His Pursuit...

{A WALL WORD...A Nugget from the Message.}

For most of us, we cannot truly believe that the God of the Universe pursues us. He chases us down. Yes, He is the Hound of Heaven.

We just can’t imagine why He would bother with us.

I still don’t get it. But, I believe it.

You see, Jesus loves me. He is absolutely, crazy in love with me. And you. He doesn’t look at you or I the way the world does. He doesn’t see the mess, the failings, the not so good stuff. Well yes, He does see it, but He loves us beyond reason even still. It is His relentless love that reaches deep and heals those places that only He can see.

He wants to do it. He will do it. And He does do it.

He only asks that we stop trying so hard and fall limp into His wonderful arms.

Stand Fast...

These words recently made a giant leap off the pages of my Bible and landed directly into my heart...

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love."   1 Corinthians 16:13-14

The Holy Spirit is whispering for me to watch and guard my heart from the world’s ensnarement. I am also to watch for what He is doing and partner with Him to bring Jesus to those in need of Him.

He is calling me to ruthlessly believe His Word. To believe Him with no more Plan B’s. And because I want the Holy Spirit to super-naturally enable me for what He has put before me, I need His bravery and His strength, not mine. Lastly, I yearn for everything I do to be done in His agape love. This is a tall order that only He can fulfill. I believe He will.

Do you need some verses to be your personal mission statement for the next few days, few months, or maybe the rest of your life? These words would be a great place to start.

Radiant...

How about making the passage below become your verse for this week?

"They looked to Him and were radiant, 
And their faces were not ashamed."
Psalm 34:5

Almost all of us have some degree of shame in our lives. Even the seemingly most proud person is usually over-compensating for because of sense of shame somewhere in their soul.

In Christ alone, the spirit of shame can be broken. Certainly, the affirmation and encouragement of others goes a long way to bring restoration. And yes, some self-bolstering and our accomplishments, small or large, help us greatly, but only the Lord Jesus can truly, genuinely, and thoroughly heal shame.

So, if this is your struggle today, or on occasion, seek the Lord’s face. Let His words sink in and heal your heart and mind; freeing you from the torment of shame and its lies. This may be a process of deliverance from this tyrant, but let the radiance of His life begin in you today.

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Now Your Turn...

For much of my life, I lived in the nagging insecurity of feeling unseen...

"Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees..." Genesis 16:13

The enemy of my soul told me otherwise from this verse. He spoke subtle lies to me and I gave him a toehold; I gave him the time of day and he made it a stronghold. It is unfortunately so much easier to believe what the devil says, what the world says, and what my own insecurities say instead of ruthlessly trusting Jesus’ Words. For you too?

My desperate decision to live in the Lord’s presence on a minute-by-minute basis broke up those lies. I am seen by the One and Only Who is worth being seen by. Instead of torment, His truth set me free. I am seen by the God of the Universe Who is absolutely crazy about me. And this is all I live for.

Now, your turn...

This is Living...

Honestly. We can be in His Word daily, but still miss Him entirely...

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:19

The Scriptures come alive in me when they are ignited, activated, and empowered by a fresh daily walk with Jesus up-close and personal. Not merely words on a page, the Bible contains the very breath of the Holy Spirit. We need to ask His help to overwhelm our souls with His presence, as well as ask His help to do what He speaks to us through His Word, such as:

Don't worry. Somehow, I think He means it.

Abide, remain, drink deeply in Me. This is an invitation to share in His peace, joy, happiness, and love beyond compare.

Take up your cross daily. Not just when it is convenient.

I am worthy of your trust. At all times. Period.

Let’s read and apply His Word, be wrecked by His Holy Spirit, and walk in tight, daily communion with the God of the Universe. Now this is living!

For Him Alone...

I came to know the Lord Jesus because of great need in my life…

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty (Whose power no foe can withstand)."  Psalm 91:1 AMP

You know what? Coming to Him out of our need is okay. Our need is fulfilled in His ability to turn our mountains into level plains, to heal our sickness – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – and our need for His love to fill our lives.

Nevertheless, at some point, the Holy Spirit nudges us to love the Lord Jesus simply for Who He is, not what we can get from Him. This nudge happened for me not so many years ago and I never want to go back. Yes, life gets in the way and I get distracted. Yet, in His presence, overwhelming stuff that comes my way just doesn’t have the ability to bowl me over like it once did.

Yes, all of Psalm 91 is awesome and its promises are for everyone, but the condition is a daily, deeply abiding in-love relationship with the Creator. What could be more wonder-filled?

Choose Life...

It all comes down to a choice…

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;" 
Deuteronomy 30:19

Choose life. My. What an amazing statement. What an astounding directive. This is God talking here, so it must be true. This must pertain to our lives here and now.

Because if we don't choose life, then there appears to be a default choice that we unwillingly surrender to: less than life, cursing, and death. Eeeek….

Jesus tells us clearly that this world and its way of doing things is under the enemy's curse; the enemy's rule. The audacious thing about the gospel is the new-found ability we have in the Holy Spirit to live in the Kingdom of Love*. The Kingdom of Life. Yet it will always be a choice. A daily choice, not just a one-time decision based upon emotion – though there is nothing wrong with that.

All this to say. Day in and day out, I want to choose life. I want to choose Jesus in every decision I make. I want to live in His blessing with every step. Yes, the path is clear to me now and I choose life.

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should the car be out of gas, your wallet be out of mula, and your joy-level hovering around nada, zilch, or nothing, it’s time to get refreshed in Jesus’ presence. Only time alone with Him will do. Shut off your phone, television, and your washer and dryer, if you have to, and turn to the One who pours out the Holy Spirit without reservation.

Should you need direction, guidance, or vision for your future, open the Book of the One who holds your future in His mighty hands. Don’t look to anyone or anything else. Looking to others for your life is pretty much a dead-end venture so look to the Lord instead. He knows how He created you and He is the only one who can fulfill your dreams and nurture His giftings in Your 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

Drama Queen...

Mama, gimme less drama!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Honestly, I had to laugh out loud.

A woman that attends the Bible Study I have the joy of leading in my healthcare setting workplace had rededicated her heart to King Jesus when we first started meeting. When enjoying a family celebration with her large family, one of her adult children commented sincerely, “Mom, I am SO glad you aren’t crazy anymore!”

Not that my friend was an off the rails drama queen, but stuff that once caused her angst, anxiety, and unrest was no long able to hold her captive. She was -- and continually is -- still increasing in her trust in the One Who holds her breath in His hands. She now lives in Holy Spirit power and the truth of God's Word.Drama is over and overwhelming joy, peace, love, and freedom in our soul now reigns.

Is drama your identity? Make a change for a much prettier outfit. The one you are wearing just isn’t that cute. Really. That old way of living is just that – old. Receive a brand-new outfit of no more drama and whole lotta trust in the One Who makes can make all things new. Including you.

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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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