At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

Should you be pumped up, filled up, doused, drenched, overwhelmed, overcome…by the power of the Holy Spirit…don’t lose the sense of His presence! Keep cultivating your time alone with Him and the Word of God. Keep pouring into others so that all will know. Keep sensitive to His leading…He has some stuff for you to do for King Jesus this week!

On the other hand…

Should you be starting the week on a low note, a bland hope, a disabled joy…do the same as above. Cultivate your time alone with the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Let His Word speak to your heart and heal your expectations…by letting Him…be your only expectation. He won’t disappoint!

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

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(Hey Everyone! Starting tomorrow...to read the short almost daily devotionals...you will need to click on the Title or "click here" button on the blog post.  The postings will still be little in length, but it will be easier to leave comments, share, or like by clicking the heart!! Love, to All)

photo: Virna Agudelo     

Self Sufficient....

I had a woman get really upset with me a couple of years ago…

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as [being] from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,”
 2 Corinthians 3:5

The woman was peeved when I told her that her own ability to be self-sufficient was probably her biggest hindrance in following Christ. She didn’t like that.

There is something in each one of us (I am convinced it is a mix of pride and shame) that says, “I CAN DO IT!” to whatever is before us. Some of us have a bounty of God-given natural ability (I don’t think I am one of them). This woman did and she was very proud of her accomplishments…except that she was losing her family.

Somewhere along the line…whether…you are a ten-talent person or a minus-ten-talent person…the playing field is leveled at the foot of the cross…the foot of HIS sufficiency. So…someone needs to hear…

It is time to quit making excuses to move forward…because it’s His gig anyway; and someone else needs to stop relying on their own strength. The Lord is waiting for you to…back off. Which one of these are you today?

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(Hi Everyone! This week I will be changing to a "real blog" format. In other words...you will only see a short portion of my almost daily...short...devotionals in your email. To read the remaining paragraph or two, simply click on the blog's title.  Blessings, Sue Bee)

photo: Martha Stewart        

 

Knowing...God's Will...

Honsestly. I don’t think knowing God’s will for your life is rocket science.

“ Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NLT

To know God’s personal adventure for you (the word “plan” here is simply way too tame!), you and I need to have a paradigm shift in the way we think. Yes…a complete overhaul.

I didn’t have a clue how much the world influenced the way I thought. And, the world still has a pretty good grip on me…but the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing some cobwebs (rather, chains) away. Only the He can do that.

The shift in my thinking comes when I don’t just read the Bible to learn more, but when I also lap up His word with the intent of hearing what He has to say to me personally. Getting to know and recognize His voice…His heart…His way of doing things…His will…for me.

Nope, not rocket science…but having my thoughts and life…transformed by the Master Creator.

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Abba Daddy...

A couple of years ago I had the privilege to share at women's retreat in Wisconsin. Many wonderful things took place at the retreat by God's gracious hand and power, but one sweet memory comes back to me today...

I met a lovely, sweetheart of a young woman, maybe nineteen years of age and she had a sad, but ultimately heartwarming story that she generously shared with me. (Any of my WI readers who may know this lovely lady, I may get the details wrong, so please feel free to correct me!).

Long story, short...her parents had passed away into the Lord's presence; one parent at an early age, and another at around her age of seventeen. Though she was now past the age of eighteen, the Christian family she had been living with legally adopted her as her own, even though she was grown and they themselves still had growing children. This beautiful young adult positively glowed with happiness that she had been "chosen"... that...she belonged to someone...

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God"
Romans 8:15-16

I had just been reading these verses and felt led of the Lord to share them with her...she drank in the words slowly...her heart filling with His presence...as she realized how miraculous and marvelous the Lord Jesus is to have...also adopted...her...because of love alone.

Abba Daddy...

The sight of her opening her Bible, propping it up on her knees as she poured over these words in the then empty auditorium...moved my heart. She lingered in these beloved verses from Romans which proceed to proclaim that we are joint-heirs with Christ as we partake of His sufferings and His glory... 

She understood the cost and the choice of adoption. She understood the sacrifice of the benevolent, love beyond reason decision to make us His own... and, that warms my heart in this moment, once again. I hope it does yours...

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Time to be Free...

Quite literally…lies…are the root of every…bondage…stronghold…or addiction.

As the Lord Jesus has lavishly granted tremendous freedom from my past…and insecurities, shame, pride…well just about anything you can think of…lies…were the lynchpin that kept the enemy’s grip on my life.

This explains so much of what Scripture is trying to tell us…from the Genesis to Revelation…we are in a war: lies vs. Truth.

“Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad,
Who I have not mad sad;
And you have strengthened the hand of the wicked…”
Ezekiel 13:22a

If this is news to you…and you have wondered why you have long struggled…in areas of your life, though you have prayed and sought the Lord for release, read Ezekiel 13 in light of your own life. And…John 8.

Yes, Jesus…the Truth…will set you free…however it is time to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the lies…that you believe about yourself…and God.

It is time to be sad no longer.

 

For my own story of the Lord's freedom from lies...please check out "Refresh" on Amazon or click this blog's title and go to the "store" on www.sueboldt.com

Rich and Famous...

I have sometimes wondered what it would be like to be rich and famous…have you?

I mean really. Yes. There would be some great perks…but then again…who could you really trust to love you…for you? I have wondered if that is what it is like for God at times too.

Honestly now…didn’t we all come to out of our great need? However…there comes a time, when…He calls us just to love Him…live for Him…seek His face…purely out of sheer devotion. And, not for what we can receive from Him.

“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 31:13

The original Hebrew for the words “search” along with the phrase “all your heart” is revealing: It implies a quest for God that includes a level of intensity beyond ordinary prayer…suggesting an earnestness bordering on desperation, a note in my Bible tells me.

I want this to be my heart…always. Because truly…I am desperate for Him…His presence every minute of every day…anything else is a less-than life. Want to join me?

He is waiting for our whole hearts.

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

If you are already pooped, tired, and weary before Monday has even ended…it is probably time to spend a…little time…or a more extended time of… “waiting” (a good, old-fashioned Bible word) on the Lord. In other words…get some time alone with the One who can renew your strength. 
Isaiah 40:29-31

Should you receive a difficult diagnosis, bank statement, or a problematic phone call…don’t run around trying to fix it. Instead…grab His Word…stop and hear His Heart…and wait for His instruction as to how to proceed next. You are not alone in this news….
Isaiah 30:21

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

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photo: kvtes

After...the One...

Going after…the…one…

“What do you think?
If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, 
does he not leave the ninety-nine and 
go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
Matthew 18:12

I was that…one. Both before coming to Jesus…and after. Yes…I have strayed a few times in my life…and…I imagine that you may have too. Maybe you are lost on the mountain even now as you read this.

I am told that sheep really aren’t dumb…however…they are defenseless. This causes them to do some pretty dumb things to protect themselves. And…one thing I do know about walking with the Lord is when we try to…secure our own future or try to make our own way in life…we do some pretty dumb things…having strayed from the One who holds our breath in our hands.

Well….He is calling. 

What are you trying to accomplish in your own strength? It is putting distance between yourself and the One who loves you beyond reason. I think it is time to stop and listen for His voice. Yes, He has been calling out your name…will you answer and be found?

It is that simple to come home.

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photo: Shop Style

His Present Presence...

I never tire writing about it…

“God our refuge and strength.
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we shall not fear…”
Psalm 46:1-2a

His presence…is always…present.

Some years ago…I decided I wouldn’t live another day without…His presence. Come hell or high water…I was choosing to nurture, not only a devotional time with Jesus (praying requests, reading the Word, journaling)…but a frequent waiting…basking…in the Holy Spirit who reveals the Savior within us and to us (John 16)….so…

Believe me…my family and the church we pastor have experienced some…CRAZY…stuff during these years…yet…His presence…has ALWAYS…been present. I can tell you story after ridiculously loving story…of Jesus in our midst. Now…

What used to be mere theory…has become reality. He is the real deal and He wants you to draw close…and really know Him…not just about Him. So…

Is it time to prime the pump, as it were? Time to allow the Holy Spirit to nurture His present presence in…your life…now? I can promise you…the next big (or little) storm won’t rock your world as much as it would like to. King Jesus wants to walk you through your struggles…and…fear can be a thing of the past. Really.

