Three Perspectives That Stir Up Fear...

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Susie Larson here!

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!

It's time to announce April's gift card winner. Drum roll, please...Kari DeBerg, congratulations! Please email me your mailing address and we'll get the card out to you within the next two weeks. My address: Susie@FaithRadioNet.com  ~ And bless you all for your posts!

Now on to my topic...

I've recently come through a pretty tough battle. I won't say that I'm all the way to the other side, but I definitely have my feet under me once again. Praise God.

I've brushed myself off, straightened my shirt, and combed down my jacked hair. Now that I have my wits about me again, I can clearly identify three perspectives that gave the enemy permission and access to stir up my fears to the point where they eclipsed my faith. Perhaps they'll resonate with you as well.

Perspective #1 - Remembering Our Fears: The enemy knows all about our past fears. He knows what parts of those memories still serve as triggers for us today. All he has to do is to get us stirred up with a present reality that connects us to a past fear and he can spin us around so we won't know which way is up. 

The answer? 

Remembering God's Faithfulness: We remember and recall the many ways God has already come through for us. We pause to reflect on the countless times we worried for nothing because God held us close. We declare that God has been faithful and He'll be faithful again! 

Psalm 143:5 ~ I remember the days long ago. I think about all You have done. I think about the work of Your hands.

Perspective #2 - Seeing Our Circumstances: The enemy wants us to fixate on our earthly circumstances to the point that we lose sight of our heavenly Father. He wants us so situation-aware that we forget that we have access to heaven. Of course we need to acknowledge our circumstances. But when we lock down our gaze on the things that worry us and stir up our fears, and we do so without considering the power and the promise of God to save and intervene, we give the enemy paved access to overtake our perspective. His goal is to convince us that we are at the mercy of our circumstances. Thank the Lord, we are not. 

The answer?

Seeing God AMIDST Our Circumstances: If we look for Him, He will be found by us! May the eyes of our heart open up so we can know the depths of His love, the riches of our inheritance, and the power available to us right here and right now. No circumstance can diminish who we are and what we possess. No scenario is beyond God's ability to redeem. May we see calvary mounting on our behalf. May we see that God in our midst is mighty to save! 

Psalm 27:13-14 ~ I remain confident of this: I will SEE the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Perspective #3 - Envisioning Our Worst Case Scenario: This is exactly where we'll land if we embrace the first two perspectives. When we mull over past fears and stare long at present circumstances, the natural outcome will be to envision our worst case scenarios. What then? We step into the enemy's trap and get turned upside down. When too much blood goes to our head, our emotions rule the day. And, we lose sight of God and miss a perfectly good opportunity to please Him with our feisty faith.

The answer?

Envisioning Our Future With Hope: Scripture tells us that God causes all things to work together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). His plan is not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). God is able to do above and beyond all we could ever dare to ask or hope or dream (Ephesians 3:20)! So we must at least dare to ask and hope and dream, don't you think? 

1 Peter 5:10 ~ So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

So there you have it, three perspectives that stir up fear, and three perspectives that stir up faith. Where will you fix your gaze? On Whom will you put your trust? May we all look up and declare, If God is for us, who can stand against us?

You're right. No one. Nothing. Not a thing. 

We possess all in Christ. Thank you, Jesus.

~Until next week.

So That Times of Refreshing May Come...

Greetings, Friends! Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks giftcard to someone who posts on my blog, so leave a comment, share an insight, bless lots of folks, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend.

Now on to my topic...

First of all, I want you to know how much I love hearng from you and I do my best to respond personally to every post on this blog. But twice now in the past two weeks, I've sat down, spent all kinds of time writing out heartfelt personal responses (can you hear the violins?) only to have all of my responses disappear! Argh! So, I plan on sitting down again this Saturday and taking another crack at it. For some reason, a few of my replies posted, but most others did not. Anyway, hopefully we'll have that fixed by this weeknd.

I don't know about you but lately I've been going through my days feeling a low level of fatigue and weariness. I'm still enjoying great times of prayer in the morning and at night, but overall, I've lacked a spring in my step (no pun intended). I think for me it's because I'm on the homestretch of my speaking season, and for you, it may be for a different reason altogether. But the good news is, God is in the business of reviving and renewing and refreshing our hearts. We don't have to live under the weight of our weariness.

