Stand...

Shaky ground is the pits. Wouldn’t you agree?

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,"  Ephesians 6:14

We all know lies hurt, lies harm, and lies deceive. How much greater the pain when our adversary, the devil, lies to us and we believe him over what Jesus speaks to us. Truly then, we have nothing to stand on as Paul exhorts us to do. The belt of truth keeps the whole armor of God on us. Jesus not only speaks truth; He is Truth speaking. Think on that. His Word is truth John 17:17. It is imperative for us to drink it in, let it transform us, and help us to stand. No matter what we go through.

As for righteousness – well, we just don’t have any on our own. Just being real, here. Jesus alone is our righteousness. We need to clothe ourselves in His breastplate of righteousness which covers our heart and shields us from the darts of the enemy. Darts called guilt, shame, worthless, and inadequate. We must understand who we are in Christ.

Yes. I want to stand clothed in His truth and righteousness every single day that I have breath.

We Gotta Grab Hold...

Our sword in battle...

"And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;"
Ephesians 6:17

Yes, it is this God-breathed Word that brings healing to us and this God- breathed Word that annihilates our adversary, the devil.

This sword, well, we gotta have a death grip on it. I mean, we have to have our hands, heads, and hearts so wrapped around it that no weapon of hell could ever pry it loose from us. It is His Word that has authority; not our words – His Word on our lips that will wreak havoc on demon strongholds over people, situations, families, and nations.

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a passage of Scripture for what you are burdened about. He will give it to you. Then speak it over what troubles you – praying and speaking in the name of Jesus. Keep declaring and praying as the Spirit leads you. Let God ignite this sword that you wield because it is your ammunition – your only ammunition.

It is time to grab this sword and not let go.

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At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

If your bank account has dropped, your smile has drooped, you’ve locked your keys in the car, and your dog isn’t sure if she likes you anymore look up! There is ONE who knows the number of hairs on your head, Who knows you inside-out and loves you beyond reason. His love never fails!

Should you have a disagreement with a loved one, co-worker, classmate, housemate, in-law or out-law, forgive quickly! Check your own heart first before you decide to check out of the situation. Make amends. Jesus has forgiven you everything let His grace in you spill onto someone else.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to 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 He Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

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At the Start of this Week...

At the start of this week…

Should the weather be hot or the weather be colder, or your heart is warmed or it feels like it has been frozen in pain – run to the One who holds the stars in His hands and holds your heart as well. The Holy Spirit is the Great Comforter and Healer.

Should you be irritated, agitated, annoyed, and you haven’t even begun your day yet, it might be time to do the old fire drill: stop, drop, and roll.

So…
Stop what you are doing.
Drop to your knees.
Roll your frustrations and burdens onto the Lord!

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to 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 He Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

He is For Us...

Sad, but true. I spent a number of years thinking God was against me.

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

What we just read is the truth. We have a heavenly Father who loves us beyond reason and never withdraws, withholds, or revokes His unfailing agape toward us. Yet, we have an enemy. Take him, plus the failings and brokenness of our souls, and it is oh so easy to believe the lie our God is against us.

Most of us aren’t even for our own selves. We know our stuff. You know, the stuff no one sees. And the shame of our stuff lies to us. We can pray up a storm for others, but we can barely lift our eyes to pray and believe our Father would pour out blessings upon us.

If this is you, it is time to break the root of this lie. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where it started – usually in your very early years. Get it taken care of and break the agreement with it. Then, let your Father scoop you up in His arms and whisper His truth into your heart:

He is for you.

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Need to Know Basis...

Really. God often seems to work with us on a ‘need to know’ basis…

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  Matthew 6:34

Many of you know that I recently took a leave from my workplace through the Christmas Season to care for my ailing dad. What a Jesus story! What a beautiful way to spend the holidays with all of our family! What a gift I will take into eternity with me as in early January, my dad took the Lord’s outstretched hand and walked from this life into the next incredible, incomparable adventure.

Yet, my point is this: Though God often tends to whisper into my heart what will lie ahead, in this season of my journey with Him, He didn’t. He wanted to me to press into His presence, drink in His written Word, even if just for second, and wait for His leading every moment of every day. I had all I needed, because Jesus gave me all I needed…in that given moment. He didn’t parcel out anything in advance. So…

Dear friend, quit trying to predict the future or force an outcome. Listen to the Lord’s words above and truly live one day at a time. Your life at the moment may be perplexing and a puzzle to you. However, He alone holds all the right pieces to make an exquisite picture and you don’t want to mar or miss the beauty and wonder He has in store for you.

But God...

Really. Honestly. There are two Bible words that can transform your life...

