God is like water, not any water but water that is fresh, not stagnant. #comeallwhoarethirstyISAIAH 55:1

Knowing we must drink makes our thirst heightened and desperate. I never tire of drinking from the deep well of God’s love, even when I’m waterlogged by the breakers of opposition.

Where is He? Where is God? He touches the water of my tears, He feels the pouring out of my prayers.

He watches me cast down the turmoil in my soul and brings me hope through His steadfast love and comforting song.

The deadly wound of the enemy is fought through the life-giving stream of God’s provision. #ChristJesus #springofwaterwellinguptoternalife (see John 4:14)

-Teresa #TrustHim

Psalm 42: 1-11 (ESV)

42 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
² My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?^[b]
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
⁴ These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.

⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation^{[c] 6} and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
⁸ By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
⁹ I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
¹⁰ As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”

* photo creditPexels.com

The tree gave unreservedly that year. The fruit was sweeter and juicier, somehow more satisfying.

It may have been similar to our 2021 harvest from the Santa Rosa plum tree. Who knew that such an old, gnarly tree could still produce an abundant crop.

When the seed of God was crushed, buried and left for dead, He produced a generation of faith unlike any other time on earth. #kairos

At that moment when all seemed lost, life was renewed. He rose from the dead with a new body, no longer a seed but with a body (bread) of spiritual provision for mankind. A reconnection with the Father.

The only requirement for us is to be naked before Him. By removing our pretensions and good works, we realize how vulnerable we truly are.

We will be amazed that He is able #worthy to bring us into the Father’s presence. In that place, we can be richly clothed with the communion of our forever family. #Hisrighteousness

Job feared God and was clothed through worship. What will stop us today from truly worshiping our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ?

– Teresa #breadoflife #toliveisChrist #worshipinspiteoflife’schallenges

Job 1:20-22 (ESV)

²⁰ Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

²² In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

*photo from http://pexels.com

While others may have opinions and tell us what they have heard, always remember that there are two sides to a story.

If it’s your story being questioned or brought into a bad light, you have God on your side as you stand your ground.

In this passage, Nehemiah disputes troublemakers who want to put words into his mouth. Instead he continues to work steadfastly with the vision from God in mind- (to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem).

Is our vision heaven sent? If so, we should not be distracted by the naysayers who may be positioned to distract us or even worse to lure us into sinning against God. See Acts 4:19- what is right, to listen to God or to obey “misled authoritarians?”

Be strong and courageous, just as Joshua was instructed by Moses. Most work that involves a great deliverance for generations to come is met with opposition.

He will bring it to pass, faithul to complete it. -Teresa #wecannotbeshaken #taketimeforprayer #refusetimeforhearsay #God’sworkinGod’sway

Nehemiah 6: 1-16 (ESV)

6 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem[d] also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God,[e] strengthen my hands.

10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?[f] I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

The Wall Is Finished

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Strength and peace are byproducts of God’s gift and blessing to us.

The water of Noah’s day came as a penultimate response to man’s wickedness. Who is over the waters?

The heavenly throne of God is over the flood. Who is king forever?

He established the creation through His word. Who is the Word of God?

Jesus Christ the Lord is God’s Son and our Savior. He alone is able to provide the holy attire of our worship.

Without him, our “righteousness” is as filthy rags. WITH him, giving glory of God is part of our story.

Strength and peace come to encourage us in the midst of life’s challenges. – Teresa

#JesusmyLord #Heisworthy #thewordofGod #arkofprotectionfromtheflood (see Matthew Henry’s commentary)

Ascribe to the Lord Glory

A Psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,[a]
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.[b]
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth[c]
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless[d] his people with peace!

Footnotes

Psalm 29:1 Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might
Psalm 29:2 Or in holy attire
Psalm 29:9 Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake
Psalm 29:11 Or The Lord will give… The Lord will bless

*photo from http://pexels.com

Who has opened the gate? Who has lifted up the ancient door that was locked for generations?

The Lord of Hosts IS the King of Glory. He has authority over every ancestoral portal that locks out God’s blessing on our lives. Our identity may feel tied up with mischievious family members. When God makes us new, he changes how we see ourselves. We are no longer part of their issues. We have been set free.

Truly, our memory may not serve us well and try to bring us down. God never forgets. He is not only just but full of loyal love. He provided a way for us to pass from death to life, through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ the LORD.

He will never leave us or forsake us. He has meant for His blessing to pass through the generations of our families.

The Blessing (sung by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Justin Bieber)

When we are discouraged with generational issues, be encouraged by this Psalm of David. The Lord of hosts is able to do battle in the spiritual realm. He can provide a glorious outcome. – Teresa

#righteousnessofJesus #boldnesstoseekGod’sface

Psalm 24
English Standard Version
The King of Glory

A Psalm of David.

24 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,[a]
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.[b] Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah

*photo fromhttps://www.pexels.com/@rzierik

I went to an art class at The Painted Cork a few years back. My friend, Chris, and I learned how to paint jellyfish! I completed my first and last painting ever, but I considered it a success as it was deemed worthy enough to display for awhile.

