Moses – The Jesus Chick

Posted in Christian, Faith, Leadership

The Success of Silence

Written by talk2shari Published August 20, 2024August 20, 2024 Discussion Leave a Comment

Jesus calls us to His rest, and meekness is His method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort.
~A. W. Tozer

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Meekness

Numbers 12:3 KJV
(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Moses was likely the second greatest leader since the beginning of time, and God said of him that he was “very meek.” The world views meekness as a weak character trait. They want someone who is loud and confident, and it’s not to say that a bold person isn’t a great leader. But the point of the matter is, God does not view leadership in the same manner as man. We often view it from the flesh. God knows the heart, inner strength and depth of wisdom that goes far deeper than knowledge and confidence. Moses had a stuttering issue that convinced him that he wouldn’t be the best leader, but God proved to him that if He listened to God’s guidance he would be successful. Isn’t that a novel concept? Moses was not only the greatest leader on earth he was the meekest man on earth. I find that fascinating. I personally do not know very many meek leaders. I know a few… my Pastor for one. Moses led millions of people for four decades. They weren’t just blindly following him. They rebelled several times. But he never lost control. Isn’t that amazing? What about this meek man made people listen to him?

Don’t Undervalue the Meek

Psalm 22:26 KJV
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

Psalm 22 bears the prophetic words from Jesus on the cross. Psalm 22:1 KJV “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

The greatest leader of all time is of course Jesus. He who wrote the words of meekness and tells us the value of meekness. My Dad was a meek man. I never, not once, heard him raise his voice. He meekly lived his life, reading the word of God, teaching the word of God and didn’t argue; but rather knew what he believed, and allowed others to believe what they wanted to. I try to live that way, but I have a tendency to want to convince others that believe something else to change their viewpoint to mine. I don’t do it demanding, that is not my personality. But if you back me into a corner on what I believe, I can be loud. I don’t believe that Jesus, even being half man, would have succumbed to shouting if He was backed into any corner. When they threatened to throw Him over a cliff, He simply walked away. Oh to have such inner strength! I want to run my mouth, I always think that will make me feel better. It doesn’t. But it does let some pressure off the pop off valve inside me once in a while.

If meekness was also the character of God, should that not be our goal? Of course it should. And if we would ever reach that goal, two blessings would come from it…satisfaction and praise. Two valuable assets in life. To be in a state of being satisfied with where we are and so happy we’re praising the Lord! Yes, let it be so.

Don’t Mis-Understand Meekness

Psalm 25:9 KJV
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

A meek leader may not force their viewpoint upon you, they may allow you to continue in the way you were going until you fall flat on your face, but don’t view that as an error on their part. That’s what happens so often in this world of blame where anything that happens is “not our fault.” The left and the right have been playing the blame game rather than just stating what they’re for. A meek person stands for what they believe in. You will seldom, if ever hear a meek person putting the blame on another person for the struggles in life. They understand that things happen. They understand that this world is terribly broken. They understand that they’re not perfect and when they stand before Jesus, they alone will answer for their errors. Meek people don’t waste words, especially on those who won’t accept their advice.

The Holy Spirit is also meek. After all it is the third part of the Trinity. It’s not yelling at you when it says, “Don’t do that.” “Don’t say that.” “Don’t go there.” And then you do. And maybe you don’t but it’s like I almost feel the Holy Spirit roll His eyes inside of me. He doesn’t yell at that point either. He simply forgives me and together we move on. But I understand that it was me who messed up. I didn’t listen to His guidance. If I had just been meeker and went the direction I was being told, my life would have been better.

Today, as I begin Tuesday, August 20th, 2024… this very noisy person is a little quieter in my soul. I pray I continue that way… I understand that meekness doesn’t always make noise.

