Speak!

Happy Wednesday, Friends!

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts and insights, bless lots of people, and let’s enjoy the wonder of community in Christ!

We had a POWERFUL show yesterday with Dee Brestin, talking about her new book, ‘Idol Lies: Facing the Truth About Our Deepest Desires.’ We talked about identifying and smashing the idols in our lives, that we might live more wholly and freely with Christ. Here’s the podcast in case you missed the show.

Now on to my topic...

You've heard it said before, "Show me a man's checkbook register, and I'll show you what he cares about." Don't worry, we're not sharing check registers today, but I want to make a parallel statement: Show me what a person says, and I'll tell you what they believe.

More and more I'm learning the importance of and the power behind our words. Words are envelopes that carry powerful messages. Our words affect our circumstances, surroundings, and perspectives. Maybe you've heard me say this before but it bears repeating: Our words are seeds that bear fruit. Every time we open our mouth, little seeds drop to the ground and eventually produce fruit - sometimes rotten fruit, sometimes nourishing fruit. 

The reason our words are important is because we are important. We are messengers; conduits of God's grace. We have an important job to do during our time on earth. If we believe any less than that or if we think we are more than that in ourselves, our words will reflect those beliefs. 

Read this important verse: From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as the work of his hands rewards him (Proverbs 12:14).

Think about it. If you have a full time job, you expect your paycheck at the end of the week. Likewise, we can expect that the words of our mouth will produce a result: they'll either bless or curse those in our sphere of influence.

What's the answer? Spend time with God. Nestle in close and exchange our unbelief for belief. Trade our anxiety for peace. Trade our doubt for faith. Get to a place where we are once again assured of God's promise to stand with us and provide for us in every season of life. 

From there, we get up, and we SPEAK!

Speak to the Mountains - Tell your obstacles to move into the sea! Does the enemy of your soul continually throw roadblocks in your path? Speak to those obstacles and tell them to move! Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt...you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done (Matthew 21:21)

Speak to the Storms - Tell the storms to be still! Are you surrounded by chaos and confusion? God is the God of order! Speak to your storm and command order to return!  In Matthew 8, the disciples were in the boat with Jesus (who was taking a nap). The storm came and they called on the Lord (sounds like a good idea, no?), but Jesus wondered why their faith was so small. Jesus calmed the storm, but it would have pleased His heart for the disciples to do what He did. 

Speak to your Soul - Tell your soul to be at peace and remember the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 116:7 calls us to speak to that inner man when we are troubled inside: Be at peace (or at rest) once more O, my soul, for the Lord, has been good to you." God has been good and He'll be good again. He's a good God. Reflect on the many ways He has come through for you. Right here. Right now. Take a moment and say thank you for His faithfulness in your life.

Never underestimate the power of your words. We'll be called to account for how we used this gift. Did we encourage those around us, or did we pick them apart? Did we talk about circumstances and people with cynicism or with hope? 

Dear Father in Heaven, Have mercy on us for every ill-spoken word! Renew our minds, our hearts, and our perspective. May we leave every person and situation better than we found them. Fill us with a greater sense of Your presence that we might impart life and refreshment wherever we go. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

When God Moves, May I Respond!

Happy Wednesday, 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. Please share your own thoughts and insights too. You’ll bless lots of people in the process!

Now on to my topic...

Recently I read through the book of Acts and noticed something kind of profound, something that's still happening today. 

In chapter 14 we read about Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, preaching at the Jewish synagogue. Paul and Barnabas spoke with power and influence and the Lord our God was with them. Clearly, they loved God more than their personal safety. There was nothing self-serving about their ministry. Christ in them, was their hope of glory.

And as a result, Christ could trust them with His glory. 

God moved powerfully in and through Paul and Barnabas. And what was the result?

• Humble, reverent earnest-God-seekers, responded to this movement of God in their midst. These sincere seekers were healed, encouraged, and saved. 
• Rigid, pharisaical leaders stiffened up, got territorial and jealous, and viewed things from an earthbound perspective. These prideful unbelieving people stirred up trouble and tried to find fault with their supposed opponents. In fact, they wanted Paul and Barnabas dead. Yikes. 

Read this passage from Acts 14: 1-3

As Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against their brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. 

Even now, within the Kingdom of God, we have plenty of people building their own kingdoms. Maybe it's a kingdom of comfort, or association, or reputation. Maybe it's a kingdom of celebrity, or mega-status, or political correctness. 

But the Kingdom of God is always about Christ's saving work in our lives - moving and advancing to reach others with that same saving message.

The fact is, the Kingdom of God is ever moving, always flowing, and He is not interested in our fossilized methods, especially if they serve as obstacles to His presence. He wants us. He wants a living-breathing, freely-flowing relationship with us. He wants to move in us and through us and He reserves the right to disrupt our plans, our methods, and even our ideals in order to accomplish His other-worldly plans upon this earth.

Jesus didn't have a one-method way of doing things either! He healed people in a whole plethora of ways. He is not at all bound by the 'way we've always done it.' 

If Christ wants to move in our church or in our business or in our family in a new and fresh way, may we be the first to get out of the way and let Him have His way!

And what happens when we do such a thing? Fruit happens! Life happens! Power happens!

And how will people respond?

The sincere-earnest-Christ followers and seekers will be drawn to the fresh stream flowing from our lives, churches, and businesses. They will be nourished, healed, saved, and encouraged. Yes, Lord.

And the rigid-unbending pharisee? Well, they'll hate everything about it. They'll stiffen up; they'll find fault; they'll become territorial, and they'll turn into the sin police and watch for the slightest deviation from what they know to be right and true.

Now granted, we never want to deviate from the TRUTH. But in following Christ - who is the truth - we must know that He will lead us in ways we have not known before. He loves to do that and invites us to willingly trust Him, even if it disrupts our affection for appearing civilized and packaged at all times.

When God moves, may we move with Him. May we resist the urge to control our zone and to manage our methods. Let's put it all on the table and give God room to work.

Move powerfully in and through us, Lord!

~ Until next week

Arm Yourselves Against the Enemy's Schemes!

Happy Wednesday, Friends! And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday (at least, I always intend to), and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. I love hearing from you. As you share your insights and thoughts, you bless lots of people in the process.

Now onto my topic…

I started this post last week but couldn’t finish it until today. But sometimes things work out just as they should. This week’s post is all about shoring up your life against the enemy’s schemes. This past Friday on the show I talked about Beth Moore’s excellent book, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things: Arming Yourself in the Age of Seduction.

We had a POWERFUL time! Our callers were excellent. They shared honest stories of how they averted temptation or how they walked right into it and paid a dear price as a result. Over 140 people shared the podcast after the live show. What an important show it was! Here’s the link to Friday’s show. Please share it with a friend. Everywhere I turn, I see once godly people falling away from the faith, falling headlong into sin. Today's post and Friday's show both feel like an urgent word for our times.

Recently the following passage jumped off the page at me:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Ephesians 6: 10, 11, 13).

Verse 12 tells us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Twice in the passage above it instructs us to put on the FULL armor of God. Let’s explore why we need each piece of armor:

Belt of Truth: Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The truth sets us free. It’s our plumb line. Truth cuts through the confusion the enemy sends our way. If we’re not girded up with the truth, we’ll lose our way. There is a way that seems right to a person, but eventually it ends in death (Proverbs 14:12).

*If the enemy can deceive us, he’ll derail us. We need God’s TRUTH to stand fast in battle. The enemy will work tirelessly to make you question God’s Word of truth and your ability to hear His voice. You need your belt of truth.

