Category: faith

When you don’t know what you have…

Posted on by Susan Panzica

“Can you help me figure out how to watch HBO Max on my TV?” my sister-in-law asked. “I got an email that said it’s now included in my plan, but I can’t find it on the TV.” She went on to tell me how she watched movies on Amazon Prime on her iPad, but was hoping to watch movies on the big screen through this new app.

After the first challenge of figuring out which remote control to use, we located the never before seen apps section of her TV. When I saw a brown square that said Amazon, I clicked. And lo and behold, there was her Amazon Prime account! Hundreds of movies and TV shows at her fingertips. All the time she had been viewing her little 9” screen, she could have been watching in living technicolor on a massive 65” screen. After a required SMH (shaking my head) moment, she was thrilled to discover an option she already had in her possession, but never knew.

And how often, do we settle for crumbs when we have great treasure in our possession? <<clicktotweet>> How often are we satisfied with a little awareness of God when the Almighty creator of the universe dwells in us with power beyond our imagination? How often are we content to sip slowly from a puddle when a torrent of Living Water floods our beings. How often are we perplexed as we focus on the troubles of this world when there’s an inexhaustible supply of eternal grace and peace that God wants us to freely access.

In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul asks, “Don’t you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit is in you.” (1 Cor. 6:19). In his second letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:5), he goes on to say, “do you not realize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?” When Paul writes these words, he means that Jesus was literally dwelling within them. And just like the Corinthians, we believers today need to understand this about ourselves. The Lord isn’t an outside helper we beckon to help us. He is a font that wells up within us to provide the power, peace, and perspective we need.

God’s power within us is beyond our comprehension, but not beyond our possession. <<clicktotweet>> Eph. 3:20 assures us that He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

We’ve all heard stories of people finding an old painting in their garage that in reality was a valuable masterpiece. They didn’t know what they had. Or others who have valuable china pieces buried in a closet. They know they’re there, but they don’t bother to open the door, and so the treasure remains unused, collecting dust.

Let us not be like Jacob, who after experiencing the dream of the ladder to heaven, woke up and said, “Surely God was in this place, and I did not know it.”

It’s time to breathe deep and connect with the treasure within. To look deeper than the top of the iceberg to the mass below the surface. To realize what power we already possess instead of settling for less than best.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Cor. 4:7

Are you asking God for something you already have?

How can you live out of your treasure instead of seeking it?

  • Take a breath. Breathe in God’s name, and breathe out your prayer request. Let God know how you’re feeling, and breathe in His peace.
  • Let Google be your friend – search for the unconditional promises of God. Print out or write them on index cards. Memorize one or more. Let each one serve as a reminder that you don’t have to ask God for what He has already given you.
  • Let music soothe your soul. Find a playlist or create your own.

What tips do you have? Leave a comment – I’d love to read them!

 

 

The Risk

Posted on by Susan Panzica

She had an issue. She was known by her issue. The “woman with the issue of blood.”

How would you like to be known by your issue?

  • The woman with the issue of trust.
  • The man with the issue of pornography.
  • The woman with the issue of envy.
  • The man with the issue of anger.
  • The woman with the issue of addiction.
  • The man with the issue of pride.
  • The woman with the issue of shame.
  • The man with the issue of greed.

You get the idea. The KJV version refers to her as a “woman with an issue of blood” – meaning “flow,” as in blood issuing forth – but it’s a good word for her situation – she had an issue! Thank God we are not known by our issues!

Sadly, this woman was – to her community, her family. She has had an issue for 12 years and has spent all her money on doctors – to no avail.

Word came to her that Jesus of Nazareth had landed on the shore of her town. Crowds made their way to greet the itinerant vagabond healer. Hope stirred in her heart.

Dare she take the risk? Her condition made her ceremonially unclean. She was relegated to solitude, to quarantine. Braving the crowds was a risk. Touching His garment was unthinkable. But maybe….?

The crowds pressed on, and then stopped.

Jairus, the synagogue leader, asked Jesus to come to his house and heal his beloved daughter. Would He?

Kind Jesus. Of course He said “yes.” Would she miss her chance?

Jairus’ daughter? Wait! She remembered when the baby girl was born. Could it be 12 years already? The same year her bleeding began. She remembered the joy in the synagogue and in Jairus’ family. The thrill of a promise fulfilled almost dampened her personal pain. Almost.

She couldn’t attend the festivities then, or in the 12 years since. Now Jairus was drawing the crowd’s attention again. And Jesus’ too. Jairus, with the power to have her stoned to death. Dare she take the risk of even being there in public, much less touching The Healer’s hem?

She lowered herself within the crowd, hoping to remain unseen, and stretched her trembling hand to His garment.

…

NOT The End….

I’ll be sharing a sermon about this woman, our own issues, and God’s plan in all of it on Sat. March 13 @ 5:30pm, and I invite you to join me at High Mountain Church via Facebook Live: facebook.com/HighMountainChurch

A Change in Perspective Changes Everything

Posted on by Susan Panzica

I was devastated. A fire on April 13, 2019 completely destroyed the Dunes boardwalk pavilion in Ocean Grove NJ. Nicknamed “God’s Square Mile,” Ocean Grove is a beautiful seaside town at the Jersey shore, and my favorite local vacation spot. The Dunes had just been rebuilt after the destruction from Hurricane Sandy a few years ago. They had done a wonderful job, and I deeply felt the loss on behalf of the owners and merchants who had rebuilt as well as the vacationers who would now miss out on dining there.

But then on April 15, 2019, another fire made the news. Notre Dame cathedral in Paris was in flames.

Somehow, the Dunes fire seemed so small in comparison. It’s all a matter of perspective.

My heart’s desire is to bring an eternal perspective to our earthly situations, to widen our focus to see that the God with whom we converse about our troubles has no trouble keeping the entire universe spinning in perfect harmony.

In our daily lives here on earth, we often receive news that threatens to devastate us. We see what’s right around us and lose sight of the God who inhabits eternity.

The writer of Hebrews tells us, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” Heb.13:14

We are engaged in spiritual warfare, and an effective enemy tactic is to distract our focus. He uses busyness, family or friend problems, work concerns, over-sensitivity, self-consciousness, financial worries, even national and local elections, to attract our attention. But when we concentrate on eternal matters, the things of this world dim in comparison. Like looking through the lens of a camera, if our focus is on things nearby, those details in the background are fuzzy. When we adjust the lens, we can bring the background into crisp detail, and the close things are less harrowing. We can see them – we’re not sticking our heads in the sand, but they no longer consume our thoughts throughout our days.

Francis Chan has a wonderful illustration about the brevity of life that helps to bring an eternal perspective. Using an “endless” rope to reference eternity, he points to the short piece in his hand to indicate life on earth and challenges us to focus on preparing for our endless eternity rather than our short earthly life. Take four minutes and watch:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86dsfBbZfWs

 “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 

If we choose, as Paul did, what we focus on and “fix our eyes … on the eternal,” by comparison, we will be able to view our troubles as “light and momentary” AND “achieving eternal glory.”

A change in perspective helps us see our troubles as blessings in disguise.

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Francis Chan

When must we NOT show mercy

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Jn 15-1-2

 

I find so many illustrations about the Christian life when I am tending my garden. Maybe that’s why it all began in a garden.

The truth is: I have a love/hate relationship with my garden. Oh, how I love the blooms, the fragrance, the sheer beauty that shows its face each spring. Oh, how I hate the seemingly endless care that it requires. And to be honest, I’m not the most gifted gardener. But, I try.

Yesterday, I was attacking an overgrown lilac bush with the pruning shears. Perhaps “attacking” is too strong a word, but I think the lilac would disagree. From the plant’s point of view, I seemed just vicious, showing no mercy. But in fact, I was saving its life. There were shoots of dead wood, and if left intact, they would have a negative impact on the rest of the plant, as well as the other plants in the garden, especially the peony next door.

At times, I feared I was too aggressive, but I’ve had this lilac a long time. We’ve been through this before, and from past experience, I know that this seemingly harsh treatment is very beneficial. My lilac rewards me every spring with a bounty of blooms because with the life-sucking shoots gone, its energy can be directed toward new life.

As Christians, we are instructed to show mercy. Jesus says “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matt. 5:7). Mercy is the very hallmark of the Christian. But there are times when what appears to be mercy, isn’t.

  • When a friend or loved one is engaged in dangerous behavior, they need boundaries and consequences, not an enabler.
  • When sin is crouching at our door, it needs a swift kick right out that door.
  • When envy or bitterness or resentment start slithering under our skin, we need to uproot and destroy it.

