September 17, 2021

My Devotion 

My Heart

Guide, Satisfy, & Strengthen

Teresa Jenkins

The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah58:11

This verse keeps coming back to me this week, I must be needing the reminder.

Guide: God will show you the way, the what, and the how...one step at a time.

Satisfy: He will meet your need and sprinkle in your wants.

Strengthen:  God will make you stronger through His strength, His wisdom, and His love.

I have never met a human being that does not worry or fear to some degree.  I do know people who stress very little.  The other day I was fretting about something, choices to make, insignificant, really, but still I allowed it to rile up within me.   After a while of complaining about it and trying to talk to my husband, but it was insignificant to him.  So, I stopped talking to him about it, because that wasn't helping.  I went about my day and said in my heart, "God, I know this insignificant, it won't matter one way or the other, so here it is, You take it and I will trust You to solve it."  by the end of the day, it was solved.  Not an issue anymore.

I know my issue was insignificant, but god listened.  He helped me in the most microscopic issue.  He guided me straight to the answer after I gave it up.  It's harder for me to ask for help in the little things than in the big things...but even the BIG things to me are dust under HIs feet.  Still, we live in a time that fear is a big ugly monster stealing our joy, our hope, and our peace of mind.  There is turmoil in our spiritual wellbeing.

He tells us to pray about everything.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

Every detail about life is important to God, and that means you and and what you are going through today.  Our darkest most difficult times always brings the brightest tomorrows.  Every past situation you or I have endured, has give us greater faith, hope, and strength.

Christianity is a practice.  With life we get better at it, we've learned from experience that God is the God of guidance, satisfaction and strength.  We didn't learn it because life was always easy.  Easy is in heaven.  IN this life we will have trouble, but take hold of your heart, be courageous, HE has overcome the world.  God may be silent but He is always at work for us.

Indeed, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  God is not laid back on His throne watching us suffer, He is a loving God, not wanting anyone to perish, but give us life through Jesus His Son.  The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  the Lord shall preserve you from all evil.  ...He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.  Psalm. 121:4-8

Fear is a liar, it is relentless in deception; it will make you believe and follow those who seek to destroy you.   But God, He liberates us because He is for us.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  what can man do to me? ...It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in kings.  Psalm 118:6, 8-9

Trust Him.  He will guide you, He will satisfy you, He will strengthen you.  In Christ, we are invincible until He calls us home. 

In HIS Time

For HIS Glory

No Troubled Hearts

 

No Troubled Hearts

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.  I do not give as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John14:27

I don't talk (as in lengthy conversations) to many people on a day-to-day basis.  Like you I go through the days of my life at work and at home.  I listen to some news, and occasionally the social media outlets.  I have been a Christian (born-again, saved) since I was a child.  But being a Christian did not shield me from being sinful, disobedient and rebellious to my Father's commands,  As a person, created in the image of God, I=as the Bible teachers does not give us automatic tendencies not to sin once we are saved.  Paul wrote to the church of Philippi, "...continue to work out you salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12. So there is some work to be done and there are many days that I feel like I'll never be where I should be but at the same time I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.  Over the course of my life, I've hit a lot of road barriers, detours, and wrecks along the way.  Oh, God's grace really is unlimited. 

As this new year dawns, it brings with it a whole lot of known uncertainties.  Yes, I said, known uncertainties.  For example, we appear to be in a volatile time, politically, socially, and economically.  We know there are issues, that is certain, how they will be handled is uncertain.  We have accepted the status quo for so long we aren't really sure if we can ever get back to the biblical principals we started with.  The "woke" generation is about canceling out anything and anyone who doesn't agree with them. 

When I was young I remember the nightly news discussing the wars and politics of the day, I also remember my parents and extended adult family talking about the news of the day.  But I don't remember being frightened about it.  What I didn't realize that slowly and quietly we were being inundated with ideas and cultural changes through television and entertainment.  Now it is blatant accept all ideas and lifestyles or else.  People are attacked in the streets for wearing political apparel that is opposite of the attacker.  The world is a much scarier place than it used to be.  My mother had a famous quote, I'm sure a lot of parents, would used when asked if could wear something inappropriate or go somewhere I shouldn't; "Would you jump off a cliff if someone else did?"  A pretty ridiculous statement, but it got her point and answer across loud and clear.

God is the same way He knows what is best, His ways are not our ways, and though His way isn't always the easiest way, when we follow He always leads us to triumphant victory.  

