Psalm 37:7 (NIV): “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
     Be still. This is a difficult task for most of us to accomplish. We have tasks on our “to do” lists that must get checked off. And, if we are completely honest, we only feel valuable or important if we are moving and doing. There are times, though, IMPORTANT times, when we must stop our busyness and wait for God. If we are to grow spiritually, we have to be connected with our Lord. We need to pause completely, clear the mind, open the heart, and bare the soul, so we can hear our Father’s voice. We need to quiet the background noises of our lives, so we can tune into God’s words and listen to His guidance. From the moment we wake up until we lay down exhausted at the end of the day, we typically do not stop working, multi-tasking, playing, leading, following, manag- ing, parenting, exercising and so many more activities such that we are never truly still. We need to remember that busyness does not always mean we are being productive. We can fill our lives with a lot of good things and still miss the best thing. In the same way Jesus quieted the stormy seas, we should take time each day to quiet the commotion that steals our attention. This will allow us to deeply embrace the Almighty, allow His peace to permeate our soul, be completely showered in His abundant love, and experience the divine joy that comes from Him. So, let us be still in focused prayer, be thankful for the blessings we receive every day, and seek the Lord’s guidance and protection in all we do.


Have a peace-filled day!
Theresa

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV): “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

     We have all heard the saying that yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not come, so enjoy the present. Too many people, though, get stuck in the past. We live under the weight of shame and guilt from choices we made yesterday. Maybe we are still walking in the consequences of yesterday’s decisions, but our God has a way of making all things new. When we come to Him with the broken pieces of our life, the Master takes the tattered and old and divinely creates something breathtaking and new. Today is a new day. We have never lived it before. It is a clean slate, a fresh start to try something different than what we did yesterday. It is God’s gift to us. His compassion towards us never fails. His love for us is relentless. His faithfulness is great. Because of God, yesterday will not consume us. To prove it, He lovingly presents to us today.

Praise God for His faithfulness to you today!
Theresa

Mark 9:23-24 (ESV): “And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’”

     Many of us are quick to profess our unwavering belief in God. But, do we? Do we truly believe? Listen closely to your speech. Doubt is a cunning foe. It can hide in the very words that we speak. Consider each of the following familiar statements: “I know God can do all things, but I don’t know how I am going to pay this bill.” or “God is loving, but I am so worried about this situation.” Did you identify the doubt hiding in these seeming proclamations of faith? We need to start dispelling doubt. Do not give it a foothold in our hearts or in our words. Jesus said that ALL things are possible for the one who believes (Mark 9:23). 
     Proverbs teaches that there is great power in the words we say. With our tongue we can speak life or death (Proverbs 18:21). So, let us become intentional about our words and start speaking life into our faith and over our circumstances: “I don’t know how I am going to pay this bill, BUT I KNOW that God can do all things!” “I am wor- ried about this situation, BUT I KNOW that God is loving, and His peace will comfort me.” Remember, genuine faith is not based on the hope that somehow our circumstances may change BUT solely in the Almighty God that we serve!


Have a doubt-free day today!
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

2 Corinthians 4:7-11 (NIV): “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; per- plexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.”
     “Jars of clay” is a perfect analogy. At the time Paul wrote this passage, clay pottery, dishes, and cookware were common. Jars of clay were also very brittle. Our minds and bodies are a lot like jars of clay. We are frail. We break. We crack and fall to pieces. Clay pots do not hold up very well under the pressures of extramarital affairs, depression, sick- ness, addiction, or bankruptcy. When the children of God manage to keep our lives intact when they should be scattered across the floor in millions of tiny pieces, we, and others around us, realize that something supernatural is holding us together. What is it? It is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Christ is a life-giving Spirit, and He uses these bodies of flesh to glorify Himself (1 Corinthians 15:45).
     Fear not, Beloved! We may be hard pressed on every side, persecuted, or struck down, but we will never be defeated! In Christ, we are victorious over sin, sickness, and even death (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Be confident in Christ’s strength today!
Theresa