Sacred

January 24, 2016January 24, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

To a man who lives unto God nothing is secular, everything is sacred. He puts on his workday garment and it is a vestment to him. He sits down to his meal and it is a sacrament. He goes forth to his labor, and therein exercises the office of the priesthood. His breath is incense and his life a sacrifice. He sleeps on the bosom of God, and lives and moves in the divine presence.
– Charles Spurgeon

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.
– Ephesians 4:5,6 (NLT)

The sacred moments, the moments of miracle, are often the everyday moments, the moments which, if we do not look with more than our eyes or listen with more than our ears reveal only…a gardener, a stranger coming down the road behind us, a meal like any other meal. But if we look with our hearts, if we listen with all our being and imagination.. what we may see is Jesus himself.

– Frederick Buechner

Photos taken by Susie Stewart

Perfect

January 23, 2016January 23, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Self-loathing

Self-consciousness

and

Self-hatred

do not lead to true humility

but lead only to increased self-absorbtion

Let us not waste time

being engrossed in how we don’t hit the mark

but focus our energies on Almighty God

the One whose

unconditional

perfect

stubborn

unrelenting

Love

desires an accepting of that love

unconditionally

– Susie Stewart

It used to be that I never felt safe with myself unless I was performing flawlessly. My desire to be perfect had transcended my desire for God. Tyrannized by an all-or-nothing mentality, I interpreted weakness as mediocrity and inconsistency as a loss of nerve. I dismissed compassion and self-acceptance as inappropriate responses. My jaded perception of personal failure and inadequacy led to a loss of self-esteem, triggering episodes of mild depression and heavy anxiety.

Unwittingly I had projected onto God my feelings about myself. I felt safe with Him only when I saw myself as noble, generous, and loving, without scars, fears , or tears. Perfect!

But on that radiant morning in a cabin hidden deep in the Colorado Rockies, I came out of hiding. Jesus removed the shroud of perfectionist performance and now, forgiven and free, I ran home. For I knew that I knew Someone was there for me. Gripped in the depth of my soul, tears streaming down my cheeks, I internalized and finally felt all the words I have written and spoken about stubborn, unrelenting Love. That morning I understood that the words are but straw compared to the Reality. I leaped from simply being the teacher of God’s love to becoming Abba’s delight. I said good-bye to feeling frightened and said shalom to feeling safe. What does it mean to feel you are in a safe place? That same afternoon I wrote in my journal:

To feel safe is to stop living in my head and sink down into my heart and feel liked and accepted…not having to hide anymore and distract myself with books, television, movies, ice cream, shallow conversation…staying in the present moment and not escaping into the past or projecting into the future, alert and attentive to the now…feeling relaxed and not nervous or jittery…no need to impress or dazzle others or draw attention to myself…Unselfconscious, a new way of being with myself, a new way of being in the world…calm, unafraid, no anxiety about what’s Going to happen next…loved and valued…just being together as an end in itself.

– Brennan Manning

Quit keeping score altogether and surrender yourself with all your sinfulness to God who sees neither the score nor the scorekeeper but only His child redeemed in Christ.

– James Finley

…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith….

– Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

– Ephesians 2:4-9 (NLT)

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

Enemy

January 22, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Our natural tendency

is to despise

to mock

to wish the worst on

our enemies

And when they fall

it seems like it should feel right

to be glad

they got what was coming to them

Satisfaction, right?

But that supposed satisfaction

only leaves a bittersweet taste

in our mouthes

We might do well to remember

that Jesus said,

“He who is without sin,

cast the first stone.”

