Investor

 

If you were to have the title

of Life Investor

 

hired by God

in the here and now

 

What would He observe

about your investment practices

and priorities?

 

Would He say

that He observes you investing your life

in the valuable?

 

Or would He say

that He observes you investing your life

in that which doesn’t last?

 

Is all your energy spent on yourself

and getting ahead

in worldly success

and mindless pursuits?

 

Or is it invested in people

in your relationship with your Creator

in glorifying Him

and in the deeper things of life?

 

Is your life invested in bigger, better, and prestigious

or

in the smallest, poor and broken?

 

Do you know which one God prioritizes?

 

He is the authority

on what matters

 

We are given only one life

to invest in the eternal

and in the things He values

 

May we invest wisely

for we never know

when God will retire our position

 

for the afterlife

 

– Susie Stewart

 

The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a trip. He called his servants and entrusted some money to them.  He gave one man ten thousand dollars, another four thousand dollars, and another two thousand dollars. Each was given money based on his ability. Then the man went on his trip.

The one who received ten thousand dollars invested the money at once and doubled his money. The one who had four thousand dollars did the same and also doubled his money. But the one who received two thousand dollars went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The one who received ten thousand dollars brought the additional ten thousand. He said, “Sir, you gave me ten thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.”

His master replied, “Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

The one who received four thousand dollars came and said, “Sir, you gave me four thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.”

His master replied, “Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

Then the one who received two thousand dollars came and said, “Sir, I knew that you are a hard person to please. You harvest where you haven’t planted and gather where you haven’t scattered any seeds. I was afraid. So I hid your two thousand dollars in the ground. Here’s your money!”

His master responded, “You evil and lazy servant! If you knew that I harvest where I haven’t planted and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have invested my money with the bankers. When I returned, I would have received my money back with interest. Take the two thousand dollars away from him! Give it to the one who has the ten thousand! To all who have, more will be given, and they will have more than enough. But everything will be taken away from those who don’t have much.

– Matthew 25:14-30 (GW)

 

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

– Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)

 

This is my last gift to you, this example of a way of life: a life of hard work, a life of helping the weak, a life that echoes every day those words of Jesus our King, who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

– Acts 20:35 (VOICE)

 

…if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
    He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.

– Isaiah 58:10,11 (NIV)

 

Photo By Susie Stewart

 

 

 

 

 

To Be With You

Jesus,

You have been loved by your Father

 

Forever

 

And how thankful we are

that You want to share that love

 

Welcoming us in,

the adopted

 

into the intimacy

already there

 

How blessed

are the Children of God

 

And You not only welcome us

but You long for us

 

You want this great big family

of loved ones

 

How encircling is Your heart,

my Lord

 

I can’t wait to be with You

where You are

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Father, I long for the time when those You have given Me can join Me in My place so they may witness My glory, which comes from You. You have loved Me before the foundations of the cosmos were laid.

– John 17:24 (VOICE)

 

But for all who did receive and trust in Him, He gave them the right to be reborn as children of God

– John 1:12 (VOICE)

 

And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we’ll be ready for Him when He appears, ready to receive Him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when He arrives.

– 1 John 2:28 (MSG)

 

How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son.

– Ephesians 1:3-6 (MSG)

 

Father, I want those you gave Me
To be with Me, right where I am,
So they can see My glory, the splendor you gave Me,
Having loved Me
Long before there ever was a world.
Righteous Father, the world has never known You,
But I have known You, and these disciples know
That You sent me on this mission.
I have made Your very being known to them—
Who You are and what you do—
And continue to make it known,
So that Your love for Me
Might be in them
Exactly as I am in them.

– John 17:24-26 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

All Is Grace

All

is

Grace

 

It covers

and infiltrates

 

and should flow freely

 

from the ones who have received it

from God

 

 

Grace has a way of bringing

a sigh of relief

 

to those in it’s presence

 

Grace loves freely

and without a catch

 

It doesn’t dwell on the failures

and the wrongdoing

 

Grace can’t be anything

but gracious

 

and it heals and mends

in this broken place

 

All is grace

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

– Ephesians 2:7-10 (MSG)

 

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
 
-Romans 6:14 (NLT)
For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].
-John 1:16 (AMP)
Photo by Susie Stewart

YOU

Do you long for someone

to really KNOW you?

