Ministry – Page 6 – The Jesus Chick

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

IT’S THE SEASON OF VBS!

Written by talk2shari Published June 20, 2015June 20, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

There is for certain a soldier within me, and if you strive to serve the Lord there is no doubt one within you too. Every day – day in and day out we’re on the battle field; however some days our weapons are crayons and glue. Those are serious tools in the ministry if you are a Sunday School Teacher. The subtle words that are uttered during a coloring session in the preschool class are the foundation for which ministry leaders are born. As we advance into early elementary we’re introduced to scissors and it is there that the Lord begins to cut a servant from the cloth of ministry. Markers are mayhem for middle-schoolers but as they create with newly discovered boldness it is also a time that they become vocally bold, for good or bad… they want to be heard. Crayons and markers are childish tools in the hands of Junior and Senior High, or so they think until you show them that they no longer have to stay within the lines but can cast their own vision on the paper and go places they’ve never been before.

These are my thoughts as we prepare to go into Vacation Bible School at Victory Baptist Church this week. I’ve once again been on the edge of exhaustion and was about to give way to it today until these words rallied my mind. Exhaustion is a dangerous thing. It allows Satan to bully his way into your mind and get your mind off God’s intended purpose, sucking the creative fun right out of your world like a giant vacuum. Thursday of this week I was to the point of going through the motions of ministry as we so often to do because it has to get done. But Friday came and I’d had a little rest under my belt and renewed my vision as the stage was set for VBS! Suddenly my adrenalin was moving again.

The puppets were stage center. Their little lifeless bodies, or in the case of Kodijack the Bear’s big body, were propped up into position for the children to see on Sunday morning and like a kid with my first box of markers I found myself ready to make stuff happen! This is a week that we rally the troops; people who generally don’t teach, do. And kids who generally don’t come, get to and it’s an opportunity to stir hearts for Jesus and hopefully by week’s end our people will come to life like those puppets do when someone takes control.

Bring on the Holy Spirit and let’s have church! Yes I have big expectations! The battle is raging when Satan sees the church getting excited for any reason, even crayons and markers.

1 Corinthians 1:27

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

The world sees no power in crafts and crayons. But put it in the hands of a child and not only is their soul touched for Christ, but quite possibly the adults in their life will see Christ through the eyes of that child and have a desire to know Him as Savior.

And the weak things might just be the VBS leaders who have come home from their day job tired and exhausted and have two hours of rowdy VBS children before them and they’re not sure it’s going to end well. But it does! Because in their weakness they are made strong in the eyes of a child who may not have ever known love until a VBS worker introduced them to the love of Jesus.

Yes I have big expectations because I serve a big God, and I want the VBS workers of Victory Baptist Church, (or your church) to know that crayons and markers may be washable but the blood of Jesus is eternal and so is the difference you will make in their lives. I hope you’ll pin 1 Corinthians 1:27 on your wall this week and that you’ll act like a fool for Christ!

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

God’s Means May Not Mean Money

Written by talk2shari Published June 16, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

I heard someone say, not long after I was saved, that we live far beneath our means. And it’s true. But I fear sometimes that prosperity gospel teachers and the flesh itself convinces believers that as children of God the world is our oyster and because of that we have a right to all we want. God’s means may not mean money. By definition the word means is resources, which could be financial or assets of an entirely different kind. It could mean that we survive by the skin of our teeth for a better day in glory where His world will be our oyster.

But until that day let’s take a reality check.

Romans 8:12-17

¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

“Brethern.” A reminder that they and we are no longer viewed by nation or blood but as children of God. Bought with a price and no longer ruled by the flesh but by the very Spirit of God, leaving us without excuse for falling to the flesh when it says “You deserve…” No, I deserve Hell. But because of the Almighty God engrafting me into His family as an adopted child of grace, I can live above my means. Because I now depend on His resources, not my own.

¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

People who live after the flesh are the walking dead. They are not living in the newness of Christ. It’s the same people that show up to church as 11:00 sharp and leave at 12:00 dull, having received nothing from the service because they had not yielded to the Spirit. They didn’t come at 10:00 sharp for Sunday School because they get “enough” God during the worship hour. Whew! If I stepped on your toe I’m not the least bit sorry. I love ya… but I’m not sorry.

¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Being led by the Spirit of God is tapping into those resources, those means that God grants to every believer for the asking. The resources that fill your heart with so much gladness you don’t have time to notice anything missing from your life.

¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

God didn’t take us to raise because He needed someone to take care of. He took us into His family because He had that much love. He created us… “the Uncreated Creator” as my Pastor says and filled us each with resources to be a blessing to Him. How awesome is it as a parent when your child returns to do something kind for you. It’s not that we need it… but it sure feels nice, doesn’t it? When is the last time that we’ve taken the gifts and talents that God has blessed us with and returned home… not in bondage because God controls us, but because He’s our Father and we love Him like that.

¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

If you’re a child of God, my words should have pricked your heart. It did my own.

¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Whether or not you have a dime to your name or a matched wardrobe of Loui Vuitton it matters not. Because everything here pales in comparison to what’s there. But everything here has a purpose. Are you using it?

