Past Tense...

Yikes! This is so hard to believe sometimes!

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light."  Ephesians 5:8

What speaks to me is the phrase, "you were once"...past tense...already accomplished...already won. There are countless "past tense" verses like this in God's Word.

You know...all of the world's religions or attempts to reach God...well...they are all based on effort. I get this... for years as a Christian I kept "doing"...and almost always...failing.

However...the crazy thing is...the very moment...the very second...I received Christ by faith (John 1:12)...all my efforts were swallowed in the cross and resurrection. God has ALREADY placed and positioned me in the Kingdom of the Son of His love (Col.1:13). This is already...a done deal. 

This placing...this new home of mine...of OURS...in Christ has already been accomplished. Any victories won, any strongholds broken, any shame washed clean is based on what has...already...taken place...not something we still try to grasp, strain, and reach for. So...

If you are struggling in any area of your life, remember...you are already...light in the Lord...even if the world, the devil, and your own flesh are telling you otherwise. Knowing this IS your starting point... this is the source of your...victory.

Come...let's stand on this launching pad.

 

Eternal Footprints...

Leaving eternal footprints…

“How beautiful upon the mountains 
Are the feet of him who brings good news, 
Who proclaims peace, 
Who brings glad tidings of good things, 
Who proclaims salvation, 
Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
Isaiah 52:7

Everyday…it seems I take a lot of steps. Steps around the busy medical clinic I work at, steps through my favorite market (Trader Joe’s!), steps around my neighborhood as I attempt to jog…steps…yes, steps. Lots of them.

God’s Word tells me that I have the potential…to leave eternal footsteps. That touched my heart today. I want every step I take…to count. I want to walk where He is leading me to walk and seize the everlasting opportunities Holy Spirit places all around me. Yes…

Everywhere I go…may my steps (actions, prayers, heart, words, thoughts, and words) proclaim…my God reigns!

Want to join me?

 

(Did this impact your heart today? YOU have beautiful feet...according to the Lord! How about...where ever you or I go today or whatever we face...let's whisper or proclaim boldly,  "Our God Reigns!" He will move in our midst, of that I am certain!)

Oh My...Going Back to Work...

Oh my…going back to work…after a week-long vacation…is hard to do. Anybody know what I am talking about? And yet…

As pastor Wayne Cordeiro would share, my position at my workplace…well…it is just my disguise. For…instead of being an “Operations Specialist,” I am really, truly…on assignment for the King. Working in Administration for a large health care organization…well…that’s my “cover” for bringing Jesus wherever my foot falls.

‘Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside (those who do not yet know Jesus), 
redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace… 
Colossians 4:5-6

So…today…going back to work…the Holy Spirit put a fresh spring in my step. He is starting to put fresh vision in my heart and fresh purpose for what I am really up to in my “marketplace ministry.” I want to bring heaven to earth wherever my foot falls. 

And…you can bet on it…living under HIS assignment…rather than just for a paycheck…makes any position we may have…crazy fulfilling.

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photo: Bojon Gourmet        

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

Should you be frazzled, forlorn, or feeling forgotten…even before you have rolled out of bed in the morning, remember that your Heavenly Father, Who loves you beyond comprehension, has every hair on your head numbered. He knows you inside out…and…HE is your only source of joy that brings hope, strength, wisdom, and life. Look to Him.

Should you be facing a circumstance that seems like a mountain…King Jesus will hold your hand as He either dismisses this burden, raises you above this situation, or holds you close as you walk through this fire together. HE is the answer. Be sure to let HIM rule your heart and mind. He will make your steps firm…in His love.

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

Vacation....

Hi Everyone!

My family is on vacation this week in San Diego and loving it! So...

This blog is on vacation, too! Blessing to you all and make some wonderful summer memories with your family.

Love in Him Who loves us beyond reason...

Sue Bee

It Might be Time...

It might be time to have a little “forgiveness” check-up…

Just as we should…but don’t often do…have a yearly check up with our physicians to check…you know…vital signs…and physical stuff (do you like that medical terminology?)…we might be needing us to have a little…heart check-up.

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14-15

These are pretty heavy words from the mouth of our Savior…forgiveness…our completely forgiving every person who has…wounded…hurt…offended…abused…us…is really more for…us.

When we don’t forgive someone…or start to allow the Lord to remove the layers (for often…deep wounds…family or church…wounds…take time to heal), we bottleneck the outpouring of His love in our own lives. And, that brings us to another point…
Is there someone reading this who needs to…forgive the Lord?

That happens, you know. It is not right, but it still may happen. I just heard about someone today that didn’t understand…why something had happened in their life. If that is you…don’t run from Him. Don’t stomp off and be mad, sulk, give up your faith . Would good will that do? It is most likely the enemy or human failing…that has caused your hurt.

 Though you may never know that until you run into His arms…talk honestly and listen honestly. Relying upon His unfailing Word and finding comfort in the fullness of His presence. 

Take it from one who knows…

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photo: Prepped in Pearls        

Shortcuts...

I…for one…really like shortcuts…

I have never liked taking the long way around the bend…the possibly more arduous route…the route that could meander and take time…or might cost me in some way.

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” 
Luke 4:14

The start of our Savior’s ministry began with a temptation by His adversary, the devil…to take a shortcut. To bypass the beyond horrific agony of the cross and take authority over the world and its system. Jesus didn’t buy into these…lies…and neither should we.

Is there an area of life…that…well…taking a shortcut…instead of going God’s route…seems more appealing? An area of compromise…that will satisfy us for a moment…then leave us holding…ashes?

I had just such an area today. Maybe…that is why it is fresh on my mind. However…the Holy Spirit wins out. I want to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit…daily…I don’t want to miss Jesus’ outrageous adventures for me…I don’t want to miss being transformed into His image-bearer…or intimacy with Him.

Nope. I’m settling in for the scenery of the possibly longer path…He has never failed me. I don’t want to miss where He is taking me by settling…for less…for settling for a shortcut. Want to join me?

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photo: Wit and Delight 

Between the Commas...

There are some Bible passages you just have to read between the commas…

“…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:18

Paul’s prayer for us found in Ephesians 1 is a place where reading between the commas…can change your life. Really.

The riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ are laid out for us in a few short words from Paul’s prayer here…and at the beginning of most of his letters of instruction.

Try it. Simply read the one verse above…savoring each phrase…between the commas. I believe the Lord has something to speak into your current situation(s)…just from these three phrases. Ponder His words to you in this moment. What applies to you? How is your heart…being moved…or wrecked for His glory?

Let’s slow down. Let’s savor God’s Word. Let’s read between the commas and...be transformed.

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photo: Beach Life 

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.

Feel free to share.... 

 

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)

Feel free to share…