the free for so long and free will has gotten us into a heap of trouble. We need to spend a little time remembering the foundational truths that allowed the Pilgrims to survive and will help us live successfully in the world today

Posted in Christian Service, Grace, Life Inspiration

A Thread of Hope

thread of hope

Joshua 2:18

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

Threads of Hope…

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

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

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

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

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

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

Posted in Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

An Anti-Memorial Day for your Enemy!

I’m generally not a whiner. Really I’m not. At least not out loud. In my head I’m a radical whiner, God knows. And over the past week or so, I’ve been on the verge of whining on multiple occasions; a lack of rest, coupled with concern and stress over the new early arrival of grandbaby Parker and multiple job and ministry related things on my plate have left me somewhat discombobulated spiritually. In a weakened condition as they say. A prime time for Satan to attack. Little things that I would normally fluff off suddenly aggravated me. It wasn’t until this weekend when I came into church with such an attitude of frustration over a Facebook post for crying out loud, that I realized I needed to check that attitude at the door and see what the Lord had in store for me. Woah! Was I ever glad.

Our services on Sunday were beyond. The songs, and testimonies were just what the doctor ordered to fix me up. An opportunity to lift a brother up who’s facing major surgery next week brought back to remembrance that life is fragile, and we need one another. We need an army of God’s soldiers around us to guard our back when the enemy is on attack.

Then came Amalek… Exodus 17:8a

Amalek is the nation that attacked the weakest among the Israelites as they fled from Egypt, when Israel was in a weakened condition; and God didn’t forget, He performed somewhat of an anti-memorial. When, through the power of God, Joshua in verse 13, discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword, God told Moses that he needed to write them down in a book, because otherwise nobody would know who they were.

Exodus 17:14

And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

That’s my God! He makes a note of the enemies of His people. I don’t believe it’s changed. It is believed that the book that Moses referred to was the Book of Wars written of in Numbers 21:14 ~ Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

So the attacks that I’ve felt over the past few weeks didn’t catch God off guard. I believe He’ll use it for His glory when He allows me to minister to another child of God in the future, going through a similar battle that I just went through. And then I can say, “I understand,” and I will because I fought that battle and won! And I may not have seen what God did to the enemy, perhaps nothing as of yet. But there will come a day when God takes care of it. He may still be writing in the book of wars when He tells the scribe, “Make a note of that battle Shari fought today, because there’s coming a day when that enemy of hers, won’t be around to remember.

Glory!!!! I just wrote myself happy.

How about you this Memorial Day; is there an enemy you’d like to forget? It’s coming.