My Devotion
My Heart
At Home
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
Therefore we are always confident and know as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2Corinthians 5:6-8
I often wonder why I internally struggle with so much. For example, I can get into a confrontation with someone, it doesn’t really matter who, but the closer I am to the person I have a conflict with the more I struggle with it. Whether I’m right or wrong in the confrontation does not matter, if I’m right it is no justification that I’m right and if I’m wrong I struggle just the same. I DO NOT like confrontation, disagreements, and strife. I don’t go around seeking out trouble, I don’t stir the pot, sometimes I step outside my boundaries and accidently offend someone, but I don’t maliciously set out to embarrass and hurt other people. What makes me angry in the situation is not necessarily what the other person did, but how I “fleshed out”. That’s what my husband calls it, “fleshing out” allowing my fleshly nature to control me, the ego who will lash out in defense or offense…it always makes for a very ugly scene…and the healing time takes much longer to get over and off on the sideline is an evil bystander hissing his evil laugh because once again individual egos did his job for him. Damaging relationships and even worse personal testimonies of people professing to be children of God.
I am learning that the struggle of human nature, the flesh, goes much deeper than what we can see or communicate. Paul nails it; we are not at home with the Lord. As long as we live in this body, on this planet, in this world of sin we will always be at conflict between good and bad. But there is just enough good in this life that keeps us torn up between what we have and what is waiting for us with the Lord. We can only imagine what God has waiting for us, He gives us clues and glimpses of heaven in His word, but here we can see some good that is good enough to keep our hearts torn between the two.
Yet the Spirit inside us, the Holy Spirit, knows the mind of God, and it’s that knowledge that our words cannot describe that puts a long in us for something better but since we cannot see it we are drawn and held captive by what we can see. What makes you happy in this life? What brings you joy? What do you take pride in? A good job, a family, a nice house, travel, or friends? There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of your answers, those are blessings from God, much of what God blesses us with in this life is just a taste of what He has in store for us when we get to heaven. But it is what we know, it’s good and we are tied to it physically what is heavenly we cannot see with these eyes that we see with.
So if we are at home in the body, but we are not at home it is no wonder we struggle with so much. The more we surrender to the Holy Spirit is the key to learning how to live in this world until Jesus calls us home either individually or when He calls us as a group. If we not only have the mind of Christ, but learn how to use the mind of Christ petty differences would be non-existent. But we just can’t let go of what we can see to hold onto what we cannot lose. If the mind of Christ controlled our mind instead of the other way around how would life be any different? Oh to even imagine it is difficult, but I think it would be as close to being at home with God as it could be this side of eternity.
When we all get to heaven will be a day of rejoicing we have never seen that will never end. What if we practiced that now? What if we lived as if the kingdom was already here? Wait a minute the kingdom of God is already here, the kingdom is within each person who professes the name of Jesus Christ and He lives within the hearts of every believer, we are citizens together waiting for our return flight home. Until then nothing should be more important than living the kingdom life right where we are.
Impossible? It all depends with which set of eyes you are looking through. Paul prayed; I keep asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his might strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power, and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:17-21
With all that on our side, what on earth are we upset about? Nothing is more powerful than the power and might that God used to raise Christ from the dead after being dead for three days and that same power is at work in you and me. I don’t know about you, but I want to surrender my life, my will, my thoughts, my actions, my attitudes, what I know and what I cannot know to God give Him full authority, rule and reign over my life so that I can experience that power working for me. Lord help us see you bright and wonderful with the eyes of our heart and blind us to the illusion that life in the body is much better than life in You. I want to be at Home in You. In Jesus Name…Amen.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston | ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
August 17, 2010
My Devotion
My Heart
Every Six Steps
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. David wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all His might, what He and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 2Samuel 6:12-15
To carry the ark of the Lord was a great burden and privilege, with that responsibility came great awareness of who God was and is. The ark had been stolen and had not been with the people for a long time, it had been a long time since they had possession of it. I’m no historian, but even though things aren’t holy, they can help us to relate to the holiness of God and where He chooses to dwell, Today you and I are the ark of the Lord. WE are sacred like the ark was to the people of Israel because Jesus came to live in us the moment we accepted Him. Every time the ark was brought into their camp or moved, great shouts of praise and worship and honor was given to God. David took thirty thousand men to go get the ark and bring it back to the people as they began to return home the verse says those that carried the ark took six steps and worshipped and praised God. I’m not sure how far they had to travel, but I’m sure it took a while to get back home because they were praising God every six steps meant they were continuously praising God for His return to them. Have you ever heard the saying life is not about the destination, but the journey.
I am on a journey to the place where the Lord dwells. I am desperate for His presence in my life. It is what I think about all the time these days, but I fail in some way every day. I allow everything else to be first in my life. I get up with every good intention, but so quickly the unfolding agenda of the day captures my mind and heart. Before I realize it my mouth is pouring out filth of complaining and arguments, instead of worship and praise and encouragement. I find myself in the pit of resentment and disappointment instead of contentment and peace. Just as quickly as the ugly moves in the guilt and shame moves in and I have to go back and make apologies for things I said in a desperate attempt of venting it out of my system. My heart needs a remodel, a total reconstruction…
For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, you whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness. Matthew 6:21-23
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in Him. Matthew 12:34-35
I cry in my spirit for the evil thoughts I allow to flow out of me. Father forgive me, where I fail to bring light by the words I speak for allowing my heart to be darkened by the abundance of negativity, jealousy and fear that ultimately keeps me from your presence. How many times a day are any of us guilty of allowing darkness to pour out by the bad things we think. Its ugly like a thick crusty scab of a wound on the skin. I want no more of it poisoning my heart and attitude. So how do we get rid of the darkness, bad thoughts, bad attitudes, and sin that flows from our mouth because our hearts have become corrupted?
There is only one way and that is through abiding constantly in His presence and His presence abiding in us. Before you argue that if we have accepted Christ He is always with us and in us. While that is true, the question is; how much are we allowing Christ to live out loud in us. Yes we keep him quietly tucked away until the next crisis, but rarely allow Him to have TOTAL CONTROL of our every thought, movement, and action. We have to actively, consciously remove any unclean and unacceptable thing from our heart and replace it with the fullness of God. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 Be careful this is the place where it hurts and the battle rages against us. The struggle to cleanse our heart from evil will be a messy battle because we are not only battling against ourselves, but every force of evil will rise up and fight against us because the cleaner we become the more of Christ is evident in us and their imminent defeat is drawn closer. Jesus has already won the war against Satan and his evil demons, but while we are here we must face their force every day. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then…Ephesians 6:12-14
Ladies and Gentlemen the day of evil comes every day. There are evil forces trying to keep us down and defeated so that no more will find Jesus, so that when Jesus does comes our reward will be less than what it ought to be and there will be less people to enter the gates of heaven because Satan and his schemes have kept our hearts corrupted with bad thoughts and attitudes that keeps us from testifying of the love of Christ in us. His presence fully alive in us is crucial to His kingdom and His holiness within us. Don’t let him devour you and the joy of your salvation. Don’t give away the Power that is at work in you. Stand firm and fight the good fight of faith; praise and worship the Lord your God and rise in victory over the battles you come against. The victory is in His presence, live in the continuous victory through continuous praise and worship
We are the dwelling place of God, the ark that carries His presence, worship and praise God, dance in the street like David every six steps. Give Him the praise and the glory all day long!
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston | ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com
My Devotion
My Heart
Every Six Steps
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. David wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all His might, what He and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 2Samuel 6:12-15
To carry the ark of the Lord was a great burden and privilege, with that responsibility came great awareness of who God was and is. The ark had been stolen and had not been with the people for a long time, it had been a long time since they had possession of it. I’m no historian, but even though things aren’t holy, they can help us to relate to the holiness of God and where He chooses to dwell, Today you and I are the ark of the Lord. WE are sacred like the ark was to the people of Israel because Jesus came to live in us the moment we accepted Him. Every time the ark was brought into their camp or moved, great shouts of praise and worship and honor was given to God. David took thirty thousand men to go get the ark and bring it back to the people as they began to return home the verse says those that carried the ark took six steps and worshipped and praised God. I’m not sure how far they had to travel, but I’m sure it took a while to get back home because they were praising God every six steps meant they were continuously praising God for His return to them. Have you ever heard the saying life is not about the destination, but the journey.
I am on a journey to the place where the Lord dwells. I am desperate for His presence in my life. It is what I think about all the time these days, but I fail in some way every day. I allow everything else to be first in my life. I get up with every good intention, but so quickly the unfolding agenda of the day captures my mind and heart. Before I realize it my mouth is pouring out filth of complaining and arguments, instead of worship and praise and encouragement. I find myself in the pit of resentment and disappointment instead of contentment and peace. Just as quickly as the ugly moves in the guilt and shame moves in and I have to go back and make apologies for things I said in a desperate attempt of venting it out of my system. My heart needs a remodel, a total reconstruction…
For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, you whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness. Matthew 6:21-23
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in Him. Matthew 12:34-35
I cry in my spirit for the evil thoughts I allow to flow out of me. Father forgive me, where I fail to bring light by the words I speak for allowing my heart to be darkened by the abundance of negativity, jealousy and fear that ultimately keeps me from your presence. How many times a day are any of us guilty of allowing darkness to pour out by the bad things we think. Its ugly like a thick crusty scab of a wound on the skin. I want no more of it poisoning my heart and attitude. So how do we get rid of the darkness, bad thoughts, bad attitudes, and sin that flows from our mouth because our hearts have become corrupted?
There is only one way and that is through abiding constantly in His presence and His presence abiding in us. Before you argue that if we have accepted Christ He is always with us and in us. While that is true, the question is; how much are we allowing Christ to live out loud in us. Yes we keep him quietly tucked away until the next crisis, but rarely allow Him to have TOTAL CONTROL of our every thought, movement, and action. We have to actively, consciously remove any unclean and unacceptable thing from our heart and replace it with the fullness of God. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 Be careful this is the place where it hurts and the battle rages against us. The struggle to cleanse our heart from evil will be a messy battle because we are not only battling against ourselves, but every force of evil will rise up and fight against us because the cleaner we become the more of Christ is evident in us and their imminent defeat is drawn closer. Jesus has already won the war against Satan and his evil demons, but while we are here we must face their force every day. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then…Ephesians 6:12-14
Ladies and Gentlemen the day of evil comes every day. There are evil forces trying to keep us down and defeated so that no more will find Jesus, so that when Jesus does comes our reward will be less than what it ought to be and there will be less people to enter the gates of heaven because Satan and his schemes have kept our hearts corrupted with bad thoughts and attitudes that keeps us from testifying of the love of Christ in us. His presence fully alive in us is crucial to His kingdom and His holiness within us. Don’t let him devour you and the joy of your salvation. Don’t give away the Power that is at work in you. Stand firm and fight the good fight of faith; praise and worship the Lord your God and rise in victory over the battles you come against. The victory is in His presence, live in the continuous victory through continuous praise and worship
We are the dwelling place of God, the ark that carries His presence, worship and praise God, dance in the street like David every six steps. Give Him the praise and the glory all day long!
