All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
    Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
    Isaiah 53:6 NLT

As I write this we are experiencing our first days with temperatures below freezing.  When it is warm and the breezes are light, we can forget what it’s like to need shelter.  When the temperatures are below freezing, snow is swirling in the cutting wind, we gratefully rush to our nice warm homes for shelter.

In the same way, we may forget what the Bible tells us about Jesus being our shelter, and our heavenly Father being our true welcoming home.  As a way to prepare your heart for Thanksgiving, I encourage you to read Isaiah 53, and put yourself in it, and be truly thankful for all God has done. For example, you will find:

(1) “Who has believed our message? … (3) “He (Jesus) was despised and rejected (for me), a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief..  (4) “Yet it was our (my) weaknesses he carried…  (5) “But he was pierced for our (my) rebellion, crushed for our (my) sins.  He was beaten so we (I) could be made whole. He was whipped so we (I) could be healed.”

It is on days when we recognize our brokenness and deep need for our Lord, when we can truly be thankful for all he has done.  We are not shut out in the cold to freeze in the dark.  We are welcomed into the warm, loving embrace of our Savior, our Restorer, the One who paid the price for our place in the Light and guaranteed our eternal security in him. 

As we allow that truth to sink into our spirits, we realize we are not alone in our struggles.  Jesus has taken it all so we would not have to carry the load of sin and the sinfulness of others.  Hallelujah!  Why carry it when Jesus has already taken it for you? Let go of it and praise God!

Dear friends, be blessed to feel gratitude welling up in your heart as you ponder the compassion and power of the Cross and what it means for you.  As a daughter adopted into the family of our Lord, you are precious and dearly loved.  You are protected under the Savior’s wings and his mighty angels minister to you.  Holy Spirit, open our eyes to see and our ears to hear so our hearts may rejoice! Amen.

Mary Sumner ~ November 22, 2022

When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father,
and you are in me, and I am in you. ~ John 14:20 NLT

The Bible tells us that we are “complete” in Christ. (Col.2:9,10) We lack no good thing.  As I was pondering that recently, I realized that when a need arises, or when I become aware of a weakness or “hole” in myself that needs filling, I cry out to God and wait for his help.  For decades that seemed like the right thing to do.

But suddenly the Holy Spirit flashed a picture of me literally being “in Christ”.  And my spirit knew that as Jesus told his disciples in John 14:20 (above) that I was permeated and covered on all sides, top and bottom with Jesus.  It may not feel like it, and I haven’t been acting like it. But God’s Word says it is true.  You and I already have all we need in Christ. 

Does that sound crazy?  I encourage you to sit quietly and ask the Holy Spirit to “show” you what it means to be in Christ and his Spirit in you and you both in the Father. 

When I did that, suddenly all the other wonderful but mysterious verses I need when I feel down and weak made sense.  You and I are not a “beggars” waiting on a handout from God. His Word tells us we are daughters of a good, good Father who wants to give us his best gifts, as they align with his will, timing and purposes.  We are created to be one with Christ.

Take your rightful position in Christ, indwelled by his Spirit, hidden in the Father and read these verses aloud.  Choose to believe them every day.
    For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.  (Phil.4:13)
     For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.  So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.  (Col. 2:9,10)
     Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”  (Col. 3:2,3)
     Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Cor.12:9)

So, when we have a need or feel defeated and weak, let’s start standing in God’s sufficiency, not our own insufficiency.  It honors Jesus when we believe him and act on his truth that way.

Dear friend, may you sense the pleasure of your heavenly Father as you choose to believe and take your place in Christ.  Be blessed with a growing love for Jesus who surrounds you and fills you with his presence.  May you always feel secure, at peace and dearly loved wherever you are.  Whatever the challenge you face, Jesus and you can overcome.  Amen.

Mary Sumner ~ November 8, 2022

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.” ~ Psalm 32:8 NLT

Do you or a loved one have an important decision to make? Sometimes is just feels like we will not make a good decision unless we worry and stress out about it first!  Is that you?

We ask friends to pray and lose sleep over it.  Do we buy that car? Do we have chemo or radiation?  Do we move and take that job?  Who do we invite to the wedding?  Do we have a wedding?!  Having children only multiplies our opportunities to worry and stress out.  And on it goes.  

We may forget that God has written every day of our lives in his book and his Spirit is with us to guide and protect us wherever we go. (Ps.139) So, we may ask others to pray, but are we taking it to God ourselves, and actually trusting that he wants to give us the answer and guide us on the best course of action?  After all, knowing everything about us, he chose to die in our place, proving that he will never leave nor abandon us, no matter the decision we make.  In fact, in some cases, God may have created the problem just so we would come and talk to him about it.  He loves us that much.

Here’s a thought to blow our minds.  As the Creator of time, God is not bound by time, so he really knows our future.  Therefore, he always makes the best decision for us, one that will have the best eternal outcome.  It will not only be best for us, but for everyone concerned and bring glory to our heavenly Father. 

So, in view of this, we might begin to believe that the best decision we could make is to not stress out and decide to first ask God what his plan is, and choose to trust him with his answer.  After all, we belong to him and he always desires what is best for us.

Dear friend, be amazed and blessed as you take your problem to God and trust he will give you the best solution.  Be prepared to receive the peace that comes from trusting in God in every situation and every season.  Be blessed to come to know him as the God who listens to you, cares for you and wants to guide you along the best pathway for your life.  Then breathe in the peace.  Amen.

Mary Sumner ~ October 25, 2022