Author: Sherri Maness

Encouraging, empowering, and equipping others to change the culture by reflecting the light and love of Jesus Christ wherever they are .
life, purpose

Climate Change

Sherri Maness

Is our planet doomed?

Are we really in danger of being washed away by rising seas or of being incinerated by the heat of an unshielded sun?

Though debate rages over whether or not earth’s temperature is rising, there is still no definitive answer. Those who believe we are headed for imminent disaster and those who think climate change is a hoax are often each unwilling or unable to interact rationally with one another. Because of this, we are no closer to a unified understanding on the topic than we were at the beginning of the debate years ago.

Regardless of your side of the debate, I know, at least partly, why we cannot reach a satisfactory verdict.

Climate change is real…but it may not be what you think.

The real climate change has nothing to do with weather.

It isn’t in our heads. It is in our hearts.

Human beings have wandered so far away from the Garden of God’s creation that souls are left dry and dusty and hearts are dry and brittle. We have become obsessed with finding the fault for this, but are unwilling to give credit where credit is due. Instead of looking for the God of the Garden, we seek out a more “rational” explanation for our deserts of despair.

As we feel more and more parched and thirsty in our spirits, we cast blame everywhere but where it should be. Our politicians have failed us, our neighbors have too many children, the roads are filled to overflowing with bad drivers, life isn’t fair. The truth is, though, that these are all lies we have told ourselves for so long that we believe them. The truth is that taking away the cars or the kids or the politicians won’t fix the dehydrated hearts that are at the root of the problem.

We need water.

We need to open our hearts and minds wide so we can be refreshed. Instead of blaming everything we can possibly think of for why we feel so stingy in our spirits, we should be looking for the water that quenches thirsty souls.

Now, possibly more than ever in history, we need the Living Water.

Forget political correctness and party politics. Put aside race and gender. I am not your enemy, and you are not mine. We are all in this together. No matter what path we take, we will, sooner or later, reach the end of our time on this earth. What happens then will be decided by what we do now. Will we drink the water that keeps us from ever thirsting again, or will we push the cup aside and stay in a cocoon of wilting self pity and want that can be never be satisfied?

Right now, today, you and I need Jesus.

The water He offers is, all at once, refreshing, life saving, and endless in supply. Come, drink the water with me. Join me at the Spring of Living Water. Sit with me by the stream of pure, fresh, cleansing water that washes away the desert dust and causes the seed of life to sprout and grow and thrive.

This is how and where we will change the climate.

The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

–Revelation 22:17, NIV



leadership, mentoring, purpose

Today Is The Day!

Sherri Maness

Let’s see a show of hands. How many of us woke up this morning and thought, “You know what, today, I want to be…mediocre.”

I think it is pretty safe to say that not many of us, if any, fall into that category. I don’t think anyone, ever, just wants to be mediocre. We all want to be and do our best. Some of us want to make a difference.

Usually, we like to expect awesomeness in each new day. We go out into the world planning to do our best work. It may take a few cups of coffee to get us there, but we think it can be done. We think we can be excellent.

The fact is, though, that too often, although we want to make a difference, we don’t. For whatever reason, we choose to believe lies about who we are and what we have to give.

“I’m not the boss.”

“It’s not my place.”

“No one will listen to me.”

Or my personal favorite, “What if I’m wrong?”

Maybe the enemy has told you some of these lies, or others like it. Maybe you’re surrounded by negativity. If so, you know what I mean. You want to be the one to do the thing, but you aren’t and you don’t.

If this has ever been you, I have some good news. It doesn’t have to be this way. That is not the way this day has to go. There is more. You were created for MORE! You were made for this very moment to make a difference only you can make. In your family, your work, your circle of influence, your world, you were created for such a time as this.

You don’t have to be the boss.

It IS your place.

They WILL listen.

You are NOT wrong.

Today there are problems to solve, people to help, fresh things to do. All it really takes to make a difference is for someone, somewhere, to start. If that’s not you, then who will it be? If it isn’t now, then when? If not here, then where?

Don’t fall into the quicksand of mediocre. Be the difference maker. Step up. Stand out. Shine.

Today is the day, and you are the one!

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

–Matthew 5:14-16, NIV



Uncategorized

Is God Love?

Sherri Maness

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “Love never fails?”

Does it bring to mind some previous bad experience with someone who professed love but didn’t show it? Is it an encouraging thought for you or does it seem like some lame greeting card blurb that has no real truth?

How we take this message has more to do with our own perception of love than it does with the validity of the point. We can take this at face value and attempt to understand it in light of our own human experience, in which case it could be uplifting or sarcastic and hollow, or we could find the Truth in it.

Let’s look at this another way. What if we edited the phrase a bit and made it, “God’s love never fails.” Would that make a difference? Though earthly love can be awesome or painful depending on your experience, God’s love is perfect and pure and precious. God’s love is the standard by which all other behaviors claiming to be love should be judged. With God, love isn’t just a word tossed out on occasion like treats given in exchange for some preferred behavior. It is real and complete and life changing.

