A Supernatural Journey

Betty, my mom, was dying of cancer. The voice was familiar even though it was slurred and the way she said my name was comically unique. I liked the way her southern drawl pulled my name with “Sherrrun, this is your Mama.” I have to admit I was very fearful when she called. I didn’t know if she needed money or someone to complain to, but deep down I admired that she had enough in her at this stage of life to call me.  She was reaching out to her five girls. Mama had missed all of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren’s events like graduations, birthday parties, Christmas, Easter, reunions, etc……ALL OF IT! I really didn’t want any part of her life right now….. at this time; a life much different from mine. 

There were too many miles between us and too many memories that I had buried. I did not know what my sisters were thinking but I, as the oldest, knew I had a responsibility to find out. I needed to know just how sick Mama really was and if like all the other times, if she was lying to get attention.

What does God want us to do when faced with a situation that may cause some pretty bad stings once the hornet’s nest is stirred?  I asked, “God, what do I know about YOU in this matter?”

Ge 46:2-4 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:  I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

God knows us better than we know ourselves as I have stated many times since the inception of our journey to know God this year. As we learn MORE about Him, we learn MORE about ourselves. He allows time to heal broken hearts of broken people and at the same time He uses people who are willing to be used in the most desperate situations. I cannot figure Him out, but I love Him, don’t you?

It had been many years since Joseph’s death ….in Jacob’s eyes. He had let it go but blamed himself. Jacob had learned so much the hard way, wouldn’t you agree? Now, after all this time, he finds out that Joseph is alive. JOSEPH IS ALIVE! He was an old man probably around 130 years old but he was willing to uproot everything to go down to Egypt to see his son and make sure Benjamin and the others were safe.

Ge 46:5- ¶ And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
Ge 46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
Ge 46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

What do I know about God? And…..why did this passage speak to me and how can it help others?

Jacob listened to God. God called him Israel and kept His promise to Isaac, Jacob’s father and to Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather. God had promised to make them great nations and therefore, God would see to it that the promise was fulfilled. He saw what we cannot see. What do I know about God? He sees beyond broken people and offers to them His way. What is His way?

Isa 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

He not only leads, He helps us to see just enough to keep walking, keep doing His will. He will direct your every step! I needed to know God’s way in finding Mama. I had an address but back then there was no computer and no GPS.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

All of these Old Testament scriptures pointed to Jesus Christ but as we learn who God is, we can hear Him speak to us through His Word, whether the Old or New Testament. You and I will learn “His Way” a supernatural journey. Obedience sometimes can be like a duty that must be performed. We may not understand the call of the duty to achieve, but we obey and fall in step so to speak. To oppose God is to choose unhappiness. To obey brings joy and happiness to the believer. We are under His guidance. How can we lose? I needed to obey and to go.

I am fascinated by Joseph’s journey in life and connected with him in a few ways. I want to continue this blog and share my own Supernatural Journey with you as I found Mama for the first time after she abandoned us children and then at the end of her life as God directed me, supernaturally, to her once again. I am praying for you a couple of weeks before this blog comes out that if you struggle with fear, forgiving, or finding out a deep secret buried in the recesses of your mind, you will accept God’s healing and begin another journey worth far more than you ever dreamed!

Until next time Lord willing.

Sharon

Precious Memories

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

When I was a teenager I often walked across the cow pasture from my house to my Grandma Miller’s house.  She and I were buddies and I spent a lot of time in her kitchen where she taught me how to cook good, old fashion Southern recipes.  While we cooked or played cards she would tell me about the Great Depression and how she never really had a childhood.  She was a hard worker her entire life.  From the fields as a young girl to the ship yards of World War II and a laundry woman at the women’s prison, she was never lazy.  She was everything I wanted to be because I thought she was tough yet she knew how to be a keeper at home.   I can remember her standing beside me at the island in her kitchen, apron on, showing me how to make biscuits.  Even today when I make them I can hear her voice in my head, “Now, make a little well in the flour with your hand…” She didn’t make them and have me watch, she made me put my hands to work so that I could learn.  Those are precious memories to me.  At the time I didn’t think about her being gone or living in this world without her.  No, during those days I just listened and learned from her.  She was grandma and I loved her and knew she loved me so I listened.

The Apostle Peter had the privilege of learning from the Master in person.  He had watched Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons and feed thousands of people with a little boy’s lunch.  Jesus Christ was very real to Peter.  He was loved by Peter because Jesus had shown him love and grace.  So, in this final letter we have from Peter, I love it that the last thing he tries to get across to Christians is the fact that he wants us to grow in the knowledge of Christ.  Just like I try and pass down everything my grandma taught me and just like I tell my girls about the person she was, Peter is seeing Christ in his mind’s eye while he urges us to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”  Talk about precious memories, Peter had some! 

What Peter says proves that we can know the Lord on a personal basis and we can grow in that knowledge.  How?  By reading and studying God’s Word.  It is the only way we know the answers to the problems we encounter in this world.  It is how we know to take a stand against sin.  It is how we know to not follow after false doctrine and misinterpretations of the Scripture.  It is how we know how to behave.  We may not have walked with the Lord here on the earth as Peter did, but we can read the accounts we have of those days in the Bible. 

You have to make the decision to treat the Bible as more than an accessory to your Sunday morning outfit.  It isn’t a bobble to make you look pretty and nor is It a badge to show that you belong, the Bible is your spiritual food and water that will sustain you throughout each day.  You need It if you want to survive.  Go back and read 2Peter with the thoughts of his precious memories.  Read it realizing that after this was written Peter would be seized at some point by Nero and martyred for the cause of Christ.  He didn’t write this letter just playing around.  The Holy Spirit inspired these words and they can instruct us as we GROW in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

Grow or starve.  The choice is ours to make and I choose to grow.

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri

You CAN do More!

Today at this writing, our Sunday School class will go to a nursing home to minister to the folks. All of them are either in wheel chairs or are bedridden. It is not my most favorite ministry but my husband and I have been faithful to it for over 20 years. I’m writing about this ministry to help those who feel as I do. I literally have to tell myself, “Yay, I get to go to the nursing home today and sing and help someone who cannot help themselves. I get to eat with Ralph and Kathy and others from our class. Also, I get to hear Tom’s familiar jokes and experience Frank’s “new dish” for the luncheon. By the time I finish talking to myself, I am excited to go. Do you know why? My attitude changed while I enjoyed everything that surrounded the event. It really is all about our attitude in serving others. Frank Lewis is one of those people who loves serving others. I get a kick out of him every Sunday doing something for someone else. He is not as selfish as I am at times and the only way I can kick myself out of myself, is by an attitude adjustment!

Someone MUST go and do what others will not even if it is not their most favorite thing to do. It isn’t about being called to this ministry. It is about serving and not about selfishness. There may be a ministry that is lacking in your church and you could volunteer to help even if it is only once a month. You may want to rethink what you CAN do.  I loved what my pastor, Dr. Andy Bloom, recently said that you may minister to 20 or you may minister to 100 or even 1,000, but minister to the people God gives to you. It is real easy to criticize what others do, isn’t it? But think about it:  THEY ARE THE ONES “DOING” while others do not!

We walked into the large room of the nursing home only to find that there was no organ and no pulpit. They (whoever they are) had gotten rid of them! Ok, now what? The elderly were being brought in ready for a service. So, Tom just pulled up a table and we “made do” with what we had and all of us which was only a few, began singing!  I loved it!  They were slowly arriving…. some with a smile while others could be heard singing the old familiar hymns.

After the service I grabbed the handles of a wheel chair and began pushing a lively 93 year old lady while she began talking about her life. She couldn’t see my face but just talked and talked. Folks, sometimes we just need to close our OWN mouths and let people talk. I let her have her glory time and when we arrived at her room, I knelt down beside her and asked the question, “Has anyone ever told you about Jesus and that He died for your sins?”  She looked up at me with a big smile and said, “Oh yes, honey, sometime around my 17^th birthday. I used to go to the Salvation Army for services, but I just can’t anymore, so I just do what I can today.”

