Thanksgiving Eve. I feel as though I have been so very ungrateful for the goodness of the Lord. My days are running one into another, my nights are little more than naps in the dark. I understand the psalmist when he says in Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Why am I always shocked when the Lord gives me the very word I need for such a time as this? But I am. Every time. I haven’t been in the secular work force for years. And it has upset my apple cart, and I feel like I’m letting the Lord down and friends down, and my church down… and the guilt is heaping upon my soul unresolved because I’m not dealing with it. Hello. Can anyone identify?
So this morning I went one direction, and the Lord said… nope, you’re gonna deal with it Shari. So here I am. In a very public way; dealing with it in hopes of helping you this holiday season when the world gets you overwhelmed. And we all know that this is just the season to do it!
Vanity. For me the definition of vanity is “self promotion and elevation.” It’s when I put myself before all else. And while the job I’ve landed in seems like trying to untangle a tiny gold chain that has been pulled taunt and laid in a drawer for years…it’s also like a puzzle that needs put together. And in that I’m somewhat fascinated. And so it’s on my mind. A lot. So is decorating for Christmas and shopping for gifts and finding the right shoes for the right outfit. Yep… vanity.
I’m being real. This is why the guilt is on me. What is needful and what is vanity? Back to Psalm 127:
[1] Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. [2] It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. [3] Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord : and the fruit of the womb is his reward. [5] Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
My job title is “Marketing and Finance.” I see that in psalm 127. My job in marketing is to promote the company. Not me. Not who I am. But rather using my talents to promote some one else. Is that not similar to our faith? It’s not my job to put myself in the forefront of my life, but rather He who redeemed me! Glory! I love that. Unless God is building my life, it’s vanity. It’s vain for me to rise up in the morning and put my will above God’s. It brings me the bread of sorrows, when God desires my rest.
I think that verses 3-5 speak to prioritization. God. Family. Ministry. All else.
I am so very thankful to those of you who have patiently awaited my return this week. You drive me to seek God for us both.i pray you have an amazing Thanksgiving! Blessings…. Shari
Every day I become more and more conscience of the scriptures playing
out right before my eyes. It’s why I can “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.” To the world
that makes no sense. How can you rejoice in fear? To me it makes perfect sense.
I know what a mess I am, and for certain what a mess this world would be in if
I were in control, or any of the other knot heads that think they are. Why
would anyone want that!?
Psalm 2 has 12 verses; one for each month of the year. Twelve 2019 A.D.
Truths from 1044 B.C.
1Why do the
heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Have you
ever seen a time when rage and vanity was as bad as it is now? You can’t turn
on the news and not see it. Everyone’s angry because someone has an opinion
that differs their own. And they’re not questioning whether their opinion is
right, only that they’re entitled to it and nobody else is.
2 The kings of the earth set
themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed,
saying,
Not only are they entitled to their theories of
morality, they’re also entitled to their people and God’s design doesn’t enter
the equation.
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away
their cords from us.
We are raising a generation of children who
define the rules rather than obey them. They also have a mighty fine example of
that in Washington D.C.
4 He that sitteth in the
heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in
derision.
And God laughs. Only it’s not funny. The last thing
anyone in this world really wants is to be mocked by God. Because He alone holds our future in the
balance, determining what direction we’re to go. America elected Donald Trump President,
who has at least stood on the side of Israel, pro-life and conservative values.
I didn’t say he was perfect. But he is our President. However, talk about
derision! Good grief. There’s a reason
that word rhymes with division. We are a nation of disrespect for the very
thing that has made us stand out among the world’s leaders. Freedom.
5 Then shall he speak unto
them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Do you think we’re a vexed
nation? Vex defined is annoyed or aggravated. America is an angry Nation. Myself
included. I have to check my attitude on a pretty regular basis because I want
to hurt people. Believe me when I tell you that I’m not always thinking about
the soul of an unbeliever. Sometimes I’m thinking about their neck and how I’d
like to wring it for stupidity, pride and arrogance.
6 Yet have I set my king upon
my holy hill of Zion.
But then I remember Who it is that is in
control. And it’s then that I’m in awe that He hasn’t wrung my own neck. My
Savior. He Who died as a meek Lamb, but will come again as a roaring Lion!
7 I will declare the decree:
the Lord hath said unto me,
Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
We tend to put God into the perspective of man.
The
God of John 3:16, long before the world knew Him face to face, He was. His plan
was laid out before Him, and He stepped into it without regard for Himself, but
for the sake of His people. He did so for an example to His children of how to
put others before themselves. And there was a time that America did. It’s what
made us a melting pot. People would come to our country for opportunity and
they were accepted and loved not because of where they were from, but because
of where they wanted to come. America! They loved our Nation and wanted to
become a part of the dream. Now many have become a nightmare.
We are children of God because He chose to
allow us to be. Not because He had to, or that we were deserving of it.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give
thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
for thy possession.9 Thou
shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a
potter’s vessel.
God has been highly tolerate
of a rebellious generation. Our government preaches tolerance, yet they don’t
understand the first thing about it. Getting your way isn’t tolerance. And God
has been far more tolerant that anyone would have believed in 1950. Immorality
has become the norm not because of tolerance but because of apathetic people
who rather than stand up for the morals of a godly nation that was fought for,
they chose to cower to people who wouldn’t defend them for love nor money. But
God’s tolerance will most certain wane.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye
kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
As I said before, serving God with fear is
easy. Especially when the result of serving man is being lived out on the
evening news. I love the fact that I know that I know the Creator of all the
universe. That the God Who named the stars, has a new name waiting for me in
Glory, There’s a new song that even the angels cannot sing. What a privilege to
know Him and commune with Him with just the speaking of His name. There is no
disconnect for the child of God and if the kings of this world were wise, they’d
be calling on Him to give them instruction. And He will!
If our leaders would call a prayer meeting,
good night Irene!!!! I cannot imagine how this nation would turn around.
Because I know He has that power is why I rejoice and tremble in His presence.
He’s amazing.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be
angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
To “Kiss the Son,” is to choose Him above all else. It takes humility
and faith. A very small price to pay for the gift of eternal life. For the gift
of peace during this life!
Praise God He is in control 365 days and every second of every day! I’ll
gladly serve Him and what an honor it is.
I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope
in thy word.
Psalm
119:113-114
The Struggle with
Vanity
By
human nature we are a selfish lot, are we not? I tuned into social media this
morning and the heartaches of other people overwhelmed my soul. I felt
helpless.
I
can’t rebuild a life that was lost in a fire.
I
can’t undo the bad decision of a young man that didn’t feel there was any other
way than death.
I
can’t control the fierceness of nature or the devastation it can leave in its
path.
I
can’t un-break a heart or protect people from destruction.
It’s life. And in this day and age it’s being lived out in a very, very public way that affects so many people with the stroke of a keyboard. Social media can be a blessing or a scourge. I have a love/hate relationship with it, as I’m sure most people do. But like it or not, despise it or not, it’s here to stay. But you and I need to be careful about the vanity of it all. If we are in the mindset of Christ… as we should be. We should shield ourselves from ourselves. Visit https://www.fanexplosion.de/produkt/instagram-likes-kaufen/ to promote your brand or any service to a greater reach on Instagram.
One
of my many, many faults is counting. Now I know it got David in serious trouble
in 2nd Samuel 24. So I try not to; but remember the struggle I spoke
of. It really is a struggle on social media. How many people likes my post… how
many people viewed my video… how many people liked a post, or loved a post. And
who were they? Oh. I’m vain. For me it’s validation as to whether or not I was
a success.
That
a load of lies from Satan. But I buy it like a good flea market find.
Our
lives will never be defined in eternity by how many people seen our posts. But
it will be defined by what that post did for the cause of the Kingdom.
The Shield of Victory
For
all my vain thoughts, and they are many; God put a heart of compassion within
me. It’s what drives me to share the hope of Jesus Christ that I find in His
word. It’s what creates images like the umbrella in my mind when I think of how
many times the Lord has shielded me from the sun and rain. The good times and
the bad times that would have had a negative result in my life.
It’s
not only the bad times in our lives that cause damage. The good in life can
bring more vanity, more self-reliance that can destroy the good things that God
wants for us.
How
many people do we know with great wealth and health that have no relationship
with God? Or how many do we know that have “seemingly” never struggled as we
have and are so ungrateful.
Some
of the worst things in my life, I am certain, have protected me from forgetting
where my hope lies.
I’m
so thankful that we have God’s word! It is as if I’m sitting here in my office
this morning with God, and I hear Him say… “That’s my girl. Keep writing. Keep
drawing. Keep serving. And by the way, stop counting.”
