Tag: praise

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Church attendance, joy, Life Inspiration, Praise

How to Lose Your Religion on Sunday

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psalm-134

A friend of my husband messaged him last night and said that I needed to sing him a song on Facebook because “between the people he had to deal with and the WVU ballgame his religion was at risk.” Needless to say that was a nice compliment and a worthy chuckle. So this morning it put the word “religion” on my heart, why we should lose it, and why Sunday is the perfect day to set out on that mission!

Religion reminds me of those folks who sing “Standing on the Promises” while sitting on the premises with their hands across their chest. Religion causes me to have frown lines and I don’t need any more lines on my brow. It reminds me of a previous me who felt very uncomfortable when the Holy Spirit moved in a service. It felt odd, out of place and very unwelcome. Heaven forbid people should raise their hand or go to an altar with a repentant heart, or a burden of prayer. Let’s just carry those burdens around until we die and in err believe that people buy our pious religious demeanor and mistaken it for spirituality. Wow! Where did that come from? I guess as my ol’ friend D.L. Kerby used to say, “If God laid it on your heart, you must have needed to say it!” Well, sometimes D.L. was right and sometimes not, but perhaps we all need to hear a reminder before church this morning that now is not the time to get complacent in our faith. Religion should have no part of church, you should lose it before you enter the building.

Religion is repetitious

In Christ every day is a new day. We don’t go church “just because it’s Sunday.” We go to church because that’s the day God’s people come together to encourage one another and to hear what God has to say.

Religion is like raisins

Only not nearly as sweet. It’s a shriveled up version of what God intended. Yes, God wants you in church, but not just to sit there for your one hour due diligence. He wants you fresh and lively like the grapes on the vine. Jesus said in John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  Raisins are dried up fruit, a very good analogy I think to a religious Christian. Oh… you were good fruit once upon a time, but now, you’re ready for the box.

Religion is rebellion

Yep. I said it. And if you’re religious you’re likely upset. But God did not die on the cross for religion. He died on the cross for a relationship with those He died for. Sitting lifeless and unaffected by a sermon is not having a relationship. It’s like a rebellious child who will sit in your presence and listen to you speak, but your words are doing nothing more than tickling their ears as they go in one and out the other.

When Saul failed to take heed to the word of God and kept some of the “good spoil” for himself and the people in the battle against the Amalekites, Samuel said this to him in 1 Samuel 15:23, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of   Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”

 We call children rebellious when they won’t listen to their parents… Hello… God is our Father. If we’re not listening to Him, we’re rebelling. It’s that simple.

And I’m as guilty as the next.

I’m not saying every Christian has to be loud and hands in the air, else their not saved. That could be chaos. But if it was done in the Spirit of God, it would not be, even if the whole church was loud and hands in the air! What I’m saying is… When you get to go to church this morning, go in… sit down… and wait for instruction on the edge of your seat. And if you do… something exciting might just happen. And you too can lose your religion on Sunday and God will be well pleased!

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration, Praise, Prayer

10 Things that Will Please God

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chick 10

This morning I prayed through the 10 verses of Psalm 146 by reading the verse and meditating on the goodness of God in my life. I didn’t write down my thoughts, only my points because I wanted you to have the opportunity to bless God in your own way unjaded by my life. He’s been so good to me, and you too… but differently. It was such a peaceful blessing to get to know God a little better as I read and prayed through this Psalm. I know He’d like to hear from you today, and so would I. Let me know what great things God is doing in your life or if I can pray for you. There is a link to my contact information at the end of this blog.

Psalm 146

  1. GIVE HIM GLORY

                        Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

  1. PRAISE HIM FOR ANOTHER DAY

While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

  1. PRAISE GOD THAT HE IS IN CONTROL

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

  1. PRAY FOR OUR LEADERSHIP (they are only human)

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

  1. HOW HAPPY ARE YOU THAT YOU HAVE GOD? (tell Him))

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

  1. THANK GOD THAT IN OUR UNSTABLE WORLD HIS TRUTH IS UNCHANGING

Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

  1. PRAISE HIM FOR HIS PROVISION AND FREEDOM

Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:

  1. ASK GOD FOR WISDOM TO SEE WHERE AND HOW HE’D HAVE YOU SERVE

The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:

  1. PRAY FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE AND BLESS THEIR PATH AS THEY CROSS YOURS TODAY

The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

  1. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS SOVEREIGNTY AND ETERNAL LIFE. NEVER CEASE PRAISING!

The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.

