Ephesians

God in a Box

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Susie Stewart

You have Him wrapped up tight, don’t you?

In a box

of your own design

of your own size

of your own weight, height, depth.

He fits, doesn’t He?

Fits in your constraining box.

Of course He must fit, right?

He must fit, because you get to choose….

When to bring Him out,

when to acknowledge Him,

when to worship Him,

when to listen to Him,

when to take advantage of His power.

As if He were a genie

at your beckon call.

It is surreal to try and imagine

GOD in a box.

If there ever was anyone who didn’t fit

in a box

it is Him.

But we try to do it, don’t we?

We try to just bring Him out of that box

on Sunday

when we are afraid

when life is caving in

when we walk through the valley of the shadow…

What would we do…

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Emotion Gone Wild

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

We were not meant to be slaves

to our emotions

 

but rather

 

surrenders of those emotions,

subjecting them to God’s authority

 

These raw and beautiful feelings

are an important part of experiencing life

 

and they are one of God’s gifts

to our hearts

 

but they are not meat to rule

our minds

 

Sadness

happiness

joy

anger…

 

they all express

life here in this

broken

and beautiful

world

 

And we aren’t to look at them

as bad

 

when the negative emotions come,

 

but allowing them to rule

in a dominant way

 

 

makes us out to be

victims

out-of-control

helpless….

 

and

we

are

NOT

 

We, my brothers and sisters,

are Holy Spirit influenced

 

and not emotion driven

 

Our feelings and emotions allow expression

but they are not in charge

 

of who we are

 

We take feelings that threaten to overtake us

into captivity by His Divine mind

and heart

 

and we rest

and submit

and offer

 

every bit of ourselves,

which includes emotion,

 

to HIM

 

We are not meant to stay stuck

in anger

or sadness

or worry

or even grief

 

but are meant to experience

unexplainable peace

 

when they threaten

to overtake

 

We allow the emotion to express,

but not take us over

 

and certainly not cause us

to sin

 

Surrendered emotion

under God’s authority,

 

captive to His love, joy, and peace

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them.

– Proverbs 29:11 (GW)

 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

–  Philippians 4:6,7 (NLT)

 

Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.

– Romans 12:2 (VOICE)

 

A time to cry, a time to laugh; a time to mourn, a time to dance;

– Ecclesiastes 3:4 (VOICE)

 

Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

– Ephesians 4:26,27 (MSG)

 

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

– 2 Timothy 1:7 (VOICE)

 

Jesus wept.

– John 11:35 (NIV)

 

…we take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 10:5 (GW)

 

Photo by Gracie Oertli

 

 

Christmas Week – The Cast: JESUS

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

He was

and is

and is to come

 

Always God,

never began

 

Infinitely wise

 

He,

Father

Son

Holy Spirit

 

– One together –

chose us

 

before the beginning of the world

 

And He knew of the sacrifice

before He even made us

 

The selfless

and the painful

sacrifice

 

for we would need rescuing

before all was said and done

 

And, God,

in relationship with Himself

 

gave us His Son

and told us He would be called Jesus

 

for He would be the Salvation

everyone would need

 

He would save us all

from our sins

 

And we would not hold Him

in high esteem

 

nor love Him like we should

 

He would be introduced into this world

in the humblest way

 

for that is His nature,

humble of spirit

 

And the angels who have always known Him

marveled that He would

 

do this thing

for those such as us

 

The angels would praise

and glorify

and announce the King who was a child!

 

And prepare those closest

to this infant

 

so they would know the gravity

of the appearance of God

 

But non could have fathomed

the greatness

and boundless love

 

of this One and only God

made flesh

 

Before time, His was the earth

as His footstool

 

His was heaven beautiful

and pure

 

His was the universe

and everything in it

 

and yet…

 

He became nothing,

poured out for all

 

And so,

He is Jesus

 

The greatest of The Cast

in this true story

 

Tiny baby human

completely Divine

 

But, hear this!

 

The next cast member

is you!

 

for you are part of this story as well

the story of humanity in time

 

seen by an infinite God

 

What will you do with this Savior

of all mankind?

 

There is no neutral,

for He came for all

 

You must choose to accept

or your choice is already made

 

Choose Jesus’ love,

dear friend

 

Choose the One

who came for you

 

 

– Susie Stewart

 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.

– Luke 2:1-21 (NIV)

 

The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.

– Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)

 

For to us a child is born,
    to us a Son is given,
    and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of His government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over His kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

– Isaiah 9:6,7 (NIV)

 

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

– John 3:16 (NIV)

 

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;
rather, He made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    He humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

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

– Philippians 2:6-11 (NIV)

 

 

He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem.

– Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)

 

Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.

– Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Full of It

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Lately

I feel like I’ve had my fill

of the evil all around

 

It seems that the earth

is full of it

 

And I cry out to God!

 

Because in the midst

of all that evil

I long for my pure and spotless

God

 

He reminds me

that He is here

 

and that the earth

is not only full of evil

 

but the earth

IS FULL OF HIS GLORY

 

And I wake from my heavy stupor

of being overwhelmed

with darkness

 

and wake up to glory

 

in me

around me

and in His Christ-changed people

 

And I

hope

 

in the midst of it all

 

knowing

the end

to the story

 

where all that evil

is swallowed

 

by the fierce jaws

of love

and purity

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.

– Isaiah 6:3 (NIV)

 

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.

– Romans 8:6 (NLT)

 

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.

– Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

 

So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west And His glory from the rising of the sun. For He will come in like a narrow, rushing stream Which the breath of the Lord drives [overwhelming the enemy].

– Isaiah 59:19 (AMP)

 

Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good.