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photo: Sarah Keiffer via Flickr
www.sueboldt.com

Oh...To be Like Anna...

I have a heroine found on the pages of the New Testament...

"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."
Luke 2:36-37

Because I want to "grow-up" and be like Anna, I am trying (feebly, but purposefully) to emulate her life-style, now (emphasis on: feebly).

There is much to say about her and this account, however, all that I really want to say is that she could have missed her divine appointment with the Christ child.

She could have decided to sleep in, chit-chat with Hannah down the road, or linger at the market for fresh donuts(?)...I don't know...Or, she could have done all the above. Bottom line: in the three short Bible verses on Anna's life...

She lived "sold out" for and totally in love with God, she was faithful to the ministry He had called her to (even when no one probably noticed or knew her name), and it sure sounds like she knew Him intimately, letting Him direct her path throughout the day

So...let's be like Anna...

Because if we are faithful and obedient to the Lord in the "little things," we will be in the right place at the right time for His "big things."

(If this post or any post during this week encourages your heart...please be sure to share on your Facebook page! Blessings, Sue Bee)

 

photo: Umla

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

Even if your team didn’t with the Big Game…you are still on the winning side. Whatever you face this week, big or little, tiny or looming, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has your back! He also has your front, and under and above you, too. Lean hard into Him. He is the best defensive line you could ever have!

If you have been hesitant to step out in a new direction in your life…and you are uncertain as to what you should do, slowly start moving forward in what you think you are hearing the Lord say to you. It is much easier to guide something that is in motion than something that is at a dead stop. Don’t let the enemy paralyze you, telling you that you will make a mistake. Carefully lay everything before the Lord, then start moving forward.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything!  (1 John 4:4)

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Shalom...

Shalom...

"... And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, PRINCE of PEACE."
Isaiah 9:6b 

Shalom is...Jesus' Name...it is Who He is...it is what He is Prince of...it is what He came to give...and...it is what He does...

SHALOM (Hebrew) Meaning: Completeness, wholeness, peace, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony; the absence of agitation or discord.. To be complete, perfect, and full.

This is the peace...the wholeness...the entire human race seeks. 

It was for Shalom that Jesus suffered for us on the cross (Is.53:5), it is His promised future for those who chose Him instead of their own will (Jer.29:11)....it is the very heart of the Gospel (Luke 2:14).

What words do you need...right now....from the definition of Shalom? 

This is for someone...the Spirit is prompting me to tell you that you are looking to a person to bring you Shalom...it will never happen. Instead...pause and ask the Prince of Shalom to reign in your life...your circumstances. Because...

Wrapped up in Him is everything you could ever long for.

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photo: The Kind Life

Not Lacking Any Good Thing...(or how to get over your Macy's account)

I was just looking at Macy’s online.

Yeah…I am a big Macy’s fan. Truly. Ask my family.

For a long season…shall we say…many…many years. Really. I mean decades. I looked for outside stuff to satisfy. More likely…I was looking for stuff to fill the deep insecurities about myself. We shop to feel good. At least some of us do. You know who you are…and if this isn’t you…well…may I ask…what do you look to…to find fulfillment?

“…But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.”
Psalm 34:10b

Short and simple, to the point. Only Jesus can fill those places in our souls that stay so hungry. Only the Holy Spirit can thrill…those ravenous places in our hearts and minds with His Presence.

Take it from one who knows…take it from one who…as the Lord was driving the above point home to her very being…and whose Macy’s card was demoted by the company (glory to God!) as He became more real to her.

When you have Jesus…you have Everything.

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www.sueboldt.com
photo: Riches to Rags

Who...is in Control...

Who is in control?

Well…as I have said to myself and others many a time…if you are in control…Who (yes, capital “W”) isn’t?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Romans 12:1

Whatever you want to call it…surrender, abandonment, letting go…a living sacrifice, this is where life in the Lord Jesus begins. Nevertheless…

He is a Gentleman, through and through. He won’t go where He is not invited. He is not asking for a graved invitation, stamped in pure gold, nope…He only wants all of us. Not just one compartment of our lives, but all them…

However…He knows us. If we can seem to only give Him one little section…He will take it. He knows full well, that once we taste the miraculous in one area of our lives from His touch…we will want to give Him more…until nothing is left.

