Category: <span>thoughts by Suzanne Benner</span>

Serve As Jesus Did
Published July 31, 2019

Serve As Jesus Did

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
John 13:14-15

Jesus came to serve.

The night Judas betrayed Jesus, Jesus gave His disciples an object lesson they wouldn’t forget. Jesus took off His outer clothes, wrapped a towel around His waist and washed His disciples feet. Surely, the disciples felt awkward. Servants normally performed the lowly, grimy job, not their Teacher. In fact, at first Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet.

Although Jesus deserves all the worship, gratitude and obedience of every living being, He didn’t demand His rights when He walked on earth. Instead, the God of the universe humbled Himself, became a man and ministered to the people He created. His service culminated in Him sacrificing Himself on the cross to buy our redemption.

By His example, Jesus showed us that no job is too menial for His followers. We too must not insist on receiving our due. In fact, leaders in God’s kingdom lead by serving others.

Mark records Jesus words.

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45).

Serving as Jesus did means humbly and willingly doing whatever needs doing. Without thought of recognition or personal gain, a follower of Jesus serves in order to show God’s love.

The opportunities to demonstrate God’s love are endless. Cooking, cleaning, errands, baby-sitting, chauffeuring. From picking up dog droppings to helping someone write a resume, lowering yourself elevates God.

God, forgive my arrogance and my need for recognition. Teach me to serve as Jesus served. May the world see Your love through me.

Thought – Think of a practical way that you can serve someone you know and make a plan to do it today. Next, ask God to provide you with an opportunity to serve a stranger today. Keep your eyes open for the person God puts in your path for you to serve.

By Suzanne Benner
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TODAY
Published June 19, 2019

TODAY

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:12-13

The author of Hebrews reminds his readers how their ancestors rebelled against God in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. The people of Israel didn’t trust in God’s power to provide. They didn’t believe he cared about their need for water.

The writer then urges first-century believers — and us — to not fall into the same trap. It’s tough to follow God’s commands and live as disciples of Jesus. The daily struggle with sin can harden our hearts. We can begin to doubt God’s goodness.

Sin tempts us with promises that it can’t deliver. Even so, we sometimes think we can give in to temptation — just for a bit. We whisper to our conscience, “Tomorrow I’ll repent and follow God again.”

But, there’s no such thing as past-tense or future-tense discipleship. Hebrews repeatedly uses the keyword “today.” “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). Not tomorrow. Not yesterday. Today.

If we harden our hearts against God’s voice today, what makes us think we will listen tomorrow?

Every day, we can choose to listen to God’s voice or to harden our hearts against him. And every day, we have an opportunity to encourage one another to keep following Jesus, even when the road is difficult.

Dear heavenly Father, I choose to follow you today. Keep my heart soft and sensitive to your voice. Bring other believers into my life to encourage me and may I encourage those around me to keep seeking you. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Promise of Redemption
Published March 2, 2019

Promise of Redemption

“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”
Isaiah 1:18

We find promises of redemption sprinkled throughout Isaiah’s book. To redeem means to buy back or pay off–to satisfy a debt.

With these words, Isaiah prophesies a day of atonement, a time of cleansing, a sure salvation.

When we examine ourselves honestly, we see our sin. We recognize that we can’t fix our mistakes or stop sinning on our own. That’s why the promise of redemption brings such hope and joy and peace.

We need cleansing. We need forgiveness. We need a Savior.

Listen to God’s words recorded by Isaiah:

“The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.” (Isaiah 4:4)

“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’” (Isaiah 43:1)

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)

These promises from the past point to our present reality. Jesus Christ—the Redeemer—came to save us.

God, thank you for giving me the promise of redemption. I acknowledge that You are my King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: You are the first and the last; apart from You there is no God. I proclaim, my Redeemer—the LORD Almighty is his name—is the Holy One. Amen.

Questions: How can I live out the forgiveness Jesus offers me? Do I always see Him as my Savior?

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

Jesus loves you.

He died for you on the cross, and then He rose again, defeating death forever. The pain in this world is not the final word. The empty tomb on Easter morning is!

If a relationship with God is something you crave, it can start here and now.  God cares far less about your words than the attitude of your heart.  So tell Him what you’re thinking.  Here is suggestion:

God, I believe that you created me to know you.  Thank you for sending your son Jesus, as a sacrifice to pay the penalty that I deserve.  I believe that his death and resurrection has restored me to you.  Please forgive me for everything that has offended you.  Take first place in my life and help me become the person that you created me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

If you prayed this prayer we would love to hear from you . If you would like to know God deeper we can connect you with an email mentor and/or send you some great links.

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Further Understanding:

Four Spiritual Laws

How To Be Sure You Are a Christian

Now that I am a Christian,What’s Next? – 4 Starter Lessons in a printable pdf file

Reading the Bible – where to start?

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The Power of Life and Death
Published November 25, 2018

The Power of Life and Death

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

Words. We all know the damage careless talk brings. Most likely we all have spoken and heard things that were better left unsaid.

Yet, words can also encourage, strengthen, comfort, inspire and teach.

Proverbs 10 tells how the wise and upright person uses words:

  • the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life (10:11);
  • the lips of the righteous nourish many (10:21);
  • the mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom (10:31).

Life-giving words come from a righteous and wise person. What incredible power we have been given! Instead of cheap words or trite platitudes, we can offer rare treasures.

The Bible describes a righteous person as one who believes God (Genesis 15:6) and a wise person as one who fears God (Proverbs 9:10). So, when we trust Jesus to save us, and then submit ourselves to His will and His way, we become both righteous and wise.

In the New Testament, James instructs his readers that, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). Paul tells believers, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

In a world that bombards us with meaningless and hurtful words, we can speak wise, kind, nourishing truths that build up people.

Holy God, may I understand the incredible power of my words. I want my conversations to be life-giving. Spirit of the living God, make me righteous and wise. Speak through me. Amen.

— Read James, Chapter 3. Write down everything you learn about the tongue and wisdom.

By Suzanne Benner

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Who God Is
Published September 29, 2018

Who God Is

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7

What forms your idea of God? Childhood memories, personal experiences, and unmet expectations can create a skewed picture of God. To rightly understand who God is, we must look to the only completely reliable source: God Himself, as He reveals Himself in His Word.

In the verses above, God proclaimed His name to reveal Himself to Moses. English Bibles translate God’s personal name as “LORD.” In Hebrew, only the consonants “YHWH” appear. The name Jews considered so holy that they dared not speak it or even write it completely, is “I AM.” With His name, God corrected the Israelites’ misconceptions. Not a calf formed out of gold earrings (Exodus 32:2-4). Not the image of anything in heaven or on earth. The self-existent One. Not made by anyone.

Merciful and gracious. Although ready to destroy the Israelites because of their idolatry, God relented when Moses interceded on their behalf (Exodus 32:7-14). The people deserved death; God gave mercy.

Faithless, grumbling and quarreling, the people questioned God’s love. Yet God did not change with the Israelites’ feelings. His abounding, steadfast love remained the same.

Forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, but by no means clearing the guilty. This statement must have puzzled Moses. How could God forgive sin without clearing the guilty? How could God be both forgiving and just?

Not until Jesus’ death and resurrection could we truly understand this mystery. But the Bible has been clear all along. God is who He says He is.

Holy God, when you revealed yourself to Moses, he “quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Exodus 34:8). May I do the same. You are. You always have been. You always will be. You are merciful and gracious, far beyond what I can comprehend. Teach me to think rightly about who you are. Thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner

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Let it GoProverbs 17:9
Published August 16, 2018

Let it Go

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”Proverbs 17:9

No one likes to be reminded of their mistakes. An insensitive word. A foolish act that costs both money and credibility. The time we let anger control us.

Let’s face it — we all sin.

So, we experience great joy when we understand that God forgives our evil thoughts and actions. The psalmist writes, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12).

Unfortunately, while we like to have our wrong deeds erased, as humans, we tend to hold on to the hurt that others cause us. Sometimes, we like the attention. So, we nurse a wound, repeat the story, and gain support from others about the poor treatment we received. Other times, we like the power we gain when we hold a past mistake over someone else’s head.

Each day provides plentiful opportunities to take offense. A friend ignores you, a stranger rudely takes advantage of you, a family member speaks unkindly to you. But, we can choose how we respond.

Covering an offense costs us. Seeking love, more than being right, requires humility and grace. Releasing the offender requires forgiveness. Yet, the reward outweighs the cost. We discover that freedom comes when we “let it go.”

God shows us the way. God loved us when we were, to others, unlovable, so that we could love others in turn. He forgave us, and gives us the power to forgive.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the sound advice this proverb gives me. Help me not to be touchy or super-sensitive. Help me to see beyond the offense to the person. I want to value relationships more than being right. Show me how to let it go. Amen.

