2 Corinthians

The Pull

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Heaven is not here, it’s There. If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next. God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for.

– Elisabeth Elliott

 

Life without God is a slow decline of heart and soul, ever accepting a lower standard, and gaining speed toward eternal darkness. Less happy every day and needing ever more distractions from the pain. Lost, miserable, and feeding on the greedy pull of things in the world. But never really enjoying anything because there is always this nagging in the back of the mind that Hell awaits. For those without God, the fear of dying must be overwhelming. As it should be.

– Rex Rouis

 

The Pull

is real

 

Luring, coaxing, beckoning

 

to eternal joy

or eternal pain

 

Without being saved

weighted by sin

the pull is ever downward

 

But as children of God

graciously saved

the pull is upward

 

We either await eternity

with dread

or peace

 

Choose wisely

 

You will be pulled to one or the other

– Susie Stewart

 

We know that if our earthly house—a mere tent that can easily be taken down—is destroyed, we will then live in an eternal home in the heavens, a building crafted by divine—not human—hands. Currently, in this tent of a house, we continue to groan and ache with a deep desire to be sheltered in our permanent home because then we will be truly clothed and comfortable, protected by a covering for our current nakedness. The fact is that in this tent we anxiously moan, fearing the naked truth of our reality. What we crave above all is to be clothed so that what is temporary and mortal can be wrapped completely in life. The One who has worked and tailored us for this is God Himself, who has gifted His Spirit to us as a pledge toward our permanent home.

– 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (VOICE)

 

On that day—when the clouds draw back displaying His powerful heavenly messengers in a fiery blaze, Jesus the Lord will appear from heaven dealing out perfect justice to anyone who doesn’t know God and anyone who disobeys the good news of our Lord Jesus. And what’s to become of them? They’ll pay for what they’ve done; their punishment will be eternal destruction. And what’s worse? They’ll be banished from the Lord’s presence and glorious power.

– 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (VOICE)

 

Photo by CoffeePam

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

It is good to be present

 

here

now

 

But it is also good to focus beyond

 

there

future

 

For when we suffer

when we have trials

when today is heavy

 

Beyond

is a comfort

 

And Jesus will always

give us hope for the beyond

 

Beyond the suffering

Beyond the trial

Beyond this life

 

Jesus endured the cross

for the joy beyond

 

We endure the pain of sinful earth

for the joy of Heaven

 

Always hope

for the beyond

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

And so now, we wait.  We wait for our bridegroom.  “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning” (Psalm 130:6).  We lean on the windowsill of eternity, look to the sky, and whisper, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come quickly.”

Oh when will He come?

And every once in a while, when our heart grows weary of waiting, the Lord revives us with snatches of joy…It is a preview of the joy that will overtake us when, finally, the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

And it will all happen in the twinkling of an eye.

Before we realize it, if we are blessed to be living at the time of His return, we shall find ourselves in the embrace of our Savior at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.  Heaven will have arrived.  The Lord’s overcoming of the world will be a lifting of the curtain of our five senses, and we shall see the whole universe in plain sight.  Life and immortality will no longer be dim thoughts, but vivid and strikingly real.  At first, the shock of joy may burn with the brilliant newness of being glorified, but in the next instant we will be at peace and feel at home, as though it were always this way, that we were born for such a place.  At that moment, earth will seem like a half-forgotten dream, pleasant enough, but only a dream.

– Joni Eareckson Tada

 

…For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

– Hebrews 12:1,2 (NIV)

 

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

– 2 Corinthians 4:17,18 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

OJ & Life

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

A glass of orange juice

knocked over the breakfast table

all over me

 

Sticky liquid splattered

my beginning of the day

outfit

 

Server youth, red-faced  and apologizing

brings another orange juice

 

We take some of  breakfast with us

a great oblong cinnamon toast cracker

ready to eat

 

Falls to the ground

and shatters into pieces all broken

 

We head for a change of clothes

and

a fresh start

 

Wouldn’t you know it

thumb burns

on hot flat iron

 

It was a rough start

to the day

 

And some days are like that

 

And some days

start

with more

than an orange juice in your lap

 

Some days bring a splattering

of hopes and dreams

 

And some days

start

with more

than cinnamon toast all over the floor

 

Some days bring a shattering

of what you thought

your future would be

 

And some days

start

with more

than a burned thumb all painful

 

Some days bring a burn intense

red hot

to your tender heart

 

But whatever the intensity

whatever the circumstance

whatever the heartache

 

God’s grace will carry you

His strength will hold you

His love will envelope you

 

Each day has the potential

for trials

large and small

 

Let His grace be everything

for you

– Susie Stewart

 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

 

Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

– Hebrews 4:16 (AMP)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

Darkness

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Spiritual darkness is the absence of God’s truth in our hearts and lives.  We can have an education and still be in darkness.  We can study philosophy and religion and still be in darkness.  We can go to church or do social work in our community and still live in darkness.  We can be sincere or be tolerant of others and what they believe and still be in darkness.

