God

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

Poison Words

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

Friend,

why?

 

Why are you speaking words

of division?

 

Why do you tell one person

negative things about another?

 

Swaying friends’ opinions

when they two were at peace?

 

Stale water and fresh water

should not be coming out

of the same spring

 

Words of gossip

words of condescension

words of poison,

so the Word says

 

The enemy is the divider

and our God is the Unifier

 

Whose team do you want to be on anyway?

 

Use your words to bless,

not curse

 

Edify the Body of Christ

 

– Susie Stewart

 

…a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!  Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

– James 3:5-12 (NLT)

 

Photo by Arik 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

 

Overflow

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

We are dependent on You, God,

for filling every need

 

and You go beyond the need

to the blessings

 

they overflow

 

causing our lives

and our love

to spill over

into the lives of others

 

Abundant and flowing love

coming from You

gracefully filling another’s cup

with blessings through us

 

All of it

every part

is YOU

 

– Susie Stewart

 

And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity.

– 2 Corinthians 9:8 (AMP)

 

God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

– 2 Corinthians 9:7-9 (MSG)

 

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

– 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)

 

God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you’ll always be taken care of in every way and you’ll have more than enough to share.

– 2 Corinthians 9:9 (VOICE)

 

Photo by Katy Mae Nelson