Sherry Sharp

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27, NKJV

Chaos manages to weave itself into our world daily. I’m sure, anyone reading this writing can agree, even if only on a small scale. Whether through the news proclaiming unrest among nations, or someone close to us protesting something, peace can be hard to find.

Jesus told His followers and all who were willing to listen that He was giving and leaving His peace for us; “not as the world gives.” In my day-to-day life, the peace I often experience comes when my family members are in good health, in a good place emotionally, and in harmony with those around them. But when any one of these things gets out of whack, my worldly peace flies out the door! Nevertheless, even in times when life is less than perfect, God offers me His peace that has nothing to do with my circumstances or the circumstances in the lives of the people I love most.

The sun rises every morning, even if it is raining, because above the clouds, the sun shines brightly. When my eyes open, I know it is God who sustains me, not my circumstances. I know and believe that if I don’t wake up again in this world, I will be looking into the face of Jesus in heaven. Friend, I hope you are saying to yourself right about now, “well, this is a pretty simplistic approach. She just doesn’t know how difficult my life is,” and you would be right. The peace Jesus promises is rooted entirely in His provision, His love, His salvation gift for you and for me, all we must do is want it and receive it; God’s peace is that simple.

I invite you right now, ask God for His peace and rest, knowing He has an abundant supply for you.   

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” Romans 10:14, NKJV

“I had no idea you were such a strong Christian.” Ouch! When I heard these words spoken of me a few days ago, I immediately felt a gentle rebuke from God. Although the statement came from someone, I have known for only a short time and, who I know meant it as a compliment, the truth is, secretly, the sentiment cut deeply. I love Jesus. Talking about Him whenever possible with other people is the highlight of any conversation. So, God’s nudge has resonated as a reminder, that, perhaps the volume of my witness needs turning up a notch or two.

The gospel story was left in the hands of Christians when Jesus ascended into heaven. Christians know God’s contact information; the way to “call on Him.” We must tell the world what we know about Jesus, or how else will they hear the truth? Before recognizing me as a “strong Christian,” did this sweet person see me as a weak or just mediocre Christian? Did she know me as a Christian at all? I will use this experience as an opportunity to ask God to show me when and how to be more obvious about how to express my love for Him with others.

Walking around with our Bible in hand is not always possible; nor do Christians carry a sign around stating, “I am a Christian!” When we invite Jesus into our heart, however, we immediately take on a type of “family resemblance.” Jesus changes us from the inside out. I want those around me to see a strong family resemblance to Jesus, not just a relationship to a distant relative.

Father God, let your light shine brightly in my life, that there is no mistaking to Whom I belong. Amen

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12, NKJV

For a few days, I am with my family on the North Carolina shore. Peacefulness is all around me. The sun is now rising and the chilly ocean waves breaking on the shore invite the few walkers passing by to dip their toes into its gentle sea salt foam. My thoughts, however, are on another part of the world, where there is no peace.

My heart is so heavy from the images seen on the news of the last week that won’t leave my mind. In the seven decades I have lived, never have I felt the depth of human depravity as profoundly as I do in these early morning hours. “Wars and rumors of war” the pastor said, this is the way life will be in the “last days” before Jesus returns. With the help of technology, the sights and sounds of war are no longer restricted to a geographical region. True, watching is a choice but not watching is almost impossible.

Ephesians 6:11, instructs, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” As easy as it is to look at the current war in Europe, or any war and see human tyrants, the writer of Ephesians says it is not “flesh and blood” perpetrating war. Of course, humans are involved in the carnage, because they are willing pawns of the “principalities…powers…[and] rulers of the darkness of this age…[the] spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” But make no mistake; the deeds of war are courtesy of “the wiles of the devil.”

Friend, whether we are walking on a peaceful beach, or find ourselves on the front lines of war, we must remain alert with preparedness. God’s “armor” is the perfect fit for anyone, anywhere, who puts it on. I invite you to check out God’s armor in Ephesians 6:11-20 and put it on purposefully every day in the name of Jesus Christ.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:10, NIV.

