The Stickman's Understanding...

  O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. -Psalms 30:2  Good morning and bless the name of our God. Happy Monday. On this morning while thinking on the goodness and mercy of God it came to my heart those who still carry the burden of loss. In particular the loss of a loved one. My heart goes out in understanding as like all at at time I’ve experienced loss.  Yet God in His infinite mercy has provided healing. That healing comes because of our cry unto God! We are called to lay out our heart to Him and He knows the hurt of losing, while He also knows how to heal! I pray this day that you embrace the warmth of His arms and the caress of His joy.  Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center (ICC) using our cash app $intercedingcc  God bless you and command your day!!!

  For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. -1 Peter 2:20 Good morning and God bless you. TGIF. Sin comes with its attributable punishment. This according to the scripture above is justice served.  Yet sinners are not alone in their suffering, as Christians we suffer, sometimes as a result of the action of sinners against us.  This is the case of Christ on the cross. Though His suffering was definitely more beneficial than ours, our suffering righteously is used of God to advance the kingdom.  The pain we suffer may not be attributable to a given sin we committed but by virtue of the sin nature of flesh, we have all fallen short. In contrast “He who knew not sin” suffered the consequences of ours.  As it pleased God to put our sins on Christ, it please God when we suffer for righteousness sake.  Go to church on Sunday, you need...

  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: -1 Peter 2:15 Good morning and God be glorified! Ever felt that eerie feeling of being watched? You turn around but no one is there, not on your left or your right. Yet the feeling doesn’t subside it only intensifies.  Don’t panic but yes you are always under scrutiny. Both spirit and natural world is watching those that profess Christ. And they both ramp up the pressure to test or thwart your walk.  The pressure to do things contrary to the new man are ever present and if you fall, rest assured someone will see it.  Though it most certainly is easier to fall than it is to walk and it takes much more strength to walk than to fall, the work is worthwhile.  By doing right you silence the voice of the enemy and those he uses to accuse you. Ignorance gets more traction when we give it the grip it needs.  God calls for us to do right, in our conversation, in our...

  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. -Psalms 91:1 God bless you and happy hump day! On an episode of the Andy Griffith show a stranger moved to town and began speaking to the people of Mayberry by their names, all before being introduced.   Even more disheartening was he knew personal things about each of them and freely discussed their lives as a close friend would.  Eventually having run awry of the good folks Andy got involved and got to the bottom of the story.  It seems the guy had read about Mayberry in the big city, had fallen in love with the town and the details of the lives of its citizens were freely printed in the paper daily.  When he moved there he felt as if he knew everybody intimately. He knew of them, but didn’t know them. The scripture above speaks of intimacy, with the important truth emphasized intimacy has the benefits afforded only to those we know and that know us....

  A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. -Proverbs 11:1 Good morning, God bless and happy Tuesday. God is awesome! Some don’t know this but, I live in Memphis. Born, raised, departed and returned to live after over 30 years.  The city sits on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. To the west across the river is Arkansas. The sleepy towns of Crittenden county, Arkansas depend on Memphis as a life line.  A few weeks ago half of the life line broke, as the Hernando De Soto bridge affectionately known as the new bridge was closed for safety purposes.  We all received quite a shock when it was discovered that there was a crack in the bridge, that possibly could’ve been there since 2016. The crack was not reported even though it had been inspected a number times since that year.  We’ve crossed that bridge hundreds of times since    2016.    But God has been merciful not to just us but the 40k vehicles that dail...

  And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. -2 Samuel 24:24 God bless you and good morning. Happy Monday.  Integrity. What is this word and what does it mean? Integrity will drive you into being on time without the time clock tracking you. Honoring commitments, even when the commitment doesn’t benefit you and it may inconvenience you.  In the story that the scripture above appears, we find that David had been instructed to build an alter at a particular place. A place owned by another man.  As King it would have been within his right and or expectation to take by force or accept as a gift the threshing floor. Who would have blamed him, after all he was building an alter for the Lord.  But David in a moment of great wisdom saw the difference in offering th...

  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. -2 Timothy 2:15 Good morning, God bless and TGIF. A real reason people are turned away from the church is arrogance among the saved.  Before babes in Christ ever form a relationship with the Lord in their newness, an immature long term milk drinker runs them away.  As I excavated the scripture above I saw a fault that many saints, self included are guilty of. In an effort to feel validated we study the word, knowing it more than knowing Him. Having the word in your vocabulary isn’t the same as having it in your heart.  Some time ago the Lord admonished me and I repented and am very careful to ensure I never fall into that trap ever again.  The scripture reminds me that it is God I am working for and I can’t impress Him. As I realize this reality the more I realize why try to impress man?  Trying to impress man may began as a student in aw...

