Bible Archives - Susan Panzica

Are you seeing – Or looking??

Posted on September 19, 2018September 19, 2018 by Susan Panzica

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money.

But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk”

Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

Acts 3:3-8

In the passage from Acts, we read about a lame beggar laying outside the temple gate called Beautiful. I find it interesting that Scripture says that the man “saw” Peter and John, yet Peter replied, “Look at us!” If the man saw them, even asked for money, why did Peter tell him to look at them?

When the man asked Peter and John for money, it doesn’t say they “saw” the man. It says that Peter and John “looked at him intently.”

There’s a difference between “seeing” and “looking.”

SEEING = the process of observing, involuntary, passive
LOOKING = conscious consideration, active interpretation (the bigger picture)

Seeing is something we do without thought. It’s what our eye sees without trying, a process of observing the world around us in an arbitrary way as we go about our daily lives.

Looking is like squinting at life to actively make meaning of that world with a more involved sense of purpose and direction.

The lame man saw Peter and John as a chance to receive what he WANTED.

Peter and John looked at him and gave him what he NEEDED.

The lame man was correct in EXPECTING to receive SOMETHING from them. But he received so much more than the monetary donation he would have been satisfied with!

Many of us haven’t even come to the place where we really expect something from God. This is FAITH. We should expect the right things from God. We are so often willing to settle for much less than God wants to give us, and our low expectations rob us.

And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:9-10

The people were filled with wonder and amazement!

WONDER = awe felt in the presence of divine activity
AMAZEMENT= the state of being lifted out of one’s habitual life & thought by encountering the power of God

When was the last time you were filled with wonder and amazement at the work of God in your life or someone elses? Can we be lifted out our OUR habitual life and thought by encountering the power of God?

Can we stop seeing and start looking!

What happens when you assume?

Posted on July 5, 2017July 10, 2017 by Susan Panzica

All my life, I have always been the shyest person in the room. So when my mom convinced me to attend a 2 week sleep-away Girl Scout camp, it was a true miracle. Two girls from my troop went with me so that gave me a tiny bit of comfort, but when we arrived at the camp, I was assigned to be in a different campsite group. I now know that their campsite was right down the dirt path, but at the time, it seemed like a million miles away. I felt totally alone and completely miserable.

Our campsite had five tents with five girls in each. In my tent, there were two pairs of friends. And me.

As things went from bad to worse, in my loneliness, I was absolutely certain that no one liked me.

I cried myself to sleep every night and wrote letters every day detailing how much I hated it there, begging my parents to please take me home.

After a week of despair, my counselors allowed me to transfer to my friends’ campsite. It only took one minute there to realize I had made a big mistake. The disgusting smell that greeted me at the entrance was the first of several huge disappointments. In less than an hour, I asked to go back.

Never had I been so bold.

Fortunately, the powers-that-be let me return to my prior campsite and tent. My counselor sat me down for a long stern talk by the river.

Later, my 10 year old tent mate, one half of one of the pairs of little friends, assured me that she was happy I was back, and she said something that I remember to this day:

“How do you think it makes us feel when you say we don’t like you?”

Her words cut me to the core. In a good way. I hadn’t given their feelings any thought. I was too preoccupied with my own. I had made assumptions about these sweet pairs of friends that were completely untrue based on my own insecurities.

The second week at camp was completely different. I had such a good time, I cried buckets of tears when it was time to go home.

It’s been forty years, and how often since then have I made assumptions about people that turned out to be completely unfounded. I projected my own insecurities onto someone else, viewing their actions through my muddled lens.

I think we all remember Felix Unger’s famous lesson about assuming:

All kidding aside, false assumptions can create serious consequences, resulting in critically damaged relationships. In his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Pete Scazzaro says:

“Every time I make an assumption about someone who has hurt or disappointed me without confirming it, I believe a lie about this person in my head. This assumption is a misrepresentation of reality. Because I have not checked it out with the other person, it is very possible I am believing something untrue.”

As a believer in Christ, I want to live in truth. Holding onto assumptions creates storylines in my head that cause me to live in a false reality. Since God is Truth, by filling my head with false assumptions, I’m essentially not making room for Him in the limited space in my brain.

