Romans

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

 

Spirit Gift

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Walk in His Spirit

Speak in His Spirit

Rest in His Spirit

Serve in His Spirit

Love in His Spirit

Be Strong in His Spirit

Be wise in His Spirit

Hear His Spirit

 

Do you realize

the gift the Holy spirit is?  

 

And do you realize 

how many times you are trying

to do it all in your own strength?

 

Trust the Holy Spirit in you

to be everything for you

 

– Susie Stewart

 

But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

– Acts 6:10 (NIV)

 

I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

– John 14:25-27 (MSG)

 

A similar thing happens when we pray. We are weak and do not know how to pray, so the Spirit steps in and articulates prayers for us with groaning too profound for words.

– Romans 8:26 (VOICE)

 

Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves.

– 1 Corinthians 16:9 (GW)

 

And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

– Isaiah 11:2 (NLT)

 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

– 2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)

 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

– Acts 1:8 (NIV)

 

When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

– 1 Corinthians 2:13 (NLT)

 

Photo by Andy Stewart

 

Sacrifice

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

The son

was to be the sacrifice

and the wood was placed on his shoulders

as he trudged up the hill

 

The father

with heart torn open

was poised to let it all happen

 

And on the mountain

the son

surrendered his will

 

and the father

his will, as well

 

And it was at that dramatic moment

of obedience

that God, the Father of all,

provided the sacrifice

 

At.  Just.  The.  Right.  Moment.

 

The son

and the father

were redeemed

by the Lamb

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith.

“Abraham!” God called.

“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”

“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”

So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

“God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”

– Genesis 22:1-18 (NLT)

 

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

– Romans 5:6 (NLT)

 

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

– John 1:29 (NKJV)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

In All Things

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Know

and believe

 

that in

ALL THINGS

God works

for your good

 

For YOUR good

 

For your GOOD

 

You love Him

and you have been called by Him

 

His purpose

is your goal

 

Sovereignty sees

and acts

and redeems

ALL

 

And how amazing is it?

 

That he takes our EVERYTHING

our triumphs

our failures

our pain

our sorrow

our joys

 

and works

actively

 

to make it

for our good?

 

That is love

 

Don’t just know it

for someone else

 

Know it for yourself

and believe it

 

Don’t waste your time

doubting His promises

 

– 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)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Ponder Love

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

The very thought of God, to a man who truly loves Him, is ecstasy! If my eternity could be spent in a dungeon with my heart full of love to God, it could not be an unhappy experience to live so!

But, at the back of this, there comes a far greater thing. Brothers and Sisters, we know that God loves us. I never dare to try to speak about this great Truth of God—it is a thing to think over rather than to talk of. I like to get away quietly in a corner and just try to roll this sweet morsel under my tongue, to suck on it till I draw the very essence out of it—God loves me—or, as the hymn puts it—“I am so glad that Jesus loves me.”
For God to think of me is something. For Him to pity me, is more. For Him to help me practically, is still more. But for Him to love me—this is the greatest wonder of all! You know how you, being evil, love your own children, but your Heavenly Father loves you far more! You husbands know how you love your wives, yet there is One who loves His Church far more, for He gave Himself for her! God loves you, my Brother. God loves you, my Sister, if, indeed, you have been brought to believe in Jesus. And to know this great Truth of God is to have an “exceeding great reward,” because, if God loves us, everything must be right!

– Charles Spurgeon

 

So if you, who are sinful, know how to give your children good gifts, how much more so does your Father in heaven, who is perfect, know how to give great gifts to His children!

– Matthew 7:11 (VOICE)

 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

– Romans 8:38,29 (NLT)

 

To be loved

now

and forever

by God

is everything

– Susie Stewart

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Blessing for Curses

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Retaliation is human,

for wrongs committed

 

Cursing the offender,

is the usual way

 

Wishing harm to your enemies,

is so typical

 

But what is not

typical

is Your way, Jesus

 

Returning an offense

with a blessing

 

Persecution

with a prayer

 

Evil

with a peaceful demeanor

 

Impossible?

 

Not with the Holy Spirit

pouring love and blessing

into you

so that you

in turn

can pour out blessing on people

 

Being offended

is a choice you make

 

– Susie Stewart

 

 

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

– Romans 12:14-21 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie 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

Love Sees

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

You look at me

and see

my flaws;

I look at you

and see

flaws, too.

Those who love,

know love deserves

a second glance;

each failure serves

another chance.

Love looks to see,

beyond the scars

and flaws,

the cause,

and scars become

an honorable badge

of battles fought

and won –

(or lost)

but fought!

The product,

not the cost,

is what love sought.

 

– Ruth Bell Graham

 

God help us see

beyond the now

to the before,

and note with tenderness

what lies between

– and love the more!

 

– Ruth Bell Graham

 

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

– Romans 12:9 (MSG)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Endure

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

What then are we to do about our problems? We must learn to live with them until such time as God delivers us from them. We must pray for grace to endure them without murmuring. Problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting. They harm us only when we resist them or endure them unwillingly.

– A.W. Tozer

 

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

– Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)

 

The readiest way to escape from our sufferings is, to be willing they should endure as long as God pleases.

– John Wesley

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Sacred

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

A worshipful lifestyle entails an orientation that views all of life as sacred.  Whether you are at church, home, work, or in your community, whatever you do, it is to the glory of God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son.

…My mother would reference anything and everything in life as connecting with God somehow.  She wanted us to know that God was in the midst of everything, and that everything in our lives was somehow tied into His providence, involvement, and plan.  Even if what she said or did bothered those around her, she wouldn’t budge from connecting the sacred to all of life, because her life was lived in an attitude of worship.  Paul indicated that spiritual maturity…ought to produce a lifestyle of reverence and worship.

– Tony Evans

 

All of it, Lord,

Yours

 

No part hidden from Your eyes

Everything touching the Sacred

 

A Life of Worship

Not just Sunday demonstration

 

Poured out

Focused

Intentional

 

All of it, Lord,

Yours

– Susie Stewart

 

So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to Him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to Him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship. Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to Him and what is perfect.

– Romans 12:1,2 (NCV)

 

…give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

–  Romans 6:13 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart