Month: August 2016

The Wait

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

When it comes to waiting on God

you can either wait with your hands on your hips

or you can wait with your hands outstretched in worship

 

Which do you think is the wise way

to wait on Almighty God?

 

Rest in His agenda

 

– Susie Stewart

 

At the end of the four hundred and thirty years, to that very day, all the hosts of the Lord [gathered into tribal armies] left the land of Egypt.

– Exodus 12:41 (AMP)

 

I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

– Psalm 27:13, 14 (AMP)

 

But as for me, I trust [confidently] in You and Your greatness, O Lord;
I said, “You are my God.”
My times are in Your hands…

– Psalm 31:14, 15 (AMP)

 

One caution:  When we bring our questions to God, we need to wait for His answer.  We must not throw our questions at Him and then go to a friend and complain, “I can’t understand what God is doing to me.”  Such actions constitute unbelief.  So after you bring God your questions, hold your ground, even if you are still in the dark about why you are waiting or about how long you will wait.

– Linda Dillow

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Know It All

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

I like to be right

 

It feels good to be right,

at least that’s what I used to tell myself

 

I wanted to win every argument

no matter what

 

And just like God’s Word says,

it caused strife in my relationships

 

After all, who wants to be around someone

who always thinks they’re right?

 

The Lord had to humble me

to teach me

that listening to others

is vital

 

 

Even as I type this

I don’t want to type it

because I want to be right

 

But humbling ourselves

is part of His plan

 

He knows that pride

creates strife

 

Always having to be right

negates learning and growing

 

Wisdom is found

in those who listen to others

 

in heeding advice

and constructive criticism

 

Listening thoughtfully

to another perspective,

is godly

 

Where you find humility

there you will find wisdom

 

And we would do well to heed

God’s advice

 

Or are we too prideful

to even listen to Him?

 

There truly is joy

in listening more than we speak

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.

– Proverbs 13:10 (NLT)

 

Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.

– Proverbs 13:10 (MSG)

 

God treats the arrogant as they treat others, mocking the mockers, scorning the scornful, but He pours out His grace on the humble.

– Proverbs 3:34 (VOICE)

 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

– James 1:19 (NIV)

 

Photo by Nicole Stewart

 

 

 

You

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore He instructs sinners in His ways.
He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them His way.
All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of His covenant.
For the sake of your name, Lord,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
The Lord confides in those who fear Him;
He makes His covenant known to them.

– Psalm 25:8-14 (NIV)

 

You, God,

Instruct sinners listening and not

 

You guide the humble

and teach them Your ways

 

You show love and faithfulness

to those who follow You

 

You Instruct the choices

of those who are faithful

 

And You confide

in those who fear You

 

You make Your beautiful covenant

known to them

 

And who are we

to receive Your favor?

 

Who are we to receive Your

Instruction

Guidance

Teaching

Love

Faithfulness

Confidence

Revelation?

 

We are not worthy, God

 

But You are,

and You choose this for us

 

And it makes us want to choose

Humility

Following

Faithfulness

Fear

 

Before You

All the more

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But me He caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; He pulled me out Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me. He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

– Psalm 18:15-17 (MSG)

 

His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.

– Acts 17:27 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

 

 

 

God’s Child

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

“He reacted like it was the best news he’d ever heard!”

 

I listened as my friend Carol

recounted one of her interactions in Uganda…

 

As she taught village children about God’s Word

and encouraged them to memorize the precious words,

 

She led some in a prayer of surrender

to Truth

 

And told a young one,

“You are now a child of God!”

 

 

The boy reacted with sheer

uninhibited excitement

 

With elation

inside and out

 

It was the best news

he had

ever

heard

 

No one could curb his enthusiasm

over the unbelievable message

 

And a life was changed that day

 

Because a young one

embraced His Father

 

And God’s grace

and love

and forgiveness

enveloped the child

 

He was grafted into the family

he longed for

 

An orphan’s hope,

to be adopted by God

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.

– John 1:2 (NLT)

 

Jesus called a little child to Him and put the child among them. Then He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

– Matthew 18:2-4 (NLT)

 

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so He could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering Him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, He was angry with His disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then He took the children in His arms and placed His hands on their heads and blessed them.

– Mark 10:13-16 (NLT)

 

You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Jesus.

– Galatians 3:26 (NLT)

 

“I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you.

– John 14:17-19 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

Signs

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

If you were a sign

what would you say?

 

Really.

Indulge me here

 

What is the loudest thing about you?

 

What does your life shout?

 

If you were a sign

where would you point?

 

What do your words

and your actions

direct people to?

 

Is your life sign solid?

Clear?

Or is it falling apart and undecipherable?

 

Let your sign be clear

Let your life be loud

 

Point to Jesus,

worthy is He

 

the perfect destination

 

– Susie Stewart

 

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I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ Himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with His rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.

– 2 Timothy 4:1-3 (MSG)

 

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My brothers and sisters, I pray constantly to God for the salvation of my people; it is the deep desire of my heart.

– Romans 10:1 (VOICE)  

 

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Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.

– John 14:6 (NLT)

 

We get to be God’s plan for the whole world by pointing people toward Him.

– Bob Goff

 

Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

– Matthew 5:15-17 (MSG)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less & More

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

Can we speak of God’s power only after we’ve been healed or after we survive the struggle we find ourselves in?  Why are testimonies of how awesome God is typically announced after the fact?  Is there not testimony of His saving grace in the midst of my crumbling?  Can I only proclaim His goodness in the absence of disease?  Doesn’t He speak of who He IS in the agony of my brokenness?  Is He less when I am less?  NO.  He is my ALL in ALL.  I have to stand on the solid rock of Jesus.  He is my Sustainer and Redeemer in my weakness.  He knows what it is like to be broken.  He alone understands why I can’t stand up.  I know nothing, save His power.  Maybe that is how I glorify Him:  recognizing I need nothings else, not even my health.

– Valerie (last name unknown), suffering from ongoing, debilitating physical pain

 

My Less Than

never diminishes

Your Greater Than

 

My weakness

and failures

and instability

 

Do not reflect You

 

In fact,

Your power is made

Perfect

in my weakness

 

I realize how much I need You

in these less than places

 

And that is where I need to be

 

Dependent on my

Greater Than God

 

– Susie Stewart

 

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.

– C.S. Lewis

 

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

– 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

Thy Will Be Done

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

 

“In all things,

our family says,

‘Thy will be done'”

 

I looked up at her on her porch

from my trailside fence position

 

My friend Becky

had just gone to see her brother

 

Stage 4 cancer

and things looking bleak

 

I told her I was sorry

and she gave a small smile

with the reply,

 

“In all things our family says,

‘Thy will be done'”

 

It wasn’t a typical response

to looming death

 

It wasn’t what I expected to hear

from grieving sister

 

And it impacted me

right down to the dirt I was standing on

 

It made me think

about You, Jesus,

 

Bowing Your will

to the plan of Your Father

 

Bowing Your fears

Bowing Your wants

 

In the face of pain

and death

 

“Not my will, but Yours be done”

 

May that be the simple sentence

that permeates my life

 

For there are times

when Your will

does not match mine

 

But I bow

everything

to You

 

Thy will be done

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.”

– Matthew 22:42 (NIV)

 

…Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

– Matthew 6:10 (NIV)

 

Our God is in the heavens, and He does as He wishes.

– Psalm 115:3 (NIV)

 

Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood—
may He equip you with all you need
for doing His will.
May He produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to Him.
All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.

– Hebrews 13:20,21 (NLT)

 

Photo by Arik Stewart

 

Despair

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Despair

can tempt you

 

It can entice you

to embrace the complete loss

of hope

 

And you feel yourself slipping

into its clutches

 

But then you remember

 

You know that despair

is not an option

 

for one

deep in hope

 

And you remember

to cast your cares

your anxieties

your pain

your agony

your confusion

 

on Him

for He cares for you

 

And the slippery slope of despair

develops footholds

to climb right out

 

into the wide open space

of hope

 

– Susie Stewart

 

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
He protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

– Psalm 34:17-20 (NIV)

 

If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!

– 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 (MSG)

 

Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries.

– 1 Peter 5:7 (VOICE)

 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

– Romans 15:13 (NLT)

 

Photo by Arik Stewart

Truth

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Truth

It’s a hard commodity to come by

these days

 

It is cheapened

and disrespected

and soiled

 

And it’s hard to decipher

truth

because of the lack of it

 

Jesus is Truth

He stands for Truth

He brings Truth

 

And He tells us

that if we are willing to listen to Him

He WILL

bring the Truth to us

 

He will speak it

into our lives

into our hearts

into our minds

 

Listen for Truth

and

Be the Truth

in this world

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.”

– John 18:37 (NIV)

 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

– John 14:6 (NIV)

 

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”

– John 8:31-32 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Temptation

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

God has provided a way out for you

He always does

 

Temptation is NOT your master

 

Well,

it can be

if God is not truly your Master

 

We are all tempted

 

What you experience is nothing new

 

But the Lord’s faithfulness

will not allow

more temptation than you can stand

 

He will show you your exit

from that which will pull you down

 

He was tempted

and understands

 

Don’t be ruled by something

that will lead you away from Him

and only end in death

 

Let His Spirit lead you

out

 

– Susie Stewart

 

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

– 1 Corinthians 10:12,13 (NLT)

 

Here’s my instruction: walk in the Spirit, and let the Spirit bring order to your life. If you do, you will never give in to your selfish and sinful cravings.

– Galatians 5:16 (VOICE)

 

Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

– Hebrews 2:18 (NIV)

 

A man must not say when he is tempted, “God is tempting me.” For God has no dealings with evil, and does not himself tempt anyone. No, a man’s temptation is due to the pull of his own inward desires, which can be enormously attractive. His own desire takes hold of him, and that produces sin. And sin in the long run means death—make no mistake about that, brothers of mine!

– James 1:13-16 (PHILLIPS)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart