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First

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

As a new believer I often said my purpose was to know Him and make Him known.  Too often my emphasis was on making Him known rather than on knowing Him….  My desire to serve God was good, but my priorities were out of order.  God’s Word clearly says that the first and most important thing is this:  to love God with all our being (Matthew 22:37-38).  This is the first and greatest commandment.  The second commandment is loving others, which includes ministry or works of service (Matthew 22:39).  I had reversed these two.

It’s so important to be able to say, I am not primarily a worker for God;  I am first and foremost a lover of God.  This is who I am.

…When our priorities become turned around, and we place more emphasis on loving others than on loving God, we are headed for spiritual and physical exhaustion.

– Linda Dillow

 

All of us need to be lovers who work rather than workers who love.

– Bob Sorge

 

 

You first, God

 

All others –

people

work

recreation

ministry…..

 

Second

 

And not just in theory

but in Truth

 

I love You, Lord!

I delight in You

worship You

adore You

 

and I find my grounding here

find my purpose here

 

Loving You

 

And finding more reasons to love You

increases my delight in You

increases my awe of You

makes me want to love You more

 

For You loved me first

and drew me to Yourself

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

O True God, You are my God, the One whom I trust.
I seek You with every fiber of my being.
In this dry and weary land with no water in sight,
my soul is dry and longs for You.
My body aches for You, for Your presence.

– Psalm 63:1 (VOICE)

 

I have loved you with an everlasting love—
out of faithfulness I have drawn you close.

– Jeremiah 31:3 (VOICE)

 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

– Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

 

Come, let us worship Him. Everyone bow down;
kneel before the Eternal who made us.

-Psalm 95:6 (VOICE)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

His Name

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Your name, Jesus,

has power unlimited

 

Your name

has meaning deep and profound

 

Your name

sparks controversy and division

 

Your name

melts the calloused heart

 

How is it that Your name

is spoken in vain?

 

As if You weren’t God

over all the universe?

 

As if it were any other profane word….

 

The blasphemers don’t know,

or they don’t care

 

But one day,

all will acknowledge Your name

 

And for me, Your name

will only leave my lips

 

to honor You

or speak to You

 

Your name

is the most beautiful one I know

 

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor
and gave Him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

– Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)

 

Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.

– Jeremiah 10:6 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

Tired

/ Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

I’m tired, Lord

 

This morning

my body aches

my head hurts

and I’m tired

 

Not enough sleep

 

But in this state

I give You praise

 

A sacrifice of praise

 

Even when all

is fuzzy

 

I worship You

 

and I know you will turn my tired praise

my effort in the fog

 

to something beautiful

 

because You

who never grows weary

or tired

 

are the object of my praise.

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name.

– Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)

 

Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of His understanding.

– Isaiah 40:28 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Freedom

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I’m thankful, Jesus,

for the physical freedom that is mine

 

And even more thankful

for my spiritual freedom in You

 

Remind me often, Jesus,

to live free

 

not in bondage to anything

You have already loosed

 

Help me to walk in the wide open space

of You

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

– 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)

 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

– Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

 

In him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

– Ephesians 3:12 (NIV)

 

But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

– Romans 6:21-23 (MSG)

 

When trouble surrounded me, I cried out to the Eternal;
He answered me and brought me to a wide, open space.

– Psalm 118:5 (VOICE)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

Heaven Blessing

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)

 

I underestimate, Lord,

what you have blessed me with

 

I fail to realize that

out of Your immense love and grace

 

You have blessed my spirit

from heaven

 

Everything that can touch

the spiritual part of me

 

everything that heaven enjoys

is mine here on fallen earth

 

I try to wrap my head

around that

 

And I realize

that I’ve not tapped into Your favor

enough

 

I have not begun to grasp

my spiritual blessings

 

I have not been filled

to all the fullness

 

And I long for more

 

I can never get enough

of You, my Lord

 

I imagine that is why

everyone surrounds your throne in heaven

 

shouting “Holy, holy, holy…”

never having enough praise

 

because the spiritual blessings

are found in You

 

in who You are

 

and I am leveled with the fresh thought

that YOU live in my heart

 

