Jesus started his public ministry at 30 years old. Although the people recognized who he was and where he was from, they did not “see” Him or the significance of His appearing.

Certainly, we all change throughout the decades. Not only in our looks but we also change in our purpose or ministry. We could be secluded in private ministry, out in the open with public ministry or semi-retired, meaning open to what God has for us but valuing rest.

Whether or not lives are changed can be attributed to the presence (or lack of) faith. It’s not always the time or season for activity but God is always in the business of significant metamorphosis. We can only truly be renewed when we understand with spiritual eyes…eyes that are wide open.

This was illustrated on the way home from the coffee shop today. Not only did I recount the paradoxes of my personality but felt assured that God created me that way for a purpose. I was seeing my current ministry in a new light applying “faith” to the equation.

Am I a compilation of my past?…or at least what I felt/heard/believed:

“You are not beautiful”

Or am I what God has declared, or at least what I saw in His Word (with eyes of faith wide open at 15 years old)?

“ Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; 11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.” (Psalm 45:10,11 KJV)

You may not understand how God is helping to write your story as you trust in Him, but with faith you will be amazed at His significance throughout the years. -Teresa #loved

Mark 6:1-6 (ESV)

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ² And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he marveled because of their unbelief.

The cloud was on it by day and fire was in it by night. What is it? …the Old Testament tabernacle. It was constructed with so much attention to detail, that the glory of the LORD entered it.

Likewise, the nomadic nature of the people of Israel was purposeful, led by God’s presence. #witnesstoallnations

Even today, we have the opportunity to be part of God’s people (the church). His presence may not appear as the cloud or pillar of fire but it is as purposeful.

We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God when we believe in His way of salvation. Through Christ Jesus the LORD, a precious gift was given to mankind. However, this gift must be received through faith.

How comforting to know that our lives are not willy-nilly chance occurrences. The documentary, Is Genesis History? makes excellent arguments for creation and the accuracy of the Bible.

When you read about how much detail was put into the tabernacle construction and ponder Christ “tabernacling” with mankind, this was not by chance.

Only God alone can create such intricate designs to sustain our universe. He is able to sustain our lives (no matter how crazy the circumstances).

Even the nation of Israel will be restored by accepting the Messiah (according to Romans 11:22-24). How beautiful for all of mankind when that happens.

Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort and remind us of Jesus’ life and words as we navigate this life. He alone can bring us to the purposeful destination of His will. -Teresa #faith #security #comfort

Exodus 40:34-38 (ESV)

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.³⁶ Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. ³⁷ But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. ³⁸ For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

Although it is not always clear to us and at times we may be taken aback by duplicitous motives, God is omniscient.

I admit that I’ve been shocked if people don’t see things the way I do especially if they are quite sure I’ve done it wrong. Also, realizing many times that it’s not because of me or my inconsistency but THEIR experience (with others), informing them otherwise.

For example, I was checking out with a large grocery order. The checker was new to that store. She asked if we had enough bags. I said yes (meaning we will not purchase any today). After getting home and putting everything away, I reviewed the receipt and noticed that she not only charged me for two bags but made them specialty bags (the kind printed with the store name). Yes, we used those types of bags but had already purchased them months, even years before.

If someone is plotting against you vs. including you in their plan, take comfort from Christ’s example.

He understood what God’s will was for him. He obeyed the Father. He was not surprised by a stealthy plan but he took comfort in the provision given to endure his suffering. #forthejoysetbeforehim

When Jesus allowed his head to be anointed with an expensive ointment (pure nard), He was announcing his spiritual authority as king*. The sign above the cross where he was crucified even stated, “King of the Jews”. #theirmockingbecametruth

It was out of love for his nation and all the nations of the world that he humbled himself to an earthly status as a man. #theSonofGod

One of the statements that was said over and over in seminary was this truth: “Life is hard but God is good.” #resurrection

Being a Christ-follower means we also understand and obey the Father’s will. We may have to endure for a season but joy will come in the morning. – Teresa

P.s. I highly recommend *Sitting at the feet of Rabbi Jesus, by Ann Spangler.

Matthew 26:1-13 (ESV)

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ² “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

⁶ Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,^[b] 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. ⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

My daughter invited me the last three weeks to take a drive to a nature spot for a hike. It’s such a great way to break up the tedium of the day, with a 30 minute dose of exercise. Her son especially loves it- he was born for nature.

Moses led the people of Israel out from the oppression of forced labor in Egypt. Certainly, it was more than a 30 minute hike. It was more like a 3-day journey that turned into 40 years of wilderness wanderings.

The great comfort of this passage comes when the angel of God positioned Himself between them and their pursuing enemy. He was their salvation and Moses was established as God’s anointed leader for the people.

We may not understand why difficulties come or how they will turn out. The great comfort comes from knowing God’s Son, our Savior, who comes between us and the pursuing enemy…the curse of sin.

In one of the wildfire videos, I saw an elderly woman in her home saying, “just don’t forget about me”. It really touched my heart. How often do we take for granted our physical abilities to care for ourselves. Those who are caregivers understand what an important responsibility it is.

In a way, we all are like that woman when it comes to our spirituality. Lord, just don’t forget about me! To be utterly dependent on our Savior means we must call out to Him in our time of need.

Great and powerful is our God, to deal with the curse of sin. Yes, our sin (past, present and future) is covered by His blood. If we could see the blessing that is ours, we would not hesitate to be “in Christ”. Even as nature waits to be liberated from its groaning, we call out “just don’t forget about me, Lord”. -Teresa

Exodus 14: 19-31 (ESV)

19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, ²⁰ coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night^[b] without one coming near the other all night.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. ²² And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³ The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. ²⁴ And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic,²⁵ clogging^[c] their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” ²⁷ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw^[d] the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. ²⁸ The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. ²⁹ But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

³⁰ Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹ Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.