The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him.
For He laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.
– Psalm 24:1-2 (NLT)
You established all of it, God
You created it all, every thing and every person
and even though some do not acknowledge You
or they shake their fists at You
it’s still all Yours
and always will be
You spoke
and it all appeared
You created in love and power
God, You sustain us
and I am so grateful
that the One who spoke life into
oceans and galaxies and babies and whales
loves me
and I am Yours
– Susie Stewart
Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….
…you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.
– Isaiah43:1-4 (NLT)
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them.
It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.
– John 4:23-24 (MSG)
In prayer we are occupied with our needs, in thanksgiving we are occupied with our blessings, but in worship we are totally occupied with God Himself.
– A.P. Gibbs
Worship is not a repetitious exercise of rituals and formulas. These create a veil that actually prevents us from enjoying the presence of the Lord. Worship is the heart poured out in gratitude and awe, expressing our appreciation of who He is and what He has done for us by His grace through Jesus Christ.
– Dave Hunt
Worship is the path to experiencing the presence of God, the way to face-to-face intimacy.
Lord, I love you! I see Your beauty in these wildflowers! You are lovely, God. You are so great and I love You…
(Don’t forget to get trash bags at Walmart, oh and potting soil…)
And, God, please watch over Colie at camp and Arik in Denver, keep them safe….
(These shoes are so good for hiking. I’m really glad I got them. My flip flops are wearing out, though, I think I better get some new ones before the old ones break…)
Oh yes, God, thank you for a new morning, and for health and strength and for life!
(Man, I really loved my time with my Jericho Girls group last night. What a precious time of sharing…)
Lord, I’m sorry….
I have the hardest time staying focused sometimes when I’m praying to You. I want to
(Squirrel!)
I want to keep all my focus on You on these hikes, but I’m so distracted. I’m just sorry….
(Ugh, messed up again….)
I love you, child. I made you a multi-tasker. I see you trying hard to keep focused on Me. I made you this way and I use you this way. You are not messing up. I’m always here.
God…. I just love You so much. Thank You. I will keep trying with Your help.
I am just like a friend walking along your side that you jump from topic to topic with. I delight in you.
Friend, do you struggle with focus when praying? Boy, I sure do. But I’m so thankful that God sticks right with me anyway. And I’m thankful that as I grow to know Him more and more that my communication with Him can flow more and more freely throughout the day. He is always with me and I can talk to Him any time. What a precious gift from my Abba Father. Be encouraged! God knows we can be flighty. He is patient with His children.
– Susie Stewart
Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
– Jeremiah 29:12 (NIV)
God can’t stand pious poses, but he delights in genuine prayers.
– Proverbs 15:8 (MSG)
Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.
– 1 Chronicles 16:11 (NLT)
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope Je has given to those He called—His holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
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.
Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.
– Galatians 5:1 (MSG)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free.” ~ Jesus
– Luke 4:18 (NLT)
Doesn’t it make sense that if you sign yourself over as a slave, you will have to obey your master? The question before you is, What will be your master? Will it be sin—which will lead to certain death—or obedience—which will lead to a right and reconciled life?
– Romans 6:16 (VOICE)
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].
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.
We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.
– Ephesians 6:12 (VOICE)
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
– James 4:7 (NLT)
For though we walk in the world, we do not fight according to this world’s rules of warfare. The weapons of the war we’re fighting are not of this world but are powered by God and effective at tearing down the strongholds erected against His truth.
– 2 Corinthians 10:3,4 (VOICE)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
– 1 Peter 5:8,9 (NLT)
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.
– Ephesians 6:13-17 (NLT)
Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.
God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
He wraps the rain in His thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight.
He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with His clouds.
He created the horizon when He separated the waters; He set the boundary between day and night. The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at His rebuke. By His power the sea grew calm. By His skill He crushed the great sea monster. His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and His power pierced the gliding serpent. These are just the beginning of all that He does, merely a whisper of His power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of His power?
– Job 26:7-14 (NLT)
When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers— the moon and the stars You set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that You should care for them?
– Psalm 8:3,4 (NLT)
O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!
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.
Susie Stewart 