Posted in Christian, Faith, Peace, Prayer

In Search of Good News

Written by talk2shari Published March 18, 2022March 18, 2022 Discussion Leave a Comment

Yesterday I had had about as much bad news as I could stomach. On the national scene and on the local scene it just wasn’t good. Russian war crimes and more Ukrainian victims is off the scale of my comprehensive thinking. Locally citizens were choosing to tear each other down rather than just agreeing to disagree about a matter; or Heaven forbid, consider that there might be other solutions than their own. I was trying to cover news objectively and unbiased, but I’m human and I really just wanted to tell a few people what I thought of their behavior. But I did not. I chose to suffer anxiety until I fell asleep. That made everything so much better.

But this morning is a new day. For everyone of us! We have a choice whether or not to focus on the negative or the positive and to choose God’s side regardless of the arguments below.

My question for myself this morning was, if I had ask yesterday, what God thought of each issue that was causing a knot in my stomach, what would He have said? Let’s take the biggest issue right now int he world, the war against Ukraine. What does God want me to do about that war? Is there anyway that I can help those people.

Oh yes, there is a way. My mind went to three men on a hill in Rephedim…

Exodus 17:10-16 KJV
[10] So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. [11] And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. [12] But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. [13] And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. [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. [15] And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: [16] For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Three men on a hill, not in the battle, just observing from afar. Moses lifted his hands and there was victory, but if his hands went down there was defeat. So the two that were with him, his brother Aaron and friend Hur, stayed up his arms and helped a brother out. Can we not do the same for Ukraine today? Can we not lift them up in prayer and cause the battle to sway on Ukraine’s behalf? It is not for me to say if God will do that, but how will we know if we dare not ask. And would we not want someone somewhere praying for us in like manner if this attack had happened on American soil? Prayer doesn’t seem like much until it’s all you’ve got.

Three men on a hill saved thousands of lives. Think about that! Do you have two friends you can gather with today and pray? Or just you, God won’t mind in the least if it’s a private conversation. But we have got to lift people in prayer if we want to make a difference from where we are.

How to pray for Ukraine: From “Send International”.

Ask God to redeem this situation by drawing many people to Himself. May Ukrainians discover that Jesus is the only true source of peace, safety, comfort, truth and freedom
For the opening of corridors both for evacuation and humanitarian aid around cities under attack in Ukraine. Many people in these cities are without heat and electricity.
For many churches that opened their doors to neighbors offering food and shelter.
For protection of many kids and parents who will spend another night in bomb shelters, metro stations or on the roads to safer places and all brave volunteers risking their lives to evacuate people.
For logistics of getting funds and humanitarian aid to churches and refugee camps so they continue to have food, medicine and other supplies.
For protection of lives but also church buildings that were built so sacrificially for years. May these churches be a beacon of light for those who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
For many pastors leading their flocks at this critical time of decision and risk. They carry a heavy burden.
For many believing men who will have to bear arms against a professional army as the war continues. There is no other alternative for them, that we know about. Pray also for the many women who are fighting as well.
For the Lord to cause the opposing army to lose the will to fight, be afraid, be confused, or use other methods to stop the war.
For many volunteers who are setting up camps for refugees, so that they will have necessary funds, places for accommodation, and physical strength to serve.
For many believers to stay strong, continue trusting the Lord and not to give in to panic, fear and desperation.

Now, What about the day to day stresses in our own lives. First, think about the Ukrainian prayer list. That alone should put most of our lives into a different prayer category. Few, if any, who read this post are facing that kind of prayer need. But that’s not to say our needs aren’t important. They are and God cares about each and every one of them.

But today, I’m going to choose to focus on three men on a mountain. There’s a bluegrass song by that title with the the lyrics, “Three men on a mountain, up on Calvary, the one in the middle was Jesus, He died for you and me.” His arms were outstretched too, but not like Moses.’ His were stretched out in sacrifice. Today I can pray for Ukraine and know that my prayer is heard for the land far away. But because of Jesus’ sacrifice and my belief in it, He’s in me, comforting my heart and taking care of the battles that I am facing on American soil as well. There was a child in our community diagnosed with cancer this week… that’s a real life battle. That’s life in perspective. There were some seriously hurt feelings yesterday, God heard it. And He’ll handle it. In His time and in His way.

