For Them

October 13, 2017October 13, 2017 / Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

They cannot speak for themselves,

and so you speak

They cannot do for themselves,

and so you do for them

They cannot pay,

you give

They cannot fight,

you march

They are destitute

victims

marginalized

poor

young

mute

alone

and passed by

But you

with your indwelling Hope

YOU are the hands

and the feet

and the voice

and the justice

for each one

knowing that YOU

were the one in need

when your Savior

left heaven to save you

He spoke for you

He fought for you

He did what you could not do

when he died to save you

And He paid

when you could not pay….

His heart for those in desperate need

replaced your heart of stone

and so you march

and you speak

and you pay

and you do

for the least

and the mute crying

– Susie Stewart

**Inspired by my daughter’s prayer march against human trafficking today. We each need to take a look at ourselves and ask what we are doing for someone who cannot do or speak for themselves.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.

– Proverbs 31:8 (NLT)

Learn to do good; commit yourselves to seeking justice. Make right for the world’s most vulnerable – the oppressed, the orphaned, the widow.

– Isaiah 1:17 (VOICE)

Stand up of the poor and the orphan; advocate for the rights of the afflicted and those in need.

– Psalm 82:3 (VOICE)

Real, true religion from God the Father’s perspective is about caring for the orphans and widows who suffer needlessly and resisting the evil influence of the world.

– James1:27 (VOICE)

Jesus said – The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

– Luke 4:18, 19 (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)

Then these righteous ones will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? Or a stranger and who You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?”

And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sister, you were doing it to Me!”

– Matthew 25:37-40 (NLT)

Photo by John Butler

Investor

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

If you were to have the title

of Life Investor

hired by God

in the here and now

What would He observe

about your investment practices

and priorities?

Would He say

that He observes you investing your life

in the valuable?

Or would He say

that He observes you investing your life

in that which doesn’t last?

Is all your energy spent on yourself

and getting ahead

in worldly success

and mindless pursuits?

Or is it invested in people

in your relationship with your Creator

in glorifying Him

and in the deeper things of life?

Is your life invested in bigger, better, and prestigious

in the smallest, poor and broken?

Do you know which one God prioritizes?

He is the authority

on what matters

We are given only one life

to invest in the eternal

and in the things He values

May we invest wisely

for we never know

when God will retire our position

for the afterlife

– Susie Stewart

The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a trip. He called his servants and entrusted some money to them. He gave one man ten thousand dollars, another four thousand dollars, and another two thousand dollars. Each was given money based on his ability. Then the man went on his trip.

The one who received ten thousand dollars invested the money at once and doubled his money.The one who had four thousand dollars did the same and also doubled his money.But the one who received two thousand dollars went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.The one who received ten thousand dollars brought the additional ten thousand. He said, “Sir, you gave me ten thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.”

His master replied, “Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

The one who received four thousand dollars came and said, “Sir, you gave me four thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.”

Then the one who received two thousand dollars came and said, “Sir, I knew that you are a hard person to please. You harvest where you haven’t planted and gather where you haven’t scattered any seeds.I was afraid. So I hid your two thousand dollars in the ground. Here’s your money!”

His master responded, “You evil and lazy servant! If you knew that I harvest where I haven’t planted and gather where I haven’t scattered,then you should have invested my money with the bankers. When I returned, I would have received my money back with interest.Take the two thousand dollars away from him! Give it to the one who has the ten thousand!To all who have, more will be given, and they will have more than enough. But everything will be taken away from those who don’t have much.…

– Matthew 25:14-30 (GW)

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

– Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)

This is my last gift to you, this example of a way of life: a life of hard work, a life of helping the weak, a life that echoes every day those words of Jesus our King, who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

– Acts 20:35 (VOICE)

…if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.

– Isaiah 58:10,11 (NIV)

Photo By Susie Stewart

A Video for You

June 8, 2016July 3, 2016 / 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)

Photo by Susie Stewart

Africa

June 29, 2013January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

– James 1:9-11

I read these words this morning. While I am still seeking God’s wisdom in all the meaning here, I think I have a pretty good concept of what He is getting at. My family, along with a team from different parts of the U.S., just returned from Uganda. This was personally my 6th time going, as my husband and I lead a ministry that serves there.

We have witnessed unbelievable poverty and need.

We have witnessed unbelievable riches, too.

The riches have nothing to do with material wealth. It is a wealth of the spirit. It is deep-seated joy. It is a depth of relationship with Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, who provides our daily bread. It is relational depth with family and friends where posessions don’t take first place.

“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position…” It’s interesting how God sees things upside down from the way we do. All throughout scripture you can see His heart for the poor. He says that it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 19:24). Riches weigh down. Riches distract. Riches pull us away from what is important. Riches can make us complacent. Riches can make us not depend on God.

It’s all a facade, though. God has always been the One who provides it all. Our spirits long to be dependent and find solace in Jehovah Jireh, but we are blinded.

“But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower…”

Will our legacies as “rich Americans” be as selfISH or selfLESS people? Will we walk with God or walk with stuff?

I am positionally in a lowly position in God’s scheme of things. Humility is required.

Thank you to so many of my brothers and sisters in Africa for modeling what riches are truly made of.

– Susie Stewart

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

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