Prayer Continues

My Devotion

My Heart

Prayer Continues

Teresa Jenkins

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or worthy of praise—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned from or received or heard from me, or seen in my—put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:4-9

Surviving the fire of disappointment, hurt, and bad circumstances, calls for great joy and celebration.  I would like to say that my faith never waivers through the storms, that I am always joyful in trials that come my way. I fall short in the instructions above.  I made it through, prayers were answered, signs of change are appearing dimly at this moment, but God proves His faithfulness once more.  For days and weeks I went through the unknown with only my weak faith to hold on to.  The size of a mustard seed is all I had, packed with all that God has brought me through my whole life.

Be full of joy: When times are hard and the unknown is looming like a cloud over you joyful is non-existent with maybe a little here or there.  That’s when we fight the fear, the anxiety, the doubt and bring to mind thoughts worthy of thinking about, and doing what you know to do.  Think about all the times God has already brought you through, even in those times we barely acknowledge Him.  He was always there working things out for our good, bringing the things into our life to fulfill the plan He has for us.  What about the times we never even knew what He was doing?  Those are the thoughts we begin with, those are the things that helps our joy to grow.

Pray all the time for all things:  Good times or bad times, pray.  When life is going relatively smoothly or even great pray giving thanks.  When the battle is on; pray giving thanks.  Present your requests to God.  With prayer and petition present your need.  Petition, that one always confused me, petition is a request signed by as many people as possible to bring about change or grant any kind of need.  Paul is teaching us here to get other believers, to pray about your need or problem, to agree with us in prayer. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.” Matthew 18:19-20  Which I did, and so many of the people I asked to pray, could empathize because they had been where I am and that gave me peace more than I knew possible.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  2Corinthians 1:3-4

Though I have been on an emotional roller coaster ride at the end of 2018, this time was different.  Every day tears would wail up and flow down my cheeks not because I didn’t believe, but because my heart hurt so badly for the circumstance I was in.  Even in the tears I felt the peace that passes understanding always with me.  Waking up from a bad dream my first words were “no bad thing.”  My broken heart knew God was with me and right in the middle of the problem working all things together.  I put it all in God’s hands and tearfully let go not knowing the outcome.  God is still at work, and I prayerfully follow His lead, giving thanks for the gifts and blessings I do not even know what they are yet.

God has taught me so much through this most recent trial, all of which He’s tried to teach me before, finally I took that step in faith to learn it.  We don’t have to have God prove His love to us, if He never did anything more than Jesus, that is enough, but God lavishes His love on us every single day. 

I’ve learned how to pray for God’s will, not my will and things turn out so much better than I can imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) I’ve learned to walk in the dark room and let Him lead me out.  (2Corinthians 5:7) I’ve learned that even through the tears there is joy and the benefit to Rejoice in the Lord always. (Psalm 30:5b)  It’s ok, no matter how big or small the need, God wants to be the solution. (Phil. 4:6)  I’ve also learned that the joy of the Lord is my strength.  (Nehemiah 8:10)

God’s life for us is abundant and no matter the season, no matter the trial, no matter the goodness we experience, God’s love and faithfulness to us never ends, but abounds more and more.  With God all things are possible.  Give thanks and praise for what He has done and what He is going to do, then testify so that all may know the gift through Jesus.

In HIS Time
Teresa

Peace that Overrides Understanding

My Devotion

My Heart

Peace that Overrides Understanding

Teresa Jenkins

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice! …Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcend all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4, 6-7

There is a peace that goes beyond my understanding that pushed though all my anxiety yesterday.  As hard as the decision was to make, my help, whatever, I could possibly do is inadequate to God’s power, mercy, grace will do in the circumstance I am enduring. I cannot fix this circumstance, I cannot make it better.

The determining factor to peace is release.  As I prayed, in my broken heart and through my anxiety God’s peace gently flowed through me.  God did not give me an itemized itinerary to His plan of action, but I heard Him say, “I’ve got this, do not be anxious I have heard your cries and I will restore.”  Oh the overpowering love that takes hold of you when you surrender.

Anxiety will literally crush you and keep you defeated.  Anxiety defined, an unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.  Now if you can just think of all the hazards to your health that anxiety causes and at the same time does not solve the problem, or circumstance you are going through.  Have you noticed that Anxiety is a prevalent issue in health?  It takes over your whole being, life, and everything you do. I suffer anxiety silently, it’s always smoldering just under the surface and when something does arise that I know I cannot do anything about, it will escalate to points of physical pain and illness.  My mind obsesses over every detail that I know I cannot change or do anything about, but the Bible tells me something different, I can do something.

Philippians 4:4-9 is God’s assignment in every kind of trouble.  He first says Rejoice in the Lord always.  Be gentle.  Do not be anxious.  In everything by prayer and petition (write it down, share it with your prayer partners, getting others to pray according to His will with you) with thanksgiving give your requests to God, make your presentation to your Father who in heaven.  Then here is what God will do for you, His peace that is over all your understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  The mind of Christ will take over and with every anxious thought that tries to push you back will be held captive in the power and might of God.  Thoughts of whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, anything that is excellent or praiseworthy will fill your thoughts.  Think on them, put them into practice and the God of peace will be with you.

I have done that and when my heart feels anxious, He reminds me, “I’ve got this.”  All you have to do is Rejoice, the good news will arrive right on time.  We don’t have to know how God will do what He will do, or the details of His plan, that is not our concern.  Our part is only to trust, praise, worship, and rejoice in the victory that is at hand.  Even if the victory does not look like anything we wish for, God always works everything out for the good to we, who love Him and we have been called according to His purpose.  Giving God the glory for He is worthy.

Don’t be anxious, Peace that overrides understanding is within reach, it’s in His hand of mercy reaching out, it’s all good, take His hand, He will because He already has.  Remember God is already there.  Dwell in the shelter of the Most High and you will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

In All Circumstances, Really?

My Devotion

My Heart

In All Circumstances, Really?

Teresa Jenkins

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1Thessalonians 5:16-18

Life is full of it, trouble on every corner, every step of the way, bad is lurking its ugly head.  We are not in Eden any more, Satan stole our heaven on earth with a lie.  Since that time we have struggled with sin and with the result of sin.  Not one person is immune from it, we commit sin, we are affected by sin, and the guilt of sin is on our hands.

But there is freedom through the blood of Jesus Christ and it is our personal choice to claim that freedom.  It’s an individual choice.  No one can make it for you, no one can force that choice on you.  Be prepared whatever choice you make there will be a result.  I have made some really bad decisions in my life that still haunt me to this day.

I am a mother with a broken heart, as hard as I tried all those years raising 4 boys alone, they grow up and you pray that something you taught them about Jesus sticks.  It’s that choice thing.  One of my sons has made some very bad choices and he sits in jail far away from me and I cannot fix this problem for him, his own choices have put him where he is.  And God’s Word tells me to give thanks in this circumstance for this is God’s will.

It’s not God’s will that my son made the choices he’s made, but I know that giving thanks to God is the act of faith on my part that He is at work.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:17   He is before everything, He was already there before it ever happened.  All God ever did was love us, and when we rebelled—implement a plan—to rescue us.  He will leave the 99 to rescue one who has gotten lost.  As much as I love my son and it breaks my heart at what he has done and is going through, God loves Him even more, there is no mountain He won’t destroy, no depth He will not enter to save us.  At Jesus’ death he entered hell and took back the keys and shook them in Satan’s face, he could not hold Jesus in the grave and through His resurrection we have hope.

Give thanks in all circumstances is not a punishment, it is an act of submission and trusting God’s process.  The days, weeks, and maybe years will be difficult until that lost one surrenders, but oh the joy and the testimony he will have because through this circumstance he will have no doubt that God is real, that God loves him, and that God saved him from his own destructive devices.

In this world we will have trouble, but take heart, be courageous, and thank God for His faithfulness and enduring love.  He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us, take Him at His word.  He knew whatever you and I are going through before it ever happened, our part is surrender with thanksgiving for all circumstances.  What is there to be thankful for in the really bad circumstances? It is one more opportunity for God to receive glory for what only He can do.  Trust the process that He has already put into place, God is relentless in demonstrating His love for all. 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  Hebrews 11:1  He who created everything by speaking it into being has all our circumstances under control.  Be thankful.