Have you ever listened to a motivational speaker? Their pitch is almost always a message of self-empowerment. As an old high-school cheerleader myself, (from a long way back, I might add!) motivational leaders are a little like cheerleaders with a message. Whatever the genre, the motivational message is to “take control,” or “be in charge” of your thoughts.

Human beings pay lots of money and spend countless hours flocking to hear the message that for 2000 years has been readily available in the Bible. Maybe you have heard the saying, “you are what you think,” another message touted by motivational cheerleaders? Well, how about turning to Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (NIV).

Friend, I don’t know what challenges or situations you may be experiencing in your life, but I do know, that God has not left us without a solution. In addition to being the Savior of the world, Jesus was the greatest “motivational speaker” ever known! When He spoke to His audiences, He said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). Every word Jesus spoke during His earthly existence was to help you and me navigate through this world. For those of us who are not very good notetakers, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will first, “teach [us].” Then, if we forget the lesson, the Holy Spirit “will bring to [our] remembrance all things.”

For someone like me, who can’t remember what I ate at my last meal, I love having a “Helper” to remind me of all of God’s promises. Call on the Holy Spirit—He wants to help you, too!

“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’” John 8:6-7, NIV.

A few years ago, a young friend was visiting. Somewhere during the conversation, I used the cliché “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

The friend looked at me and said, “Just what does that mean?”

A little surprised that the saying needed further explaining, I said “Well, if you lived in a house made of glass, you probably wouldn’t want people throwing stones at it, right?”

To which he replied, “Yeah, but why would anyone want to throw stones at the house?”

Smiling now, I couldn’t help feeling the young man was simply baiting me to see how far we could go with this charade. “Okay, if you lived in a glass house and you had a disagreement with one of your neighbors, your reaction for finding a solution probably wouldn’t be to throw stones at the neighbor’s house or he could do the same and cause damage to your vulnerable façade.”

“Oh, okay; I get it!” he finally admitted.

In John’s Scripture verse, the teachers of the Law brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery (the man participating in the act of adultery is never mentioned but then, this is a story for another day!). According to the Law, the woman was to be stoned to death. The teachers wanted to trap Jesus because if he failed to observe the Law, He would be seen as a false teacher. Knowing their scheme, Jesus bent down and began writing in the dirt. John doesn’t tell us the words Jesus wrote but twice He stooped down and began writing, after which the men dropped their stones and walked away.

Today, the atmosphere is filled with “stones” being hurled about by people who “live in glass houses.” Shaming, canceling, and casting unauthorized guilty charges against one another is rampant. We all live in proverbial glass houses because not one of us is without sin. Maybe this is what Jesus wrote on the ground…my name…your name?

Offering grace for grace…

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” Revelation 21:5, NIV

When my sister, Dianne, and I were very young, our father on long trips in the car would alert us when we were getting ready to cross over into another state by saying, “Girls, get ready! We’re just about to go over the state line…” followed by “well, did you feel it?” We would giggle, because, of course, there was not really a discernable “line” we could “feel.” Nevertheless, every single time, from state to state, daddy would say, “Girls, get ready!”

Here we are again, crossing over from the year, 2021 into the new year, 2022, so did you feel it? I for one did not feel a thing, as I slept right through it. Usually, I stay up at least long enough to watch the ball as it descends in Times Square but this year, I read my book and turned out the light before midnight. The morning came on time without a hitch and the only thing that has changed is the page on the calendar.

One day, however, because God tells us that He is making all things new, you and I will not miss the fruition of His complete transformation from the old to the “new.” Notice that God says, “I am making…” meaning He is already in the process of “making everything new.” As we make our way through some of the most difficult days on earth, take courage, knowing that nothing, absolutely nothing bypasses God’s awareness or ability to handle. What are your hopes and desires now that we have entered the new year? Cares and concerns? Whatever is on your mind and heart, take them to the One Who can and will make the journey with you. He is ready to hear and remember…He is making all things new!