Majestic splendor is ascribed to the name (aka character) of the LORD. Tremble before His holy reign.

By establishing the earth (as Creator), He ensures that it will not be moved. His equitable and faithful reign causes the creation to sing out.

Only the Lord is both great and good. We must speak of His salvation and His glory. If we’re silent the rocks will cry out!!

Strength and beauty befit His house. The fields are exultant, with the trees singing for joy. The heavens declare His glory and the sea His might.

Fakery and idol worship leave us yearning for your authority, Lord, even for your truth.

Fill us with living water, to quench the thirst of our souls. -Teresa

#heavyweight #of glory #holy worship #sing anew song #ChristJesus #is faithful #in all of God’s house #to judge

Psalm 96

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

96 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth!
² Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
    tell of his salvation from day to day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
⁴ For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
⁸ Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering, and come into his courts!
⁹ Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;^[a]
    tremble before him, all the earth!

¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The Lordreigns!
    Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.”

¹¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
¹²     let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
¹³     before the Lord, for he comes,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 96:9 Or in holy attire

Plant-based cuisine

I’ve been trying some plant-based recipes (3 times per week). As much as I enjoy meat, this food makes me feel healthier.

Fulfillment can make us feel like we’re really living. It brings joy and helps us meet our goals.

This shows the power of the mind. A dream can fuel and encourage our ambitions.

When hope is deferred the heart is sick. Think of how the disciples felt when Jesus was crucified. They believed he was the Messiah, coming to deliver Israel (instead of from sin, they thought it was from Roman oppression).

Their hope was deferred when the stone was still in place on Saturday. Their hearts were sick. What joy awaited them on Easter Sunday when the tomb was found empty. Over 500 of his followers witnessed his appearance afterwards. It was a hope deferred but a dream fulfilled all at once. They were not yet delivered from Rome but fulfillment was attained on a greater level.

Our new nature is provided for through the Savior. The old things pass away and all things become new.

We can find resurrection life even in a sin sick world through Christ Jesus the LORD.

Of course, our earthly bodies won’t live forever but our inheritance which is kept in heaven for us will never perish.

Has your dream reached fulfillment? If not, maybe a heavenly perspective will help as we rejoice in His forgiveness of our sins. -Teresa #livinghope

Proverbs 13:12-14 (NLT)

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³ People who despise advice are asking for trouble;
    those who respect a command will succeed.

¹⁴ The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain;
    those who accept it avoid the snares of death.Read full chapter

1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV)

Born Again to a Living Hope

[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

With the price of eggs rising again, some are thinking of alternative Easter activities for their kids (like dinosaur eggs). I prefer the real thing, like these beautiful eggs our neighbor brought over from her chicken coop.

There are certain things not meant for us. As believers in Christ Jesus we have a new way of navigating our earthly existence- namely faith. When fear or just plain boredom causes us to cling to earthly “goods” as a means of satisfying our deeper needs, then we can miss out on the valuable truth love holds for us.

This truth is that our life matters. Whether we are young, old, rich, poor, part of a big family or all alone, the truth is we are created in God’s image. By not rejecting that gift but embracing all He has for us, we can walk in His great love and purpose (aka the Kingdom of God).

Too often, the greed of worldly possessions or simply appetites that flare up from lacking purpose shipwrecks our inner peace.

Our enemies may not be actual giants in the land, instead they may be giants of pain in our lives. #Hedelivers

Being “set apart” for destruction was the way that God chose to deal with the invasive-like mildew that greed had over Achan’s heart. Set apart today those things not meant for you.

Choose that which is truly valuable- a trusting relationship with the Savior. His love was displayed during His life on the earth. His power was displayed when God raised him from the dead.

Life eternal starts today for all who accept Him as Savior and Lord. There is no greater purpose than to live for him. There is no greater love than to be accepted by God the Father on the basis of our faith in His Son. -Teresa #Godsproperty #ourdeliverance

Joshua 7:12b-15 (NLT) (bold added for emphasis)

For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.

¹³ “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

¹⁴ “In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the Lord will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the Lord will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the Lord will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one. ¹⁵ The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the Lord and has done a horrible thing in Israel.”

This picture was taken a few years ago on the week of my birthday. For some reason, I usually equate a nature get-away with a great way to celebrate. It serves as a way to break up and scatter my responsibilities or a way to lighten some of the burdens of life.

This year, I felt inspired to gather my family around. We didn’t go anywhere for our “get-away” but gathered near to those loved ones whom God has blessed us with.

In this passage, some wanted to test Jesus, looking for a sign from heaven for their own “profit”. In turn, Jesus taught them to examine their motives. Rather than play into their human logic, He was able to teach them a heavenly truth.

Those who gather with Him are for His coming kingdom (stronger than the mightiest status quo). Wow! If we could comprehend what the Kingdom of God will do, then no longer would we be playing “chess” with our Creator and Redeemer.

It is by grace you have been saved through faith… (Ephesians 2:8.9). How can we not be amazed at God’s great power through His gift to the world through His Son.

I was startled to see a post about a Netflix series called “Adolescence”. It was shocking to examine the use of emojis to change cultural word meanings in order to convey debased thinking. What a trick of Satan to snag the minds of our nation’s bright future.

Those who gather their loved ones are less at risk. The only sure outcome for navigating a life path full of proverbial traps is choosing the narrow way. This starts by trusting Jesus as Savior and LORD.

Gathering with Him, is a gift that keeps on giving. He rescues us daily, hourly, minute by minute as we turn to Him. Being in a right relationship means we are no longer alone. – Teresa #mercy #love #acceptance

Luke11:14-24 (ESV)

Jesus and Beelzebul

¹⁴ Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” ¹⁶ while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. ¹⁷ But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.¹⁸ And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; ²² but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.²³ Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.