Archive for category: Random Thoughts

Many times when Jesus healed someone in the Bible,
He told them to get up or to go after He had touched them.
He performed the miracle of healing and was simply on His way.

But other times, He did just the opposite:
He took their hand.
It seems as though He wanted to savor the moment.

Here are a few examples:

• When Jesus brings Jairus’ daughter back to life: “Jesus took her by
the hand. . . .” (Luke 8:54 NLT).

• When He healed the 10 lepers, He asked the one who returned
where the other nine were (Luke 17:11-19).

• After Jesus healed the blind, mute demoniac, He lingered while the
healed man spoke to the crowd (Luke 11:14-23).

So sometimes after God ministers to us, He wants us to GO, yet
other times He wants us to wait . . . to hold His hand . . . to simply
BE with Him.

The question is: How do we know when to do what?

Last week, when I wrote about going, Sherry left this remark in the
comments section: “It’s so hard to discern between ‘get up and go’
or ‘be still and wait!’ ”

She makes a great point, doesn’t she?

Know this: It won’t be the same for us each time we hear from God.

(We’ll chat more about this next week.)

But we can rest assured that God’s will is not a mystery.
He’s not playing the guessing game with us.
He wants us to know His will even more than we want to know it!

Remember, however, that He is not on our timetable.
You’ve heard the old saying, “God is never early—but He’s never
late.”

When you’re trying to decide whether to “stay still” or to “go,”
saturate yourself in prayer. It’s a FACT . . . He will guide you.

Thoughts?
Care to share how God has guided you?

I’d appreciate your prayers March 16-21 as I speak in Newcastle, IN.

Do you realize that prayer is our greatest weapon
against satan? He fears prayer. It sends him and
his demons running.

There is power in prayer!
When we pray in the name of Jesus,
we are tossing grenades at satan.

Prayer is also our greatest connection to Christ.
Aren’t you glad His line is never busy?
Every time we pray in Jesus’ name,
we enter the Kingdom of heaven.

And our prayers make a difference.
Do you believe that?
Truly believe that?

Could your friends and loved ones have had a better day
yesterday if you’d prayed for them?

Have you considered that NOT praying for someone
can be a sin?

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin
against the LORD by failing to pray for you.” (1
Samuel 12:23 NIV)

Kind of makes you want to make prayer a priority, doesn’t it!

Thoughts?

I’d appreciate your prayers for me this weekend as I speak in Topeka,
KS.

Throughout the Bible, God’s message is crystal clear: “Come.”
He so years for us to come to Him, that He repeats this invitation in a
variety of ways:

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever
comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37 NIV).

The most important way we can come is for salvation. Have you
come to God for this most important gift you’ll ever receive?

“ ’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD: ‘though your
sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are
red like crimson, they shall become like wool’ ” (Isaiah 1:18 ESV).

We can truly REJOICE in the fact that when God forgives our sins,
He completely cleanses us inside. As the above Scripture declares,
we become transformed from dirty sinners to cleansed children of
God.

“Come to me and I will give you rest”
Matthew 11:28 LB).

The above verse reflects our Father’s great care. He knows how easy
it is for us to become beaten down by the daily grind. He knows our
hearts are fragile. When we’re burdened, weary or confused, the best
thing we can do is go to God and allow Him to breathe comfort,
strength and renewal into our souls.

Ask the Holy Spirit to draw you to the Father not only on a daily basis
. . . but several times throughout your day! You’ll be amazed at the
difference this will make.

Thoughts?

I appreciate your prayers as I speak in Waxahachie, TX this
weekend.

It’s still not too late to sign up for the Susie Shellenberger Ministries
cruise to Alaska June 1-8. This will be an incredible way to come
away for the spiritual retreat and adventure you’re yearning for.

Contact my friend and travel agent, Carla Pryor, who can accept
passengers through mid-March: carlaray@aol.com

The book of Exodus highlights amazing highs
and devastating lows for God’s people, the Israelites.

In a nutshell:

They quit listening to God and were held in bondage
as Pharaoh’s slaves for 430 years.

They turned back to God, and He rescued them from
slavery and led them to the Promised Land.

One of their lowest times was when Pharaoh forced them to
make bricks—and then he stopped providing the straw needed
to make them. This forced the Israelites to get their own straw,
but they had to continue making the same amount of bricks each day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you even make a brick with straw?

Here’s the recipe:

Mix soil and water into a thick mud.
Add some sand, then mix in the straw.
Next, pour the mixture into your molds.
Bake bricks in sunshine for at least five days.

That’s a lot of work. Hard work.
Especially in the hot sun.
With limited water and breaks.
And being beaten with whips by the Egyptians.

But the good news is that God RESCUED His people
from the brickyard!
And guess what—
He still rescues us from the brickyard.
But many of us are still hanging back . . .
baking bricks . . .
because that’s what we’ve become accustomed to doing.
We’re comfortable with the routine.
And though changing what we’re doing would bring freedom,
change is hard—
even good change can be difficult.

What’s the bottom line?
No one is destined for the brickyards.

Thoughts?

Please pray for me this weekend as I speak in Fortville, Ind.

On November 20, I shared about the wall that God instructed
Nehemiah to build around Jerusalem. Let’s peek at a few more
insights.

When Nehemiah received word that the wall around his hometown of
Jerusalem had been torn down, he made the journey home to repair
it.

It was an actual physical wall that surrounded Jerusalem.
This protected the residents from enemies and bad influences.
Jerusalem’s enemies were angry the wall was being rebuilt, so they
began attacking Nehemiah and his workers. We’re told when the wall
was half-finished, the attacks were so bad that the work force had to
be cut so that only half actually built while the others stood guard
girded with weapons to protect the workers.
(See Nehemiah 4:16-18).

We can expect the same, can’t we?
When we live in radical obedience to the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ, it
angers satan, and we will be attacked. Here’s the proof:

“Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of
trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will
continue to exploit the faith” (2 Timothy 3:12 The Message).

Let’s look at the same Scripture from The Living Bible:
“Those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives
will suffer at the hands of those who hate him.”

Nehemiah didn’t let it stop him, and neither should we.
When God directs us to do something, He always equips us.

Thoughts?

Want an incredible spiritual adventure?
How about joining me on the Susie Shellenberger Ministries cruise to
Alaska June 1-8, 2019 on Holland America cruise lines? This would
be an amazing Christmas gift to yourself and to someone you love!

We’ll have our own special services at which I’ll be speaking—but
you’ll also get to enjoy all the ship’s entertainment and off-shore
excursions that are simply amazing.

There are some GREAT rates on rooms aboard the ship right now.
Please contact my friend Carla Pryor who has put all the detail
together for me, and ask her about getting on board!
carlaray@aol.com 251-633-3772

Right now there’s still availability, but you’ll need to act quickly.
I sure hope you’ll join me for this spiritual retreat and truly fun
adventure!