Darkness is unbelief.  Darkness is deception, keeping us from the knowledge of God.  Darkness is separation, keeping us from the fellowship of God.  Darkness is isolation, keeping us from the presence of God.  Darkness is something we should treat as an enemy, yet when we are in sin, we treat it as a friend.  We like darkness – it hides us from being exposed for who we really are.  The sin in us runs deep and the darkness is our cloak.

Although we may be hiding from Him, He is not hiding from us.  Jesus seeks us out in our darkness.  He is standing near us, clothed with white garments…covered with glory…reaching out with arms of mercy…inviting us into the marvelous light of His forgiveness and love.

– Roy Lessin

 

Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.

– Luke 1:78,79 (NLT)

 

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.

– 1 John 1:5 (NLT)

 

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)

 

…Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’

– Acts 26:17,18 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Strength

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

 

I get, Lord,

that I need to love You with my everything

 

heart

soul

mind

strength

 

and I find myself pausing at the strength part

 

because it’s an interesting word to use

and I ask You to help me grasp what that means…

 

…what it has meant to me

in my life

 

Loving You with all my strength

brings to mind

times of feeling weak

and life was dim

but I trusted

and I loved

beyond reason

because I was loving You with the strength

that I had

 

You were my strength

 

My body felt weak

but I loved You with my trust

and You would remind me

that Your grace is always sufficient for me

 

And I think about times

when I felt so confident

and strong

but I was easily pulled down

because my eyes were on self

and not on You

 

Love of self

focus on self-preserving

focus on self-promoting

weak

 

Not loving God with all my strength

 

Seemingly strong on the outside

but compromised on the inside

 

And so I know that

no matter my weakness

my suffering

my conditions

my surroundings

 

I can love You with all my strength

because it is the power

that You give that’s important

 

Everything I can love You with

first came from You

 

Which is all the more reason

to love You

with all of it.

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart,

all your soul,

all your mind,

and all your strength.

– Mark 12:30 (NCV)

 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (NIV)

 

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 12:9-10 (MSG)

 

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

– 1 John 4:7,8 (NLT)

 

Photo by Nicole Stewart

Immersed

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

You will hear lies

coming from within

and from the outside

 

And it is infinitely important

that you immerse yourself

in Truth

 

For if you hear the lies

about you

or God

or life

and you can’t recall Truth

 

You just might believe

those lies

 

So immerse

saturate

drown yourself

in Truth

 

It’s about life or death

for your mind

for your heart

for your soul

– Susie Stewart

 

…Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

– 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NLT)

 

Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night so that you may be careful to live by all that is written in it. If you do, as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success.

– Joshua 1:8 (VOICE)

 

How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.

– Psalm 119:14-16 (MSG)

 

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

– Psalm 19:4 (NLT)

 

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

– Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Strong

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

The Christian often tries to forget his weakness;  God wants us to remember it, to feel it deeply.  The Christian wants to conquer his weakness and to be freed from it;  God wants us to rest and even rejoice in it.  The Christian mourns over his weakness;  Christ teaches His servant to say, “I take pleasure in infirmities.”  The Christian thinks his weaknesses are his greatest hindrance in the life and service of God;  God tells us that it is the secret of strength and success.  It is our weakness, heartily accepted and continually realized, that give us our claim and access to the strength of Him who has said, “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

…And if we want to know how the power is bestowed, the answer is simple:  Christ gives His power in us by giving His life in us.  He does not, as so many believers imagine, take the feeble life He finds in them and impart a little strength to aid them in their feeble efforts.  No, it is in the giving His own life in us that He gives us His power.  The Holy Spirit came down to the disciples direct from the heart of their exalted Lord, bringing down into them the glorious life of heaven into which He had entered.  And so His people are still taught to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  When He strengthens them, it is not by taking away the sense of feebleness and giving in its place the feeling of strength.  By no means.   But, in a very wonderful way, leaving and even increasing the sense of utter helplessness, He gives them along with it the consciousness of strength in Him.  The feebleness and the strength are side by side;  as the one grows, the other also grows, until they understand the saying, “When I am weak, then am I strong…I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:10,9).

