Who has opened the gate? Who has lifted up the ancient door that was locked for generations?

The Lord of Hosts IS the King of Glory. He has authority over every ancestoral portal that locks out God’s blessing on our lives. Our identity may feel tied up with mischievious family members. When God makes us new, he changes how we see ourselves. We are no longer part of their issues. We have been set free.

Truly, our memory may not serve us well and try to bring us down. God never forgets. He is not only just but full of loyal love. He provided a way for us to pass from death to life, through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ the LORD.

He will never leave us or forsake us. He has meant for His blessing to pass through the generations of our families.

The Blessing (sung by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Justin Bieber)

When we are discouraged with generational issues, be encouraged by this Psalm of David. The Lord of hosts is able to do battle in the spiritual realm. He can provide a glorious outcome. – Teresa

#righteousnessofJesus #boldnesstoseekGod’sface

Psalm 24
English Standard Version
The King of Glory

A Psalm of David.

24 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,[a]
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.[b] Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah

*photo fromhttps://www.pexels.com/@rzierik

I went to an art class at The Painted Cork a few years back. My friend, Chris, and I learned how to paint jellyfish! I completed my first and last painting ever, but I considered it a success as it was deemed worthy enough to display for awhile.

Going deep into any subject requires more than a one afternoon commitment. I’ve even heard that professional musicians practice 6-7 hours every day to stay competetive with their skills. This passage in Romans is refreshing because simply stated, there is help when our determination is low. In the midst of our weakness we are always held secure by God’s love. #notaprofessionalChristian

Our job is to realize our weakness and ask for God’s help. His Spirit intereceds for us with groanings too deep for words. His Son, our Savior, intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father.

Being conformed to the image of Jesus is not a one afternoon project, this is a lifetime commitment. Whether or not your life takes a turn for the worse, God is committed to you. Are we willing to admit our need of Him?- Teresa #whenIdon’tknow #Heknows #alwayslivestointercede #greathighpriest

Romans 8:26-39
English Standard Version
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[b] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[c] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[d] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*photo from http://Pexels.com

If we consider Abraham our father, then we understand justification by faith.

Trusting the One who is able to make up the difference for us means we follow in the example of Father Abraham. He trusted that what God said was true and did not rely on the works of his flesh (i.e. circumcision) to be made right in God’s sight.

God alone can justify the ungodly. He did this through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. As a result, no one can boast in their righteous acts but all those who believe God and receive His free gift are considered blessed.

To have faith like a child requires humility (we must become like little children to receive the kingdom of heaven- see Matthew 18:3). Children have a natural faith/trust toward what is right.

All mankind has an opportunity to receive Christ Jesus as Savior (whether they have followed certain rules or not). For God so loved the world that He gave… (see John 3:16).

– Teresa #humbledbyHisgreatlove #trustinHisword #theHolyBible #thelivingWord #John1:1-14

Romans 4:1-12
English Standard Version
Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

There is much wisdom in the house of mourning (see Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 KJV 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.)

I’ve been refreshed with a trip back to my childhood home (near Lake Superior). Seeing so many wonderful people, I am reminded of the value of community and caring for one another.

I feel honored to have a place like this. Looking out at nature‘s brilliance, God’s mercy and grace move me. Mercy = not getting the repercussions I deserve and grace= receiving freely of more than I could ever earn.

This passage struck me as an example of that. Although Paul had been taken as a prisoner, he continued to show God’s mercy and grace to his fellow passengers about to shipwreck. When we keep giving to others (no matter our circumstance), we will be blessed. – Teresa #griefheals #taketimetomourn

Acts 26:33-38 (ESV)

33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength,[c] for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all 276[d] persons in the ship.) 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

Psalms chapter one begins by reminding us of God’s provision. The children of Israel (12 tribes of Jacob) relied on physical prosperity to advance their influence, thereby blessing the world with the knowledge of ONE God, YHWH.

During my time in seminary, I learned that the Old Testament used the word blessing over and over to describe God’s covenant with His people. They obeyed His Law and He provided provision and security.

We too, who live under The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31: 31-34) have God’s provision and security in the spiritual realm. The river of His Holy Spirit nourishes our lives to bear fruit and helps us live Christlike (the fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5:22,23).

I still delight in God’s word, the Bible. At 9 years old, I heard our pastor preach about the importance of having a daily input of God’s influence on our lives. He challenged us to spend time daily in the Word. He said we would never regret the good influence it would have on our lives. I took up the challenge and fell in love with these ancient writings that are still so applicable today.

– Teresa #loveGod #readHisword #trustHisprovision #JesusChristourLord

Psalm 1: 1-6 (ESV)

1 Blessed is the man[a]
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

* photos from pexels.com