Today there is good news. God is on the throne. He sees everything happening every where and I feel so much better knowing that He understands my every fear and heartache and that He too has experienced it all. My Pastor said in a sermon last week that “Christ had to experience death, so that He could take it away from Satan who thought he had the power over it! Glory to God isn’t that an amazing thought. Satan will continue to wreak havoc for a while, but his day is coming. And until then, we have hope and security in knowing that we do not have to rely on anyone else to lift up their arms in battle. We have the right through the blood of Jesus to go before the throne ourselves and say “Lord, I need you! Please help.”

I don’t know about you, but this word wrote me happy! Three men on a mountain… yes I was as unworthy as the thieves hanging with Jesus, but He has prepared a place for me, just as he did the thief who accepted Him on the cross. Jesus took the fear of death, hell and the grave and replaced it with hope and peace! Glory! That is such good news. I pray you know that feeling today. If you do not, message me and let me pray with you. If you have a prayer need, I’d be every so grateful to be your Aaron or Hur and lift you up to the Lord. God loves you, and so do I. I even love the people that I wanted to pinch the heads off of yesterday. Hey… I’m still human. I have not got my glorified body and this one is still very much in the flesh. I understand frustration. But not as much as Jesus understands and He can help.

Posted in Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Only God Knows When Enough is Enough

Written by talk2shari Published April 7, 2020April 7, 2020 Discussion Leave a Comment

Somewhat less than a one hundred years ago, when I was new to the faith I heard a sermon from a preacher, who I believe was Dr. Larry Brown, and the title of the sermon was “Then Came Amalek.” It obviously struck a nerve, because here I am still talking about it. That’s when you know it’s been a good sermon, when it strikes a chord that continues to sing a melody in your heart years later. Well, this sermon was one, and this morning it’s on my heart again. “Then Came Amalek.”

Amalek was a people who were descendants of Esau, and they were a very strong people. Amalek was the first of the nations, but their latter end would be that they perished forever because they messed with the wrong people. So Amalek is an illustration of those who are sources of conflict for the people of God. And do we, or do we not, have many, many sources of conflict? It’s why we need a sermon like “Then Came Amalek” to remind us that there will come a day that God will wipe the face of the earth with this arrogant lot of people who continually berate the children of the Living God! Amen…. that thought makes me happy. Not that souls will go to Hell, but that God is just in His decisions. And He will not be mocked. For now He gives this tribe of naysayers grace and the opportunity to be saved, but there will come a day when God will say, enough is enough.

Even the children of Amalek continued for a while to be an issue for Israel. There are stories of the battles from Exodus to Samuel, where Saul and David continued to fight them. But there did come a day when God said… that’s it. You’re done. And glory to God there’s going to come a day when God says that to this nation of heathens that are mocking Christ today.

As I go into the Easter weekend, I can see the writing on the wall. Just as it was in the book of Daniel 5:25-26

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE ; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

Only God knows when “enough is enough.” Now back to Amalek.

Prior to this battle, the children of Israel had murmured and complained to Moses that they were thirsty. And I would assume it was complaining to the extreme. Because God gave Moses and extreme measure of getting them that drink.

Exodus 17:2-7

Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord ? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. [5] And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

That scripture is important to our story because the Rock is representative of Christ. And it is when one receives Christ that the troubles usually begin. Satan doesn’t strive with the unsaved. He has them in his grips already. He strives with the children of God to try and stay their hands and prevent them from winning more souls to the Kingdom. That what his battle on earth is about. Stopping them work of the cross.

I don’t believe in happenstance and I certainly don’t think the Coronavirus has us house bound on Easter Sunday without reason. Would Satan not love to get the mind of the world off of Jesus this weekend? But what it should do, is draw the minds of God’s people closer to the cross, because it is there that we have hope.

A few lessons from the battle with the Amalekites that we could learn is the Moses got a little help from his friends.

