“Free Yourself”

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12, 1 NIV).

In one of my previous devotionals I shared about the clematis that had been growing so nicely in our garden. Well, here is another story about this wondrous plant. We had gone on a trip for about 2 weeks and when we returned I was so anxious to see the growth in the garden. You know, when you are gone for a while you see much more growth than if you are around the garden every single day. To my surprise this clematis had practically overtaken the whole flowerbed. What looked quite nice in the beginning looked now awful. Taking a closer look at this growth I was amazed to see how it had entangled all the plants and the rose bush in such a short time. As I started to cut the clematis I looked at how it had grown around the plants. It indeed had become a nuisance; it was annoying and a burden. After cutting through the many branches I finally saw our flowerbed freed from this ugly growth. It was quite amazing, because step by step, day by day this clematis moved forward like a snake until it had overcome our beautiful flowerbed. At this moment the LORD reminded me of this verse in Hebrews 12:1 and opened my eyes to the characteristic of sin in our lives.

You know, if you do not watch it, sin will entangle you and choke your life. What looks quite insignificant at first will soon become ugly and burdensome to you. You need to daily be aware of this danger and throw off everything that will hinder you. Do not wait for any sin to grow root in you but use every opportunity to resist that very enemy that wants to destroy the freedom in your life. And this is the key to free yourself and to enjoy your walk in divine victory.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Suzanne Tanner

Ask And You Shall Receive!

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24 NIV).

I carried a concern with me for quite some time. I kept it to myself and didn’t talk to anyone about it, not even to my husband. Then when this need became a real big one I just couldn’t keep it to myself anymore. I had to talk to him about it and ask if he could meet that need. And do you know what? He made a way! He didn’t turn me down, he didn’t say that I needed to come to him another day. No, he instantly said yes although at that time we didn’t have the means. I received what I had asked for! The nice thing was that later on that day we had a check in the mailbox that covered more than I needed.

This story reflects so much the heart of God and how it “works” in His Kingdom. If you read the above verse carefully, you will discover that when you ask the LORD for something, you need to believe. The LORD says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith is also being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. Although whatever you have asked for might not be visible yet, you need to hear and know in your heart that the LORD said Yes and Amen to your request. Only then you are really walking by faith and receive what is yours. So next time you have a need, dare to ask the LORD. Know that He will not turn you down. He loves you too much. He wants your joy to be complete and your faith in Him to be unshaken. So go now and receive your blessings from God!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Suzanne Tanner

“Become Like Me”

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus”
(Acts 4, 13 NIV).

I recently had a dream that I would like to share with you. In this dream was a young boy that I know who is about 6 years old who was preaching to a group of children his age. As I observed him in this dream, I thought that this is not like he usually behaves. His talk was bold and it seemed to me that he felt totally confident and consumed by this new and more mature character that had become his. He so much reminded me of his 25 year old big brother. And in my dream, as I was thinking about why he had become like his big brother, I realized two important things; Firstly, I knew that he loved and admired his brother very much. Secondly, the more time that he spent with this brother that he loved, the more he became like him. He spoke like him and he acted like him.

This is the great joy we also have as brothers and sisters in Christ. The more time we spend with Jesus Christ, the lover of our souls, the more we become like Him. So the more time that you spend in His Word and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the more you will reflect Him in your walk and talk. This is what the world needs! They need to see and experience the reality of Jesus Christ in you, the hope of Glory. I tell you, chose to invest time in your relationship with Him each and every day of your life and you will start to experience a transformation of your own personality. You will talk like Him, you will act like Him and you will greatly impact the lives of others and point them to Jesus.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!


Suzanne Tanner

I Am With You

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NIV).

Although the wintertime is a pretty season, the fact of the matter is that it is often dark and nature seems to be asleep. In our hometown when it gets dark we turn on the lights! During the night time all the bare trees in our park are covered with thousands of pretty lights. The lights also reflect a wonderful picture of the Christmas season: they are used to paint scenes, stars, pine trees, the nativity story and many other well known characters. You can even drive through the park if you like and enjoy the pictures and the warmth of the lights. I tell you, it’s a whole new world and for a moment or two you forget that this is just an ordinary park. You see, although you know without a shadow of doubt that the lights are there, during daylight the evidence and effect of them are invisible to the human eye.