David in the Bible

he was the rightful king

But Saul

the actual king on the throne

feeling very threatened

spent much of his time

and energy

pursuing David

and trying to kill him

for years

15 years

David had logical reasons

for retaliation

to hate

to fight back

even to gloat

with smug satisfaction

when his enemy

died

But he wept

He wept over the violent end

that came to Saul

and not only for him,

but for Saul’s son Jonathan

David’s best friend

He wept over the death of his beloved friend

and he wept over the death of his hateful enemy

and there was no satisfaction

for Saul getting what was coming to him

only sadness

For this king

was a foreshadowing

of a greater King

who would look on a whole race of people

who should have gotten

what was coming to them

and He wept

and He died

and the enemies

were saved

and they were loved

– Susie Stewart

In lament, David ripped his clothes to ribbons. All the men with him did the same. They wept and fasted the rest of the day, grieving the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, and also the army of God and the nation Israel, victims in a failed battle.

– 2 Samuel 1:11,12 (MSG)

Yet it was our weaknesses He carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for His own sins!

But He was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.

– Isaiah 54:4,5 (NLT)

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

– Romans 5:7,8 (NLT)

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives His best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

– Matthew 5:43-48 (MSG)

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

Sinking

January 18, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Sink into His love today

up over your head

deep

Let the weightlessness

take your worry

your pain

your heaviness

Let the quiet

take all that speaks loud

and shouts at you

and distracts

Let the Living Water

refresh

and cleanse

and hydrate parched places

His love is a vast ocean

of hope and grace

Let go

and be enveloped

Sink not into despair

but into His love

– Susie Stewart

…with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings.

– Ephesians 3:18,19 (VOICE)

Photos taken by Susie Stewart

Voice of Authority

January 17, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

– John 10:27 (NLT)

When the Holy Spirit speaks, His voice comes with power and authority. It hits you deep. It grips you. Your heart burns. It’s Him. You know it….When God speaks, His voice is noticeable by its resonance, depth, and impact. It pulses with a calm, steady force that makes a clear impression on your soul….you are moved to stillness as you reflect on what you’ve seen and heard….Truly, you can distinguish the voice of God from any other voice by the powerful influence it carries in your soul.
– PriscilIa Shirer

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”
– Luke 24:32 (NLT)

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

– John 8:47 (ESV)

But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord
or speak in His name,
His word burns in my heart like a fire.
It’s like a fire in my bones!
I am worn out trying to hold it in!
I can’t do it!
– Jeremiah 20:9 (NLT)

“Does not my word burn like fire?”
says the Lord.
“Is it not like a mighty hammer
that smashes a rock to pieces?”
– Jeremiah 23:29 (NLT)

Photo taken by Arik Stewart

What you deserve

January 16, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Next time you are tempted to allow yourself

to be weighed down by forgiven sins,

remember that Jesus already got what you deserved.

He reminded me of that recently.

I was walking my dog Larry and started to slip on some sidewalk ice. I didn’t fall down and the thought popped into my mind, “I probably would have deserved that”.

I had been hashing over some past regrets. Not a healthy way for me to be spending my time on this beautiful dark evening under the stars with Larry and God.

As quickly as that downgrading thought entered my mind, I then also heard in my mind, “I GOT what you deserve.”

Such a swift response. It took my breath away.

Yes, my Jesus! You paid the ultimate price for all the sins I’ve committed and instead of me getting what was coming to me, You, my beautiful Savior, took the punishment I deserved.

You paid the ultimate price for me. And You have forgiven me. You continue to forgive me.

You didn’t deserve that. I did.

And I want to consciously and graciously accept the forgiveness You give,

and move on.

Because that’s what You desire.

Moving on.

Turning the opposite direction.

Doing better.

Being free.

“I GOT what you deserve.”

Regret and sin

need to be left in the past

– Susie Stewart

“Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
There it is! I’m making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.

– Isaiah 43:18,19 (MSG)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

– 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

– Philippians 4:23,14 (NLT)

…this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.

– Matthew 26:28 (VOICE)

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

Equip

January 15, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20,21 (NIV)

The God of peace

our promise-keeping

covenant God

Who brought our

Life

out of the grave

He will equip us

with everything good

for doing what He intends for us to do

today

and work in us to reveal

what pleases Him

It is all through Jesus

our Shepherd who leads us

Glory to God

– Susie Stewart

May God, who puts all things together,
makes all things whole,
Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
up and alive from the dead,
Now put you together, provide you
with everything you need to please Him,
Make us into what gives Him most pleasure,
by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
All glory to Jesus forever and always!
Oh, yes, yes, yes.

– Hebrews 13:20,21 (MSG)

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

Chocolate Truffles & Bacon

January 14, 2016January 14, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

Chocolate truffles and bacon

That’s all it took

for me to fall into the ditch

from my higher road

Resolved to eat better,

I was on my way

less sweets

less carbs

more exercise

The usual song and dance

for many a New Year enthusiast

only 13 days in…

But it had been a rough day

and I really wanted to eat bacon

and I really wanted to eat truffles

and I jumped in

with both feet

Not just a little

but a lot

and man it tasted good!

Then

the after…

the feeling crummy

the regret

the guilt

the sigh

Isn’t it that way with sin?

Without vigilance

we can find ourselves

up to our necks in it

Sin can be so tasty

But there is always the after

and in Jesus

we are free from those chains!

Sin reigns no more in us

because of Christ!

So when we choose to sin

it’s like bacon and chocolate truffles

It is blatant

it’s because we haven’t taken up our armor

Something is slipping

and I have left myself exposed

without a piece of my armor

Flesh exposed

And I’m not just talking

about the supposed “biggies” of sin

How often do we know

the Holy Spirit is pricking our hearts

when we start to speak gossip about another?

And we know we should stop

but we’ve already started

so we jump in deeper

because we’re already there

Run from sin’s snare!

Christ will fight for us

We need to surrender to Him

Don’t be burdened with slavery

free Warrior

– Susie Stewart

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

– Exodus 14:14 (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)

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)

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 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 6:12-14 (NLT)

Photos taken by Susie Stewart and Arik Stewart

Infinite

January 11, 2016January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I feel the tug

the Martha in my head

pressuring me to go

to do other things

to leave

And my heart longs

to sit here at Your feet

to gaze into Your beautiful eyes

to hear You

to learn and grow

to connect

So many distractions

pulling me away

an infinite amount it seems

And yet

what my heart and soul truly want

is You

Jesus

truly Infinite

truly Fulfilling

truly the Better

place to be

at Your feet

May the seemingly infinite

distractions

be overruled

by my desire to connect

with my Infinite God

– Susie Stewart

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

– Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

– Galatians 5:16,17 (ESV)

Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place. Jesus has opened a new and living way for us to go through the curtain. (The curtain is his own body.) We have a superior priest in charge of God’s house. We have been sprinkled with his blood to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come to Him with a sincere heart and strong faith.

– Hebrews 10:19-22 (GW)

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

Remarkable Existence

January 10, 2016January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

O Lord my God, how great You are!
You are robed with honor and majesty.
You are dressed in a robe of light.
You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
You lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.
You make the clouds your chariot;
You ride upon the wings of the wind.
The winds are your messengers;
flames of fire are your servants.

You placed the world on its foundation
so it would never be moved.
You clothed the earth with floods of water,
water that covered even the mountains.
At your command, the water fled;
at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
Mountains rose and valleys sank
to the levels You decreed.
Then You set a firm boundary for the seas,
so they would never again cover the earth.

You made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to set.
You send the darkness, and it becomes night,
when all the forest animals prowl about.
Then the young lions roar for their prey,
stalking the food provided by God.
At dawn they slink back
into their dens to rest.

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures.
Here is the ocean, vast and wide,
teeming with life of every kind,
both large and small.

May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
The Lord takes pleasure in all He has made!
The earth trembles at His glance;
the mountains smoke at His touch.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
I will praise my God to my last breath!
May all my thoughts be pleasing to Him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.

– Psalm 104:1-9, 19-22, 24, 25, 31-34 (NLT)

It is absolutely illogical to believe that nothing produces something, or that profoundly intricate designs have come into existence by self-generation. The more simple and natural conclusion is that there is an immeasurably great Creator and Benefactor back of all the remarkable existences which we observe and experience.
-Gordon Olson

Photo taken by Andy Stewart