My Devotion

My Heart

What’s worse?

Teresa Jenkins

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.  I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.  Acts 22:22-24

What is worse? Knowing what is going to happen, or not knowing?  In either good or bad situations some think if I could just know the outcome I can endure anything.  Paul didn’t know exactly what was going to happen to him, but he knew it wasn’t going to be good, because he was almost single handedly spreading the gospel of Christ, through his mission trips, through his writing and encouragement of the saints who have already accepted his message.  He was a threat to the very way of life he used to defend.  He was powerful as an enemy of God and after his conversion he was even more powerful as a messenger for Christ.  He was an educated man who knew the law and understood the meaning of grace and mercy.  Yet everywhere he went he faced danger.  What kept him going?  He knew God’s grace was more powerful than living by the law.  He knew the mystery, the secret.  My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in who are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Colossians 2:2-4

We all go through things that even in the middle of the situation we don’t know from one day to the next what is going to happen, conflict in relationships, conflict at work, sickness, financial struggles and the list goes on.  Letting go of what we cannot control will consume us in one way or another.  For me when struggles come that I don’t have a clear solution to or have to wait it out, I get ill, headaches, heartburn, upset stomach, aches and pains, either one or all depending on how much I dwell on what is absolutely out of my control.  If it directly affects me or someone I love and I am powerless to make changes the worries really eat at me.

Struggles, hardships, and failures happen for many reasons, lack of faith, disobedience, rebellion, or testing.  The number one reason most people think they are having troubles is because they have been told their faith is not big enough. More times than not that is not true, Jesus said all we need is a mustard seed size of faith and we can move mountains.  Disobedience, doing things our way and not God’s way is a very good way to experience trouble and conflict.  Testing, 1, 2, 3…Test this is only a test.  How many times do we face the same struggles over and over?  If you keep doing the same thing you’ve always done you keep getting what you always got.  Many struggles happen because we just don’t get that concept.  Make a bad choice get a bad consequence.  Struggles can also be the best way to test the faith you do have.  God will allow struggles to show us how much we will trust Him and depend on Him to help us through.  It’s all a process.  Sometimes we must keep going through the same process until one day the light comes on and we say “OHHH ok, this would work better if only I would do this instead of that.”  We are a stiff necked people, stubborn and strong willed.

Sometimes the struggles we face are training for the next level, the purpose for which we were created.  An athlete never becomes great without endurance training, practice, and trials in his/her sport.  We cannot run our race effectively unless we go through some endurance training, if the little things trip us up and make us fall, we’ll never get over the bigger hurdles around the corner and for those who come behind us may see the power of God at work in our lives my press on in their own race and purpose, for seeing others overcome encourages and gives strength to the weaker younger believers.

Knowing what is going to happen is not as important as knowing that God is in control and will provide all wisdom and strength needed for any task that is put before you and me.  Without God we can do nothing, but with God all things are possible not to just endure but to be more than conqueror through Him who loves and gave His only Son that we might live.  Knowing this one thing makes all the struggles worth the gain.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28 and Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6  God will never allow more than we can handle with His help.  So don’t worry about knowing it all, just know the One who knows the ending.  Trust His heart He loves you more than all His creation.  If He brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

It's YOUR Kindness

My Devotion

My Heart

It’s YOUR Kindness

Teresa Jenkins

Your, therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.  Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.  So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?  Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:1-4

It appears that the culture we are living in is becoming more and more judgmental.  The national focus is on if you don’t agree with someone you’re judged as a bigot, a racist, and even more radical is a homophobe. This is understandable behavior of those without Christ, but for those of us who claim Christ as our Lord and Savior it is ultimately forbidden.  Jesus said in reference to Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”  Luke 6:37 says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven.”

