Good Friday...A Day Late...

I have a difficult time thinking about Good Friday…

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
Mark 15:34

What wrecks my heart most is not only the physical torture King Jesus suffered – though clearly the Scriptures tell us He was beaten and scourged beyond human recognition – certainly to the very brink of death before being impaled upon the cross. No, this isn't what weakens my heart. It is His yearning in the verse above.

This is the part that pierces me. I don't fully grasp the very rending apart of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, torn in two. Jesus, bearing my guilt, shame, and sin – the Holy Father having to turn away and forsake this Beloved Son because of this. I can't comprehend this kind of love. Pure love. Unrelenting love. Eternal love ripped in shreds. For me. For You.

My heart now cries out, Thank You!

Certain Disciple...

I want to be that…certain disciple…

"Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord.""  Acts 9:10

I have shared before how I sensed the Holy Spirit leading me to read the Book Acts over and over through 2017. This is not at the neglect of the rest of the Scriptures, but something I felt called to do. Some days, I may linger over one phrase or verse, another day it may be two or three chapters. I so desire to minister in all Jesus has called His followers to participate into reach a lost and oh so weary world: salvation, healing, and deliverance.

I digress.

In the passage above I love that Jesus knows who we are. He knew Ananias. By name. Jesus knew that He could count on Ananias to listen to His voice and follow through with His directives. In this instance, it was to find a known murderer and lead that Christ-hater to Himself. And what about the once murderer turned Christian? This was the apostle Paul, who God used to write much of the New Testament and turn the world right-side up.

Ananias heard. Ananias obeyed. Ananias was a world-changer – one person at a time. Yes. I want to be a "certain disciple," too.

Heart in Egypt...No More...

Where's your heart at? I mean, really?

"Whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt," - Acts 7:39

I lived a lot of years trying to get to the Lord's promised land of extraordinary, effusive living – John 10:10 – but honestly? My heart was still in Egypt.

What I mean is, I wanted to live in Holy Spirit fullness, you know, Book of Acts living and blessing, but my heart was still pretty darned attached at the hip to the things of this world. A person can still do all the Christian stuff and be nowhere close to Jesus. For real. And Jesus loves us so much, He won't bless our futile aspirations that will ultimately leave us empty handed and destitute.

It wasn't until the Lord finally said, "Enough of this nonsense, beloved Sue Bee!" that I heard the call to turn my heart's affection to Him alone. His presence became my priority, His living Word my daily bread. THEN, abounding, overflowing, and profuse living became my ever-increasing reality.

Do you have worry, anxiety, or chronic sadness, need, or loneliness? This is not your portion. The Lord has more for you. And certainly, there is much to say about the adversary of our souls messing with us. But as gently and tenderly as I can write this, and without judgment, I must ask. Where is your heart?

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A Wall Word...A Nugget from the Amplified Version

I love the Word of God…

Even in the few years when confusion and bondage I couldn't explain at the time were taking place within me, I still read my Bible daily. Honest and true, this was my everyday practice. Did I have fresh revelation daily and sense the life-breath of the Holy Spirit while reading? No, not often during this time, but His All-Powerful Living Word was still doing a healing work in my desperate life.

It was this same Word of God that brought my deliverance*. There are many nuances and factors in the story of course, notwithstanding an incredible battle with the enemy of my soul. However, light always trumps darkness and God's Living Word annihilated the enemy's plans for me. This very same Word has brought me into a life of such abundance that even now, twelve years later, it still takes my breath away.

To know Jesus, I mean really begin to know Him, it is my humble opinion that each of us needs to know the Bible inside out and backward. We do this one bite at a time, day in and day out. AND, we need to walk daily in His felt presence through the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Think Acts Chapter 2. Without God's Word, every whim and emotion may lead us astray, but without His presence, Christianity is more theory than experience. 

We need the balance of both. The written Word revealing the Living Word, King Jesus, in Holy Spirit dunamis (power).**And when we walk in this balance, extraordinary living is ours – no matter what our circumstances are.

Some Thoughts from Dayspring....

I lost my Bible.

I once heard a well known speaker talk about when she decided she didn’t want her Bible, with all of its well worn pages, to become a source of pride for her. So, she gave it away.

