Stolen Moments...

Stolen moments...

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, 
He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.
Now when evening came, He was alone there.”
Matthew 14:23

Nobody can imagine Jesus’ schedule during the years of His earthy ministry. He knew the unrelenting press of thousands day after day. However, He...being fully God...yet laying aside His godly prerogatives to walk earth as a man, knew the joy of stolen moments to be refreshed in the Holy Spirit.

One time, Randy and I were waiting in a restaurant to be seated. A young man walked in with a single, red rose. He waited silently next to me until a cute...young waitress momentarily left her duties to greet him with a quick kiss. The red rose was for her. It brought light to her face, sparkle to her eyes, and I'm sure made the rest of her long evening special.

We need intentionally to spend time with Jesus, yet...we need those red rose, stolen kiss moments with the Lord, too! Next time you are impatient, frustrated, or weary...find a minute... somewhere. Call out to the Lord, possibly crack open the Word, pray in the Spirit... be revived in His presence.

Stolen moments with our Beloved can be just the ticket....

Striving...

My dear friend and sistah in the faith, Marjorie, sensed the Lord wanted to give me a Bible verse filled with encouragement.

Encourage me it did…

“But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God's unfailing love.”
Psalm 52:8

At first, I thought it read: “But I am like an olive tree, striving (not thriving) in the house of God...” Whaaaattt???

So…for me…and I am prompted to think for you, too….it is time to not strive and try to make things happen (i.e. job, relationships, ministry…stuff), but place each temptation to strive in our own strength and let Him…do the heavy lifting.

What is coming to mind that you are striving about right now?

It is time to…let it go… to Jesus, and place it squarely in His hands. Then watch how your heart and life thrive in Him.

Feel free to share...


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(photo: Naomi Jellison with permission)

He Knows...

One of our daughters called today...joy ringing in her voice...

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:8

This day for Shiloh and her a family of five...the Lord came through. As He...always does.

The answer had come after months of prayer...and literally up to the deadline of this great need. Yes...we knew the Lord would be faithful to find them a home, as their landlord had sold their current dwelling and my hubby and I have a ton Jesus/house stories. However...truthfully...a lot of nice homes, even seemingly perfect homes for them had come...and gone to others.

I started out with great faith for my kids’ need, however, as time progressed and days became numbered...panic praying set in. Do you know what I mean? Then my husband taught on the verse above this past Sunday. Enough said. The Holy Spirit helped me choose to believe God’s Word...peace set in.

Whatever you facing...He knows your need. He is speaking specifically to someone reading this. Please check out the verses surrounding Matthew 6:8...place your need confidently in His hands...and trust.

I am Known...

Everyone wants to be...known...

“For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.”
Psalm 139:1

What a privilege to read Psalm 139 with someone...who has never read it before. That happened for me today. And...the very first verse sums up the entirety of this beloved psalm...

We are known.

Whether we want to be known or not...Jesus knows...all of our deepest hopes, insecurities, dreams, loves, fears, feelings, thoughts, passions...the list goes on. No one knows us like He does...not even ourselves. Certainly the most intimate of our earthly relationships do not come close.

So rest in that knowledge. Do not hide. Let Him search your heart and uncover and restore the real person you are in Him...His precious and cherished child...to bring Him glory...

And make Him known to the world.

Into the Deep...

Often…Jesus is calling us to go deeper…than we want to go…

“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."    Luke 5:4

Recently, my son-in-law stated… “I wish everything didn’t always require faith!” We laughed out loud…because…how many times have we felt the same way.

Nevertheless, when we signed up with Jesus…youknow…invited Him to be Lord of our lives…we stepped from the realm of our controlling our destiny, to fully trusting Him. And that…requires our faith. And…often He calls us into the deep waters of trust rather than safely standing on the shore...missing the adventure…missing Him.

What area of your life is He calling you to deeper trust? Don’t delay…read the rest of Luke 5 and see the splendor of what He can do.

Feel free to share...

Level Ground...

Jesus always levels the playing field…

“And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people … who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,” 
 Luke 6:17 NKJV

The fact that the King of the Universe…stoops low to be near us is beyond comprehension.

We live in a day of platform…position…and plaudits. The higher the celebrity profile, the better. Yet, Jesus always comes down to our level…meets us right where we are in the midst of our stuff…our selfishness…yes…our sin.

And I love…that with the King of Universe…the playing field is level. We come as we are because He is all sufficient and we…are not. In His eyes no one is better, higher,  smarter, or more loved by Him. We don’t ever have to fear not being enough…or that someone else is more…

We simply come…and are healed.

 

(If you you were encouraged today by this post...please be sure to click the title...go to the blog and then click to share on Facebook! Love, Sue Bee)

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

If your hope is drooping...your faith is dropping...and your joy has already flown out the window...this is the perfect time to dig into Jesus’ words about abiding in Him. Basically...you can’t do life without HIM! It’s time to get back on track and fully lean, rely, and put your whole trust in the LORD. 
John 15:1-17

If your bank account is drooping...your stock options are dropping...and your next paycheck has already flown out the window...it may be time to take inventory. You may have to make some hard decisions about spending...yet...King Jesus is oh-so-trustworthy. He takes care of the flowers and birds...He will take care of you!
Matthew 6:25-34

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...

 

(photo: Selective Potential)

You are His Poem...

I have been making necklaces again…Mind you… I have no clue what I am doing…however…has that ever stopped me?

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10

The Lord Almighty, the One and Only Creator…created us...to create. There is just something so fulfilling as getting an idea for…anything really, then making it happen. Truly…we were made in His image.

My dear friend Cory Curry relates it took God only six days to speak all that we know as this constantly enlarging and changing universe into existence. However…it took Him...nine months...to carefully knit YOU together. No matter how you feel about yourself…to Him you are a masterpiece. His finest workmanship...His poem (the original Greek wording).

If you are a little blue today…remember what you experience when you create something…anything…and how much pleasure it brings you. This is what He is feeling about you…this very minute

Feel free to share...

A Lamp to My Feet....

What a wonderfully well-worn and beloved Bible passage:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, 
And a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105

In these words we find His promise to give all the guidance we need…one foot fall at a time and the great treasure of knowing that…each foot fall we purpose to take in Him is one step in front of the other on the long-range path of our lives.

Jesus’ light is right here…right now…for what we face in this moment and yet…He gives glimpses of our destiny in Him. The trouble is…we want to jump from Point A…to…let’s say…Point Q, missing out on all of the light-guided steps in between! We may try to hurry the path, jump the path, skip the path…to what avail? Missing the glory and power of the Holy Spirit and hearing His voice…every single day or our lives.

All this to say…it may be time to turn the light on. Let’s spend some time in His presence today, drinking up His living written Word and basking in His presence.

And…His gracious gift to us?…the mundane will become extraordinary, the routine will become wonder-filled, and His light will dazzle your eyes...and illuminate your steps.

Will and Way...

You have heard, “Where there is a will...there’s a way...”

Been there done that.

“So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.”
Psalm 81:12

My strong, often self-centered will...can make my own way. Yes. Been there done that. And...I don’t want to ever walk that path again. These words that cheer our human determination and strength...can be the heart of so much wreckage and ruin, when what we are pursuing so ardently isn’t His best. Truly. So...

If you are pressing the Lord for something that just has to go the way you want it...how you want it...and when you want it (whatever it is), try reading the remainder of Psalm 81. There you will find amazing promises...defeat of the enemy...joy...satisfaction...His finest...for you...

When...you surrender your stubborn will...for His.

Himself...

Ouch!

Recently…I have been hearing some hard words from the Lord’s gentle, but firm voice…

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
Hebrews 12:11

Yes…He is saying some difficult things to me…about me…because He loves...me. If you read the context of the passage above, the writer of the Book of Hebrews explains this further…

Still, it is hard to hear…these words from His lips…yet…my joy in Jesus is returning. You know, the kind of happiness not based on sweet circumstances, but the joy of freedom from some junk that was starting to take over my life. I’d wondered where my joy in the river of the Holy Spirit had gone. So…

Don’t be afraid to hear and face some stuff…it is the release of selfishness, self-centeredness, self-will, self-righteousness…all the self stuff. At least that is what it is for me…but He promises to replace these broken, rebellious parts, with the
best self of all…Himself.

Feel free to share... 

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should you feel confused, distraught...or...caught in quandary...look to Him who is the Alpha and Omega. He is the only one who knows the beginning, middle, and best outcome. Let HIM direct your steps and lean fully into His arms. Rev. 1:8

Should you be exhausted, weary, and...just plain pooped out...come sit beside the still waters. That means stopping “stuff” as soon as possible...heading to a quiet place (the bathroom if you have small children), and let His Word refresh you. Turn to some of your favorite passages and let the Holy Spirit who wrote them breath reviving wind into your heart and mind. Ps. 23:2

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...
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(photo: Yogi Approved) 

Windstorms...and other such things...

Have you ever been convinced of the Lord’s leading...then have your life...hit a...storm of adversity?

“Now it happened... that He got into a boat with His disciples. 
And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out.”
Luke 8:22

You are familiar with this story in Luke 8: Jesus tells the disciples to head to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and He promptly goes to sleep. As they cross the body of water...as He instructed...a severe windstorm whips up and their boat takes on water...they are perishing.

Or so they think. Just like we sometimes think when moving forward with His plans and a windstorm of circumstances threatens to drown us.

Yet, HIS word never changed...they did make it to the other side.
The disciples thought He didn’t care...He never left them.
Their faith was shaken...Jesus...was not.
They would have preferred calm waters...yet...what a story!

If you are going through something similar...take a look at Luke 8. Let Him encourage your heart. You WILL make to His destination for you...continue...to launch out...

 

Don't forget to share...if you are encouraged by His Word...blessings, Sue!

Comfort...