I can’t help but have every spiritual blessing

from heaven

right here on earth

 

because it is all about You

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

– Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)

 

The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the One who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

– Revelation 4:3-8 (NLT)

 

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

– Revelation 5:11-13 (NIV) 

 

 

Beautiful

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

God created Beautiful

He is the Author of Lovely

 

The Maker of Mountains

and seas

bird songs

mother love

and skin types various

 

Eyes sparkling

colors inspired

 

majesty

and billows

and clear

 

And the beauty of His Creation

inspires

warms

and fills

 

But

everything beautiful fades

in this temporary world

 

everything, that is,

except the beauty inside of people

 

It grows more and more radiant

when the Author of beautiful resides in a heart

surrendered

 

Reflecting the Creator

 

No outer beauty that fades

is more important

than the beauty inside that doesn’t

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

Charm can be deceptive and physical beauty will not last, but a woman who reveres the Eternal should be praised above all others.

– Proverbs 31:30 (VOICE)

 

The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.

– Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

 

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!

– Isaiah 52:7 (NLT)

 

You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

– Isaiah 62:3 (ESV)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

Consider It

/ Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

CONSIDER it pure joy,

my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

BECAUSE you know that the testing of your faith

produces perseverance.

Let perseverance finish its work

so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

– James 1:2-4 (NIV)

 

My friend Paul, from our Life Group, pointed out to us that this portion of Scripture in James says “consider” it pure joy when you face trials.  It doesn’t say “feel joyful”.  It seems to imply that you mentally consider it.  You make a thinking decision.

When trials come, we don’t usually have a feeling of overflowing joy and happiness.  Trials are hard and draining.  They take a lot out of us.  But we can consider it pure (free of contamination) joy when we face trials BECAUSE we have the assurance that it is producing perseverance in us.

And we need to LET PERSEVERANCE FINISH ITS WORK in us.  There is no hurrying or getting past certain trials.  We need to let the work be completed.

When we do this, we become more mature and we won’t be lacking.  That is encouraging when the trial is a financial one or a loss.  The Lord assures us that we will not be lacking anything when we allow God to work through our trials.  He knows what we need.

Then in verse 12 we see this –

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

There is heavenly reward for those who persevere under trial!  What an encouragement!  And a joyful thought!  The crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

So, my friends, take your thoughts captive when it comes to trials.  It’s tempting to ask “Lord, why are you doing this to me??”  But I encourage you to trust God’s heart for you and to consider joy in the midst.

There is much good going on

during your bad.

– Susie Stewart

 

…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

 

Photo by Jennifer Macfadyen

 

The Blessing of Obedience

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

There is freedom in obedience

There is joy in obedience

There is peace in obedience

 

What tangles we would avoid

if only we heeded the instruction

 

of the One who is Truth

 

What pain we would prevent

if only we would listen

 

to the One who knows best

 

What heartache we would escape

if only we were humble enough

 

to obey

 

For there is where we find

freedom

joy

peace

 

and show God

how much we love Him

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Anyone who loves Me will listen to My voice and obey. The Father will love him, and We will draw close to him and make a dwelling place within him.

– John 14:23 (VOICE)

 

Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

– Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV)

 

Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

– Proverbs 10:17 (NIV)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

A Video for You

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

 

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.

They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

– Matthew 22:42-45 (NIV)

 

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Photo by Susie Stewart

Harvest

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Our hearts are soil

and God has provided

all that we need to harvest that soil

 

with love

and righteousness

and goodness

 

 

by allowing His Spirit

to cultivate in us

all for His Divine purpose

 

May the soil of your heart

and mine

not become hardened

and parched

 

but may we be soft

and plantable

with Living Water

and the seed of God’s Word

firmly planted

 

We can be assured of a harvest

bountiful

and huge

bringing glory to the Master Gardener

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.

– Hosea 10:12 (NLT)

 

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

– Galatians 6:7 (MSG)

 

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.

– 2 Corinthians 9:10,11 (NLT)

 

And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

– Luke 8:15 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart