When we repent of our sin or turn 180 degrees the other way, I don’t believe we are just committing to a goal. Repentance involves a change of heart! When we see our sin in light of God’s love, we exchange wanderlust for a fulfilling truth that we are loved by our heavenly father. In this passage, David no longer wanted the cheap thrill of power or position (the adoration of people) because God’s powerful protection made him tremble in awe. -Teresa #Heisjealousforme #allforHim #eventhatwhichcostly

1 Chronicles 21: 18-27 (ESV)
18 Now the angel of the Lord had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at Gad’s word, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord. 20 Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground. 22 And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.” 23 Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.” 24 But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 25 So David paid Ornan 600 shekels[f] of gold by weight for the site. 26 And David built there an altar to the Lord and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord, and the Lord[g] answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. 27 Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

Although we are fragile and here for but a moment, we are encouraged by His promise: He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.  Through a knowledge of God’s name (or character) we place our trust in the unchanging One! – Teresa #AvengerinZion

Psalm 9: 9-12 ( ESV)

9The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,

    a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,

    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion!

    Tell among the peoples his deeds!

12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;

    he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Although David’s world was coming unglued….His Son, Absalom, had conspired against him…even drove him out of the palace. David remembered that the One who sustains the universe in all its glory would also sustain His life and purpose.  “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, both now and forevermore.” (see Psalm 125:2).- Teresa

 Psalm 3:3-5 (ESV)

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.

Psalm 145: 17-19 (ESV)

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways

    and kind in all his works.

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,

    to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;

    he also hears their cry and saves them.

Although the enemy kept trying to infiltrate their land, Elisha could see them in the Spirit and would let the king know where they were. The enemy was fed up and came to “take out” Elisha. Instead of fearing a whole army advancing against him, Elisha trusted the reality that God had his back. He took care of the problem once and for all. – Teresa #takethemcaptive

 2 Kings 6:15-23 (ESV)

15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.

Jesus Christ the Lord, resurrected…to some it may seem unbelievable but in “Evidence that demands a verdict” and “the Case for Christ” the facts clearly state what has brought some atheists to their knees. For those who fear God, our choice is to become a scoffer as the prophets predicted of those who have already perished or to become a worshiper of the true and living God. #eternalife- Teresa

Acts 13: 26-41 ( ESV)

“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“‘You are my Son,
    today I have begotten you.’

34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

35 Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’
36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37 but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed[b] from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

41 “‘Look, you scoffers,

    be astounded and perish;

for I am doing a work in your days,

    a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

Our son, Peter, is a good example of this verse. He has an understanding mind and spirit. Intuitively, he understands what is the right thing to do. It’s not always the popular thing or the easy thing but it is what he knows is best.- Teresa #proudmom

Proverbs 17:10 (ESV)

10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding

    than a hundred blows into a fool.

There are times when we are so focused on learning a new skill that we have to forget about everything else around us. This concentration makes us appear inward (like Paul when he was blinded by the light). In the end, Saul changed his whole character (and name), he took a 180 degree turn and started praising the One who handpicked him! #Jesus -My heart will sing no other name*. – Teresa

*Forever Reign, by The Hillsong Worship Team

 Acts 9:10-19 (ESV)
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

The stagecouch came to Yosemite Valley in the 1870’s- a Wells Fargo office was set up by 1913 to bring in more stages, send telegraphs and even provide telephone services. The early settlers recognized Wells Fargo as a source of communication with the outside world. Nineteen hundred years before that, Peter and John spent time with Jesus. Being in His presence for three years, they were changed. Those in charge recognized Jesus in them and could not dispute the mighty miracle done for this man who had been lame for over 40 years.  When we spend time with Him- we are changed. – Teresa #healedbyHim

Acts 4: 13-22 (ESV)

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

It’s supposed to be 102 degrees tomorrow! The Santa Rosa plums sure love this heat but I’m not a plum 🙃. How comforting to know that when the stress of life gets turned up, the Lord keeps us and shades us from the deadly heat. -Teresa #wheredoesyourhelpcomefrom?

Psalm 121:5,6 ( ESV)

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.