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

James 4:7 (ESV): “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

     The Bible says that in Christ we have been freed from the power of sin (Galatians 5:1), but the presence of sin is still around us.  Satan’s greatest weapon against the Believer is a lie.  If he can convince you and me that he is bigger and more powerful than God, he has had a successful day.  Satan does this by coming against us with temptations—thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and actions that turn us away from Christ.  Sometimes the lure seems so strong, and we feel so weak.  Even in these times, though, we can be victorious over our enemy.  How?  By utilizing the greatest weapon that we have against him...the power of submission to our God.  We confess our frailty; we recognize God’s authority; and we dutifully bow a knee to God expecting Him to act on our behalf.  With our full attention on God, we can resist the enemy.  In that moment the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit will flex His mighty muscle, and the enemy will flee.  Notice, though, the power isn’t in you and me trying hard to withstand satan; instead, it is in you and me intentionally yielding to God!  We do not have to be afraid when temptations come our way because, “He who is in [you and me] is greater than he who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4).

Submit your life to the authority of Jesus Christ today!
Theresa

Revelation 4:11 (NIV): “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

     God creating you for Himself proves your worth.  He carefully designed your looks; your likes and dislikes; your strengths and weaknesses; what makes you laugh and what makes you cry.  Every detail that makes you uniquely YOU came from the mind of God.  There is only one like you...incomparable, rare and perfectly imperfect.  God loves you deeply ... so, love yourself.  No matter when and where you were born, no matter what the circumstances were around your birth, you are not an accident, nor are you a surprise to God.  Your life is intentional.  You were created on purpose and for a purpose and were meant to exist with Him throughout all eternity.  Do not settle for man’s opinions.  You are precious in God’s eyes.  Live your life for God, and you will discover true joy in living.


SMILE . . . and know that you are God’s today!
Theresa

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
     Too often, we save our gratitude for special days ... Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day. On these occasions, we make a conscious effort to express our appreciation or acknowledge our blessings in life. Thankfulness, however, should not be a novelty we put on once a year like our reindeer sweaters. Instead, we need to daily cultivate a heart of thanksgiving and a lifestyle that reflects thankfulness. Zig Ziglar said, “Of all the attitudes we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life changing.”
This is something that most parents try to instill in children at a young age. We remind our kids of the two magic words...please and thank you. For some reason, though, the “please” tends to stick more than the “thank you.” Why? The answer is simple. ”Please” gets me what I want; it is for me and about me (I get something for it). “Thank you,” on the other hand, is for someone else (the giver of the gift). It is so easy to always keep the focus on me.
     Jesus set the perfect example of a thankful heart throughout His life on Earth. We read in the Gospels how He gave thanks before breaking bread with the disciples (Luke 22:19); He gave thanks before feeding the 5000 (Matthew 14:13-21); He gave thanks before raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-57). In all things, the Son of God kept His focus on the Father. The result? He maintained an attitude of gratitude, and so should we!


You are blessed today!
Theresa

1 Peter 1:7 (ESV): “...so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

     Fire. What a powerful force. It can warm, purify, and purge. It can also burn, melt, and destroy. For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was meant to be an executioner (Daniel 3). The three young men refused to compromise their belief in Jehovah God even under the most intense peer pressure. The result? A death sentence. Because the men would not bow to his man-made idol, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered that they be thrown into a fiery furnace...literally! What the king meant for harm, though, God meant for good. The biblical account goes on to explain how Christ was on the scene and walked with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through their fiery trial. In the end, the men were taken out of the fire unharmed, glorifying God.
      Much like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we go through hard times. There are days when it seems like everything and everyone is against us, and we just want to get out of the heat! When the fire you are in feels as though it will be your end, remember God can use it to purify you, to purge you, and to mold you (Romans 8:28-29). In the middle of your trial, God is there. Trust what He is doing in the fire, and may the test that you are facing today result in the praise and glory and honor of Jesus Christ.

Trust God in the heat of your day!
Theresa

Matthew 28:20 (NIV): “. . . And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
     The word “surely” is an adverb. It is used to emphasize the speaker’s firm belief that something is true, without doubt, and certain. When Jesus spoke these words of comfort to His disciples before His
ascension to Heaven, He wanted them to know that they would never be alone. Although they would not see Him physically, the Spirit of God would be in them. This same Spirit that empowered the disciples to “go and tell” is the exact same Spirit that indwells Believers today. We have nothing to fear in this life, because He is always with us... guaranteed!
     As confidently as Christ promised to be with His children to the end of the age, He has also promised to come again. Therefore, do not grow weary in well doing, Beloved, for in due time we will reap a harvest of abundance (Galatians 6:9). The Apostle John shared the revelation given to him about the beauty of heaven to encourage us to look homeward. John recorded Christ’s final assurance to His children in Revelation 2:20, “. . . Surely I am coming quickly.” What a blessed guarantee! With faithful hearts, let us join the cry of John and say,
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 2:20). 

Walk surely in Christ today!
Theresa

Isaiah 61:10-11 (NCV): “The Lord makes me very happy. All that I am rejoices in my God. He has covered me with the clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bride- groom, dressed for his wedding, like a bride dressed in jewels.”

     As children of God, we have the right to enter the presence of our Heavenly Father. We do not have to go through another person or request permission from an Arch Angel. We can go boldly to the throne
of God (Hebrews 4:16). How can imperfection and sin approach a Holy God? Well, just like mom made you drop the muddy clothes at the door before coming into the house, God instructs us to change our clothes! He clothes us in Christ. You see, apart from Christ, God is inaccessible to us. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the father is through me” (John. 14:6).
     In Christ, however, we are covered with His goodness, His sinlessness, and His holiness. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we get new clothes! Galatians 3:27 says, “For through faith you are all sons of God in union with Christ Jesus. Baptized into union with him, you have all put on Christ as a garment.” When we are robed in Christ, we can come into the presence of God without question or fear. We are accepted and welcomed by our Father.

Rejoice ...Your garments are spotless in Christ today!
Theresa

Romans 13:1 (ESV): “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
     Years ago there was a song with the lyrics, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me!” People may like the idea of respect, but from God’s perspective, it is not just a nice idea—it is a command. He tells us
in His Word that we are to submit ourselves under the leadership of those in authority. Why does God care whether I listen to people in positions of authority, such as my parents, my boss, my minister, or a police officer? Because if you and I refuse to be subject to visible authorities, we will never submit to an invisible God. We also need to keep in mind that God is the one who raises up kings and who also removes them from their thrones (Psalm 75:7), which means that positions of authority and the people who fill them have been instituted by Him. We may not always like our authority figures or even fully trust them at times, but we can trust God. Our allegiance is ultimately to Him. Therefore, our thoughts, words, and behaviors should reflect a right attitude. We honor God by showing respect to those who govern. Let us cultivate a habit of praying for those in leadership over us. There is a great responsibility placed on their shoulders, for which they are ultimately accountable to God.

Honor God by treating the authority in your life with respect today!
Theresa