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"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Month: January 2021

Cabin Pressure

January 30, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“…There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land” Hosea 4:1.

When cabin pressure within a plane’s cabin drops, passengers will need air masks to receive sufficient oxygen. These air masks prevent hypoxia—a condition caused when the body lacks enough oxygen to maintain normal physiological function. When a plane loses cabin pressure, the temperature inside the plane drops, and passengers feel great discomfort in their ears and eyes, but the main health risk is low oxygen. —AeroSavvy.com

Our twenty-one-day fast ended just six short days ago now. It was an amazing, refreshing, illuminating, and personally edifying time for me and many in the Body. Thank you, Abba, for doing what only you can through the power of your Holy Spirit when your children seek you with a sincere and repentant heart.

Shortly after our corporate fast began, I saw in the spirit oxygen masks hanging down in an airplane cabin while doing my morning devotion. I then heard the Words in my spirit, “change in cabin pressure.” And the Holy Spirit began to minister to me. I do not feel released to share all that was given to me now, but I am confident in sharing the following. Before I do, I feel lead to preface what I am about to share by plainly stating that I am not a prophet. I do not profess to walk in the anointing of that sacred office. That said, as with many of my fellow believers in Christ, I have prayed that I should both love as I ought and seek the gift of prophecy, just as the Apostle Paul instructs us to in 1Corinthians 14:1. “Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.” Yet, even while praying in this vein, I understand that the pure prophetic voice is a gift from God. One He alone freely bestows on those He chooses that they might walk in it to warn, encourage, or to declare His judgment or intentions, to share some revelation with an individual or group that only God, in His Sovereignty, could know. Prophecy is not something one can gain by study or force, by human ingenuity, lest it is false prophecy. God forbid! I encourage every believer, new or seasoned, never to follow, to swallow whole the words of any man, but in all things, all things, use wisdom. Take what is said, read, spoken over you, and lay it aside your final authority, God’s Word. If what you’ve heard or read, what has been told to you, spoken over you, does not align with His Word, I encourage you to spit it out quickly, lest, left unchecked, it poisons you. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” –1 John 4:1.

Many false prophetic voices, coupled with a lack of discernment within the Body, have caused God’s people to go astray in recent months. We will each give an account to God for what we have asserted comes from His mouth.

My position on the Prophetic clearly stated then, let’s continue.

You may be thinking, okay, got it. I agree with all that. But what does a Word from God and an airplane’s cabin pressure have to do with each other? My hope is by the time I share what I have been given, I’ll have answered that as clearly as I am able. As most know, each seat on an airplane has an overhead panel. On that panel, you find your air vent, call button, light switch, etc. What is not so obvious is the oxygen mask tucked discreetly away within it. I’m sure those who’ve flown have watched or half-watched as a flight attendant walked the passengers through the safety procedures? Step by step, they explained what to do in the event of an emergency or sudden change in cabin pressure. How, when the mask dropped down, place it over your face, securing it tightly by pulling on the attached elasticized band, putting your oxygen mask on first before helping a child or anyone else in need. And though you may not see air moving within its airbag, oxygen is indeed flowing.

And herein lies the connection between a change in cabin pressure and the Word God gave me:

The Holy Spirit made it clear that the days in which we live, these “perilous times,” are about to ramp up quickly, becoming increasingly darker ever so quickly now. This quickening, the shift has already occurred. With it, the volume of the clanging, clamoring voices of the world—those of the false prophets too. Their voices will increase both in number and intensity. And those believers who are not firmly rooted in the Word of God, now more than ever was the sense I had, will be easily deceived. Led astray, they will wander from the Truth because they are not rooted in it. I heard the Holy Spirit say that the cabin pressure has already changed—hence the masks hanging in mid-air.

