When life presses in and weighs us down, we have the choice to look up and come into His presence with singing. Why does this work and lift our spirit? It is in the act of worship that our mind can jump from current circumstances to lining up with the truth of His word- “the LORD is good, His steadfast love endures forever and His faithfulness to all generations”! -Teresa #perspective Psalm 100  1Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness!

    Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord, he is God!

    It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]

    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

    and his courts with praise!

    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;

    his steadfast love endures forever,

    and his faithfulness to all generations.

I took this photo during the eclipse while backpacking in Yosemite (notice the outline of the moon in the top third, middle of the picture). When tbe Psalmist asks for God’s work to be shown to us, his servants, and his glorious power to our children, I am reminded of nature- including wildlife, which indeed displays the glory of God in a powerful way. – Teresa #creatorGod #satisfiedinthemorning

Psalm 90: 14-17 (ESV)14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

    and for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 Let your work be shown to your servants,

    and your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor[d] of the Lord our God be upon us,

    and establish the work of our hands upon us;

    yes, establish the work of our hands!

The Lord spoke to Jeremiah and reminded him of His sovereignty. As the God of all flesh, YHWH was able to turn the rebellious heart of His people back to Him. Even Nebuchadnezzer was instrumental by capturing Jerusalem. The inhabitants had been involved in idol worship including offering their sons and daughters to Molech. The new covenant, promised to the nation in ch. 31, would now have opportunity to transform their repentant hearts. – Teresa #Heisable #escapethroughflames #purifiedbyfire

Jeremiah 32: 26-35 (ESV)

26 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? 28 Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall capture it. 29 The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs offerings have been made to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods, to provoke me to anger. 30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth. The children of Israel have done nothing but provoke me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the Lord. 31 This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger—their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned to me their back and not their face. And though I have taught them persistently, they have not listened to receive instruction. 34 They set up their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 35 They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place,   Jeremiah was asked to deliver bitter news to wayward Israel. He also wrote a letter of hope for their future. God promised to bring them back home. In seventy years, He revealed that their fortunes would be restored. This may not have been encouraging in the moment but brought tremendous hope for their children and grandchildren. – Teresa #captivityended #wholeheartedevotionisrequired #bemycomfort

Jeremiah 29: 8-14 ( ESV)

8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
Psalm 86:15-17 (ESV)

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;

    give your strength to your servant,

    and save the son of your maidservant.

17 Show me a sign of your favor,

    that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

When Jeremiah complained about the bitter message he was assigned to speak, God promised him not only the strength to stand but redemptive deliverance from the wicked. Being steadfast, unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord happens when we understand that our labor is not in vain (1 Cor 15:58). – Teresa #preciousutterings #beneathascarletsky

Jeremiah 15:19-21 (ESV)

19 Therefore thus says the Lord:

“If you return, I will restore you,

    and you shall stand before me.

If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,

    you shall be as my mouth.

They shall turn to you,

    but you shall not turn to them.

20 And I will make you to this people

    a fortified wall of bronze;

they will fight against you,

    but they shall not prevail over you,

for I am with you

    to save you and deliver you,

declares the Lord.

21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,

    and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

Being a citizen of heaven means we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. His ability to transform us from earthly mortality to heavenly glory reveals His Lordship over both the natural and the supernatural. It doesn’t always make logical sense but wisdom transforms us through His word. – Teresa #theWordofGod #SaviorandLord

 Philippians 3:20, 21 (ESV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.