A co-worker told me how she felt like God prompted her to give her Bible away to a stranger she was
talking to at Starbucks and she did!
I, on the other hand, will not be giving mine away. I love all the notes I have written covering the pages, the passages I ‘ve highlighted, the names and dates written alongside verses on its tear-stained pages, and even the pages that have fallen out and are stuffed back in. I’m telling you, God Himself would have to come and rip it from my hands and He’d get a fight!
So here I was with my Bible missing, in a near panic, when it hit me:

“For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12 (Amp)

Alive and active and full of power no matter the source of His Word. I can get the same amazing life-changing experience even if it comes from the cheap, stiff Bible I stole from my church. Or the huge, million page, hardback Bible with four versions side-by-side in my cabinet. Or the family heirloom Bible from the 1800’s that is nine inches tall at my in-laws house. Or on a billboard sign. Or even on my smart phone. Or from a blog my mom writes each day ;)

It’s still His alive, active, and powerful Word. No matter the source.

And, yay! I just found my Beloved Book!

Under a Different Truth...

Have you ever felt you couldn’t get beyond...your past?

"So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer... But he (Paul) shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm."   Acts 28:4-5

I mean really. How often have you been ready to embark on something the Lord is doing in your life and your past comes back to haunt you? To speak to your soul that you are disqualified and/or ill-equipped to ever rise above past blunders and failures? This happened to Paul, too

What was being said about him WAS true. In his past, he WAS a murderer. But by the gracious and scandalous grace of the Almighty, Paul was completely forgiven, cleansed, and walking in the freedom of a life set free. The truth about his past had no hold whatsoever on the truth that was NOW the banner of his life. Jesus had purchased Paul's pardon. Jesus redeemed Paul’s past.

When the devil or our own thoughts about our past come to harass us, we need to take the same action that Paul did.  Shake those accusations off and remember Whose we are and what He did for us. Yes, this is the truth we need to remember: What was our past is under a different truth now, all because of Him Who loves us relentlessly.

Manna...

God’s grace is like His manna from heaven; we will always have more than enough.

"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  2 Corinthians 12:9

In Exodus 16, God told Israel that He would supply what they needed daily when they were hungry. Those that tried to horde the heavenly food, found it went rancid overnight. Those who didn’t think they were due much – think of insecurity, sin, failure; those things we think keep us from His favor – well, those folks had plenty.

We never have to fear His grace will run out either, just like the heavenly manna didn’t run out. And because that is true, He won’t let us horde it. Jesus wants us to come to Him daily to receive this all-plentiful feast. When the pressure is on in our lives, we will find that we will have double and triple portions from the bounty of His lavish love.

Today, how about you and I gather some overwhelming grace. It will always be exactly what we need and more than we could ever hope for.

Jealous for You...

The Lord Jesus is jealous for your love.

"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."
Deuteronomy 4:24

It is not that He won’t bless the relationships you have, yet He won’t compete with them either. It's not that He won’t bless your hobbies or the way you relax, but He knows only true peace and fulfillment comes from His presence. He wants all of your affection, all of your thoughts and all of your heart. 

When you struggled with past issues that you knew only He could resolve, you most likely tasted what it was like to hang onto Him for your every breath to get you through the day. He longs for you to be desperate for Him again in the good seasons of life as well. He is a jealous God. He loves you passionately, furiously, and intentionally. You won’t find what you are looking for anywhere, or in anyone else.

So just a reminder. You have been marked for His Kingdom to do great things, so nothing else is going to satisfy you. Others can get by with a tame Christianity, but you can’t.

You are marked by His love. Don’t settle for less.

Watching for His Fire to Descend...

This has been my anthem for a few weeks now…

"Every morning
you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning
I lay out the pieces of my life
on your altar
and watch for fire to descend."
Psalm 5:2-3 MSG

Maybe I’m just getting older, or maybe I’m feeling that I’ve wasted so much time in my Journey in Jesus. But honestly, I just want leave it all on the field. You know, the field of my life.

So lately, every morning, I lay the pieces of my life on His altar and watch for fire to descend. I want all the me stuff to burn away and let Jesus be all that is left. I have seen more crazy-sweet, powerful stuff happen in the last few days because of His in-filling.

