Category: Sue’s Views

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Amazing Love!

Sue’s Views
Is there anything in your life you are ashamed of ….. feel guilty about ….. regret? Welcome to the human race! We’ve all fallen short of God’s standard. We’ve all lied ….. stolen ….. coveted ….. lusted ….. hated ….. blasphemed! That’s why He gave His Son as a sacrifice to die on a cross in our place. When we repent of our sin ….. He exchanges it for His righteousness. What a gift! No matter what we’ve done in the past ….. God forgives and forgets!
Are you struggling with sickness ….. depression ….. rejection ….. grief ….. hurt ….. anxiety or fear? Jesus carried all that on the cross too! He wants to exchange it for His wellness ….. joy ….. peace and love. We only have to believe and ask. So today is very significant! Jesus invites you to come to the cross and lay your burdens down. He’s about to do something amazing! His death was horrific ….. but He defied death and the devil by rising to life on the third day. You too can experience resurrection life! In the words of an old hymn:
‘And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood
Died He for me, who caused His pain
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?’
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter2:24
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Jesus’ Steps

Sue’s Views
Walking with God means persevering even when you feel like giving up. Every step Jesus took toward Jerusalem was a painful one but He endured it because ….. on the other side ….. He saw you and me being reconciled with the Father. The joy in that far outweighed His pain! Are you facing a challenge today? Not sure what lies ahead? He has already walked the path. Try walking it with Him!I 
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‘Come To Me!’

Sue’s Views
If you look at the bloodline of Jesus ….. you will be surprised who is in there. The genealogies mostly only mention men ….. but there are a few exceptions. Three women are mentioned by name and they were all women of ‘ill repute’. Tamar acted as a prostitute in order to get pregnant ….. Rahab made her living as a prostitute ….. and Ruth was a foreigner. But God chose these women to be part of his plan because they all had great faith. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past or where you come from. God will never give up on you! He sees what you can become. He says ‘Come to me’! Image.png

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Clay Vessels

Sue’s Views
No matter how sophisticated we think we are ….. or how famous ….. or how talented ….. we are all made from the same clay! It’s what fills that clay vessel that makes all the difference. God’s Spirit on the inside transforms us from a clay pot ….. to a treasure trove. From a container ….. to a dispenser of His love. So instead of comparing yourself with other pots ….. let Him fill you and do things through you that you have not yet imagined!
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Pass It On!

Sue’s Views
Giving and receiving are two of the major ingredients of life. We can only give what we have ….. and we have nothing apart from what we’ve received. Everything we have comes from God so nothing is really ‘ours’. When we grasp that concept ….. it’s much easier to pass what we have been given on to others. Whether it’s material possessions ….. wisdom from experience ….. or just plain love ….. it’s better shared.
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Weekend Views

Sue’s Views
A few views from our weekend in Orewa! Much improvement has been done since our last visit. The seawall offers protection as well as a pleasant path to walk along. It’s good to see the trees that were suffering from erosion have been replanted and are now stable. The beach is still clean and spacious ….. and the views still stunning! So thankful for this little getaway. Now we are homeward bound!
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Renewed Daily

Sue’s Views
This tree reminds me that ‘though our outward man is dying ….. our inward man is being renewed.’ We are so much more than our bodies. They are the means through which we relate to the world around us. But inside ….. they carry our soul (our mind, will and emotions) ….. and our spirit ( the place where God dwells). This is the part that ….. when yielded to God ….. is renewed daily. It then dictates to our minds and bodies to get in line! We are fearfully and wonderfully made!
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Life Is Like A Board Game!


Sue’s Views
I had fun last night playing Ludo with my grandies! Board games really bring out the true character of a person! There’s the competitive ….. ‘must win at all costs’ type! Then there’s the strategic ….. ‘take their time before making a move’ type. The aim of the game is to get home! Life’s journey is something like a board game. We start out well ….. but then we find ourselves back where we started! We win some battles ….. and we lose some as well. We have to learn to trust God and not rely on our own strategies. There will be disappointments along the way and we will be tempted to cheat or say ‘It’s not fair!’ But if we persevere and play to the rules ….. we will reach our Home! 
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Life’s Journey

Sue’s Views
One thing I’ve learned from my journey so far is that no experience in life is ever wasted. Everything we go through is preparation and training for what lies ahead. Our struggles build strength ….. our mistakes form wisdom and understanding ….. our loneliness leads us to a closer walk with God ….. our losses teach us that everything comes from Him. So ….. there’s no point living with regret ….. guilt ….. or shame! Admit your failures ….. confess your sins ….. seek forgiveness where necessary. Then see the past as your pathway to the future. Then ….. go forward in God’s strength ….. wisdom ….. knowledge and understanding. There are people ahead waiting to be encouraged by your story!
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Psalm 37: 4-5

Sue’s Views
My Word from God this morning was Psalm 37: 4-5.
“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (NASB)
On first impression we may interpret that to mean that if we spend some time praying, reading the Bible and being good ….. He will reward us with the things we want most. But ….. there are always conditions to God’s promises! In this case they are to ‘Delight ourselves in the Lord’ ….. and to ‘Commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him’. 
The more we delight in God, the more we will want what He wants. Our own selfish desires will take second place to doing God’s will. We will discover that His will brings us far more delight than our own will does. It may take us on a path that seems unfamiliar and difficult. That’s where the ‘committing our way to the Lord and trusting Him’ comes in. 
The verse ends with ‘He will do it’. He will help you ….. guide you ….. and give you the strength and ability to complete the task. 
If there is a battle going on in your mind about trust that God has way better plans for your life than you do! Trust Him!
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