Breastplate of Righteousness: We are the righteousness of God IN Christ Jesus. When we came to Christ, He took our rags of unrighteousness and replaced them with a royal robe. We are now heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ Jesus. That breastplate covers the very essence of our lives, our heart, and our identity. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

*If we let the enemy make us doubt our right standing before the Father, we will pray as paupers and not as royal heirs; we’ll be more sin conscious than Savior conscious. The prayers of the RIGHTEOUS (those who know their true identity in Christ) accomplish great and powerful things. The enemy will work tirelessly to attack your sense of identity and royalty in Christ. He’ll work to keep you focused on what you do instead of what Christ has already done. You need your breastplate of righteousness.

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: God arms us with the power and life-giving truth of the gospel. His peace guides us on wisdom’s best path for us. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Where He guides, He provides. Scripture says that His Spirit makes us competent ministers of the gospel (see 2 Corinthians 3:6).

*If we let the enemy rob us of our peace and our sense of purpose, we’ll live earthbound lives that lack power, peace, and perspective. When we forget that we’re under God’s care and under His charge, discontentment and insecurity will reign supreme. The enemy will work tirelessly to bait you into a self involved, uninspired, reactionary life because he doesn’t want you to know that you’re divinely called and profoundly equipped. You need your shoes of peace.

Helmet of Salvation: We have the mind of Christ. We’re called to an eternal perspective. Where our thoughts go, our life follows. Battles are won or lost in the mind. When we remember our eternal destiny, when we remember what Christ has done our behalf, when we regard others from an eternal point of view, we live the other-worldly life we were destined for.

*If we allow the enemy to dominate our thoughts or distract us from God’s life-giving truth, we will wander into enemy territory unprepared and unprotected. Sin is first conceived in the mind. Battles are won or lost in the mind. The enemy will relentlessly work to dominate your thoughts until he realizes he has no right to. You need your helmet of salvation.

Shield of Faith & Sword of the Spirit: God has given us supernaturally powered weapons for the supernatural battle we face. When the enemy shoots his flaming arrows of accusation and fearful threats, we can lift our shield of faith and block every single arrow. When someone we love or we are held captive by a lie, we can lift our sword and strike a deathblow to each lie so we can walk free. Our shield and our sword are mighty weapons of warfare!

*If we leave our shield and sword under our bed, if we don’t know our rights as a child of God, the enemy will take advantage of our vulnerability. We do not need to live in fear or cower at the threats of our enemy! Overwhelming victory is ours.  The enemy will shoot his arrows at your most vulnerable moments. You must always be armed and ready for battle. You desperately need your shield and your sword. Have faith in the power God has entrusted you. Have faith in the power of His Word.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Ephesians 6: 10, 11, 13).

~ Until next week…

Wake Up! Look Up!

Happy Wednesday, 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. I’d love to hear from you! So leave a post, share an insight, and bless lots of folks.

Now on to my topic...

Anne Graham Lotz was my guest on a recent show. Anne is a voice crying in the wilderness, calling God's people to wake up and to prepare a way for the Lord. She is convinced that her generation is the one that immediately precedes the return of Jesus Christ. And this isn't just a 'feeling' or a hope-so kind of thing. Anne studies prophecy, watches the social, spiritual, and economic climates, and she makes a compelling case that it's time for God's people to wake up and look up! 

Jesus said that the coming of the Son of Man will be like in the days of Noah. People will be eating, drinking, and partying right up to the end, with no sense of their impending doom. Anne writes, "There's something drastically wrong with a culture that goes about everyday activities oblivious to God...In a similar way, our generation seems to have no fear of God or awareness of our accountability to Him." 

She further writes (speaking to the state of our nation), "God's past blessings do not mean that He will keep you safe at present or in the future. Your hope is not in the local or state or federal government. Your hope is in the Lord alone. With all of your know-how and your go-to-it innovative, creative ideas, you cannot predict your future or secure your future. God holds your future, and you need to get right with Him."

These are sobering times, and we need to be awake and alert to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the Church. Are we weak, though we say we are strong? Are we lukewarm though we pretend not to be? Or do we daily fan the flame of our first love devotion to the One and Only Savior of the world? 

We cannot keep ourselves, we are kept by a living, loving God, who patiently wills that all would voluntarily come to Him by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. But the clock is ticking, prophetic world events are piling one on top of the other. God is who He says He is and He'll do what He said He'll do. But oh, how He loves His own!

Are you running a mile wide and an inch deep? Are you more focused on a trivial task list than the coming of our King? I know I am sometimes. Yet, we live in unprecedented times. If we--as God's saved and beloved ones--don't live focused, passionate, and purposefully, who will? 

Will we be found ready? Or will we be distracted, unprepared, with a lamp half full of oil? 

Just how do we live with a constant state of reverent readiness? 

The answer is right here in Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let's run with patient endurance, the race set before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who, for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Let us consider Him who endured such scorn from sinful men that we might not grow weary, and lose heart. 

Remember, we're not kept by perfection or performance, we're kept by faith in Christ alone. 

Never have we been closer to the return of Christ as we are now. It's quite possible we or our children may see Christ return for His bride. Do you find yourself swallowed up urgency of your over-committed schedule rather than stirred by the urgency of the times? I do too at times. Lord, awaken us to Your highest and best purposes for our lives so that when You return, you find us full of faith, expectant of Your soon return.

May we live faith-filled, focused lives, tossing aside the trivial, embracing the substance of Scripture. May we reach out to those who are partying and shopping and living as though they have all the time in the world. 

I'll leave you with this passage from Jude 1:23-25

Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

~Until next week

How Fear Gets in the Way of Freedom

Happy Wednesday, 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. I love to read your insights and comments as well. So leave a post, share a thought, and bless lots of people!

Now on to my topic…

Recently I experienced a flare up of some of my old Lyme symptoms. One doctor told me years ago that I no longer deal with active disease, just the residual effects of the disease. I have daily joint pain and occasional neurological flare-ups. I’ve come a long way in my healing and health since those sick years, and my struggle through that valley has left a lasting imprint on my heart.

On one hand, I took countless spoils from that battle. I have a deeper trust in God than I once had. I now understand how fragile and fleeting this life can be. I’m quicker to see things from an eternal perspective. But I also carry with me the baggage of fear. Crawling through that valley, battling sickness and the financial hardship that accompanied it while trying to care for three little boys, sent me in a tailspin of fear from time to time. Even now, with my kids grown and a full plate of ministry duties, I pick up fear when remnants from my past reappear.

Can you relate?

So during my recent flare-up of symptoms, I cried out to God, “Oh, Lord, I long for perfect and total healing so I will no longer fear sickness and disease!” And just as quickly the Lord spoke these words to my heart: What makes you think that once you’re healed completely, you won’t struggle with fear of sickness and disease? These are two separate things. I’ve equipped you to take on the fear, so slay that dragon. And entrust your health, and all of your cares to Me. I will sustain you.

Talk about a light bulb moment!

Think about how the enemy works. When he attaches fears to our concerns, he backs us into a corner where we feel helpless and powerless to do anything about our circumstance. For me, when fear rises up because my face has gone numb, I want to panic because I can’t make my symptoms go away. But when I separated my fear from my health and decided, I can do something about this fear, I took the power away from the enemy and could see my circumstance with greater clarity, and even peace.

In Luke 10:19 Jesus tells us that He has given us authority over ALL the power of the enemy.  He’s given us authority. So we need to take authority. Over and over again Scripture gives us this charge: Do. Not. Fear.

Jesus wants us to cast our concerns on the Lord, for He cares for us. But He’s also equipped us for battle.

Pay attention next time you feel stirred up in fear because a current circumstance mirrors a past pain or hardship. Maybe it’s your marriage, your finances, your sense of identity and acceptance. Maybe it’s your job. Where do you tend to feel weak, vulnerable, and unsettled?

Step back, pick up your shield and sword (See Ephesians 6) and slay that dragon of fear! Then cast your cares on the Lord, for He will sustain and strengthen you. Then, walk boldly and confidently forward in faith.

Overwhelming victory is yours because you belong to Him.

~Have a blessed week!