Where do you find comfort when hurting, lonely, or discouraged?

"In the multitude of my anxieties within me, 
Your comforts delight my soul."
Psalms 94:19

Yes...we may turn to friends for help...but really...if all they can offer is sympathy or empathy, well, that won't cut it. They may console...but are they discerning enough to bring real counsel and healing?

Do we turn to familiar behaviors to find solace? You know, the behaviors we are not so proud of, but they bring a momentary relief. We turn to them because they are quick, easily attainable, and....well, oh so familiar. Have these "friends" ever really helped? Or, just delayed the inevitable pain for a few minutes?

So...quit looking to past comforts or seeking new ones. Whatever it is you are going through, HE is all-sufficient to care for you and your situation...Jesus' comfort will not only bring relief, peace, and strength beyond measure...it will be a balm of healing oil to your aching heart.

Feel free to share...

Stuff...

I just love it that Jesus has no problem getting down into our stuff.

“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Matthew 9:36

My elderly father had a medical emergency this past weekend. There was a lot of stuff...you know...medical...and emotional. Add also...practical and physical. Yes...just a lot of stuff.

Nevertheless, as stressful and difficult as these past few days have been, Jesus has been oh-so-present. I saw His mighty had at every turn and gazed upon His perfect timing. He delights to be in the midst of our stuff...I think especially...family stuff. The dirt, the sweat, the blood...the tears.

So what is going on in your family? What is theirs or your...stuff? No matter how ugly, difficult, seemingly hopeless it is...King Jesus is in the thick of it. Stop...let Him speak to your heart and let the Holy Spirit overwhelm you to walk through this stuff. Crack open His Word and let Him into the midst of what is going on...

Oops...gotta run...my dad’s washer just overflowed...

All He Sees...

You are...the apple of His eye…

“Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,”
Psalm 17:8

Did you know…did you realize…that God Almighty only…ever…thinks about YOU? His Word tells us that He only thinks loving, kind, respectful, cherishing, exquisitely lovely, good, purposeful thoughts…about…you.

You are the “apple” of His eye. That quite literally means that you are the “pupil” of His eye. You…know…the black dot in the middle (so scientifically stated!!). In other words…He only…sees…you. As a lover only sees the object of His affection.

If you have cause to doubt that in this moment. Well. It’s time to get back to His Word…His unfailing, Truth-filled Word. It is time to spend time…with King Jesus…the Living Word. He has a lot He wants to remind you about…about how He thinks about you.

Because you...dear one...are all He sees.

Sweet Fragrance...

Some time ago at my workplace...I was given a bouquet of dried lavender.

How rich was the fragrance! Everyone who walked through our department commented on the beautiful perfume of these dried...not so attractive stems. I rubbed some of the pods on my wrists. People stopped me in the hallways to know what I was wearing and where they could buy it!

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." 2 Corinthians 2:14

I had to stop and think. Is the fragrance of my life as appealing? Do I cause heads to turn, not because of outward beauty (Oh my...I'm looking more like the dried up lavender every day!), but because I give the Holy Spirit full permission to pour through me to bring others delight? Will those who don't know Jesus yet, want to know where they can find Him...because of what they see and sense about me?

Hmmm...this is my new prayer...

I want to wear the fragrance named: "The Triumph of His love in Me...is For You, Too!"

 

(Dear Friend...if you like this post...please be sure to click on the title above...it will direct you to the site where you can share on Facebook and/or click on the heart to watch it dance! Blessings!)

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

If you are tempted…to go back to an old habit, a harmful relationship, or say “why bother?” about something or someone? Truly…these thoughts are from the pit! Recognize how far your God has brought you and look forward to what He has next…you don’t want to miss it by looking back over your shoulder. Luke 9:62

If you aren’t sensing His presence in your life…the old saying goes: “Guess who has moved!!” Beat it back to His warm embrace…Jesus has been waiting for you all this time. Revelation 3:20

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...

 


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(photo: The Perfect Palette)

What is Your Heart...Set On?

What is your heart…set on?

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, 
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.”
Psalm 84:5

Our hearts can be set upon…so many things: a new home, a job, a good education, finding the right person…a baby. So many good and wonderful things. Nevertheless…we need our hearts to be set on the One and Only…first.

The author of this passage knows that having our hearts set on God…is a journey, not a one-time event. Trusting Jesus is a process of one step in front of the other…every minute of every day. A pilgrimage…a continual…looking up…lifting and setting our eyes and heart on Him alone. And…

As the next verse will tell us, when we travel through the Valley of Baca, the valley of barrenness or weeping, we will find springs of living water, the rain and reign of the Holy Spirit creating pools of refreshment. We will journey from strength…to strength. What promises!

So what is your heart set on…make it only Him.

 

 

*  Remember! Should a post ever touch your heart in a special way by the Lord, be sure to share someone else might be encouraged or challenged by Him!  Love to all...I am back from vacation!

(photo: Serendipitous Romance)


(photo: Serendipitous Romance)