The other day my mentor approached me in church and she said, "Susie, I've been praying for you and I believe the Lord gave me a verse to pray for you. It's Acts 3:19, and it tells us to repent so that times of refreshing may come." She paused, chuckled, and said, "Not that you need to repent, but I do know God wants to bring times of refreshing to you." I chuckled back and said, "I'll take the whole verse. I can already think of a few things I need to bring before Him."

The next morning I opened to that verse and prayed through it. I paused, looked up and asked God to search my heart. He didn't have to search too far to lovingly point out areas in my life that needed cleansing and renewal. Lord, forgive me for forsaking the discipline of rest when you call me to it. Forgive me for going too far when I teased my husband the other day. Forgive me for asserting myself when You called me to die to myself. Forgive me for choosing to self protect when You've called me to lay my life down...On and on I went. I put my face in my hands and put my heart in His. I entrusted my whole soul to Him and humbly received His mercy and grace. He put me right once again. My soul felt light. My spirit more in tune. And my heart beat more passionately for the One I love.

Feeling bad about something isn't the same as repenting of our sin. It's far too easy to put off repentance in the same way we procrastinate doing the laundry. Eventually those dirty clothes pile up into one big heap and all you see is a mess that feels like it'll take forever to clean up. But thankfully, soul cleansing only takes a moment in God's presence.

God loves us deeply, constantly, and truly; even when we fail to get face to face with Him to find His grace when we need it. But we're the ones who miss out when we put off times of repentance. We miss out on fellowship, freedom, and renewed faith.

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away and so that times of refreshing may come (Acts 3:19).

I challenge you to try it next time you sit down for prayer. Pray Psalm 139, Search me, O God, and know (be intimately acquainated with) my heart. Test me and try my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me in Your everlasting way.

Then pause, and wait on the Lord. And remember, according to Romans 8:1, there is now, therefore, NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus. So approach Him with grace and humble confidence, knowing you have an advocate, a friend, and a Savior in Him. Come to terms with your need for Jesus. Own your sin, name it (don't make excuses for it), and then hand it over to Him. God cannot resist a humble repentent heart. In fact, He considers it one of the loftiest, most honorable places to live.

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place
with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts (Isaiah 57:15).

You are loved, treasured, and covered. Walk with Him like you believe it.

~Until next week

How Heaven Sees You...

Greetings, Friends! Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So share your thoughts or an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend.

We've had some powerful shows this week already. If you need a spiritual lift or a reminder of God's great love for you, check out Monday's show with Greg Paul, "Close Enough to Hear God Breathe" or Tuesday's show with Mike Guzzardo, "All In." I promise, you'll be blessed. Here's the link to those podcasts: Live the Promise with Susie Larson

One more quick note: My FREE Quarterly Ezine releases this weekend. We have a good stack of books to give away from various authors, an extended devotional, and some ministry updates. You can sign up on my website.

Now on to my topic...

I'm embarrased to admit this but lately I've been struggling with my aging body. I hate gravity. I don't want my skin to get loose. Even so, nature will take its course. Though I don't want to be, I'm distracted lately by the changes taking place in my body. Not all of the time, but some of the time. Dear Lord, forgive me. Because when I look up, I see God everywhere.

Though normally I struggle incessantly with insomnia (and I've been relentlessly asking God not only to restore my sleep, but to teach me while I sleep, as the Scripture says, "even at night, my heart instructs me"), last night I mostly slept, and during those sleeping hours, I had a short but stunning dream.

Many of you know that I lost my dad in January. Well last night in my dream, while standing around, talking with some friends, I saw my dad in the distance, facing away from me, looking up at the sky. I couldn't believe it. I ran to him, grabbed his arm and simply said, "Dad? You're here? Why are you here? Do you have something to tell me?" He turned to face me, he grabbed both of my arms with his gentle hands and said, "From heaven's view you're gorgeous; absolutely beautiful. And you're rich beyond measure."

That was the end of my dream. The funny thing is, my dad still possessed his aged body, wore his old clothes, and his favorite fishing hat. But he had gained back all the weight he'd lost when he was sick. I wonder if I saw him that way--and not in a redeemed state--because of my own earthbound, skewed perspective. I don't know. But his message gripped me.

