Tag: Spiritual Journey

Many of the five thousand people who were fed with five loaves of bread and two fishes, searched for Jesus in the days that followed.  They took boats and traveled to Capernaum to find Him.  Jesus knew their motives in their quest: “Verily, verily, I say to you. You seek Me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled” John 6:26.  I thought it was interesting that they didn’t even notice the miracle of how they were fed, just that they were filled.  How familiar is that to some of us?  Isn’t it true that many times we don’t notice the miracles in our life?  They followed Jesus for their physical need.

And Jesus said…

“Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give to you: for Him has God the Father sealed” John 6:27.  They had worked so hard to find Him, laboring in their search.  He encourages them to look beyond their physical needs to a deeper spiritual need.  Jesus goes on to share with them how they can begin fulfilling that need by believing on Him, and eating the true bread of heaven; which is Christ Jesus.  Many of us have come to that place of believing on Him, but we get lost in our physical needs.  We know that we can ask Him for anything and find our prayers being a sort of “grocery list” of physical needs rather than a spiritual hunger for the Bread of Life.  What can we do to change our hunger?  That answer may be different for each of us, but we can all find the answer in the same place; on our knees.  I pray that we will all determine to find the answer and change from physically feeding to spiritually feasting on the Bread of Life.

Sharon Hoskins

The five short verses that tell the story of Mary and Martha have had a great impact on the lives of many women throughout the years.  Jesus is at their house, and while Martha is busy serving and taking care of the physical needs, Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His word.  Martha becomes frustrated because Mary is just sitting there, not helping her with anything.  Martha was probably thinking, “I would like to sit down too!”  So she asks Jesus to tell Mary to help.

And Jesus said…

“Martha, Martha, you are concerned and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” Luke 10:41-42.  There are many physical needs that require our attention each day.  Things that pull us here and there with activities, work, errands, and a list of other things that keep us busy.  We may even have trouble sleeping at night because our mind is making a list for the next day.  We may find it difficult to stay focused on the task at hand because our mind travels to the next thing on our list.  Our first thought in the morning is our list for the day.  The Mary in us wants to sit at Jesus’ feet, but the “list” invades our thoughts and steals our attention.  Then, that good part, our spiritual need, is taken away by our own frustrations and busyness.  There will always be a fight between the flesh and the spirit.  “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other…” Galatians 5:17. On days like this, fight the urge to get busy on the list of physical duties and find strength spiritually by sitting a Jesus’ feet.  Leave the list, concerns, and troubles out of the conversation as you sit there.  Use praise to focus your mind on Him, “I just want to sit with You and hear your voice”, “God You are so good”, “Great are You Lord, O Most High”, “I love You, Lord, You are the love of my life”.  And there are a thousand more ways to share praise to Him.  Through it you will find peace and that good part which shall not be taken away.

-Sharon Hoskins

I heard a message this past week from Bobby Hughes. “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” Psalm 27:4.

Bobby asked, “What’s your ‘one thing’?” I had to think, if it’s not God, then what is my ‘one thing’? Am I totally satisfied in Christ? David’s desire for the Lord was unquestionable; is mine?  I began to ponder this question while sitting in the pew last Sunday and today I am still examining myself to find that ‘one thing’.  I love thought-provoking questions that cause me to really look at my heart and examine my life because the process draws me closer to the Lord in the end.  We probably all have something in our lives that drive us each day.  We may have a goal we are working toward or a position we are trying to achieve but at the end of it all, we find another goal and new heights to climb.  Today is the last day of 2015 and people everywhere are making some kind of New Year resolution.  Many want to be healthier, lose weight, make a career change, get organized, and thousands of other personal goals that we are committing to changing in 2016.    My commitment (resolution) is to be sure that my ‘one thing’ is the only One Thing that matters; Christ.

Sharon Hoskins

I appreciate the fact that I can sit in service on Sunday morning and focus all of my attention on the message taught from the pulpit.  That blessing would not be possible without the devotion of the children’s church leaders.  The time that they put into studying and preparing the lesson for my kids takes dedication and sacrifice.  They give up so much of what I get to take advantage of and enjoy.

My kids learn a lot from them and have grown closer to God through their teachings.  I love to visit with my kids at the dinner table and hear all that they learned in children’s church.  I always encouraged my kids to pray, but could never get them to want to pray out loud.  A few years ago they started learning to pray in children’s church, they became excited about praying, now, they love to pray.  Some people don’t really like the idea of the family being separated on Sunday morning because we are separated all through the week with school and work.  That is something to think about as an individual family.  Some families don’t go to church together.  Kids ride the church bus or get dropped off and they have a place where they can be taught because of the children’s church leaders.   We don’t have to send our kids to children’s church; many kids sit with their families on Sunday morning right beside moms and dads.  This past Sunday a father and his 11-year-old son were at the altar together; there is little more beautiful than that.  Whether you send your kids to children’s church or not, the people who devote their lives to teaching God’s word to children are still doing the job for someone’s child.  Remember to extend your appreciation to them often.