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston | ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Everything else...
My Devotion
My Heart
Everything else…
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
I wrote not too long ago about what we get out of getting closer to God. What’s really in it for us? What do we get out of seeking Him first, asking Him first? Most of what we want or think we need we can get on our own, right? With a little hard work and determination we can do most everything on our own, right? Well that’s a delusion the world wants you to believe and for the most part we have but even our abilities and determination are gifts from the one who created us. Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 Every good thing we think we’ve done on our own was still a gift from God.
Jesus asked a very straightforward question; What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26) Yet that is exactly the very trap we fall into, giving up our families, our very lives just trying to get ahead or to provide all the amenities of this world for our family when the key to life is life filled with Christ. Do you really think Jesus would just ask a rhetorical question for the sake of argument? We trade our soul every time we chase after something that is less than what God wants to give to us. Instead of taking God literally for what He says…”seek Him first.” We think we have to chase the illusive American dream.
It is completely about getting to know the perfect gift giver, not about what we can get for ourselves. We work way too hard at what is not even important in the grand scheme of life. What are your hopes? What are your dreams? What are you working for? What do you want? Now where are you looking to find your hopes and dreams? There is only one door that holds every dream you dream and even the ones you don’t even know you’re dreaming of. Jesus is the only one who can open the door. Ask Him for guidance. Seek His way to find His door of opportunity. Knock and it will be opened for you. There is only one way to life that you hope for, and that is through Jesus. He said; “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except though me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7
It is all about knowing HIM first…then…everything else will come.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Heart
Everything else…
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
I wrote not too long ago about what we get out of getting closer to God. What’s really in it for us? What do we get out of seeking Him first, asking Him first? Most of what we want or think we need we can get on our own, right? With a little hard work and determination we can do most everything on our own, right? Well that’s a delusion the world wants you to believe and for the most part we have but even our abilities and determination are gifts from the one who created us. Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 Every good thing we think we’ve done on our own was still a gift from God.
Jesus asked a very straightforward question; What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26) Yet that is exactly the very trap we fall into, giving up our families, our very lives just trying to get ahead or to provide all the amenities of this world for our family when the key to life is life filled with Christ. Do you really think Jesus would just ask a rhetorical question for the sake of argument? We trade our soul every time we chase after something that is less than what God wants to give to us. Instead of taking God literally for what He says…”seek Him first.” We think we have to chase the illusive American dream.
It is completely about getting to know the perfect gift giver, not about what we can get for ourselves. We work way too hard at what is not even important in the grand scheme of life. What are your hopes? What are your dreams? What are you working for? What do you want? Now where are you looking to find your hopes and dreams? There is only one door that holds every dream you dream and even the ones you don’t even know you’re dreaming of. Jesus is the only one who can open the door. Ask Him for guidance. Seek His way to find His door of opportunity. Knock and it will be opened for you. There is only one way to life that you hope for, and that is through Jesus. He said; “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except though me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7
It is all about knowing HIM first…then…everything else will come.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Good Sunday morning!
I have posted some of my latest devotionals recently, but rarely do I post what is going on directly in my mind and in my life. My devotionals are a direct result of that is going on in my world, in my thoughts and feelings and in my activities and relationships. It is my goal and desire to relate to others that life is life, we are all going through similar struggles and victories. Good and bad are all a part of life, but we get so distracted by the newsmakers we end up thinking we are the only ones with average lives and average problems, that God it too busy with all the catastrophes going on in the world. I'm here to speak out that we outnumber the newsmakers and God cares about each and every one with as much passion and love that He has and that is more than we can imagine. So if you are reading this and other posts, thank you and God bless you. Allow me to encourage you to press on, lean fully on Him and He will take you through your life and even though we may not make the evening news or entertainment weekly, God knows and more than that we have His loving attention. So go through your day with this thought "God is interested in what I am doing and how I feel."
In HIS Time
Teresa
I have posted some of my latest devotionals recently, but rarely do I post what is going on directly in my mind and in my life. My devotionals are a direct result of that is going on in my world, in my thoughts and feelings and in my activities and relationships. It is my goal and desire to relate to others that life is life, we are all going through similar struggles and victories. Good and bad are all a part of life, but we get so distracted by the newsmakers we end up thinking we are the only ones with average lives and average problems, that God it too busy with all the catastrophes going on in the world. I'm here to speak out that we outnumber the newsmakers and God cares about each and every one with as much passion and love that He has and that is more than we can imagine. So if you are reading this and other posts, thank you and God bless you. Allow me to encourage you to press on, lean fully on Him and He will take you through your life and even though we may not make the evening news or entertainment weekly, God knows and more than that we have His loving attention. So go through your day with this thought "God is interested in what I am doing and how I feel."
In HIS Time
Teresa
June 13, 2010
My Devotion
My Heart
ADHD Christianity
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody 1Thessalonians 4:11-12.
How focused are you? As a teacher I am well acquainted with talk about the disorder Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. My personal opinion is that in this day and age we could all be diagnosed with one or the other. As for me, I think both disorders take their turn swapping places, sometimes I suffer from ADD I just can’t stay focused on the task at hand. I get distracted by other thoughts and I just drag through my day without getting anything accomplished. It just happened…I’m writing and all of a sudden my mind clicks to the date and then to my plans for the next three weeks.
Then there are times when the ADHD kicks in and I’m bouncing from one activity to another like a ping pong ball out of control. Comically we can all look at this with humor as we mentally watch ourselves like an old cartoon. We all can relate, I think. I also think it is a very small number of people who are naturally good at staying focused and on task until each job is complete, why else has there been so many things invented to keep us on task, it’s a multi-billion dollar business.
Our way of life has dictated that we multi-task everything, we have to combine our work life, our family life, and even our spiritual life all into one activity in order to hopefully get anything accomplished. Why else do you think we see so many moms and dads at their children’s functions and activities with their phones to their ears or their techno-whatever in their hands working on something else. It has only been in recent years that at the beginning of every play or concert the director or announcer requests that all phones be turned off or on silent during the performance, what is really sad is now it is even posted on the big screen of churches as a reminder to the congregation to do the same during the worship service. And we wonder why stress is the number one cause of all our physical and mental problems.
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? Galatians 5:17 I think we could add “what cut in on you?” We are bombarded 24/7 not only with the information highway, it has now turned in to cyberspace and there are no limitations. We are on information overload, it is no wonder ADD and ADHD are so prevalent it is more than one mind or body can do. Yet we try, we are so busy trying to catch up we completely miss our life altogether.
But this is only a fraction of the problem, the other major problem is in the mirror. It is you and me. We are the biggest obstacle to living the life we are supposed to live. I allow my attention disorders to control me instead of controlling them. Please don’t get me wrong, I know that these are very real disorders, I have worked with children who suffer from it and I know adults who suffer from it, it is very real, but I also know in minor forms plagues us all and can become a major pitfall if we don’t do something about it. The verse above says make it your ambition to live a quiet life, taking care of your business. I fall short of this a lot because there is nothing quiet about my life at all…and if it does get quiet, something must be wrong.
We know the verse that tells us that God knows His plans for us, but are you of the mindset that if God has plans for us they must be big plans? After all God is God, He is Almighty and all that you know. So when we learn of these plans we get ourselves busy trying to figure out all His BIG plans and start listening for the trumpet call announcement of what those plans are. “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business…” No that couldn’t be God’s plans, we are supposed to be advancing the kingdom, doing as much as we possibly can, right? Yes, sort of. The hardest part these days for most of the population is leading a quiet life and even harder than that is minding your own business. C’mon, you know it is true, it is so much easier to be all up in someone else’s business than taking care of our own boring quiet life. Example, the popularity of FaceBook and other networking sites. If we are not careful we can addict ourselves to knowing what is going on with our friends. It is yet one more distracting tool that has the potential to keep us from minding our business and leading a quiet life.
If we can master the small things we will be given bigger things. So if you’ve ever wondered, as I have, why God has not given us more to do in His plan maybe we should look at what we are doing now? Remember God will never give us more than we can bear, the job He has planned for us may never be ours if we can’t be good stewards of what He has already given us to do. You are exactly where you are supposed to be at this exact moment in time, where you go from here and when is not in His time, but when you decide to move forward. God can’t open a door before you get to it and He can’t close a door if you don’t walk through it. Focus, follow the plan, do what you’re given to do. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and mind your own business…and your business will grow and your life will be productive for the kingdom and glory of God.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston | ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com
My Devotion
My Heart
ADHD Christianity
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody 1Thessalonians 4:11-12.
How focused are you? As a teacher I am well acquainted with talk about the disorder Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. My personal opinion is that in this day and age we could all be diagnosed with one or the other. As for me, I think both disorders take their turn swapping places, sometimes I suffer from ADD I just can’t stay focused on the task at hand. I get distracted by other thoughts and I just drag through my day without getting anything accomplished. It just happened…I’m writing and all of a sudden my mind clicks to the date and then to my plans for the next three weeks.
Then there are times when the ADHD kicks in and I’m bouncing from one activity to another like a ping pong ball out of control. Comically we can all look at this with humor as we mentally watch ourselves like an old cartoon. We all can relate, I think. I also think it is a very small number of people who are naturally good at staying focused and on task until each job is complete, why else has there been so many things invented to keep us on task, it’s a multi-billion dollar business.
Our way of life has dictated that we multi-task everything, we have to combine our work life, our family life, and even our spiritual life all into one activity in order to hopefully get anything accomplished. Why else do you think we see so many moms and dads at their children’s functions and activities with their phones to their ears or their techno-whatever in their hands working on something else. It has only been in recent years that at the beginning of every play or concert the director or announcer requests that all phones be turned off or on silent during the performance, what is really sad is now it is even posted on the big screen of churches as a reminder to the congregation to do the same during the worship service. And we wonder why stress is the number one cause of all our physical and mental problems.
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? Galatians 5:17 I think we could add “what cut in on you?” We are bombarded 24/7 not only with the information highway, it has now turned in to cyberspace and there are no limitations. We are on information overload, it is no wonder ADD and ADHD are so prevalent it is more than one mind or body can do. Yet we try, we are so busy trying to catch up we completely miss our life altogether.
But this is only a fraction of the problem, the other major problem is in the mirror. It is you and me. We are the biggest obstacle to living the life we are supposed to live. I allow my attention disorders to control me instead of controlling them. Please don’t get me wrong, I know that these are very real disorders, I have worked with children who suffer from it and I know adults who suffer from it, it is very real, but I also know in minor forms plagues us all and can become a major pitfall if we don’t do something about it. The verse above says make it your ambition to live a quiet life, taking care of your business. I fall short of this a lot because there is nothing quiet about my life at all…and if it does get quiet, something must be wrong.
We know the verse that tells us that God knows His plans for us, but are you of the mindset that if God has plans for us they must be big plans? After all God is God, He is Almighty and all that you know. So when we learn of these plans we get ourselves busy trying to figure out all His BIG plans and start listening for the trumpet call announcement of what those plans are. “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business…” No that couldn’t be God’s plans, we are supposed to be advancing the kingdom, doing as much as we possibly can, right? Yes, sort of. The hardest part these days for most of the population is leading a quiet life and even harder than that is minding your own business. C’mon, you know it is true, it is so much easier to be all up in someone else’s business than taking care of our own boring quiet life. Example, the popularity of FaceBook and other networking sites. If we are not careful we can addict ourselves to knowing what is going on with our friends. It is yet one more distracting tool that has the potential to keep us from minding our business and leading a quiet life.
If we can master the small things we will be given bigger things. So if you’ve ever wondered, as I have, why God has not given us more to do in His plan maybe we should look at what we are doing now? Remember God will never give us more than we can bear, the job He has planned for us may never be ours if we can’t be good stewards of what He has already given us to do. You are exactly where you are supposed to be at this exact moment in time, where you go from here and when is not in His time, but when you decide to move forward. God can’t open a door before you get to it and He can’t close a door if you don’t walk through it. Focus, follow the plan, do what you’re given to do. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and mind your own business…and your business will grow and your life will be productive for the kingdom and glory of God.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston | ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Waiting or Withhold?
My Devotion
My Heart
Waiting or Withhold?
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Oh Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Psalm 84:11-12
Do you ever wonder, in comparison of course, why it seems like others are being blessed more than you are? First let me say that comparisons are just another form of judgments that we hide behind a lot. Our observations should be totally on ourselves not comparing ourselves to anyone but Christ. If we are focused and committed to pleasing God, then what does it matter what anyone else’s blessings are, except to rejoice for them and with them? I have also become a firm believer in the fact that all blessings are not material or physical. But we are so busy in trying to keep up with what we see, we completely forget all the blessings we do have.
Since we are so caught up in the comparison game and become jealous and envious because of what we see others getting, let’s look at the possibilities of how they received such blessings. There are two possible scenarios, one they could be living a life completely pleasing and blameless before God and God has opened the floodgate of blessings on them or they could be going about their life doing what they want when they want and working hard to appear to be blessed, but they are so stressed from the masquerade and hiding from the truth, they can’t stop because the lie is much easier to hide in than living in the truth is. The second scenario is short-lived and usually ends with a huge crash. People trying to live in a lie that they have so many blessings are more than likely up to their ears in debt and have gotten so addicted to the attention they think they are getting their demise is even greater.
Yes it is true that living a blameless life and pleasing God, does not always show immediate gratification in fact it gets really hard to keep it going, because we are always fighting the flesh for what we can see. Again I have to go to the words of Peter; In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1Peter 1:6-7
I have to work through this every day. There are things that I want to have and experience in this life and while God has been good to me all my life, my eyes just keep wandering to the things that this world dresses up and makes what I want look so good. I have even gotten so caught up in my desire for what I want I don’t even dream of the best thing, but will catch myself praying, God if you’ll just give me, that little shabby one over there or something like that…I don’t need much, I just want one of my own. Now I’m not even talking about the worldly things that are sinful like the obvious wild parties and the like, I’m talking about the things that are not harmful, like the great American dream, of cars, houses, clothes, travel and so on. These things are well and good, but I’ve heard of many people who have nearly sold their soul to attain such possessions, those aren’t blessings; they become the product of sin. Lust is not only limited to the lust of the body, we can lust for things just as easy and completely miss the blessings of God.
Psalm 84 tells us that NO GOOD THING does God withhold from those who walk is blameless and blessed is the man (woman) who trusts in God. It’s easy to trust in God when things are good and blessings abound both physically and spiritually, but what about those times that God feels so far away and we have to wait for His time, that is tough. Trusting God when we can’t see Him doing anything in our lives, no changes are being made, we aren’t moving forward and we aren’t moving backward, the blessings we can count are the ones we have had not the ones we are longing for. Be very careful that is exactly the time that our walk can end being blameless. It’s like we’ve worked an inner agreement, as long as I’m getting my way, I’ll be good, but the minute it gets hard and the blessings stop pouring from heaven I’m going to do it my way. God wants us to trust His heart more than we trust His had working where we can see it. God always has our best interest in His heart and He knows what is best for us. Remember He knows the future; He is already there. He knows every possible outcome and every ending to every possible way that we choose to go.
I have a question for you; Since when did life become about you? When did the purpose change? God created us for His good pleasure, we are for His good purpose so when someone tells you that God will bless you no matter what you do, don’t be fooled God will withhold blessings when we are out of His will and not living life pleasing to Him.
Now I’m not saying that because you are not being blessed right now with the good things you want that you aren’t walking blameless, I’m saying stand firm, keep walking, keep doing what you know is right, keep pressing on, the breakthrough is at hand, God will bless you when you trust in Him even when you can’t tell what He is doing. When it seems that He is silent or off busy doing something else…remember God is always here with you, His word says He will never leave you or forsake you. Sometimes to bring the blessing to you and me, many other things have to line up and be just right before the breakthrough can come through. This is why it is so very important that every person do everything that they know is right. God holds us accountable for what we understand at the level of understanding we are at. It takes time and effort to learn God’s word and apply it to your life, God will not punish you because you don’t completely understand the word of God. But He will instruct you and help you understand. Graduation is in the future, so keep studying, there will be a final exam and the questions will include what you did for Him while you were here? The redeemed will be judged for every action, thought, and word spoken.
Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debaucher; but be filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit. Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart. At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:15-20(MSG)
See it’s not so hard, look it up God will show you the way, the truth, and the life. Every instruction and advice has been written in His word for you and I to access anytime we need it. Do what you know to do and get to know even more make every effort to make your walk blameless in God’s sight, no good thing will He withhold from you and blessed beyond measure you will be when you trust completely trust Him all the time. Is God withholding good things from you or are you just waiting for His perfect timing? When the tough gets going, the tougher hit their knees.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Heart
Waiting or Withhold?
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Oh Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Psalm 84:11-12
Do you ever wonder, in comparison of course, why it seems like others are being blessed more than you are? First let me say that comparisons are just another form of judgments that we hide behind a lot. Our observations should be totally on ourselves not comparing ourselves to anyone but Christ. If we are focused and committed to pleasing God, then what does it matter what anyone else’s blessings are, except to rejoice for them and with them? I have also become a firm believer in the fact that all blessings are not material or physical. But we are so busy in trying to keep up with what we see, we completely forget all the blessings we do have.
Since we are so caught up in the comparison game and become jealous and envious because of what we see others getting, let’s look at the possibilities of how they received such blessings. There are two possible scenarios, one they could be living a life completely pleasing and blameless before God and God has opened the floodgate of blessings on them or they could be going about their life doing what they want when they want and working hard to appear to be blessed, but they are so stressed from the masquerade and hiding from the truth, they can’t stop because the lie is much easier to hide in than living in the truth is. The second scenario is short-lived and usually ends with a huge crash. People trying to live in a lie that they have so many blessings are more than likely up to their ears in debt and have gotten so addicted to the attention they think they are getting their demise is even greater.
Yes it is true that living a blameless life and pleasing God, does not always show immediate gratification in fact it gets really hard to keep it going, because we are always fighting the flesh for what we can see. Again I have to go to the words of Peter; In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1Peter 1:6-7
I have to work through this every day. There are things that I want to have and experience in this life and while God has been good to me all my life, my eyes just keep wandering to the things that this world dresses up and makes what I want look so good. I have even gotten so caught up in my desire for what I want I don’t even dream of the best thing, but will catch myself praying, God if you’ll just give me, that little shabby one over there or something like that…I don’t need much, I just want one of my own. Now I’m not even talking about the worldly things that are sinful like the obvious wild parties and the like, I’m talking about the things that are not harmful, like the great American dream, of cars, houses, clothes, travel and so on. These things are well and good, but I’ve heard of many people who have nearly sold their soul to attain such possessions, those aren’t blessings; they become the product of sin. Lust is not only limited to the lust of the body, we can lust for things just as easy and completely miss the blessings of God.
Psalm 84 tells us that NO GOOD THING does God withhold from those who walk is blameless and blessed is the man (woman) who trusts in God. It’s easy to trust in God when things are good and blessings abound both physically and spiritually, but what about those times that God feels so far away and we have to wait for His time, that is tough. Trusting God when we can’t see Him doing anything in our lives, no changes are being made, we aren’t moving forward and we aren’t moving backward, the blessings we can count are the ones we have had not the ones we are longing for. Be very careful that is exactly the time that our walk can end being blameless. It’s like we’ve worked an inner agreement, as long as I’m getting my way, I’ll be good, but the minute it gets hard and the blessings stop pouring from heaven I’m going to do it my way. God wants us to trust His heart more than we trust His had working where we can see it. God always has our best interest in His heart and He knows what is best for us. Remember He knows the future; He is already there. He knows every possible outcome and every ending to every possible way that we choose to go.
I have a question for you; Since when did life become about you? When did the purpose change? God created us for His good pleasure, we are for His good purpose so when someone tells you that God will bless you no matter what you do, don’t be fooled God will withhold blessings when we are out of His will and not living life pleasing to Him.
Now I’m not saying that because you are not being blessed right now with the good things you want that you aren’t walking blameless, I’m saying stand firm, keep walking, keep doing what you know is right, keep pressing on, the breakthrough is at hand, God will bless you when you trust in Him even when you can’t tell what He is doing. When it seems that He is silent or off busy doing something else…remember God is always here with you, His word says He will never leave you or forsake you. Sometimes to bring the blessing to you and me, many other things have to line up and be just right before the breakthrough can come through. This is why it is so very important that every person do everything that they know is right. God holds us accountable for what we understand at the level of understanding we are at. It takes time and effort to learn God’s word and apply it to your life, God will not punish you because you don’t completely understand the word of God. But He will instruct you and help you understand. Graduation is in the future, so keep studying, there will be a final exam and the questions will include what you did for Him while you were here? The redeemed will be judged for every action, thought, and word spoken.
Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debaucher; but be filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit. Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart. At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:15-20(MSG)
See it’s not so hard, look it up God will show you the way, the truth, and the life. Every instruction and advice has been written in His word for you and I to access anytime we need it. Do what you know to do and get to know even more make every effort to make your walk blameless in God’s sight, no good thing will He withhold from you and blessed beyond measure you will be when you trust completely trust Him all the time. Is God withholding good things from you or are you just waiting for His perfect timing? When the tough gets going, the tougher hit their knees.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Sunday, May 16, 2010
From the Cross to the Crown
My Devotion
My Heart
From the Cross to the Crown
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet forfeit his very self? Luke 9:23-25
Why do we have to suffer so much? Go through so many trials of every kind? Life seems to be one battle after another; why? If God sent His son to save the world and not condemn it shouldn’t all the struggle be over? As long as we live in an imperfect world still full of greed and sin, good will always battle bad. It won’t always be like this, Jesus came first to offer us salvation and a new life in Him, He is coming back to take us to the perfect life and place He is preparing for us where there will be no more pain, sickness, disappointments, sorry, grief, or any other hardship known to us now. We can rest in the truth that any condemnation we may endure now is not from God. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4
As long as we live here before Christ returns again to claim us, we will struggle, but because we live according to the Spirit we have a spiritual weapon that is more powerful than just being law-abiding citizens. When we live only by the law, we die by the law, because of our weak sinful nature it is impossible to follow the law perfectly, but when we allow the Spirit to have full, total, and complete access to our heart, mind, and soul we are powerful to even follow the law that we can’t even quote. There are so many rules and regulations and new laws being written every day in an attempt to keep everyone safe and fair there is no way we can know every single one of them, but if we have Christ in our heart and we rely on Him we can be perfect law abiding citizens.
Jesus tells us that we have to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He is the perfect example of a perfect life. He said that He did nothing without the Father telling Him what to do. Jesus was in perfect communication and listened to the Father intently about how to live, what to say and what to do in each and every situation all the time. Jesus said if we are to follow Him, we have to give up everything we know and love and take up our cross. Ok, does that mean we have to completely walk away from the life we know, the people we love, and all that we have worked for? Maybe, or maybe not. What it does mean is that we have to be willing to do whatever God tells us to do. That is why it is important to know Him as well as possible. Accepting Christ as your personal savior is only the beginning. Living as Christ is the goal; becoming so in tune with Him that our old self is no longer recognizable.
Have you ever noticed that everything worth achieving or doing is like an endurance race? The easy stuff comes and goes like the wind, but the stuff that means so much, that gives us a sense of accomplishment or is more precious than anything is hard or comes with a great struggle or endurance? Getting a higher education takes time, effort and test after test then one day you receive a degree that proves you’ve earned it, it wasn’t given to you, you worked hard through the struggles with administration, demanding professors, work that seemed pointless, you endured it all and accomplished what many do not. To become successful in business you have to climb a long ladder of endurance, work long hours, do jobs no one else is willing to do, every owner of any business knows the difficulty in making it successful, weariness is your closest companion. What about giving birth? Now that’s an endurance that is long, hard, uncomfortable and very painful to get through, but what you hold in your arms is a prize that is so worth every sleepless night and sick morning for nine long months.
We all have a cross to carry, a hardship to bear, a life to sacrifice. No God isn’t saying we are to be crucified in the same way Christ was crucified, but we are to crucify everything that isn’t pleasing to Him and commit our way and everything we do to Him. Jesus endured the cross because that is what God sent Him to do and now He sits on the throne next to His Father. Whatever it is that you are suffering through in Jesus name, there is a crown of life to gain. We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-6 The opposition and struggle we face is nothing to the love God has poured into our hearts and the life we live in Christ. It’s not even about the suffering, it’s the victory through the suffering that illuminates His glory in our life. Everything we go through is nothing compared to what Christ went through for our sake.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3 Jesus suffered so much more than you and I can even imagine and what we do go through is very small in comparison, so then when we consider all that Jesus did, we don’t lose heart and we don’t grow weary, because the life and crown we will receive because we have taken up our cross will be the ultimate prize that everything else we thought mattered will completely disappear in the light of His glory.
Life is the time of the cross we must bear to get to the crown we will gladly lay at His feet and live forever praising Him. Weeping will last for the night, but unspeakable joy will come in the morning. Hold on, and press through the crown is on its way.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com
My Heart
From the Cross to the Crown
By Teresa Preston Jenkins
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet forfeit his very self? Luke 9:23-25
Why do we have to suffer so much? Go through so many trials of every kind? Life seems to be one battle after another; why? If God sent His son to save the world and not condemn it shouldn’t all the struggle be over? As long as we live in an imperfect world still full of greed and sin, good will always battle bad. It won’t always be like this, Jesus came first to offer us salvation and a new life in Him, He is coming back to take us to the perfect life and place He is preparing for us where there will be no more pain, sickness, disappointments, sorry, grief, or any other hardship known to us now. We can rest in the truth that any condemnation we may endure now is not from God. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4
As long as we live here before Christ returns again to claim us, we will struggle, but because we live according to the Spirit we have a spiritual weapon that is more powerful than just being law-abiding citizens. When we live only by the law, we die by the law, because of our weak sinful nature it is impossible to follow the law perfectly, but when we allow the Spirit to have full, total, and complete access to our heart, mind, and soul we are powerful to even follow the law that we can’t even quote. There are so many rules and regulations and new laws being written every day in an attempt to keep everyone safe and fair there is no way we can know every single one of them, but if we have Christ in our heart and we rely on Him we can be perfect law abiding citizens.
Jesus tells us that we have to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He is the perfect example of a perfect life. He said that He did nothing without the Father telling Him what to do. Jesus was in perfect communication and listened to the Father intently about how to live, what to say and what to do in each and every situation all the time. Jesus said if we are to follow Him, we have to give up everything we know and love and take up our cross. Ok, does that mean we have to completely walk away from the life we know, the people we love, and all that we have worked for? Maybe, or maybe not. What it does mean is that we have to be willing to do whatever God tells us to do. That is why it is important to know Him as well as possible. Accepting Christ as your personal savior is only the beginning. Living as Christ is the goal; becoming so in tune with Him that our old self is no longer recognizable.
Have you ever noticed that everything worth achieving or doing is like an endurance race? The easy stuff comes and goes like the wind, but the stuff that means so much, that gives us a sense of accomplishment or is more precious than anything is hard or comes with a great struggle or endurance? Getting a higher education takes time, effort and test after test then one day you receive a degree that proves you’ve earned it, it wasn’t given to you, you worked hard through the struggles with administration, demanding professors, work that seemed pointless, you endured it all and accomplished what many do not. To become successful in business you have to climb a long ladder of endurance, work long hours, do jobs no one else is willing to do, every owner of any business knows the difficulty in making it successful, weariness is your closest companion. What about giving birth? Now that’s an endurance that is long, hard, uncomfortable and very painful to get through, but what you hold in your arms is a prize that is so worth every sleepless night and sick morning for nine long months.
We all have a cross to carry, a hardship to bear, a life to sacrifice. No God isn’t saying we are to be crucified in the same way Christ was crucified, but we are to crucify everything that isn’t pleasing to Him and commit our way and everything we do to Him. Jesus endured the cross because that is what God sent Him to do and now He sits on the throne next to His Father. Whatever it is that you are suffering through in Jesus name, there is a crown of life to gain. We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-6 The opposition and struggle we face is nothing to the love God has poured into our hearts and the life we live in Christ. It’s not even about the suffering, it’s the victory through the suffering that illuminates His glory in our life. Everything we go through is nothing compared to what Christ went through for our sake.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3 Jesus suffered so much more than you and I can even imagine and what we do go through is very small in comparison, so then when we consider all that Jesus did, we don’t lose heart and we don’t grow weary, because the life and crown we will receive because we have taken up our cross will be the ultimate prize that everything else we thought mattered will completely disappear in the light of His glory.
Life is the time of the cross we must bear to get to the crown we will gladly lay at His feet and live forever praising Him. Weeping will last for the night, but unspeakable joy will come in the morning. Hold on, and press through the crown is on its way.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
When His Kingdom Comes
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be His God and He will be my son.” Revelation 21:5-7
I have been familiar with the kingdom of God all my life, but I have limited the Kingdom to being heaven you know where all born-again, believers will go, the verse above says these are the over-comers, the ones who live by faith and resist the sin of this life. Look around you is everything perfect and new or can you see that every sorrow you have ever known has come from the brokenness we live in now. Bad things happen around us all the time. When I learned about the Kingdom of God, I learned it as a future hope, a future home, that the kingdom had not yet arrived. So for now we have to muddle through, get by, and survive this life that we live. If that is true, we are in for more disappointment and more brokenness…
No, in all things we are more than conquerors through loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, no any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
If the Kingdom of heaven is God and through Christ God is in you and me, wouldn’t that mean that the Kingdom has already come? That we live in the Kingdom now because the Kingdom is in us. Jesus came to renew, restore, and re-create you and me. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:23-24 We make the effort to put off, out, and away our old nature, it is an act of our will to resist to empty ourselves of everything that is not pleasing to God so that He can fill us up with Him.
I get so frustrated with life and how before I know it all the temporary stuff has robbed me of living in the kingdom. In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Matthew 3:1-3 The Kingdom is not only some future destination when we did or when Jesus returns for us, the Kingdom is right now in you and me because we have accepted Jesus and He is the Kingdom, He is what we have until that glorious day when He returns to wipe away every tear and there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but for right now in this present age we have a fortress a strong tower, a stronghold in all our trouble and sorrow. We have a hiding place that keeps us safe even though we go through the fire. We have nothing to fear. But this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, you Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you…Do not be afraid, for I am with you; Isaiah 43:1-5 Because of Jesus we are included in this passage. When it speaks of Jacob or Israel, we are included, the Kingdom of God is in you and me, He is with us, He is in us.
I know how hard it is to grasp that, life is not easy, it is excruciatingly painful sometimes, but it can be less painful and stressful when we take our eyes off the problems, and turn our gaze upon Jesus, the Kingdom will overcome our fear, worry, doubt and all the calamity that comes with the trouble of this world. John the Baptist said that Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven is near, so if Jesus is in you then the Kingdom is in you as well. We can experience the glory of heaven right now and magnify it even greater because through our problems and through our struggles He will be glorified so everyone can see. We aren’t defeated we are more than conquerors because He is in us working diligently to complete what He began until Jesus returns to take us home.