This scene in the park reminded me very much of the invisible God. Although He is always with us, he is unseen to the human eye. But when we turn to him and fellowship with Him, a whole new world opens up to us. A life that was lost, ordinary and empty becomes a life of abundance, happiness and meaningfulness. Perhaps your life is like that. But this doesn’t have to remain like this forever! Turn to your Savior and He will open your spiritual eyes and you will experience and enjoy the wonderful rich life that is found in the presence of the one true God. His name is Jesus Christ and He is the Light of the World.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Suzanne Tanner

There Is Strength In Weakness

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:9 NIV).

I recently had such a liberating experience about weakness which I would like to share with you today. We got together as a group of women to learn all about the benefits of walking as a source of fitness. One of the things we received for attending this orientation was a free pedometer. This is a little instrument you attach close to your hip and when you start walking it counts how many steps you take and how many calories you can burn. The funny thing about this tool was that when were holding it in our hands and given the instructions how to set the parameters, you could just see on all our foreheads an invisible big question mark. One woman had the boldness or perhaps it was just her meek nature to ask, “I don’t understand how it works, please help me.” This powerful statement broke the ice instantly and I could just sense such a relief, freedom and ease as we all could admit that we were weak in this area and were in desperate help. The help was right there and our instructor was most willing to set the parameters for us and help us operate our pedometer.

It seems like a paradox doesn’t it, but there is strength in weakness! Why? Because when you admit that you are weak, an immediate strength will replace a wall of insecurity. You know you don’t have to be insecure or fear rejection anymore because the power and freedom of Christ will come and overshadow and cover you. Ask the Holy Spirit for help in every weak situation and I promise you that you will experience the power of Christ resting on you. This is when you will be made perfect and others will follow your example!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!



Suzanne Tanner

The Giver Of All Good Things.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun” (Psalm 37:4-6 NIV).

I reached a point in my life, where I absolutely needed to do something about my alarming weight gain. I evaluated different fitness studios in my home town, I tested their equipment, I talked to the staff about their program, and I compared the membership fees. During that time my desire really grew strong, but there was one little problem: I didn’t have the money to buy a membership. So what do you do when you cannot do anything anymore? You have this desire, but you cannot make it happen. I want to tell you, that this is such a good place to be and a great opportunity for the LORD to step in and to do something wonderful in your life.

You know in a short period of time the LORD provided something miraculous for me: He found the best place in town where I could workout for free, teach children and even earn a little money.

The delight the Bible is speaking about comes from being at that place where your only hope is in the LORD. It is a place where all human efforts cease and your faith becomes real. Do you have a desire in your heart, but you in yourself are not able to meet that need? I encourage you today to take your eyes off all impossibilities and to talk to the LORD about your desires. Know that with Him all things are possible and that He is the giver of all good things. He desires to give you the best and above your expectation! He will surely do it for you. I guarantee that your joy will overflow in praise and your faith in Him will strengthen your heart when you hear the Master Voice say to you: I did it for you; I paid the price.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!


Suzanne Tanner

All About Hidden Things.

"He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him" (Daniel 2:22 NIV).

One good thing about having your whole backyard nearly torn up is that you get to see how a good size garage is being built. It was very interesting for me to watch the construction workers doing their job. I thought that there is such a lot of preparation to be done before they can pour the concrete onto the ground. Exact measurements are made, a framework is put into place and thick steel wires are installed that will hold the concrete together and guarantee a strong foundation. In the process of this construction I also got to see what the drainage really looks like before it is buried in the ground.

So this leads me to thikn that some things are completely hidden to the human eye like the steel wire and some things like the drainage that are only partly visible. I think that the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry rightly concluded "We see well only with our hearts. The important things are invisible to the eyes." As a child of God you have the benefit and privilege to access the Spirit of God that will lead you into all truth. Can you imagine this huge realm of deep and hidden secrets that waits to be unveiled to you? All you need to do is open your eyes and ears to the Holy Spirit and expect that what you see is only part of the puzzle. The LORD holds in His hands all other pieces and sees the whole picture. This is a good starting point as this is the foundation for your walk in the Spirit!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!


Suzanne Tanner