I got to thinking about that……”I just do what I can” and folks that is all Jesus requires out of us each and every day…… "Just do what you can and while you are doing, you might just be able to do MORE." Don't you love that thought?

I personally believe that God smiles on us as we work at working for Him, don’t you? He knows you can’t do some things like you used to do, but rest assured, if you CAN DO IT and DON’T, it will be required at the judgment.  Sometimes we make excuses for not doing what needs to be done. Shame on us!

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Joh 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Joh 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Joh 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

You may not be able to sing, or preach, or tell a creative story to children, but you can always tell someone what Jesus has done for you. You may think they will not listen, but that is not our part to worry about, is it? Our part is to just tell them! The best thing about all of it whether at the nursing home, Sunday School or door to door soul-winning is that it is GOD’S BUSINESS and He is already ahead of you. Look out over the city, or the hill, or the mountain, or maybe down the street or at work. The field is white unto harvest!

JUST DO WHAT YOU CAN, and before you know it, YOU CAN DO MORE!

Until next time, Lord willing..

Sharon

Weekend Getaway #38

Spiritual Reality Check

There was once a young couple who had a son named Johnny.  Little Johnny was in the 3^rd grade at a small town public school.  His mom and dad doted on him and made sure he had everything he needed and mostly what he wanted.  Johnny was your typical privileged American kid with a television in his room, a dvd player in the car and a tablet to play on in case his favorite cartoon was not showing.  He made regular trips to the dentist and doctor for his teeth, allergies, bumps and bruises.  Life was mighty fine for this youngster and he began to notice.

One day Johnny’s school was asked to participate in the Christmas Parade that the city held each year at the beginning of December.  The 3^rd grade class joined up with the 4^th and 5^th grade to make a float where the administration and select teachers would sit while the children marched behind.  The following weeks were a flutter of excitement around the school as everyone prepared.

Finally the big day of the parade arrived.  Temperatures had cooled and the smell of hot chocolate wafted through the gymnasium where the parents and children waited their turn to head down the street and wave at the public.  Johnny’s mom and dad fussed over his Christmas sweater and combed his hair as he furiously played a game on his tablet.  Before long, the teacher began lining everyone up and the children began moving towards the street and joining the parade. 

Johnny’s proud mom and dad watched from the sidelines as he meandered along while all the other children marched.  They took pictures and posted their little darling’s wonderful achievements to Facebook, claiming there was never a more handsome 3^rd grader in all the world.  The only thing they could not figure out was why Johnny was the only one proceeding correctly in the parade and why all the other kids were doing it wrong. 

150 other students and teachers marched in perfect rhythm behind their school float and only little Johnny had walked.  The parents never saw passed their own pride in their son to notice his error.  They had blinders on and didn't stop and pay attention to the way things REALLY were.

As you and I continue in this journey, let’s always be sure to ask God to search our own hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us before blindly moving forward in error.  But beyond that let's take our blinders off and look at spiritual reality.  And that reality is something I am going to ask you to think long and hard about, Hell.

Hell is a real place.  According to the Scripture in Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

When is the last time you imagined what Hell must be like?  When is the last time you spent any considerable length of time and thought about your unsaved family and their eternity?  What about the guy at the drive thru where you get your morning coffee?  What about the girl at the check-out at the grocery store?  What about that group of misfit teenagers you snarled at when you walked briskly by them on the way to Bath and Body Works for the buy 3 get 3 free sale?  How about that neighbor that bugs you to death?  How about those convicts on the side of the road picking up garbage? What about your own children?

Do we really believe that hell is waiting to torture these souls for ever and ever and ever if they don’t get saved?  Could we stop thinking about ourselves and our ministries and our school and our cars and our houses and our pets for just long enough to picture what hell is really going to be like?  If we would pray while thinking about hell, I think we would spend longer in our “War Rooms”.  I think we would take our eyes off of our privileged American lives and realize that God has been so good to us that we need to introduce Him to others. 