Yes. I think this is going to be my prayer for a long, long time.

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should the car not start, the kids or co-workers won’t stop whining, the wallet seems empty, and the to-do list is overwhelming, look up! Remember, the Holy Spirit is with you in everything from the mundane to the life-altering. Hand everything over to His care for He can handle everything.

Should a relationship that seems oh- so difficult right now in your home, work, school, or wherever, God is probably using it in your life – get this – to change and transform you. Don’t worry about the other individual changing first; Jesus is wanting to do tender heart surgery in you.

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

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

If the laundry is piling up, your unpaid bills are mounting, and your joy level is plummeting, it is time to get back to the basics. It is time to get back to Jesus. Consistently. Not just a one-time meeting with Him, but make putting Him first in your life, your highest priority. He will walk you out of your wilderness.

If you have messed up, screwed up, and royally and epically failed, He has already forgiven you. Don’t let yourself or the devil keep you in the grasp of guilt. HOWEVER, it is time to really start doing life King Jesus’ way. Has doing your own thing ever really worked? Rarely if at all. He has a better plan, a greater adventure, and life so overflowing you won’t be able to contain it. No joke.

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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My Rock...

Some words from Moses, speak loudly to me...today...

“For their rock is not like our Rock, Even our enemies themselves being judges.”  Deuteronomy 32:30-31

Really. We all believe something. Even the most ardent atheist believes.

Personally, I think it takes WAY more faith to NOT believe in God than to have faith in Him. Just go outside and take a look at one spring flower that is blooming. Well, I digress.

These last words of Moses, who tasted all the sensual lusts, money, status, and power the world had to offer in the first forty years of his life as prince of Egypt, knows that the world at large is banking on the flimsy rock of these things just mentioned. Don’t I sometimes too? My education, my position, my bank account, my house – the list goes on. These are all rocks I can put my hopes in, but as Moses states in the prior verse – take a look – these foundations eventually well sell me out. The devil, who distracts us with these less than foundations, will always sell me out.

Nope. I place my trust on a different Rock. The ROCK. The Rock of Ages. King Jesus who never falters, crumbles beneath me, cannot be shaken, and Who cannot fail.

What Rock are you hoping to save you in your current circumstances? Make sure it is the One and Only, True Rock. Anything less is just that: so much less.

He is After Me...

It’s never about others. Jesus is after us...

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves…"  2 Corinthians 13:5

It is so easy to look to others as the reason for our unhappiness, our dissatisfaction, or our stuff. If only… we think about those close to us. If only – they were different… We pray and pray for the folks in our lives to change, but God doesn’t seem to answer our prayers. So, we remain stuck. Stuck in our lives.

Does this resonate with you in any way? Have you ever had these thoughts? Been there, done that myself. Yet, it wasn’t until I let Jesus ruthlessly speak into my life about my stuff, my selfishness, and my issues did radical transformation happen in me and around me.

Someone needs to hear this. You are blaming others, yet King Jesus is after you. Nothing is going to change around you until you let Him deal with you first. Stop playing the blame game, because healing and restoration begins with you. Let Him clean your house and then see the bounty of His abundant life explode around you.

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At the Start of this Week...

At the start of this week...

If your gas tank is empty, your bank account down the tubes, and your joy level scraping the bottom, turn to the One who loves and knows you best. Ask for His direction – then do it. Enough said.

If you already feel ambushed by life, circumstances, or possibly you may even feel ambushed by the people around you, look to the Lord Jesus! Take as much time as you need in His presence to restore your weary soul. Nothing else will do. Ask Him for a specific Scripture for your situation that you can hang onto. He will give it to you.

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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My Name...

What is the name of endearment Jesus has given you?

...You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name.
Isaiah 62:2b

No, I’m not into any off-the-wall-new-name cult, yet there are several Scriptures which tell us that He will speak a new name over us when we see Him face-to-face. Yet, what does He name us now?

Jesus first called John, and his brother James, Sons of Thunder! Remember, they were the crew who wanted to incinerate some folks who weren’t open to the Lord’s message.