Exodus 17:13-16

And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 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. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

THE DISCOMFITING

As the battle pursued, Moses, Aaron and Hur went upon the mountain. Moses held his hands high in the air and as long as he did, Israel won, but as they lowered, the battled would go in the Amalekites favor. When Moses’ arms tired, Aaron and Hur would get beneath him and hold him up. And Joshua discomfited Amalek. (Exodus 17:10-12)

That’s what we need to be doing to our leaders who are defending Christ. I don’t know if those who are making the professions of belief are saved or not, but I know this, God knows. And God has been glorified when Christ’s name is mentioned in our nations capitol and our State. And I will continue to uphold these men and women who choose to make that stand, whether or not their life has always been backed up by faith. It’s not up to me to judge, but I would gladly take a stick and smack a few things if God would ask me too. (Kidding) maybe.

But the only way we are going to discomfit the leaders who are taking a stand against Christ is by lifting up those who defend our Lord.

THE DISCUSSION

God told Moses to rehearse this in the ears of Joshua. We too need to talk about what’s going on in our nation and world in a way that encourages people to believe. We need to talk about the battles that God has won, again and again in the face of all adversity and odds. But He has taken care of His own. We need to tell our troops that we are praying for them and lifting them up, and those troops right now are not just our soldiers, but our medical and emergency personnel as well. Talk about Jesus! Tell them “He wins!”

THE DESTRUCTION

It’s going to happen. The destruction, not only of the COVID-19 but the destruction of the enemies of God. I have no idea when, but I know, as Moses knew, God’s word will be fulfilled. When Christ hung from the cross and said “It is Finished,” He meant the sacrifice, not the battle. But when He returns in those clouds of glory and says it again, there won’t be another chance for the those who deny and mock Christ. Just as God utterly destroyed the Amalekites, He’ll do the same with this heathen world, Satan and all his minions. But for us, the victory is sure!

But for now, we’re in the battle. This word encourages me to be more faithful at lifting our leaders, pastors and people of God up in prayer. We need to lift the arms of those who are weakening because of this battle.

I pray today finds you well and encouraged to do the same.

Posted in Evangelism, Faith, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

A Walk in the Wilderness

Written by talk2shari Published March 3, 2020March 3, 2020 Discussion Leave a Comment

For several years after I was saved, I failed to get baptized, because I had been baptized pre-salvation. But I had a praying friend, Doyle Ballengee, who the Spirit revealed to him the necessity of that event in my life. And so I stood before the congregation of Victory Baptist Church and told them of my “assumption of salvation, realization of being lost, struggle to believe I was saved when I actually got saved, and the wisdom that I needed to be baptized to make it clear in my own head once and for all, I am a child of God and this is how I will identify with Him, both publicly and personally. And from that decision point, I’ve never turned back. My salvation is stead fast in Christ and my service is bold! But it’s not been without many, many wilderness experiences along the way.

I’ve heard a few sermons lately, and the mention of the text on several occasions about the transfiguration of Christ. And any time I hear a specific word of God on multiple occasions I can assume that God is getting my attention and saying “Shari… park here for a while.” And so this morning I’m parked. In between jumping up and down in a giddy, childish excitement kind of way. It’s like I got the prize out of the box of cereal before my siblings! Now it’s not just mine… and I didn’t actually think it up. It started with my co-teacher Doug Rowe a few weeks ago who taught on the transfiguration. Then I’ve heard it in sermons and comments a few more times, and then this morning I listened to Jace Robertson on “Unashamed” the podcast and I couldn’t stop thinking about the significance of this word in my life.

Wandering

Both Elijah and Moses did some serious wandering in the wilderness. It wasn’t Moses’ fault that he was leading a rebellious nation of people. (Exodus) Elijah, in a moment of weakness, wanders into the wilderness believing himself to be alone and the last of the mighty men of God willing to take a stand, and in 1 Kings 19:8 it reads

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights into Horeb the mount of God.

40… seems of great importance.