  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. -Galatians 1:10 Good morning and happy Thursday.  Friends how many of us have them? That’s how the song by rap group Whodini began. Yes we all desire and truly need friends, but what price are you willing to pay to have “friends”?  Paul the Apostle was speaking to this very subject in the scripture above. As Christians we have to be persuasive, but without compromising the truth of the gospel.  The Bible in many scriptures instruct us not to try and please men and also the perilous path of pleasing men and not God.  The reasons are many on why it is defeatist to attempt to please men, but common sense and a little life experience let’s us know, You can please some of the people some of the time... Pleasing God will draw His favor, His joy and will allow you to have needed influence.  Finally in the last part of the scripture Paul...

  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; -Luke 18:1 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. -James 5:16 You can pray right but think wrong.  While meditating on the Lord recently it came to me that many are dead in their sins because they went down in the burial of Christ but didnot come up to life in his resurrection.  Christ must be at the center of your thought life or the enemy will keep your thought life in chaos.   People remain dead in their sins because of faulty belief. Amazingly faulty belief may allow you to come across as ultra pious in the right situations, but totally worldly at times your faith is tested.     To keep it together we must align our thoughts to our prayers. The Lord said to always pray meaning do not neglect your fellowship with Him.  You destroy faulty...

  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. -Psalms 18:2 Good morning, God bless and welcome to Tuesday. Though there are many songs that praise God, many do so with complex    scriptural exegetic theme and rhythms.  I admit to loving those songs as well but my true joy is in simplistic songs and scriptures associated with them.  The scripture above is an example of how the attributes of God are highlighted, simply!  No one would have a hard time associating the stability of a rock with the assured foundation of God, nor the safe sheltering aspects of a fortress, neither the sustainment of a deliverer.  And to further place understanding the psalmist knew that God did so much more than simply protect and provide, God would literally comfort by giving you warmth as a buckler, that comfort so great that you would blow the shofar in recogn...

  And , having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. -Colossians 1:20 God bless you, Good morning and happy Monday! As I return from my mini-vacay I am reconciling to myself the many things that occurred and in particular those things which weren’t picture perfect vacation details.  Those things which would make you lose your peace, will come no matter how much at peace you are.  Consider the peace we have by being in Christ, which is the perfect peace to the false peace this world offers.  The world’s false peace lullabies us into thinking our ways bring it at the cost of morals.    But our peace came at a cost. The cost of the our peace was upon Him, by His chastisement was the righteous judgment of God satisfied.  So do not allow your peace to be cheapened by those things that come up against you, instead consider that perfect peace...

  Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. -Philippians 4:20 Good morning and God bless you TGIF. Yes the weekend is upon us and I pray it was a week well spent!  I’ve spent the week feasting on Philippians chapter four. In it the apostle Paul lays the groundwork for an increase in the faith of many generations that has followed behind him.  As you peruse the chapter almost at the end we find the scripture above. It is verse 20 of 23 total verses and every time    I read it I almost “go-in”.  The reason is it amazes me how Paul seemed to be ending his writing with a celebration, but then after he gets his composure he writes three more verses.  I call it a celebration because the glorious words of praise he gives God, even going as far as using a phrase normally used to begin to end, “NOW UNTO HIM”.  Paul perhaps as many as 40 years after his conversion is still enthralled with God. His love for the Lord hasn’t dissipated. It ...

  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. -Philippians 4:6 God bless you and good morning! Happy post-hump day. In the most recent “crisis”    the AAA has advised that we limit and or consolidate trips, slow down, park in the shade, not allow our cars to idle and turn off the AC.  In an attempt to belay panic purchases, they have made more people nervous. A simple there is no fuel shortage would have sufficed. The world loves for us to be spooked, because a spooked customer becomes a spending customer; creating shortages and precipitating the law of supply and demand. High demand-lowers supply-raises prices.  As a believer we are to be certain in our thoughts and action. Fear driven impulse buying is contrary to trust and faith.  The scripture above speaks of the steadiness of Christians and how we should show stability especially in a decaying world.  Through act...

  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19 Good morning God bless you god bless you god bless you! Happy hump day. Of late,I have barely been on social media.  But I’ve heard that highlighted on social media has been a proposed fuel shortage. I’m told that some have put up pictures from the 70s when we had the Arab oil embargo and had a gas shortage in the country.  Not to age myself, but I remember the long lines wrapped around gas stations throughout the city. The same lines were lamented by National news outlets in print and video.  Aren’t these things becoming more frequent? Last year it was tissue, Lysol, and hand sanitizer. Right now gas and next year, next month, next week or tomorrow it will be something else.  The design of the current state of this fallen world is built upon fear and uses lack as a trigger. But similar to not being given fear, nor are we given lack.  The Apostle Paul...

  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. -Philippians 4:13 God bless you and happy “hump day” Eve.  I woke this morning with praise on my lips and worship in my heart.  As I continued in prayer I considered all the challenges I’d face this day and the Lord lead me to this scripture and it resonated in my spirit.  The strength we have to do right and other great feats of faith does not reside in this imperfect shell. That strength is heavenly designed, godly defined and measured for the purpose of God!  Samson’s strength didn’t rest in his hair, it was his obedience to not cutting his hair. The Nazarene in him called for this simple gesture.  The Nazarene in Jesus now gives us strength, strength to face down uncircumcised (ungodly) influences, intentions and actions.  Now the unmovable mountains and the fruitless undying fig trees and all that challenge is brought to naught as we rise up in the strength of Christ.  Your comments...

  I RETURNED, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. -Ecclesiastes 9:11 Good morning and Happy Monday. Of the many times I’ve read the scripture above I have always skipped over the word RETURNED.  It seemed to be an oddity or oddly placed; because to return, means that place you are now at is a place you were at previously. A place of familiarity and comfort.  Solomon didn’t make a mistake in using the word “returned”; because Solomon had been where he now was.  Not to rehash Solomon’s story but read how Ecclesiastes begins and you will see Solomon repenting. And in his repentance he wrote his most inspired words and RETURNED to God’s forgiveness.  Take note that God’s amazing grace didn’t let Solomon’s past destroy his future.    In our case God does the same...

  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. -Psalms 121:4 God bless you and good morning! TGIF. Yes that day has come upon us again. For some of us it signals the end of another week whilst for some our weekend toil calls.  As I consider the tasks before me and how they never seem to end, my heart goes to the scripture above and how it encourages me.  Though we require rest our God keeps watch over us, assigning Angels to help us. He never slumbers, that is to be on the verge of sleeping, yawning as the body slows down. He never sleeps, imagine if God truly rested.  No we are not built in this form to have an endless resource of energy but in the new body!  So as we begin our day think of how the chapter this scripture is found in starts telling us to keep our heads up!  Keep your head up, your hand in His and your heart close to Him.  Go to church this Sunday, you need the fellowship.  Your comments and questions are welcome...

  For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. -Leviticus 11:45 God’s call to holiness is based on his own intrinsic holiness, and the same is true when it comes to justice (Leviticus 11:44-45) Good morning, God bless you.  Love-Just-Holy-grace  If God’s character could be framed, the four words above would be the nails. His love has all the elements of the other three words and those three words interact with it.  Because He loves us He corrects us and His correction is based on His holiness, but He tampers justice down by mercy and grace.   And though justice cries out God has satisfied it by Christ’s bloody sacrifice.    Through Him our repentance is accepted and we are forgiven.  Rejoice for we serve a just God! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center (ICC) using our ca...

  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. -Luke 18:6 Good morning God bless you and happy hump day! I’ve often heard the phrase justice delayed is not justice denied. But the older I get in this walk of faith I’m beginning to question whether justice is really delayed.  Perhaps in the human terms justice can be delayed but in God justice is never delayed, justice this timely.  Another uniquely human trait is that we are more liberal with grace for ourselves than grace for others. Whereas God loves us all and gives us grace more equitably.  Using contrast, the Lord Jesus, expresses this in the parable the scripture above is found in.  In this life and in this world filled with flawed humans, we are going to find much Injustice, but by God’s word His justice is timely because He is an on time God!  Ask Him, be vigilant in your faith and watch as God addresses injustice.  Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinter...

  A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. -Proverbs 11:1 Good morning and happy Tuesday. Anybody notice the increase in gas prices? It has increased over a dollar per gallon in two months. If you are anything like me in this aspect, you want to ensure you get all the gas you pay for, so I rattle the hose.  Over the years I’ve studied the lowly instrument called a gas pump and took note that each one has this special seal which denotes that the efficiency of its distribution system is fair. The local government sends someone who does this testing and it purpose is to ensure you get what you pay for.  On most of these seals are our symbol of justice; balanced scales. If the pump doesn’t have this seal, it is illegal and perhaps out of calibration thus the guarantee of a fair price is not assured. The uncalibrated scale is unjust.  Injustice in the Bible is noted by those same scales. The Lord is not a respecter of person thus the b...

  Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. -Ecclesiastes 8:11 God bless you and happy Monday!!!!  Let’s talk about justice.    Justice is recompense for those wronged and to those who have done wrong.   In light of the world seemingly perverse sense of justice, the scripture above and its companion serve notice that God’s justice never fails.  Facing the truth that evil does exist is as important as pointing out the good. The skewered view of this world has villains raised to a heroic platform whilst good true heroes are vilified.  Because the rebellion against righteousness has no boundary, it has many longing for lifestyles which doesn’t require a functioning moral compass.  The scripture above depicts people as observant of unpunished sin. And those whose hearts have waxed cold consider it more beneficial to do wrong. It’s human sin nature to lea...