Yet, just like John, a person cannot be in Jesus’ presence long without experiencing His transforming touch. John, as an eye-witness to the Majesty of God, once named a Son of Thunder became the Beloved Disciple. And this same John, who once had wanted fire to fall, penned the most famous phrase in history...

For God so loved the world...

I encourage you to ask Jesus to tell you the name He has for you. He will and you will be changed just by hearing His voice whisper it in your ear.

Here I am....

We all need food to survive, thrive, and truly live...

"Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” John 4:34

I was pondering this verse during my quiet time with Jesus this morning, just before heading off to work to walk into the new adventure Jesus had waiting for me there.

The Spirit is calling me deeper. He is calling me to deeper surrender. I want to spend the remaining years of my life only fulfilling Christ’s agenda, His plan, and His purpose for me. Honestly, He has already fulfilled every dream I ever had for myself, better than I could have ever expected. I just want to go out in a blaze of glory, His glory. Bring it on, Lord!

This is my food, my nourishment: finishing the work He created me for. Want to join me?

I know it will be a thrill ride!

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Smoke Screen...

What’s that old saying? There is nothing to fear, but fear itself?

“Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.”  Psalm 64:1

Here, David prays, not to be safeguarded from the enemy himself, but the fear – you know – the dust the devil kicks up, this is what David wants preservation from.

Honestly. It is not that the adversary of our souls – the devil – that is to be feared, to cause anxiety, or be troubled about.  Because if we walk in the truth of who we are in Christ: His beloved children that have been given His authority here on earth, honestly, we have nothing to tremble about. Nope, the enemy is not to be feared, but it is our fear about him that can cause us angst.

Yes, David knows. Fear comes sneaking in when our resistance is down, we are tired, our way looks dark, and when we are discouraged. These things can keep us from communing with God Almighty daily; the source of fearless living. We don’t have to walk in fear of the enemy OR anything that he might try to throw at us. It is time to stop living this way. I mean, really.

So, when fear comes calling, this smoke screen that would keep you from all of God’s bounty, health, and joy in your life, send this bad boy packing in Jesus’ Name in in the power of His Word. Fear is not your portion…so don’t own it anymore.

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He Will Repair the Ruined Cities...

Almost all of us have some form of desolation from our family tree...

And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
Isaiah 61:4

This verse speaks directly to our past in regard to our family: our family history, environment, and the circumstances we were raised in. Personally, I grew up in a loving home, but it wasn’t until years later that I realized how dysfunctional it was. I needed some deep healing.

How about you? Addiction, divorce, sexual ruin, rage, compulsiveness, bitterness, self-pity, sickness, and the list goes on. These are issues we disdain, yet are oh so familiar marks of our families; of ourselves.

Nevertheless, the word shall, from this passage, triumphs. As we pursue Jesus – He shall and He will bring us out of the ruins of our family’s past. He will repair us completely as we invite Him into these closets. Let’s open the door and not be afraid of His tender touch to deliver us from these desolations. He shall do it.

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should you lock your keys in the car, leave your phone at the last store you visited, or your just plain old want to go back to bed and bury your head under the covers, remember! The Word of God is the absolute truth: This is the day the Lord has made – for you! Make the first thing you do be to take some time in His presence, opening The Bible and let Him restore your soul.

Should you receive a not so good diagnosis, a troubling email, or a phone call that sends you reeling, draw near to the One who holds all the answers. Who IS the answer. Make King Jesus your one and only priority and place every issue into His capable hands. He is able, He is willing, He is 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

From the Inside-Out...

From the inside-out...

"My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you."  Galatians 4:19

Yes, I want to be transformed into the image of Jesus from the inside-out. Apparently, our Lord Jesus desires this for us as well. Yes, indeed.

These are Paul’s words in his letter to the church in Galatia. However, Jesus also had some pretty harsh exchanges with those who would be satisfied and seemingly justified, as if appearances were all that needed a transformation in a person’s life. Yes, He called these smug folks white-washed tombs. Pretty on the outside, but full of death on the inside.

I am wanting more too. More of a complete overhaul into the image of the Savior. No more, Sue stuff to get in the way. I want to be made new, as in a complete metamorphosis – a word which contains the root word – meta – found in the original Greek word for formed in this verse.

Yes. Changed from the inside-out and nothing less.

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