Paul states it clearly that we as mere human beings do not have the capacity of understanding to pass any kind of impartial judgment and that if we do we too will be judged and I believe even more severely.  Yet we judge every single day.  When we voice our opinion of someone, when we look “down our nose” at someone who is “different” than we are, and especially when we have been wronged, abused, or hurt by someone.  I believe judging is a huge part of our sinful nature and one that goes unchecked, unconfessed, and unchanged.  God tells us to discern what is good or evil and to do good, to love our enemies and to treat those who mistreat us with kindness and love.

I have been under conviction for the act of judgment of my own.  Jesus told His followers that the second greatest commandment is to love one another.  He did not place specifics such as love others that are just like you, believe like you, look like you, dress like you, think like you, etc. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39 

What if your neighbor is your enemy?  To attempt to answer this question, let’s define two nouns, ‘neighbor’ and ‘enemy’.   Is neighbor that person who lives next door?  Literally the answer is yes, but neighbor is figuratively anyone you and I come in contact with, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, family, people you go to church with, even those people we pass on any given day that we may never see again. An enemy is a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.  While enemies can become hostile pretty quickly for this thought process I want to focus on the ‘opposed’.  As Christians we face opposition all around us.  Jesus said that because of Him we will face opposition, we will face persecution.  So why are we so surprised when it happens?  What’s worse why are we so unprepared that we immediately go into combative judgmental mode instead of love and treating the opposition with kindness? 

Unfortunately for some it takes a sin or opposition to hit close to home before we understand what Jesus taught us that the only way to lead others to the truth is with love and kindness.  This will take patience, because love and kindness will be challenged by the behavior of the opposition.  To tell someone off is an immediate reactive solution, it may make us feel good at the time, but it does not lead that opposition to Jesus.  It’s an egotistical move that glorifies self not God.  Jesus, throughout His life and death had one goal in which He met and that was to bring glory to God, by making a way for anyone to be reconciled to God.

I confess that I am consistently guilty of this sin of judgment and combative nature to prove my agenda, but when I look closely at the Word, such as Romans 2, I was not called to judge and am reminded that I will be judged for all my sin, now that I am a Christian, it will be the sins of my words and deeds, what I have done or not done for the cause of Christ.  Because of Jesus I will not face the sin of death, but He will ask me what did I do for Him. Do I love with a pure heart?  Do I give with a pure heart?  Do I live a life in my attitude, actions, and thoughts that is pleasing to God the Father? 

Matthew 7 goes on to say this about judging… “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3  This means we can’t judge or even help someone else until we first look at what we do and stop what we do wrong.  Get the obstacle of whatever sin is in our own life out so that we can in love and empathy help others to do the same.  Jesus is the only sinless man who ever lived.  So why do we think just because we are “Christians” we have any right to judge others.  Sin is sin and Christ died for all sin so that we might live.

Others will only come to that knowledge by how they see you and I live.  Father, forgive me for my sin of arrogance and ignorance that has driven me to judgment.  Let us walk in love and forgiveness with each other and especially to those who may oppose us.  Help us remember that it is Your kindness manifested through us, the body of Christ, that leads to repentance.

In HIS Time

Teresa

My Devotion, My Heart by Teresa Preston | ISBN # 978-1-61566-460-3

http://mydevotionmyheart.blogspot.com

Blessings

January 18, 2016

My Devotion

My Heart

Blessings

Teresa Jenkins

Blessings crown the head of the righteous…Proverbs 10:6

I remember a song growing up in church that was sung often in the “song service” on Sunday morning.  “Count Your Blessings.”  I can still hear my mother’s voice singing that song.  Her voice was beautiful.  As a child when I heard that song, I didn’t understand the words, “when upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,” but I did understand blessings, except I didn’t get that it is “upon the billows of life” that we are given blessings of the greatest value.

Some people have the illusion that the Christian life is paradise, once you become a Christian no more pain, no more struggle, life is supposed to become easy street, Jesus did say that He came to give life more abundant.  Quickly that illusion turns to reality and the bills don’t get magically paid, relationships go through trials, sickness and death still come.  Bad things still happen to good people. 

The abundance Jesus promised us was not the wealth and prosperity of this world, but that through anything God’s blessings would prevail over whatever this world would try to do to us. 