As it is now and ever shall be, until the Lord’s return, expressly in these last hours of human history, we need to know God’s Word for ourselves more than ever before! It’s dark out there, friends, and it’s getting increasingly darker. We need God’s Word, our Word—for our very existence; as surely and desperately as we would need oxygen to breathe if the pressure in the cabin of a plane changed suddenly, lest we perish. Without God’s Living Word, we are starved of wisdom, direction, and knowledge. Adrift, direction-less. Air-less.“But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge” –Job 36:12. Without it, believers, all humanity in truth, are starved of knowing how God has chosen for His children to conduct and walk out their lives. His Word, the very guardrails that keep us safe and our feet on that narrow, straight path; the staunchest of believers susceptible to stray from, falling prey to the wiles of the enemy without the guidance and affirmations God’s Word affords us all. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” –Psalm 119:33;105. Knowing this then, we must first take a firm hold of His Word for ourselves—applying it daily, liberally, to every facet of our lives, our thoughts. Hungrily breathing it in if you will, guaranteeing it is the standard by which our desires and ministries are measured. Doing this as instinctively, deliberately, and with the same innate urgency to live, we’d display in thirstily reaching-out for said oxygen-mask if it suddenly dropped before us mid-flight!

Assuredly friends, God’s Word is that essential for Godly living. Not only for our day-to-day well-being, equally our eternal destination. Because believe it or not, we each have one. Reading and studying God’s Word is an intentional act. We each must decide, choose to cling to it.

These are perilous times, my brothers and sisters, new friends. And perilous isn’t an everyday word. It’s not one we come across much in our daily lives except perhaps when we encounter it in our Bibles. Webster’s 1828 edition, my go-to dictionary, defines perilous this way: dangerous, hazardous, full of risk, and more. And God’s Word says this concerning perilous times: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” –2 Timothy 3:1-5. One need only look back to the recent scourge that stained our country, the violent storming of our nation’s Capital, and the staggering global death toll resulting from COVID-19. Adding to these, those that seek not to stifle, rather rid our country of anything or anyone that stands for or proclaims our God! And this list could go on and on. I say this not to instigate nor inflame, instead to cast Light on the Truth.

Friends, I trust the Holy Spirit has led me to share this Word with you that it might lead you, lead us, to repent of any spiritual laziness or complacency we’ve allowed to creep into our relationship with our Lord. To come before Him once again in sincere repentance, seeking His forgiveness and His face. Asking Him to remove any debris we’ve allowed to build-up within us, consciously or unconsciously. Those things that block the flow of His spirit within us, that He might more effectively minister to us personally, and outwardly, that His Spirit might flow more freely from us, reaching those He’s predestined us to reach. Things like too much T.V time and not enough Bible time. Making the time necessary to do the things we choose to do, want to do, all the while willingly sacrificing our time with God to do them. God recently pointed to just such areas in my life and said, “will you offer these to me?” “Will you put these on the altar?” By His grace and in His strength, out of a deep sense of conviction and love, I said, “yes, Lord!” So, I am not condemning you, friend; rather, I share God’s correction with you in my own life to spur you on, encouraging you to reach and stretch and grab with both hands all that God has for you—wants to get to others through you!

And I encourage you to do the same. Time is short, and the harvest is great!

We serve a faithful God, friends. One who chastens His children only to make us pure as gold—to refine and strengthen us for what is yet ahead of us. But take heart, for with His chastening comes His promise: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” –Revelation 3:10.

And new friend, if you have not yet sincerely asked Jesus into your heart, inviting Him to come and take up residence within you, to lead and guide, to restore and make your life new, washing you clean of a past you may be less than proud of perhaps, then come to Him, now. It may be the very reason He’s led you here! And if I’m speaking to you, my prodigal brother or sister, return to your Father now. He’s waiting, open-armed, to receive you back to Himself.

Calm my Anxious Heart …

January 23, 2021 /
Stephanie Montilla

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:33-34 ESV

 At the turn of each New Year, I dedicate 21 days in January to prayer and fasting. I was excited and eager to purchase a new notebook to detail my New Year’s desires with joyful expectancy. All in the hopes that the Lord would bless those desires, making them fruitful, and that He would deliver me from those things I have struggled to release to Him completely.

