shortfalls – Page 2 – The Jesus Chick

Posted in Life Inspiration

Talk is Cheap, or is it?

Written by talk2shari Published March 11, 2014March 11, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Spend a day listening to the world around you and number the conversations that are “of God” and those that are “of the world” and I can pretty much guarantee which will be greater (Unless you live in a bubble or are blessed enough to have a ministry job.) And even then I’m not so sure the numbers wouldn’t run close. When I refer to conversations that are “of God” I’m not talking about deep theological conversations or even shallow ones, but rather conversations that you would have in the presence of Jesus if He still walked among us. Every day I’m shocked at how very little people actually think about what they say. Profanity seems to be at a premium while godly conversations are whispered in a back room for fear of offending someone. My heart sinks for I know God is frustrated.

How do I know?

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 ~ For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

The select few. If you are a child of God you are of a select few, chosen especially for God himself; above all the people on the earth He chose you. You may or may not have a great relationship with your parents who gave birth to you, but your Heavenly Father handpicked you not to be like the world (for there are plenty like that) but to be holy. Matthew 7:13-14 reiterates the same notion when Christ said “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and manythere be which go in thereat:Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

If you are a child of God you are of the few! It’s not that God wouldn’t take them all for He loves the world, but the select are the elect that choose to take Him. And upon choosing to take Him as your Savior you chose to have Him reside within you; so those conversations you are having during your day are not in front of Jesus, they are from Jesus because you are His representative.

How are you representing?

Today you and I are both reminded that our words do not return void. They sow and reap something. We’ve been redeemed, bought with a price. Talk is cheap… salvation was not.

Posted in Life Inspiration

3 Things God Needs You to Know

Written by talk2shari Published March 9, 2014March 9, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Isaiah 43:18-19 ~ Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

What encouraging words this early morning! We know spring is on its way because we’re all likely dragging from the loss of another precious hour of sleep. But in West Virginia this morning it’s a balmy 32 degrees and I’m still feeling the effects of the harshness of winter, and in Isaiah 43 the Israelites were still feeling the effects of the harshness of captivity of Babylon; so God inspired Isaiah to pen these words of encouragement that continue to give hope to the captives of today. Captives of what?

Things.

I love bible word studies because they’re often like an unforeseen journey; a vacation from the typical way of thinking. Isaiah said not to remember the former things and the old things and upon further searching out those words I discovered that the “former things” were ancestor related, and the “old things” were places where they had went before. God didn’t want them dwelling on past mistakes and places that didn’t hold the best of memories, He had “new things.”

This morning as we’re on the edge of springing forth into a new season, we’re ready to don the fresh colors of the spring, short sleeves and flip flops! You’ll likely not find anyone wearing the cumbersome wool overcoats, boots and hats in a few weeks but in the scope of life there are many people who have failed to leave the old seasons of life behind when God gave them a brand new one! They’re stuck in winter grays when God provided a whole new palate of beautiful color. Too metaphoric?

Past mistakes of ourselves and others can haunt our future and prevent us from living the successful lives God intended. Rehashing the places we’ve been will create an epic fail in the new places God wants to take us. I’ve witnessed it and I’ve lived it; when people won’t let go of what someone did and continuously bring them or the event into a conversation of today making it a fresh wound all over again. When God said “No, I’m giving you a fresh new life!” Just as it says in II Corinthians 5:17 ~ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

As spring approaches it would be a good day to bring in some fresh new thoughts… stop allowing Satan to keep you captive in the harsh winters of life. It’s a brand new day!

Perhaps you’re still in captivity. The children of Israel were at the time Isaiah wrote these word of encouragement. They’re to serve as a reminder that as a child of God He has a new plan for you.

God went on to say in verses 20-21 ~ This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

God made you for praise and He desires to give you reason, but if you’ve failed to call upon the name of Jesus for salvation or help you’re still captive. God’s not going to drag you out of captivity until you have taken the first step.

Spring forward child!

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Canaries and Crows: Natalie Grant and the Media

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

“We left the Grammy’s early. I’ve many thoughts, most of which are probably better left inside my head. But I’ll say this: I’ve never been more honored to sing about Jesus and for Jesus. And I’ve never been more sure of the path I’ve chosen.”

Natalie Grant tweeted those words and then the media sang… only not like canaries, more like the obnoxious sound a crow makes. (Cawl, cawl, cawl)… so I’m going to take their advice and “call” it like I see it. American media (for the most part) is a biased, one sided, self-promoting group of people in the hands of Satan. Harsh? Yea, I guess. But I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with Christians being bashed for taking a stand on the side of morality. In the nineteenth century, leading newspapers reported from a Christian perspective. Today, however, journalists increasingly take an anti-Christian stance while claiming to be neutral. I’m wondering how colleges and universities now define the word neutral. According to Merriam Webster it is defined as – : not engaged on either side; specifically : not aligned with a political or ideological grouping <a neutral nation>:

This doesn’t sound like any of the media I’ve heard recently. More arguably the new definition of neutral is Liberal neutrality, which is the idea that the liberal state should not promote any particular ‘conception of the good’. Meaning I assume in my simplistic mind that “everyone’s idea of good is right.”

Oh yea… that’ll work.

As a music lover, and believing that the origin of music was designed by God and for God, what many call music today I call noise. But I don’t begrudge them their right to listen to it, I just don’t get it. And I don’t have to, it’s their life. So when the Grammy’s decide to dole out awards for varying music styles, I expect there to be music that I don’t particularly like recognized. And that’s okay. I didn’t watch the Grammy’s by the way, but I was interested in a particular group who were in the running, Dailey and Vincent, so I got up Monday morning looking for results, only to find article after article bashing Natalie Grant for having the audacity to stand for what she believed in.

If you didn’t watch the Grammy’s and don’t know the controversy it included a gay wedding on stage officiated by Queen Latifah and performances deemed “risqué” that were not “child appropriate” by Beyonce and her husband. So as a Christian artist, Natalie Grant walked out because she was offended. But according to our “neutral” media she’s not entitled to her opinion, only theirs. And the question music lovers on both sides of the argument should be asking the Grammy Association is “What did any of that nonsense have to do with the artistry of music?” All it served to do was take the attention away from what the Grammy’s are supposed to recognize which is talent. So please don’t try to tell anyone that someone there wasn’t promoting their own agenda, not music.

So… what does God think of all this?

Romans 1:22-32 ~ Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Stand on Miss Natalie. God is watching.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Something Beautiful & Good: You!

Written by talk2shari Published January 28, 2014January 28, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I have about as much of a clue on why God tolerates my antics as I do on figuring out what makes the world tick. My attention span is that of a two year old (I kid you not). I’ll apologize ahead of time or behind time for a conversation in which my eyes glaze over. It’s not you, it’s that ol’ ADD, which can stand for Attention Deficit Disorder, or Adult Defiance Disorder which I have no medical diagnosis of either, but I’m pretty sure I have both; and they could be treated with a big stick.

I’ve been working on a guitar piece that was humming softly in my brain when I got up this morning. It’s a chorus by Bill Gaither titled “Something Beautiful.”

The lyrics are:

Something beautiful,

Something good;

All my confusion

He understood;

All I had to offer Him was

Brokenness and strife,

But He made something beautiful

Of my life.

I “get” that song, or better yet God “got” me when He inspired Bill Gaither to write it. My world has been filled with confusion since day one, it’s what makes me, me. And it’s what frustrates anyone who has to deal with me. Even in reading what I just wrote I can imagine your eyes glazing over! But please bear with me as I let you in on something God shared with me this morning in my confusion…

Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:11 ~ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

In His Time

So, you’re not feeling beautiful today? Me either, inside or out. But God said He made every thing beautiful in His time… not mine. In Heaven when God created Shari, He created me just the way I am. His time is eternity past, present and future – and because I know (because scripture tells me) that He knew me before I was born I can be rest assured that my ADD behavior did not catch God off guard. ~

Jeremiah 1:5 ~ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Somehow, someway, God has a plan for me. Not a new and improved version, this version. And in God’s time, where He is, where He can see yesterday, today and tomorrow He sees and loves me as He created me, as I am. In His time, age, size, hair color nor any other human elements matter. He sees us as He created us… beautiful. Who are we to argue?

In our Heart

God has set the world in their heart. He has placed within us a design, and inner working that allows us to know we are a part of His creation, but we must wait with patience (again… not my strong suit) to discover what that complex plan is from beginning to end. If we made a delectable baked dessert and took it out of the oven half way through it wouldn’t be eatable. But, wait until it’s done and it’s the delight the creator intended. I don’t know what God’s plan is for me… and that frustrates me to no end that He didn’t discuss it with me, but in truth He may have discussed it with me prior to my appearance on earth. The desires in my heart may have come from a conversation in eternity past, that’s why they’re my desires today. Interesting thought… But another truth is, that confusion comes from the fact that there is no good in me, except the goodness of God through the Holy Spirit. I have this old nature that continually battles with the new nature that came from Salvation. But in spite of it God gave me a job to do and it’s a gift. Listen to verses 12-13 ~ I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

The desires of my heart, the person God created me to be is a gift meant for enjoyment. So rather than living in discouragement we should remember that we came with a purpose instilled in our heart.

The Bible is your user manual… crack it open and get some direction for the day!

Posted in Life Inspiration

What is your perception?

Written by talk2shari Published January 20, 2014January 20, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Matthew 16:15 ~ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

It was a great discussion in our teen class yesterday when we posed the question “When you think of Jesus, how do you envision Him?” My co-teacher and ex-Marine envisioned Him in dress blues, a real man’s Man; some of the teens thought of Him in a glorious white robe, another teen thought it might be a more humble attire, I envision the Lamb now Lion in royal array, tastefully “blinged out.” The truth of the matter is we don’t know exactly what He’ll be wearing other than what we read in Revelation 19:13-16 ~ And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

How He is dressed may not matter, but how we perceive Him personally matters a great deal. Modern day images today often paint Him as a small in stature man with beautiful eyes of compassion, long flowing hair and pastel garments. Well, I’m not even going to get into the hair argument because hairstyle just doesn’t make it or break it for me, I just love Jesus. But when it comes to stature, I’ll have to debate that one. The Revelation texts said He would smite the nations, and Jesus upsetting the tables in the temple and driving the religious thieves out with whips doesn’t strike me as a weak and small in stature Man. (John 2:15)

Our perception of God matters because how we approach Him matters. Matthew 11:29-30 ~ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Many mistake meekness for weakness. Meekness shows great restraint, weakness is giving yourself over. HUGE difference. Christ yoke and burden are light because He carries the greater share of it. As Dennis Legg preached in our Sunday sermon yesterday, all Christians must pick up the cross, but Christ carries the heavy end.

The forgiving nature of Christians is often considered weakness but rather it too is meekness. If you’ve forgiven someone a huge debt, you know it is truth that it takes great restraint. It would be far easier to lash out at that person than to love them and never mention it. On that same note, when we sin it is often far easier to think of Jesus as the small in stature God rather than the One who is the Holy and Righteous Judge.

I fully believe that God is all to all. He has arms of compassion that I may run into when I’m hurt or afraid, and He has stern hands of judgment when I treat His grace carelessly. He is my Prince who rescues me, my Father who defends me from evil.

Who is He to you today?

