Running for safety, I come under the protection and preservation of God most high. A glad heart, rejoicing, fullness of joy and unending pleasures are all part of recognizing God’s presence on this intentional path. -Teresa #healthyboundaries

Psalm 16  

1Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

    I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

    in whom is all my delight.[b]

4 The sorrows of those who run after[c] another god shall multiply;

    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

    or take their names on my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

    you hold my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;

    in the night also my heart instructs me.[d]

8 I have set the Lord always before me;

    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being[e] rejoices;

    my flesh also dwells secure.

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

    or let your holy one see corruption.[f]

11 You make known to me the path of life;

    in your presence there is fullness of joy;

    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

When we gained a free access to Donner Lake last weekend, I was thrilled at the hope of standing up on the paddleboard (my second time). I was not disappointed! The faith of Abraham teaches us what it means to trust God against all odds. Not only does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord give us access to God’s grace but it is the solid hope on which we stand! – Teresa #loveunashamed

Romans 4:13-5:5 (ESV)13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness[a] of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Peace with God Through Faith
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[b] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith[c] into this grace in which we stand, and we[d] rejoice[e] in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

When the country was divided, King David put his trust in the One who had been a solid shield around him from his youth (see David and Goliath). Absalom, his own son, had forced the king out of Jerusalem and disrespected him to the nation. Nevertheless, David was able to sleep at night, trusting in God’s sustenance. -Teresa #cryaloudtoJesus #trustHiswordvsothers

Psalm 3:1-8 (ESV)

3 O Lord, how many are my foes!    Many are rising against me;

2 many are saying of my soul,

    “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah[a]

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

    my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4 I cried aloud to the Lord,

    and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;

    I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people

    who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord!

    Save me, O my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;

    you break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;

    your blessing be on your people! Selah

If you fear God and hope in His unfailing love, then you are giving God pleasure. It’s not the naming of stars that gives Him this pleasure but seeing lowly mankind choose to praise Him! – Teresa #pleasantandfitting

Psalm 147: 1-11 (ESV)

147 Praise the Lord!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

    for it is pleasant,[a] and a song of praise is fitting.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted

    and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars;

    he gives to all of them their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;

    his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The Lord lifts up the humble;[b]

    he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

    make melody to our God on the lyre!

8 He covers the heavens with clouds;

    he prepares rain for the earth;

    he makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He gives to the beasts their food,

    and to the young ravens that cry.

10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,

11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

 When Jehu came to take the kingdom of Israel from the evil domain of Ahab and Jezebel, he was focused on completing the mission. Although she was a king’s daughter and had taken time to adorn her head and paint her eyes, Jezebel did not stand a chance in diverting this man from his mission. In fact, every word that Elijah the Tishbite prophesied came to pass.  In this case, Jehu’s ability to complete the work was more important than negotiating with false pretense. – Teresa #nevertakeuparguingwithamasterdeceiver

2 Kings 9:30-37 (ESV)

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window. 31 And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?” 32 And he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her. 34 Then he went in and ate and drank. And he said, “See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” 35 But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 When they came back and told him, he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel, 37 and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.’”

​

In the Netfix documentary “Lose sight of the shore”,  four women rowers accomplished crossing the Pacific with the power of their bodies. It was the strength in their souls, however, that kept them sane throughout the agonizing feat of endurance. How do we gain strength when the shore of life disappears? King David culivated thanks to Creator God and His purposes. – Teresa #enjoyHispresencewithyoualongtheway 

Psalm 138:1-3 (ESV)

138 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

    before the gods I sing your praise;

2 I bow down toward your holy temple

    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

    for you have exalted above all things

    your name and your word.[a]

3 On the day I called, you answered me;

    my strength of soul you increased.[b]

When is our granddaughter most satisfied and calm? …after her mama feeds her! All her needs are met for that moment. Even so, we are full of hope and calm pervades our stormy circumstances after taking in the body and blood of Christ.  We can experience spiritually abundant life, which is more than enough, when we partake. – Teresa #communion # onewithHim #Christinthecommonplace
Psalm 131: 1-3

131 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;

    my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

    too great and too marvelous for me.

2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

    like a weaned child with its mother;

    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord

    from this time forth and forevermore.

How do we know we are blessed? God turns us from our wickedness through the powerful love act of His Son, Jesus Christ the LORD. Some interpret this passage as referring to another prophet but the Holy Spirit (through Moses and Paul) has encouraged our hearts by explaining that it has to be God (aka His Son).  Only He can capably turn us from our sin once and for all. – Teresa #allotherprophetsfallshort

Acts 3: 22-26 (ESV)

 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

In the midst of multiple ways to gain spiritual assistance, the people are reminded of Creator God’s unfailing ability to keep them protected. Although we all like sheep have a tendency to go astray, we can return our eyes to His ever present help and call to Him. – Teresa #Omnipotent#Omniscient#Omnipresent

Psalm 121: 1-8 (ESV) (bold added for emphasis)

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved;he who keeps you will not slumber.4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Thank you, King of the Jews, for paying the penalty for my sin. Thank you, LORD, for your amazing love…Go to Him, in your weary state. Go to Him, and He will give you rest. Give up striving, give up figuring it all out and let Him lead the way. – Teresa #followingChrist’slead

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”