Just the other day this passage of scripture jumped out at me:

By ONE sacrifice He has MADE PERFECT FOREVER, those who are BEING MADE HOLY (Hebrews 10:14).

Wow. Let that in for a second. Jesus' sacrfice made you perfect in God's sight. There's no spot or stain on you or me! And while we stand holy and righteous before the Living God, we are being made holy along the way. According to my NIV study notes, the Greek translation for 'being made holy' speaks of a continuous action. As we walk intimately with Jesus, He works in us and through us, and transforms us one moment at a time.

Furthermore, as we journey through life with Jesus, we accumulate a spiritual wealth worth far more than anything we can possess on earth. The problem is, when we fix our eyes (and place our value) on earthly things that get old and break down, we miss the wonder of that which not only lives forever but increases in power. Read this powerful verse:

Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God (2 Corinthians 9:11 NLT).

If we live--by faith--out of our spiritual wealth, and become abundantly generous with our lives (because we lack no good thing), others will rise up and thank the living God for His presence and activity on the earth. That was God's plan all along.

Just as we're "being made holy" as we go, we are also "being made rich" (forgive the passive tense, but it's the best way to convey this truth). As we steward well our spiritual wealth, God entrusts more of His treasures to us.

We have a perfect standing before the Lord because of Jesus. We have access to His throne room, and not just His throne room, but to His inner courts, where prayers are answered, dreams are conceived, and breakthroughs are achieved.

Oh, may we look up and see ourselves from Heaven's point of view! You are perfect in God's sight. He loves who you are! He made you beautifully, and He's making you holy. You have access to the riches of heaven and you possess them by faith as you faithfully walk with God day after day, year after year. Imagine what it means to possess vast spiritual wealth that's constantly accruing.

It's time to look up, to reach up, and to lay hold of Heaven's perspective of your life for every aspect of your life, your aging skin, your spotty track record, your bad hair, and your beautiful, deep convictions. All of who you are matters to God. And it's time for me to do the same.

God bless you, dear one. You're treasured and blessed beyond measure.

~Until next week.

A Clear Past...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog, so leave a comment, share a story, and bless lots of people!

We had a powerful show yesterday. We talked about pride vs. humility, judgment vs. mercy, and grace and the law. We talked about John Fischer’s book, 12 Steps for a Recovering Pharisee (like me).  Check out the podcast if you’re interested.

Now on to my topic...

A couple of months ago I was praying my way through the 23rd Psalm, and you know how this happens, a certain verse came off the page and begged for a deeper look. Here's the verse:

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v.26).

I pondered the idea of 'mercy following me' and considered it a fresh blessing from heaven!

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 139:5 ~ You both precede and follow me, You place Your hand of blessing upon my head.

The Lord of mercy follows us, covering our (repented of) missteps and mistakes with His grace. He picks up the broken pieces of our lives and makes a beautiful collage of redemption. Every sin repented of, every misstep acknowledged at the Cross, is covered in Covenant blood. It's wiped out.

So when you or I strain our neck to look backwards at our past mistakes, Jesus is there. And if we don't see Him there, we are not seeing clearly. We are seeing a distorted picture. A fake one, actually. Because in the light of God's mercy, our past has been altered! Our past has been changed!

It is forgiven. In Christ, I'm forgiven and so are you. 

God takes every horrible situation and makes something out of it. He shapes circumstances and people and redeems every lost thing. He goes before us and clears the way. He walks behind us and paves the disjointed paths of our past with a fresh covering of mercy.

Often when the enemy gets us to consider our past, he does so by singling us out and amplifying our mistakes in the absence of grace and mercy. For the Believer, this is a totally distorted picture. For the Believer, this picture is a lie. 

Everyone has a past. Everyone has said, done, and thought things they'd rather forget. We've hurt others. We've been hurt by others. We've sinned in ways too many to count. But the point is: ALL have sinned and fallen way short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Don't let the enemy single you out! 

Goliath tried to do that to young David. But David had the presence of mind to disregard those 'singling out' comments and shouted out, "Who is this Philistine that defies the armies of the living God?" In other words he was saying, "When you defy me, you defy the armies of the Living God! You will not pick me apart or single me out!"

