Thanks for living among us as a child in the manger- Oh Lord of the universe! We join ourselves to you through faith in your supreme name. A name that is above all names. We are your people-people born again through receiving the gift you offer to all mankind- the gift of eternal life. – Teresa

Zechariah 2:10-13 (ESV)

10 The Lord says, “Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem,[d] for I am coming to live among you. 11 Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me to you. 12 The land of Judah will be the Lord’s special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city. 13 Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.”

When God wrote about the days formed for our existence, every one of them was included in his book. I love to journal and plan for the good things I feel led by God to do in the coming years. Knowing that God’s works are full of wonder, we can be inspired to live every day to its fullest-expectant to see what His will has already ordained for us. -Teresa

 Psalm 139: 13-18 (ESV)

13 For you formed my inward parts;

    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]

Wonderful are your works;

    my soul knows it very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

    the days that were formed for me,

    when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

    How vast is the sum of them!

18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

    I awake, and I am still with you.

When Todd Beamer led the offensive which overpowered terrorists on flight 93, he rallied the courage of everyone with two words. Amos, the prophet, gathered up his courage as well when the people were missing the heart of God (blinded by their sacred cows). He declared, “Let justice roll down like waters”…When we intentionally intervene with care for the children of the world, the courage of these righteous acts will be evident to all (read about Agape International Ministries with Don Brewster).- Teresa

Amos 5: 21-24 (ESV)

21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

    I will not accept them;

and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,

    I will not look upon them.

23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;

    to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

24 But let justice roll down like waters,

    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Abiding in the teachings about Christ means the difference between religious thinking and religion that is pure and faultless- shown in our actions to care for  orphans and widows in their distress and to keep ourselves unspotted by the world system (see James 1). The difference between deception and authentic faith is abiding in Jesus Christ our Savior. Those who are deceived have run ahead conjuring ideas that amaze the masses. Remaining true to our Lord’s life and ministry, we are able to be part of both the Father’s will and the Son’s human touch. -Teresa

2 John 1:7-11 (ESV)

 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we[a] have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Although we don’t always understand why some people are given power to govern or rule new lands, God does. He is able to do glorious things through the most unlikely candidates. Nebuchadnezer became a believer in his later life-an unlikely yet beautiful account to read. Although Belshazzar witnessed his father’s change of heart, he was arrogant and foolish and God chose to depose of him summarily. In the midst if it all, Daniel spoke the word of God, trusting the results to Him who judges rightly (the thoughts and intents of each man’s heart.) -Teresa

 Daniel 5:17-23 (ESV)

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son,[f] Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

 The flood, in Noah’s day, cleared the earth of people whose hearts were hardened by unbelief. Today, we are able to have a cleared conscience because of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ our Lord over death (sin’s curse). He resets our hard drive, bringing us back to a better place where God was able to fellowship with mankind (prior to sin’s curse). He became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him(2 Cor 5:21). No wonder we are thankful!!- Teresa

1 Peter 3:18-22 (ESV)

18 For Christ also suffered[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which[b] he went and proclaimed[c] to the spirits in prison, 20 because[d] they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

When I started the medical weight management program at Kaiser last June I had an epiphany on the meaning of gluttony! What I used to think was sustenance has now moved to a different category. It really will be Thanksgiving on a diet this year but my heart is fully feasting on thankfulness to be off of medications, to be thinking more clearly and best of all, to play on the jungle gym with my grandson!  As I pray each morning and confess the 7 deadly sins- when I get to gluttony, it has a whole new meaning!- Teresa

Proverbs 28: 6-7 (ESV)

6 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity

    than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,

    but a companion of gluttons shames his father.

When idol worship takes over a nation, God chooses a spiritual heart transplant. Likened to a heart of stone, the nation of Israel was in a vacuum of unbelief. How much easier is it to trust in our own creations (or superstitions) than to truly give credit to our Creator? God as the surgeon can remove our hard hearted delusions and replace them with the warmth of His Spirit. Only under His hand are we healed from unclean motives and restored as being truly His.- Teresa

 Ezekiel 37: 26-29 (ESV)

 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.[a] 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. 

 Although the road is not always paved with gold, we see the beauty of a disciplined life. God, our heavenly father disciplines those He loves so that we may share in His holiness. It takes more than letting go to follow Christ, we must also focus on Him so that running and carrying our “survival pack” is as easy as lifting a feather. Finish the race, don’t wimp out because Christ our healer is able to transform our stubborn hearts.

 Hebrews 12 (ESV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do Not Grow Weary
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
    nor be weary when reproved by him.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

    and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

When we see the album artwork there is a sense of excitement anticipating the good feelings we will encounter when listening to the music. Jesus Christ our Lord opened the curtain of holiness that separated us from God- giving us front row seats, back stages passes and a chance to fly on the family jet- a relationship with our heavenly Father!  Sprinkled on the mercy seat, the blood of a lamb without blemish was applied by the high priest to make himself and the people acceptable before God. Jesus provides all holiness requirements for us to gain access to a new and living way.- Teresa

 Hebrews 10:19-25 (ESV)

19 Therefore, brothers,[a] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.