When the Kingdom comes we will just be moving on up to His glorious level, the penthouse in the sky, the mansion on the hilltop, the city on the hill. Live today like it is…the King of King and Lord of Lord reigns in your heart…We have won.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
I have been familiar with the kingdom of God all my life, but I have limited the Kingdom to being heaven you know where all born-again, believers will go, the verse above says these are the over-comers, the ones who live by faith and resist the sin of this life. Look around you is everything perfect and new or can you see that every sorrow you have ever known has come from the brokenness we live in now. Bad things happen around us all the time. When I learned about the Kingdom of God, I learned it as a future hope, a future home, that the kingdom had not yet arrived. So for now we have to muddle through, get by, and survive this life that we live. If that is true, we are in for more disappointment and more brokenness…
No, in all things we are more than conquerors through loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, no any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
If the Kingdom of heaven is God and through Christ God is in you and me, wouldn’t that mean that the Kingdom has already come? That we live in the Kingdom now because the Kingdom is in us. Jesus came to renew, restore, and re-create you and me. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:23-24 We make the effort to put off, out, and away our old nature, it is an act of our will to resist to empty ourselves of everything that is not pleasing to God so that He can fill us up with Him.
I get so frustrated with life and how before I know it all the temporary stuff has robbed me of living in the kingdom. In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Matthew 3:1-3 The Kingdom is not only some future destination when we did or when Jesus returns for us, the Kingdom is right now in you and me because we have accepted Jesus and He is the Kingdom, He is what we have until that glorious day when He returns to wipe away every tear and there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but for right now in this present age we have a fortress a strong tower, a stronghold in all our trouble and sorrow. We have a hiding place that keeps us safe even though we go through the fire. We have nothing to fear. But this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, you Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you…Do not be afraid, for I am with you; Isaiah 43:1-5 Because of Jesus we are included in this passage. When it speaks of Jacob or Israel, we are included, the Kingdom of God is in you and me, He is with us, He is in us.
I know how hard it is to grasp that, life is not easy, it is excruciatingly painful sometimes, but it can be less painful and stressful when we take our eyes off the problems, and turn our gaze upon Jesus, the Kingdom will overcome our fear, worry, doubt and all the calamity that comes with the trouble of this world. John the Baptist said that Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven is near, so if Jesus is in you then the Kingdom is in you as well. We can experience the glory of heaven right now and magnify it even greater because through our problems and through our struggles He will be glorified so everyone can see. We aren’t defeated we are more than conquerors because He is in us working diligently to complete what He began until Jesus returns to take us home.
When the Kingdom comes we will just be moving on up to His glorious level, the penthouse in the sky, the mansion on the hilltop, the city on the hill. Live today like it is…the King of King and Lord of Lord reigns in your heart…We have won.
In HIS Time
Teresa
My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3
Monday, April 26, 2010
Do You Believe This?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17
John 3:16 is as basic truth of faith as we can go. God loves us, we believe or we don’t. As a child it was the first verse I memorized in Sunday school, but after giving my life to Christ, asking Him into my heart, accepting his gift of salvation through believing that He died for me and rose from the dead to give me life I haven’t done a whole lot with that verse. Oh I still believe in it, and I still claim it and I know it’s true, but today and what is going on in the world where it’s ok to believe in everything else but Jesus Christ; there are even Christians who believe that if you don’t go to their church you aren’t counted in the “whoever.” This verse comes back to me.
I don’t know why, but I woke up with this verse on my mind earlier than the alarm was set for. There are things that I have been able to believe by faith and I don’t question them. God’s grace has covered me all my life and I have been so blessed not to have experienced some things that I’ve heard that many have. I have been in church all my life, been taught the Bible stories even while I was in my mother’s womb. Before I was born I have heard songs, stories and sermons about the Bible and Jesus, from beginning to the end. I am so grateful, because even though I have made mistakes along the way I know that this has been a significant influence and has protected me from even greater mistakes and bad things happening.
I know that there are people out there maybe even you who have experienced bad things that you had no control over and you wonder why the grace of God didn’t cover you and protect you. I’m so sorry that I cannot offer an explanation to you, but now is the time to trust that His grace will get you through whatever it is you are going through and the strength to overcome every bad thing that has happened in your life. His mighty power can be at work in you if you will be one of the “whoever.” John 3:16 is an open invitation to anyone of any race or religion. You cannot work your way into grace, you cannot get to the Father any other way than through Jesus, God’s Son. Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent” John 6:29 He knew it would be work for us to believe in Jesus, because we have to believe it in faith.
Working and service comes through loving Him first and loving Him comes after accepting His gift and learning what that gift is all about. It doesn’t matter what your background is, how you were raised, what religion you are, where you live, or anything else, God’s gift is free for the asking. He said whoever believes in Him. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Do you believe this? That is a hard thing for some people to believe, because we don’t understand it. To never die is impossible, right? People die every day. How does God expect us to believe in something as impossible as never dying? That sounds crazy, one day this life as we know it will end, life will leave our body and the body will die, but if we are one of the whoever that believes in Him, we will live. It’s all perfectly strange and wonderful at the same time. God loved the world, you and me and everyone in the world so much that He gave His one and only Son to give us life through His death and resurrection, that whoever would believe would be saved. There is no limit in Heaven, there isn’t a certain number of people and once that number is reached the rest of us are excluded. Heaven’s capacity is unlimited, it’s an open invitation for whoever who will believe.
For God so greatly loved and early prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) son, that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16 (Amplified)
In HIS Time
Teresa
John 3:16 is as basic truth of faith as we can go. God loves us, we believe or we don’t. As a child it was the first verse I memorized in Sunday school, but after giving my life to Christ, asking Him into my heart, accepting his gift of salvation through believing that He died for me and rose from the dead to give me life I haven’t done a whole lot with that verse. Oh I still believe in it, and I still claim it and I know it’s true, but today and what is going on in the world where it’s ok to believe in everything else but Jesus Christ; there are even Christians who believe that if you don’t go to their church you aren’t counted in the “whoever.” This verse comes back to me.
I don’t know why, but I woke up with this verse on my mind earlier than the alarm was set for. There are things that I have been able to believe by faith and I don’t question them. God’s grace has covered me all my life and I have been so blessed not to have experienced some things that I’ve heard that many have. I have been in church all my life, been taught the Bible stories even while I was in my mother’s womb. Before I was born I have heard songs, stories and sermons about the Bible and Jesus, from beginning to the end. I am so grateful, because even though I have made mistakes along the way I know that this has been a significant influence and has protected me from even greater mistakes and bad things happening.
I know that there are people out there maybe even you who have experienced bad things that you had no control over and you wonder why the grace of God didn’t cover you and protect you. I’m so sorry that I cannot offer an explanation to you, but now is the time to trust that His grace will get you through whatever it is you are going through and the strength to overcome every bad thing that has happened in your life. His mighty power can be at work in you if you will be one of the “whoever.” John 3:16 is an open invitation to anyone of any race or religion. You cannot work your way into grace, you cannot get to the Father any other way than through Jesus, God’s Son. Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent” John 6:29 He knew it would be work for us to believe in Jesus, because we have to believe it in faith.
Working and service comes through loving Him first and loving Him comes after accepting His gift and learning what that gift is all about. It doesn’t matter what your background is, how you were raised, what religion you are, where you live, or anything else, God’s gift is free for the asking. He said whoever believes in Him. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Do you believe this? That is a hard thing for some people to believe, because we don’t understand it. To never die is impossible, right? People die every day. How does God expect us to believe in something as impossible as never dying? That sounds crazy, one day this life as we know it will end, life will leave our body and the body will die, but if we are one of the whoever that believes in Him, we will live. It’s all perfectly strange and wonderful at the same time. God loved the world, you and me and everyone in the world so much that He gave His one and only Son to give us life through His death and resurrection, that whoever would believe would be saved. There is no limit in Heaven, there isn’t a certain number of people and once that number is reached the rest of us are excluded. Heaven’s capacity is unlimited, it’s an open invitation for whoever who will believe.
For God so greatly loved and early prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) son, that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16 (Amplified)
In HIS Time
Teresa
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The More I Live as Christ
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:20-21
"To live is Christ and to die is gain." That has been one verse that I have avoided for many years. It calls me to complete surrender and because I'm not so sure what complete surrender will require of me I have avoided it. In this chapter, Paul is relating how hard it is to be a Christian, that we may have to go through a lot of suffering to be a Christian and proclaim Christ. So being a quiet Christian is so much easier, right? For a while we are deceived in thinking just that.
We can be Christian and as long as we don't rock the boat and try to be good, but when we are asked to surrender all, that is a whole new and foreign way of doing things. We've been so caught up in living in the "me generation" to surrender and kill everything we want and everything that isn't Christ first, that is just too much to ask. That request means we have to give up everything we want, we need, what we want to do, where we want to go. What about my way? We just want what we want, right? For the most part our wants and desires don't hurt anyone and they are honorable. We want to be productive citizens and make contributions to our home, family, place of work, and church. Does God really want us to surrender all of that?
Yes.
God wants us to surrender everything so that He can re-create in you and me His plan. so does that mean if we surrender everything are we supposed to walk away from everything we know? God wants you and me to surrender our will to have our own way. He will take care of the rest. Surrender does not mean to walk away from the ones we love or even our goals and dreams, He wants to give them to Him so that He can work them into His plan so that He will be glorified. He is God. He doesn't need you and me, but we do need Him, but we are so stubborn we think if we don't do it ourselves we won't get it, we wont' succeed, we won't get to do what we enjoy or what we want to do.
God is not about taking away from us, but about giving every good and perfect gift, but we can't receive anything from Him if we continue to hold on to what we know. In order to make room for all of God's goodness that He is just waiting to pour into our lives we have to open up t o Him and that means surrender. We give Him everything we have, we are, we offer to Him the rubble of our brokenness an dour meager attempts at successful living then He can give us everything. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us. Ephesians 3:20
Yet we wonder why we still struggle. Ephesians 3:20 says He is able to do immeasurably more than we can imagine. While that is true, God won't do anything that we won't allow Him to do. He needs our permission to have full access to do all the things He is able to do. It's called free will. we can receive Him or we can reject Him. It's up to us. He is able, but He wants something from us first...surrender. If you can't do that all at once, give it all to Him, then just start with something. Whatever is is that you know you are holding on to give it to Him, surrender it, let Him have it and walk away from it, but whatever you do don't stop with that one thing keep going, make room for God to release His power in your life. Soon you will realize that what God has is so much greater than what you were holding on to.
Now I don't struggle so much with "to live is Christ and to die is gain." I know that God has so much more for me than I can imagine and as I surrender more and more He does more and more. What we give to God is so much less than what He gives in return how can we wait any longer to surrender? God loves us more than we and and with that truth alone we should be running to Him with everything we have and exalt His work in our lives for everyone to see.