What are you holding in reserve? Your being in control of it…has that worked for you? I mean…really? Come on…hand it over to the One and Only. You will be so glad you did.

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If these posts are an encouragement to you...please be sure to invite your friends to subscribe to this blog! Blessings, Sue Bee

photo: Beth Kirby via Flickr

Being a...Foodie...

I think King Jesus might be a foodie.

I mean, really. We find Him in the scriptures always eating with someone. In all four Gospels…we find Him feeding thousands. We see Him break bread with a tax collector. He took great care in the preparations for His final meal before the cross…and…after He rose from the dead…He even cooked up breakfast for the guys.

I just looked up the definition of “foodie.” Webster’s states that it someone who and enjoys and cares about food very much. Hmmmm…

Well…on second thought. Maybe…it is not so much the meal where He finds enjoyment and care…it is the company He invites…

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20

This verse wrecks me every time.

He is after…me…and…you. It is the pleasure of our company He is after. It is our care…He seeks to provide. He is knocking in this moment…

I think it is time to open the door.

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photo: Marjorie Taylor

Listen...

Can there be such a thing as … “The Best Bible Story?”

Well…the story of one of Israel's battles ('cause they had quite a few...kinda like we do) certainly ranks among the top Bible accounts.

Nutshell:  Israel was about to be annihilated by her enemies. King Jehoshaphat called a fast (yes, fasting often precedes spiritual advancement for God’s Kingdom) and calls the nation to no-holds-barred prayer.  The Spirit speaks through a prophet who tells the people, 

“And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.”
2 Chronicles 20:15

Israel defeats her enemy by…singing….yes, singing.  Singing God’s praises.  (Kind of out-of-the-box warfare…don’t you think?)

There is much, much, much to receive from 2 Chronicles 20...however...I sense the Lord wanting me to only direct your attention to one aspect of the story…one word… “Listen.”

Whatever it is we are facing, or someone we love is facing…the first and best thing we can do after pouring our hearts out to God is to listen for...His voice. For as surely as He spoke to Israel…He will speak to our hearts…He calls us to listen.  Listen first…then obey…

Then stand back as He moves on our behalf. 

 

photo: Once Wed

 

 

 

Living Hope...

What are you hoping for?  

Or, possibly the better thought is…WHO is your hope? Yes…that is definitely the better question.

There are a lot of hopeless people out there…and I think maybe sometimes…we are just hoping for…the wrong thing. And, that just may be the issue. ‘Cause…you know…things…even good things…can easily turn to ash in our hands, blown away by the wind. 

“Praise (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
1 Peter 1:3 AMP

So if you are reading this and some of your hopes have been dashed by life’s storms, take inventory. Get honest. Get real with yourself. Let the Holy Spirit speak deeply to you…let Him breathe new Life into your hope.

No…we are not to put our hope in stuff, the future, our plans, our dreams…you name it. Our hope is…Someone.  Please notice: I didn’t say our hope is IN Someone…our hope actually is…Someone.

Yes…Jesus is our living hope.


photo: Pringo

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…
As we celebrate…or have just celebrated Father’s Day…

If the sadness of having a not-so-great-dad…still messes with your life…it is time to look up. Your heavenly Father has been and continues to be completely here for you. Quit running from and turn…make a mad dash to His outstretched, can-heal-the-past arms…and let Him embrace you this week.

If you have made some (or many) mistakes as a daddy (or mommy)…Run to Father. Let His cleansing love and lavish grace wash over you. You will never be the dad (or mom) you want to be as long as guilt and regret are worn around life. Grace alone cleanses and the Holy Spirit alone empowers you to change.

If joy has been distant…for whatever the reason…take some time. Get alone with the One and Only. Those that wait in His presence are lifted up on eagle’s wings. Let Him lift you up, twirl you around, and restore your laughter. He will you know. He is the bestest Papa ever!

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything! 1 John 4:4

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photo: Heather Mosher Photography