This world is not hour hope for a better year or tomorrow, Jesus is our hope.  If it's not time for His return, He is our hope for endurance and looking forward to His return is the best thin we can do. That is the prize we wait for, that we work toward when our faith becomes sight.  Paul said something else in letters, I have not already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me.  I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do; Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:12-14

The world is not going to get any better, but we must press on in our Father's work, being a light in this dark world, preaching, teaching and following Christ's example, glorifying god for all His mercy, kindness, strength, and help for each day.  God does not expect us to do more than we know and what we have not yet learned from Him, Paul goes on to say in verse 16, "Only let us live up to what we have already attained."  In other words, do what you know to do, and keep moving forward.

The wo5ld will continue to taunt us with its lies and fear mongering, Jesus said; Peace I leave with you; MY peace I give you.  His peace, even as He face His accusers and soldiers who beat Him and then crucified Him, carried Him through what God sent Him to do.  I do not give as the world gives.  Promises made and then broken, lies and betrayal of our trust.  Look around, doe you see peace in this world?  Jesus said... DO NOT LET let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27.

Just as the Father was with the Son, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit is with us.  If God is for us, no one can be against us.  We know the end of the story; Jesus comes backe, takes us out of here, and we live with Him forever...No troubled hears!  Oh, The King is Coming!

In HIS Time

Teresa

Nothing New

June 22, 2020

My Devotion

My Heart

Nothing New

Teresa Jenkins

 

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

 

Solomon, the wisest man ever.  When he became the king of Israel after his father David died, God appeared to him and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  Solomon answered God.  “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.  Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.  Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”  God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches, and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”  2Chronicles 1:7-12

 

Every night I go to sleep and ask God for peace, for reconciliation, for this country to stop fighting.  Every morning I wake up and all is right with the world again…within the walls of my home...the news reminds me the opposite is true.  It seems every day it gets worse, but does it?  “What has been will be again.”  In this world we will have trouble of every kind possible under the sun.  “Let there be peace on earth,” is a very nice sentiment, it’s also a wonderful goal.  There is no peace as long as there is no good will toward men, women or children. 

 

God has made a way available for every person to know peace and has given them the choice to make.  What we see all around us is so many want what they want and will do whatever it takes to get it.  There is nothing new under the sun, everything we see happening on the news has happened before and unless this is the final phase for Jesus’ return, it will happen again.  History unless it’s been removed or rewritten shows us wars, plagues, greed, and control since the beginning of time.  But the news targets the fear factor that nothing like this has ever happened before.  But it has and those who have gone before us and survived know that adversity and burdens made them stronger.  Ecclesiastes is a book of life lessons and the truth that God’s way is the only way to truth and life.  That everything we chase for happiness is futile, but God’s way leads to everlasting peace, joy, and even happiness.  It also says the sooner, younger, we learn this the better off we will be.

 

We who believe in Jesus Christ, know that He is the only way, the truth and the life.  I think this truth that we believe in is why we are dismayed because it appears that there are fewer and fewer that believe it, much less live it.  I am just trying to grab a tight grip on the joy of the Lord and the peace that He has promised, but there are so many distractions, so many interruptions.  All the more reason to stop trying to understand and seek and hide in the shelter of God.  Have you ever read Psalm 91?  Have you ever made it personal when you read it.  The Bible teaches us that we will find God when we seek Him with our whole heart.  Psalm 91 says if we just stay in His shelter, even His shadow will protect us?  His shadow alone is that awesome.  Shadow: outline, shape, profile; an inseparable attendant or companion. 

 

Although there is nothing new under the sun, what we see happening is new to us, it’s frightening to say the least, but we have the truth.  When it appears that God has turned His back, He is working all things together for our good.  He may restore our land or take us to His kingdom.   It’s good news when we face trials of many kinds, because we rest in the shelter of the Most High.  Count it all joy and the joy will make it known that the King of kings and Lord of lords is, was, and will be on His throne.

 

I'm coming back

I have not published on my blog in a long time, no excuses, I just haven't.  Life happens so quickly and so many things happen in a day that it all blurs together.

I still write and send out via email, and sometimes on facebook, but not on my blog.  I hope to share what I write more this year in this media outlet.  For those still looking for me, thank you.  I appreciate your prayers and support as I share the daily struggles and encouragement I try to offer.

Blessings
Teresa

What is Your Purpose

January 8, 2020

My Devotion

My Heart

What is Your Purpose?