“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. 
But God was with him.”
Acts 7:9

Have you guessed? The words are: ‘But God...’

These words can change everything for you. In the context of this passage, Stephen is retelling Joseph’s horrific abuse story that was turned on a dime into glory, honor, position, and healing. This means, no one else can ruin your life. No matter what someone has done to you, no matter how appalling and painful –‘But God’ – can change everything. But God...is with you.

My dear friend, Alicen, kept repeating to me, “But God...” when incurable cancer had come back into my body for the third time. This time my oncologists and surgeons were telling me, “This is the end, Sue.” However, Alicen kept saying to me, “Doesn’t matter what the diagnosis is... ‘But God’ changes everything.” It did. I was operated upon, partial segments of several organs were taken. No cancer could be found anywhere. But God...

Where in your life do you need a ‘But God’ moment? It is time to believe He IS with you and He desires for you to know Him intimately in this season of trial. Yes. Anything is possible when we answer tragedy, tears, or terror with the words, “But God is with me.”

Intentional...

I’m late in my Journey in Jesus to get out of my comfort zone...

"Go therefore and make disciples..."
Matthew 28:19

I am late for intentionally discipling others in their Journey in the Lord. Now that I am actively engaged in this fundamental part of a faith walk, I have found it to be a huge, beyond-description high.

No matter how long we have walked with the Lord, we all need to be discipled by someone, even if they are just a few inches ahead of us on the same path with Jesus. We, in turn, need to look over our shoulders and purposely look for those with whom we can invest our lives. Jesus didn’t call us to become reservoirs of knowledge and experience, but to be rivers that His Spirit can flow through to others.

For our own continued growth in God, we need to be intentionally making disciples. Knowing someone is being led by us, and they are observing our lives, keeps us humble before Him. Sharing His faithfulness in the good, bad, and ugly of our own story can be life-altering for someone else.

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At the Start of this Week...

At the start of this week...

Should your alarm clock fail to awaken you, your clothes refuse to fit, or a catastrophic event takes place in your life, remember, the God of Angel Armies is on Your side. One caveat. You will need to stop trying to control the issue or try to force your will and your way into the situation. He IS GOD. Jesus is the Great I AM and He knows what is best to do, and how and when to do it. Trust Him immediately!

Should you get your feelings hurt, you feel looked over, or you are just plain ole feeling blue, get on your knees quick! Don’t let the enemy of your soul try to drain your joy in the Lord and zap you of His strength. The Lord Jesus will cover and heal your heart, but you must make the choice to let Him do this for you. Don’t let your flesh or the devil waste another minute of your oh so precious life.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to 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 He Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

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A Dash of Agitation...

{A Wall Word...a Nugget from the Amplified Version}

Anybody experiencing some frustration? A bit of anxiety? A dash of agitation?

No condemnation here, but remember: The eye of life's hurricanes is always -- yes always -- King Jesus.

To walk in His peace beyond comprehension when stuff hits the fan of our lives, there is no escaping a chosen, purposeful step of faith to trust Him. There is no escaping an intimate knowledge of His character and presence through time spent alone with Jesus, drinking in His Holy Spirit. There is no escaping a working and vital relationship with His Written Word speaking into our lives daily.

Believe me. I lived the other way too long. When earthquakes quaked my soul, the ground came out from under me. You too? So many Christians I know rarely seem to have His incomparable peace.

But I am learning a new way to live and you can, too. You don’t have to be smart, cool, talented, a person of status, or be anybody special. All you need to do is come. Make time in your daily life to bow to the King of Kings. Don’t get up until you sense His presence fill you with unspeakable joy, quiet calm, or peace that covers your heart like warm oil. Don’t get up until His Word has warmed your heart and spoken into your life about what is relevant to you. Trusting Him will become more of a piece of cake than a struggle to secure.

Jesus IS the eye of every hurricane and He is calling us to really know this is the truth.

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At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

If your joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction levels are kaput, nada, zilch, or zero, it is time to take time to be replenished and directed to True North. Take time with your Creator and feast on His Word ‘til you sense His presence, His passion for you, and His purpose for this day – and your life!

If you are still smarting from a hurtful comment or action by a loved one; take inventory with Jesus. Ask Him: should I talk to the person? Should I just drop it because the issue isn’t really that important and Your grace is bigger? Why does it matter to me in the first place? Is the Lord trying to bring healing from something in my past?

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to 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 He Who is in you is greater than anything!  1 John 4:4

He Loves Me...

How massively, lavishly, intensely, and wonderfully He loves us!

"I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice In lovingkindness (unfailing love) and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD."
Hosea 2:19-20 (parentheses, mine)

I am reminded that Jesus is forever and foremost after my heart and affections. He is not that interested in what I do for Him or how much I accomplish for His Kingdom. Those things are of much lesser value to Him and will naturally fall into place when I am walking with Him in first love.

