How can quietness and trust be equated to a forest? In finding peace, we have a confidence that justice and righteousness prevails. The wild wilderness can be tamed to a fruitful field when the principles of justice prevail. The fruitful field can morph into a beautiful cedar (or redwood) forest when right ways are nurtured. This can only be brought about by the Spirit of God working in and through our lives. Thank you, Father, for new life in Christ Jesus our Lord (See Romans 8).- Teresa

Isaiah 30: 15-17 (ESV)

15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,    and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

    and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

    and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace,

    and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust[g] forever.

While camping, Everett looked at his grandpa and he was in awe!! In the same way, we look to God as our great protector (strength) and as our joy (song). Even more than that, God had become our salvation! How can He accomplish all three? He is first of all holy, He is great and He is good. No wonder our gratefulness abounds. -Teresa

Isaiah 12 (ESV)

You[a] will say in that day:“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,

    for though you were angry with me,

your anger turned away,

    that you might comfort me.

2 “Behold, God is my salvation;

    I will trust, and will not be afraid;

for the Lord God[b] is my strength and my song,

    and he has become my salvation.”

3 With joy you[c] will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

    call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

    proclaim that his name is exalted.

5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;

    let this be made known[d] in all the earth.

6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

    for great in your[e] midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

 If a legless lizard invades your apartment what is your response? Laughing with nervous jitters, my sister and I chose to put on huge, yellow rubber gloves and remove everything stored under the bed with bbq tongs. Putting on our armour, we were prepared to take care of this intruder. In the movie, “Greater” (based on a true story), Brandon chose to respond to ridicule against his chance to play football with determination to practice longer and harder than everyone else. We take care of our part (by receiving the gift of a right relationship with Christ Jesus) and trust the results of our efforts with God who sustains the universe by His powerful Word…miracles happen- like disappearing lizards and NFL offers but most importantly new life! – Teresa

Psalms 55:22 (ESV)

Cast your burden on the Lord,

    and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

    the righteous to be moved.

 While camping at South Lake Tahoe, I was overwhelmed by the joy of knowing the love of my husband’s heart. We had time to hike and see breathtaking views of the lake, swim and relax on secluded white sand beaches and dream about retirement adventures ahead. In our spiritual walk, we also have the opportunity to spend time in relationship with the lover of our soul. Jesus Christ is the one who displays His love as a banner over our lives. When we see the fallen side of our nature it may terrify us. Transparent honesty nurtures the truth that He is working through our brokeness. – Teresa #claypots

Song of Solomon 2:3-4 (ESV)

3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,

    so is my beloved among the young men.

With great delight I sat in his shadow,

    and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 He brought me to the banqueting house,[d]

    and his banner over me was love.

On every side of our cracked soul we may face opposition and feel a death sentence pronounced, but in our heart of hearts Jesus Christ is exalted as Lord. This place of worship is the essence of trust. By exercising our faith each day, we are strengthened in His resolve to bring life into a dead world. – Teresa #dyingtoself

2 Cor 4: 7-12 (ESV)

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

The Rubicon Point Lighthouse was built in 1919. The lamp it contained was a 70 candle powered flashing light. This navigational light could be seen for 7 miles (the highest fresh water lighthouse in the world, used for navigation). When Job was considering death, he stated a simple truth that helped him navigate the “wisdom” thrown at him from worldly friends. We are naked before God at our birth and at our death. It is only His redemption plan that gives us the courage to draw near to Him. Is it Job’s goodness or God’s mercy that decided his fate? Job saw himself as naked before this merciful redeemer.- Teresa #myRedeemerlives

 Job 19:25-29 (ESV)

For I know that my Redeemer lives,

    and at the last he will stand upon the earth.[e]

26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,

    yet in[f] my flesh I shall see God,

27 whom I shall see for myself,

    and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

    My heart faints within me!

28 If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’

    and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’

29 be afraid of the sword,

    for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,

    that you may know there is a judgment.”

Honesty is the highest form of compliment you can give your parent (not perfection). -Teresa

 I Cotinthians 10: 13 (ESV)

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

For a fish, it will strike when it’s hungry. With a soul, we will respond when the Spirit draws us by the power of God. Paul, himself, did not work on polishing his eloquence when he preached-although he had a prestigious academic background. Instead, he recognized the purpose for which the Lord Jesus Christ had prepared him- to share an Olympic crown that will last (1 Cor 9:25). The gospel’s power was captured then and now through the use of every day language.- Teresa #vernacular

 1 Corinthians 1: 17 (ESV)

 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Where the tree was cut down, another is sure to grow. Israel was cut down for a season and we as Gentiles are allowed to flourish in the life giving source of Christ’s blood. Overall, we are part of the same tree- some of us grafted in or adopted as sons and daughters. Jesus Christ our Lord made peace for us once and for all. – Teresa #goodnews

Romans 10: 1-13 (ESV)

10 Dear brothers and sisters,[h] the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[i] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

Salvation Is for Everyone

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.[j] 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand;

    it is on your lips and in your heart.”[k]

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[l] 12 Jew and Gentile[m] are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[n]

Asa started out strong and enthusiastic for the things of God. In the end, He veered from the course. Who do we rely on? Is it our own strength or the help of powerful allies? When we rely on the Lord, we have His attention. – Teresa #devotedheartscryout

2 Chronicles 16: 7-14 (ESV)

7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless[f] toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time.
11 The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians. 13 And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer’s art, and they made a very great fire in his honor.