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

Take Heed Church

Written by talk2shari Published June 9, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

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 Life Inspiration

His Wonderful Word!

Written by talk2shari Published May 30, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

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 Christian Service, Eternity, Life Inspiration, Praise

Will it be likewise done for us?

Written by talk2shari Published May 22, 2015April 6, 2021 Discussion Leave a Comment

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 15^th 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 Christian Service, Evangelism, Grace, Life Inspiration

Are they glad you’re gone… or did you leave them longing…

Written by talk2shari Published May 16, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Good night a mighty! I’ve seen so many Christians tear down the body of Christ with their words and actions that there’s nothing left but the knee caps! Praise God… at least they can still pray. This is where my mind was when I awoke this morning in frustration. Coffee did make it a little better, but didn’t make the thought go away. Just so you know up front… I’m a Christ lovin’, Church goin’, Hymn singin’, Bluegrass pickin’, Blood Bought child of God, Saved by Grace through Faith alone, and not one bit concerned about what denomination you are so long as you have those last two in your statement of who you are as well. I’m not here to argue, I’m here to edify and encourage the body of Christ. When you leave my presence I want to have added something to your life, not taken away.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

To edify is to educate, illuminate, inspire, and nurture. Nowhere in its definition, nor biblical intention does it tell you to make someone feel like a dirt dog because they don’t believe as you do. That attitude will only serve to drive them away, which may not be a bad idea…Am I on a soapbox today? Oh possibly. Will the person who needs to read this see this post… probably not? My point of this ramble this morning is to encourage you to share Christ’s love and encourage someone today with your presence.

God said He sent us into the world with those job descriptions with a three fold purpose:

1 – Perfecting the Saints

We’ll never be perfect in these fleshly forms, but we are perfect in Christ Who is perfect. To perfect the saints is to bring them out of being babes in Christ to adulthood, ready for service on their own. It’s where I feel most churches are failing miserably and that’s in discipling young Christians , training them how to serve God and being an encouragement in their lives. So when they meet a negative Nellie of the faith that tries to suck the life out of them by pointing out their faults and failures, they’ll be spiritually prepared.

2 – Work of the Ministry

It is a labor of love, but it most assuredly labor! Working in the ministry is a 24/7 job whether or not you are full time ministry or a Sunday go to meetin’ kind of Saint. Somewhere within that Ephesian 4 description is your job title; now it’s between you and God which one it is. But for certain it’s our job to tell someone about Jesus!!!!

3 – Edifying the Body of Christ

Back to my soapbox… who have you encouraged today? When you leave their presence are they longing for more… or glad you’re gone. I hope that I left you longing…

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Is Your Light Still Shining?

Written by talk2shari Published May 14, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

On my heart again this morning was the scripture from yesterday’s blog in Judges, Chapter 9; so off I went in pursuit of more information on that matter… which lead me to other places…people… things. All of which brought me back to Judges 9 and the pursuit of God’s will for our lives and leadership.

The character of Abimelech (which evoked Jotham to share the parable of the trees) is one of seventy sons belonging to Gideon. Yes… the same Gideon who we love to tell the story of from Judges 6-8 and his victory over the Midianites. But the story of what happens in Gideon’s life after the great victory is not one for the wall of fame… at the end of Gideon’s life the people tried to make him King (which he refused, because God alone is King) Thumbs up for Gideon. But he did allow the people to put up an idol for himself, which the Israelites worshiped. Committed fornication with the bible says, meaning they had an affair on God with Gideon’s image… Thumbs down!

How do we get so far?

Judges 8:23-27

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you. And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Gideon didn’t have those 70 children with one gal… which means he likely had many wives and concubines and his sites were not centered on God. So much so that by Judges 9, we find his son Abimelech conspiring with the people of Shechem to capture and kill his brothers so that Abimelech could become King. The failure of one generation in leadership can create deterioration of the next generation’s morals to the point of destruction. I believe we’re living in those days.

Gone are the days when children have the numerous godly role models that we were blessed to be brought up with; people who knew and took serious their station in life. And it’s a proven fact that if one generation accepts something as “the norm”, the next generation embraces it and also promotes it. But this can also be said of good role models as well; although it’s harder to overcome the negative effects of the world.

So this is where I see myself captivated by the tree parable. I have a station in life, given by God, to be a role model and an encouragement to women and children. If I leave that role… going after the world… those that I was intended to influence for good will now have the power of evil to influence them in my stead. Because where light is absent, darkness takes hold.

Where did God call you to be? Is your light still shining?

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Should I go, or should I stay… a leadership lesson from Jotham

Written by talk2shari Published May 12, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’ve all but stopped listening to the news… it merely leads to frustration. And my ever so up to date husband gives me regular updates on his frustrations. I really am not one to say that’s it’s my way or the highway on who’s elected to office. I fully believe that no one gets in without God’s stamp of approval. That being said, just because God let them into office doesn’t mean that He allowed it because He agreed. Sometimes we get what we ask for because God needs to prove a point. I think we’re living out the “point.”