What matters most to Jesus is a heart like King David found in Psalm 27, I will seek your beauty. And Mary, of Mary and Martha fame, she has desired the one thing, as she merely sat at His feet to hear His voice.

How grateful I am for Jesus’ heart towards me, His wayward beloved!

Kingdom Come...Now...

The simple blueprint for spiritual warfare is found in the Lord’s prayer...

“So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”  Luke 11:2

Over and over in the gospels of the New Testament, we hear Jesus talk about His kingdom. And yes, of course, we all look forward to that day when we experience His kingdom when we pass into His presence.

However, kingdom living is for now. Jesus came to this planet ruled by our adversary, the devil, to establish His reign in those who would believe in Him. In other words, the Lord is telling us that in every dark and desperate situation we face, we can pray; we can declare, “Your kingdom come into this situation!” And we speak with the authority He has given us to use, “In Jesus’ Name!”

No, this side of heaven, we might not see every victory, but we won’t see much at all if we don’t start praying and declaring His Word of truth. This is not passive praying, this is bringing the power of Almighty God into everyday life. Let’s start now.

Nutshell...

Honestly. The gospel in a nutshell...

“...to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” Acts 26:18

If I lived full-out in just one of these phrases, well, it would rock my world, literally, and the world around me. 

Encapsulated here, we see that salvation is not merely entre to heaven’s gates, but the entrance of light dispelling our darkness, authority rather than being a victim to our circumstances, and absolute lavish, scandalous grace to beat down any guilt we still labor under.

The gospel is not only the forgiveness of our sins, but the supernatural power to be free from them as Jesus scoops and works out our stuff and replaces it with Himself. An inheritance beyond compare. Beyond anything the world could ever offer.

Read the verse again slowly. What phrase is the Holy Spirit whispering into your heart? Let’s let Him rock our world.

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Lift Your Eyes on High...

I took a walk this evening when the stars were just beginning to put on their show...

Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.  Isaiah 40:26

These words were the Lord’s promise to me for each of our three children; not one of them would be missing from His presence.

Yes! This was my prayer for each of our precious, funny, beautiful, talented, generous, and smart-beyond-years kids. I was desperate in prayer for them– even when I was a hot mess, needing more prayer than they ever did. I was contending for their lives, praying they would fall in love with the Lord Jesus and love Him more than life itself. If that took place – and it did – I wouldn’t have to be concerned about anything else regarding them.

Who do you hold dear that is missing from the Lord’s embrace at this moment? Grab hold of Him and don’t give up. Your heart’s cry will not be in vain. The Lord is calling their names as you read this.

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At the Start of the 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

On the other hand, if it is your bank account that is drooping, your stock options are dropping, or 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 and He will take care of you!
Matthew 6:25-34

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to 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 He Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

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So sorry this is a day late!!

Only in Him...

I was just looking at Macy’s online.

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

For a long season – shall we say many, many years – I mean decades, I looked for outside stuff to satisfy my soul. 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 your issue, may I ask, where do you look 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 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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So Little...

One of my favorite photographs from all four Gospels...

"So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish."
Mark 6:42-43

Jesus took so little and made so much. This speaks to every area of our lives. Where do you feel small and insufficient? Is it your life, your resources, your future, your hopes – yourself? Place it in His hands and stand back to watch the wonder. Just like the bread, He may need to break up a few things in your life to bring growth, but do not fear His tender touch.

Everyone was filled. I spent much of my Christian life, unsatisfied and frustrated. Ministry was more chore than overflow. The lack of knowing God’s will for my life was the norm; and I struggled with habitual, destructive behaviors until Jesus cornered me. In Him alone am I satisfied, significant, and complete.

Last of all, He doesn’t waste a thing. Only Jesus can take the junk of our past and turn it to gold. He turns our waste into our miraculous story in Him. So, take a few moments and talk to the Lord Jesus about all of this. He’s ready to begin a miracle in you.

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At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should the weather be contrary, your kids be raising a ruckus, your job causing chaos, or you just plain ‘ole don’t want to face another week, realize you have lost His joy somewhere. Jesus tells us our joy can’t be taken away from us, yet somehow you have given it away. Hmmm. Beat it back into His presence asap. In His presence is fullness of joy. 

Should you be struggling with a relationship, a financial hardship, or a shipwreck in your life, it is time to draw under the feather of His wings and power. Take a look at Psalm 91. Read it slowly. What is He saying to you? Listen. Draw even closer.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to 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 He Who is in you is greater than anything!  
1 John 4:4