If the road is closed, then remember that God will open a path of mercy. For as many schemes that are raised against us, there is a confident expectation that God hears our cry for help and even collects our tears in a bottle. Fear is natural but where we put our faith can be supernatural.#Hispromise-Teresa

 Psalm 56:1-11 (NLT)

1 O God, have mercy on me,

    for people are hounding me.

    My foes attack me all day long.

2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,

    and many are boldly attacking me.

3 But when I am afraid,

    I will put my trust in you.

4 I praise God for what he has promised.

    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

    What can mere mortals do to me?

5 They are always twisting what I say;

    they spend their days plotting to harm me.

6 They come together to spy on me—

    watching my every step, eager to kill me.

7 Don’t let them get away with their wickedness;

    in your anger, O God, bring them down.

8 You keep track of all my sorrows.[b]

    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.

    You have recorded each one in your book.

9 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.

    This I know: God is on my side!

10 I praise God for what he has promised;

    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.

11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

    What can mere mortals do to me?

 God’s care can look like a nurturing supply of friends to laugh with and pray with and eat cake with! As far as those burdens that want to crush us…sometimes we forget to give them over, fling them off of us. Why do we feel responsible enough to carry the heaviness of the whole issue? Don’t forget today to share the load or maybe just dump the load at God’s feet to handle. “Slip and fall” is not in His vocabulary for those who trust Him- He is faithful to the uttermost (see Hebrews 7:25 KJV). Our job is to know when to stop worrying and start trusting!!-Teresa

Psalm 55:22 (NLT)
22 “Give your burdens to the Lord,

    and he will take care of you.

    He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

 Remember the moments in life that bolster your covenant agreements…God, too, asks for our faith to be firm in Him. He remembers Israel over and over. He remembers the oppressed remnant over and over. He is ready to act on behalf of His kingdom come but are we willing to place our faith firmly in the trustworthy One? Put a picture in your virtual wallet today of Father God’s love for you (replace one that has kept you believing a lie). Father, we believe it when you say we are worth a Son to you!-Teresa

Isaiah 7:1-9 (NLT)
7 “When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria[c] and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan.

2 The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel[d] against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub[e] and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.[f] 4 Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5 Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, 6 ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’ 7 But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“This invasion will never happen;
    it will never take place;

8 for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus,

    and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.

As for Israel, within sixty-five years

    it will be crushed and completely destroyed.

9 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria,

    and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.

Unless your faith is firm,

    I cannot make you stand firm.”

 This white lily is pure and spotless, emitting a very sweet fragrance. It’s a picture of what we become as the bride of Christ. He washes us with the water of the word (Ephesians 5:26). We actually smell sweet when He transforms us by the renewing of our mind (2 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 12:2). Don’t swallow a line from random “religious” persons who come your way- you may compromise your sweetness!-Teresa

2Corinthians 11:1-4 (NLT)

11 “I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride[a] to one husband—Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.”

 Amidst the times of deep refreshing, we must remember there is always time for God. Even when life seems too busy, too pressured with too many needs to take care of-our lives are sustained by His wisdom.  Just as He sustains the universe in its motion, He has us covered. Trust Him today! -Teresa

 Psalm 52:8,9 (NLT)

8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.

    I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.

9 I will praise you forever, O God,

    for what you have done.

I will trust in your good name

    in the presence of your faithful people.

  

   
    
 

 Who do I ask to sit and swing with me? It is a person I’d like to share my time and my life with. Who would you ask? When we are generous and share our lives with others, then we have the joy of reaping quality friendships and family relationships! In the same way, gifts to the poor are multiplied in God’s hands when we share our resources with Him. Our job is to share, His job is to multiply it into overflowing blessings!!-Teresa

2 Corinthians 9:6-10 (NLT)
6 “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[c] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.

    Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”[d]

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity[e] in you.”

  Psalm 47:1-9 (NLT)

1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands!

    Shout to God with joyful praise!

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome.

    He is the great King of all the earth.

3 He subdues the nations before us,

    putting our enemies beneath our feet.

4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,

    the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. Interlude

5 God has ascended with a mighty shout.

    The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;

    sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King over all the earth.

    Praise him with a psalm.[a]

8 God reigns above the nations,

    sitting on his holy throne.

9 The rulers of the world have gathered together

    with the people of the God of Abraham.

For all the kings of the earth belong to God.

    He is highly honored everywhere.

 When we seek to help those who are suffering, we must remember that Job’s friends are not a good example! The thing that God points out about them is that they did not speak accurately about Him -like Job did. In our suffering, we can sometimes be irritated by those who are not wise or who may falsely think they are spiritually mature. The important thing is to hold onto your relationship with God- and not to be bowled over by “religious” people. God gives you permission to disagree because of His faithful love.

 Job 42:7-9 (NLT)

7 ‘After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.’