Of course, sometimes my assumptions are correct. But for the sake of healthy relationships, it’s necessary to check with the person about whom I’m assuming to verify the truth.

In Acts 17, the Bereans listened to Paul and Silas, and rather than assume their message was true or false, they did their “fact-checking.”

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

How often do we make assumptions about others? About our circumstances? About ourselves? About God?

How much healthier would our relationships be if we took the time to fact-check and to clarify assumptions?

For more about assumptions and expectations, check out the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality materials at http://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/.

And/or a quick take on my previous blogposts:

http://susanpanzica.com/not-so-great-expectations/

http://susanpanzica.com/great-expectations-not/

To Be a Child of God

Posted on June 21, 2017June 21, 2017 by Susan Panzica

I don’t think I ever really understood what it meant to be a child of God until I had children of my own. My relationships with my natural parents were often strained, so when I became a Christian, my understanding of the Father nature of God was more head knowledge than heart knowledge.

That is until my daughter was born, and I was overwhelmed with unconditional love for her and began to catch a glimmer of the love the Father has for me. Then when I was pregnant with my son, I was terrified that I wouldn’t have enough love for the child in my womb because my love for my daughter seemed the max that a person could have. How amazing that when that little boy arrived, the measure of love in my heart grew exponentially!

And I began to glean glimpses of how completely and unconditionally my heavenly Father loves me. I’m still learning what it means to be a child of God, but there are a few things I’ve gathered:

As His child, I am secure. I can’t become more a “child of God” by anything I do or achieve. And I can’t become less a “child of God” no matter how many times I fail. When God is your Father, you are His child, and nothing I do can change that. I am His eternally.
As His child, I must not be childish. The Apostle Paul wrote, “When I was I child, I spoke as a child, but when I matured, I put away childish things.” (1 Cor. 13:11). Being childish includes being selfish, self-centered, immature, jealous, wanting MY way instead of HIS way.
Yet, I must be childlike. Jesus said, “Unless you become like a child, you cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 18:3) Being childlike means that I see the world through childlike eyes. I trust; I am teachable; I am not prejudiced; I am generous, innocent, care-free knowing that my Father has all things under control.

As a child of God, we have complete assurance that we belong to our Father. He loves us with an unconditional love. When we are born-again of the Spirit, we are both born and adopted into the family of God and become a joint heir with Jesus Christ. This relationship gives us rights and privileges, as well as responsibilities.

Knowing the difference between being childlike and childish is the key to maturity. Our Father God, our Abba – translated Daddy, is not distant or aloof. He invites us into an intimate, secure family relationship.

My relationship with my earthly dad may have been difficult, but now I celebrate my heavenly Father each Father’s Day!

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12

Be An Oyster!

Posted on June 7, 2017June 6, 2017 by Susan Panzica

My friend, Cathy, showed up one day sporting an eye patch. She’s a stellar athlete who has triumphed over hard-hitting competition, but thanks to a tiny grain of sand that scratched her cornea, she was kept on the sidelines, out of the action. A microscopic irritant grated against the delicate tissue producing redness and tears and would ultimately cause permanent destruction if not removed.

But take that very same grain of sand, that source of irritation to the eye, place it in an oyster, and something magical happens. When that irritant is caught inside the oyster’s shell, the oyster starts to secrete a substance called nacre. This substance coats the irritant and encapsulates it. According to Wikipedia, “Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is strong, resilient, and iridescent. This substance is called ‘mother of pearl’ because it is literally the ‘mother’, or creator, of true pearls.” What begins as an irritating annoyance is transformed. The insignificant grain of sand has become a valuable pearl.

It’s important to note that the irritant in the eye is exactly the same as the one in the oyster. What is different is the response! Scripture is clear that God allows tribulations in our lives. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The phrase, “you will have trouble” is sandwiched between “you may have peace” and “take heart. I have overcome the world!”.

If you have someone, or something, in your life that is a source of irritation, it can suck the joy and peace right out of you. Just the sight of that person can raise all sorts of emotions. Just the reminder of that difficult situation can cause physical responses such as tightening of the muscles, headaches, stomach pains … do I need to go on?

