Psalm 124:1 (ESV): "If it had not been for the Lord who was on our side….”
     Some days it just feels like it’s you against the world. Nothing goes your way. The alarm clock does not go off on time. The coffee maker is on the fritz. The dog chewed a whole in your shoe. Your boss is standing over you with a critical eye. The guy in the next cubicle is secretly hoping today is the day you get the boot and he gets your chair. No support. No energy. No one to care. Oh, but wait…there is One who is still rooting for you – Jesus! Christ is always for us. He never does anything to walk over us, push us down, or make us feel less. Christ wants to carry us, lift us up, and remind us that we can do all things through His power working in us (Philippians 4:13). Remember, no matter how difficult or chaotic life becomes, the Lord is always for you.

Jesus is for you today!
Theresa

Mark 4:39 (ESV) “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

Loud days, crazy days, “Calgon, take me away!” days… we all have them. Jesus had them. Just as the Apostle Mark recorded how Jesus quieted the stormy seas and howling winds with a sharp rebuke, we, too, should speak peace over our environments. Often times, the peace in my environment begins with me and my reactions to my circumstances. When we choose not to explode, not to scream, not to be shifted into “fire drill” mode, we can experience a calm in the middle of chaos. It is in this calm that the Holy Spirit renews our minds and provides clear direction. It is in this calm that we reflect the peace of our loving Savior who assures us that we are never alone (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Be the great calm in your environment today!
Theresa

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV): “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Problems, issues, conflicts, frustrations, troubles...we all have them; and unfortunately, sometimes we allow this negativity to suck the energy from us. It is so easy to get caught-up in a state of self-pity, of losing heart, allowing temporary challenges to overwhelm us by fixing our eyes on what is seen; our own storm in a tea cup. These issues can easily get magnified by our own natural behavioral tendencies; whether it is a lack of patience, low impulse control, low empathy, high independence and need to control or just having an aggressive personality. All these behaviors, if not managed properly under stress, can get in the way of fixing our eyes on what is important; and that is to cast our anxieties on Him and to walk in His light. The Apostle Peter offers some good words of advice when dealing with troubles. He says to keep a humble attitude; to cast our cares on Christ; to remain self-controlled because the enemy is waiting to pounce when we “lose it”; and to stand firm in our faith (1 Peter 5:6-9). When we follow this battle plan, “the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10). 

Let the Truth of God’s Word renew your spirit today!
Theresa

Psalm 62:1-2 (ESV): “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

     There are times in life when troubles and trials prevail. Our normal instinct may be to worry or fear. The Psalmist, though, offers a better way to manage times like these…wait on God. He is our salvation, our rock, a fortress that cannot be penetrated by the evils of this world. In Him, we are deeply rooted. We will not be shaken when the storms of life blow our way. We are secure in our Father’s love.

God is your sure foundation today!
Theresa

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV): You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
       PEACE, PEACE! We all want it. Most seldom experience it. Why? Because we lack self-discipline over our thought-life. The mind is the spiritual battlefield. Every argument, every lie, every feeling of anxiety, or rush of fear begins with a thought.
       God gives us the recipe, however, in Philippians 4:8-9, to control our thought-life and experience true peace: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--PRACTICE these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Practice a peace-filled day today!

Have a peaceful day!
Theresa

Psalm 23:4 (ESV): “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

There is nowhere that you or I can go and be away from the Presence of God. Think about that for a moment. God is with us when we are in the green pastures and beside the still waters. He is with us when we are on the mountain tops and when we are in the valleys. And, God is with us during the darkest hours of our lives. Circumstances may seem bleak and fearful. The enemy may whisper haunting words to chill our spirits, but God is always with us. He is like a Guardian that goes before us and brings up the rear behind us. He encamps around His children (Psalm 34:7). We are protected by the covering of the Almighty. God tells us not be fearful and not to be dismayed, because He is our strength and our help, and He upholds us in His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).  

Rest easy…Christ is walking before you today!
Theresa