Rockin' Chair Gospel

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Drop The Banana

Let me tell you a little story….In a remote village, long ago and very far away, some hunters set out to capture a monkey. Monkeys, however, are very intelligent creatures, who not only sorta’ look like humans but even think like us. So to capture one of them, you have to use a creative approach. In one end of a coconut, the village hunters drilled a hole large enough to put a banana in. Then they fastened the coconut to a tree. Soon a smart (or not so smart) little monkey came along and, smelling the banana inside the coconut, reached into the hole to grab the fruit. But then the monkey was caught in a dilemma. It could not withdraw its fist while holding onto the banana. It could drop the banana and escape but he chooses instead to hold on to the banana and be trapped.

I wanta' share an interesting story I read on the internet somewhere…. back in the 80‘s there was a song recorded, “We Are the World”, whose proceeds went to help famine victims in Africa. Recording artists from a wide variety of fields all got together to sing the song. Now Quincy Jones, the producer, had been in the business a long time, and he knew very well what drama queens and drama kings stars and celebrities are. But he also knew that the project they were working on was important, and that if they did it well, the whole would be greater than the sum of its parts, their cause was bigger than any one star, or even than all of them put together. And so he put a note at the entrance to the recording studio when all the stars came: “Check your ego at the door.”

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.”Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

Nineveh Calling

Ponder this.....Could we be living in a Nineveh Moment as a nation? Is the church like Jonah, reluctant to preach the truth?

2 Corinthians 6:14 in the King James Version: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” The New American Standard Version says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” Some, well most, equate this with relationships or marriages. Some people (mostly women) will marry someone (non-Christian) thinking they can change him and bring him into the body of Christ but statistics shows that more often than not, it’s the opposite. Instead of bringing them into the light they draw you into their darkness. And I believe that may be why God is so adamant about Christians not being unequally yoked. I once heard it said, it's easier to pull someone down and than to pull someone up.

“Prepare it with oil on a griddle; bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken in pieces as an aroma pleasing (some translations say soothing) to the Lord.” Leviticus 6:21

I want to warn you up front that what I write here will offend some and step on toes of others. I’m sure after you read this I will have some people who will agree with me and others who will not. However, you choose to let your swing swing is fine with me! I am not writing this to appear arrogant, a self-righteous know it all or to say that I’m perfect and I never make mistakes! I’m probably more flawed and goof up more than any of you, too flawed and too imperfect to judge anyone. One of my favorite sayings about my writings is ….it’s like eating fish, eat the meat and spit out the bones.

Fences

Come sit with me for a bit, I want to tell you a story about a man and his prized sheep. This man really cared for his sheep and had them all fenced in, but one day he went out to check on them and they had jumped the fence and was grazing on the other side. Well, he pondered on this a while and decided he’d just expand the fence line, thinking surely this will keep the sheep in. Now I think you may know where I’m going with this.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:11,12) We never seriously put on the whole armor of God if we don’t believe that this spiritual battle is real, difficult, and dangerous.

If the Shepherd has a hundred sheep and one strays, what do you think He’ll do? He’ll leave the ninety-nine and come looking for you. (Matthew 18:12 EPV)

Priscilla was a co-worker of Paul and preacher of the gospel. Yep, that’s what I said! Priscilla was a woman and accepted by Paul as a preacher of the Gospel.

Through The Brokenness

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

“If He hears that cracking tinkle when you break your alabaster box of personal treasures. If He notices the rustling sound as you bow to dismantle your own glory; you are going to stop Him in the middle of whatever He is doing because God cannot pass by a broken and contrite heart, He is going to move Heaven and earth just to visit with you.”

Heavenly Father, help me reflect You and what You are about in my life and see the doors You open up to share that with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

“Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons…and many others who provided for Him from their substance.” (Luke 8:1-3, NKJV)

Wow! How this spirit rules in our country and nation, ESPECIALLY in the churches. Lucifer became jealous of God. He said I will be like the Most High! He wanted to be ‘top dog’. He not only wanted to be like God, he wanted to be God! Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-19.

It’s the little things I thank You for

If the alabaster box is not broken, the oil will not flow forth.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

I wanta' look like my Father

Who I love so much...
I want His tender eyes
And His gentle touch
I want His hands
So strong yet marred
I want to touch and heal
The hurting and the scarred
I want to see the pain
They try to hide
I want to hear the cry
They cry inside
I want His heart
So gentle and strong
Gentle as a lamb
Yet like a lion so bold
I wanta' follow Him
wherever He leads
Just like a shepherd leads his sheep
I wanta' be so much like Him
That when you look at me
He’s all you see
I want a love like His
So pure and strong
To love and forgive
Those who’ve done me wrong
Wherever I go I wanta be found
Hugging the hurting
Loving the humble AND the proud
I want Him to look at me, say with a smile
That’s My girl, that’s My child
She looks just like her Father
Can’t you see
She’s My daughter, a mini Me

In His love,

Elizabeth

Jesus Christ Is Coming To Town (Song)

♪♫ O! You better watch out!

Better open your eyes

Rejoice and shout

I'm telling you why

Faces on the internet,
That’s all I ever see
Are they who they say they are
Or masks they wear for me

Rockin' Chair Gospel