Our strategy for standing strong against the enemy is to be strong in the Lord. We must not look at our pasts alone or with the devil and his large HD TV (amplifying every mistake and misstep). Everything about that scenario is wrong. 

If we must look back, may we do so in the presence of love and grace and mercy, with God at our side, and amidst an army of Believers who have likewise sinned, but have been forgiven and redeemed. 

One redeemed sinner sends a thousand to flight, and two? Ten thousand! 

There's power in numbers and the mercy of God has our back! Praise be to God who always leads us in His triumph! As we dwell in the presence of the Lord from day to day, it becomes easier and easier to acquaint ourselves with His mercy, grace, and love. We are surrounded by His provision and forgiveness, which is not so hard to grasp when we walk closely beside Him. 

Do not fixate on what lies behind you! Look forward to what God has set before you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and run the race marked out before you with focus, faith, discipline, and love. Miracle breakthroughs are on the horizon. 

Blessings to you this week~

PS - If you haven't signed up for my FREE E-zine, you might want to! My next issue comes out April 15^th. Four times a year you'll receive an email magazine with great devotional insights, free books from my author friends, great quotes, and great book recommendations. You can sign up at my website (right margin, bottom of page).

God's Above & Beyond Provision...

Greetings, Friends! Susie Larson here!

And to those visiting, welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a comment, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend.

Also, be sure to check out our Faith Radio Page and Facebook page. Every day we have great guests on the show, and every day I pose a faith question on Facebook. We give books away every day! And we’d love to hear from you! If you're not able to listen to the live show, you can always catch a podcast of the show whenever it does work for you. Check it out. You'll be blessed!

Now on to my topic...

A while back I had a conversation with a friend about her journey through the wilderness. It's been a slow and agonizing passage for her. The thing is, if she didn't love and fear God, she could take a few steps to the right and land herself on the fast highway to some kind of breakthrough. But truth be told, that would be her way, not God's way. She’d end up with a counterfeit version of God’s desire for her life. And in the depths of her heart, she wants to lay hold God's highest and best will for her.

As she shared about her weariness in the journey, I leaned in, grabbed her arms, and said, "Listen to me, friend. Your sacrifice of praise and your sacrificial obedience have not gone unnoticed by God. There is NO sacrifice you could make to Him that will not met with a totally disproportionate response of His great love, and grace and provision! Any gift you give, any offering you make, and initiative you take to obey Him when it costs you, will be responded to in ways you cannot imagine. He is a disproportionate God! Understand your wealth in Him. Though you feel the pain of this sacrifice now, get a vision for the response He is preparing for you!"

Maybe these words speak to you today you as well. 

Are you weary from well doing? Are you making huge sacrifices for His Name's sake and frustrated by your lack of progress?

May it feels tempting to grab for yourself a counterfeit version of something He has promised you, but deep in your heart, you want to wait for God's best for you.

Do it, my friend. Wait for God's best and see if He won't absolutely blow your mind with His goodness, His grace, and His attention to detail. 

If at all possible, get your eyes off of what it's costing you right now, and lift your eyes to the Heavens, your unlimited supply.

If you're lacking in strength or perspective, get alone with God. Spend extended time camped in His presence. Open your hands to receive more of what He so lovingly wants to give. Remind yourself of His Word and His promise to you. Strengthen yourself in Him by reminding yourself who you are TO HIM! 

There is no gift you can give, no prayer you can pray, no act of obedience that you can initiate that will not be met by overwhelming love, provision, goodness, grace, and power when the time is right.

You may not see its evidence right away, but the seeds you planted have life in them; they’re affecting change, making a difference, and impacting circumstances in your midst. One day your eyes will see it, so know it now. Stand on the faithfulness of God now. Today. Believe Him for big things. Entrust your cares, your sacrifices, and your gifts to Him.

There is no better, no safer place than with Jesus. And, you'll not receive a better return on your investment of trust, time, and talents. God is in the business of exponential, over and above, beyond our wildest dreams, kinds of answers. Every detail of your life is best entrusted to Him.

Open your arms wide. Look up. Trust Him. He is good and He moves on every act prompted by your faith!

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! (Ephesians 3:20)

~Until next week.