Although my salvation at 34 begin a whirlwind of faith, the dates and times of significant events seem to escape me. However, I was nearing, if not 40 years of age when I got baptized. And that was the for certain the start of my ministry. Where I actually considered myself in the work of the Lord. But even knowing that, I still did my share of wandering! It wasn’t until 2010 at the age of 48 when I settled into the “Jesus Chick” role, that I stopped wandering on a large scale and began wandering within the bounds of wordpress, trying to figure out how to market and use this platform for the Glory of God. So here I am… still wandering in that zone, but ever so happy to be. But it’s been a struggle. My decision to step out in faith immediately put me on Satan’s radar, and I’ve been there ever since. He has a lot to work with in me. As someone so cleverly once said, “serving God is being on a battleship, not a love boat.” It’s war!

Jace tuned me in on a verse this morning in Hebrews that really ties some strings together when it comes to my own walk with the Lord, and what I see happening in the lives of others. Please understand, I AM NOT saying I have all of life figured out in the realm of faith… but… I have a little snippet that has brought me along thus far, and Hebrews 4:1-2 explains it!

Hebrews 4:1-2

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Warfare

War’s scary! But a life without rest, the constant fear of the enemy would be far worse. Because of Christ we can enter into the rest and security of the believer, but not without the Word of God being a large portion of our life. It’s why so many people are living defeated lives as Christians. You cannot possibly live in peace if you stay in the battle zone all the time. Moses and Elijah, the two on the mountain of Transfiguration stand before us as an example that we all, even the most faithful, struggle. But neither of those men stopped serving, or listening for God.

I have good friends, who just don’t get the importance of church and personal bible study. They “fit” church in when they can. Scripture is a “go to” in times of trouble, and prayer is an occasional “formality.” Or something they ask for because they don’t know how to have a conversation with God themselves. It makes me nauseous! Because I can fall into that trap just as easy as anyone else. The writer of Hebrews summed it up! The word does not profit those who aren’t mixed with faith. If you’re not active in your relationship with God, you’re gonna find yourself in a cave thinking you’re the only one left! (1 Kings 19).

Wantoness

Nothing Satan had to offer Christ was of interest to Him. But He still used the Word of God to put Satan in His place. There was little mention of Christ’s life prior to that day in the water, but suddenly Jesus was on the scene and Satan wasn’t happy about it. He placed the very things that were of interest to himself before Jesus figuring that would catch Jesus’ eye. What Satan wanted more than anything was worship. And he knew that mankind (for which Jesus was now a part of) loved stuff! Oh… I just stepped on my own toes to the point I may have severed a couple. My eyes can so easily be captured by shiny, blingy things. Be it music, apparel, jewelry, etc. I just love STUFF! So Satan knows if he wants to capture my attention just put those things in front of me.

The children of Israel exited Egypt with more “stuff” than any had ever owned. Egypt was throwing things their way to get their plague brining bodies out of their town. But even with all that stuff, they still wanted more. It’s the nature of man. Nothing’s ever seems “enough.” Until you’re at the end of life and then you truly realize there is nothing that will bring “rest” to the body and mind except the Lord Jesus Himself. He was on the mountain with Moses and He was on the mountain with Elijah in that still small voice! And He has been on every mountain top experience I’ve had and He lead me out of every valley!

In all honesty. I have needed nothing that God didn’t provide. But that did not stop my wantoness.

Washing

Elijah’s wilderness experience came after the drought of water in 1 Kings 17.

Moses’ wilderness experience came after the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 15.

Jesus’ wilderness experience came after His baptism in Matthew 4:1.

Following the water… wilderness. Water us significant. The Bible is called the “washing of water by the word.” It is through the word of God that we find healing, cleansing, leading… everything we stand of need of. It’s in there! And once that’s discovered by a child of God, Satan ain’t happy!

James 4:7

Submit yourselves there to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submission gets a bad wrap in society today. Nobody wants to submit. Israel didn’t… and the Gentiles don’t. We’re just another nation of people that wants to give God a headache. Praise His Holy Name! He is so patient with us.

