grace

Condemn Me Not (with Video by Susie)

/ Susie Stewart / 6 Comments

Condemnation

 

heavy

burden

pain

ache

weight

 

It is what you used to be under

 

but because of the weight of the cross

and the pain He endured

 

you no longer have to be

 

Condemned

 

And if you feel as if you are,

even though Jesus saved you

 

resist it!

 

Open your eyes to freedom

from condemnation

 

The enemy is a tyrant

 

and he will heartlessly

try to convince you

 

that your actions will earn you

a sneer from God

 

and a turning of His back,

leaving you alone

 

BUT

remember Truth!

 

Truth tells us

the love of the Lord for YOU is eternal

 

and there is absolutely no condemnation

for those who are in Christ Jesus

 

So don’t tolerate the weight of it

any longer

 

Confess

and turn

 

For every rule God put before you

is there for your good

 

not to harm

or stifle you

 

Walk in the absolutely

no strings attached

lavish grace

 

of the One who chose

to set you free of condemnation

 

– Susie Stewart

 

…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

– Romans 8:1,2 (NIV)

 

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

– Romans 8:1,2 (MSG)

 

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
    and I know I will not be put to shame.
He who vindicates me is near.
    Who then will bring charges against me?
    Let us face each other!
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me.
    Who will condemn me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths will eat them up.

– Isaiah 50:7-9 (NIV)

 

The Lord will rescue His servants;
    no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned.

– Psalm 34:22 (NIV)

 

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

– James 4:7 (NLT)

 

This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in Him, and He in us: He’s given us life from His life, from His very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent His Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

– 1 John 4:15-18 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

 

Refreshed

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

How refreshing

is Your forgiveness

 

How sweet

Your grace

 

How fierce

Your resolve

 

to save

and redeem

 

And how blessed am I

to receive this gift

 

of Light inside

my very being

 

where darkness

once ruled

 

And how blessed am I

to know

 

I am truly forgiven

by Perfection

 

and that I’m known

for the dust that I am

 

Yet loved beyond reason

 

Forgiveness takes the weight

from the accused

 

and Your forgiveness, Jesus,

took that burden hard

and painfully

 

on Your flesh back

 

so that I

could be refreshed

 

with redemption

 

~ Susie Stewart

 

 

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

– Acts 3:19,20 (NIV)

 

 

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will He harbor His anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is His love for those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on His children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;
for He knows how we are formed,
    He remembers that we are dust.
The life of mortals is like grass,
    they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
    and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him,
    and His righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep His covenant
    and remember to obey His precepts.

– Psalm 103:7-18 (NIV)

 

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who grants us every spiritual blessing in these heavenly realms where we live in the Anointed—not because of anything we have done, but because of what He has done for us. God chose us to be in a relationship with Him even before He laid out plans for this world; He wanted us to live holy lives characterized by love, free from sin, and blameless before Him.  He destined us to be adopted as His children through the covenant Jesus the Anointed inaugurated in His sacrificial life. This was His pleasure and His will for us.  Ultimately God is the one worthy of praise for showing us His grace; He is merciful and marvelous, freely giving us these gifts in His Beloved.  Visualize this: His blood freely flowing down the cross, setting us free! We are forgiven for our sinful ways by the richness of His grace, which He has poured all over us.

– Ephesians 1:3-8 (VOICE)

 

 

Photo by Nicole 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

 

 

Daughter of the King

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

 

From Your throne, God,

You motion for me to come near

 

and as I approach

there is no hesitation

 

for You have called me

as Your daughter

 

And as I draw close in prayer

the grace that emanates is tangible and beautiful

 

I know that at Your throne

I will find mercy and grace

in this time of need

 

I receive the mercy gratefully

and I embrace the grace wholeheartedly

 

for I am in need

 

And my Abba reassures

and there is complete peace gazing at Him

 

I come boldly

because my Hero Jesus

has torn the veil

that once separated me from God

 

I trust

in the King of grace

on the eternal throne

 

and that is why I come

with confidence

 

as the daughter of the King

 

– Susie Stewart

 
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

– Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

 

God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who He is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us – an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with Him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with Him!
-Romans 8:14-16 (MSG)

 

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

– Romans 5:1,2 (NIV)

 

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

– Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)

 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

– Hebrews 10:19-22 (NIV)

 

So Much

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

 

It is heavy

and overwhelming

and takes your breath away

 

It is the weight

of God’s glory

 

It is unending

and all-encompassing

and relentless

 

It is God’s grace

toward you

 

It is stubborn

and pushy

and raw

 

It is love,

God’s incredible love for you

 

All for you

 

All of it

weighs you down

and overwhelms

and chases you

 

until you relent

under His beautiful

pressure

 

and therein

find your peace

security

and hope

 

– Susie Stewart

 

All the loneliness, angers, hatreds, envies and itchings that [this world] contains, if rolled into one single experience and put into the scale against the least moment of the joy that is felt in Heaven, would have no weight that could be registered at all.

