Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Faith, Life Inspiration

Positioning by God

Positioned for Purpose

I knew a man of moderate wealth, not a millionaire but one of good means. I fully believe; and the proof was in his life that this man was given wisdom and opportunities because he returned the favor to God. He was born to nothing. His mother literally gave him away to his grandfather at the age of 5 to pay for a doctor bill that he had covered the cost of during his infancy when he had  pneumonia. This is a true story. He and his Cherokee grandmother were the man’s slaves until he was grown and she was too old to be useful, at which time the grandfather had her placed in a mental institution. He grew up on beans and bread most every day, so he appreciated food and fellowship as an adult. He went to church, and as a teen was saved, and called into the ministry. He married and graduated from a bible college, and after working in the secular world he became the Pastor of one of the largest churches in Ohio. During that time, he invested any extra money he had into two places: future income for his family and God’s work. Both of which he prospered in.  He gave 100’s of dollars away most every day. I was the beneficiary of his $100 ministry often. Most every time I seen him, he gave me money to make life easier, he knew I struggled. He knew because he took the time to get to know people, and when he did he acted on what he learned about them. Because of his kindness he is often a testimony in my life. 

Think about the people in your life. Is there someone who has shown you that level of kindness, or someone who you have seen having issues with life? Was it something that you could have done something about? I have to wonder how many opportunities I pass by because I’m so doggone busy. 

There was one such woman of generosity in scripture.

Positioned for Piety

It says in 2 Kings 4:8-37

[8] And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman;

From a commentary it says she was possibly a woman of great wealth and riches, of great benevolence and hospitality, and of great grace and piety; that feared sin, as the Targum paraphrases it; a woman of great credit and reputation on all accounts. The Jews say she was the sister of Abishag the Shunammite, and the mother of Iddo the prophet

Because she was of grate stature, and of such a wonderful mindset, scripture goes on to tell us that:

and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. [9] And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. [10] Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 

So she not only offered him a place to stay, but food to eat and created him a little hotel room in her home, just for him. She went to great length to make sure he was comfortable. She did so because she knew he was one of God’s men. That should be the mindset that we have over servants of God. We should want to go above and beyond the call of duty for them.

Positioned for Possibility

[11] And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. [12] And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. [13] And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

So I imagine that Elisha is just laying across the bed with his arms folded up thinking about how good this woman has been to him, and he wants to do something for her. He tells Gehazi his servant to call for her and ask her if he can speak to the King on her behalf. Perhaps giving her husband a position of authority. Or some other favor. But she was very satisfied where she was and didn’t want that favor, she politely declined. 

 [14] And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. [15] And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. [16] And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. [17] And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

Obviously Gehazi had learned from Elisha. He had noticed that there was no children in the house, and perhaps seen evidence that this woman had truly desired to be a mother, but for what ever reason had never became pregnant. We see her desire when she tells Elisha not to even joke about it! But it’s not a joke. In their older years, it happens. What she had long given up on as even a possibility, God makes it happen and she is blessed with a son. 

Positioned for Promise

Have you ever felt as though you’d been chosen by God for a certain purpose, but its either not happened, or not as you expected? Well, the Shunamite woman was experiencing just that in the time that followed. Great, great joy was felt over the son. But then tragedy struck, but she held on to the promise she had forgotten about. 

 [18] And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. [19] And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. [20] And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. [21] And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. [22] And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. [23] And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. [24] Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. [25] So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: [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. [27] And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. [28] Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? [29] Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. [30] And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. [31] And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. [32] And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. [33] He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. [34] And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. [35] Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.[36] And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. [37] Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

She never stopped believing that God’s promise that she had long forgotten would be restored. She took the boy and laid him on the Prophets bed where she had gotten the promise, and where later Elisha restored the life back to her son.

But the struggle and the triumph doesn’t stop there! Can I tell you that life doesn’t always go as planned!

The Right Place at the Right Time

4 chapters later the story of the Shunamite woman continues. 

Famine has come to the land and Elisha tells her that she’s going to have to leave the wonderful home she has created, and so she does. But when she does, the king takes possession of it! So now she has to go and ask for it back.  But the day she does it just happens that Gehazi is there and the King wants to know what Elisha has been up to. Well it just happens that he can not only tell him, he can show him through the Shunamite woman’s testimony. This didn’t just happen. It put her in the right place at the right time for God to provide for her again. 

Positioned for Provision

2 Kings 8:1-6 KJVS

[1] Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. [2] And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. [3] And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. [4] And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. [5] And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. [6] And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

She was not only given her home back, but a freezer full of meet and veggies!  Okay… no frozen foods but plenty of goodness for which I have no doubt she once again began sharing. I know this was a lengthy blog. I’m usually at about 1000 words. Today at this point I’m at 2,174. But her testimony reminds me of the goodness of God throughout my life and God’s great provision. His word is so encouraging to my soul. I’ve been struggling for weeks to do His work, and today I feel like the Shunamite woman made me a bed and a loaf of bread and said, “rest here for a while. God’s got us covered.” Maybe you needed the rest too. Love ya! Mean it. Please share and encourage someone with God’s word!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Eternity, failure, Faith, Grace, Uncategorized

I’m a Blessed Mess

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV – And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

If God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness, He is REALLY rollin’ in perfection. There’s nothing like a little alone time and reflection to make you realize how very imperfect you are. Or at least so is the case with me. It seems of late that every art project, writing project, music project etc. that I have worked on, I’ve thrown my hands up in defeat and picked it to pieces. It ain’t easy bein’ me. 

This isn’t a post in hopes of having the world tell me how wonderful I am. I have great encouragers in my life.  The only real discouragement I get is from me. I grow weary of myself. Perhaps you can’t or possibly can identify. But today I turn to the scripture in hopes of finding a happy medium for myself that will restore in me my creative flair in a way that comes with a little more confidence and assurance that what I’m doing makes a difference. It’s not just fluff.

God’s Grace… God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. Great acronym and great truth.

I love the scripture that leads me away from an identity crisis and into who I am in Christ. That’s the part that I forget when I’m picking myself apart. That’ I’m actually being critical of God’s gifts placed within me. I’ve never liked my self criticism nature. I just don’t do a very good job of shutting her up, even though I have that power in my arsenal of Christian defenses by using the word of God. So, let’s do that today! 

Follow the word of God as it tells us who we are “in Christ.” Those of us who know that we know we’ve been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We are Justified! (Just as if I’d never messed up)

Romans 3:24 KJV – Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

He knows my weakness! (And loves me anyway)

Romans 5:6 KJV – For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

There is no condemnation of those who are Spirit lead! (Satan may point a finger, but God never will)

Romans 8:1 KJV – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

I feel the Spirit of God with me. (Confirming that I am a child of God)

Romans 8:9 KJV – But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

He is my defender! (Everyone needs a Hero)

Romans 8:34 KJV – Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Nobody or nothing can separate me from God. (He’s within my heart)

Romans 8:39 KJV – Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are separate from this World. (We are the Saints of God, not a statue on a church lot)

1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV – Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

We are the complete package. (Completed by Christ at the Cross)

1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV – But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

We have hope eternal. (Even in death)

1 Corinthians 15:22 KJV – For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

We have purpose! (He has anointed us to fulfill it)

2 Corinthians 1:21 KJV – Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

If Satan brings up our past (and he will) Remind him of his future.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV –  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Our surety is in the word of God. (Stay in it!)

2 Timothy 1:13 KJV – Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Glory! Just wrote myself happy. Hoping you just read yourself happy!

Shari – The Jesus Chick

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Why I Made a Covenant with God Last Saturday

chick covenant

The issues of life. They are so many and they change day to day if not minute by minute. We can be clipping along at a steady pace and the bottom will drop out of our world or someone close to us. It’s a continual struggle to find the good in a world full of bad. I loved a post I on social media a few days ago that read “It matters not if the glass is half full, or half empty. It’s re-fillable.”

How true!

There are half empty and half full days, but every day the Lord waits for His children to stop in for a refill. Romans 15:13 says ~ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

I will be the first to confess, and my friends will Amen! it when I say I have issues. Every day. Just this morning I woke up overwhelmed by the days before me and the things that I need to get accomplished. The goals that I set for myself are a lot for a 52 year old gal. I sometimes feel like Moses must have felt at the age of 80 when God stopped by and told Him to pack light and be ready. He has things for us to do.

On Saturday of last week God began to do a work in my half empty heart… again. It’s an ongoing project of His. He knows my desires, He also knows my weaknesses. He has seen me at my best and at my worst.  Don’t start throwing rocks, He sees you too! God reminds us through Jeremiah 23:24 ~ Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. There’s nothing secret with Him. So why is it that we try to pretend life’s okay. We all have issues.

I for one am tired of saying I’ll do something, anything the Lord asks, and just as quickly pretend I didn’t hear what He said. I’m a very private person when it comes to heartaches and sorrows. I don’t share those well… if at all. It is an area of my life that I do not walk the talk.  I want everyone to feel as though they can share their burdens with me without the possibility of judgement, condemnation or any other concern, but I won’t tell another soul that my glass has days of being empty of hope. Saturday was not a day of hopelessness but more haplessness. I just couldn’t see anything positive at work in my ministry.  And so God and I talked, and talked… and I tried to listen.

I have a heart of a distraction. I’m so unfaithful to the things of God. At the drop of a hat my attention can go astray. I have a dozen projects going at once, I have obligations to people, my creativity is on overflow… song lyrics run through my head and out my ears, there are unfinished projects that lie in wait in the shadows of my day causing me to feel undone and a failure. That is the confession of the Jesus Chick in all it’s reality. So back to Saturday… I needed to do something. I needed to commit to God in a way that way that binding and that filled me with hope. I wanted a visual reminder that I had a made a Covenant with God that I was ready to abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so with fingertips to key board I penned a written covenant. Click here —> COVENANT WITH GOD if you’d like to read it. I had no intentions of sharing it, but today God spoke to my heart to publish it on this site as another way of keeping it not only before my eyes, but before the eyes of witnesses who read it.

