“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19)

“Then God surveyed everything He had made, savoring its beauty and appreciating ITS GOODNESS.” (Genesis 1:31 VOICE)

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching THE GOSPEL of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about DOING GOOD, and HEALING all that were oppressed of the devil; FOR GOD WAS WITH HIM.” (Acts 10:38)

The words of a commercial caught my attention the other day, spoken from a multitude of voices. "In these uncertain times ..."

I sat up straight. Uncertain? Not for me. Not for every child of Almighty God.

The prophet Isaiah stated: "Therefore this is what the LORD God says: "Look! I am laying a foundation stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation." (Is 28:16 ISV)

A SURE FOUNDATION is one that is certain. It is established and dependable. (H3245)

We read this once more in 2 Timothy 2:19: "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure." 

The Greek word translated "sure" here means "stiff, solid, stable." Here again, we have something we can rely on. (G4731)



God is not random, never has been. He is specific and strategic. (Is 11:1-2 TPT) Every word He speaks goes forth to do as He's directed and it will prosper and succeed. (Is 55:11)

No circumstance, tragedy, or happening on this earth catches Him by surprise. We've read some of the Scriptures that way, as if He had to adjust what He was doing to make up for what He hadn't planned.

But hear, again, the Word of God.

"There is not one person who can hide their thoughts from God, for nothing that we do remains a secret, and nothing created is concealed, but everything is exposed and defenseless before his eyes, to whom we must render an account." (Heb 4:13 TPT)

God sees it all and knows it all already. There is great comfort in that. He has a plan for it, a way to work things out for our good. (Rm 8:28) We need only believe and have "patient endurance," which the Bible says will save our souls. (Lk 21:19 TPT) I know many days I need my soul to be rescued when emotions threaten to tear down my peace of mind.

We believe in a God who does not change. (Mal 3:6) He doesn't have mood swings that catch Him by surprise, but He is well able and willing to perform every word He has promised. (Rm 4:21)

His Word is:

Alive and full of power (Heb 4:12 AMPC; Lk 1:37)
Effectual (1Th 2:13 AMPC)
Accomplished (Jer 1:12 VOICE)
Prosperous (Is 55:11)
Fulfilled (Num 23:19 ISV; Lk 4:21)
Eternal (Is 40:8; 1Pe 1:23)
Everlasting (Jn 12:50)
Living (1Pe 1:23)
Faithful (Tit 1:9)
Secure (Ps 18:30 TPT)

We need not be uncertain and fearful about anything in front of us. Even the return of the Lord, though the day and hour are not revealed to us, our attitude about it already is.

"The day of the Lord will race onto the scene and surprise us like a thief in the night. ³ People will be going about their business chanting, “All is well! All is at peace!” and in the next moment, ruin and destruction will suddenly seize them as labor pains grip a woman about to give birth; for them there will be no escape. ⁴ My brothers and sisters, it will be different for you. You do not dwell in the darkness, so that day will not surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light. You are sons and daughters of the day. We are not created of night, nor are we owned by darkness ... but since we belong to the day, we should stay sober and in control, covered with a breastplate of faith and love and a helmet of the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us, His chosen, to face His wrath but to be the heirs of salvation through our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, ¹⁰ who died for us." (1Th 5:2-5, 8-11 VOICE)

 What an amazing promise! We are children of the light, heirs of salvation, not surprised by the signs of the times at all. We have within us a recreated spirit, made new. This has given us ears to hear the Holy Spirit speak of the deep things of God. What sounds like foolishness to the world is wisdom and understanding to us. No more walking in the dark, stumbling over what we cannot see. (1Co 2:9-10, 12, 16)

Hear the Word of the Lord:  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jer 29:11)

An EXPECTED end. I love those words. The final result of my life, of your life, of the lives of God's children, is EXPECTED. It is planned out, sure and certain, full of hope and successful. (Jer 29:11 CEV)

"This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." (Ps 118:23)

God makes no mistakes. He needs no do-overs. He is SURE. His counsels are FIXED and CERTAIN. Even better, He is willing and eager to do everything He's promised, and it will be "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Eph 3:20)

We can rely on that 100%.