This is why Paul wrote in his letter to the church of Colosse, (while he was in prison) “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:2-4  We are such now thinkers this instruction is so hard to follow.  We do not know how to think on things above, what God has for us no one can even begin to imagine.  But that is no excuse.  Paul also told us that we walk by faith not by sight.  “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” –the things God has prepared for those who love Him. These are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. 1Corinthians 2:9-10

You know that nagging feeling that sometimes comes to the surface of our thoughts that says, there has to be something more, that empty feeling that nothing you try fills that void.  That is what God is trying to reveal to you and me.  He has given us a hunger for all the things He has prepared for us.  Some of those things are for here in this life, but most are waiting for us when we reign with Him.  We cannot imagine with our human mind all that God has for us, but in the meantime He pours out His blessings on us in the midst of our troubles and trials of this life to help keep our minds on things above.  Life can get so bad down here, but we have this hope like an anchor that holds us firm in every storm we face.

Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Refrain

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

In HIS Time

Teresa

No Turning Back

December 30, 2015

My Devotion

My Heart

No Turning Back

Teresa Jenkins

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is seen is eternal.  2Corinthians 4:18

I do not know about you, but I am totally exhausted from dragging around the baggage of all my yesterdays.  It doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad thoughts and memories of yesterday, I spend way too much time giving all the shoulda, coulda, and woulda’s.  Every time a thought crosses my mind in no time at all I can start beating myself up on why I did what I did, or how I should have done the whole thing better or differently.

The only good thing that comes from our memory bank is using it to make better choices, but I don’t think that is what very many of us do.  I used to think I was all alone in my self-berating treatment.  But I’m not so sure anymore.  I think that is what the one who seeks to destroy me wants me to think.  He’s very good at using what I think about myself to point out people around me who “appear” to be doing so much better than I am.  Instead of seeing others and being happy about their blessings, I’m berating myself because I know that many of the results I’m living with are not the blessings they seem to be enjoying.

Sometimes I can hear in my head, “See if you had only made better choices 30 years ago you wouldn’t be living with so much shame.”  He takes the truth and twists it like a knife in my heart.  I don’t care how many times I want to turn back and do it all over again, I know that I can’t, but I keep reliving it in my mind over and over. 

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life will save it.”  Luke 9:23 &24

At first interpretation I knew that meant I must accept Christ as my Savior and put on the cross my idea of what my life is.  Gradually God is revealing to me, that the only thing in my past that matters is that I received Him.  All the other stuff needs to be nailed to the cross through His sacrifice.  He knows our humanness and that once is not always enough, “take up their cross daily,” no matter how many times we have to nail our sin, our regrets, our guilt, and our shame to the cross, it’s ok, but if we don’t and we continue to carry them around we are not denying self, instead we waste precious time and energy on the things we cannot change robbing us every opportunity to focus on the things we can influence change.

At this time of year we see a lot of focus on giving and reaching out to others and thanks to social media we see a lot of wonderful things being done in the “Christmas Spirit.”  While it all is well and good, and I envy those who do all those wonderful things, I struggle with what I do or should I say don’t do.  This morning as I got on to myself one more time about not knowing what I can do, He reminded me that prayer is so important and it’s the one thing that we all can do.  You or I may not have the means or access to physically do something, but we all have the means and access to pray.  Our prayers open up the window of opportunity for someone to reach out, for someone to help someone in need. 

We cannot turn back the hands of time and use what we know now to make a better life than we had, to do things the right way, that’s not in God’s plan.  We are given a microscopic amount of time on this earth against the massive expanse of eternity to make a difference.  No one ever did anything great that didn’t begin in prayer.  I’m sorry I haven’t spent more time in prayer.  I’m sorry that I’ve put other things before prayer.  I’m sorry there have been many days I left my cross hanging on the wall and didn’t take it with me through the day.  There is no turning back time, but I can fix my eyes on what I cannot see, and press on toward the prize by start doing what I know to do and let the window of opportunity to do more for the Glory of God.  May starting on our knees before the throne lift us up to do more and more taking up our cross daily following Him.

“…so is My word that goes out from my mouth:   It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:11

What if His people prayed with no turning back?

In HIS Time

Teresa