One of the many things I wrote down in said notebook was my desire to become a first-time homebuyer. The thought of owning a home of my own has been a long-time desire. For the past two years, however, the Lord has continued to show me my desire to purchase a home, and His timing for me to have it haven’t come into alignment just yet. So, since receiving this confirmation, I’ve dedicated these last two years instead to become more disciplined in my finances. And, praise God, my commitment paid off, literally! I have successfully paid off many of my debts while simultaneously accruing money in my savings account. In retrospect, I firmly believe that while these past two years have been valuable in teaching me financial discipline, they were also invaluable in teaching me how to be patient and trust God’s perfect timing for my life. Fast forwarding. It’s now 2021, and as I am standing on this new ground of financial freedom, I am more prepared, more confident, positioned to now become a first-time homebuyer. So, in the first week of January, I decided to seek a loan officer and a real estate agent to begin my purchasing journey. Within a few hours, I was approved for a generous home loan and had booked multiple home tours.

On the morning of my first home viewing, I asked the Holy Spirit to guide me and confirm if any of the houses I’d visit that day were for me. As excited as I was, I was equally as nervous. When I stepped foot into the first home, the Holy Spirit confirmed that this house was someone else’s; it wasn’t for me. I finished the home tour out of consideration for the realtor’s time and having scheduled this appointment for me. My optimism assured me that if I continued browsing, I would see and feel something different at the next house and not what the Holy Spirit had just confirmed for me inside of this one. I applied this same approach to every home I visited that day. Yet to my disappointment, after seeing so many potential homes, my heart never quite felt settled on any of them.

Soon I was noticing that I was losing sleep. I started obsessing over searching for new homes every hour and soon began experiencing spiritual exhaustion. Full of grievances, I came before God: “Lord, I am tired of waiting, tired of fasting. I am plain tired of waiting on your promises and for my breakthrough! I am so tired of hearing other folks’ prophetic words, words that have yet come to pass. You’ve prepared me and then made me wait for two whole years! Now what?” Honestly, this was one of the sincerest expressions of emotion and frustration I’ve ever brought before God. And then, clear as day, I heard the Lord say, “You have forsaken time with me chasing after this dream, and that is why you are lost.” The Lord always speaks to me with just a few simple words, yet they are always profound, nevertheless.

I’ve shared all of this with you to lead you into the heart of my message: I began thinking how tragic it is that out of our heart’s unchecked determined carnal eagerness to have what it wants when it wants it, we sometimes actively ignore or silence the Holy Spirit’s confirmations. Bypassing them entirely at times, all to get what we want instead of what He says is best for us.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Paul tells the church, “Do not quench the Spirit.” In other words, imagine the Holy Spirit as a fire, a flame; we ought not to dampen this flame; instead, we ought to fan it as the gift from God that it is! We ought not to push the Holy Spirit down or away but instead fan His flame that it may grow brighter. When we quench the Spirit, we are essentially overriding God’s principles with our own fleshly, worldly desires. In essence, we are actively ignoring what is right, to chase after what is so wrong instead, and, then, later down the road, end up wondering why we are struggling to hear or experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (Typically, it’s because we’ve ignored His guidance for so long.)

God’s response to my complaint made me realize that in being consumed with the bustle of life, the search for what I wanted, I was distancing myself from Him.

In Ephesians 4:30-32, Paul tells the church, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption….” I was doing precisely that. I was quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit by forsaking my intimacy with God all that I might pursue my desires instead, chasing after my dreams. Truth is, it is typically our fault when we feel distant from the Holy Spirit, not His. We’ve moved away from Him, distancing ourselves. He is ever-present and ever-faithful to direct us; that’s part of His purpose in our lives, in us. So, if He is ever near and ever ready to guide us into God’s best for us, the natural conclusion must be, if we’re not hearing Him, that we’ve shut Him out—choosing our way instead.