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
www.suzannedwilliams.com 


A Good Life
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In the dream, I stood in a department store, shopping with my daughter, and I looked continuously over my shoulder. An evil organization was after my life.

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) 

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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
www.suzannedwilliams.com

Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God's word. (Mk 7:13 GW)

My mother tells a story of someone she spoke with in her years of ministry, a woman seeking a solution to a personal issue. The woman couldn’t get past the words her mama had said to her years ago to make any changes. Whatever “Mama said” had become too fixed in her thinking.

I had an occasion to think of this recently. All men and women are fallible. The only true foundation for our thinking and actions is God’s Word and the life of Christ. When anything else contradicts that, whether it’s Mama or a job or a circumstance, then that thought pattern should be discarded.

Hebrews 12:2 in the Voice Translation says, “Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith.”

Focused on Jesus. Not gender or culture or skin color or any other personal heritage. Not where I grew up or because I’m a redhead or I’m a particular denomination. Nothing else is to guide our behavior but Christ. As He acted and reacted, we are to act and react.

Philippians 2 speaks to this clearly.

“Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had, who … humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” (Php 2:5, 8 GW)

Jesus was humble. This doesn’t mean He was weak. He stood up to the church leaders many times. But He also said His words and actions were the Father’s, and He was obedient in that attitude of humbleness. Where God said to go, He went. Who the Father said to touch and heal, He did that. When faced with death on the cross, though His mind stumbled, He obeyed. (Jn 14:7-8; Lk 22:42)

It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him. (Php 2:13 GW)

God is the guide to my behavior, and where I am wrong in it, He can change me to think like Him. But I must commit myself to that change and be willing to set aside whatever is keeping me from living like Christ. I must listen to the Holy Spirit speaking within me and obey Him, and sometimes, that means not doing what you’ve always done.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

In Mark 10, Jesus faced a young man who struggled with this. The young man had inquired how to receive eternal life. Jesus didn’t mention His upcoming death or even prayer. Instead, He spoke of obedience. He said:

“One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” (Mk 10:21)

This proved too much, and it says the young man went away sad. He valued his possessions more than following Christ.

We tend to commiserate with the young man, thinking of all he’d be giving up and how hard that would be, but in that, we lose sight of our ourselves. What have we put in place of our obedience? Unforgiveness? Do we hold a long-seated grudge? What is our excuse?

In another parable, Jesus tells the story of men called to a banquet, but they were full of excuses not to attend. My job, my wife, my business ... each had a reason not to go. (Lk 14:16-20) Sound familiar? We must stop making excuses for not doing what God has asked of us. There should be no more “because of” this or that.

God sees our pathway in its entirety. Where we don’t know how to walk, He will guide us. How much longer will the distance take if we drag our feet?

Image by photoAC from Pixabay

In the parable of the sower, lack of obedience caused the seeds planted not to produce fruit. It isn’t that the seed is tossed out willy-nilly like Mardi Gras beads, and we get what we get. No, we choose to be fertile soil or not.

“When any one heareth the word of the kingdom …” (Mt 13:19)

“But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word …” (Mt 13:20)

“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word …” (Mt 13:21)

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word …” (Mt 13:22)

Everyone heard the Word, but only one man took the time to set aside the distractions of life and dedicate his heart to obedience. That obedience is what gave him understanding and enabled the seed to grow and produce one hundredfold.

Nothing that speaks to me outside of the Word of God is worth the price paid for me to listen. Not when God has promised that obedience will make of me a better person, someone kinder and more merciful, someone full of love. Someone fruitful.

He will not leave us destitute and penniless in our obedience. That’s what we’ve thought. The poor young man would live from then on wearing rags and eating beans. But obedience to God is amazing. For in that same chapter, Jesus makes it clear—whatever we must give up, He has promised abundantly more in return.

“There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mk 10:29-30)

Did you catch that? I don’t know about you, but that moves me forward, one step at a time, one day at a time, looking toward God in hope and faith, with patience. In obedience. For in Him I live and move. In Him, I exist at all. (Act 17:28 CEV)

“If you have died with Christ to the world’s way of doing things, why do you let others tell you how to live? It’s as though you were still under the world’s influence.” (Col 2:20 GW)

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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
https://sdwauthor.blogspot.com/

Did I tell you?

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Act 10:38)

Did I explain it?

That’s God-power. Dunamis.

“Strength power, ability; inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth; power for performing miracles; moral power and excellence of soul; the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth; power and resources arising from numbers; power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts” (G1411, Thayer’s Greek Definitions)

Do you get that?

The STRENGTH of God, the very power INHERENT in Him by VIRTUE OF HIS NATURE. The power GOD EXERTS. Power for PERFORMING MIRACLES. HEALING POWER.

MORAL POWER. To be like Jesus. Jesus was humble, gentle. Jesus was righteous. He had EXCELLENCE OF SOUL. Integrity. He walked in the truth.

He had INFLUENCE.

Image courtesy of Lightstock.com

Have I told you? God has a reputation to uphold.

There were these men running scared, and they needed to get rid of dead weight. Literally. So they toss this dead man they have into a sepulcher that just happened to be Elisha’s. But really there was nothing left of him, just bones. Except the life of God they contained lingered so strongly that it filled the dead man’s body and … Oops. There he is. (2Ki 13:21)

Did I tell you? How God anointed Jesus, the Son of God, with power and how Jesus anointed you and me.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”  (Jn 14:12)

Greater than Lazarus. Dead for 3 days, walking out wrapped in his grave clothes. (Jn 11:43) Greater than raising a father’s little girl from death with two words. (Mk 5:41-42) Greater than healing a leper from an incurable, deadly disease. (Mt 8:2-3) Greater than healing a man crippled for 38 years. (Jn 5:8) Greater than all of that.

Have you read it?

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Act 2:2-4)

Mary, the mother of our Lord, was there and the 11 disciples, all totaled, some 120 people.

Did you know that? Did you know they were SO LOUD the populace on the street heard them? 120 people speaking of the greatness of God in languages they did not learn, and passersby are flipping out.

“What is going on?”

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

Then Peter. Oh, Peter. I love Peter. The DUNAMIS on him spread fiery in his words.

“For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh …” (Act 2:15-17)

“This is that,” he said. “This is the POWER of God at work. This is us as WITNESSES of Him. This is the GREATER THINGS of God in us from here on out. Just wait and see what God can do.”

Do you know what God can do? Have I told you?

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”  (Act 4:13-14)

A crippled man everyone knew, a man EVERYONE SAW sit daily at the gate, stood in front of the religious men and they had NO WORDS to refute it. They couldn’t talk!

A GREATER THING had happened through Holy Ghost POWER. Something just like that dadburn Jesus.

“Thought we got rid of Him. Thought we shut Him up. Thought we proved ourselves correct, once and for all.”

But nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. This group of unlearned, untaught, unscholarly men did something MIRACULOUS that no one could argue with. God-proved. 

And look out! The power’s spreading. Thousands are listening. Thousands are receiving. Churches are popping up everywhere. The GREATER ONE is changing lives.

“What in the world happened to Saul? He was one of us. He was on our side! SOMEBODY STOP HIM.”

Image courtesty of NASA

Did I tell you? Jesus predicted all of it.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Act 1:8)

Did you get that?

“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” (Act 1:11)

“What are you DOING here?” the angelic messenger asked.

“Why are you standing here IDLE?” Jesus’ asked in a parable. (Mt 20:5)

GO into all the world and preach the GOOD NEWS that the Jesus they crucified, Jesus who HEALED all those OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL, that Jesus and the POWER of the Holy Ghost will spread like wildfire. GO tell everyone that HIS NATURE in you will do GREATER THINGS than they can imagine.

Tell them you are witnesses.

“Look what God has done in me. Look what He can do through me. Look what He can do in you.’”

Did I tell you?

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1Co 12:27)

“Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” (Luk 10:37)

Do you receive it?


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Suzanne D. Williams
www.suzannedwilliams.com