The beast of lust and selfish gain are on the throne but wait… there is no longer room for beauty and honor.

If someone wants you to do something beware if they are not willing to do the same. To them, information (from what they are told) is power they would love to use in order to twist and violate the beauty in others (vs. truth about themselves to help change or transform them).

Ammon took the beauty and good intention of Tamar and ruined it for his selfish gain. He had no remorse and did not suffer any ill effects from his dirty scheming and deeds.

Strangely enough, the only time Ammon was visibly upset in this passage was when he could not have what he wanted- someone else’s virtue and value. #psychopath

Unfortunately, that’s how sin works, it not only traps the sinner but stains the victims in close contact with or “used” by the sinner.

Our hope is found in Romans 7. Paul talks about being a slave to sin in his body and in his mind a slave to the law (reminding him of what he loves and what is right). He calls out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (V. 24, NET). “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v.25, NET).

When we are saved by grace, we must not spurn it (thereby crucifying Christ again) by the works of the flesh. This holds true for those caught up in performance-based Christianity and also for those caught up in the lie of Satan that they can sin without judgment “so that grace will abound”.

Those who are truly His, bear the fruit of the Spirit and are known by that.

Being straight with God and others means one thing, trusting that God sees all (not just an empty word or facade). He sees our hearts. There is no one on earth who can out-manipulate or control God, the Father. He alone has out-maneuvered the Beast, by sending His Son to die on our behalf.

For those who have been victimized or hurt by those continuing to live in lust and selfish gain, keep a strong boundary. It is God’s will to love each person uniquely. One such person in my life is “harshly” loved by God- and He reminds me (through the Holy Spirit), “no compromise”.

Beauty is the result of our heaven-sent Savior restoring what has been lost to sin. The first book of the Bible (Genesis) shows that sin separated mankind from God. The last book of the Bible (Revelation) shows the solution -God dwells again with mankind through the ONE who broke the curse of sin, Jesus Christ the LORD.

Restore us, Lord, for your good purpose. – Teresa #brokenminds #shadowedhearts #paradiselost #paradiserestored

2 Samuel 13:1-19 (ESV)

Amnon and Tamar

13 Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. ² And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. ³ But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. ⁴ And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”⁵ Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

⁷ Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” ⁸ So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. ⁹ And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. ¹⁰ Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. ¹¹ But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” ¹² She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate^[a] me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. ¹³ As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” ¹⁴ But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!” ¹⁶ But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.”^[b]But he would not listen to her. ¹⁷ He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” ¹⁸ Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves,^[c] for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. ¹⁹ And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

When the Father gave “sheep” to Jesus, He promised that no one could snatch them from His hand. More importantly, He provided the seal of the Holy Spirit over their hearts. The Holy Spirit is like “voice recognition” in the believer’s life.

As Christ’s follower, I am able to not only hear the shepherd’s voice but to recognize and respond to it while avoiding any counterfeit voice (aka the spirit of anti-Christ).

Awhile back, I sat at the deathbed of a long-time believer who had doubts at the end of his time on earth. I encouraged him to trust the Bible (God’s voice). Although I was wearing nursing scrubs, with not much time- since I was on my break, he saw in my eyes the childlike faith that was planted 20 years prior when I was merely 9 years old. I had the opportunity to rededicate my life to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade at that young age. Without a doubt, I knew the Holy Spirit was asking me to publicly acknowledge Jesus as Lord and to speak up for Him.

In this passage, Jesus is clearly stating that He and the Father (along with the coming Holy Spirit) are ONE. The public expression of this truth was not popular. (The trinity is made up of 3 persons but ONE being). See the late Nabeel Qureshi’s You Tube: Trinity explained (6:00-8:14). Jesus took a risk as these words were inflammatory language in the Jewish culture. A risk that was recorded for all time so that we could hear His witness.

We should never underestimate the power of a witness telling their story. This is especially true of someone like John the Baptist. He helped others to “hear” the Christ, and to show their repentance (an outward sign of water baptism). He also explained to his disciples that ONE was coming who would baptize them with fire (the Holy Spirit, causing inner transformation ).

We are so valuable to the Father that He gave what was best (His Son) so that we could experience true joy (being part of His family).

Listening for His unique voice. – Teresa #takeastand #beawitness #followHim

John 10:22-42 (ESV)

²² At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. ²⁴ So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me,^[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

³¹ The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.³² Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” ³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?³⁵ If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— ³⁶ do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷ If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; ³⁸ but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

⁴⁰ He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. ⁴¹ And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many believed in him there.

Are you thirsty? Jesus promises the Holy Spirit (aka comforter) to those who become part of God’s family.

When my husband and I returned from a year of ministry in North Africa, I was actively seeking God’s plan. I was reading the prophet, Isaiah, who spoke about my thirst being quenched and my hunger being satisfied as part of God’s covenant promise that was worthy of my trust. I felt the inner moving of the Holy Spirit remind me that although I thought we were leaving the opportunity of full-time ministry, instead we were returning to an even more dire spiritual need in America (involving “life-time” ministry).

Do you have the resources to buy food and drink that are considered “fine”? If not, God offers the finest food and drink to all of us without cost.

What holds us back then from partaking in Christ’s offer? If it’s not money (resources) or understanding (2 Peter 1:21), then it must be will.

The spiritual battle for the hearts of mankind remains amidst the tremendous offer of eternal life.

Why? This type of faith requires a death to “self”, which means it may not feel comfortable. Enduring what is considered the “cross” (identifying with Christ), means not my will but the Father’s be done.

Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection becomes my perspective as well. It’s possible to be fully loved (sated) yet fully involved in God’s purposes around me (not always comfortable). It may not appear as I thought it should “look”.

For example, I can’t judge my worth (i.e. no one sees me) by how I’m viewed in a large church (business-run model vs early house-church model). This is not proof of God’s value system.

Amongst us, people are most valued for their skills or ability to buy the latest and greatest. Our Heavenly Father loved us even while we were still sinners, He sent His Son to die for us-giving us the opportunity to be made right, spiritually.

Thank you, Father, for the gift of faith!! …even as small as a mustard seed, I see that you are making it grow and spread exponentially for Your purpose. -Teresa #lovedbeyondallmeasure #trustHim #nowthatissatisfying

John 7: 37-39 (ESV)

³⁷ On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as^[a] the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” ³⁹ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Isaiah 55: 1-3 NET

The Lord Gives an Invitation
“Hey, all who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come!
Buy and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk
without money and without cost! 2
Why pay money for something that will not nourish you?
Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing!
Enjoy fine food! 3
Pay attention and come to me!
Listen, so you can live!
Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you,
just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.

Ruth 3: 6-13 (ESV)

⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.⁷ And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. ⁸ At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! ⁹ He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings^[c] over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” ¹⁰ And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. ¹¹ And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. ¹² And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. ¹³ Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

Being covered or protected by an influential man in the community meant the survival and prosperity of this particular tribe of Israel (Judah).

Btw…Judah had been a harsh father- in- law to Tamar but God blessed her with twin boys: Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38). God was actively involved in the preservation of His chosen people.

Likewise, Ruth would eventually be part of the lineage of King David (of the tribe of Judah). The title, Lion of the tribe of Judah, would be passed on to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Great Article about Jesus as the Lion and the Lamb

I can’t help but ponder how this passage inspires us, when we waver spiritually. Will we go back to our biological family (Moab) or will we choose to be “born again“ into a new family. This is a spiritual beginning when we come willingly to the redeemer of our soul.

Every day we have a choice to nurture the needs of the flesh or to walk by faith into what God has planned for us. Don’t assume, just ask and God will see this to completion.

Father, you provide so plentifully, beyond all that we can ask or imagine. – Teresa #richlyloved