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Second Generation Awesome

Written by talk2shari Published January 16, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I met the first generation awesome as a new convert in the 1990’s. She was a frail looking little lady with a heart the size of the State of West Virginia. She was your typical grandmotherly looking woman with a pocket book dangling from her arm. She didn’t wear any bling that I can recall; she just arrived, listened and left. You’d barely notice her at all were it not for the way she pushed people outside their comfort zone with her obedience. The Pastor would at various times make mention of something the church or someone in the community needed. He’d say it in passing, not to act upon it at that time, but that this was something we were going to do. Before he would finish his sentence you’d see a rustling in back right hand corner of the church, and out she’d step with pocket book in tow, fumbling with the clasp. And then you’d hear those awe inspiring words, “Preacher, I’d like to give the first twenty.” If she did it once she did it one hundred times and it would catch the whole congregation off guard! Because she lived in income based housing I knew she wasn’t rich, but she gave in abundance to the needs of others.

She came to mind this morning because I had a meeting with second generation awesome last night. She probably wouldn’t like it if I called her by name but God and I know who she is. Like her mother she would go un-noticed by most, but not because of her style, because she’s got it goin’ on there. But because she’s a gentle soul and a soft spirit. She’s seldom out front but always the first to step up and do something; whatever it is that the Lord lays on her heart. Like her mother she probably pushes people out of their comfort zone because obedience is not a strong suit for most of us. If God tells us to give twenty dollars, we’re counting the bills to makes sure we have enough to spare, maybe only giving fifteen for fear we’ll need lunch money. But the truth is if God tells you to give twenty, you can’t afford not to, and you might want to consider giving thirty just to let God know you’re serious.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

“Second Generation Awesome” took the example her mother set before her and applied it not only to finances but to life, and every day she lives with a dangling pocket book in her heart, ready to step out and say “I’d like to give the first twenty.” It may be twenty dollars or twenty minutes but she’s ready to offer herself up for the service of the Lord. Her life is not perfect, she’s not without heartache or concerns, but I believe that because of her gift of generosity God has blessed her.

I didn’t write this today to make you or I feel less than adequate in the giving department. I wrote it because I think we all need a reminder that God’s storehouse doesn’t sit empty. It sits full of things we could give and do for the Lord, but don’t for any number of excuses. And because of that we’re missing out on the blessings of being a new generation of awesome. What’s in your pocketbook?

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A True Come to Jesus Moment

Written by talk2shari Published November 18, 2013November 23, 2013 Discussion Leave a Comment

In a secular setting a few weeks ago I heard a woman discussing something that had happened in her office that had upset her. She was displeased with a staff member and as she put it, they were going to have a “Come to Jesus” meeting. My first thought was “If only you would.” (insert rolled eyes here) Her come to Jesus meeting had nothing to do with the Lord, and more to do with her yielding authority. The world takes the name of Jesus far too lightly. A real come to Jesus moment has nothing to do with anyone yielding authority, even under chastisement God’s Word is not condemning; convicting… yes. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery “Go and sin no more.” The stone throwers walked away with no entitlement to casting even one. Her “come to Jesus moment” was not the Lord berating her for a mistake, but rather the Lord lifting her up from ground with compassion and the defense of a Father who had just shielded her from being stoned to death. She knew she’d done wrong, He knew she knew. That was enough.

There’s a song lyric from Daystar that says “When I see you standing near me, shining with compassion in your eyes;” that is the image I have when I think of a “come to Jesus” meeting. That’s the meeting I have about every day when I’ve let the Lord down in service and I’m beating myself up and frustrated that I don’t live nearly as close to the foot of the cross as I should, or when I’ve let yet another person down and I’m just waiting for someone to hurl the first rock and then Jesus steps in. It’s actually the same look that we should have in our eyes when someone lets us down, but because we are so often in the flesh, that’s seldom the case.