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Email me at talk2shari@gmail.com

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Posted in Praise, worship

Worshiping through Psalm 42

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chick praise

I woke up this morning with worship on my mind. So thankful that God is tolerant when I’m not nearly thankful enough. Have you ever had those days? When you realize that God was worthy of so much more than you gave Him. In Psalm 42, David has been forced out of his place of worship by the enemy, and although he’s heartbroken and thirsty for the house of God, he finds a way to worship Him in that place of sorrow and fear. How can I,  who is safe and sound in my own home, who has the privilege and freedom of going to the house of God whenever I so choose fail to worship and praise Him. But I do. So this morning as I worked my way through Psalm 42, I added my own words of praise (those in blue)  that I’m sharing with you this morning. I hope you find time today to do a little praising and worshiping of your own. He is so worthy!!!

42 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

                Oh child are you thirsty this morning, does your heart within you pine

                To spend some time at the brook, with your Savior and Lord Divine.

                Do you long for that living water, do you thirst till all breath is gone

                Do you long to be in His presence, just you and He alone.  

3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

                The tears from my eyes roll like rivers, but they satisfy not my thirsty soul

                The world continually asks, Where is thy God, and my sorrow takes its toll

                I remember the days in joyful praise with my friends at the church back home

                With joy I recall, and praise Him for all, He is my help, my hope, my own.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8 Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

                It does not matter where I go, my Lord will meet me there

                The deepest waters, or the highest waves, He keeps me in His care

                In daylight or in darkness, He commands His presence be known

                There’s a song in my heart, and I kneel in prayer, for my life is not my own.

9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

                There are times when I feel forgotten. I’m certain the enemy has won

                And again I hear, Where is your God? And again I’m at Your throne.

                Why am I bowed down in sorrow and restless within this soul of mine?

                Even still I shall praise He Who’s worthy, for my life is wholly Thine.

Posted in Eternity, Heaven, Life Inspiration

Weep Not for Me!

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chick willow

One of my favorite trees of all times is the willow.  Those billowing, flowing branches that drape the ground are just beautiful! I should have known that those trees would have a purpose and spiritual significance in the Kingdom of God… I didn’t…. but I should have.

Psalm 137, believed to have been written by the weeping prophet himself (Jeremiah, he foretells of the coming destruction of the enemies of God. My mind likes to ponder that thought as I see the modern day enemies of God proclaim their victories in arrogance. After reading and studying this Psalm this morning I pray I’ll never view that tree the same again. What hope we have in that tree!

Psalm 137

1-4 ~ By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

Thus… the weeping willow!  I get his emotional outcry. It is hard to rejoice and sing psalms when we see the nonsense going on around us that has our country in an uproar, and seemingly captive to doing anything about it. The children of Israel were physically captive and being carried away into Babylon and their oppressors were wanting them to entertain them with their songs of Zion. “How can I rejoice?” Jeremiah asked. But then he encouraged himself to do just that in verses 5-6

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

 And this is where my soul begin to think itself happy. Just as the children of Israel were looking to Zion as that day when their captive souls would be free from bondage and in the arms of God, so should we. Our Lord will not always be mocked and the mockers will have their day of destruction.  Read on weary child of God.

Vs. 7-9

Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

The word “rase” means to destroy! And our enemies, just like the daughter of Babylon who rejoiced in the misery that they inflicted upon God’s children, they’ll be rewarded by God, but not as they believe. They’ll be rewarded with the same treatment that they’re dishing out today. Their arrogance will be short lived on that day.

So as I pass by the weeping willow tree I’ll recall the words of Jeremiah in Psalm 137 and I will rejoice. For we are on our way to a city whose builder and maker is God and death and destruction will be no more. I’ll not hang my harp upon the willows, but I’ll fiddle the tune of Amazing Grace and thank God that I am heading there someday to be with Him.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Three ways to encourage God to encourage you

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion 1 Comment on Three ways to encourage God to encourage you

Chick Bluegrass

My heart was overflowing this morning. I’ve spent two days in a prayer conference listening to great men of God expound the truth of the glorious gospel. They stirred my soul…convicted me of my mediocre living for Christ and then encouraged me to do more. I followed that with Wednesday night service at my own church; where, going in half prepared because of my week of traveling, God still came down and met with that group of teens. A packed house in our little class room, knee to knee they sat, some listening… some not. That’s okay, I don’t always listen either.

I’m straying away from the “But Now” series for today; kind of a station break of sorts to encourage you with the message that God gave me quickly today. It was the verse of the day on Biblegateway.com and it bated me in, hooked me and then reeled me into the rest of the chapter like an eager fish.