Like sand trapped inside an oyster, whatever your source of irritation, it can be transformed into a valuable pearl. You can be “strong, resilient and iridescent” (reflecting the light), receiving your irritation as the beginning of a beautiful transformation in your life. Surround the grain with beauty and grace. Forgive them for being themselves. They really don’t know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) If you recognize that God allowed this person or situation for your benefit, you will be creating pearls!

Don’t let yourself be troubled by what really is a small matter compared to eternity! Allow that nuisance to bring about transformation – Christlikeness – the most precious, priceless, valuable quality you could ever possess.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:1

Dive Deep!

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Susan Panzica

While on retreat a while back, our rooms had a beautiful view overlooking the bay. As we watched the activity among the geese swimming and frolicking in the water, my friend shared with me her wise observation about the geese.

Noticing the many geese diving down into the water despite the ample food along the shoreline, she said that it must be that the food in the water is the good stuff. And so rather than settle for the easy way, the geese made the effort to dive down deep to get the better morsels. Just like we should dive down deep for the good stuff in God’s Word. .

Oswald Chambers said, “Good is the enemy of best.” If we settle for what’s good, we miss out on what’s best.

When it comes time for reading the Bible, sometimes we skim the surface rather than dive in to find deeper meaning. But the good stuff is down deep!

When we learn that it was in prison that Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” it means more than if he was writing these words from the comfort of his home.
When we learn the meaning of the words in their original language, they take on new meaning. For example, the parts of the armor of God in Ephesians 6 include the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” All the other parts of the armor are defensive (helmet, shield, etc.) The sword (God’s Word) is our only offense. But the word for sword does not mean a large saber-type sword. No, it is a small sword, like a scalpel, to be used an instrument of healing removing that which is detrimental to our health, not as a machete to hurt someone.
Down deep, we find the history of the times in which the words were recorded. And the geneologies that we so often skip over contain nuggets of insight, like the fact that there is a harlot (Rahab) in the line of David and Jesus.

It’s worthwhile to dive down deep to be fed spiritually on the Word. The Bible refers to itself as our spiritual food. Babies eat milk because they can’t digest meat. But as they mature, they move on to meatier, more complex things. And so should we.

Along that same line, we should not be discouraged if we don’t understand some of what we read in the Bible. We just haven’t grown to that point yet, but it’s something to look forward to. What we don’t want is to settle for less than best.

So friends, let’s go! Won’t you dive in deep with me and discover the amazing truths found in His Word?

The Aftermath

Posted on November 9, 2016November 9, 2016 by Susan Panzica

For the past few months, I repeatedly read and heard people say, “I can’t wait for Nov. 9 for all this to be over!!”

Well, it is Nov. 9. And nothing is over. It’s just beginning.

I wrote this post yesterday – on Election Day – without knowing who won the election. But some things I do know about my tomorrow – The Day After.

There are a lot of unhappy people now. Half our nation is reeling that their candidate lost the election and are imagining the worst case scenarios.

There are a lot of happy people now. Their candidate won, and they picture their agendas coming to pass over the next few years.

What can these happy and unhappy people agree on?

Whether people are pleased or not with the election outcome, all will agree that this was an historic American election. Either the first woman president will be inaugurated. Or a non-politician Washington outsider will be.

And I think most people will agree that this nation is polarized. People are climbing into their bunkers of ideology shooting barbs at enemy combatants with differing opinions, forgetting that their enemies are also created by the same God, whether they know it or not.

My ministry tagline is “Bringing an eternal perspective to earthly matters.” And I think that this perspective is needed now more than ever. So to bring that eternal perspective, let me share some historical and biblical truths.

Persecution and governments hostile to the gospel have not hindered the growth of the church.
- When Paul appealed to Caesar in Act 25, he was appealing his case to Nero, arguably “most despicable manifestations of human flesh ever to disgrace this planet”. The Apostle presented his case to a governmental authority riddled with corruption and hatred for the gospel.
- Romans threw Christians to the lions, which did not extinguish Christianity but strengthened the believers’ faith.
- Persecution in Jerusalem caused the church to grow and spread (Acts 8:1)
- The church is growing in China, Africa, other persecuted areas while it is shrinking in the US, a supposedly “Christian nation.”

As citizens of heaven, our trust is in an eternal government led by God, not by mankind.
- “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control….” Phil 3:20-21

God calls us to obedience to those in authority.
- “All authority come from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” Rom. 13:1
- “Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as sent by him” 1 Pet. 2:13-14

We are to pray for those in authority, and we will live in peace if we do.
- “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” 1 Tim. 2:1-2
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!” Phil. 4:6-7

God is in control whether we believe it or not. He rules the universe with precision, keeping billions of molten stars, planets, and galaxies in perfect order. God will still be in control no matter who leads this small patch of the universe.
- “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.” Ps. 22:28
- “…putting everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” Heb. 2:8

He knew who would be elected, even planned it, no matter how ungodly you think the candidate may be.
- “The Lord Almighty has sworn,’Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.’” Is. 14:24
- The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Prov. 16:4

As I said in the beginning of this post, when the election is over, it isn’t the end. It’s the beginning. It is incumbent upon us to be people that represent God well. We must demonstrate the love of Christ that is in our hearts. We have it in our power to bring healing to a country divided. I’ve heard people say that if ____ gets elected, I’m leaving the country. To that I say, don’t leave – the country needs you now more than ever.

Let us be salt and light, making our voices heard with respect for our opponents.

Let our conversation be gracious and attractive so that we will have the right response for everyone. Col. 4:6

Let us be ambassadors for a loving, compassionate God.

To Provoke or Not To Provoke

Posted on October 5, 2016October 5, 2016 by Susan Panzica

Watching the political debates evokes the word “provoke.” Personal conversations and social media interactions are filled with words and emotions that “provoke” each other. In our church’s marriage group, we discussed how we might “provoke” our spouses. So I did a little research on this difficult word.

The dictionary defines provoking as:

to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex
to stir up, arouse, or call forth
to incite or provide the needed stimulus for action
to give rise to, induce, or bring about

By this definition, provoking can be good or bad. It depends on who’s getting “vexed” or the action that is stimulated. To me, the word “provoke” always had a negative connotation. But looking at this list, I see that Jesus was a provoker in every category:

He angered the religious leaders of the day, pointing out their folly.
He aroused the crowds and called forth disciples.
He stimulated people to action, leaving home and families to follow Him.
He brought about a transformation that changed the course of history.

Here’s a few do’s and don’ts from the Word regarding provoking:

Don’t provoke the Lord to jealousy. The Israelites did this repeatedly in the Old Testament, following after kings and other gods, losing sight of the One who deserved their love and full attention. Paul asked the believers, “Do you dare to provoke the Lord’s jealousy as Israel did? Do you think you are stronger than He is?”1 Cor. 10:22
Don’t provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) lest they be discouraged (Col. 3:21)
DO provoke one another to love and good works! (Heb. 10:24) The NLT translates this verse: “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.”I love that – outbursts of love!

So, let’s start provoking! Let us stir up love, encourage good works, speak up for those who cannot. What can 1 person do? Start with your family. Provoke those around you to love and good works. Start a transformation that can change the course of history!

True Freedom

Posted on July 4, 2016June 30, 2016 by Susan Panzica

On Independence Day, there’s a lot of talk about freedom and liberty. Thankfully, we do not live under the bondage that is found in some other countries. But all too often, we live in bondage to fear, pride, depression, anger. We may not have control over these areas of our lives. The answer is surrender.

In Bible times, slavery was common. Slaves had no freedom, but when offered freedom, some chose to live surrendered to their Master, for life with a kind Master was superior to freedom outside that home. These surrendered slaves were called “bond-slaves.” The Apostle Paul often referred to himself as a bond-slave of Jesus Christ.
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While unjustly imprisoned, Paul wrote the letter to the Philippian church. In it, he says that due to his being in chains, the gospel was shared with entire palace guard. He sees that his lack of freedom had a greater purpose. He was surrendered.
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From Paul’s letter to the Philippians we can discern his answers to the bondages I mentioned above:

You will not have to worry
Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

You will not feel the need to be in charge
Phil. 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

You will experience true joy
Phil. 4:4-5 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

You will be free from anger
Phil. 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

The Christian life is a paradox in many ways-
-When we are weak, we are strong.
-The first shall be last.
-You must lose your life to find it.
-To live forever, you must die to yourself.

And…
-True freedom means surrender to the One who owns you.

May you experience true freedom in surrender to the King of Kings!

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” John 8:36 NLT

In The Middle – the dark place between sorrow and joy

Posted on March 26, 2016March 31, 2018 by Susan Panzica

Today we are in the middle.

Yesterday was Good Friday –

the pain of suffering,

despair, heartache,

the event that left us full of tears

Tomorrow is Easter –

the joy of new life,

resurrection,

rising from the ashes of pain

Today we are just in the middle-

the preparing for tomorrow’s feast,

tomorrow’s worship,

tomorrow’s new garments

Do you ever feel – in the middle? Having experienced tragedy or loss, but waiting for the future hope and peace that is promised? We must wait, but not as those with no hope. It was while Jesus was waiting that He set the captives free.

When I was in Israel, one of the most powerful moments for me was at the Garden Tomb. I entered the empty tomb, and after my eyes adjusted to the darkness, saw the white garments folded on the stone bench. Turning to exit the tomb and enter the light, I saw a rough, wooden sign that read:

“He is not here;

he has risen,

just as he said.”

Matt. 28:6

Seeing those words in that place was a powerful reminder that He has risen. The full verse includes the words JUST AS HE SAID! So what else did He say?

We have been healed:“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”-1 Peter 2:24

We have a future:“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

So we must:“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Titus 1:2

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter 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 throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3

Today, while still in the middle, this is my prayer for you:“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

My heart is grieving for a family that suffered a tragic loss. They are in the dark Saturday tomb and have lost hope for the future. They aren’t preparing for a glorious tomorrow. They are clinging to the pain of today. Perhaps you are in that place too or know someone stuck in their dark night of the soul, a place we are meant to transverse, not dwell.

The angels at the tomb asked, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee…” Lk. 24:5-6

Oh that we could stop looking among the dead, in the dark, but remember and cling to what He told us, the hope for the future.

Today let us pray together that you and they and we all may remember the truth He told us and catch of glimmer of the glorious hope to come.

May you have a most blessed Resurrection Day! May you rejoice with Him who rose from the dead to give you eternal life, who endured the darkness to bring us with Him into the light. And may you be preparing for the ultimate feast, worship and garments yet to come!!

Can You Hear Me Now?

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Susan Panzica

Last week, my husband and I redeemed some hotel points and flyer miles to steal away for a rare treat. Leaving behind a NJ ice storm, we enjoyed a few days in beautiful Cancun, Mexico. It was incredible in many unexpected ways, both large and small. From upgraded plane seats to hotel rooms to other unpaid benefits, we walked (or floated) along in God’s favor.

While we have no idea why God chose to bless us in this way at this time, we spent every minute in deep appreciation for our Lord, enjoying both His creation and His presence, seeing Him work in our lives and speak to our hearts in new and fresh ways. For example:

When we opened the glass doors of our spacious “honeymoon suite” (yup, we were honeymooners after 28½ years of marriage!) to the ocean-front balcony, the roar of the surf, one of my favorite sounds on earth, instantly brought a huge smile to my face.

Yet later, when we sat at the water’s edge at the beach or by the pool, right next to the ocean, it wasn’t nearly as loud. The sounds of the surf seemed more like background “white noise.”

The difference: the competing sounds were louder too. With guests engaged in conversation, workers serving and building, birds calling to each other, and vendors hawking their wares, all the noises blended into one, including the ocean.

But when we were up several stories, away from the distractions, we could hear the sound of the surf distinctly.

It’s like that with the Lord.

When we are caught up in our busy lives, the gentle whisper of the Lord is drowned out. He and His voice haven’t changed. What changed is us – our position, our engagement with other activities, our distractions.

Martha was distracted with much serving. …

But the Lord answered her,“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things..

But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:40-42

Susanna Wesley is known as the mother of John and Charles, who were powerful men of God, a preacher and a hymnwriter. Susanna had 19 children, only 10 of whom lived to adulthood. She experienced many difficulties in her life, but she was committed to prayer. Without much time to herself, she would bury her head in her apron, and her children knew not to disturb her – it was her prayer time, her time to be free of distraction.

We each need to find our own apron, our own “war room,” our own upper room (aka “honeymoon suite”) to escape the competing noise so that we can clearly hear His voice.

He said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31

What is your best way to eliminate the distractions and “come away” into quiet time with the Lord?