Yes, it is way out of most people’s comfort zones to talk about God to strangers, so why not begin introducing yourself to someone and find out about their lives so you aren’t strangers?  You do realize that most folks are not going to come to your church to hear about Jesus don't you?  They are busy living their lives on that broad highway that leads to a great big open gate to destruction and hell.  They need someone to pull them aside, show them that they care and lovingly speak the Truth to them.

Order some tracts, (http://www.delightthyself.com/ is a great site to get tracts) keep them where you can reach them quickly.  Have coffee with someone and see if they want to have a Bible study with you.  Simply smile and speak kindly to the kid getting the shopping carts in the parking lot.  Ask them how they are doing and care about their response.  When you go to bed at night and wake up in the morning, picture someone's face as they stand at the Great White Throne judgment and get their sentence passed down.  See the horror in their eyes?  Hear their screams? 

What is wrong with us that we are not doing more to reach the lost?  It is not okay.

This blog post is a reality check.  Life is short, both for the saved and unsaved.  What are we doing about it?

Let’s not be guilty of thinking we are living this life so perfectly that we get proud and miss the glaring reality that we are not busy following the heartbeat of God.  And the rhythm of his heart beats to the tune of souls.  Let’s not miss a beat!

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri

Get out of Neutral, Back her Up, and Move Forward!

She sat across from me concerned for her future and said, “Mrs. Loyd, I don’t have any money for college. I know I haven’t done my best these last three years, but I really want to make something of my life. Where do I start?”  Sweet, sweet words to this ole gal!

“Get yourself out of neutral, back up and let’s go!” We began to look backwards to go forward. After a few decisions written down to help her see how to get her grade point average up, where to go to register for the next ACT and how to get up early enough before school to meet God for prayer and Bible study, she asked me with a startled face, “But Mrs. Loyd, you never told me how to get some money for college. Four years is a long time. I don’t have any money!”

“How much money do you need?”

“I don’t know and that’s just it!”

“Well, if you don’t know, then what is the next step?” I am now beginning to see more than I wanted to and was somewhat frustrated with her. “Where is your laptop? Go online, look at the college’s website and go from there. Then, I will help you with the rest. Deal?”

“Deal, and then you’ll help me find some money?”

“Right, but YOU are going to do as I say. Understand?”

She stared at me and I said, “All you need is enough money for the first semester and a working plan for the next semester. No one says you have to have all four years paid for up front, and even with that, who said you have to do this in four years?”

Off she went once we cleared up a few other mysteries in her life, made a “to do list” while I scheduled her for another appointment for the following week.  I could have told her more about scholarships, grants, etc. but SHE needed to dig for herself and feel like she was part of the solution.

God holds in His hands EVERYTHING!!! There we are shooting off at the mouth asking Him how in the world will I ever be able to do whatever, with the nothing that I have, and the “no help” that seems to be constant in my life?

Php 2:14 ¶ Do all things without murmurings and disputings,

It is time to take ourselves out of neutral. We get stuck and even as believers we can find ourselves just like this senior girl while the answer is right before us. Moving out of neutral may mean moving backwards to take care of some matters. What baggage is dragging you down? Look behind you and ask God to help you eliminate some of it. He is not going to do it for you. He sees the answer, but YOU and I are responsible to act on what we already know, don’t you agree?

We do things sometimes without a plan. We have all these responsibilities and we can’t just open up our desk drawer and dump them in, close it and move on. I have learned from listening to some good counsel that a positive attitude and good work habits are key essentials in the success of ANYTHING!

Your house is a mess. Clean one room. Just get started. Energy comes many times while cleaning. You know it is the truth. Before you go to bed, do a mental sweep through the house and then pick up “stuff”, put away “stuff” doing the best you can to be ready for breakfast the next morning. It is a rule in my house that nothing is to be left on the dining room table. Difficult to do, but not impossible….. Get out of neutral, back up and get her going!

I just can’t make it to Sunday night church services. I’m too tired. Isn’t it funny how we find time to go to a ball game, travel out of state, take care of grandchildren, leave early on Friday to be gone all day Saturday, but when Sunday nights arrive, we are too tired. I think it hurts our God when other things take precedence over church attendance.  Change the attitude and thank God out loud that you actually have a church that is open on Sunday nights! Confession time folks…..just do it! Get out of the habit, back up and get her going!

My body aches. Do you know I can’t think of one person at this moment that has a perfect body! Go visit someone in your church who is sick. I’m serious! It’s time we quit complaining and get moving with a better attitude. Complaining is a habit that can only be broken by confession to our Lord and then swapping out the bad complaining spirit with the Words of Jesus Christ flowing from our lips. You know it is the truth. Get out of yourself, back up and get her going!

The list can go on and on and on like the pink bunny, can’t it, but I think you get the picture. We are ALL guilty of slacking off but slackness will infect that sore that may keep you from healing and being used of God. We don’t want to become lukewarm and good for nothing.

Re 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Everything we need is in God’s hands. EVERYTHING! We just may need to get out of neutral, back up, confess, to move forward faster than we ever dreamed we could!

Until next time, Lord willing.

Sharon

What did Jesus do when He was alone?

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

I have claimed this verse many times in many different situations.  It is a great help to me on the mission field when I experience something that no one else understands.  Why?  Because I know that I can immediately have a sympathetic ear with the One who knows my afflictions better than I know them myself!  I can pray.

In my last post I talked about loneliness and a way to look at it.  But what about Christ?  What did He do when He was alone here on earth? After Jesus fed the multitude, he sent them away and told the disciples to get in a boat.  He went to go pray and the Bible says, “he was there alone.” 

There will come a time in your life after a great victory or a great event that you will find yourself alone.  It is wise to plan ahead for those moments.  Your physical strength will be depleted and your mental state will be tired.  That is the perfect breeding ground for the enemy to come in and attack.  He will either fill you with pride as you think on all “you” did that day, or he will cause you to feel depressed and alone.  What should you do?

Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Jesus, our perfect example, prayed.  I believe one reason he prayed was to thank God for what had happened and then for strength to teach his disciples.  I also believe he saw you and me in the future needing His example!

John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

These two verses are spoken just before Jesus prays the beautiful prayer recorded in John 17.  Jesus reminds us that he was not truly alone when all men would flee from him, but God was with him.

I have experienced the feeling of friends fleeing from me.  I don’t fault them, and I don’t fault me.  I believe it had to happen for me to understand others.  I can empathize when someone talks of depression and suicidal thoughts because I have experienced them.  Many of you have as well.  The key to victory is getting the right perspective and that perspective must come from the truth in God's Word.

The devil will take something God is doing and pervert it by making us use human reasoning.  Jesus didn’t use human reasoning, he claimed something spoken already in Joshua.  He knew God was with Him because God had already given the promise to man that He wouldn’t leave him or forsake him.  (Joshua 1:5)

- Do not apply the world’s advice to your current status. 

If you are lonely, don’t seek to satisfy or dull that ache through sex, popping pills, or drinking alcohol.  They only mask the need with a superficial, temporary blindness, they will NOT fill it.  And those things will destroy you and break you even further.

- Do not seek the wrong companionship to fill the need for a friend. 

1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.  Worldly friends and worldly advice will corrupt you.

- Let us follow what Jesus did.  Let’s pray. 

My life is different from yours.  Your life is different from mine, but the area around the throne of God where we kneel to talk to Him doesn’t recognize where we came from, it welcomes all of our knees and God hears all of His children’s voices.  He knows our crushed spirits and He rushes to be the One to fill that need.  So we really can’t be upset with Him if He can’t find room to help us if we have put pills, drink, social media and music in His place. 

- Do not try to fill the void for the sake of filling the void. 

There is only peace to be found when we go to God, just as we are; broken, crying and lonely.  He can and WILL fill your need.  He has overcome everything that is causing it.

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

You know what Jesus was?  He was content with what He had when He was alone.  He had God!  What more did He need?

Are you alone?  Are you feeling lonely? Be content!  You have God!  I urge you to prove God that He will meet that need.  I tried this yesterday and I went to sleep last night in peace.  Did I cry?  Sure!  I miss my children!  But God met a deeper need.  A need for a supernatural fellowship found only in prayer.

Go get to know Him, go pray!

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri