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Frustrator’s: the Devil’s hirelings

Written by talk2shari Published August 19, 2014August 19, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Most days I feel like I’m spinning my wheels, some worse than others…frustration mounts, Satan’s a liar and unfortunately I’m often a believer. Much like a comment by Apostle Paul, mine is “That which I want to get done, I don’t; that which I don’t want to do, I do.” Definitely an adlib and creative licensing but I’m sure you get the gist. My goal of working for the Kingdom seems to get thwarted at every turn. I fail (chastise myself) and move on. I fall (dust myself off) and go on. I faint (nourish myself on the Word) and begin again. So when I read the words in verse 5 of this passage, I understood their anguish…

Ezra 4:1-5

¹Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;

²Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

³But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

⁴Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

⁵And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Israel had begun working on the temple when the Samaritans, their enemy, offered to be partners in the construction in order to obstruct the builders. When they were denied they hired “frustrators.” I had no idea that was a job description, although I personally know of a few who remain untitled as such and are likely working for free in my world. How true it is though that secular movements want to “help us” run the church by inflicting world views onto the church in order that they might frustrate the building of the Kingdom of God. Moral atrocities that in no way fit the Kingdom of God’s standards are supposed to be accepted as right and the holiness of God is to be cast aside because it discriminates against the world.

Frustrator’s are no respecter of person or position. Anyone working for the Kingdom at any level has an adversary. So you’re a housewife trying to be the best wife and mom you can be… you have your frustrators. You’re the fella or gal at work trying to live holy, share the gospel and be a witness for the cause of Christ… you have your frustrators. You are the missionary or Pastor and serve full time in the ministry… you have your frustrators. The list goes on. Anyone and everyone from the dishwasher to the doctor who has a desire to serve God has daily frustrations and things that get them off track.

This morning before my feet hit the floor I had lost focus on my design. It’s a good thing I’m not called to be perfect I’m called to be a partner. I need to do what I can do, and allow Christ to put the finishing touch on my life. I can’t fix other broken people… I can only partner with Christ to show them my Lord. I won’t ever be the perfect wife, mother, employee or servant.

So how do we fight off the frustrators? Slowly but surely. That battle is ongoing, it’s not likely to let up, but we must keep on. Keep reading and you see that Israel did get frustrated and almost quit, but God intervened.

I pray today finds you shielded from the frustrations of life. But if not, please keep on. God is worthy.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

Trust Issues

Written by talk2shari Published August 19, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

T.R.U.S.T. – Total Reliance on Something Tested

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock, and as it goes off in the wee hours of the morning there are usually message popping up on the screen as well, it’s certainly not uncommon. But an encourager in the faith who occasionally and very randomly messages me awoke me this morning with that acronym, a word of encouragement and scripture from Psalm 44. He didn’t know that I needed it. Only those very close to me knows that I’m facing another time of uncertainty in my life. And Satan, who has been trying very hard to discourage me, has been thwarted at every turn by the Lord. I’m so humbled, because my weak faith certainly doesn’t deserve it.

Over the past few days I’ve been meeting my past. Memories, people, things… and as I walked across the campus of Glenville State College I happen to run upon a previous boss, that I loved, and in my frustration I ask “God why is this happening? Why now, when I need encouragement, am I meeting past failures?” And as sure as my name is Shari, He spoke to my heart and said those weren’t failures, those were provisions. Those were times when you had nothing and I gave you great things. Why do you always depend on yourself?” So I reflected again on the people and the places of my life… and sure enough there it was as He had said. Provision, and not of my own.

Psalm 44

His Work

1-8 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

²How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

His Weapons

³For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

⁴Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

⁵Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

⁶For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

His Worship

⁷But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

⁸In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

His Word

In the scripture, and through the message of another child of God he encourages me to praise Him today, for He alone is faithful. My secular job ends September 30^th. In these very uncertain times not having a job can be an issue. I’ve been here before, several times… And each time God did a miraculous work! I’ve been here since the day I told God “no” to full time ministry in 2010. Do you think that’s a coincidence? Me neither.

For those who do not know the story, I did not tell God “no” in disrespectful rebellion (though it was rebellion.) I told Him “no” because I really couldn’t see the “how.” After jobs kept “mysteriously” ending I stopped asking “how” and began asking “when?” I’m still waiting for that answer… rebellion comes with a price.

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The Wow Factor in God’s Plan!

Written by talk2shari Published August 14, 2014August 14, 2014 Discussion 1 Comment

Today is the first day of school for the children in our community, so for the purpose of encouraging their little souls last night at Wednesday Bible Study, I taught at lesson on Esau (Who had a poor choice on chow and chicks) – Jacob (Who pursued power and position at great cost) – Leah (Who Labored for Love) and Rachel (Who was a diva of discontent). It was fun lesson but my favorite part was wrap up. I’ll leave you to go back and read Genesis 25-29 if you’d like to catch the full story.

The wrap up…

My goal in choosing these characters was to remind the teens that life doesn’t always go as planned. We sometimes think something is so extremely important that we’ll surely die without it. When in reality it’s merely temporal, like a bowl of soup, and certainly not worthy of trading the magnificent things that God has in store for us.

Relationships with friends and family are complicated, but of those that we have a choice in we need to choose wisely, else God’s plan for our lives could be jeopardized. Esau was firstborn and entitled to the birthright, but I can’t help but believe that Jacob was God’s chosen all along to continue the lineage of Christ. The Momma’s boy Jacob was far from perfect, but he wasn’t as wishy washy as Esau (a man’s man hunter) who gave his birthright away because his tummy was growling and married idol worshipping women who I’m sure took his focus off of the things of God. Jacob’s wrestling for position began at birth (Genesis 25:22), Jacob mentally wrestled, although sometime deceitfully with his brother through life, and he wrestled with God (Genesis 32:24) and got a new name. Jacob was a fighter! interesting side note (Jacob and Esau were likely in their late 60’s when that went down). They were far from the boys that we often see depicted in story books.

Jacob leaves home and gets snookered into marrying two women, one he loves, and one he tolerates. Now this is where the story gets the wow factor! Rachel, who was all that and a bag chips, was the choice bride of Jacob and yet he wasn’t enough, she wanted children. He loved her from the day he laid eyes on her having worked 14 years for her and they felt like but a day. I’m sure the evidence of his love for Rachel was on his face lit up like glory and a knife in the heart of Leah who knew she was wife by default. Jacob worked seven years prior to their marriage, but not for her. So she gave him four children, thinking that surely with each one he would love her more, but it was not so. Genesis 29:31 says “And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.”

The lesson for my girls was this, – God is the only one that will satisfy your soul. Being the prettiest or the most loved won’t do it. And all those times that you feel you’re the plain Jane, not the most popular, not the most attractive and Satan has you convinced there is not greatness in your life… hang on to the story of Leah.

Here’s the wow factor?

Matthew 1:2 – Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

It was Leah’s great x 19ish grandbaby that was the Redeemer of the world. Not the pretty girl Rachel’s. God used Leah to bring salvation into the world through the lineage of Jacob. That thought just blew me away! I was that plain Jane gal, okay, but not great. Never the most popular, talented or beautiful… and yet today I feel like a million dollars because God is using me in such an awesome way.

I urged my teens to hang onto that thought on the days that Satan had convinced them that they didn’t measure up… GOD’S GOT A PLAN!

Posted in Life Inspiration

It’s Trash Day!