The more I live as Christ, the less I want to live as me and get in His way to work in my life.
"To live is Christ and to die is gain." That has been one verse that I have avoided for many years. It calls me to complete surrender and because I'm not so sure what complete surrender will require of me I have avoided it. In this chapter, Paul is relating how hard it is to be a Christian, that we may have to go through a lot of suffering to be a Christian and proclaim Christ. So being a quiet Christian is so much easier, right? For a while we are deceived in thinking just that.
We can be Christian and as long as we don't rock the boat and try to be good, but when we are asked to surrender all, that is a whole new and foreign way of doing things. We've been so caught up in living in the "me generation" to surrender and kill everything we want and everything that isn't Christ first, that is just too much to ask. That request means we have to give up everything we want, we need, what we want to do, where we want to go. What about my way? We just want what we want, right? For the most part our wants and desires don't hurt anyone and they are honorable. We want to be productive citizens and make contributions to our home, family, place of work, and church. Does God really want us to surrender all of that?
Yes.
God wants us to surrender everything so that He can re-create in you and me His plan. so does that mean if we surrender everything are we supposed to walk away from everything we know? God wants you and me to surrender our will to have our own way. He will take care of the rest. Surrender does not mean to walk away from the ones we love or even our goals and dreams, He wants to give them to Him so that He can work them into His plan so that He will be glorified. He is God. He doesn't need you and me, but we do need Him, but we are so stubborn we think if we don't do it ourselves we won't get it, we wont' succeed, we won't get to do what we enjoy or what we want to do.
God is not about taking away from us, but about giving every good and perfect gift, but we can't receive anything from Him if we continue to hold on to what we know. In order to make room for all of God's goodness that He is just waiting to pour into our lives we have to open up t o Him and that means surrender. We give Him everything we have, we are, we offer to Him the rubble of our brokenness an dour meager attempts at successful living then He can give us everything. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us. Ephesians 3:20
Yet we wonder why we still struggle. Ephesians 3:20 says He is able to do immeasurably more than we can imagine. While that is true, God won't do anything that we won't allow Him to do. He needs our permission to have full access to do all the things He is able to do. It's called free will. we can receive Him or we can reject Him. It's up to us. He is able, but He wants something from us first...surrender. If you can't do that all at once, give it all to Him, then just start with something. Whatever is is that you know you are holding on to give it to Him, surrender it, let Him have it and walk away from it, but whatever you do don't stop with that one thing keep going, make room for God to release His power in your life. Soon you will realize that what God has is so much greater than what you were holding on to.
Now I don't struggle so much with "to live is Christ and to die is gain." I know that God has so much more for me than I can imagine and as I surrender more and more He does more and more. What we give to God is so much less than what He gives in return how can we wait any longer to surrender? God loves us more than we and and with that truth alone we should be running to Him with everything we have and exalt His work in our lives for everyone to see.
The more I live as Christ, the less I want to live as me and get in His way to work in my life.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
North Texas Book Festival Update
Yesterday we went to Denton, Texas for the North Texas Book Festival held at the Denton Convention Center. There were about 90 authors participating in the event. It was really good to be around so many authors I have felt so much like a fish out of water with my book being published. Yesterday I got to meet and mingle with other authors who were either like me there as first-time authors or who have written many books. I was able to talk to many and I learned so much. It was a slow day in sales as the weather threatened to be much worse than it was, but I have to say that it was an amazing day anyway.
God has the plan I just have to allow Him to light my path one step at a time. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support.
In HIS Time
Teresa
God has the plan I just have to allow Him to light my path one step at a time. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Saturday, April 10, 2010
When the Battle Rages On and On
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1Peter 5:7-8
I cam home exhausted, wounded from the battle of a very long day, feeling the pressure and turmoil of a war raging on the inside and out. It feels like everything around me is under attack. I really just wanted to crawl in the bed and cover up my head and hide, but my day was not over yet. The only way to describe how I felt was like a full blown bloody battle was going on. I felt it in my spirit and saw evidence of it all around me at work, in my spirit, and finally at home, Emotions of everyone around me were on edge and I was the worst one of all. Then when I got home I was getting ready to go to a weekly Bible study and right before I left my little dog of 9 1/2 years was hit and killed by a car within five minutes of letting her outside. Oh how I cried already raw from an emotionally draining day that was the last straw. I just couldn't take it.
As I drove to Bible study my heart was even heavier I didn't want to go, I knew what was going on and that the events of the day were evidence of the spiritual warfare going on. Satan was on a warpath, not only against me, but against, it seems like everyone I know. And he is.
We as believers are under attack. When we come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and accept that gift of salvation, we are no longer our own, we have been bought and paid for with a price. Being children of God is wonderful, our sins are forgiven, we have new life in Christ and full access to God and His power. Along with all the goodness of God because we are still in this world we face struggles, hardships, and full blown attacks from the enemy. Why? He can't steal us back from God; we are no longer in the grip and bondage of sin. No, Satan can't have us, but he can do everything he can to keep us from showing others the light and the way to Jesus. If he can keep us so busy in the battle we will be so distracted with the fight our testimony suffers, because our attitude isn't on the power and glory of God, but our attitude is that of human nature. We get frustrated, emotional, and instead of His grace flowing out of us, we can get down-right nasty. It is a war we get so caught up in fighting in the flesh we completely lose sight of what is really going on and we end up coming home at the end of the day weary and worn out because we fought a battle in the human nature instead of the Spiritual power Gd is within us. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's (evil) schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12
See how evil the devil is, he distracts us with relationship problems, with co-workers, with family, and with friends. Problems arise at work out of nowhere. Traffic jams, illness, rebellious children, sudden and tragic loss in death. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 The devil will use everything we love against us to keep us from the abundant life we already have in Christ. He has one goal and that is to keep as many as he possibly can from knowing Christ and from having a close personal relationship with Christ because he is afraid of the power we possess in Christ. God has great plans for us and the devil knows it, but many of us miss those plans because he is so good at distracting us.
We live in defeat because we can't see past the problems for what they really are. There is only one way to defeat the enemy when he strikes; James 4:7, 8, & 10 says, "Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. ...Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.
Yesterday I realized the source of my grief, the turmoil I couldn't explain was an attack to keep me from the plans God has for me. And though I know today may be filled with just as m any attacks if not more. Today I am more alert and aware so I can submit to God
s authority over me and through me, and the devil will flee. Stand firm then don't allow distractions to keep you from your victory! Satan is already defeated! We are on the winning side. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. There will be peace when the battle rages on and on.
In HIS Time
Teresa
I cam home exhausted, wounded from the battle of a very long day, feeling the pressure and turmoil of a war raging on the inside and out. It feels like everything around me is under attack. I really just wanted to crawl in the bed and cover up my head and hide, but my day was not over yet. The only way to describe how I felt was like a full blown bloody battle was going on. I felt it in my spirit and saw evidence of it all around me at work, in my spirit, and finally at home, Emotions of everyone around me were on edge and I was the worst one of all. Then when I got home I was getting ready to go to a weekly Bible study and right before I left my little dog of 9 1/2 years was hit and killed by a car within five minutes of letting her outside. Oh how I cried already raw from an emotionally draining day that was the last straw. I just couldn't take it.
As I drove to Bible study my heart was even heavier I didn't want to go, I knew what was going on and that the events of the day were evidence of the spiritual warfare going on. Satan was on a warpath, not only against me, but against, it seems like everyone I know. And he is.
We as believers are under attack. When we come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and accept that gift of salvation, we are no longer our own, we have been bought and paid for with a price. Being children of God is wonderful, our sins are forgiven, we have new life in Christ and full access to God and His power. Along with all the goodness of God because we are still in this world we face struggles, hardships, and full blown attacks from the enemy. Why? He can't steal us back from God; we are no longer in the grip and bondage of sin. No, Satan can't have us, but he can do everything he can to keep us from showing others the light and the way to Jesus. If he can keep us so busy in the battle we will be so distracted with the fight our testimony suffers, because our attitude isn't on the power and glory of God, but our attitude is that of human nature. We get frustrated, emotional, and instead of His grace flowing out of us, we can get down-right nasty. It is a war we get so caught up in fighting in the flesh we completely lose sight of what is really going on and we end up coming home at the end of the day weary and worn out because we fought a battle in the human nature instead of the Spiritual power Gd is within us. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's (evil) schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12
See how evil the devil is, he distracts us with relationship problems, with co-workers, with family, and with friends. Problems arise at work out of nowhere. Traffic jams, illness, rebellious children, sudden and tragic loss in death. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 The devil will use everything we love against us to keep us from the abundant life we already have in Christ. He has one goal and that is to keep as many as he possibly can from knowing Christ and from having a close personal relationship with Christ because he is afraid of the power we possess in Christ. God has great plans for us and the devil knows it, but many of us miss those plans because he is so good at distracting us.
We live in defeat because we can't see past the problems for what they really are. There is only one way to defeat the enemy when he strikes; James 4:7, 8, & 10 says, "Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. ...Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.
Yesterday I realized the source of my grief, the turmoil I couldn't explain was an attack to keep me from the plans God has for me. And though I know today may be filled with just as m any attacks if not more. Today I am more alert and aware so I can submit to God
s authority over me and through me, and the devil will flee. Stand firm then don't allow distractions to keep you from your victory! Satan is already defeated! We are on the winning side. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. There will be peace when the battle rages on and on.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Pictures from recent Book Signings @ Something Special in Daingerfield, and Holly Hill Homestead in Hughes Springs
Thank you Janice you really are Something Special! God bless you!
Jolene...you are the heart of the home! Thank you for a wonderful day at Holly Hill Homestead and the precious Valentine Tea and Book Signing. God bless you!
My heart is overwhelmed at the goodness of my special friends.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Latest Update on Book
Much work has been done behind the scenes. I've received a marketing report sheet and there have been about seven stores contacted for possible book signings and one is scheduled for May 15 in Mt. Pleasant. With lots of media from news papers to radio and tv stations. Please pray for God's favor to rest on each one contacted and the book will be sold not only through my east Texas area but everywhere. Best Seller list may be a far fetched dream, but my Bible tells me that with God all things are possible. If He wants this to happen...so do I! Thank you for your prayers.
Amazing Love How Great is His Love!
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ...Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as He is pure. 1John 3:1&3
How could it be that Jesus would die for you and me? Why? All my life I have been taught the story of Jesus' birth, His ministry, and His sacrifice and resurrection, and in all my ability to understand I just cannot mentally understand it. Mos of us are concrete learners; we have to see it, touch it, use it, or experiment with it to get understanding. But we cannot do that with Jesus. We don't have the privilege that Thomas had to see and to feel the scars in Jesus' hands and feet and side. Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them after He was resurrected and when the disciples told him, he said unless I put my fingers into the nail scars in His hand and my hand into the scar on His side I will not believe.