I spoke over the weekend at a Women’s retreat in Lexington on women in leadership. A great study on Miriam and a joy to expound what God had spoken to my heart over the weeks of preparation for that event. One such quote that I used from an article on Bible.org was profound…

Miriam’s problem is one that I think is very easy for women to fall into, and it’s one we have to be alert to guard against. We must be content with the influential role that God has given us within the framework he has instituted. Do you hear that? That’s really important! When we make a play for power we can often lose influence.

So what happens when we put people into positions that they were never mean for? When I’ve been put into those positions it usually lead to disaster! As I read through Judges 9 this morning I found a follow up thought to my leadership study.

Judges 9:7-15

And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

The Olive Tree – Filled with the oil that would be used in the lamp of God, in the tabernacle, sacrifices and the anointing of the kings, priests and prophets. Why would the olive tree dessert such a useful station in life to be king of the trees. That is not the purpose for which God designed it. And why should a man or woman leave the station in life that God has designed for them, the one that brings great joy into their life, to serve elsewhere? I had to ask myself that this morning… my heart was quick to answer.

The Fig Tree – A bearer of sweet fruit that would nourish the souls of many that passed by. Why would the fig tree desire to be King and leave hungry souls in want? I know I just spoke to my heart… did I speak to yours? Have you wondered if you are in your intended place?

The Vine – Another emblem of a good and purposeful plant. The fruit of that vine cheered not only men but God! If it did not fulfil its intended design, God would be sad. I truly don’t want that laid to my charge.

I cannot control when men and women of power get put into those positions out of the will of God. I can only pray and vote with godly wisdom and discernment. And pray again…. And again… and again. We need God’s people back at the helm of this nation. But as for my role in life. I need to be what God designed me to be.

Shari… speaker…. Singer… lover of God… Sharer of the gospel.

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

5 Ways to Grow God’s Kingdom

Written by talk2shari Published April 28, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

1 – Pray Genuinely

Nehemiah 1:6

Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

If we’ll all be honest, none of us have lived as close to the cross as we should have. Nehemiah takes this petition to the Lord in all sincerity that he and his fellow church folk are about to take some drastic steps to get right with God in order to get the Nation of Israel back under the protection of God’s mighty hand. I believe that if the remnant of the church in America followed Nehemiah’s suit, we too would be back under God’s hand.

2 – Pray Reverently

Nehemiah 1:11

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

Nehemiah desired to fear God’s name. I believe that the church is no longer afraid of God. We’ve forgotten His power, and in so doing we no longer prosper. I can only speak for myself but I know that if I truly feared God as I should I’d serve Him better. I do not speak of fear in the sense of hiding under the bed, rather I speak of the reverence of His awesome power. He spoke the world into existence, His breath is life (and death). At His command our enemies can only go so far and yet we take the least amount of time possible to commune with Him in the course of a day. We do not fear Him. We fear His wrath when things go wrong, but when things are right we just “assume” He’s got us and move on.

3 – Prepare for Action

Nehemiah 2:5

And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.

The problem with reading or writing a blog such as this is once its written there’s an unseen “The End” as we complete the reading. We’ll say “Ain’t that the truth!” and then we’ll pour ourselves a cup of coffee, and go about our day unchanged. When Nehemiah got a burden to see his city restored, he prayed about it, and then come what may, he sat into action the plan to make it happen! By even going into the presence of the king with a sad countenance he risked death, but that didn’t deter him from following through. What risk are you and I willing to take to rebuild our church? And will we follow through?

4 – Prepare for Adversity

Nehemiah 2:19-20

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

Stepping out in faith will get you laughed at and despised; either because they’re against what you believe or they don’t have the gumption to step out and do it themselves. And the bigger the task you have before you the bigger the enemy.

5 – Put Your Differences Aside

I won’t list a scripture reference for this point because it would take the entire third chapter. It’s the “And next unto him’s” that got my attention. Israel came together, different tribes, different families and began rebuilding the wall. My greatest frustration right now with the Church of God, and that’s the Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc. say they serve the same God, but you’d never know by the way we serve. Christ did not die for Baptist alone… and yet there are some Baptist that secretly believe that, and every other denomination. In these end times that we most likely all agree we’re in, when the world is running out of time before Jesus returns, we should be laboring to get souls into Heaven, not pointing out what another church is doing differently (therefore in error) to a non-believer. How on earth will they get saved?

Tell them about Jesus. Build the wall around your community and get as many people into the Kingdom of Heaven as you can. If they go to another church, give God the glory that you’ll see them in Heaven when we all belong to one church.

This is why the church is not prospering, we’re too busy disagreeing.

One wall was built around Jerusalem. Lots of gates, lots of different jobs to do, but only one wall. We have only means of protection for our friends and family and that’s Jesus Christ. Preach Jesus… get your people behind the wall and let’s serve together until Glory!

Put your coffee in a thermos to go, we have some work to do!

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Grasshopper Christianity and the Giant Slayers

Written by talk2shari Published April 18, 2015April 18, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

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.