Written by talk2shari Published August 13, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I'd be much more apt to do take out the trash if my cans looked like this! — If all trash were this pretty…

This morning is trash day in our part of the world. I actually put mine out last night, but every day should be trash day in the life of a child of God. We are inundated every minute of the day and night (or so it seems) with trash from the world around us; those who feel compelled to violate our space with their junk. Scroll down a social media page for more than 30 posts and if your thoughts are not violated in some manner, your friends are better than mine. That is the number of posts on my page before I ran into a not so godly post. So you say… “Get rid of that friend,” (number 1 that was family) and number 2, I’m shocked at how many Christians post stupidity in the name of comedy. I will not however unfriend and offend a friend or family member because of a slightly off color post, there are lines they can cross where they’re gone like a bad sitcom. I want them to see my post and hopefully be encouraged! So what do I do with the trash I inadvertently ingest? It seems to fly out the window of my mind when I feed on the positive and encouraging things of life like the word of God, Christian blogs, listening to the gospel preached or music sung.

I get so tired of hearing Christians complaining that there’s nothing good on television, the internet or in their community entertainment. Where do you live? For every 30^th not so good post, there are 29 positive (in my social media world) it may vary in yours. So stop parking on 30. Television media may not be so user friendly but if you determine to only park on the positive you can find it… or turn it off, pick up the Bible or a devotion, plug into some Christian music and worship the One who is only good. And then when you hear that good word… share it. Don’t be the 30^th.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Posted in Life Inspiration

When the laughter stops… the launching point

Written by talk2shari Published August 12, 2014August 12, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

My heart was broken for Robin Williams last night when I heard the news of his suicide. A man known for making us laugh, a comedic genius and yet couldn’t pull himself out of sadness. Suicide is no respecter of persons, be they rich or poor, young or old, elite or unknown. It’s a selfish death, in that those who love you are left to morn and self-blame and the very pain you wanted to stop you’ve now inflicted on those you loved. For the Christians there is always the question, “Were they saved?” And then there are those who callously comment that they couldn’t have been. I disagree.

Depression (for which I occasionally inwardly battle) and mental illness are not Band-Aid-able nor can you always medicate them away, although that sometimes works. It’s taken much too lightly by many who think it’s something you can just “get over” or it’s triggered by something else. I have no profound answers for anyone seeking a solution to understanding the why’s of suicide, I have only this…

If you contemplate suicide – Seek Christ

If you care take the suicidal – Seek Christ

If you are confused as to why it happened – Seek Christ

No that’s not all there is…that’s just a launching point. He has to take over from there because everyone is unique; but until you seek Him he cannot take you in the direction you need to go. Your questions may even go unanswered for a while, it may be a time of contemplation and healing, or even re-grouping. But seek Him first, then launch, not visa versa.

My friend ReAnn Ring posted on Facebook this morning the quote “One thing we know for sure … the Lord chases us all the way to our death and beyond. I love when He catches me … and doesn’t let go.”

He caught me in 1996. I guess that is why He makes His disciples “fishers of men,” or women as the case may be. I’m now the fisher, not the fished. Are you near my net? Did this post strike a chord in your heart? Please take heart when I say “The Devil is a loser and a liar!” Turn a deaf ear to his tongue and seek Christ; it is in Him you’ll find life and a life worth living. It is in His people that you’ll find a physical hand attached to the Spiritual Hands. We are God’s ambassadors to the earth and our job is to allow you to see Him working through us.

If you’re struggling I urge you to find a good Bible believing Church near you and get hooked up! It’s not an instantaneous fix… remember… it’s the launch.

Hebrews 13:5b

… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Posted in Life Inspiration

The Art of Seduction

Written by talk2shari Published August 12, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

One would think I’d be beyond seduction. After all I’m the Jesus Chick. Even as I write those words my stomach twists and turns knowing that I’m just a sinner saved by grace. I try hard to walk the talk (and fail.) I don’t want to be just another hypocritical living child of God.

I loved the funny tale of the man who wanted no part of religious, hypocritical living Christians, but at the coercing of a friend decided to go to church. He watched as the people from his small town filed into the church; one by one their sins rehearsed themselves in his mind. He listened intently to the sermon, sure he’d find discrepancies of truth, but the strangest thing happened… at some point he stopped looking at the people, and the Pastor’s words began to pierce his heart and within him he could feel his soul tremble. The Word was truth, and it had not pointed to the sins of his peers but to his own. When altar call came his heart nearly beat out of his chest as his white knuckles relinquished their grip on the pew and he made his way down the aisle. As he got up from the altar the man was amazed that God had not only saved him, but the entire church of hypocrites as well, he couldn’t spot a one!

I love that story! It’s not my own, nor do I really fit into it as my story of salvation. I was a lost sinner living a lie. I didn’t look at other “Christians” and think of them as hypocrites because I didn’t understand what Christians were supposed to be. That my friend is a sad indictment on society. I knew right from wrong, the moral sense of the law but was clueless to what a Spirit filled Christian looked like. I was seduced by Satan who had convinced me that there was no need to seek a relationship with Christ; that was for Preachers and fanatics. But then “it” happened, Shari got saved, really saved! Holy Spirit filled, call me a fanatic, I don’t care – saved! And a different type of seduction started. Satan could no longer seduce me into idleness but would rather seduce me with busyness.” Regardless of whether or not it was work, church or family related, I was still being seduced away from the relationship with Christ.

1 John 2

²⁶These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

²⁷But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

²⁸And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

The Anointing

God’s plan of action for every believer. Every day He has a job that only you can do, and He’s anointed you with the power to do it. Every day Satan works to get you off focus.

The Abiding

God’s place within the heart of every believer. Everyday God makes your heart His home and begins to fill it with godly possessions. And every day Satan strives to overcrowd that space with pretty pieces that serve no purpose in eternity.

The Appearing

God’s Pledge that He’s coming back for every believer. Every day God wants us to be ready for His return. To have confidence that we are okay in Him, and every day Satan removes that confidence of God’s return and replaces it with complacency.

He has seduction down to fine art. It doesn’t have to be sexy, or vile; it just has to catch your eye long enough to get you off focus. God’s eternal design was not so much for us to walk the talk as it was to walk with Him. That will speak for itself.

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

Knitting Lessons

Written by talk2shari Published August 6, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Every year our annual tent meeting has a different flavor. We’ve had years when the fires of Heaven came down and stirred out hearts, this past year it was a calming of the heart having just lost our Pastor of 20 years and facing an uncertain time. This year there seems to be a mending of the community for the Kingdom of Christ. Tears well up in my eyes and joy bubbles in my soul when I write those words this morning. I’ve desired it, I’ve dreamt about it… a time when saying the name of another church didn’t come attached to an emotion of frustration. We can’t worship with them because they don’t believe like us, dress like us, talk like us… Woah… I can feel the room getting quiet.

Hasn’t Satan won a mighty battle in the church when he has us at odds with one another? How many souls go out into Hell each year because they didn’t see Jesus in our testimony, just us? And believe me that won’t save anyone. We’ve spent more time telling the lost what’s wrong with the church rather than what’s right. They see no difference in the house of God than they do a social club because isn’t it really just another “click?” Your friends, your family, your four and no more? Harsh topic this morning and one that has the potential to create a ruckus, and that’s okay, I’m up for the fight.

The preacher of last night’s meeting brushed over one of my favorite bible stories; the story of two best friends, David and Jonathan. I love 1^st Samuel 18:1 where it says “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” That’s a deep friendship, an example of Christ-like friendship. Jonathan was willing to betray his own father for the sake of David because he knew his father was wrong and that David was a chosen, anointed man of God. It was more important for Jonathan that he be right with God than right with man.

Which brings me to the question of doctrine. I’m not talking about linking up with churches who do not believe that Christ is the virgin born, Son of God, walked among men, crucified and risen the third day, sitting at the right hand of God, Redeemer. That would make us accountable for sending souls to Hell if we linked ourselves with anything else. But I speak of born again Christians who believe Christ is Lord of all and Creator of the universe, but they do it a little different than I do. It’s not a different doctrine, but rather a different style that has most churches at odds. Doctrine is the foundation of truth, all else is the foundation of men. What are you standing on?

Christ sat down with sinners and we won’t even sit down with each other.

Colossians 2:19 says –

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

If we hope to increase the Kingdom of God we need to do more knitting and less splitting. Whew! That’ll preach! You cannot detach yourself from another child of God without a disconnection of Christ at some point. Because God is the God of all. And if the “Head” of the church is not Christ, then the blood supply is shut off. Scary thought…

Christ said we needed to nourish one another, feed our souls on His goodness and then share it with everyone. I pray that this year’s tent meeting is the beginning of a knitting session with other Christ believers in our community. I love them…preach on preachers! Hope to see everyone at 7 tonight at Victory Baptist Church!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Wisdom for the Weary

Written by talk2shari Published August 1, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Psalm 1…

Six small verses, yet a lifetime of wisdom if we’d only take heed. Needing to hear the wisdom of God myself, below is a running commentary of my thoughts on Psalm 1.

HOW TO PICK A FRIEND

¹Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,

COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY – Those who are anti God, who do not think in the spiritual sense about the earthly sense. I’m flabbergasted that Christians think it’s strange that I put a spiritual spin on everything in my life… please take note that I’m not saying I’m sin free or guilt free in life; that would be far, far from the truth. I’m a sinner saved by grace; but I cannot separate my spiritual walk from my secular walk. So… should I seek counsel, I’m not going to go to those who do. I want the opinion of someone who’s in touch with God on the events in their life as well.

nor standeth in the way of sinners,

SINNERS – Blatant disregard for the commandments of God. We are all sinners saved by grace, but there are those who fail to acknowledge any responsibility for living scripturally and to “hang out” with them is asking for trouble in your own spiritual walk. The old adage “Show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are, or who you soon shall be,” speaks volumes of truth.

nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

SCORNFUL – Disrespectful, discouraging, mocking people who spend more time tearing you down than building you up. I absolutely refuse to spend time with people who leave me feeling as though I’ve been pummeled beneath the hooves of a horse but it’s not to say I’m not exposed to them. I just don’t “sit” and have a lengthy conversation with them.

HOW TO PLAN A PARTY!

²But his delight is in the law of the Lord;

THE LAW – the Word of God. If you want to start and end your day rejoicing tune your mind in to the Word of God all day and by day’s end you’ll have joy in your soul! It’s soothes your soul like drinking an ice cold water on the hottest day of the year. I and promise because the Word of God promises that it is the Word of life.

Philippians 2:16

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

MEDITATE – to ponder and reflect, to take the Word of God and chew on it until all the flavors gone, only to discover that Willy Wonka’s gobstopper had nothing on the Word of God, it never runs out of flavor!

HOW TO PLOT A JOURNEY

³And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Don’t move. Sounds simple enough, but not really logical if you think of it in the literal sense. But if you think about it in the spiritual sense its truth. No matter where you go in life, get there and plant yourself deeply in the Word of God, seeking for the Wisdom of God and the Will of God, and He’ll take care of the rest.

THE PLIGHT OF ALL OTHERS.

⁴The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The sad truth is, all who do not seek God and His ways will perish in the end. It’s our job to PACK A PUNCH for the Kingdom of God by living a life that all may see evidence of God and His plan.

Posted in Life Inspiration

The God of a Messed Up Generation

Written by talk2shari Published July 30, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

For some reason, I get images and ideas in my mind, and they’re turned into facts. So many things I think I know about scripture and then I’ll discover something that I should have known… and yet didn’t. Like the fact that Jacob was in his mid to late seventies when Isaac accidently gave him his brother’s blessing and he fled from Esau. Now, in my mind I had him as a fairly young man, after all, he was still hanging out in the tents with his mom! And while what his mom certainly did was wrong by encouraging Jacob to deceive Isaac, he was in his seventy’s for crying out loud; he really couldn’t blame his Mom because his diaper was too tight growing up. It was time for him to get out of the tent and be a man. And so Jacob fled… and his story continued as he met a greater deceiver than himself (Uncle Laban), married his true love Rachel (second) after being tricked into marrying her older sister Leah. But now that I realize he was in his eighties, that story makes more sense. His eyesight may not have been what it once was!

