Strengthen Yourself in Him...

 

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 or insight, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend! 

Two quick announcements:

In celebration of my newest release, Growing Grateful Kids, I'm giving away a 4G-I-pod Shuffle to someone who posts a book review on Amazon (only one month left on this promotion!). Go to my Facebook page, click on the Free I-pod! tab for more information. 

My new radio show, Live the Promise with Susie Larson launched last Saturday (Noon to 1:00 CST)! My guest this Saturday is author and evangelist Matt Brown. We'll be talking about people, in every generation, who have advanced the Kingdom of God. We had a powerful conversation. Be sure to listen in! For more information, go to: www.Faith900.com 

Now, on to my topic...

First of all, thanks so much to all of you that prayed for my family. Bless you, bless you! 

Our pastor recently asked us to read Revelations 2 and 3 and to ask ourselves, "What is the Spirit saying to our church?" I loved this assignment and I think it's a wise thing to do. I need a few more days with these two chapters before I'll really have a sense of where we are at as a Body of Believers.

However, something struck me during my reading time this morning. I was reading about the Church in Sardis. They had a reputation for being alive, but they were dead. 

Reputation: A widespread belief or perception

How many churches, ministries, and people have a look of being successful but at their core (to borrow a phrase from 'The Princess Bride') are mostly dead?

What a scary thought!

Verse 2 reads: Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

My NIV Study Notes offered this insight: Outwardly the (Church of Sardis) appeared spiritually alive and active and had a reputation of success. But Jesus saw the absence of the inner reality of Himself in the hearts of the people; he saw religion, not spiritual life.

What a wake up call for us! 

Is there any area in your spiritual life that you've allowed to go on auto pilot or that has become a rote practice, void of life? 

The passage above advises us to strengthen what remains, to remember what we have received, to obey what God has asked us to do, and to repent of our sins.

How easy it is to go through the motions, to look good, but to bear little fruit! And yet, there's an answer for us. We are to strengthen what life we have in us.

When the Psalmist David was in one of the battles of his life, the Bible says that he 'strengthened himself in the Lord.' (See 1 Samuel 30:6) 

I believe that David simply reminded himself of God's greatness, His faithfulness, His promises, and His presence. I think David probably nourished his soul by telling himself that he was not alone and that he mattered to God. 

While we still have today, may we abide in the Vine, and receive the fresh life flowing from Him! May we refuse to live a 'religious' life; one that is absent of a fresh, thriving, and fruitful life. May everything we do be motivated by our love for God and our response to His love.

When God looks upon His people, when He looks upon you and me, what does He find? 

Does He find us striving in our strength? Deeply motivated by our own selfish ambitions?

Or does He find our delight in Him? Humbly waiting for His lead in our lives? 

May everything we do, be in response to His love. 

Author John Ortburg's mentor once said to him, "The devil drives. The Shepherd leads."

No matter what you look like to the world, successfully huge, or obscurely small, let Him lead, and humbly follow. You'll find your strength in Him.

Until next week~

Rise Up and Stand Strong!

 

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 or insight, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend! 

Two quick announcements:

In celebration of my newest release, Growing Grateful Kids, I'm giving away a 4G-I-pod Shuffle to someone who posts a book review on Amazon (only one month left on this promotion!). Go to my Facebook page, click on the Free I-pod! tab for more information. 

My new radio show, Live the Promise with Susie Larson launches this Saturday (Noon to 1:00 CST)! My guest is national recording artist, Sara Groves. We'll be talking about what it means to be so in tune with Jesus, that He uses us to be the answer to someone's prayers. For more information, go to: www.Faith900.com 

Now, on to my topic...

I don't know about you, but everywhere I turn, I see people enduring incredibly difficult times. And yet, amidst those difficult times, God is doing some amazing things. Even in our own family, we've had some significant crises. 

Recently, my brother in law and nephew were anchored in a bay fishing when they were hit by a speeding boat. The boat actually hit my brother in law as he was trying to jump out of his boat. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him. My mom was rushed to the hospital with chest pains and ended up needing a couple of stints to open up the vessels around her heart. My youngest son, who was miraculously healed two years ago from a serious back injury, woke up yesterday morning and could barely walk. He did nothing to injure his back. And yet, the doc says he has a new herniated disc. Crazy times. And yet, God is on the move all around us. Every where I turn, I see glimpses of His glory, evidences of His love.