When Jesus took James, Peter and John upon the mountain to pray, and there introduced him to Elijah and Moses, woah… what an amazing time that must have been! Until the next “40”

Acts 1:3 – To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Isn’t the word of God amazing! Can you understand why I was so captivated by this word this morning and how all those “parts and pieces” from the Old Testament and the New Testament fit together like some amazing spiritual jigsaw puzzle? Just like you and I.

There will come a day when we get to glory, face to face with the One Who saved us and He lets us in on all the mysteries of the Bible and how we too played a role. Oh…. goodness… gracious!!!! Thanks for letting me share that with you. I hope it made sense. It does in my head, but that’s a dangerous ground to walk.

God bless ya!!! And if you find some nuggets of truth, share them with me. And let me join in your journey!

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

Who are you Joshua to?

Written by talk2shari Published January 23, 2020January 23, 2020 Discussion Leave a Comment

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, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Purpose

Stepping Into the Unknown

Written by talk2shari Published March 23, 2019March 23, 2019 Discussion Leave a Comment

When I think of the Bible characters that stepped into the unknown at the instruction of the known, my heart is encouraged. When I get ready to take my first step, it’s always a flutter. It’s usually followed by nausea and fever blisters. Weird right? That’s what stress and nerves do to me. Once I get past the first step and start walking on the new ground I settle in pretty quickly. But those first steps often feel like a cliff.

When Abraham stepped out of the Ur of Chaldees he may or may not have felt a little apprehension. The Bible just says he went. But in the book of Shari it will say, see went… but she didn’t feel good.

When Moses was told to step into the leadership role of Israel, He argued with the Lord that he wasn’t very good with a bullhorn. So God gave him a mouth piece named Aaron. But it didn’t take him out of the role of leader.

When God made David King, he was in one of the lowest positions of the day, a shepherd boy. But God used all that position to make him a mighty defender and a man who could lead people with the same passion he lead sheep.

When Christ picked “Team Jesus” from the crowd, He picked a variety of twelve characters with a variety of talents. We know their names 2,000 years later because of the impact they had in their work.

I just wrote myself happy.

I’ve never really got to experience a comfort zone, because God is always doing something in my life. Sometimes it’s because He’s fixing what I broke, and that’s very uncomfortable! Today is no different. A new ministry direction is on the horizon with doing things I’ve had a passion to do for 20 years. But this time it’s on God’s terms. So it makes me feel a little better about taking the first step.

I hope that in sharing my thoughts on my zone, that maybe it will help you navigate yours a little better.

Please make the following a matter of prayer when it comes to the new Jesus Chick direction:

That God would open the doors (not Shari)
God provides a team of people with a passion for the work.

The work will focus on the following areas:

Promoting the Gospel (always first and foremost)
Youth programs
Adult programs
Women’s programs
Senior programs
Substance abuse educations programs

That would be why I need a team. There is a huge amount of work on my plate. But I want to reach as many people as I can with this ministry and give them the tools to reach more.

Big Step… but I’m ready.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Life Inspiration

The Beauty of Working God’s Plan

Written by talk2shari Published July 6, 2017 Discussion Leave a Comment

Everyday should be a reality check on the goodness of God. But the reality of it is, it’s not. From the beginning of many of my days I’ll start in a “woe is me” mode and finish in a little higher or lower position depending upon how the day progressed. I’m ungrateful at best and often times downright disrespectful to the Lord for all His goodness. But there’s something about getting into the posture of prayer, and by posture I mean the physical stance one assumes when praying, that makes a difference. God honors humility.

The past couple of days I’ve gotten serious with my prayer time with the Lord. I’m guilty of taking prayer in a “to go bag” because it’s easier to pray on the run or just say a quick prayer and then run. At an altar I’ll concern myself with how I look, or how long I take and then halfheartedly pray for fear of going past verse number two and overcooking someone’s roast beef. And thus… the condition of my heart.

I don’t know that God is so much concerned about the position for which I pray, as much as He is concerned about the heart in which I pray. But the position of the physical body aids in getting the heart into a spiritual position to receive the Word of God. So the past few days I’ve laid prostrate on the floor on a prayer blanket, and what began as an awkward stance, ended in a tear soaked blanket of confession, adoration and supplication and an amazing presence of God.