So once again, I came before the Lord, only this time in deep repentance, saying, “Forgive me, Lord, for actively disregarding your guidance because I wanted things to go my way. Calm my anxious heart.” It is a contradiction to say you have faith while simultaneously having an anxious heart. These two things cannot occupy the same space within us. An anxious heart is not fixed on eternity, while one that is trusting God’s ways is. An anxious heart dwells or focuses on tomorrow; a trusting heart remembers that tomorrow is God’s, not ours. An anxious heart grabs for their tomorrows with today’s hands, while a heart that trusts the Lord entrusts their tomorrows to God hand’s. An anxious heart lives full of worry for an unpredictable, not promised tomorrow.

In contrast, a trusting heart knows how to live freely today. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” –Philippians 4: 6-7. During my season of allowing this anxious heart to rise-up in me, I meditated on the following verses for consolation and to help settle my anxiousness: Each of these unique verses makes one common point: that our delighting in, abiding in, and seeking the Lord to direct us, align us to His will; will bring about our delight; creating the atmosphere through which He may, in His timing, grant us the desires of our hearts.

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.”

Psalm 37:4: “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 94:19: “When anxiety overwhelms me, Your consolation delights my soul.”

Friends, an anxious heart may desire to trust in the Lord while simultaneously believing God is operating too slowly, deciding then to step in and “help God out,” as if God needs our help! An anxious heart usually stems from us stepping in to force our will to be done; assuming control then, we fix our eyes on our circumstances and desires and not on the One who is Sovereign and in control of them. The Scriptures refer to this as being double-minded and warns us against living in this way, listen: “But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” –James 1:6-8.

The effectiveness of the Holy Spirit in us is hindered when we refuse to submit to Him—He has given us this choice after all. Yet when we refuse to yield, we restrict not only the Spirit’s ministry in our lives but also our potential usefulness to God in the life of another. More than anything else, we ought to desire that the Holy Spirit have free reign within us so that we may live under His complete control. How can we understand the will of the Lord if we’re always trying to supersede it rather than yield to it, choosing to carry out the flesh’s desire instead of walking by the Spirit? “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” –Galatians 5:16-17; 19-21.

The prescription to an anxious heart is our yielding and walking in His Spirit so that our heart’s desires will increasingly align with His will, seeking not only the blessings that flow from His hand but so much more, a closer relationship with Him. It is His heart alone, after all, that truly satisfies us.

God has confirmed for me that while I am walking in financial freedom, owning my own home will require more waiting. But this time, rather than complaining, I responded with a gentle heart, “Yes Lord, not my will but yours be done!” I wholly trust that the One who formed my heart, that knows my end from my beginning, knows what I need and when I need it, far better than I. It is no surprise to God when we worry. That is why His word speaks about worrying. “Fear not” is stated nearly 365 times throughout Scripture. It’s also not a surprise to God when we pre-plan our future and become disappointed when we don’t receive what we planned on receiving. Proverbs 16:9 says it this way: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

 We become less disappointed as we become more trusting in the Lord. It can be challenging, indeed, but it’s certainly possible! “For nothing will be impossible with God” –Luke 1:37.

Friends know that our joy and contentment ought to abide in fulfilling the will of the Father and increasingly trusting more fully in God’s heart for us. Be assured, our joy and contentment will never be fully realized, chasing after the things of this world. Great is the Lord’s faithfulness. He is not slow in keeping His promises. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” –2 Peter 3:8-9.

I encourage you to allow the following verses to guide you. Memorize them so that you might apply to them whenever you feel your heart becoming anxious: Psalm 16:5: “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1: “For everything there is an appointed time, an appropriate time for every activity on earth.”

Lamentations: 3:25-26: “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

Friends continue seeking and focusing on the Almighty always and in all circumstances – even in those dry, waiting seasons; remembering to encourage yourself in the fact that God is aware of your needs and desires and that tomorrow belongs to Him. In His perfect timing, you will understand, often in hindsight, just why patience was in order that you might have your heart’s desires. I pray that you cling to God and the verses I have shared if you too are experiencing an anxious heart. I also pray that you will follow my example of chasing after Christ’s will in your desire to draw closer to God. And that you might more fully understand His will for your life. I pray that you ask Him with absolute sincerity to lead and guide you and help you know His perfect will and timing for your unique situation—trusting that He will respond. And, if you’ve not yet come to know this Jesus who calms our fears and holds our future in the palm of His hand, I encourage you to ask Him into your heart as Lord and Savior this day. I can promise you; you’ll never regret that you did! “Do not be anxious about anything, 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 in Christ Jesus” –Philippians 4:6-7.

New Again…

January 16, 2021 /
Kendra Santilli

I love the beginning of the New Year. It’s right on the heels of Christmas; people are still filled with joy and cheer. The New Year brings hope for dreams deferred and vision for the endless possibilities that lie ahead. If you’re like me, you typically start the New Year with unwavering confidence to achieve your goals; that confidence slowly waning, however, as the business of life catches up to you and procrastination sets in and begins to whisper,  “do it tomorrow.” This year is different, however! I have purposed to read the Bible cover to cover in one year. I am doing it with all the gusto in the world, and so far, so good!

As in the past, I was encouraged right from the get-go as I read through the creation story. As Genesis has it, God created the whole earth in 7 days. On day 1, God introduced light to the earth and separated the light from the darkness. On Day 2, He separated the ocean and the clouds and called it the sky. Then, on Day 3, God separated the waters, creating dry land and sea. He also created all plant life on this same day! Then, on day 4, God made the galaxies. He put the stars and the moon above to reflect their light. And on Day 5, God created birds and sea creatures. Day Six sees God creating all the animals that would populate the land and mankind, the crown jewel of God’s creation. And, then, finally, on day 7, God rested and called that day Holy.

One may ask, why am I so encouraged by this oh so familiar story? My answer, in rereading Genesis 1, I was filled with fresh hope and expectation for what lies ahead of me! In the beginning, we see that God had to create the perfect environment for us before placing us in it. Without God having created the proper environment, we would not have survived. We would have lacked the necessary plants, fruit, oxygen from the trees, water to drink, and a place to lay our heads. God knew what we needed to survive and thrive here. For the first time rereading through Genesis, I realized that this account of creation gives us so much insight into the heart of God’s desire to restore us to Himself. Is it any wonder then that God chose to place it right at the beginning of His Word!

Not long after creation, we witness man’s fall; that instant, we became separated from God because of sin. We were created to walk with God here on earth and live as His sons and daughters always, but sin separated us from remaining in God’s presence. Remember, God is perfect and sinless. He can not coexist with sin and the darkness that comes with it. That same darkness that gained entrance to our hearts through our sin. “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” –1 John 1:5. So, because of man’s sin, God was no longer able to walk with man in the garden. Yet, right away, soon after man sinned, God sought to restore our relationship with Him. Starting with Genesis 3:15 and running throughout the rest of the Bible, we read the chronicles of the beautiful story of God setting out to restore His relationship with mankind through His Son, Jesus. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself” –Luke 24:27. And, as we read the New Testament, we see that Jesus indeed came to restore our sonship to the Father by covering us with His perfect Righteousness—reconciling us once again to the Father.

The Bible assures us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

For the believer, creation didn’t end when time began. Instead, re-creation happens within us every day. Coming to know God is so much more than just a declaration we make with our mouths; it is a covenant, an agreement we make with God by which, because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God adopts us back into His family. We quite literally become a new creation! To understand what this means, we have to appreciate the beauty of the creation story. I see the events of creation mirrored in our souls. Just as the Holy Spirit hovered over the dark void, He also hovers over the waters of our hearts, searching for what is needed, or needing to be removed, that we might more fully become this new creation. Firstly, He starts by introducing the light of salvation, His light, into the darkest places of our being. He then separates our darkness, our sin, from the light that He birthed in us, illuminating our potential, our purpose. He then begins to create a receptive environment conducive to growth within us. This “receptiveness” within us happens, is made as we read our Word and spend time with Him in prayer. God creates an environment within us that is worthy of His dwelling within. And as we journey through our walk with Him, we begin to eat of the fruit of His Spirit. We love others like we never knew we could, outside of Him. We begin to see an increase of joy and peace in our lives as He makes our hearts His home. We grow in patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” –Galatians 5:22.