A fellow author friend, Leslie Vernick, says that in life, we often experience those 'yea' moments right alongside the 'ugh' moments. How true. 

As I have prayed earnestly for friends and family members who are fighting some intense battles, I get the feeling that this is how it is going to be in the days to come, and yet with an even greater intensity. We will experience increasingly powerful yea moments right alongside the gut-wrenching ugh moments.

The Bible says that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord raises up a standard against him! No attack launched by the enemy will go unanswered. We are in a war and our battle is not against flesh and blood, or even the people who seem to have it out for us. Read what the Scriptures say:

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities in the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). 

There is a very real spiritual war going on, and if our earthly pursuit is for a comfortable, pain-free life, we will be sorely disappointed, and even worse yet, taken by surprise. 

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting, you'll still be on your feet (Ephesians 6:13).

I believe that we are entering times where we will see God do some amazing things! People you never thought would surrender to Christ, will bend their knee to Him and surrender their lives. Circumstances in which you never thought you'd see break through, will suddenly break through. Children you never thought would come home to their faith, will come running. I believe it! 

But, at the same time, the devil fights dirty. He will not give up his stolen territory without a fight. So, we have a choice here. We can sit and feel sorry for ourselves, and allow ourselves to become totally disillusioned by the arrows that zing past our head, or we can raise up our shield and sword, stand on the Word of truth, and see ourselves as the over-comers we are!

In Christ, we HAVE the victory! Overwhelming victory is ours. We are more than conquerors because Jesus has made it so. 

Read this great quote:

If a person allows it, he can find something at every turn of the road that will rob him of his victory and his peace of mind. Satan is far from retiring from his work of attempting to deceive and destroy God's children...(BUT)...faith can change any situation, no matter how dark or difficult. Lifting your heart to God in a moment of genuine faith in Him can quickly alter your circumstances. God is still on His throne, and He can turn defeat into victory in a split second, if we will only trust Him. --Marshal Ferdinand Foch

It's all about our focus and perspective. If we dwell on the TRUTH and fix our eyes on Jesus, the final victory is sure. 

Rise up and stand strong. All of heaven is on your side!

Blessings to you this week. 

~Until next week.

Phases to Your Dream-Come-True...

 

Happy Wednesday, 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. I was supposed to announce the winner for May last week but it slipped my mind since I was writing my blog post while on vacation. :)

May's winner for the $10.00 Starbucks giftcard is...Megan Kaeb! 

Congratulations, Megan! Just email me your mailing address and we'll get your gift card in the mail. Thanks for being a part of this online community.

Win an I-pod Shuffle!

Just a reminder to you, my friends: I am giving away a 4G I-pod Shuffle in July. How do you win? Pick up a copy of my newest book, "Growing Grateful Kids" - post a review on Amazon and send me the link. Contact me for more information.

Now on to my topic...

Maybe you've read the famous Hudson Taylor quote before. I love this quote: I have found there are three stages to every great work of God: It is impossible; then it is difficult; then it is done. 

This has certainly been true in my own life. What about you?

Years ago - right in the midst of the worst parts of my battle with Lyme Disease (and the financial stress that followed), God put it in my heart to write a book. I knew that my budding dream was from Him because it was way out of my comfort zone, it made my heart beat faster; it stirred up all kinds of fear and excitement and anticipation; and wise mentors confirmed the gifts within me. And yet, I still had a process to go through in order to lay hold of such a promised land.

Currently, I am in a new place, about to lay hold of a new land, and here again, I find myself in the familiar place of unfamiliarity. If I hadn't walked through this series of emotions and feelings before, I'd be tempted to think that maybe I'm not suited for this next place. 

If you have dared ventured to a new place that God has for you, I'm sure you've encountered the same questions and feelings. But we must remember, the Bible says that even Moses felt like a foreigner in his Promised Land. Even though we have promised places to lay hold of, it doesn't mean that we'll lay hold of those new places without effort, obstacles, and whole lot of conflicting emotions.