Psalm 33

Three ways to encourage God to encourage you!

PRAISE HIM AND BE HAPPY!

Praising God makes you pretty! Who knew? Well God for one, and I guess the writer of the Psalm had figured it out.

Vs. 1~   Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

There’s something about a person who’s in the process of praise. I’m not sure I’d call it a Shechinah glory, but the presence of God is obvious, it’s beautiful and they’re happy. Even if they’re in the throes of the worst battle of their life, if they begin to praise God He brings an unexplainable joy to their soul.

Tell somebody how good God is, and watch your heart get happy.

PRAISE HIM WITH BLUEGRASS (and don’t be a slacker)!!!

Okay that’s not in there, but it’s close:

2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

See… I’m not lying. Those were the tools of bluegrass in the formative years. God said to play a new song and do it well. This is my take on that… When you sing before the congregation of the Lord, or before the kitchen table as I have this evening, sing like it’s the first time you’ve stood before Him and  give Him your  best. I cannot tell you the times I have been ill prepared and well prepared to sing, and Heaven came down, and times that I’ve sang and Heaven didn’t even open a window. It’s a matter of the heart. But God loves a good bluegrass song! And other genres too, that just happens to be my fav. Sing a song to the Lord and He’ll encourage you.

PRAISE HIM JUST BECAUSE

4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

God is good all the time.

A few days ago when ISIS was at it again, I awoke in the middle of the night and began praying for that family. My heart was broken. I didn’t have to know them, I just knew if it was someone I loved I would have wanted someone to pray for me. I didn’t know how to pray. I wanted to pray… God send a bomb down on top of those people and let it not kill them right away. I was that angry. And then I thought, “No, God died for them too, I have to forgive them.” But how? How is it humanly possible to forgive someone that heinous? It’s not. But with God, all things are possible. And God is good. I just have to go on that and praise Him in the good times and bad and let Him have His day of judgment on them. Praise Him for He is worthy, and if ISIS stops our praise, they’ve won another battle.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg of blessings in Psalm 33. I encourage you to read the rest yourself.

On a personal note, if I encourage you… please pray for this ministry, God’s will and share the messages so that I might encourage others. I can’t do it without ya. And it sure wouldn’t be as much fun.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

No more Pew Puke… a Monday Message from the Amen

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bible in the pew

Revelation 3

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

These things saith the Amen…

The Amen being the steady and unchangeable Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful and true witness who from the beginning of time has watched over His creation. I have to wonder what yesterday was like for Him, or any other recent Sunday. How excited were His people to come into His house?

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The unchangeable, still excited to love on you Lord Jesus Christ knows that the most of His church sat in their pews without so much as an amen or glory hallelujah, they were a pew full of spue. He seen the few that were willing to raise their hand and amen the message… I was one of those, but I could have done better too. I awoke this morning with a determination in my heart to light a fire under my own feet like the one that John saw on the isle of Patmos when he looked at the Lord Jesus. We’re getting a new roof on our church this week, I want to blow the roof off in praise. I want the kids in my youth group to say “that crazy woman is our leader… and she loves us.” I have from now until Wednesday night to stir my heart so that I can stir my Wednesday night class and encourage a few adults in the other classes and churches to jump on board with me.

Enough of being pew puke.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, th at thou mayest see.

Sunday morning our church was blessed to give the Pastor a go ahead and have the roof replaced on Victory Baptist Church. No debate, no argument over color, just get it done Pastor… we are blessed. We have need of nothing… the Lord has provided for us! Hallelujah!!! But Christ goes on to say you need to buy of me gold tried in the fire. We need an eye opener, some godly wisdom and it starts with a reality check. Yes I love you, but you need a trip to the wood shed.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Be Zealous! Get excited for crying out loud. Stop sitting in your pew with your Bible in your lap making notes for another day… today’s the day. Christ has just knocked on your door and mine.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

This verse is so often to referred to as the verse that calls sinners to come. He’s speaking to the church, not to the lost. It’s we who have locked Christ out of the dining hall to where He has to knock to come back in. How ridiculous is that… He has the food!

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

That’s all of us… red, yellow, black and white, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., etc. you are precious in His sight. He said He loved us…

We can do better this week. Open the doors wide to what Christ wants to do with you this week. I’m ready! Who’s with me?

Posted in Life Inspiration

That’s my God!

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awesome-god.500

On shouting ground again this morning with the Word of God! Some days I’m just as apt to give God a sigh of frustration with the world here below. That was last night… Oh how my heart broken for God when I saw once on fire Christians now catering to a world who would who has not hope, and the unsaved looked at me as though I was to be pitied because I didn’t have the intellect to know that God does not exist. I watched as my fiddle case was examined by one such man as he read the verse from Psalm 100 that I have scribed across the case with a sharpie. He admired my penmanship but appeared not to know the Author. They attempt to play gospel music as though it were any other song, but they can’t. Ha! I love it, that’s my God. The One that shows up at the party uninvited and says “Hey, I created you. Don’t pity my girl Shari, you should be so lucky to have what she does.”

Whew Doggie! That’s my God!

Psalm 71 put me in this mode this morning. I was feeling a tad forlorn from the antics of my fellow pickers last night. They’re good people, please don’t miss understand. I wasn’t at some bar in the boonies… well I was in the boonies but not at a bar. It’s a friendly non-alcohol gathering of musicians that are wonderful, wonderful people… but there are a few who would rather God not come up in the conversation because it makes them extremely uncomfortable. It makes them uncomfortable because they don’t understand my God.

Read the “My’s of Psalm 71”. I encourage you to read the whole chapter it’s quite a read.

  • My Trust – (vs. 1) When the world has let you down, in Him you can depend.
  • My Strong Habitation – (vs. 3) When there no place that feels like home, He is there.
  • My Rock – (vs. 3) He’s solid and unmovable. There is no storm that can phase my God.
  • My Fortress – (vs. 3) On my ever side, even my blind side. God has me protected.
  • My God – (vs. 4) When I accepted Christ Jesus as my Savior in 1996
  • My Hope (vs. 5) Today is the anniversary of my Father’s death in 2003, but because of My Hope I’ll see Him again!
  • My Trust – (vs. 5) When my brother was killed at 19 and my Mother was asked why she didn’t blame God, she said how can I blame the only One who will allow me to see him again. That’s trust!!!
  • My Praise – (vs. 6) From before my birth God created me to be who I am and love His people the way I do. I’ll rejoice in every opportunity to serve Him.
  • My Strong Refuge – (vs. 7) That same purpose has on more than one occasion caused an attack on my life but in Him I have safety that no man can touch.
  • My God – (vs. 12) It bears repeating!
  • My Help – (vs. 12) Indeed this very morning he helped me out of the pit of despair the world had created and planted me back on shouting ground.

Oh, Read on weary Pilgrim, we serve an awesome God who’s there for you this day.

I love ya, hope I encouraged you. Be blessed Friend.

 PSALM 71 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Did you see what my God did?

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If you’re looking to see God glorified you don’t have go very far into your day to see the failure of self-proclaimed Christian people. I say self-proclaimed because it’s not obvious from their behavior. But what’s the excuse of those of us who genuinely, (not perfectly) try to serve and glorify God. Why is our praise not more evident? Why is it when we win victory over a battle in our life we hesitate to tell the unsaved world Who it is that’s responsible for our Victory? We’ll give God credit for life and death situations because to even the world that’s not unreasonable, but what about the everyday battles.

What about the ‘whew’ moments when you were a few buck shy meeting the bill demands and it suddenly appeared, the good doctor’s report that wasn’t real scary but it was scary enough in your world, the not so bad mechanics report on your car issues, the fall that almost happened, that unexplained blessing that was sent your way today on the job or in the home, what about those times and why is it important?

 A saint of God well known for his praise was David. He penned the majority of psalms, he gave credit to Whom credit was due and not just his fellow warriors were aware but the heathens around him as well, so that all were without excuse; they’d been told God prevailed in David’s life. One example is 2 Samuel 22:47-51

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me. And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

This is possibly a reference to the many perils that David had experienced at the hands of Saul, Absalom his son and many others. His friends and colleagues had seen him low, his enemy had assured themselves they’d won the victory over him only to see him rise from the ashes of defeat! He wanted them to know where his strength was derived; and because of that David’s reach was extended. He says in verse 44

Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.

People whom David had never met would be his servants because they’d hear of David’s God and desire to serve the man who’d had the blessing of God upon him. How much greater of an impact could the church make if we’d praise God more? If we were giving God His just dues for everything in our life, would they not desire to serve that God?

Praise Him for His goodness today, somebody needs to hear!

Posted in Life Inspiration

When you’re going through the fire…

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion 2 Comments on When you’re going through the fire…

through-the-fire-and-flames-we-carry-on-1

When you have to pray the prayer you didn’t want to pray…

It was that wee hour in the morning phone call no parent wants, your child’s in distress and you’re 2 hours away. Daughter Tiffani just headed in to surgery for delivery of our 6th grandchild. She’s only at 30 weeks. I’m scared, concerned for both her and the baby; needing to hug my son-in-law who is facing it alone. And I hit my knees and gave it to God, who is the Creator of all life. Who alone makes those decisions; and I want to hug Him too. But instead He hugs me.

I do the only thing I’ve known to do since 1996. Go to God and get in the Word.

It is well… He speaks to my soul.

It doesn’t feel well Lord….

It is… I hear again.

Our 2 lb 12 oz miracle came just a little after 5. Breathing on his own, and we are rejoicing.

The reality of that story is the whole time I was praying I knew it was the Creator’s decision.  I didn’t feel well; I knew “it” was well, but I still so wanted it to go the way I wanted. It is with great joy that I can say the Lord answered my prayer. Both Tiffani and Parker Keith came through with flying colors. When my son-in-love called he said, “He’s breathing on his own.” My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t evening thought he wouldn’t. The fragility of life is such that at 2 lbs 12 oz., that was a distinct possibility. God is good!

At choir practice at church on Sunday evening, I belted out the solo to the song “Through the fire.” My neighboring friend Lola said, “Wow, Shari, I don’t even think they’re going to have to ‘mic’ (microphone) you.” I knew what she meant… I have a big mouth. I told the choir there was likely a genetic reason my new grandson came out breathing on his own, God had blessed us with good lungs. But I had a reason to belt that song out, I’d been through a little fire this weekend.

Just a few hours after Parker was born, by beloved and best pal, Sammy the Jack Russell was hit by a car. It wasn’t like Sam to go near the road, but that day he did. And so I went into another spiral of emotions. He was a true companion and there for me so many times, and I didn’t even get the chance to pray. My heart was broken but the day was filled with too many responsibilities to grieve.  And so I handed him to the One Who created Him. And it was again a reminder about the fragility of life. Puppies or people, life is but a vapor.

I’m glad I know the Creator. I’m glad when the fire came, the water that quenched my thirsty soul in salvation also dampened the flames that tried to consume me.

Zechariah 13:6-9 ~ And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.  And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

Those words… what an awesome tale they tell. An Old Testament prophecy that bears the name Jesus Christ.

Sunday morning’s prayer requests at our church were almost surreal. I wasn’t the only one going through a fire, and many of them their flames were higher than mine. But the God we serve was able to bring songs and shouts of praise throughout the congregation, because He’s awesome like that.

Are you going through some flames yourself? Give it to the Creator. He may not put them out, but He’ll carry you through. If you have time today, comment and let me know how the Lord is bringing you through!

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

Is it well?

Written by talk2shari Published Discussion Leave a Comment on Is it well?

praise

2 Kings 4:26

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

If you read the story in 2 Kings chapter 4, you realize that at the time she said “it is well,” her child was dead. Over the past couple of days I’ve watched multiple posts come and go on Facebook. Some of a greater magnitude of devastation than others. But I’m not making light of any, heartache is heartache, and it hurts. But one common thread in so many is that “come what may” – God is good, and it well. If you do not know Him you likely do not understand how someone could speak those words and “mean it” during some of the hardest days of their lives. It’s because they know that there is a day we’re all looking forward to. That day when heartache and sorrow will not exist. And all those trials we went through and glorified God, will be crowns that we can give back to our Savior. He will robe us in Glory and say “Well done my child, welcome home!”

That’s when eternity starts.

No more separation. No more pain or heartache. Just peace and happiness! Satan and his minions will be cast into a pit and will never again have access to our lives.

Do you know our Jesus? The one Who created this world, and will restore it to its perfected state one day. He loves you. He wants you to know “God is good, and it is well.” He’ll put that in your soul if you’ll give it to Him. There is something within you that lets you know there’s something missing in your life. It’s the hole where the Holy Spirit desires to reside. Once you’ve ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, with faith believing that your life is in His hands, it’s then that He’ll begin guiding you to the rest of the knowledge that you need to walk in faith.

Below is a link to what Christians call “The Road to Salvation.” Please read it and pray the prayer, not because it will save you, but because the God of Whom it speaks of will. What it will do is give you the Word of God to tuck down in your heart and marker that this is the day you trusted Jesus. This is the day that you made the decision to believe “Come what may—God is good, and it well!”

https://thejesuschick.com/the-road-to-salvation/