Just a few verses after Jesus teaches about mercy, He says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matt. 5:39) Oooh, well, that doesn’t seem too merciful to the eye, does it? No, but sin is like gangrene. It may start small, but unless it is amputated and removed, it will spread causing death and destruction.

So the truly merciful thing to do is nip it in the bud, just like my lilac.

 

Famous Last Words – Part 2

Posted on by Susan Panzica

luke 23-34

In Famous Last Words -Part 1, I shared about one of Jesus’s last statements, “Father forgive them”. Today, I share another insight from these same three words.

Christ died for us while we were still sinners, long before we ever repented or asked for forgiveness. He died for those still screaming, “Crucify him!” and He prayed:

“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

But it seems to me that they did know what they were doing, didn’t they? They were calling for His death. What they did not know was WHO they were doing it to, and WHAT His death would accomplish for them.

Is there someone in your life causing you pain? They may not be calling for your execution, but they are hurtful nevertheless. Consider this – that person is giving you an opportunity to develop Christ-likeness that you would not have otherwise.

If we can see the offensive person in our life as Jesus does, and if we can forgive them as He did, we will be freed from the bondage of resentment and bitterness and will become a little more like Jesus. Picture this: that painful person is giving us an incredible, life-changing, eternal opportunity!

I had such a person in my life. For years, this person repeatedly caused me untold anguish and grief. My hurt turned bitterness, and like an invisible tether, I was in bondage to the one who hurt me. It took a long time, but when I began to see that this person was actually a gift from God, my heart began to change. I was freed from the bondage of bitterness. I was able to see that person as God did, to pray unhindered by my resentment. I learned that I could forgive because “they did not know what they were doing.” That person gave me the gift of developing Christ-likeness.

Peter says, “But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps… When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:20-23)

Years before Jesus hung on that cross and prayed for his persecutors, He said to the crowd at the Mount of Beatitudes, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.“ (Matt. 5:44) Did He know when He spoke those words that years later, with His dying breath, He would become that example, that He would demonstrate exactly what He was calling us to do? 

But how is it possible in our human fraility and sinfulness, can we even begin to see our “enemies” as Jesus does?

The key is to shift perspective, to see the bigger picture. As Paul said, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:17-18)

I pray that if you have a difficult person, you may begin to see them as Jesus does. And in so doing, you will be able to forgive, whether or not they have asked. And you will be able to look in the mirror and see a reflection of the One who made you.

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Keep looking up!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Looking up

My daughter found this old family photo recently and shared it on social media with her thoughts – which I am totally and unashamedly stealing for the powerful life lessons it contains for all of us!

In her words:

A photo so classic fantastic that it must be documented on the internet. But the more I looked at it, the more I realized how accurate this is a picture of my life right now – and how important it is for us to continually have this childlike faith perspective of looking up with smiles, with hope and patience that whatever we are trying to fly in life can and will be all that it can be. Even when life comes to crossroads and tough decisions, knowing God is the wind, I can smile and LOOK UP with confidence knowing He’s got it even if I don’t understand it. I’ve got my dad holding me so I’m planted firmly. And He does the SAME thing in my life!! I’ve got my brother beside me encouraging me and my cousin behind me representing ALL the people that I know are with me. My mom is probably taking the photo, behind the camera making sure I stay FOCUSED. I could go on but for now will stop my rant to encourage you as I encourage myself with Mary Poppins quotes from both movies “let’s go fly a kite” and “there’s nowhere to go but UP”

“…the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matt. 18:2-5

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:12-13

 

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God To Go!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the 40 period leading up to Resurrection Sunday.

Throughout history, God has used 40-day periods to accomplish His purposes.

  • It rained for 40 daysdelivering Noah, his family and the animals from destruction.
  • For 40 days, Moses was on Mount Sinai, face to face with God, receiving the Ten Commandments.
  • The spies of the nation of Israel surveyed the promised land for40 days.
  • Jonah, in obedience, went to Ninevah proclaiming destruction in 40 days and inspired a revival in the sinful city.
  • Jesus spent 40 daysin the wilderness overcoming temptation before beginning His earthly ministry.
  • For 40 days, Jesus walked the earth after His resurrection, giving many “convincing proofs”, speaking of the kingdom of God, and birthing the early church.
  • Even in this century, Pastor Rick Warren influenced millions of people with his 40 dayplan in his bestseller book, The Purpose Driven Life.

