The eye (as painted “graffiti-style” by miss Carly) reminds me that people are watching us as believers and “seeing” what we truly trust in. Is it a set of OT observations, rules and laws or is it Christ alone as our refuge and righteousness? Jesus Christ is the only power strong enough to combat our natural inclination toward evil. (Even those with “good” desires to put church names or seminary degrees above Christ will be caught in a self-righteous trap lacking power over evil). Thank you Father for the power of the One who acted in obedience to You, true love-that brought Christ Jesus our Lord down to the grave and back up to life again. He alone is the catalyst that brings us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Faith in the Son of God is the victory that overcomes the world’s power over our lives, helping us also to love.- Teresa

 Colosians 2:8-23 ( NLT)

8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers[a] of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.[b] 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.[c] 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed[d] the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. 18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels,[e] saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

 Twinkie minions are fun to look at, even clever in representing our foolish inclinations to join the dark side, however innocent.  Jeremiah’s heart was painfully askew over his people who could figure out many ways to do wrong but what about how to do right? How are we equipped for training in righteousness? (See 2Tim 3:16) We must hold on to God’s word- the scriptures. There is nothing else that will prepare as thoroughly or as effectively!!-Teresa

Jeremiah 4:19-22 (NLT)
My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain!

    My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still.

For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets

    and the roar of their battle cries.

20 Waves of destruction roll over the land,

    until it lies in complete desolation.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed;

    in a moment my shelters are crushed.

21 How long must I see the battle flags

    and hear the trumpets of war?

22 “My people are foolish

    and do not know me,” says the Lord.

“They are stupid children

    who have no understanding.

They are clever enough at doing wrong,

    but they have no idea how to do right!”

  This beautiful apple was more tempting than I could resist!! I washed it, polished it, sliced it into 8 pieces and then started nibbling. It was beautiful to look at, had that fresh apple tree-ripened smell but it was dry and mushy instead of crunchy and sweet. What a disappointment! 

All my hopes deflated…in the same way the temptations of life that seek to draw us away from our heavenly purpose can be disappointing (working for things that don’t last). They are not the real thing and leave a dry, mushy taste in our mouths. They can steal from us the beauty of what we already have by their distracting glitter.
Lord, help us not to be deceived by outward appearances that tempt us into cheap satisfaction but to always trust in your amazingly rich Word to understand our need of You! -Teresa 

P. S.(the Davidic Covenant referred to in this passage was God’s promise to David to establish his household. This came after David tried to build a house (temple) for God -which God did not allow) Rather than throw a tantrum about not getting to build, David was wise enough to recognize that God blessed Him with something far greater…it was a gift that reminded him to rest in His provision… Rest because this was to be the lineage of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Isaiah 55:1-3 (NIV)

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,

  come to the waters;

 and you who have no money,

  come, buy and eat!

 Come, buy wine and milk

  without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,

  and your labor on what does not satisfy?

 Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

  and you will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me;

  listen, that you may live.

 I will make an everlasting covenantwith you,

  my faithful love promised to David.”

 Eating humble pie is one way we can live a life worthy of His calling. By being gentle and humble, making allowance for each other’s faults (even our own)-we can exemplify His love. -Teresa

Ephesians 4:1-4 (NLT)
4 “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.”

 As we consider with affliction and repentance our sinfulness and His provision during Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), we love Yeshua because of the richness of God’s mercy toward us. Not only did Yeshua provide life, eternally, for all who were dead in sin but God gives us a heavenly position because of Yeshua, His Son. This is good news! – Teresa

Ephesians 2:4-10 (NLT)

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

  My husband decided to plant tomatoes in the spring, we are still enjoying the result of what he sowed! Sowing and reaping are age old principles- some call it karma, some call it farmer’s common sense!  The sinful nature must be taken off like a dirty work garment (i.e. scrubs after a germ exposed shift) and we are exhorted to put the spiritual nature on like our dress clothes (i.e. wedding garments symbolizing purity)- see Col 3: 9, 10. Father, your justice will not be mocked, help us to persevere in doing right.- Teresa

Galatians 6: 7-10 (NLT)

7 “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

 When we have passed through troubled waters, there may be a lack of strength and an abundance of fear. To encourage us, God says that He is coming to destroy those ageless enemies, He indeed will save!-Teresa

 Isaiah 35:4 (NLT)

4 Say to those with fearful hearts,

    “Be strong, and do not fear,

for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.

    He is coming to save you.”

 When we realize that our lives are as light as air (not all that) and His influence over us has the weight of glory (more than we can imagine), then we have come to the place where we can pour our hearts out before Him!!- Teresa #Heheardmycry

Psalm 62:5-10 (NLT)

5 “Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

for my hope is in him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will not be shaken.

7 My victory and honor come from God alone.

He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

8 O my people, trust in him at all times.

Pour out your heart to him,

for God is our refuge. Interlude

9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,

and the powerful are not what they appear to be.

If you weigh them on the scales,

together they are lighter than a breath of air.

10 Don’t make your living by extortion

or put your hope in stealing.

And if your wealth increases,

don’t make it the center of your life.”

  Isaiah 26:3-5 (NLT)

3 “You will keep in perfect peace

    all who trust in you,

    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

4 Trust in the Lord always,

    for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

5 He humbles the proud

    and brings down the arrogant city.

    He brings it down to the dust.”

 Suppose we come to the end of our ability to do good works. At the sunset of our lives will we be impacted by how precious God’s grace is to us? It’s as though we have been crucified with Christ and this new life of trusting His grace becomes a powerful source of thanksgiving, but more than merely saying thanks. We actually learn that dying to self means giving Him full reign to make us one with His purposes. This response is love!!-Teresa

Galatians 2:17-21 (NLT)

17 “But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”