Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

Just Shy of What God Desires

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2 Kings 17:38-39

And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

It’s the early morning hours of the 2nd day of camp and all my campers are fast asleep in their beds and I’m alone in the lobby with nothing but the sound of the air conditioner kicking in and out and an occasional ba-ding from my computer from a missed command on the keyboard. I’ve read a few chapters in 2 Kings and again and again I read words like “and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.” Again and again God’s people suffer, and then they’d get a king who would semi live right but he would usually fail to take away the high places.

We’re always just shy of what God desires. And generation after generation we continue to pass that character trait along because very few, if any are sold out to God. And so this weekend we teach the byproduct of flawed thinking. American youth.

We’re just a little bit captive but we’re a lot creative about it. The high places for which the children of God worshipped idols were literally “high” places. Pieces of ground that were elevated with stone pillars, shrines or various shapes which were objects of worship. We no longer travel to higher ground to do our extra-curricular worshipping, we do that right at the house by elevating the importance of all things “not God.” God takes a close second for even the serious minded saint.

Worshipping God has been brought down to the level of common things and praise and shout worthy events like sports, music, etc. are placed upon the hill.

The word continues in the book of 2 Kings 17:40-41

 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.  So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

Generation after generation continued in captivity because they refused to completely destroy the high places. They feared the LORD, but they served the images. Today’s church is no different. We fear God… we fear judgment, wrath, disappointment. We genuinely want to live right. Much like children we truly want to please our Father, but… we have this image to protect. The image in the high places. It’s kind of silly in perspective to the Heavenly Father, but the world says our image is important so we hold on tight and refuse to let go. The world says it’s okay to scream and holler at a ballgame or other event until you’re so hoarse you can’t speak, but Heaven forbid we lift a voice of Amen in a service. We’ll send kids to camp because it’s fun and wonderful, but we won’t send them to church on Sunday because it’s too early and it’s the world’s day off. We spend hundreds and thousands on the latest and greatest to make us happy but can’t figure out why those doggone kids won’t put up their iPhone in a service and listen to the preacher. The high places take priority.

When Satan took Jesus to the exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world saying “All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Jesus told him to Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And then the Devil left. ~ Matthew 4:8-9

No images. No high places. Just God. We need to stop worrying about “our image” and just worship…

Posted in Uncategorized

Shut my mouth!

Oh, there’s that feeling again! I have my entire life struggled with self confidence and one defense mechanism I’ve used to overcome it is to pretend that I am confident. I figure if I pretend long enough I may actually convince myself. However, one way Satan can destroy my role playing of the confident woman is to send someone into my life that has in the past made me feel less than them. Oh, how I wish I could tell you that I am so close the cross as a child of the King that there is nothing that can penetrate my worthiness; but I cannot. And the second part of that feeling of unworthiness is my tendency to un-forgive people. Possibly my role playing is not limited to a pretender of confidence but I can also add to my portfolio of talents “Pretend Forgiver.” The quote “out of sight, out of mind” may be a more accurate description than forgiveness, I’m just being real; surely I am not alone?

As the Jesus Chick I have put myself in the center of a bulls-eye and made myself target practice for hypocritical knot heads that have made comments to me such as “Well I’m a Christian, but your constant talk of Jesus offends me,” Really? Or those who wait for me to show my imperfect human side and scoff, “Yeah, she’s the Jesus Chick.” Or friends who cut me and walk away as if I were but a loaf of bread. And that’s just this week. It was a full blown attack of the demon of strife. It was ugly! I fancy myself a “soul stirrer” when I speak. I love to stir the hearts up of the people I speak to and create in them a desire to serve God in a bolder way. I listen to encouraging speakers and preachers, and read blogs by encouraging people as a way to keep my mind focused on godly things; and then my godliness goes out the window when a person from my past enters into my mind, or better yet, I sit across from them at a table, and every demon I’ve faced before seems to be lined up behind them staring at me face to face and waiting to get their blow. Oh jeepers, is anyone else out there who knows what I mean?

Satan gets one foot in the door and the next thing you know he’s sitting on your couch telling you how pathetic you are and reminding you of how so and so made you feel and then strife ignites. Proverbs 26:21says “As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.” But 2 Timothy 2:24 says ~ And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. Argg… Does that mean I have to keep my mouth shut, because I’m not very good at that? Yes it does.

So rather than getting on Facebook and telling the world how I felt, or calling up my friends and getting them to jump on my band wagon with me, I sat on the couch. Me and Satan, like we were “besties.” And he pummeled me with thoughts of inferiority. And then I said enough:
• That contentious person…forgiven.
• That door… closed.
• That feeling… squelched.

Am I pretending? No. I can’t allow myself to pretend. As a child of God, as a leader in and out of the church I have to follow Timothy’s advice. Be gentle. Teach. Be Patient. Dampen the fires Satan ignites.

Hebrews 11:33-34 ~ Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

God has so much goodness in store for us and if we are to obtain His promise there are some battles that we will have to win by refusing to fight.