For the past few days, I heard people mentioning what they would sacrifice during this 40 day period. No longer limited to fasting food, people are giving up social media or activities. Some friends aren’t giving up anything, but are adding specific acts of generosity and kindness to their 40 days.

And then there are those who are too busy to stop on one day to receive ashes, and for them, there’s:

Ashes-to-Go!

Yup, this morning, I heard that advertised on the radio. No need to stop by a house of worship. Just grab some ashes as you’re at your local coffee shop, train station, or street corner.

To be honest, my judgmental attitude got all up in the face of what I considered to be just short of an abomination.

It seemed to me that the purpose of Ash Wednesday for those who observe it is to stop, to rest, to contemplate, to step aside from the busyness.

My husband often remarks about the long lines at the Starbucks drive-thru’s. He says that the whole concept of Starbucks is to experience an atmosphere where people can gather and sip. The drive-thru’s are just short of an abomination.

But the Ashes-to-Go folks had this to say:

 “Ashes to Go” is about bringing spirit, belief, and belonging out from behind church doors, and into the places where we go every day.  It’s a simple event with deep meaning, drawing on centuries of tradition and worship to provide a contemporary moment of grace.

 We take ashes to the street corner because that reminder of need, humility, and healing shouldn’t be confined to a church building.  We probably need it more when we are in the middle of our daily business! The ashes we receive are to remind us throughout the day of our need for God, and of God’s call to us.

Now, I don’t want to get into denominations, traditions, liturgy, or any other church practice. I understand that for some getting ashes on a street corner may just be a habit without meaning, a going through the motions without emotion or depth of conviction. But for some, it provides an opportunity to connect with God right where they are.

Jesus didn’t camp out in pews. He went where the people were. And bringing Jesus out of the church and into the community is an idea I totally support.

It’s not my job to judge. I’ll leave that for God to sort out.

And that’s was my Ash Wednesday lesson today.

What do you think?

My word for 2019 – and beyond!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Word of the Year 2019

Do you follow the One Word trend? I did for several years, but skipped last year. And I wasn’t planning to select a word this year either. And then, my word found me.

On Sunday morning. Fixing my hair while getting ready for church. Just an “ordinary” day. And a word pierced my consciousness.

DISCIPLINE.

But not with a sense of punishment or penalty or will-power. No this time, it was coupled with the word:

DISCIPLE.

Disciple as in “follower of Jesus.”  I meditated on that for a while and did a bit of research.

According to Webster’s: “the root and meanings of discipline comes from discipulus, the Latin word for pupil, which also provided the source of the word disciple (albeit by way of a Late Latin sense-shift to ‘a follower of Jesus Christ in his lifetime’).”

DISCIPLINE and DISCIPLE come from the same root word – meaning pupil, learner, follower.

I tend to meander through life like a tumbleweed. So easily distracted, often letting circumstances and surroundings dictate my choices and actions. I know I need discipline, but trying in my own strength is (and has been) a sure prescription for failure.

However, being a follower of Christ, His pupil, letting Him lead and guide me into discipline rather than operating in my flesh’s will power – now that spoke to me in my deepest being.

Wikipedia may not be the most reliable sources, but I found this interesting – and true: “In Christianity, disciple primarily refers to a dedicated follower of Jesus. This term is found in the New Testament only in the Gospels and Acts. In the ancient world, a disciple is a follower or adherent of a teacher. It is not the same as being a student in the modern sense. A disciple in the ancient biblical world actively imitated both the life and teaching of the master. It was a deliberate apprenticeship which made the fully formed disciple a living copy of the master.” (emphasis mine)

Oh to be a fully formed disciple, a living copy of Jesus!

I don’t expect an overnight change. But I learned to be consistent when disciplining my young children, and so I trust that as I consistently heed Jesus throughout my day, day after day, His likeness will grow in me.

 “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” John 13:15

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

 

Do you have a word for the year?  Let’s talk about it! Leave your word in the comments.

 

ps – Previous one-words for me include:  Now, Faithfulness, Obey, Purpose., Worship.

