James

Grieving Him

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

My closest Companion,

I would never want to hurt You

 

My beautiful Encourager,

I don’t want to grieve Your heart

 

And it hurts to think that I could do that

 

And yet I do

 

With my words

 

My words to people

or about people

Unneeded words

Gossip

Slander

Harsh words

Complaining

 

Quick to speak

slow to listen

 

They are all the opposite

of worshipful

 

They do not bring You honor

or glory

or joy

 

Their root is self

and sin

 

And so, my closest Companion,

my precious Holy Spirit,

I seek to worship You

with my words

 

I choose to bless

and not curse

those who have been made in Your image

 

I choose to say no

to gossip

and slander

 

I choose to express gratefulness

and not complaints

 

I choose to say what is helpful

for building others up

 

I choose

to choose

my words carefully

 

For You, Holy Spirit,

dwell in me

 

And the last thing I want to do

is grieve my God,

my Gift

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

– Ephesians 4:29, 30 (NIV)

 

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

Don’t grieve God. Don’t break His heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for Himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

– Ephesians 4:29,30 (MSG)

 

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

– James 3:9, 10 (NIV)  

 

With the gift of words, we bless God and then turn around and curse husbands, children, and others created in God’s image.  This is serious – because when we curse others, we are in effect cursing God and obliterating the previous act of blessing…..When James used the word curse, it meant much more than cursing and swearing.  Unkind words about a neighbor, child, husband, or anyone who is made in the image of God count as curses.

– Linda Dillow

 

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

 

Photo by Andy Stewart

 

The Battle

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

The battle is invisible

and it is fierce

 

Unseen

but real

 

This fight

affects you

 

And if your eyes were opened

to the unseen reality

 

You would fall to your knees

before the God of Angel Armies

 

You would know that darkness

wants to take you down

 

You would know that angels

are protectors and fighters

 

strong and valiant

 

And you would know that demons

are liars and destroyers

 

Purveyors of

defeat

stress

division

lies

death

and fear

 

And know this –

 

if you have not surrendered to King Jesus,

you WILL lose this fight

 

You are defenseless without Him

 

If you DO know Him

and believe Him

 

Don’t forget your battle gear

 

Take up your Sword!

the Word of God to combat lies and deception

 

Take up your shield!

which is your faith in Almighty God

 

Put on your helmet!

the salvation of your precious soul

 

Lace up your shoes!

that come with the Peace only He can give

 

Strap on your belt!

of Truth, lies dispelled

 

Hold up that shield!

God’s armor of righteousness for you

 

Don’t underestimate your enemy

or

God’s army

 

Get in that battle

and hold onto the One who holds victory

 

for you

 

– Susie Stewart

 

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.

– Deuteronomy 3:22 (NIV)

 

Artwork by Arik Stewart from his childhood

 

 

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

 

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

 

Tug-O-War

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I’m in a tug-o-war,

a fierce competition

 

Only, it’s not a game,

but a battle

 

On the one side,

pulling me one direction,

is my longing for God,

my heaven-ward focus

 

And on the other,

the pull of the world

of distraction

of selfishness

 

And I feel that pull

that tug

that struggle

 

every.  single.  day

 

It’s not a horizontal battle

but a vertical tug o war

 

upward

and downward

 

and I want You, God,

yet….

 

I am pulled

by so much

 

electronics

my own thoughts

busyness

the enemy

 

the list goes on and on

 

But

in the middle

of that taut rope

is a tied piece of ribbon

 

and I see that red cloth

as

my choices

my focus

my will

 

It is me taking my thoughts captive

to make them obedient to Christ

 

or me allowing defeat thoughts

to overtake my hours

 

It is me choosing prayer

over mindless hours of screen time

 

or me letting entertainment

step on creative, full living

 

It is me deliberately serving

and honoring my King

 

or me procrastinating

what He has asked me to do

 

Choices bringing my ribbon

ever upward

or yanking me downward

 

And I see that the anchor

of the heaven-ward side

is God Himself

 

always drawing me in

and looking for my eyes to fix on Him

not on the competition

 

and I decide which side

I want to be pulling on

for my own soul

and because I am called to more

than downward

 

– Susie Stewart

 

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

– 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (MSG)

 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

– Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

 

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

– James 4:7 (NLT)

 

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

– 1 John 4:4 (NLT)

 

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT)

 

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, He does.

– 1 Peter 5:8-11 (MSG)

 

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

 

Online photo

 

Unwavering Trust

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

Is your trust

swayed with your emotion?

 

Is your trust

in a wave-like motion?

 

Up and down

up and down

up and down

 

Or is your trust

grounded and firm?

 

Based on truth unwavering,

solid?

 

Set your eyes, your mind, your heart

on the God who does not change

 

and let not your circumstances

lessen your trust

 

He will still those waves

if you only surrender

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life.

– Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

 

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

– James 1:5-8 (MSG)

 

Late that day He said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took Him in the boat as He was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused Him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”

Awake now, He told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”

They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”

– Mark 4:35-41 (MSG)

 

Photo by Arik Stewart

Consequences

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

You are wading,

trudging,

struggling,

in consequences

 

The consequences of your choices

 

And you know that you’ve found freedom

in the confession

 

But the consequences…

 

The result

of your choices

 

they are heavy

and far-reaching

and inevitable

 

and you must wade through

 

the heavy murkiness

that tugs at you

even as you are enveloped in God’s forgiving grace

 

Be strong in Him

keep taking responsibility for the pain caused

and accept that consequences are real

 

We all must face them

 

Except when it comes to our Savior

 

He took our consequences

 

All the consequence of our sin

weighed heaven and earth-sized on His shoulders

and He trudged through the murky waters

until there was

one

last breath

 

and He had drown

in our consequences

 

Thank You, dear Lord.

 

Dear friend, when you find yourself

knee-deep in consequences

 

stop and thank the Lord

 

that He will not leave you stuck in sin,

that He gives grace to the humble,

that He died for you

and

that He truly brings freedom

 

And know that because of HIM

you will not drown in your consequences

– Susie Stewart

 

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.

– Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

 

And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

– James 4:6 (NLT)

 

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].

– 1 John 1:9 (AMP)

 

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 6:22,23 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Today

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Love and cherish

those you love and cherish

today

 

All the things

you’d like to say

say today

 

For tomorrow isn’t promised

 

And life is richer

deeper

lovelier

and more profound

if you choose today

 

– Susie Stewart

 

The reality is you have no idea where your life will take you tomorrow. You are like a mist that appears one moment and then vanishes another.

– James 4:14 (VOICE)

 

Most of all, love each other steadily and unselfishly, because love makes up for many faults.

– 1 Peter 4:8 (VOICE)

 

Let love prevail in your life, words, and actions.

– 1 Corinthians 16:14 (VOICE)

 

Photo by Andy Stewart

Listen

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

 

WORDS

hurt

heal

inform

affirm

express

 

Father,

lead my thoughts before a word ever leaves my lips

 

temper my tongue

 

for your glory

and for Your Name

 

Show me what righteous anger looks like

and what is mere bitterness

and selfishness

and pride

 

Silence the words

that I’m tempted to say

that shouldn’t be said

 

Teach me to listen

and  hear

and respond

from Your heart

 

Lead on, Lord,

and go before

so that the attitude of my heart

and the words of my mouth

show the light

You have brought to my soul

– Susie Stewart

 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,  because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

– James 1:19,20 (NIV)

 

Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us].

– James 1:19 (AMP)

 

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

– James 1:18-20 (MSG)

 

When you are angry, don’t let it carry you into sin. Don’t let the sun set with anger in your heart or give the devil room to work.

– Ephesians 4:26,27 (VOIVE)

 

Pleasant words are like honey from a honeycomb— sweet to the spirit and healthy for the body.

– Proverbs 16:24 (GW)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Humility

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

The greatest test of whether the holiness we profess to seek or to attain is truth and life will be whether it produces an increasing humility in us. In man, humility is the one thing needed to allow God’s holiness to dwell in him and shine through him. The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is lack of humility. The holiest will be the humblest.

– Andrew Murray

 

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

–  Colossians 3:12 (NLT)

 

They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.

–  Titus 3:2 (NLT)

 

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

–  James 3:13 (NLT)

 

…Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.

– Luke 9:48 (NLT)

 

Photo by Andy Stewart