– C.S. Lewis

 

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

– John 1:14 (NLT)

 

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display His craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make Him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.

– Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT)

 

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

– John 15;13 (NLT)

 

O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!

– Psalm 139:1-7 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

 

All Is Grace

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

All

is

Grace

 

It covers

and infiltrates

 

and should flow freely

 

from the ones who have received it

from God

 

 

Grace has a way of bringing

a sigh of relief

 

to those in it’s presence

 

Grace loves freely

and without a catch

 

It doesn’t dwell on the failures

and the wrongdoing

 

Grace can’t be anything

but gracious

 

and it heals and mends

in this broken place

 

All is grace

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

– Ephesians 2:7-10 (MSG)

 

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 6:14 (NLT)
For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].
-John 1:16 (AMP)
Photo by Susie Stewart

Same Heart, Different Methods

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

All of us who believe in God

hope to please Him

 

We know when we don’t measure up

 

But, friend, the difference between you and me

is complete dependence on grace

 

We both want the same thing —

rightness before our Creator

 

but you, friend, you chant

and you go through rituals

and you light candles

and you deify humans

and make confessions to them ….

 

relying on what you can do

to earn God’s favor

 

You have faith

but you also are working SO hard

to earn approval

to assuage your guilt

to make amends

 

And it would appear that’s the way

it should be

 

But it’s not

 

Grace is not cheap

and it came with a high price

 

God’s life

 

Chanting

Repeated bowing

Rituals

Religion

 

will never get any of us

closer to heaven

 

Dive deep into inherent Scripture

and find…

 

We can do nothing

to earn His nod

 

But if we humble ourselves

under His mighty hand

 

and accept grace and mercy

bought high-priced

 

we will find freedom

from man-made rules and rituals

 

and just find our Father,

arms open,

complete in love for us

 

And doing right

will come out of love for God,

moved by His great kindness

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time,

– 1 Peter 5:6 (AMP)

 

…but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 (AMP)

 

But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].

– Romans 11:6 (AMP)

 

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

– Hebrews 4:14-16 (AMP)

 

Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

– Romans 2:4 (NIV)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Enraptured

/ Susie Stewart / 3 Comments

Jesus, show me

how to be

more satisfied with You

 

by letting go

of my dissatisfaction

with people

 

Help me to be so enraptured by You

that offenses

do not offend

 

And, Jesus, show me how to be content

with myself

 

but always growing and learning,

ever pliable

 

Your grace, Jesus,

makes all of this possible

 

How sweet You are,

how satisfying

 

when my heart is enraptured

with You

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But as for me, my contentment is not in wealth but in seeing You and knowing all is well between us. And when I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see You face-to-face.

– Psalm 17:15 (TLB)

 

I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

– Philippians 4:11,12 (MSG)

 

Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.
– Matthew 5:6 (AMP)
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
-Psalm 90:14 (NLT)
Photo by Susie Stewart

Grace Flow

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

Today, my friend

I pray for you to know

 

really know

 

the grace that is yours

 

I pray that in the midst

of all the Have Tos

and Suppose Tos

and Got Tos

 

that you find the rhythms

of God’s grace flowing in you

 

That you enjoy

just being loved

 

And that you don’t forget to breathe in grace

and exhale praise

 

strengthened by God

knowing He is not burdensome

 

I pray this for you today

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].

– Romans 11:6 (AMP)

 

For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].

– John 1:16 (AMP)

 

So you, my son, be strong [constantly strengthened] and empowered in the grace that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus.

– 2 Timothy 2:1 (AMP)

 

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

– Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

 

The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.

– 2 Corinthians 13:14 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Confident

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

What give us confidence

to approach Almighty God?

 

He does

 

If it weren’t for God’s

mercy

grace

love

and goodness

 

we could not approach Him at all

 

And the thought of Him

providing the means to our confidence

before Him

 

proves even more

His beautiful heart toward us

 

And so, because He tells us

we can be confident in our approach of Him

 

we can!

 

What a gift that is

 

Righteousness

and peace

and confidence

 

because He sits on a throne

of grace

 

-Susie Stewart

 

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

– Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

 

…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

– Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

 

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

– 1 John 4:17 (NLT)

 

This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us.

-1 John 5:14 (AMP)

 

In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

– Ephesians 3:12 (NIV)

 

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

– Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

 

And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.

– Isaiah 32:17 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart