by Suellen | Why Jesus?
People who know Mickey and me today, know us as ministers. We’ve pastored a church, written books, have been speakers and missionaries. We also have a terrific family with 4 married children, 14 grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
We love life and love each other.
Many people know that the source of all of these blessings is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What many don’t know is that each of us had very dramatic encounters with Jesus which turned our lives around.
I want to share my story here…
It Was the End of the World As I Knew It…
I was lying face down on the floor of my suburban Atlanta home. Shattered. Exhausted. Afraid.
I had a good job and three adorable daughters. But I was overworked, trying to take care of everyone and everything. I was tired, emotionally drained, and constantly worrying about the well being of my daughters.
You see, two years before, I had gone through a very painful divorce that had left me feeling ashamed and lonely. My family didn’t believe in divorce. I didn’t believe in it. But there I was.
The world I had known had ended. The world that had started out seeming so good…
That world had started in college, when I wanted to think of myself as an intellectual. So when I read books written by a leading “scholar” from Yale Theological Seminary, I believed them. After all, he was from Yale. He must know what he’s talking about, right?
Not necessarily.
And when this “scholar” attempted to remove all of the miracles from the Bible, not much was left. I began to doubt my faith.
It seemed the fad in those days was to denounce or “modify” Christianity. I was attending a Liberal Arts College with a supposed Christian orientation, and one of our courses was on the Bible. So we analyzed and looked for “myths.” And one of the professors with lots of charisma pointed out many concepts which he considered to be myths.
Once again, I thought the professor was smart, and I believed him.
The outcome was that I continued to consider myself a Christian, but with modified beliefs. I no longer understood what the life of Jesus had accomplished. I began to think of Him as a good man. Like many other Good Men who headed up other world religions.
Soon after college, I married a like-minded man, and we began our lives together. I loved decorating our home and entertaining friends. Over the next thirteen years, I gave birth to 3 beautiful daughters, and loved being their mother.
It started out as fun. Lots of ballgames. Plays. Concerts. Travel. Parties.
The Bible had been moved back from the frontlines. Society began to dictate my thoughts and my lifestyle. I wanted to be up to date on the latest styles and topics. To know what was going on in the world. To read the latest books.
After all, my active social life required that I would be up to date on these things.
Oh, did I mention that this social lifestyle also included lots of social – and maybe not so social – drinking? Well it did.
And arguments. And more and more confusion.
In fact, things got so that they weren’t much fun anymore…
Then came the crash…and a crash it was!! A bitter divorce.
Depressed, lonely, angry, and afraid, for the next two years, I attempted to put together a single life that made sense to me. But all I could find was overwhelm. My job provided most of our needs, but I was exhausted.
So the night came when I had had enough. As my adorable girls slept, I fell face down on the floor of my den and I prayed.
It wasn’t a traditional prayer.
Forget all the books. Forget all the intellectual rhetoric.
I had a tremendous need for help.
Who cares what some professor thinks now?
I was desperate…
Jesus, if you are real, I need you. And I want you in my life.
What happened next was astonishing. It was almost instantaneous. The tears left. The fear, the sadness, the overwhelm disappeared. What was left was overwhelming joy.
It was shocking. Could this be real? What’s happening?
In an instant I had changed. I knew that Jesus was alive, and I knew that He had impacted me. I felt a warmth like liquid love being poured out on me.
I had no idea of the adventurous life He was about to lead me into. I just knew that everything was going to be O.K.
The next few days are memorable because I could tell that I wasn’t the same. My attitude – toward people – toward my own life – was different.
And I had a hunger to read the Bible. I threw off the concepts which I had borrowed from others, and began to allow the Bible to speak to me personally. And it was speaking volumes.
I ran across the verse which says,
If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things are passed away and behold all things have become new. And all of these new things are of God. (II Corinthians 5:17).
That obviously had happened to me. I could tell that I wasn’t the same. Amazing!
I remember that encounter with Jesus as if it happened yesterday, but really it happened to me many years ago.
The end of my world was the beginning of a new one. A world with more clarity. More understanding. More courage. More love and faith. And true happiness – which can only come from our Father God.
A few years later, I met my current husband who also had had a dramatic encounter. His story is different, but he too met Jesus personally while alone in his home. And he too had a dramatic change in his life. Soon after our marriage, we had a son to go with our three daughters.
We have spent the last few decades on an adventure with God. Never boring. Many times challenging. But always filled with a knowledge of God’s love and care for us.
We’ve seen many miracles along the way.
Now your own personal encounter can happen for you also. You don’t have to be in a church. It can happen in your home – or anywhere.
Here’s the thing…
With every other religion the purpose is to follow a certain set of rules – or a certain philosophy. They all sound good. They all promote compassion toward others and doing good deeds
What I had never understood before my salvation was that with Jesus, it’s not about believing a philosophy or following a set of rules. It is about literally receiving His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to come and live inside of us. Making us new. Fresh. And Alive. Truly being Born Again.
You see, the other dead philosophers are not living in our realm. Jesus is. He was resurrected and is alive. He is in heaven, but His spirit is here living inside of us when we receive Him. Right here. Right now.
My prayer is for you, as you read this, to have your faith strengthened, If you are a believer.
If you are not a believer, let me encourage you to seek Jesus. Ask Him to show you the truth. Is He real? Yes, He is. And He is eager to turn your life around also.
Your story won’t be like mine. Every one is different.
But Jesus will begin a new life which you never knew existed. A life of love, peace, and great joy.
And as you continue, you will grow in your understanding of who He is and who you are in His Kingdom.
You’ll read the Bible with fresh eyes. Verses will leap off the page and you will know that your Heavenly Father is speaking to you personally.
My prayer is that you, too, seek Jesus.
Do it! The love of God is waiting for you.
by Suellen | Angels
What Are Your Angels Doing?
Mom! Dad! I’m scared! Our 4 year old son had jumped out of bed and run into our room.
You see, we were in a season of transition, and were temporarily living in a rental house near some railroad tracks. Every night a train passed through.
Our son was afraid that a man was riding on top of the train and would jump off and come into his window.
His active little mind had clearly embellished this picture, and he was quite shaken.
So we prayed, and I helped him get back to sleep.
The next morning, he excitedly surprised us as he said, “I’m not going to be afraid of the train anymore.”
Great!
And then the real surprise…
”Three tall shiny men came into my room last night and told me not to be afraid. So I’m not afraid anymore.”
And he wasn’t. Ever again.
Only three tall, shiny angels could have accomplished such a feat. Their presence instilled faith and not fear, totally obliterating the anxiety of a four year old.
Over the years I have had many other encounters with angels. Sometimes they appeared as people. Other times I saw nothing but the effects of their presence.
But they were real, and the proof was in the results when they showed up.
Each time, after the instance, we would say, “That had to be an angel.”
Yet though I have been aware of angels, I have never taught about them – or written about them.
One reason is that we are not to worship angels. They are part of God’s great kingdom, but only our triune God is to be worshiped. Sometimes people get into error by seeking angels, when they need to seek Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
But recently I felt a nudge from Holy Spirit to share some thoughts about angels.
Of course, it’s clear from reading the Bible that angels are busy among us.
The Hebrew word for angel appears in the Old testament 214 times. The Greek word for angel appears in the New Testament 186 times. That’s a total of 400 times.
Obviously our Father wants us to know about them.
Hebrews 1:14 says that angels are ministering spirits (servants) who come to the aid of God’s people. And Paul later remarks that we should show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so, some have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
Interesting, isn’t it?
So why do we need to know anything about angels?
First, when we are going through difficult situations, it builds our faith to realize that God has His troops working on our behalf. Protecting us. Guarding us.
In II Kings 6:15 Elisha’s servant arose before the prophet, and discovered that the city was surrounded by enemy armies. Horses and chariots were all around them.
Frightened, he ran to tell his boss: They were in big trouble.
But he was in for a surprise.
Elisha said, Don’t be afraid. More are those with us than those with them… Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.
Then to the servant’s amazement, his eyes were opened to see into the spiritual world – and what a sight!
Horses and chariots of fire covered the hills all around Elisha.
Needless to say, the prophet and his servant won the battle – even though there were only two people. They were assisted by an angelic host.
And then there is a second reason to be aware of angels, which seems more important.
We, as Christians, can actually be involved in commissioning them.
That’s what we especially need to learn about.
Psalm 103:20 says Praise the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His Word, obeying the voice of His Word. (NASB)
The angels perform the voice of God’s Word. And what gives it the voice?
We do.
When we speak God’s Word in faith, the angels stand to attention and get to work performing that Word.
All of the spirit realm obeys the voice of God’s Word. Angels and demons alike.
Remember how Jesus addressed Satan while being tempted in the wilderness. (Luke 4:1). Again and again, His response to the temptation was It is written…and He quoted scripture.
God’s Word was the reply He gave to the devil…who finally had to flee for a time. Demons – as well as angels – obey God’s spoken Word. When it is spoken in faith.
Even though we knew this, and had operated in it on occasion, my husband had an experience some years ago which has stayed with us.
A number of years ago, as one of our teenage daughters was going through a rough spot, we were praying – and worrying.
You know, the kind of prayer when it’s as if you are trying to row a boat without your “oar in the water.” We were going through motions, but there was not much faith involved.
We were mostly worrying.
Suddenly my husband had a vision. He saw what looked like an ice hockey arena. And all of the players were in the penalty box. None of them were on the rink playing the game.
He quickly realized that those figures crowded in the box were angels and all of them were looking at him. As if to say, Say the Word…
My husband stopped wringing his hands and started speaking God’s Word concerning our children. Immediately, he saw the angels leave the penalty box and get to work.
He had commissioned the angels by speaking God’s Word.
Very soon the issue with our daughter was resolved.
When we look at the Bible and at the many examples of angels in action, we realize how significant they are in our lives. They are working on our behalf as we go about our daily routines.
And when we face difficulties, we can speak the Word of God, and angels will come to our rescue.
So back to my original question: what are your angels doing?
If you are facing a difficult time, let me challenge you to find the scripture concerning your problem. Then begin to speak that word.
It’s an exciting life we live when we live it with our God – and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
He will give us wisdom so that we can live our best life. And the hosts of heaven will be working to perform God’s purposes for us.
by Suellen | Bishop Coleman, Lifestyle
Do you get inspired by trailblazers as much as I do?
When I encounter someone who has heard from God and pushed through the brush, making a way for others, I always stand in awe. You know that it takes courage – ignoring the nay-sayers and the obstacles which arise. It also takes dedication, determination, and good old fashioned hard work.
A few years ago, I had the privilege of spending a good deal of time with a trailblazer – and his wife, who is one also.. He has shared some advice for the rest of us, so I thought I would share it also.
1. Be ready for the work involved.
As my husband and I sat in the den of Bishop Hardy Coleman and his wife, I asked, “What advice would you give to younger ministers who really want to make a difference?” Mother Ann, as she is lovingly called, was the first to answer. “They see the glory, but they don’t know the story,” she quickly quipped.
(more…)
by Suellen | Prayer, Uncategorized
As I talk to people who are going through tough times, one of the primary problems they face is confusion. Why is this happening? And what can I do about it?
When we are under pressure, it’s hard to think clearly. Our thoughts become cloudy as we deal with the emotions of the moment.
But there are a couple of verses nearly hidden in the 5th chapter of I John which start to push back those clouds. As we ponder those verses, we remember that God is on our side – and He answers our prayers.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.I John 5:14
When I see that verse, I want to meditate on it – let its meaning saturate me.
If what we are praying is God’s will, and if we know that it is His will, then we will have that for which we pray. We’ll have faith in what we are praying and we’ll have whatever we ask.
So then next question, how do we know God’s will?
Simply put, God’s will is His Word. His will is wrapped up in the fact that Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. Then He rose again and sent His Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and restore us to the blessings He had ordained for us. Peace in our families, provision, health – all the blessings we see enumerated in scripture.
So we approach our Handbook – the Words ordained by our Creator to tell us who He is and who we are – the Book otherwise known as the Bible. Then we ask for guidance in finding just that part of His Word which applies to our present moment.
Then we pray. And we know that He hears us and answers our prayer.
To illustrate, I want to tell you about a young man who did just what we are talking about.
This young man’s country had been invaded by a brutal army. He had been captured – along with all of his relatives – and taken into a far country. The times were tough, but he knew his God and remained faithful to Him.
He prayed everyday – and he lived a holy life – even though mean spirited, unholy people were all around him.
Have you guessed by now who I’m talking about? I’m talking about Daniel who had been taken to Babylon.
We can read his story in the Book of Daniel.
After he was taken captive, many years passed, and then…
As Daniel was reading the “Books,” the Holy scrolls which eventually became part of the Bible, he saw where God had spoken to Jeremiah. God had said that the Jews would be in Babylon 70 years, and then He would bring them back to their country.
Daniel sat up straight. 70 years were almost passed. God had revealed the timing, and it was almost time for the Jews to be sent back home.
Daniel began to fast and pray. He knew God’s will because he had seen it in the scriptures. (Jeremiah 29:10) So he prayed for God to send them home just as He had promised. Daniel had great faith for this to happen because He had seen clearly that this was God’s plan. God’s will.
When Daniel prayed this prayer, Darius was king of Babylon. Yet shortly after, Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and became its king. Then God began to speak to this unbeliever named Cyrus. And Cyrus started the process of sending Jews back to rebuild the ruins of their beloved country. To restore the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. (See Ezra 1:1)
Daniel prayed for God’s Word to come to pass and it did!
What would you have done? Would you have prayed for the fulfillment of God’s Word, or would you have just sat around moping and wishing God would do what he said?
Many today are doing the latter.
But there are those who are rising up. They are not settling for status quo, but they are digging into God’s Word and they are praying it back to God. And these people are seeing many miracles.
Isaiah gave us an illustration of this.
Isaiah 55:10,11 For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
So shall My Word be which goes forth from My mouth. It shall not return to Me empty Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
His Word shall not return to Him empty – without accomplishing what He sent it for. And how does it return to Him? When you pray God’s Word back to Him – asking for its fulfillment – you are returning it to Him.
Your prayers help to accomplish God’s will in your life.
That’s what Daniel did.
Now what do you do? What do I do?
Let’s find those words our Father has spoken to us, and ask for their fulfillment. When we do that, we are agreeing with God’s will and we will see the results.
When we know that we are praying God’s will, we have faith for it, and we receive what we pray.
Enough for today, we’ll talk more about this next time.
In the meantime,
Keep on Soaring,
by Suellen | God's Guidance
On the outskirts of Seoul, South Korea stands what many say is the world’s largest church. David Yonggi Cho (formerly known as Paul Yonggi Cho), is the founder and pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church. The latest counts have his congregation close to a million!
His story is an awesome one of a poverty-stricken young man who had an encounter with God on what seemed to be his death bed. He was healed as he embraced the new life from God. From this new-found life he has grown into one of the world’s most powerful men of God.
Needless to say, spiritual leaders have swamped him with requests for advice. How did he manage to inspire so many people? What is his formula?
When confronted with these questions, Pastor Cho’s characteristic wisdom and humor converge as he responds with a broad smile… “I pray… And I obey.”
What a formula!
It seems so simple. Pray and then obey. Whatever God says do, do it.
Throughout the Bible we see this concept in action. Someone will be in trouble and they will call upon the Lord. “What should I do?”
One of the most notable examples of this is David at Ziklag. (I Samuel 30).
He and his men had been away from camp, fighting with the Philistines. They returned to Ziklag to discover a horrible scene. Their camp had been raided and burned. All of their wives and children had been captured – and all of their possessions had been stolen.
There was nothing there but a burned-out camp!
Needless to say, David’s men did not take it well. They wanted to stone him!
Distraught, David pulled himself aside and “stirred himself up in the Lord.” He fasted and prayed and asked God for guidance.
“Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”
God’s answer was certain. “Pursue them. You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”
So that’s what David did. He and his men pursued and found the camp where the raiders were gathered and retook all that was stolen.
Just as pastor Cho has done, David prayed and he obeyed.
It seems simple. So why don’t all of us do that? Pray and obey.
The key is knowing what God says. And, of course, what He says starts with His Word.
While you are in prayer, God will impress you with His plans. Then if you continue to listen carefully, He will show you how that lines up with His Word. He will give you scripture which will back up what you are hearing.
Today we have many advantages which David didn’t have. Jesus has come and paid the price for our salvation, and He has given us the Holy Spirit within so that we can hear more clearly.
Also, we now have the Word of God. That’s how you know for sure that God is speaking to you.
We can read the Bible and see what brings life and what brings death. We can see what works and what doesn’t. And we can understand God’s plan more completely.
As we read, the Word will speak to us, and we will have confirmation of what we believe God is saying.
Knowing that God’s plans are perfect and that He always has an answer for our problems, we can count on His direction. And we can be sure that His way is the best way forward.
We pray … and we obey.
That’s the way to the Good Life He has for us. That’s the way to success