Teresa Jenkins

I keep asking that 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 mighty strength.  Ephesians 1:17-19

“I find no pleasure” (was my mother’s substitute for saying “I hate _____.”) in this question that comes around at the midnight strike of January 1 and continues to haunt me several times through the year.  Purpose, that word sends me into doubt and fear because my definition of purpose means something I’m supposed to be doing.  My feeble understanding of purpose is an assignment, it’s used in Bible lessons, sermons, and counseling sessions and that word seems to be everywhere this time of year.  I want to know my purpose; I want to be what God created me to do.    

The dictionary definition: (noun) the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.  Which leads me to another question.  “Why was I created?”  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10. I look at God’s workmanship all around me and think to myself, God still made me? 

The age of technology has succeeded to show me just how significant I am.  Have you ever searched your location on a map website?  You can zoom in really close and see your street and even the lot on which your house is built.  When you zoom out your “space” on earth quickly disappears.  Suddenly, individually we amount to a microscopic size on a map.  Still Ephesians 2:10 says you and I were created to do good works, that He prepared in advance, before He created us.  Psalm139 goes into great detail of our significance to God, there is no where we can go that He is not already there with you and with me and with every other person.  We are all God’s workmanship and He had and still has a plan.

We have no clue, really to the significance of our existence, but one day we will see as we are seen.  Paul describes it as looking at a dim reflection in a mirror, we cannot see exactly what God is doing through our life.  Every day we have a purpose…some are more significant in the eyes of the world, but every thing we do affects the space in which we are.  My problem with the idea of purpose, I see it through the comparison mirror of what I see others doing. 

From my perspective, I don’t see much change or influence that I have.  Most likely when I get to heaven, I’m going to be shocked when Jesus tells me the good things that happened because of me.  Satan wants me to fear going to heaven because of that part of judgment when God points out all the things I did wrong or the things I didn’t do.  That’s His tool to shut me up, making me believe that God’s vengeance is going to be pointed at me for my mistakes that led people astray, or that I wasn’t a better mother to my children, or that … the doubts and fears run rampant in me holding me back from living the faith that I am a child of God, yes I will make mistakes, I will do things wrong, but Jesus is my advocate, He sits by the Father’s right hand interceding for me.  Though I’m peeking through the window of the “twilight” years of life, as long as there is breath in me God’s purpose for me will prevail.

So, as this year proceeds, and the question, “What is my purpose?” rolls through your mind occasionally, the answer is quite simple.  Live in such a way that when people see you, they see Jesus. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Mark 6:33  Speak the truth in love.  Smile. Be friendly.  Be helpful.  Give generously.  At every opportunity, share Jesus.

I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today.  I know that He is living no matter what men say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer and just the time I need Him He’s always near.  He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!  He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.  He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!  You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.  (by Homer A Rodeheaver, 1933)

January 22, 2019

My Devotion

My Heart

Transformed

Teresa Jenkins

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2Corinthians 5:17

Transform: verb, make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance or character.

Being created in the womb is like the born again transformation.  The seed entered the egg, for nine months a tiny embryo transforms into a baby, what started out unnoticeable and for weeks sometimes longer no one noticed.  Then at the appointed time the baby is born, and transformation continues.  We don’t reenter our mother’s womb, but we do go through growing pains.  If anyone accepts Christ, he/she is a new creation. 

It took me years to stop expecting the new creation of me to be like God creating the world in six days.  It’s a slow work in progress and sometimes it hurts like pulling a tooth without sedation.  I don’t know about you, but I avoid pain if at all possible which results in frustration when I don’t at all feel like a new creation at all sometimes. 

Transformation takes time, it takes change, and it takes work.  The old person has gone, no longer lost and is a new creation in Christ, but old habits, thoughts, and feelings are hard to get rid of.  They are weaved in like needlepoint threads crossing each other so intricately they knot together making it impossible to take out.  I’ve created a few needlepoint projects and no matter how careful you are when you mess up, but don’t notice it until a few rows later, you might as well get out the scissors and cut out all the thread until you get to the error you made.  No salvaging all that thread to use again, and the chance that the thread store has the exact same color you started with aren’t very good.

The new has come!  Now what? Work.  We stop the process of God’s work in us all the time. The way we think, behave, speak, everything about us has deep roots of a lifetime of doing nothing, like a beautiful garden gets swallows up in weeds, vines, and ugliness when it’s not cared for over a long period of time. 

I wonder if that is why God called His people of the Old Testament, stiff-necked. God took care of them at every turn, but so many times His plan had to wait for them because they didn’t like the new way, they wanted what they complained about for generations in Egypt.  How could they?  God’s way was much better.  We are just like them.  They didn’t understand what God was doing, where they were going, or what He had promised them even looked like.  Neither do we, that’s the reason, we live by faith not by sight.  Some of what is to come won’t be easy and if we knew what that was, would we follow?

Transformation is hard work, in order to be who God created us to be requires us to abandon what we know, how we were before Christ and become like Him in every way possible.  That means self has to be crucified.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

So now, the work to stop with the old and live in the new…Be transformed.  It’s all in the mind, changing the way we think, get rid of the thoughts that play on automatic replay, a total cleaning of old thoughts and habits and embracing the new, the mind of Christ. Jesus did His part He died on the cross, was resurrected, and reigns at the right hand of the Father.  Romans 12:2 is all about what we must do to crucify self every day.  It won’t be easy, but all things are possible now to those who believe.

The pattern of this world is all about self, the total opposite of Christ who gave Himself for all, and now that we have accepted Him, not only are we His, but His power resides in us and we have no excuse not to be transformed.  Change the way you think, it changes the way you are, the way you live, and the less of you and the more of Christ comes through.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2

In HIS Time

Teresa

January 20, 2019

My Devotion

My Heart

Pray, and then Keep Praying

Teresa Jenkins

Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  Luke 18:1

The parable:  In a certain town there was a judge who did not fear God, or cared about men and a widow in that town who kept coming to him with a plea “Grant me justice against my adversary.”  For a long time he refused to help her, but finally he thought, “Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see she gets justice so she won’t wear me out with her coming.”  Then the unjust judge said, “Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice quickly.” (Luke 18:2-8)

I believe in prayer, I’ve seen it work, I’ve seen God answer prayers, but I confess I have not always understood prayer (and in some ways still don’t).  I’ve been intimidated when it comes to prayer, not sure how to pray, not sure what to ask God for, not sure what to say.  I would evaluate my requests, before I prayed checking for validity in my request, “is what I’m asking for the right thing to ask for?”.  Then there was the other side, believing God would hear or even answer my prayer.  It was so hard to fight off doubt.  Those of us with a pessimist nature, believe and practice, if I don’t get my hopes up I won’t be as disappointed and if the request is granted, then “Hurray!  All is great!”  It’s a never ending cycle that almost every time, silenced me from praying at all. 

Prayer is a very important part of Christianity.  It is a privilege, because it is our direct communication with God.  Jesus all through His ministry modeled prayer, taught His disciples about prayer, and left them instructions to pray about everything.  Mark 9 tells about the time the disciples could not drive out a spirit that made the boy deaf and mute since childhood.  Jesus rebuked the “deaf and mute spirit” and commanded it to come out of him never to enter again.  Later when Jesus had gone indoors, His disciples ask why they couldn’t drive it out.  Jesus replied, “This kind can only come out by prayer.”

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:4  One of my favorite verses on prayer.  Take away all your questions, your doubts, your fears about praying and just talk to God, turn to Him when you wake up, speak to Him, all day whisper, thanks, help, and peace.  God knows your heart and if there is any unclean thing there, He will wash it away, when we ask for His forgiveness, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  As children of God we have a deep desire to be good, to do good, and God’s grace and mercy helps us where we are weak, it’s in those quiet moments when we come to Him in prayer, pouring out our all our pain, fears, and struggles to Him, He takes them and in HIS time works them all out for good and to His glory.  It is our lives that we reflect His glory through His answers to our prayers.  Those impossible moments in our lives that we literally think we aren’t going to make it through, the anxiety and weight of our situation is going to be the end of us, and then God, when it seemed like it was just in time was actually right on time, answered our prayer exactly as it should have been answered, and even better than we even imagined.

I challenged myself to pray more, not those canned prayers, first say this, then that and then finish, amen.  I’m still working on it and making progress, and pressing on toward the goal:  Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. …May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.  1Thessalonians 5:16-18, 23-24

In the most recent (still ongoing) situation, I surrendered to praying, following Jesus’ teaching on how to pray, acknowledging who God is, my Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name, Thy will be done…thanking Him for what He would do, all the while knowing it wasn’t going to be easy to watch or endure, but knowing as well the outcome would be good.  From the beginning my prayers started going up with “Thy will be done,” God began to move and I could see His movement.  There was no doubt it was God.  God worked on two people through this situation, the one I prayed for and me.    

Go on, pray, and then keep praying. God is for you. He is a good, good Father.