A mustard seed is very small but it can spread like no other plant into a huge expanse!! If we take time every day to relax in Christ’s love for us and the Father’s care, then faith will influence every area of our lives. Start each day or every challenging endeavor with four words…”I love You, Lord”! It may not appear stately or pious but it will always be good. -Teresa #littleyetpowerful

 Luke 13:22-30 (ESV)

22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

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At Morro Bay State Park, we were strolling amongst the eucalyptus trees at dusk. There we heard many unexpectedly strange voices. We discovered that being a protected nesting area for large birds (Egrets, Blue Herons and Cormorants to name a few), this estuary provides safe haven for an intriguing number of native species. Listen to their voices and praise the Creator of such diverse beauty. – Teresa #theoriginalJurassicPark

Psalm 103: 1-5 (NIV)

Praise the Lord, my soul;

  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

  and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins

  and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your lifefrom the pit

  and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Jesus had the crowd sit in groups of about fifty each to receive the food God had blessed them with. Miraculously, five loaves and two fish fed more than 5,000 people (with twelve baskets of leftovers to spare). When doing kingdom work, we don’t fight our own battles. He blesses the offerings we give so that many are sated with new life, and refreshment for the soul. Those who are broken and hurting may include some of our own loved ones. Let’s give in faith the small portion we have and He will make it increase to more than enough. -Teresa #welovebecauseHelovedlavishly

Luke 9: 10-17 (ESV)

10 On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

The night sky turned to dawn as my husband and I walked past this beautiful tulip tree. Once, Jesus spent the whole night in prayer ready to choose twelve who would carry on His ministry. He then healed those who not only sought him out but who were suffering. Power came out from Him. – Teresa #timeinprayer

Luke 6: 12-19 (ESV)

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude
17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Sitting at the feet of our Rabbi, Jesus, we can receive revelations of truth. His authority should not surprise us- after all, he is the Holy One of God. Many saw him as the young man who grew up in Nazareth. There is a more significant revelation, however, about his identity that made even the demons tremble and obey him. He has power over all creation.- Teresa #thewordofGod

Luke 4:31 (ESV)

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha![a] What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

When children need a safe place, they cry out trusting that the parent will be attentive to them. When God’s children sing praises every morning they joyfully proclaim their trust in His caring provision. With maturity comes understanding that even in difficult circumstances His unfailing love is present. – Teresa #safeplace #understandingHisdemonstrationoflove

  Psalm 59:16,17 (ESV)

16 But as for me, I will sing about your power.    Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.

For you have been my refuge,

    a place of safety when I am in distress.

17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises,

    for you, O God, are my refuge,

    the God who shows me unfailing love.

A double rainbow makes us happy because we remember not just once but twice God’s covenant signature. When the whole earth flooded, God’s regret let loose in remembrance of His perfect creation. We trust you, LORD. Even when we are tossing with worry or overcome by a flood of dissipation (1 Peter 4:4) our mantra is to remember You. Why? Who else collects our tears in a bottle and keeps count of our tossing? Who else bought us back to what He originally intended? #peacewithGod- Teresa

 Psalm 56:8-11 (ESV)

You have kept count of my tossings;[c]

    put my tears in your bottle.

    Are they not in your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back

    in the day when I call.

    This I know, that[d] God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,

    in the Lord, whose word I praise,

11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

    What can man do to me?

By believing there is no God (or rejecting God), the fool suffers God’s rejection. Lacking knowledge, working evil and persecuting others, the fool ultimately becomes terrified at nothing and his bones are scattered. Calling upon God, we can avoid foolish behaviors and understand salvation. – Teresa #byreceivingforgivenesswecanforgive

Psalm 53: 1-6 (ESV)

53 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

    there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven

    on the children of man

to see if there are any who understand,[b]

    who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;

    together they have become corrupt;

there is none who does good,

    not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,

    who eat up my people as they eat bread,

    and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,

    where there is no terror!

For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;

    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

    When God restores the fortunes of his people,

    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

 Although the scribes had a position of honor and respect, their conduct was less than respectable. By devouring widows’ houses (or getting rich off of the devoted hearts of the poor), their judgment was determined by the Creator. Jesus Christ our Lord sees the heart of every matter and judges rightly. -Teresa #bewiseinurgiving

 Mark 12:38-44

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.[a] 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

If you ever had to figure out why a child is in pain, then you know that the process involved in resolving this may require tremendous faith. Jesus was called on to help this son. He addressed the pain by name and had the authority to heal it. The key component was faith -of the father and faith of those assisting this work. The disciples did not have the faith required but the father trusted Jesus wholeheartedly, crying for mercy. -Teresa #helpmyunbelief

Mark 9: 17-29 (ESV)

17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[d] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”[e]