In Thomas' defense think about it...Jesus died the most brutal death and all that sustains life in any human body was poured out of him through his wounds. No medical professional of today's best medical ability could have resuscitated Him immediately after death, but three days had passed before Jesus rose from the dead and walked among them again. It was only by the power of God that He exerted into Jesus life in His human body again. It was a miracle not anyone could believe unless they saw it for themselves.
Jesus came to where they were and told Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." ...Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:27-30.
Thomas and the others were blessed to be in Jesus' presence in the physical, but you and I are more blessed because we can't see or touch Him and we still believe. They had Jesus with them, He talked with them, He prayed with them, He taught them, He played with them, He worked with them. Everything we do on a daily basis, Jesus was right there with them working and playing with them. Jesus is with you and me too. He told the disciples that he had done great things while He was with them, but they and we would do even greater things, because after He went away in the physical the Holy Spirit would come into us and help us do greater things. When we completely give up everything and let Jesus have 100% of who we are there are no limits to what we can do.
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then how you live--not as unwise, but as wise, make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 4:14-15
Experience your own resurrection, rise up from your sleep, you are no longer dead in your sins, but are alive in Christ who is waiting to do even greater things in you and through you than He did. The days we live in are evil, but we have the power that raised Christ from the dead at work in us to overcome all evil. The war is already won, the battle may still be raging around us, but we are more than conquerors because we believe in Jesus who we have not seen, but know He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father. One day He will come back again and our understanding will be like He is, full of His glory. Make life in Christ your priority. He paid a high price for you and I to continue to live in defeat one second longer. Rise and Shine and give God all the glory! Amen and Hallelujah forever and ever!
How great is the love that the Father has lavished on us? Amazing love we cannot comprehend but we can hold on to. As far as the east is from the west, to infinity and beyond, that is how much great His love is for you.
In HIS Time
Teresa
How could it be that Jesus would die for you and me? Why? All my life I have been taught the story of Jesus' birth, His ministry, and His sacrifice and resurrection, and in all my ability to understand I just cannot mentally understand it. Mos of us are concrete learners; we have to see it, touch it, use it, or experiment with it to get understanding. But we cannot do that with Jesus. We don't have the privilege that Thomas had to see and to feel the scars in Jesus' hands and feet and side. Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them after He was resurrected and when the disciples told him, he said unless I put my fingers into the nail scars in His hand and my hand into the scar on His side I will not believe.
In Thomas' defense think about it...Jesus died the most brutal death and all that sustains life in any human body was poured out of him through his wounds. No medical professional of today's best medical ability could have resuscitated Him immediately after death, but three days had passed before Jesus rose from the dead and walked among them again. It was only by the power of God that He exerted into Jesus life in His human body again. It was a miracle not anyone could believe unless they saw it for themselves.
Jesus came to where they were and told Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." ...Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:27-30.
Thomas and the others were blessed to be in Jesus' presence in the physical, but you and I are more blessed because we can't see or touch Him and we still believe. They had Jesus with them, He talked with them, He prayed with them, He taught them, He played with them, He worked with them. Everything we do on a daily basis, Jesus was right there with them working and playing with them. Jesus is with you and me too. He told the disciples that he had done great things while He was with them, but they and we would do even greater things, because after He went away in the physical the Holy Spirit would come into us and help us do greater things. When we completely give up everything and let Jesus have 100% of who we are there are no limits to what we can do.
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then how you live--not as unwise, but as wise, make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 4:14-15
Experience your own resurrection, rise up from your sleep, you are no longer dead in your sins, but are alive in Christ who is waiting to do even greater things in you and through you than He did. The days we live in are evil, but we have the power that raised Christ from the dead at work in us to overcome all evil. The war is already won, the battle may still be raging around us, but we are more than conquerors because we believe in Jesus who we have not seen, but know He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father. One day He will come back again and our understanding will be like He is, full of His glory. Make life in Christ your priority. He paid a high price for you and I to continue to live in defeat one second longer. Rise and Shine and give God all the glory! Amen and Hallelujah forever and ever!
How great is the love that the Father has lavished on us? Amazing love we cannot comprehend but we can hold on to. As far as the east is from the west, to infinity and beyond, that is how much great His love is for you.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Sunday, April 4, 2010
How Great Our God Is
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! Now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him fo we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. 1John 3:1-3
As light broke through the night sky this morning, I couldn't help but think about how blessed we are to have the opportunity to believe and be called the children of God. I compared the early morning light to how the light of God gradually shines brighter and brighter as we grown in him, its like coming out of the darkness slowly like night into day. God is so good to allow us to grow in Him and wait patiently as the light comes on inside us. He knows we couldn't handle the glory of his presence if it were like a light switch turning on...it would be just too bright.
But He has lavished his love on us and takes us as far as we can go and waits while we take it in then we move further through our journey. He is so very good to us.
This morning as more people than any other day of the year acknowledges Jesus Christ, dressed in their finest spring clothes I pray every morning from this day will be Easter monring in our hearts. Wake up tomorrow and give thanks at what Christ did so that you may be called exactly what you are in Him, Childred of God.
In HIS Time
Teresa
As light broke through the night sky this morning, I couldn't help but think about how blessed we are to have the opportunity to believe and be called the children of God. I compared the early morning light to how the light of God gradually shines brighter and brighter as we grown in him, its like coming out of the darkness slowly like night into day. God is so good to allow us to grow in Him and wait patiently as the light comes on inside us. He knows we couldn't handle the glory of his presence if it were like a light switch turning on...it would be just too bright.
But He has lavished his love on us and takes us as far as we can go and waits while we take it in then we move further through our journey. He is so very good to us.
This morning as more people than any other day of the year acknowledges Jesus Christ, dressed in their finest spring clothes I pray every morning from this day will be Easter monring in our hearts. Wake up tomorrow and give thanks at what Christ did so that you may be called exactly what you are in Him, Childred of God.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Amazing works of God!
I just love it when God opens a window! Yesterday after several attempts to get the nerve up to contact KVNE to ask for them to promote my book I talked with Mike Harper and Monday morning during the early morning show with Mike and Carrie on KVNE 89.5 the interview will be aired. He told me it will also be placed on the Mike and Carrie blog with information on how to purchase the book and how to sign up for my daily email devotional.
I sat there for a while after the interview ended and just cried at God's goodness and at the miracle of using me to spread spiritual encouragement that can only come from God. I was overwhelmed to put it mildly.
I sat there for a while after the interview ended and just cried at God's goodness and at the miracle of using me to spread spiritual encouragement that can only come from God. I was overwhelmed to put it mildly.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Good Saturday Morning!
Calling all prayer warriors! I believe in the power of prayer! My book has been officially released and is currently available at any online bookstore. My network circle is small and I need help in getting the word our about the book. This book really is a work of my heart through the transfromation from broken to bitter and cynical, to free in Christ and His presence in my life.
It is my desire to reach people and share the hope that I have found, to motivate them into getting into God's word and seeking His face on their own. Please pray for the successful outreach of this book to surpass all expectations and the many other books released on a weekly basis and that this book will be used in mighty and powerful ways. Thank you.
In HIS Time
Teresa
Thursday, March 25, 2010
It Starts with the Seed
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2Coringthians 9:8
In Luke chapter 8 is the story Jesus told about planting the seed It is about a farmer who was planting his crops and as he scattered his seeds some feel on the path and got trampled and eaten by the birds. Some fell on rock and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no root system and no moisture. Other seed flel among thorns which grew up with it and choked the plants. The rest of the seed fell on good soil and yielded a crop a hundred times more than was sown. Jesus told stories using examples that could be easily understood to make a comparison to know how to live better in His plan.
So what is the comparios ot the seed story? It's about what we do with what we are givena nd that where and what we plant into our lives xomething will grow. The seed that fell on the road represent people who hear about God and the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but have no root. They believe for a while but in time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it and by persevering produce a crop.
That's the story of salvation, the story of who gets it and who doesn't. There is so much more than just accepting Christ, we then have to take Christ inside, plant him deep and let him cultivate our hearts (the soil) so that the seed of his righteousness can grow and become fruitful and his grace will abound, it will grow in abundance and we will no longer be just living we will be growing and producing more and more for the kingdom, by how we live. That abundant life that Jesus came to give will be really abundant.
Unfortunately in an attempt to make us understand what a wonderful gift we have in Jesus, we have learned that we are dirty rotten sinners and that's all we will ever be; sinners saved by grace. Grace is so much more than the way to salvation. It is the power by which we live and overcome.
I want to talk about the seed that fell among the thorns. I think this is the majority of Christians today. These Christians believe in Jesus, they accept the gift of salvation, they go to church, they pray and read their Bible, but are choked out by the worries and things of this world, like pleasures and the pursuit of happiness and they do not grow up and mature into what God intended them to be. Blessed is the man (woman) who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8
Now what seeds are you planting in your life? Are there too many weeds and thorns choking out your faith and the grace you need to live abundantly? You know that God is poerful, yet you have never really experienced that power in your life. Why? Is it because you are just a sinner and you are just darn lucky you have salvation you don't deserve any more than that? We don't realize that God's word is the see that gives us His poer to live more than just as survivors, in His power we have power to live abundantly, to have all that we need, to live in peace. to experience joy and yes we can be righteous. Righteous is being in good standing with God.
Who or what cut you off and choked your seed from growing into a mighty tree? What keeps you defeated so much of the time? What words do you hear the most? God's word that you are wonderful, you are precious, that you belong to Him or do you hear that you are ugly, unacceptable, stupid, good for nothing, and unredeemable? What we think therefore we are. Seeds now can represent thoughts. Whatever we plant in our mind and heart that is what we are going to produce. What are your crops yielding? Whatever we think about ourselves that is what we produce. I struggle with this daily. I know that God's thoughts are not my thoughts that He has good things for me, but until I get into my field and dig out the weeds and thorns of bad thoughts and attitudes that is all I'm ever going to produce.
Just like the farmer if he doesn't take care of what he has planted, but watering and weeding and fertilizing his crop won't produce much of a harvest. When it it time to go on to heaven what harvest will you and I bring to God? David prayed, test me God and know my anxious thoughts and sho me any offensive way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.
Plant good thoughts produce good deeds. Change the way you think change the way you live. Are you having trouble thinking good throughts about yourselve, go to the Bible there are many good things God has to say about you. God's word is the seed; are you the path, the rock or the good soil that the seed has been planted in?