…He lives a most joyous and blessed life, not because He is no longer feeble, but because, being utterly helpless, he consents and expects to have the mighty Savior work in him.

– Andrew Murray

 

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT)

 

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

– 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT)

 

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

– Luke 24:49 (NLT)

 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere.”

– Acts 1:8 (NLT)

 

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

– Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Steady

/ Susie Stewart / 3 Comments

Steady gaze
Upon Your face
Steady eyes
Drinking in Your grace
Steady ears
Anxious to hear
Steady arms
Knowing Your near
Steady thoughts
Of You and Your life
Fragrancing my heart
Perfuming the strife
Steady gaze
Constant abide
Walking with You
Right by my side.

– LeeLee Dart

 

. . . this one committal, this one great volitional act which establishes the heart’s intention to gaze forever upon Jesus. God takes this intention for our choice and makes what allowances he must for the thousand distractions which beset us in this evil world. He knows that we have set the direction of our hearts toward Jesus, and we can know it too, and comfort ourselves with the knowledge that a habit of soul is forming which will become, after a while, a sort of spiritual reflex requiring no more conscious effort on our part.

Faith is the least self-regarding of the virtues. It is by its very nature scarcely conscious of its own existence. Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and never sees itself, faith is occupied on the Object upon which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves — blessed riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at Christ, the very things he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him. It will be God working in him to will and to do.

– AW Tozer

 

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

– Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)

 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

– John 15:5 (NLT)

 

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

– 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

 

Photo by Arik Stewart

Goodness

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

 

God promises to work ALL things for the GOOD

 

for those of us who love Him

and have been called by Him

 

He takes our mistakes

our heartache

our everything

 

and brings purpose and good

 

Beauty from ashes

from all that happens in our lives

 

No exceptions

because of unconditional love

 

How unimaginably gracious!

 

 

So, what if you and I sought to do that

for people?

 

What if we were to respond with grace

when wronged,

bringing the good

to that situation?

 

And what if we loved

when it makes more sense

to hate?

 

And what if we took awful circumstances,

and inserted compassion

and truth

instead of criticism?

 

What if we responded with patience

when it isn’t warranted?

 

What if we sought,

by God’s Spirit,

the good

in everything?

 

What if we showed His goodness,

by His power,

with His Light,

in the darkness?

– Susie Stewart

 

 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

– Romans 8:28 (NIV)

 

…we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

– Romans 8:28 (MSG)

 

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

– 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP)

 

To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.  In their righteousness, they will be like great oak that the Lord has planted for His own glory.

– Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

 

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

 

 

 

Secret

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I know a secret….

 

it’s one I want to spread

to anyone reading this

 

Paul shared what he had learned

and I listened

 

for I myself needed what this secret offered

 

and all of us do

 

It’s a secret

about how to be content

 

and not just content when things are pleasant

but content in any circumstance

 

How can that be when I’m not happy?

When things are not going as planned?

When I suffer and I don’t know why?

or

All is stripped away?…

 

What then?

 

How can I be content

when important things

important people

important well-being

keep me happy

enable me to do what I do things

are stripped away

 

What then?

 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

 

So there

I said it

 

The secret is out

 

and it has been

since Paul penned those words so long ago

 

and it was known in the hearts of many of his predecessors

 

Joseph in a prison

David on the run

Ruth in a foreign land

Hosea with a wayward wife

Noah on a rockin’ boat

Moses with an overwhelming job

Esther in a palace of pressure

Jonathan with relatives closed to truth

Abraham never able to settle down

Isaac with work piled high

Jonah with a task unbelievable

and the list goes on

 

and the stories go

that each one came to find

that trusting God

and following God

and surrendering to God

is where you find contentment

 

in the messes

and the inconveniences

and the hardships

of life

 

and we each have our head-kept lists

of why discontentment is an option

 

and then we remember the secret

to being content

in any

and all

circumstances

 

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

– Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)

 

I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

– 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (NLT)

 

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9,10 (NLT)

 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

– Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

 

Photo taken by Arik Stewart