Being that this is a blog and not a full blown bible study you’ll have to do your own reading on that story, (Genesis 25-27) for it was but introduction. My point in reminiscing those pages was to remind us of who Jacob was. His name literally means “deceiver.” The Bible said about Jacob and his twin brother Esau that “the children struggled together within her;” They were fighting before birth! Now that’s sibling rivalry; and they’re still fighting in their late seventies. But along the road to restoration of the brother’s relationship, Jacob gets a new name.

Genesis 32:24-28

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. ²⁵And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

A few points and then I’ll leave you to ponder this thought as I was left when I heard a message on it.

Jacob began his life in a wrestling match for the position of first born.
He swindled his brother out of his birthright and his blessing and on his way to restoration he wrestles again… but this time with God.
He receives a new name, Israel, and yet… on several occasions throughout the Bible God continues to call him Jacob, saying “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…”

Why would God go to all that trouble to give Jacob a new name and yet continue to use the name Jacob when reminding his servants of Who He was? Could it be to remind those of us who fail God daily, that God, in all His holiness, still acknowledges that He’s not the God of perfect people, but of deceivers? He gave Jacob a new name, Israel; He restored his relationship with his family much the way we’re given a new name in Glory upon salvation and restored to the family of God, but while we walk down here we’re still deceivers. We’re not a perfect people, but we serve a perfect God.

That thought amazed me yesterday… so much that I was still chewing on it today when I woke up and decided to share. I hope you are equally blessed to know that God is still God even when we’re messed up.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Freedom we don’t have, From inside Prison Walls

Written by talk2shari Published July 29, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Rock of Ages Minstry Team, Chaplin Edward Eisley and Me!

Spiritual Strongholds… seems to be a theme in my life recently. It was a theme in teen camp last week and as I walked out of the prison last night where I’d sang, I thought there was really little difference between myself and the inmates. Their prison bars were made of iron, mine were made of flesh. Both kept us from the people and things we love.

From the time I entered the sanctuary of the Salem Correctional Facility I could feel the Holy Spirit at work. The men were happy to be in that place, and had it not been for the uniforms it could have been any church in America. Actually, it was better than most churches in America, this one was filled with life! As I sang I watched several wipe tears from their eyes and a few others sat there cold and calloused to the Holy Spirit’s nudging. In all, twelve men have given their lives to Christ during the four day revival of the Rock of Age ministry.

They challenged the inmates to invite “their community’ to the services for the prize of a Bible and one man had invited 31 men from his unit. I tried to connect with as many eyes as I could when I sang, I wanted them to know that I had come to encourage them, that it wasn’t about me. Apostle Paul wrote pretty much the same thing from inside a jail cell to the Church of Corinth.

2^nd Corinthians 10:1

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

Base and bold. In contrast to each other, but oh so very needful in the service of Christ. If I had gone into the prison with the attitude of the entertainment industry my portion of the service would have fallen as flat as a pancake. I wasn’t there to entertain or to show pity to the inmates. I was there to lift up the name of Christ and hopefully encourage brothers in Christ, my equals, to be bold in their temporary home.

Is that not what earth is? We’re here for just a short while. A prison sentence to a new inmate seems like an eternity, and yet it’s just a little while in the scope of actual eternity.

2^nd Corinthians 10:2-4

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Strongholds. Those things that hold us back from sharing the goodness of God. Most of us are not behind steel bars, but there is still imprisoned. When I walked into that facility last night I was bold in the power of God, I had come to do what God has called me to do. But on the outside…it’s much harder to be bold. Ironic is it not? I felt more freedom inside a prison than outside. Outside is a scary place to me. Most don’t want to hear the gospel and they’re quite adamant, vocal and threatening about it. And I cower back into the shadows and my boldness is gone. Satan is good at what he does.

I left a little piece of my heart in the prison, I’ll have to go back and see if I can find it. I doubt I will, I’ll probably have to make several trips…