That statement isn’t inserted into this blog to show how very “spiritual” I am, but rather it’s there to share with you how God honors the humble in heart, and the lowliest of sinners like me. When I got up… ever so slowly… awkwardly… and somewhat painfully… some things had not changed. But what did change was the inward feeling of self-worth. I knew I was a King’s kid. I knew I had purpose.

When Moses penned Psalms 90:17 following their deliverance out of Egypt, he was still working the plan. They for certain hadn’t made it to the Promised Land. There were still some ugly times ahead. But through it all Moses prayed this:

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

What my time in prayer accomplished was allowing the ick of the world to be washed away. And allowed the beauty of God to be on me; to realize that God’s still working the plan… an oh so pretty plan through my hands.

Are you having a less than lovely day? Talk to Jesus about it. He loves you and desires your company.

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.

Posted in Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

An Anti-Memorial Day for your Enemy!

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

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.

Posted in Uncategorized

The Overcomer’s Club

Written by talk2shari Published October 25, 2013 Discussion 2 Comments

Let me premise this blog by stating that I’m not a psychologist, or expert in mental health. I did however stay at the Stonewall Jackson Resort this week, which may qualify me in some manner as much as some of those “experts” that I’ve heard speak. I understand depression from the victim’s point of view, being one who has struggled with it for years and since salvation in 1996 have not mastered, but managed my own through relying on God’s grace to pull me through. That sounds all pious and religious, but in truth just means that I quit trying to fix it on my own and began asking God to help me through it. Each time was different, sometimes were darker than others. It varied from a nightlight of hope to a dimly lit room, it was never utter darkness for me, because in Christ I truly did have light, even though it was sometime shrouded by the trouble of the day.

If you struggle with depression this blog will not fix you, its 710 word after all. How far can that take you? What I hope it does is to “turn up the light” a little in your life today. J

.B. Phillips, author of Your God is Too Small, dealt with depression all of this life. In one of his many letters he offered this comment to someone struggling with depression. “As far as you can, and God knows how difficult this is, try to relax in and upon Him. As far as my experience goes, to get to even a breath of God’s peace in the midst of pain is infinitely worth having.”

For me that “breath of God’s peace” was my nightlight in dark times. In my heart I knew that “God had this.”, my head however would sometimes join the liars club and berate me with thoughts of defeat and discouragement. That’s Satan at his finest isn’t it? If you’re a Christian he can’t get into your heart, because Christ dwells there. So in the very core of you there is always a light. But in your mind, where the world can seep in, Satan has free reign to beat his drum and loud and long he will until you’re spiraling into the direction of depression.

So how do you spiral out?

Again… I’m not an expert. This is what works for me. I place myself in the winner’s circle with those who God’s shown me battled depression.

The woman of Samaria in John 4 who came to the well in the heat of the day to avoid the judgmental eyes of society and met the one true Judge, who didn’t condemn her but loved her out of the lifestyle she as in.
Moses wanted to die in Exodus 32:32, asking God to blot his name out of the book because of what the children of Israel had done with the golden calf – yet, he was the greatest leader ever known.
3. Elijah sat down under a juniper tree in I Kings 19:4 and told God “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life.” The same Elijah who had brought fire down from Heaven.
4. King David, my hero in the faith in Psalm 6:6 said I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
5. The widow in I Kings 17:12 who had come to the end of her finances and was prepared to die a death of starvation with her child, when God sent an endless supply of provision.

The overcomers club! There were times that they had self-inflicted depression and other times it came from the outside, just like mine. But God brought them through! None of them were perfect, their sins rivaled the worst, and yet God’s mercy and grace is shown all over them. It is in those stories that I come to the “Why not me?” phase of healing. If God did it for them, why not me? They were just ordinary, messed up people, just like me.

I’m not an expert at much, but I may be nearing the benchmark of an expert in failures. But… God’s got me covered. Amen!