In HIS Time
Teresa
Unfortunately in an attempt to make us understand what a wonderful gift we have in Jesus, we have learned that we are dirty rotten sinners and that's all we will ever be;
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2Coringthians 9:8
In Luke chapter 8 is the story Jesus told about planting the seed It is about a farmer who was planting his crops and as he scattered his seeds some feel on the path and got trampled and eaten by the birds. Some fell on rock and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no root system and no moisture. Other seed flel among thorns which grew up with it and choked the plants. The rest of the seed fell on good soil and yielded a crop a hundred times more than was sown. Jesus told stories using examples that could be easily understood to make a comparison to know how to live better in His plan.
So what is the comparios ot the seed story? It's about what we do with what we are givena nd that where and what we plant into our lives xomething will grow. The seed that fell on the road represent people who hear about God and the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but have no root. They believe for a while but in time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it and by persevering produce a crop.
That's the story of salvation, the story of who gets it and who doesn't. There is so much more than just accepting Christ, we then have to take Christ inside, plant him deep and let him cultivate our hearts (the soil) so that the seed of his righteousness can grow and become fruitful and his grace will abound, it will grow in abundance and we will no longer be just living we will be growing and producing more and more for the kingdom, by how we live. That abundant life that Jesus came to give will be really abundant.
Unfortunately in an attempt to make us understand what a wonderful gift we have in Jesus, we have learned that we are dirty rotten sinners and that's all we will ever be; sinners saved by grace. Grace is so much more than the way to salvation. It is the power by which we live and overcome.
I want to talk about the seed that fell among the thorns. I think this is the majority of Christians today. These Christians believe in Jesus, they accept the gift of salvation, they go to church, they pray and read their Bible, but are choked out by the worries and things of this world, like pleasures and the pursuit of happiness and they do not grow up and mature into what God intended them to be. Blessed is the man (woman) who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8
Now what seeds are you planting in your life? Are there too many weeds and thorns choking out your faith and the grace you need to live abundantly? You know that God is poerful, yet you have never really experienced that power in your life. Why? Is it because you are just a sinner and you are just darn lucky you have salvation you don't deserve any more than that? We don't realize that God's word is the see that gives us His poer to live more than just as survivors, in His power we have power to live abundantly, to have all that we need, to live in peace. to experience joy and yes we can be righteous. Righteous is being in good standing with God.
Who or what cut you off and choked your seed from growing into a mighty tree? What keeps you defeated so much of the time? What words do you hear the most? God's word that you are wonderful, you are precious, that you belong to Him or do you hear that you are ugly, unacceptable, stupid, good for nothing, and unredeemable? What we think therefore we are. Seeds now can represent thoughts. Whatever we plant in our mind and heart that is what we are going to produce. What are your crops yielding? Whatever we think about ourselves that is what we produce. I struggle with this daily. I know that God's thoughts are not my thoughts that He has good things for me, but until I get into my field and dig out the weeds and thorns of bad thoughts and attitudes that is all I'm ever going to produce.
Just like the farmer if he doesn't take care of what he has planted, but watering and weeding and fertilizing his crop won't produce much of a harvest. When it it time to go on to heaven what harvest will you and I bring to God? David prayed, test me God and know my anxious thoughts and sho me any offensive way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.
Plant good thoughts produce good deeds. Change the way you think change the way you live. Are you having trouble thinking good throughts about yourselve, go to the Bible there are many good things God has to say about you. God's word is the seed; are you the path, the rock or the good soil that the seed has been planted in?
In HIS Time
Teresa
Unfortunately in an attempt to make us understand what a wonderful gift we have in Jesus, we have learned that we are dirty rotten sinners and that's all we will ever be;
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
What could be better than sisters? I went to visit the girls yesterday. I get blessed everytime I get to see them, not only getting to hold and love on them, but the precious woman who raises them blesses my heart every time and it gets harder and harder to leave her. She has such a sweet spirit I just love talking to her and visiting with her. I've fallen in love with my girls and wish I could see them every day.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Book has been Released!
I can't believe it's finally here...I received word today that my long awaited release date has arrived. My book, My Devotion My Heart A Spiritual Encouragement from My Heart to Yours is now available to bookstores, so if your favorite store doesn't have it on the shelves ask them to order it for you.
Keep watching...for more information!
In HIS Time
Teresa
Keep watching...for more information!
In HIS Time
Teresa
Directions Please
Directions Please
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:3, 4, & 23-24
You have to know where you are before you can get directions to where you are going. It's very frustraging to follow directions in an unfamiliar place. There are times in my faith I don't know where I am and for a while it feels like I'm lost looking in all directions for the right way to go. I have been moving along in my walk with Christ. He's right there with me, but suddenly there is a sense of loss, like "where do I go from here?"
Have you ever reached a pause in your faith, nothing really bad stopped you, you were moving right along doing what you knew to do, spending time with God, praying, reading your Bible filling your mind with the things of God, yet for some reason there is a crossroad maybe and you don't know if you should turn or go straight. Fear immediately tries to grab you with questions like; "Was I doing something wrong?" "Why is there is crossroad?" "Should I turn or keep moving straight?" Any wrong move and I'll be off the right course which could take a long time to get back on the right one.
Life is full of choices that can either keep us moving in the right direction, or move us in the wrong direction. Which way is right and which way is wrong? There are also choices that are neither right nor wrong. It can be hard to tell the difference. For me those crossroads or forkes in the road will appear when I've been moving along in my faith growing then something happens and I'm faced with a decision, either one is a good choice, it's not about right or wrong, it's just a choice with a significant outcome either way. Now what? Where do I go from here?
Faith walking is never easy, it takes a level of trust that we are never familiar with because the more we walk by faith, the more hidden the path seems to be. Just when we get used to the level of faith that got us this far we are faced with a decision that takes us to a whole other level. Where you and I came from is not where we are going. When we first believed we were young in our faith and we crawled away from that place of faith to the next place and soon we were walking, wobbly we may have been, but soon we got our footing and the way became smoother. However the further we walked the terrain began to change and the way was harder to follow, the path became narrow and obstacles littered the way.
The closer we get to God sometimes it seems the further He is away. There is a battle raging against us to keep us from God and His ways. Evil surrounds our path to keep us from the potential God created us for. The enemy will throw every distraction he can to make us fall or lose our way. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him? ...How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although he gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teacher will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 3018-21
Sometimes all it takes to make the right choice at the moment is just standing firm in your faith. Just be still. Let God be God. Let Him lead you in the paths of righteousness, He will always give directions in the way that you should go. When you are faced with a choice that has no right or wrong way that is the next level of faith He is trying to lead you through. Follow Him wherever He leads and you will never go in the wrong direction when He goes before and behind you. The path may appear to be rough and rocky, but trust Him, He will make them straight and smooth with every step you take by faith, not by sight. What you can see is deceiving, what you look for in faith will never mislead you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:3, 4, & 23-24
You have to know where you are before you can get directions to where you are going. It's very frustraging to follow directions in an unfamiliar place. There are times in my faith I don't know where I am and for a while it feels like I'm lost looking in all directions for the right way to go. I have been moving along in my walk with Christ. He's right there with me, but suddenly there is a sense of loss, like "where do I go from here?"
Have you ever reached a pause in your faith, nothing really bad stopped you, you were moving right along doing what you knew to do, spending time with God, praying, reading your Bible filling your mind with the things of God, yet for some reason there is a crossroad maybe and you don't know if you should turn or go straight. Fear immediately tries to grab you with questions like; "Was I doing something wrong?" "Why is there is crossroad?" "Should I turn or keep moving straight?" Any wrong move and I'll be off the right course which could take a long time to get back on the right one.
Life is full of choices that can either keep us moving in the right direction, or move us in the wrong direction. Which way is right and which way is wrong? There are also choices that are neither right nor wrong. It can be hard to tell the difference. For me those crossroads or forkes in the road will appear when I've been moving along in my faith growing then something happens and I'm faced with a decision, either one is a good choice, it's not about right or wrong, it's just a choice with a significant outcome either way. Now what? Where do I go from here?
Faith walking is never easy, it takes a level of trust that we are never familiar with because the more we walk by faith, the more hidden the path seems to be. Just when we get used to the level of faith that got us this far we are faced with a decision that takes us to a whole other level. Where you and I came from is not where we are going. When we first believed we were young in our faith and we crawled away from that place of faith to the next place and soon we were walking, wobbly we may have been, but soon we got our footing and the way became smoother. However the further we walked the terrain began to change and the way was harder to follow, the path became narrow and obstacles littered the way.
The closer we get to God sometimes it seems the further He is away. There is a battle raging against us to keep us from God and His ways. Evil surrounds our path to keep us from the potential God created us for. The enemy will throw every distraction he can to make us fall or lose our way. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him? ...How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although he gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teacher will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 3018-21
Sometimes all it takes to make the right choice at the moment is just standing firm in your faith. Just be still. Let God be God. Let Him lead you in the paths of righteousness, He will always give directions in the way that you should go. When you are faced with a choice that has no right or wrong way that is the next level of faith He is trying to lead you through. Follow Him wherever He leads and you will never go in the wrong direction when He goes before and behind you. The path may appear to be rough and rocky, but trust Him, He will make them straight and smooth with every step you take by faith, not by sight. What you can see is deceiving, what you look for in faith will never mislead you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Long Monday
Mondays are always a little harder than the rest in a day's work, but the Monday after Spring Break is very difficult especially when the break was really nice. I got to spend time with my wonderful husband, I met and made some very special friends...and I got a very special gift I picked out She's barely three weeks old and I've named her Fancy Nancy...we may bring her little sister with us...just as cute but no name yet...
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Welcome
Welcome to my new blog. I hope to share encouragement from what inspired my book of the same title. I've written devotionals now for almost three years. The book was an accidental on purpose project. I never thought I would get a book published, but God did. During a very difficult time in my life, everything in my life had gotten shaken up and I found myself not living my dream but my nightmare. When everything else was lost, God was there with His arms open wide waiting to take me in and show me who He is for me. I was right where I needed to be so that He could begin His best work inside.
I will post upcoming events about my book, which is brand new the release date is set for this month after which I hope to be attending book signings and book events to promote My Devotion My Heart. I have had two very special book signings at local businesses with friends that I treasure.
Janice Bryant hosted a book signing at her store, Something Special in Daingerfield, Texas in January. It was a very secial evening
Then Jolene Wilson hosted a beautiful Valentine Tea Party and book signing to promote my book to her friends and clients in her beautiful and peaceful home and Bed and Breakfast, Holly Hill Farm.
Both events touched my heart and encouraged me so much. Thank you Jan and Jolene for these wonderful events. God bless you!
From time to timeI will post current devotionals that I write daily, so check back often to receive something God may have for you.
God bless you.
In HIS Time
Teresa
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