Going deep into any subject requires more than a one afternoon commitment. I’ve even heard that professional musicians practice 6-7 hours every day to stay competetive with their skills. This passage in Romans is refreshing because simply stated, there is help when our determination is low. In the midst of our weakness we are always held secure by God’s love. #notaprofessionalChristian

Our job is to realize our weakness and ask for God’s help. His Spirit intereceds for us with groanings too deep for words. His Son, our Savior, intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father.

Being conformed to the image of Jesus is not a one afternoon project, this is a lifetime commitment. Whether or not your life takes a turn for the worse, God is committed to you. Are we willing to admit our need of Him?- Teresa #whenIdon’tknow #Heknows #alwayslivestointercede #greathighpriest

Romans 8:26-39
English Standard Version
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[b] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[c] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[d] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*photo from http://Pexels.com

If we consider Abraham our father, then we understand justification by faith.

Trusting the One who is able to make up the difference for us means we follow in the example of Father Abraham. He trusted that what God said was true and did not rely on the works of his flesh (i.e. circumcision) to be made right in God’s sight.

God alone can justify the ungodly. He did this through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. As a result, no one can boast in their righteous acts but all those who believe God and receive His free gift are considered blessed.

To have faith like a child requires humility (we must become like little children to receive the kingdom of heaven- see Matthew 18:3). Children have a natural faith/trust toward what is right.

All mankind has an opportunity to receive Christ Jesus as Savior (whether they have followed certain rules or not). For God so loved the world that He gave… (see John 3:16).

– Teresa #humbledbyHisgreatlove #trustinHisword #theHolyBible #thelivingWord #John1:1-14

Romans 4:1-12
English Standard Version
Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

There is much wisdom in the house of mourning (see Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 KJV 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.)

I’ve been refreshed with a trip back to my childhood home (near Lake Superior). Seeing so many wonderful people, I am reminded of the value of community and caring for one another.

I feel honored to have a place like this. Looking out at nature‘s brilliance, God’s mercy and grace move me. Mercy = not getting the repercussions I deserve and grace= receiving freely of more than I could ever earn.

This passage struck me as an example of that. Although Paul had been taken as a prisoner, he continued to show God’s mercy and grace to his fellow passengers about to shipwreck. When we keep giving to others (no matter our circumstance), we will be blessed. – Teresa #griefheals #taketimetomourn

Acts 26:33-38 (ESV)

33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength,[c] for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all 276[d] persons in the ship.) 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

Psalms chapter one begins by reminding us of God’s provision. The children of Israel (12 tribes of Jacob) relied on physical prosperity to advance their influence, thereby blessing the world with the knowledge of ONE God, YHWH.

During my time in seminary, I learned that the Old Testament used the word blessing over and over to describe God’s covenant with His people. They obeyed His Law and He provided provision and security.

We too, who live under The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31: 31-34) have God’s provision and security in the spiritual realm. The river of His Holy Spirit nourishes our lives to bear fruit and helps us live Christlike (the fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5:22,23).

I still delight in God’s word, the Bible. At 9 years old, I heard our pastor preach about the importance of having a daily input of God’s influence on our lives. He challenged us to spend time daily in the Word. He said we would never regret the good influence it would have on our lives. I took up the challenge and fell in love with these ancient writings that are still so applicable today.

– Teresa #loveGod #readHisword #trustHisprovision #JesusChristourLord

Psalm 1: 1-6 (ESV)

1 Blessed is the man[a]
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

* photos from pexels.com

When Hannah prayed silently and promised her son to God, the priest accused her of being drunk.

Women have endured misunderstanding for their true devotion for generations. Is it because their expression of love for God have been misconstrued by how others in the culture (i.e. male dominated leadership) would speak about or to them?

I have even heard women casting slurs on each other (to be popular with those in leadership)? I firmly believe that every church needs a woman’s pastor with equal authority to the men’s pastor, who can help shepherd women and children.

If men would not go to a woman with a “spiritual issue”, then why would a woman go to a man (who does not understand how a woman thinks)?

Of course every pastor/leader (whether for men or women) should be equally equipped. You wouldn’t make your husband have surgery done by your surgeon’s husband- who has never been to med school- just because he’s the “surgeon’s” spouse. Why are women relegated to the “pastor’s” spouse (who have had no official training in seminary) to oversee the women’s ministry? Just saying, if it’s important for men, then it’s equally important for women to have equipped leaders.

I view Paul as being a forward thinker in his generation. Many make overall rules based on his writings, forgetting the cultural implications of the day that no longer apply. For instance, women at that time were not educated in the same way as the men and therefore asked to be silent in church (so they could ask their questions at home, of their husbands).

In this passage, Paul demonstrated his ability to bring the gospel successfully to the Greek culture. Even so, we are challenged today to address issues of society that are different from centuries ago.

Damaris (see below), Lydia and Priscilla are just three examples of women believers/leaders in the early church whom Paul trusted and named.

– Teresa #transformedbyHim #givenaname

*photo from pexels.com

Acts 17: 22-34 (ESV)

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,[c] 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;[d]
as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’[e]
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.