 

Do you wish someone

understood you completely?

 

The One and only God

who shaped you inside your mother

 

knows you

completely

 

And He knows you so well

because He made you the way He did

 

for reasons and purposes

eternal

 

He breathed life into you

and gave you your own unique

you-ness

 

Personality

Spirit

Strengths

Gifts

 

and they could only come

from our Creator,

our Spirit God

 

He knew

that when He made you

 

It was good

 

So when you are tempted

to feel alone

and misunderstood

and less than

 

KNOW your unique place

in this God Story

eternally told

 

and let yourself be encouraged

by intimacy Divine

 

Love deep and sincere

 

for YOU

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for My holy purpose…

– Jeremiah 1:5 (GW)

 

…I have called you by name; you are Mine.

– Isaiah 43:1 (NLT)

 

O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from Your Spirit!
    I can never get away from Your presence!
If I go up to heaven, You are there;
    if I go down to the grave, You are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there Your hand will guide me,
    and Your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
 but even in darkness I cannot hide from You.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to You.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

 How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    You are still with me!

– Psalm 139:1-18 (NLT)

 

 

 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

– Genesis 1:31 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Bold

Whisper not

the name of God

Speak it boldly

for He is all

Hide not

your inner Light

for it is exactly

what they need

Tame not

your worship of the King

for your audience

is Him alone

Hide not

your story of saving grace

for it is precious

and important

Stand confidently

worshipper and witness

in the strength and power and goodness

of your great God

– Susie Stewart

I have seen You in Your sanctuary
    and gazed upon Your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
    how I praise You!
I will praise You as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to You in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
    I will praise You with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of You,
    meditating on You through the night.
Because You are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
I cling to You;
    Your strong right hand holds me securely.

– Psalm 63:2-8 (NLT)

It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts Him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting Him really lives.”

– Romans 1:16-17 (MSG)

Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit. He urgently presented all matters of the kingdom of God. He explained everything about Jesus Christ. His door was always open.

– Acts 28:30, 31 (MSG)

Photo by Susie Stewart

Saved For More

Your soul has been saved

by Jesus

 

Saved from eternal condemnation

and suffering

 

But do you think about how far

that salvation goes?

 

When Jesus died for you

and was resurrected

 

and you accepted that

beautiful gift

 

He not only saved you from hell

but redeemed your life in the here and now!

 

His salvation in your life

is far-reaching

 

It saves you from

a pointless existence

sin’s grip

a futile focus

slavery’s hold

meaninglessness

fear of death

people dependence

darkness rule

hopelessness

being alone

conjured joy

the enemy’s grasp

man-made religion

blind living

 

…from yourself

 

The moment you accepted Christ

you were made new

 

and your salvation travels with you

into each day

 

Don’t forget

all that He has saved you from

 

and walk in confidence

of the Light He placed in you

 

-Susie Stewart

 

 

…I’ll give you a long life,
    give you a long drink of salvation!

– Psalm 91:16 (MSG)

 

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you… I will not fail you or abandon you.

– Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

 

…He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

– Titus 3:5 (NIV)

 

There is no one else who can rescue us, and there is no other name under heaven given to any human by whom we may be rescued.

– Acts 4:12 (VOICE)

 

Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew He was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

– 1 Peter 1:18-21 (MSG)

 

Sin ruled by means of death. But God’s kindness now rules, and God has accepted us because of Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that we will have eternal life.

– Romans 5:21 (AMP)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Bully

There’s this bird,

I call him Eustace

 

And he spends a lot of time

in our backyard

 

When he’s here

he consistently plays the part of the bully

 

He chases away all other birds

with rude squawks and aggression

 

But the strangest thing about Eustace

is this

 

He bullies our cat Rodney

 

Little Eustace taunts Big Rodney

as if roles were reversed

 

We’ve seen Rodney running from Eustace across the yard

as if his life depended on it

 

And when Rodney perches atop the platform on our porch

Eustace flies at him, squawking protests loudly

 

But the truth is, this is Rodney’s territory,

he belongs here

 

Eustace is an outsider

 

And all of this got me to thinking

about Christ Followers

 

We are often bullied

by our spiritual enemy

 

He loves to make us think

he is larger than he really is

 

The reality though

is that God is infinitely bigger and more powerful

than the devil

 

So, friend, know your identity

as a child of God!

 

When the enemy squawks and bullys

stand firm, resist and tell him how powerful your Protector is

 

And let him know

this is not his territory

 

Don’t cower before this snake

KNOW the power that resides in you

 

Get lost, Eustace

 

– Susie Stewart

 

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7 (NLT)

 

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

– Ephesians 1:19,20 (NLT)

 

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

– Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Same Heart, Different Methods

All of us who believe in God

hope to please Him

 

We know when we don’t measure up

 

But, friend, the difference between you and me

is complete dependence on grace

 

We both want the same thing —

rightness before our Creator

 

but you, friend, you chant

and you go through rituals

and you light candles

and you deify humans

and make confessions to them ….

 

relying on what you can do

to earn God’s favor

 

You have faith

but you also are working SO hard

to earn approval

to assuage your guilt

to make amends

 

And it would appear that’s the way

it should be

 

But it’s not

 

Grace is not cheap

and it came with a high price

 

God’s life

 

Chanting

Repeated bowing

Rituals

Religion

 

will never get any of us

closer to heaven

 

Dive deep into inherent Scripture

and find…

 

We can do nothing

to earn His nod

 

But if we humble ourselves

under His mighty hand

 

and accept grace and mercy

bought high-priced

 

we will find freedom

from man-made rules and rituals

 

and just find our Father,

arms open,

complete in love for us

 

And doing right

will come out of love for God,

moved by His great kindness

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time,

– 1 Peter 5:6 (AMP)

 

…but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 (AMP)

 

But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].

– Romans 11:6 (AMP)

 

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

– Hebrews 4:14-16 (AMP)

 

Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

– Romans 2:4 (NIV)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Jesus Warrior

 

 

Do you realize

that He fights for you?

 

Jesus is a MIGHTY warrior

and He goes to battle

for

you

 

No one is braver

in the face of evil

 

And if you can’t picture Him

as strong,

as powerful,

as your perfect Rescuer

 

fighting battles unseen

 

maybe you should take another look

at His character in Scripture

 

He would rush to your side

if you called out to Him

 

He would go to great lengths

Just

For

You

 

He promises to rescue

those who depend on Him

 

Believe it for yourself

 

He will

deliver you

from our enemy

 

Mighty

Strong

Powerful

Brave

 

Dominating evil

 

Jesus

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior…

– Jeremiah 20:11 (NIV)

 

On the day I needed You, I called, and You responded and infused my soul with strength.

– Psalm 138:3 (VOICE)

 

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit.

– 2 Timothy 1:7 (VOICE)

 

Because he clings to Me in love,
    I will rescue him from harm;
    I will set him above danger.
Because he has known Me by name,
He will call on Me, and I will answer.
    I’ll be with him through hard times;
    I’ll rescue him and grant him honor.

– Psalm 91:14, 15 (VOICE)

 

The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

– Exodus 14:14 (NLT)

 

 

Enraptured

Jesus, show me

how to be

more satisfied with You

 

by letting go

of my dissatisfaction

with people

 

Help me to be so enraptured by You

that offenses

do not offend

 

And, Jesus, show me how to be content

with myself

 

but always growing and learning,

ever pliable

 

Your grace, Jesus,

makes all of this possible

 

How sweet You are,

how satisfying

 

when my heart is enraptured

with You

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But as for me, my contentment is not in wealth but in seeing You and knowing all is well between us. And when I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see You face-to-face.

– Psalm 17:15 (TLB)

 

I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

– Philippians 4:11,12 (MSG)

 

Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.
– Matthew 5:6 (AMP)
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
-Psalm 90:14 (NLT)
Photo by Susie Stewart