Sharon Hoskins

Behind every great pastor is a great woman.  We all have different opinions about what makes a great pastor’s wife.  Some think that she should be quiet; others think she should be center-stage.

Many think of the pastor’s wife as the woman who plays the piano, sits on the front row, teaches Sunday School, takes care of the nursery, plans dinners, cleans the church, leads children’s church and ladies group, organizes community events, and anything else that needs to be done.  We have our ideas of what she is supposed to do, how she is supposed to act, and the services she is to perform.  However, a pastor’s wife can have any number of characteristics, qualities, gifts, and abilities.  She is an individual, with her own personality, and she doesn’t have to meet our expectations.  We are sometimes very critical of the woman God called to work alongside our pastor; “We love our pastor, but his wife…”.  I have been a Christian for many years and I have heard horrible things come out of the mouths of people about their pastor’s wife.  Let’s stop making snide remarks and subtle jabs.  A wise pastor’s wife once told me that the only ones she needs to please is God and her husband; they are the only ones that matter.  With so many expectations from so many different people, how could she possibly please everyone?  The truth is she can’t.   We need to remember that when God called her husband to be a pastor, He called her to be a pastor’s wife, and whatever that means is between her and God.  Let’s extend love and thankfulness to our pastor’s wife for all that she does.  Let’s accept her for who God has called her to be in our life as our pastor’s wife.  Find out if there is anything she needs help with.  Encourage her with love and acceptance.  She is the woman who stands beside the pastor, who encourages him to keep going, takes up the slack when he has to study, and forfeits time with him when we call with an emergency.  She willingly fills her position with love for God, for her husband, and for us therefore we are blessed to have her.  If you are guilty of being too critical of your pastor’s wife, I encourage you to pray to God for forgiveness, and then start helping her through prayer, encouragement, and love.

Sharon Hoskins

October is Pastor Appreciation month.  This is a time that we can express to our pastor how much we appreciate all that he does.  Many times we take him for granted and have unrealistic expectations, or set him on a pedestal that he is sure to fall off of.  He has a job that is his life, he takes little time off and never clock out.

He is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; in the middle of the night or right before dinner.  We may never know what our emergency has interrupted in his life because he will never tell.  No matter how he is feeling he always has a smile and an outstretched arm.  No matter how busy he is he will always say, “Come in” to a knock on the office door.  He will put on his work boots and hammer a nail.  He will climb a ladder to get the job done, even if he is afraid of heights.  He will sing, play the guitar, piano, or box drum to help the praise team if they need it.  He will join the kids for a game of kick ball even if he ends up with a cracked rib.  He allows youth boys to preach who feel called to ministry, believing in them and encouraging them to follow God.  If we go to him with our problems, he never judges, he truly wants to help us successfully overcome.  He remembers our name, our struggles, and our pain and he prays for us daily.  He studies Gods word and prays for God’s guidance to lead us in truth.  He teaches in a way that is understandable and applicable to our lives.  He has a heart that desires God; all of Him.  He is transparent about his struggles and honest about his flesh.  He has sincere, unconditional love that is felt in everything he does.  If this sounds like your pastor, you are blessed to have him.  Pray for him and his family every day and love him unconditionally in return.

Sharon Hoskins

I love this time of year, the weather changes, the leaves change, and with it, there seems to be a change in the hearts of men.

We start examining our lives for the good things and expressing thanksgiving for them. We start challenging each other to share something that you are thankful for every day in November. We start thinking about what we can give to others and making plans to spend time together. More than any other time of year, we feel the need to “put on a happy face” whether it is real or not. This is a time to be happy, joyful, and thankful, so if we’re not then we “stick out” in the crowd of happy faced people. So, is the change in the hearts of men as real as the changing of the leaves? We seem to change only for a season, just as they do, except our season ends the first of January. The leaves don’t just change colors to fit in with the crowd; they go through a transformation from the inside out. There is no doubt that every one of us want to be happy on the inside, not just putting on a face. So, where can we find happiness that brings joy and thanksgiving that will last through all seasons of our life? We will find that happiness in a complete transformation from the inside out, which is only found in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3-4. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, He rose from the dead to give us life, and He sits at the right hand of the Father as our intercessor. (Hebrews 12:2) I pray that if you don’t know Jesus that you will find Him today. You don’t have to search far, just open your heart, and share it with Him; He is right beside you waiting.