Thought — If you have allowed some offense to fester in your heart, confess it to God. Ask Him to show you how to move forward.
Read: The Power of Forgiveness

By Suzanne Benner

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Born to Worshiphands surrender praise pray
Published April 8, 2018

Born to Worship

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25

Human beings were created to worship. Unfortunately, we are easily misled into worshiping men who were created rather than our Creator, God Almighty. We must guard against worshiping men or allowing people to worship us.

The New Testament gives examples of our propensity to worship men in Acts 10:25, 26:

“As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. ‘Stand up,’ he said, ‘I am only a man myself.’”

Even the apostle John was tempted to worship a created being:

“And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, ‘Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!’” (Revelation 22:8, 9)

Why are we so prone to worship men? When are you tempted to allow others to worship you?

Holy God, You alone are worthy of our worship. May I never worship anyone but You, nor allow anyone to worship me. Amen.

Thought: Ask God to show you if there’s anything in your life that you are worshiping.

by Suzanne Benner
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The Lie that Leads to Pride
Published January 10, 2018

The Lie that Leads to Pride

“In the pride of your heart you say, ‘I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.’ But you are a mere mortal and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.” Ezekiel 28:2

By God’s Holy Spirit, the words of the Old Testament prophets reach across time and speak into our current experience. Often the prophetic oracles spoken by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, or others, held layers of meaning, with both a current and distant fulfillment. These messages from God hold truth — principles for living a holy life in the 21st century.

In Ezekiel’s prophecy against the ruler of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:1-19), we discover powerful words about the attitude that lead to pride: “By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud” (Ezekiel 28:5). And also: “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:17).

Pride corrupts power, great skill, wealth, beauty, and wisdom. The insidious work of pride rises from a faulty belief. When we think our knowledge, our beauty, our influence, our abilities, or our belongings come from ourselves, we believe a lie.

The Bible clearly teaches that every good thing we possess comes from God. Paul challenged the Corinthian church when they bragged that one person was better than another. “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

We fall into the trap of pride when we trust in the gift — beauty, skill, wisdom — rather than the Giver, God Almighty. Let us heed Ezekiel’s warning by humbly acknowledging that our abilities and advantages come from God.

Holy God, You are the giver of all good gifts. Everything I have and everything I am comes from you. Forgive me for thinking that I produced or earned or deserved anything I have. Keep me from pride. Amen.

Consider this — Read Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:5 How does God deal with proud people?

By Suzanne Benner
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The Beginning of WisdomThe beginning of wisdom
Published December 28, 2017

The Beginning of Wisdom

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7

Beyond the connection between fearing God and righteous living, the Bible presents a tight link between the fear of the Lord and wisdom.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding.” (Psalm 111:10)

“The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28)

“A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil.” (Proverbs 14:16)

“The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom.” (Proverbs 15:33)

Once we’ve accepted that we need to fear the Lord, we pursue the path of wisdom. At the same time, seeking wisdom helps us understand what it means to fear God.

“My son, if you accept my [wisdom’s] words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-5)

We will understand the fear of the Lord by:

• Accepting God’s words
• Storing up God’s commands
• Turning our ears to wisdom
• Applying our hearts to understanding
• Crying aloud for understanding
• Searching for wisdom as for hidden treasure

Seeking wisdom and fearing God requires a concerted effort. The two go hand in hand. Wisdom begins with fearing the Lord. We must acknowledge His authority to rule our lives and submit to His will. Then, as we listen to and accept God’s words, as we apply His commands to our hearts and ask Him to give us understanding, we start to make sense of the difficult concept of fearing God.

God, lead me on the path to wisdom. Teach me to fear You. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Entrust Youself to God1 Peter 2:23 “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;... Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Published August 11, 2017

Entrust Youself to God

1 Peter 2:23 “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;... Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

“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 2:23

Deep within us resides a longing for justice. We want evil punished and good rewarded. Yet, all around us we see evil celebrated and good penalized. When society blurs the lines between right and wrong, truth stumbles and justice fails (Isaiah 59:14).

When wrongly accused, Jesus didn’t fight back. He suffered the ultimate injustice. Although Jesus was completely innocent, He was put to death. As Jesus entrusted Himself to God, we should strive to do the same.

Peter tells believers how to handle injustice toward themselves, particularly when injustice comes as a result of their faith in Jesus. Peter repeats the idea of entrusting ourselves to God later in the same letter. “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19).