I entered into a Covenant with God the day I accepted Christ as my Savior and said that I would follow where ever He led, but I’ve failed. Praise God that His Covenants are never failing. This Covenant that I entered into Saturday was more of renewal of dedication to the responsibilities that Christ has placed in me. I share it with you today in hopes that you’ll commit yourself to greater service, and that you will pray for me. I need it. Please pray for:

  • My strength (physically and spiritually) to do the work of God.
  • Opportunities to serve.
  • Discernment of requests made on my time.
  • Humility to step out of the paths of others.
  • That I be an example of the Leadership of Christ.

Please send me your prayer request and if you are led to make a commitment to God through a written or verbal covenant. I’d count it a privilege to lift you to the Lord.

Error: Contact form not found.

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration, salvation

The Boundary Setter

2 Timothy 1:9-11 ~ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

I love scripture that affirms eternity past and future, purpose and position in life. It makes sense of my nonsensical world. Timothy was a young believer and Pastor privileged to be mentored by none other than the great apostle Paul. Paul’s burden for Timothy was apparent in his letters to him, and their mutual respect for another’s genuine faith. He was touched by Timothy’s tender heart, verse 4 says ~ Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;” and as Paul’s time grew short on earth he was grateful to have a comrade on the battlefield in whom he could depend. Paul and Timothy’s faith allowed them to apply the past to the purpose of the present so that their future could be anticipated with promise.

The planning in the past

Before the world began God’s plan was in action and I was in it! I know, it shocks even me that with all of God’s planning and time I wouldn’t have turned out better. But it’s not about me or my abilities (my works) it’s about His own purpose. That’s where it gets foggy for me. I try to impose my disabilities on God’s abilities. God says show up as you are and He will use us where we are, but so often I think there has to be advanced planning. There was….in eternity past God provided the grace we’d need for today. It’s already there before our feet hit the floor in the morning.

The purpose of the present

is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Manifest – meaning it’s now made known. I know, I know, if you’re like me you don’t see it often times either. But it’s there in the evidence of Christ at work in your life. I’m amazed at the awesome people that God puts in my life at specific times; those who have just appeared at the right time. Every pivotal experience in my life generally has a new person involved that made it possible. God working through them. But even more amazing than that is when “I’m that person.” I fear that I’m missing the boat of opportunity because I don’t often step up or out when God nudges me for fear of stepping over the bounds. However, who’s bounds am I in fear of stepping over, God’s or mans.

Acts 17:24-27 says “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitiation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

I love that! The boundaries that God has set were determined from the beginning of time and so long as I continue to search for Him, He’ll continue to direct my paths and place people in my path. I need to stop focusing on the boundaries and spend more time focusing on the boundary setter.

The promise of the future

…who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Christ came to provide eternal life through the light of the Gospel, and He chooses to use vessels like you and I to spread that hope.  If we’ve been saved, we’ve received the appointment; it’s on our schedules whether we want it or not. Someone, somewhere needs to see Christ in you today, their future may depend on it.

Posted in Uncategorized

The Promise Doesn’t Change

Exodus 12:25~ And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

The Promise Doesn’t Change

Genesis 12:1-3  Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

For four hundred and thirty years the Israelites had been enslaved to the Egyptians. I have to wonder how many times they ask the Lord, “But what about the promise?” How many generations died without having seen it? God’s timing is not ours (else my last journey through heartache would have been much shorter!) Abraham, the original receiver of the promised died having not seen the promise fulfilled. Even with Abraham’s death, Israel’s disobedience, and a change in priorities of God’s people, God didn’t change the promise. He promised Abraham he would make of him a great nation and as the 600,000 men, likely over one million people trekked across the dry land of the Red Sea, what a sight it would have been to behold. My heart stirs in me this morning at the thought of what it must have been like to have been in that passel of people! It stirs not only from that promise being fulfilled but from the promises fulfilled in my own life on the countless times God has said “I’ll bring you through” and He did!

Are you going through a struggle in your life? Has heartache knocked upon your door? For Israel to receive that promise they had to do a few things…

The blood had to be applied – Today is no different for the child of God. The blood represented another promise that God would redeem His people, through a greater sacrifice. His Son would be the final sacrifice to end them all, but you must confess Who He is (the Son of God). What He did (He died for you) and Where He is (Risen from the dead and In Heaven at the right hand of God the Father, making intercession for our sins.)

When God said move, they needed to go – If the children had stayed in the corrupt world of Egypt, God’s plan would not have been fulfilled, they needed to go to the Promised Land where the influence of the world would not be. The problem with that was, they took a lot of the influence with them in their minds. They left the country behind, but not the characteristics. And because of that they lived defeated many times. But the promise didn’t change. It just wasn’t as good as it could have been.

Continue to serve – Once they reached the Promised Land God told them they were to “keep this service.”  Somehow or another when people get saved they forget that the journey’s not over. Israel was to continue keeping the Passover as a reminder that God had brought them out. There is much to do for the cause of Christ, and much of it is undone because people have stopped keeping His service. We’re not saved by works. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9 ~For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” But James 2:18 reminds us that although works will not save you, salvation should give you the desire! “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

I hope today find you clingin’ to the promise! It did not change!