Acts 15:10-11 says Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

At this time in Acts there were saved Jews adding back in law to the grace of God and confusing the members of the new church. Even though that’s still happening today I’m not speaking of that in this context. We’re not so much adding works to salvation but rather adding works to our conditions of grace. We have expectations of friends, family and coworkers and when they’ve fallen short, our “come to Jesus” moments don’t look anything like Jesus but border more on the Pharisee rock throwing. Where is the compassion? Sometimes the yoke we put upon people has been hand crafted by us with unrealistic expectations or people just flat out fail us. Either way God has expectations of us.

If we expect grace we must give grace, else how will anyone ever have a true “come to Jesus” moment?

Guard your witness today… Satan’s out to get it.

Posted in Uncategorized

The Mess of Success. Its bull.

Written by talk2shari Published November 13, 2013 Discussion Leave a Comment

Every day I strive to be a better Shari. Every day I feel like an epic fail. I have the grandest of intentions (the road to Hell is not the only one paved with them). Whatever project that I’m involved with chaos quite often ensues, just ask my church family. My house and my car are organized clutter. Meaning I know it’s there, I just often have to dig for it. My husband says if I’m in an accident it won’t be what’s outside the car that will kill me. I’m blessed with family and friends of high tolerance, but why do they do it? I think their reason is because among the mess has been an occasional success.

Proverbs 14:4 says Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

This verse was pointed out to me through a sermon I listened to a few weeks ago and I’ve not been able to get it out of my head. Mainly because every time I get in my car or walk into my house I think “Oh yeah, I meant to take care of that.” But the flip side of that is when my feet hit the floor at 4:30 a.m. each day my mind is on the ministry. I’m not saying I’m a super saint, it’s just who I’ve been since salvation in 1996. And this verse summed it up for me… there’s a mess in the ministry.

Your mess is likely different. But I can almost guarantee if you’re serving God there’s a mess around you somewhere. Relationships get messy in the ministry, even though you’re supposed to have all the answers. If you have children they’re likely imperfect and highly visible to church critics. Your finances are not what they should be, even though you try to live life biblical. Perhaps your issue is a quick temper or lack of discipline in your life. The point is if you’re in the ministry there is likely a mess somewhere in your life that makes you wonder why God chooses to use you at all. Or am I the only one?

It’s not hard to imagine what the stall of an ox is filled with or what it smells like. It has to be shoveled out and even then it leaves a trail of nastiness behind. But the labor of the field wouldn’t be getting done if the ox wasn’t in the stall. So before you (or I) are too hard on ourselves for the messes in life, remember… that mess just might be what equals success. The world doesn’t need to see perfect people in the ministry (Hallelujah!!!!). They need to see real people working through their day.

So, shovel out the barn and head to the field. You know what the Lord says, “for they are white already to harvest.” – John 4:35

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Are You Among the Chosen?

Written by talk2shari Published November 11, 2013 Discussion Leave a Comment

If you are a child of God, then yes. But chosen for what?

As a child I was not the most athletically inclined child in the school. As a matter of fact I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with a ball of any kind. I wanted to be; I just didn’t have it in me, nor did I have the willpower to work for it, I didn’t like it that much. So needless to say when it came to picking teams it was a sad time. I wasn’t the last to be chosen, hallelujah there were a few kids worse than me, but I ranked among them.

I grew up with a few internal scars from having not been one of the “chosen” in many different peer groups. One of which I really wanted to be chosen for was singing. And to top it all off, God paired me with a best friend who could bring the house down when she opened her mouth. I on the other hand was at or below average so I was content at being a friend of the chosen. Batman’s Robin so to speak. If I couldn’t be the hero, the hero’s best friend would suffice.

And then I grew up thinking that no more would I be in constant competition for this role or that. I would be free to be me. The trouble with that, I’d spent so much of my life being a sidekick that I didn’t know who I was. So I resorted to the familiar and went the way the wind blew with little guidance or direction, while deep within me beat the heart of passion for venues yet explored for fear of failure or rejection.

I was the frozen chosen. Not cold… just immovable.

Then I met the Team Captain.

Tears still well up in my soul when I think back to the day Jesus dislodged my sidekick mentality. The idea that I could actually be one of the elect with purpose. No way! The idea was so foreign to me. I was the nobody. Now, all of a sudden out of nowhere, I found myself standing before hundreds of people, belting out songs, teaching the gospel, making people laugh and more importantly, love. Not love me… that wasn’t as important as getting them to know and love the One who loved me.

I wanted them to understand that they too were chosen.

Acts 9:15 speaks of Paul.

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Paul probably was the cool kid in school. But there’s a vast difference between being chosen by the people, and chosen of God. The people will turn on you in heartbeat and their love is vane and fleeting. But when you’re chosen by God, it’s for a lifetime and with purpose unimaginable!

I fully believe, and quite often share it with youth, that there are talents that God refuses to allow the world to have.

Please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say as a boast, because believe me when I tell you I’m my own worst critic. But no one heard my voice as anything but at or below average until I got saved. And someone once said to me what I also thought when I opened up my mouth to sing for the Lord, “Where did that come from?” Nobody was as shocked as me when I discovered that I was a vessel of purpose.

It is why I now am so passionate to tell others that they too have been chosen. For what? I have a feeling you know.

Posted in Uncategorized

Black Friday Balance

Written by talk2shari Published November 6, 2013 Discussion Leave a Comment

We are just a few weeks away from black Friday shopping when the United States loses all of its ‘red sticker rationale;’ Meaning: if it’s got a sale tag, it’s a bargain. Only to realize once the receipt is in hand that this is not so much the case. But it’s truly more about the hunt and snare. We want the latest and greatest and we’re bringing up a generation who expects and demands it from not only their parents but the retail world, and they’re happy to oblige. I watched my grandson and granddaughter play with left over hardwood flooring last night for an hour or better. For Luke it was a construction project; for Paityn it was her “Balwance” beam. Yes I know it’s misspelled, it was just too cute. At my kitchen table where Luke and I played ‘Go Fish’, the television broadcasted a toy commercial and immediately Luke seriously needed it. Paityn had the new Build a Bear catalog and at two years old was in awe over the selection and it was fun to listen to her little girl dream about the bear with the magic wand. Just moments before both had been satisfied with what was there and available. There are many days that I seriously need stuff, and want Paityn’s magic wand to make it happen.

What God says about Want vs. Need

Deuteronomy 12:20

When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

Obesity in the nation is out of control not because of all the delectable foods that are available, because rich and poor alike suffer from it. It’s out of control because both the rich and the poor won’t stop eating. The children of Israel had come out of the wilderness where the flesh they ate was used for sacrifice, it was killed at the door of the tabernacle, and part of it presented to God as a peace offering. (Lev. 17:3-4). But when they came to Canaan, they lived a great distance from the tabernacle, and God has now given more leeway concerning the meat, within reason. They were permitted to kill whatever they pleased or their own use of their flocks and herds without bringing it to the altar, but not just for the sake of its existence. There should be a genuine longing (hunger). There was no large screen televisions blasting images of temptation before them or marketing strategies of the day but to err is human and to forgive is a reason to celebrate and celebration is reason to eat… and so we grow. Horizontally not spiritually. God warned them as He does us, “Don’t just do it because you see it.”

Wise advice as we go into this season. Before you buy ask:

Do I or they need this? (or do they just want it)
Will it nourish or edify me? (Does it have purpose?)
Is it God approved? (Would you carry it to the temple door?)

Wanting something frivolous is not wrong, but it’s wrong if we want it just because it’s there and have no need for it, or if it draws us away from God. If after those 3 questions are answered and all three have been satisfied in your heart, and you’re not spending beyond your means then shop on my friend! It’s about ‘balwance.’ Life should be fun and we should be faithful stewards of it all.

One extra word of advice before the madness of black Friday. Pray over that day. Earnestly. Ask God for godly wisdom and ask Him for bargains, He can supply both!