Many years ago, out of the ashes of my pain, my writing career started this way: I self published my first book, then I started writing for Focus on the Family, and then I was contracted to write a devotional journal. All of those steps were necessary and exciting steps in their own way. But when my first big book contract finally came through (the thing I was dreaming about), I was utterly surprised by my first emotional response. You know what I felt? Instantly depressed. Does that make any sense at all?

It didn't to me either until I heard a story about when Beth Moore received her first contract. She knelt down on the floor and cried - not for joy - but out of sheer terror that she might fail the Lord in some way. That's exactly how I felt. 

When the dream is far away, it is typical to experience intermingles feelings of excitement and impatience. But when the dream is suddenly within your grasp, and it starts to touch your human-ness - and you become very aware of your own potential to make a mess of things - well that's just downright scary.

As far as I can see, the phases of our 'dream-come-true' journey look like this:

A dream far off - exciting, waiting, wondering, impatience

A dream up close - fear, second-guessing ourselves, stepping out of our known zone and into the learning zone, wondering about the cost now that the dream is so close, wondering if God made a mistake in choosing us; we can't go back - we're not the same after having this dream - but feeling unsure and unsteady about moving forward.

A dream realized - once we begin to take the land and we find a new normal, our learning zone becomes our known zone, we become more seasoned and strengthened to stand in this place, but not without effort, fatigue, faith, and trust; we wouldn't have it any other way, and yet, no one but God knows what it took for us to step and step out like we did. This is the life of faith.

Anne Ortlund wrote these beautiful words: Lift up your eyes. Your heavenly Father waits to bless you - in inconceivable ways to make your life what you never dreamed it could be.

Dream big. Dream with Him. Then walk forward unafraid - to places you've never been. Be willing to be stretched and strengthened. Embrace the unknown places with Jesus at your side and experience God's miracle of life working in and through you. What a way to live.

God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! (Ephesians 3:20).

~Until next week.

Good Gifts...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

I'm writing this post from sunny Florida (on my husband's computer). Unfortunately I do not have access to my pictures so this post will be picture-less. So sorry.

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

Now on to my topic:

A couple of weeks ago we were in Nashville to move our son home from college. We were there just one week after the terrible flood. I peaded with my husband to pack my bike for the trip just in case I'd be able to get out on the trails with my son. After all, the bike trails are one of my happy places, and riding with my son makes it a happier place still.

Jake and I had no idea what shape the trails would be in but the sunny day beckoned us to mount our bikes and set out on an adventure. We were surprised to find the trails caked with mud from being under water only one week prior. Holding on to our handle bars with a better grip, we took on the caked and bumpy trails. At one point I looked up at the trees to see a mud line where the water had been - over our heads. Hard to believe.

Jake and I rode hard and fast until our lungs screamed for air (my favorite kind of bike ride). We stopped at the end of the trail and talked about life, and health, and prayer. Then we turned around and rode just as hard back to his house. It was a total blast.

It used to be, Jake rode his bike every once in a great while. But more recently, he's been riding almost daily; he rides long distances at a good pace on a pretty cheap bike. This is such a healthy hobby, I so want to help him in any way I can. Lately I've been thinking about putting a gift package together that includes a new bike helment, bike jersey, water bottle, and some carb treats. I smiled just thinking about it. And just as quickly the thought crossed my mind: if I, as human as I am, relish the thought of giving good gifts to my kids, how much more does God treasure the thought of giving great gifts to His children?

He is always good. He knows us so very well. He is never late. He knows what we need and even what we desire.

During my busy speaking season, I longed for a vacation, but those months were set aside for work, and work we did. And yet, what fruitful times they were! Now that I've completed my season, I can really rest. And my rest is especially sweet because I can look back over the past several months and see how God forged a reslliance in me to keep on going when I wanted to quit. He taught me obedience through some of the things I suffered. And His grace sustained me when I was painfully aware of my weakness. His gifts to me in those seasons were grace, strength, praying friends, changed lives, and fresh mercies. Oh, amidst the labors of love, I wanted an iced tea by the poolside, but what He gave me far surpassed my immediate desire. And now, when I sit by the poolside with an iced tea, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for rest, but even more so for God's faithful knowledge of what I needed and when I needed it.

He is always good.