We’ve all heard that “God is love,” but have you thought about what that means? Often this fact is used to excuse false belief. Since God is love, He wouldn’t really make Jesus the only way to heaven, it isn’t inclusive. If I am a “good” person, a God who is love, will certainly overlook my sometimes bad behavior. God must not be real, because if He really was love, then there would be no disaster or disease or death. In truth, we have taken the prime attribute of God and made it lazy and cheap and tawdry in order to justify any number of temporary things.

God is eternal. He is unchanging. He is the only standard of right and wrong. His character is constant. His truth is rock solid. He has been the same for every generation since the creation and will be the same for every generation to come. We are the ones who waiver and waffle and wander. That’s on us, not Him. He gives us all we will ever need and He knows our need before we do. He withholds no good thing.

Because of His great love for us, He arranged a way to exchange our earthly nature for an eternal relationship. Because He loves us, He made this arrangement voluntary for us. He allows us to refuse. He doesn’t force us to join Him. We have the right to rebel. If we tell Him to get out of our lives, He will step away. His love for us doesn’t end there, though. Because God can’t abide sin, He knows where our rebellion will lead us and that isn’t okay with Him.

Sometimes He may allow bad things to happen so we see what horrors await us if we die in our waywardness. It is not in His plan for anyone to die without Christ, the only way to eternity, so He allows things that will get our attention.

If we won’t open the door to the knock, there may be a phone call that wakes us up in the dead of night. It is impossible to know how many difficulties were allowed just so one lost sheep could be found. Sometimes, in the storm, God is asking, “Can you hear Me now?” because He Is love. He is completely, utterly devoted to us in pure love that neither lessens nor ends.

We change. Our interpretations of what love is change. Culture and moods change. Thank God His love will always be the same.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

–1 John 4:7-10, NIV

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Incorruptible

Sherri Maness

Integrity is one of the most overused words in the English language.

Everyone talks about integrity. We expect it from our leaders, our government officials, our friends and family, and, pretty much, everyone else we encounter. Do we really mean it, though? Do we really expect everyone to act with integrity?

Do we really even know what that means?

The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus lists one definition of integrity as, “conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong.” Think about that. Right away this can be problematic. Who’s standard should it be? Who will be doing the accepting? How many people must agree with something for it to be acceptable behavior.
The issue I have with this definition and, by default, with the overuse of the word integrity itself, is that it is too relative.

What happens when cultural opinion shifts? What happens when louder voices drown out quieter ones? It seems that every day we see or hear of things that society is getting comfortable with that, in times past, were not acceptable behaviors. While this is not the time or place to get into the full discussion of this phenomenon, I will submit that, using this definition creates too much freedom. This gives me too much leeway in what is acceptable and what is not. If the foundation of what is right and wrong is based on what those around me find acceptable, then there really is no true right and wrong. If I change my crowd, does my right and wrong change? If I move to another state or another country does what was unacceptable suddenly become acceptable. If so, then things like lying or cheating or stealing, which I believe to be wrong, are only wrong based on where I live or who I am around. If I work with people who lie and cheat and steal as a general course of business then that is the accepted form of behavior. If I participate in that behavior, then, I can still say I am acting with integrity. On the surface, we would say that comparison is ludicrous. If so, then why do we behave that way?

God has given us His definition of integrity. The entire written word of God is his definition of integrity. Because of this, I think a better word to use would be incorruptibility. Webster’s describes this word as, “not subject to decay or dissolution,” or, in other words, unchanging. God’s truth is incorruptible. What is right will always be right. What is wrong will always be wrong. An incorruptible thing will always be exactly as it is. It will not change with time like the latest hairstyle. It was and is and always will be. This is because the true Judge of right and wrong is God, who was and is and is to come. God’s definition of integrity changes it from a relative to an absolute. Now, under this standard, even though I may work among people who lie and cheat and steal, it is NOT alright for me to do the same. By the saving grace of Jesus’ death and burial and resurrection, what was once corruptible is changed to incorruptible. That means me. Because of Jesus, I am being made incorruptible. In order for me to live a life that truly exhibits integrity, I must behave as one who is incorruptible.

Here, then, my responsibility has just gotten a lot more serious. It is not enough for me to not lie or cheat or steal. I must stand up to that behavior in others. It is not okay for me to look the other way, just as long as I don’t participate. Silence is acceptance. In order for me to not be corrupted by that atmosphere, I must flee from it or stand and oppose it. Either choice would work. If I stay, though, I must be prepared for ridicule and opposition. Those who use the Webster’s definition of integrity will not be comfortable around any person who uses God’s definition. We are ultimately accountable to God alone. His instruction is to walk in integrity. No matter where we are or who is watching, He has set the expectation.

That expectation is that we stand incorruptible.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever….”

1 Peter 1:22-23, NKJV