Sharon Hoskins

Becoming a Christian was the best thing that ever happened to me in my life, but it was very confusing at first.  What would be expected of me?  How am I suppose to behave?  I had always understood Christianity to mean that I had to be perfect and sinless; if I wasn’t then I must not really be a Christian.  As God began to take real situations in my life and open my heart to see the spiritual application, it changed my perception of Christianity.  I realized that becoming a Christian meant that I could start a new life and begin a journey with God.  This story is part of my early journey with God and what He taught me about being obedient.

For several months I had been without a job.  I wasn’t really looking for one but I wanted to do something more productive with my life.  I received a call from Naomi, the secretary at my church.  She had a job offer and I accepted.  I was on my way to fill out the papers to make it all official when I stopped to pick up a combo meal from the local burger joint.  While waiting to order I decided to get two combos and take one to Naomi as a thank you.  I had never been to lunch with her and I didn’t know what she liked, so I got hers the same as mine.  I felt very proud of myself for doing something nice for someone else and could hardly wait to get to the church.  About that time I remembered that sometimes a volunteer comes to help her.  What if she was there and I didn’t get her anything, so I decided that I could give her mine.  This meant that I would have to see if she was there before I ate any of my food or drank my soda.  Just when I thought the problem was solved I wondered what I would do if they were gone to lunch or already had plans, then I would have extra food, and reheated burger and fries are gross.  As I was dealing with this dilemma in my head, I saw a man on the side of the road in front of a convenient store.  He looked to be barefooted and his clothes were old and worn.  He had long blonde hair matted with dirt.  I had never seen him before.  I live in a fairly small town and it is uncommon to see people on the roadside like that but he was my answer.  If they already had plans, I said to myself, then the extra food I could bring back to give to him.  Again, just when all my problems were solved, God said, “Give it to him now.”  “Wait, what, NO!” I exclaimed as I sped up, “I got that for Naomi.”  And He said again, “Give it to him now.”  “But Lord,” I said in disappointment, “I want to give it to Naomi, that’s who I bought it for.”  He said, “Naomi is taken care of, I want him to have it.”  By this time I was about a mile down the road.  I turned around and headed back to the store with a whole new argument.  “What am I going to say to him Lord?  I don’t want him to think I am looking down on him.  What am I supposed to say?  ‘Here, you look like you could use some food’ or ‘The Lord told me to stop and give this to you.’  I don’t know what to say.”  God said, “Don’t worry about what to say.”  When I got back to the convenient store,  I didn’t see him.  I was afraid that I had argued with God too long.  But, just as I was about to give up hope, there he was walking across the parking lot.  I walked over to him calling “Sir”, and my eye was drawn to a couple in a car, they were looking at me as I walked toward him.  I heard the man say, “Oh, I thought you were talking to me.”  I turned my attention back to him and said, “Oh, yes sir, I was talking to you, I’m sorry…”  I don’t know what I said after that.  Something about a friend and extra food.  He was following me to my car when I said, “It is only going to waste if someone doesn’t eat it.”  I lead him to the passenger side and pulled a hamburger and fries out of the bag; I handed it to him along with a coke.  I never looked at his face I only saw his hands.  I watched him walk away struggling to carry everything.  Then, a couple getting gas caught my eye, they were watching me, as I watch him.  I didn’t look for him after that but he was headed for the back of the store.  I got in my car and continued on my way, but I was only a few miles down the road when I realized that I did not give him a napkin.  Then an avalanche of mistakes came rushing into my head.   I didn’t give him ketchup, salt, or a bag!  I had an empty bag sitting in the seat next to me that he could have used to carry his food.  I didn’t need that bag; it was serving me no purpose. And how could I leave without telling him about Jesus!  I didn’t tell him about the Lord!  It was so hot that day I could have let him sit in the air-conditioned car to eat, then I could’ve shared Jesus with him.  While I was beating myself up for all the wrongs I did, God said, “Thank you for being obedient, you did fine.”  I always look for him when I pass that convenient store and remember the day I pleased God.

This story is one that I cherish because looking back I believe that I am the only one that saw the barefooted, long-haired man that I fed that day and God taught me a lesson in obedience.  God didn’t ask me to share Jesus with that man, He didn’t ask me to give him a ride, or give him a napkin, bag, or condiments.  God asked me to give him the food and told me not to worry about what to say, and that is what I did.  Be careful that you are not too critical on yourself.  Just obey God and enjoy your journey with Him.

Sharon Hoskins