– Romans 12:21 (AMP)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

More and More and More…

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

The MORE of You

is beyond

and infinitely above

my grasp

 

The MORE of what You can

and will do

is immeasurable

and unimaginable

 

The MORE of what I

don’t expect

or don’t ask

of You

is unbelievable

 

To YOU

my unfathomable

beyond

and more

God,

 

I commit myself

to imagine

and ask

and believe

MORE

 

even though it is not

a speck

of enough vision

of You

and Your ways

 

I lean in to witness

the power of You

in me

and outside of me

for Your Divine glory

 

and MORE

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

– Ephesians 3:20,21 (NIV)

 

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

– Ephesians 3:20,21 (MSG)

 

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.

– Ephesians 3:20,21 (AMP)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Happily Ever After

/ Susie Stewart / 3 Comments

When you were young

did you dream

of your Happily Ever After?

 

Did you imagine your life

would look different

than the reality that has unfolded?

 

Your road has been

so much bumpier

than you wanted, hasn’t it?

 

And happily ever after

seems only a dream…

 

It is true

that in this life

you will have many troubles

 

You are a survivor

in a broken world

wrought with battles unseen

 

But, friend, your joy in between

is unmistakeable

 

For the beautiful parts of your life

are attributed to Him

who created that beauty

 

And you walk in His presence

in the midst of the turmoil

and the disappointment

 

You trust His promises

and you cling to His robe

for dear life

 

He is the Rock

the Fortress

the Shelter you need

 

And you know

without a shred of doubt

 

that your happily ever after

is coming

 

and it will be eternally yours

forever

and

ever

 

– Susie Stewart

 

It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.

It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.

– Ephesians 1:11-14 (MSG)

 

 It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, He saved us from all that. It was all His doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with Him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

– Titus 3:3-8 (MSG)

 

What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have Him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.

I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

– 1 Peter 1:3-7 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Completely

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Crush me, God,

with Your love

 

Drown me

in Your grace

 

Break me

with Your goodness

 

Smother me

in Your joy

 

 

Push me

in Your strength

 

Suffocate me

with Your peace

 

Do all this

until I am completely overwhelmed

 

with You

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

Still, Eternal One, You are our Father. We are just clay, and You are the potter. We are the product of Your creative action, shaped and formed into something of worth.

– Isaiah 64:8 (VOICE)

 

Power belongs to You, God,
     and with You, Lord, is unfailing love.

– Psalm 62:11,12 (NIV)

 

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.

– Psalm 73:26 (NLT)

 

I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 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.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

 
-Ephesians 3:16-21- (NLT)
Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

Tough & Tender

/ Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

The heart

 

is a curious

and beautiful

and complex

thing

 

With our hearts we feel the depths

and the heights

 

and all that is between

 

It is the core,

and it is to be guarded

 

But how do we guard it

without becoming calloused?

 

And how do we sense

without becoming overly-sensitive?

 

How is it that we can be strong of heart,

and at the same time

tender-hearted?

 

All in christ

always

 

All in Christ

 

 

And it all begins

 

with a heart

surrendered

to Jesus

 

Only He can bring strength

and tenderness

to co-exist within us

 

Allowing His Words to penetrate

any hardness of heart

 

we let Him soften

the callouses

 

As we become tender to His Spirit

 

our softness and sensitivity toward people

will grow deep

and beautiful

and sincere

 

Forgiveness and grace

will flow

and heal

and bless

 

Then there is His strength

welling up

 

We allow His Words

and His presence

to strengthen

our weakness

 

We believe HIM

and take our thoughts captive to His Spirit

 

We are strong in Him!

We KNOW that He is God!

 

Strength of heart develops

when our focus is on HIS strength

in us

 

not our own

 

And we let His peace

RULE in our hearts

 

Let it rule

 

Which means surrender to His will

and trusting Him

with everything

 

Strength

and tenderness

can live in the same heart

 

through Christ,

the strongest

and most tender

 

Loving with quiet goodness,

fighting for us

with all passion

and strength

 

 

~ Susie Stewart

 

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

– Colossians 3:15 (NLT)

 

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

– Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)

 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

– Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

– Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

 

So let God work His will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and He’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.

– James 4:7-9 (MSG)

 

They won’t be afraid of bad news; their hearts are steady because they trust the Lord.

– Psalm 112:7 (NCV)

 

I have pursued You with my whole heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.

– Psalm 119:10 (VOICE)

 

Don’t put on a show just because they are looking (as if you were a people pleaser); but as a slave of the Anointed, do the will of God from your heart.

– Ephesians 6:6 (VOICE)

 

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

– Psalm 27:14 (NIV)

 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

– Matthew 11:29 (NIV)

 

I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

– Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

 

A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones.

– Proverbs 14:30 (AMPC)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

Cherished

/ Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

It is hard to put into words

what I’m feeling today

 

for my boy,

who became a man,

 

the boy

who I spent minutes

and hours

and days

and weeks

and months

and years

 

nurturing

 

found a beautiful girl

and will marry her today

 

and he loves her

 

Such depth of love they have

and it enlarges my heart

 

 

And joy is right on the tip of my tongue

this day

while melancholy is not far behind

 

My thoughts are all over

 

This child I have poured into

will hold fast to the beautiful girl

 

He will be a husband,

and a good one too

 

And all those minutes

and hours

and days

and weeks

and months

and years

are cherished in my full heart

 

knowing they were worth it

 

and thanking God

for the love He has allowed me to share with this child

 

I gladly

with joy

and a few tears

hold my arms open

 

for both

when it used to be for one

 

for that is the way it is meant to be

and my mama heart knows it

 

and I will add it to my memories

fully cherished

 

– Susie Stewart

 

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

– 3 John 1:4 (NIV)

 

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

– Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)

 

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

– 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

 

5

 

Bully

/ Susie Stewart / 5 Comments

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