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Wise Words For These UNwise Times

Posted on by Susan Panzica

2Ch7

 

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that today there are many squawkers, complaining about our land, how far it’s come from our founding fathers, etc.

But does God call us to complain or to humbly pray for our leaders, the media, educators, etc., and seek God’s face in the middle of the turmoil?

We do need godly people – in political office, casting votes, on the school boards, writing letters to editors, speaking up for the unborn and the downtrodden, being salt and light. ABSOLUTELY!

But we don’t need good people to do things in a bad way – to militantly declare their positions without humility or prayer or seeking God’s face or turning from their own wicked ways.

It seems that people are more interested in OTHERS turning from their wicked ways then themselves doing any turning.

As the body of Christ living in decidedly ungodly times, we are in a position to be Jesus to the world. We must take our behavioral cues from the One who set the standard to follow.

As a 24 year old Jewish girl, I became a believer in Jesus Christ because of His words in the Sermon on the Mount. When I questioned God about His command to love our enemies, He answered with His own words – “if you only love those who love you, even the (sinners) do that.” The difference between His followers and everyone else He created (yes, He created your enemies!) is that His followers speak the truth IN LOVE, they seek to LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY, they desire to LOVE and SERVE THE LEAST OF THESE.

Can we view these turbulent times as opportunities to personally develop in Christ-likeness? And to outwardly show the world the love of Christ – He who came to save THEM?

After Jesus told His disciples to love their enemies, He told them to “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” But how can we be perfect? James, the brother of Jesus, tells us it is through our trials and challenges that we develop perseverance which, in turn, does its work making us mature, complete, perfect (James 1:2). In other words, trials and challenges are opportunities, and as JB Phillips says in his translation, “Welcome your trials as friends.”

Before we stridently say, “I believe her” or “I believe him,” can we say “I believe Him!” and act accordingly?

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt. 5:43-48

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Can you see clearly?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

1 Cor 13-12

Today, I’d like to open with a brief excerpt from my brand new, hot off the press book –  a fairy tale called The Quest.

In the story, young Esperanza dreams of a life beyond the dark village where she lives. She encounters Mai-Lyn and Sienna along the way, and the trio embarks on a perilous quest from the village to the magical garden where the King dwells. In one chapter, a knight takes the girls behind a waterfall and asks them what they see as they look out through the flow of rushing water.  After trying to picture scenes from their journey, the knight said:

“You each see many things that you’ve seen before. But look again; do you see them clearly?”

The girls squinted, peering out through the cascade of water, looking out to the garden and beyond. They had to agree. Though they could discern the places they’d been, they could not see any of them clearly.

“This is how it is when for those who live in the village. My Father and I created all that you see and were meant to enjoy. But those who dwell across the chasm see a poor reflection of what I intended. The lies and deceptions create a veiled view of what truth is.

“What you think is love is at best a deep friendship, and at worst an exploitive relationship. It differs greatly from the sacrificial love that my Father and I have for you.

“In the village, you feel disappointment because you expect perfection, both in yourself and in others, but nothing can truly be perfect apart from a relationship with my Father and me.”

Mai-Lyn opened her mouth to speak, then quickly shut it.

“You want to be strong and independent, but that can lead to isolation. You were called to be strong within community. There is beauty in being part of something greater than yourself, depending upon those even stronger than yourself, and helping those less fortunate.

“You strive to achieve great things, but you miss the greatest thing—your true worth that comes from my Father, the King.

“Let us go now to meet him.”

In 1 Cor. 13, the famous “love chapter,” Paul describes true love, agape love, thay unconditional, patient, kind, perfect love that the Father has for us, His daughters. And then he says,

“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” 1 Cor 13:12NLT

So often, when we look at our lives, the people and circumstances that surround us, we think we see it all clearly. But like looking through a waterfall or a reflection in a mirror, what we see is imperfect. Only God with His omniscient vision can see it all clearly. He can see the present and with it – people’s motives, extenuating circumstances, the bigger picture. He can see the future, and consequently, He has no worries about the outcome.

Our only course of action is to fully understand that we don’t know it all, even if we think we do, and to trust the One who does. As Paul says,

We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. . . . But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. V. 10&13 MSG

  

 

Although the book hasn’t officially launched yet, The Quest is available on Amazon. For more information on or to order, visit https://amzn.to/2I5UGXA.

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