What about you? What kind of season are you in right now? Do you know Him enough to trust Him? I pray you do. He loves to give great gifts to His kids. He is an ever-present help in times of trouble. He is your stronghold of protection, your deliverer in the storm, your defender in conflict, and your provider in times of need. He will lead you beside still waters when that moment of rest will strengthen you most.

Right here, right now, God is dreaming of ways to be good to you; to take care of you; and to strengthen you for His beautiful purpose for your life. He may ask you to run when your legs are screaming for rest; He may call you to rest when you're sure you've got the steam to run. He may ask you to wait when you're sick and tired of waiting. But know this, my friend: He is so infinitely good that He will never withhold something that is perfectly good for you. He won't delay His good gifts one minute longer than is necessary. So if God isn't giving you what you think you need, look past your need and try to see His heart, because He's always good and His heart is set upon you.

Open your hand and trust His heart. In due time you will see His goodness unfold before your very eyes. And as you behold the wisdom behind His ways, you'll understand in a fresh new way, just how rich you are as an heir of God.

Live and function from a place of knowing who you are and whose you are. You are the object of God's affection and you are a joint heir with Christ (See Romans 8:17).

~Until next week.

Evidence of Our Christianity...

 

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 post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a fun treat this month!

I am thinking of changing things up on my blog and posting shorter pieces twice a week rather than a longer piece once a week. Let me know what you think of that idea...

One more fun piece of information:

Post a review of my new book, "Growing Grateful Kids" on Amazon and enter to win a 4GB I-Pod Shuffle! 

Now on to my topic...

It's been an eventful week thus far. My mom was taken by ambulance to the hospital due to some heart issues (she's okay now), and my brother in law and nephew were in a horrible boating accident leaving my brother in law seriously injured. For the Believer, tough times always remind us of our moment by moment need for Jesus.

The other day as my son and I drove home from the hospital, we talked about the day when Jesus returns. I said to him, "You know, there are plenty of people who think they are saved, but are not. There are plenty of people who expect to be taken up who will be surprised to be left behind. The Bible says that there are even those who performed miracles in Christ's name, to whom Jesus will say, "I never knew you." 

Read Matthew 7:21-23 from the Message paraphrase:

"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'

Very sobering, don't you think?

Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us that we are saved by GRACE, and that it's a GIFT of God and not a result of works, so that not one of us can brag about it. We are saved by grace, but the authenticity of our salvation is proved by the fruit that comes from our lives. And we don't produce 'more fruit' by cranking out a bunch of good works that make us look like good Christians. We produce fruit to the extent that we abide in the Vine. Daily, moment by moment nourishment from our Life Source is what gives us life and grows fruit that through us, nourishes others.

My heart breaks to thinks of the millions of people who, by association, consider themselves Christians. They go to church, they may even be involved in church activities, but their personal lives bear no evidence that a living-breathing Savior resides within compelling them to cultivate an atmosphere of growth in their lives. 

What are the fruits of the Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control. And further evidence that we have a thriving-intimate walk with a loving Savior? An ever-increasing sense of gratitude and humility.

For the truly saved, there is an overwhelming sense of what we've been saved from, and of what we've been forgiven. If we are loosely casual with God's unfathomable offer of forgiveness, then we are not clear on the depths of our offense or the weight of our debt. Because if we truly understood the eternal significance of our sin, we would be overwhelmed by the eternal significance of God's gift to us through Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross.

As we grow in Christ, we become increasingly grateful for His forgiveness. Why? Because the more we understand His greatness, the more apparent our nothingness becomes. And in understanding our insignificance apart from Christ, we become overwhelmed that Jesus would want to make something significant of us in spite of our human nature. Truly amazing.

The longer I walk with the Lord, the more grateful and joyful I become. The more I learn about my Savior, the more I am overwhelmed that I get to be associated with Him. Even though His purity exposes my carnality, it only inspires gratitude because His goodness swallows up my badness.

Oh, my heart aches for the multitudes who consider Jesus a casual acquaintance. He didn't come to us on those terms! 

May our lives bear the evidence that the Savior of the world lives and breathes through us! And may our ever increasing passion for His presence, His Word, and His concerns shout to the world that Jesus lives and He lives in us!

Have a blessed week~

PS ~ I'll be on a much-needed vacation next week but I'll be back the following week. Thanks for your patience. Bless you.