Worthy

November 4, 2016November 4, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

You have a calling,

a purpose

And is the way you are living your life,

worthy of that calling?

The choices you make,

the way you spend your time

Is it worthy?

Or is it a waste?

What is your purpose?

What is your calling?

What has eternal value here,

and what does not?

Our lives should reflect the Gospel

The Gospel of life

and unity

and grace

and peace

and giving

If we spend our lives

serving the unworthy

while keeping our eyes on the only One

who is

There we will be living

a Gospel life

If we realize that we are not entitled,

but are unworthy

Then He can use us

to point people to Jesus,

to He who is worthy

– Susie Stewart

As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has graciously extended to you.

– Ephesians 4:1 (VOICE)

You see, they go on and on telling us the story of how you welcomed us when we were introduced to you; how you turned toward God and realigned your life to serve the one true living God—leaving your idols to crumble in the dust—

– 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (VOICE)

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.

– Philippians 1:27 (NLT)

…and 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)

Then in my vision I heard the voices of many angels encircling the throne, the living creatures and the elders. There were myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, crying in a great voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!”

– Revelation 5:11-13 (PHILLIPS)

Photo by Andy Stewart

First

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

As a new believer I often said my purpose was to know Him and make Him known. Too often my emphasis was on making Him known rather than on knowing Him…. My desire to serve God was good, but my priorities were out of order. God’s Word clearly says that the first and most important thing is this: to love God with all our being (Matthew 22:37-38). This is the first and greatest commandment. The second commandment is loving others, which includes ministry or works of service (Matthew 22:39). I had reversed these two.

It’s so important to be able to say, I am not primarily a worker for God; I am first and foremost a lover of God. This is who I am.

…When our priorities become turned around, and we place more emphasis on loving others than on loving God, we are headed for spiritual and physical exhaustion.

– Linda Dillow

All of us need to be lovers who work rather than workers who love.

– Bob Sorge

You first, God

All others –

people

work

recreation

ministry…..

Second

And not just in theory

but in Truth

I love You, Lord!

I delight in You

worship You

adore You

and I find my grounding here

find my purpose here

Loving You

And finding more reasons to love You

increases my delight in You

increases my awe of You

makes me want to love You more

For You loved me first

and drew me to Yourself

– Susie Stewart

O True God, You are my God, the One whom I trust.
I seek You with every fiber of my being.
In this dry and weary land with no water in sight,
my soul is dry and longs for You.
My body aches for You, for Your presence.

– Psalm 63:1 (VOICE)

I have loved you with an everlasting love—
out of faithfulness I have drawn you close.

– Jeremiah 31:3 (VOICE)

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

– Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

Come, let us worship Him. Everyone bow down;
kneel before the Eternal who made us.

-Psalm 95:6 (VOICE)

Photo by Susie Stewart

God’s Glory

February 26, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Ever wonder what you’re doing here?

Ever wonder what your purpose is in this universe?

Ever wonder why you are stirred by a sunset,

in awe of the ocean,

inspired by the stars?

Two words:

God’s Glory

That’s why.

Do you know this purpose to your very depths?

Are you fulfilling your purpose?

– Susie Stewart

{Please take the time to read ALL of these verses. It is so obvious in God’s Word why we exist, why God created everything and everyone, and where our focus should be. It’s all about HIM.}

For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.

– Romans 11:36 (NLT)

Yet for My own sake and for the honor of My name,
I will hold back My anger and not wipe you out.
I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.
I will rescue you for My sake—
yes, for My own sake!
I will not let my reputation be tarnished,
and I will not share my glory with idols!

– Isaiah 48:9-11 (NLT)

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

– Ephesians 1:5,6 (NASB)

Bring all who claim Me as their God,
for I have made them for My glory.
It was I who created them.

– Isaiah 43:7 (NLT)

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,
and you will bring me glory.”

– Isaiah 49:3 (NLT)

Our ancestors in Egypt
were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds.
They soon forgot His many acts of kindness to them.
Instead, they rebelled against Him at the Red Sea.

Even so, He saved them—
to defend the honor of His name
and to demonstrate His mighty power.

– Psalm 106:7,8 (NLT)

Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent Him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

– John 7:18 (NIV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

– Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

– John 14:13 (NIV)

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!

Father, bring glory to your name.”

Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.

– John 12:27,28,32 (NLT)

I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
and will never think of them again.

– Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)

For the honor of your name, O Lord,
forgive my many, many sins.

– Psalm 25:11 (NLT)

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

– Romans 15:7 (NLT)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

– 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)

Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.

– 1 Peter 4:11 (NLT)

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

– Philippians 1:11 (NLT)

In the same way, even though God has the right to show His anger and His power, He is very patient with those on whom His anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of His glory shine even brighter on those to whom He shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.

– Romans (:22,23 (NLT)

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

– Habakkuk 2:14 (NIV)

And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.

– Revelation 21:23 (NLT)

The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart. God’s ultimate goal is to uphold and display the glory of His name.

– John Piper

Photos by Arik Stewart & Susie Stewart

Love Is Not Proud

February 3, 2016February 3, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Love is not proud…

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

Godly love acts in humility,

but with confidence.

This confidence is not in self,

not a prideful confidence,

but a confidence in your position in Christ

and who He created you to be.

He created you for this – to Love God, love people, and bring Him glory.

– Susie Stewart

A proud man then is a kind of glutton upon himself; for he is never satisfied with loving and admiring himself; whilst nothing else, with him, is worthy either of love or care.

– William Penn

In pride we become the objects of our own love; in humility we learn to love others.

– S. Michael Houdmann

Pride will create contempt, arguments, misunderstandings, resentment, loss of community, and indifference…We need to seek others first and their well being, not our arrogance and egocentric mentality. Love lifts up God, not us.

– Richard Krejcir

Photo by Susie Stewart

Goodness

January 29, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

God promises to work ALL things for the GOOD

for those of us who love Him

and have been called by Him

He takes our mistakes

our heartache

our everything

and brings purpose and good

Beauty from ashes

from all that happens in our lives

No exceptions

because of unconditional love

How unimaginably gracious!

So, what if you and I sought to do that

for people?

What if we were to respond with grace

when wronged,

bringing the good

to that situation?

And what if we loved

when it makes more sense

to hate?

And what if we took awful circumstances,

and inserted compassion

and truth

instead of criticism?

What if we responded with patience

when it isn’t warranted?

What if we sought,

by God’s Spirit,

the good

in everything?

What if we showed His goodness,

by His power,

with His Light,

in the darkness?

– Susie Stewart

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

– Romans 8:28 (NIV)

…we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

– Romans 8:28 (MSG)

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

– 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP)

To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oak that the Lord has planted for His own glory.

– Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

Photo taken by Susie Stewart