God is our faithful Creator. God is the One who judges justly. When we rely on God’s faithfulness, His goodness, and His justice, we can keep on doing good even though we are treated unjustly. We can keep on living for the truth and trust God to look after us.

Put yourself in God’s hands. Know that you can trust Him to care for you, regardless of what people say or do to you.

Heavenly Father, it is so hard to not demand my rights or defend myself when someone takes advantage of me. Demonstrate your power in my life by giving me the strength to act as Jesus did. I submit myself to you. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner

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Heavenly WisdomWisdom, two kinds. A devotional
Published April 19, 2017

Heavenly Wisdom

Wisdom, two kinds. A devotional

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” James 3:17

James describes two kinds of wisdom ? the kind from heaven and the one from earth (James 3:13-18). The wisdom of this world focuses on self. Selfish ambition and bitter envy naturally dwell in human hearts. People generally look out for their own interests.

On the other hand, “wisdom from above” or “God’s kind of wisdom” (NLT) flows from God’s character. In the passage above, James states that after the foundation of purity, being peace-loving appears as the second most important aspect of heavenly wisdom.

Loving peace requires all the elements of God’s wisdom ? purity, the consideration of others, and humble submission to God and His way. In order to truly live out God’s call to peace, we need God’s mercy, as found in His righteous character, and His unbiased and genuine love.

Peace-lovers desire unity and harmony more than being right. They consider listening to others as more important than airing their own opinions. Peace-lovers value people more than tasks.

Yet, loving peace doesn’t mean peace at any cost. Rather, peace-lovers willingly pay the cost of peace by denying themselves. In the journey toward wisdom, loving peace marks a significant milestone, because loving peace highlights the difference between worldly wisdom (self-promotion) and heavenly wisdom (submission to God).

Holy Spirit, make me a peace-lover. I want to live my life with heavenly wisdom, not the wisdom of this world. Amen.

Suzanne Benner
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Worthy is the Lambdevotional easter
Published February 27, 2017

Worthy is the Lamb

devotional easter

Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. He died because of our sin. With His blood, shed on the cross, Jesus purchased us for God.

Scripture speaks of the universality of sin:

•    No one is righteous (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:10).
•    Everyone turns away from God (Psalm 53:3; Romans 3:12).
•    All people sin (Romans 3:23).

Our own experience confirms this truth. Loved ones betray us. Coworkers steal our ideas or envy our success. Selfishness, anger, and pride linger in our hearts and minds, resisting our efforts to squelch them. Even little children lie — almost as soon as they can speak.

And sin skews our understanding. With this distorted view, we worship people, things, and accomplishments instead of worshiping God alone. Only one person, in all of history, lived a sinless life. Only one person died in order to buy back human beings who were estranged from their Creator. Jesus, the Messiah, gave His life in exchange for ours.

No one else did what Jesus did. Therefore no one else is worthy of our worship. Only Jesus, together with God the Father — the Savior and Creator of the world — is worthy to receive power, wealth, strength, wisdom, glory, honor, thanks, and praise.

Lamb of God, You alone are worthy of my worship. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner

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Called to HolinessCalled to Holiness
Published October 24, 2016

Called to Holiness

Called to Holiness

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” 2 Timothy 1:9

You have a calling. A purpose. A role to play in God’s great story.

This calling is to a way of life regardless of your profession. God calls every person who has received His salvation to live a holy life.

In fact, New Testament writers had the habit of referring to believers as “saints” or “God’s holy people.” In every thought, every word, and in every deed, God calls His followers to walk in the way of righteousness.

In his first letter to believers scattered around the world, Peter explains much about our call to holiness (1 Peter 1:1-2).

•    We live holy lives, not to try to earn salvation — that’s impossible — but because God is holy and we want to be like Him. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15).

•    Holiness is not a life of legalism or rule following. It’s a life of freedom from sin and of surrendering to God’s way. “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves” (1 Peter 2:16).

•    Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us the power to live holy lives. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

•    Holy living brings glory to God as we show others by our words and actions how God has changed us. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

God calls us to be holy, because He is holy, so that our lives will draw others to Him. This high calling lifts our eyes to Jesus, the One who saves us freely and the One who makes us holy with our cooperation.

Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me Your own and giving me a purpose. Make me holy as You are holy. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner

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thoughts by Suzanne Benner Thoughts by Women