My mantra over the years has been “data driven best practice”. Even this morning on our walk I used that phrase!

When I participated in the medical weight management program (through Kaiser Permanente), our class was very motivated to follow MD orders (the fact was that it happened to be one of the doctors who had worked on our telemetry unit at the hospital). Needless to say, I was focused on improving my heart health.

The passage below, about Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit to those who love him, reminds us to “keep his words.” Following our great physician is only possible because He has made a home in our hearts.

Jesus said “Let not your hearts be troubled” and “Peace be with you.”

Being loved by the Father has opened a way for peace with God through Christ Jesus. As we remember his sacrifice how can we not be in awe of what God has done on behalf of mankind?

Thank you, Lord, for unlocking the door so that we might partake of your forgiveness and peace.

Please make my heart your home. -Teresa

John 14:15-31 (ESV)

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,^[a] to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be^[b] in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.²¹ Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. John 14:16 Or Advocate, or Counselor; also 14:26; 15:26; 16:7
2. John 14:17 Some manuscripts and is

Jeremiah 8:22 (NIV)

Is there no balm in Gilead?

  Is there no physician there?

Why then is there no healing

  for the wound of my people?

Mark 2:16-17 (ESV)

[16] And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [17] And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

What a prayer for Israel in this Psalm (v. 9)- He is their help and shield. And for ALL who fear the Lord, trust in Him!

It is tempting to trust the latest trending shorts or the news of financial hot markets. Instead, God’s word tells us to trust in the LORD.

What is the difference between inanimate objects or trends and a God who has made all that lives and breathes?

Those who create inanimate objects become like them (even AI appears to be living and breathing but is nothing more than a hologram).

God who creates and sustains life is worthy of our trust. His character is steadfast love and faithfulness-aka trustworthy.

Reflecting on the nation of Israel being first (chosen as God’s people to bless the world), we can rejoice at the beauty of this nation. Although their rejection of Jesus Christ as Messiah means salvation for the Gentiles, what will their eventual acceptance of the gospel mean?

Our job is to praise the Lord and to bless Him from now until forever.

As children of man, we should trust in the creator of mankind. Take time today to speak these words with all sincerity, “I trust you, Lord.”- Teresa #enjoy (I attached 25 pics from my media library below)

Psalm 115: 1-18 (ESV) bold added

To Your Name Give Glory

115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

² Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
³ Our God is in the heavens;
    he does all that he pleases.

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
⁵ They have mouths, but do not speak;
    eyes, but do not see.
⁶ They have ears, but do not hear;
    noses, but do not smell.
⁷ They have hands, but do not feel;
    feet, but do not walk;
    and they do not make a sound in their throat.
⁸ Those who make them become like them;
    so do all who trust in them.

⁹ O Israel,^[a] trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.
¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.
¹¹ You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.

¹² The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
    he will bless the house of Israel;
    he will bless the house of Aaron;
¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both the small and the great.

¹⁴ May the Lord give you increase,
    you and your children!
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

¹⁶ The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
    but the earth he has given to the children of man.
¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord,
    nor do any who go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

Read full chapterFootnotes

1. Psalm 115:9 Masoretic Text; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac O house of Israel

Romans 11:25-36 (NIV)

 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

 “The deliverer will come from Zion;

  he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

27 And this is my covenant with them

  when I take away their sins.”

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

  How unsearchable his judgments,

  and his paths beyond tracing out!

34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?

  Or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Who has ever given to God,

  that God should repay them?”

36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.

  To him be the glory forever! Amen.

My daughter really blessed me by spending quality time last night. We saw the most beautiful rendition of Noah’s Ark by Ballet Rejoice.

When pondering the phrase “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good”, I was especially reminded of the dystopian society of Noah’s day. The mockery, the chaos, the violence- it was enough to make God sorry for creating mankind.

Yet, the ballet’s depiction of nature’s “re-creation” in all its beauty became all the more fresh in light of that. Whether butterflies or snow white doves, the joy of being kept safe in the “ark” during the flood of God’s judgment was somehow peaceful and calming to the core.

Christ alone can save us from the storm. He is the “ark” and able to put right the chaos of our sin nature. He is worthy and able to bring peace where there is no peace.

The account of Noah’s ark is a glorious depiction of salvation and redemption. Jesus Christ has made all things new.

He will also bring us safely to our heavenly home. We must “trust His grace”. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. May we also trust His way of salvation for us. – Teresa #amazingracehowsweetthesound

Proverbs 15:1-3 (ESV)

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
    keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Read full chapter

Genesis 6:7-8 (KJV)

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Hebrews 11:6-8 (KJV)

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Devising good vs. going astray helps us avoid a trap. Have you noticed that there are those who may actually be devising evil?

Maybe it seems “easier” to talk than toil or it may have to do with proving oneself in whatever situation life dictates? #bullies

A wealthy inheritance is much more than monetary, it has to do with a family name that is known by character qualities, including hard work.

The best way to show the deep work of our inner man is by exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This does not just magically appear once we are believers.

God’s perspective and His “family” helps us to show steadfast love and faithfulness. #Trinity

It takes year after year of making decisions based on truth. When someone has you convinced that you are worthless, it’s time for you to take action and believe the truth of God’s word, the Bible.

Be sure to allow the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and discernment even about those in the ‘family of God’ who may not be using words, truthfully.

After watching an episode of “Little House on the Prairie“, by Michael Landon, last night (about the faith healer who was really a fraud), it made me consider this as well. #scammersinthechurch (episode 10, season 6)

A good indication is whether the preacher’s lifestyle is way beyond the standard for those he/she serves. This is also in stark contrast to any low income town that has a casino. The houses around this magnificent structure show blatantly where the profit is flowing.

Being wise means we embrace good character and the profit of that flows to our families and communities. It doesn’t mean we give it away to those who stake a claim. #smoothtalkers #loudestvoiceintheroom

Let’s bring it! Steadfast love and faithfulness that is…not folly, half truths or anything based on foolishness. – Teresa #Jesusisthewaythetruthandthelife

Proverbs 14:22-24English Standard Version

²² Do they not go astray who devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet^[a]steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk tends only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 14:22 Or show

John 14:6 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am

 the way

 and the truth

 and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.