And all of this starts with our salvation! That’s amazing to me. More, that we continue to grow in Him, in the knowledge of Him, in relationship with Him, throughout our lives. You see, with God, we’re ALWAYS becoming something new! And, if we open our ears to Him, He is eternally faithful to show us those things in us that must be renewed or removed: roots of jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger. We are never perfect, but with God, we can rest assured that He has begun a good work in us that only He can bring to completion. “…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.

If you don’t know God in this personal way, I want to encourage you that God still sees you and knows you by name. “She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” –Genesis 16:13. Equally, He knows you in ways you don’t even know yourself!

As I read through Genesis, I see how Abram was of a pagan upbringing, but God called him out from the life he had always know and gave him a new beginning, a new name. He went from Abram to Abraham, which means in Hebrew, “father of a multitude.” Abraham became mighty a man of God. And we see Jacob, who was deceptive, his very name meaning “trickster” Yet after an encounter with the Living God, he received a new name, forever know now as Israel instead. Moses also grew up in Egypt’s pagan culture, never having known God personally, until that is, God introduced Himself to Moses at the burning bush. Moses would forever know Him as the Great “I Am.” He, too, was changed by God. A former prince of Egypt turned Midian shepherd and then to a man God used to free the Israelites from their Egyptian captors. These are but a few examples of God calling what many may call “unlikely people,” those we’d never expect God would use, those who didn’t know Him, yet God made Himself available to them nonetheless, just like He can with you and me.

And, child of God, know this, God’s not finished with you yet! He continues to make you new as you continue to walk ever-closely with Him. Wherever you are in life, I invite you to ask God to make you new, again. He is faithful to forgive you and make you whole.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God… I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” –2 Corinthians 5:21; 6:2b.

Who of You by Worrying?

January 9, 2021 /
Stephanie Montilla

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” –Luke 12:25

Amid the world’s chaos, with its many “clanging cymbals,” sadly, so many souls live in a state of heightened fear. Anxiety, depression, frustration, and unrest have left them adrift with no sure place of refuge. For many, the holidays’ joyful spirit has been lost, and many loved ones have died, wedding plans have been postponed, physical touch is all but absent for some, and division within men’s hearts has intensified. While these realities experienced in the natural realm have caused disappointment and great anxiety to grow in so many hearts, we have instruction from our heavenly Father to not worry as Christians. In fact, throughout Scripture, this directive to “fear not” has been expressed multiple times. God knows our frame. He knew how we would react to bad or unexpected situations if we allowed ourselves to focus on our flesh—hence perhaps, His many reminders to “fear not.”

Jesus Christ gives us instruction because He is fully aware of the human heart and its temptations. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” –Hebrews 4:15.

Worry can happen quickly if our minds and spirits aren’t unwaveringly fixed on the One who holds our every answer, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever considered that worry is the exact opposite of faith! Worry doesn’t stimulate us because it is a depressant. It doesn’t provide joy; it robs our peace. Because fear causes us to trust and rely on our abilities, it drains us, leaving us feeling heavy. This because we were never meant to carry such things, instead to put them in the hands of the One whose burden is light and whose yoke is easy. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” –Matthew 28:28-30.

Worry robs our rest, and it tears us apart. Do you know what “worry” means? According to Merriam Webster, worry is defined as a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.. Fear of the unknown, aka worry, steals our ability to live and enjoy the present moment by dragging us back into a past that has expired or forward into a future that remains unknown. Anxiety hinders our intimacy and ability to trust in the Lord. Rather than resting on the sure foundation of God’s Sovereignty and faithfulness, we rely instead upon our skills and limited understanding.

As believers, my brothers, and sisters in Christ, though challenging at times undoubtedly, worry has no place in the kingdom of God; if we truly have faith, what then is the use of our worrying?

Listen to the surety given us by God: “Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?'” –Luke 12:22-26; Matthew 6:25-34 NIV. Jesus is both profound and all-encompassing. Knowing us as only He can, He gives us clear examples of those things He knows we as humans are prone to worry about: “what we would eat or what we would wear.” Yet, in His lovingkindness, Jesus prompts us to look beyond these simple daily cares. He reminds us that our life is far more important than those concerns of the body; if He can provide for the ravens, who have no storeroom, why should you and I not trust Him? After all, who better to know what we need than He who fashioned us! If He has provided the birds a place to lay their head, why would the creator of the universe not supply your needs? He assures us, after all, that we are more valuable to Him than birds!

Knowing all of this, why would we allow worries to steal our breath or rob our peace? Have we forgotten that we serve the same faithful, powerful God that oceans, seasons, and life itself both yield and respond to, at His command? Worry is synonymous with unbelief. The Lord knows what we need before we ask. So, for Christians, worry ought to be a spiritual wake-up call, alerting us to the fact that we have lost sight of God’s power and ability, His faithfulness, and His Sovereignty.

I hope I do not sound as though I am above the fray of human emotions or the need to beat back the fears that chase after me? I, too, wrestle with that seemingly ever-present foe known as worry. Recently, I was struggling with fear regarding my future. I bought into the enemy’s lie that the Lord had passed me over, forgotten about me. But God, in His lovingkindness, directed me to the above passages in Luke and Matthew, assuring me not to worry, instead to place my full hope in Him, now and forever. This same assurance was given to me when, again, recently, I also struggled with worry over whether we would ever see unity in the United States? Would order ever be restored from out of this current dis-order? Again, the Lord faithfully assured me through His Word. He redirected my anxiety back to His peace and Sovereignty by leading me to Psalm 20:7. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord.”

Some trust in political parties, some in offices, but our faith must rest squarely in the Lord as Christians.

As I was preparing to write this, I had an epiphany. The Holy Spirit reminded me that this same type of evil, these wicked, unpredictable, volatile, antichrist spirits we see in operation today, were present when Jesus entered our world as a Godman. And they will continue to exist until the day God Himself puts an end to them, once-for-all. Only God can restore the wicked heart of man, washing away his sin. As Christians, we have something the world so desperately needs friends – and they’ll continue to need it until the very day of His Coming; His Living, glowing, peaceful, loving, the infallible, inerrant, Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Sadly, while the world may feel as though it’s catching the brunt of some never-ending hurricane, those who put their faith in Jesus will always find shelter in our Strong Tower, in the shelter of the Most High God. “The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” –2Peter 3:9.

In closing, friends, when worry tries to enter through your front door, remind it where you keep your hope. Remind it that you “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” –Proverbs 3:5-6. Tell worry that God’s Holy Spirit helps you in your time of weakness and that, “…in all things God works for the good for those who love Him” –Romans 8:26-28. Our worry reveals that we have not yet fully cast all our cares, sudden fear, and anxiety into God’s capable hands. We must pray, present our requests with Thanksgiving unto God, and ultimately surrender every care to Him – It’s not surrendering if we continue to pick it up!

Pray, “Lord Jesus, I transfer _____ to you. Your word says come to me those who are weary and burdened, and you shall provide rest for our souls. I yield ____ to you and trust that you will take care of it as you will. Have your way, Father God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Friends, take heart. Be at ease. Find rest. Jesus has overcome the world! Seek His guidance, then step out of the way that the Lord may work on your behalf. And if you haven’t yet decided to follow Jesus yet sincerely want Him in your life—ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to enter your heart. And if worries burden you, call out to the name of Jesus to grant you peace of mind. He is so faithful to answer.

“Do not be anxious about anything, 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 in Christ Jesus” –Philippians 4:6-7.

Faith Produces…

January 2, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord” –Luke 1:45.

The Christmas season is behind us now, but not its lessons of extraordinary hope and promise. So, for today, I’d like for us to revisit Mary and Elizabeth. I believe they still have much to teach us as we stand tippy-toed, scanning the nascent, unsoiled horizon of this New Year. Eyes fixed and filled with hope. We allow our faith in the promises of God—all that we have come to know of Him, to guide us ever-forward…

Mary and Elizabeth once stood where we’re standing now—trusting God to guide them, allowing their faith in His promises, all that they had come to know of Him, had heard spoken of from the prophets of old to lead them ever-forward. Working and waiting then, each woman held firm her faith while carrying within her the promise she’d be given. And so, do we. We carry within us the guarantee given us as well—if, as with Mary and Elizabeth, we have put our faith in Jesus. A promise we ought to fiercely guard and treasure, just as they did, as we too await the time, we’ll possess its full measure. “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him” –Ephesians 1:14.

Two women. Each quite literally carrying within their earthly vessels, heavens promise.

Elizabeth’s promise was a son, John…

In her womb, a child, the very child the angel of the Lord had assured her husband, Zechariah, would undoubtedly come. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John” –Luke 1:13. This child whose coming was foretold by the prophet Isaiah some 700 years before his birth. “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” –Isaiah 40:3-5. And Matthew 3:1-3 confirms for us that indeed it was this same John, Elizabeth, and Zechariah’s son, whom Isaiah was pointing us toward, listen:” In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”  John was a bridge of sorts; a voice foretold in the Old Testament yet realized in the New. And now we’ll read Jesus’ Words found in Matthew’s Gospel that confirm the prophet Malachi’s pointing us to John—God’s Word is seamless after all. “And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist” –Matthew 17:10-13.

And now to Mary’s promise, God’s own Son, Immanuel, God with us…

Like Elizabeth, Mary was promised a son by an angel of the Lord –Luke 1:26-56. This child’s coming had also been foretold throughout the Old Testament. We first hear of it in Genesis. While reading Genesis 3:15, we witness God castigating that crafty serpent; we also catch the first prophetic utterance concerning Jesus’ birth. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Moses is credited with authoring Genesis. That means this first prophetic sighting concerning the birth of Jesus was given us approximately 1500 years before He was born! Then, we also have the words of prophets Isaiah and Micah, respectively, each foretelling of Jesus’ birth. God always confirms His Word. Isaiah foretold Jesus’ birth some 700 years before it occurred, and Micah’s prophecy concerning the same, some 800 years earlier. Isaiah speaks to the supernatural, to the miracle of Jesus’ birth and of His name: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” –Isaiah 7:14. While Micah 5:2 pinpoints the town Jesus will hail from: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”  One child, the Root of Jesse, the promised Messiah, descended from David’s royal linage. The other, His herald. Each foretold through the prophets of old…

“You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed” –Deuteronomy 18:21-22.

In researching these prophecies, I came across this statement by Clarence L. Haynes Jr., You can test the prophetic accuracy of Scripture by asking this one question: Did it come to pass? This is really the only way to know if something that is prophesied is true or not…

Using Scripture as our foundation then, we can say with certainty that each prophesy we’ve read today was sent from God—more, that God is indeed faithful to fulfill His Word. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets” –Amos 3:7. That’s Good News when you consider our eternal hope is anchored to God’s promises.

John the Baptist was born to Elizabeth and Zechariah just as the prophets foretold—Luke 1:57-80. And Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem, His earthly father, Joseph—Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-20. Both women then anchored their faith in the promise given to them by an angel. We would be wise to follow their lead. Each “…believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord” –Luke 1:45.

In closing, I alluded earlier that those who have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior carry within us God’s Holy Spirit. Allow me to illustrate this. God’s “first installment” is given us as an act of promise; this mirrors the ancient Middle Eastern betrothal customs— (the groom’s father first chooses His son’s wife—God first chose us; we were not the first to reach out to God. When the bride accepts the proposal, she is given gifts, both from her groom and his father—When we said yes to Christ, God gave us His Holy Spirit as a deposit, a guarantee, sealing us in Him. He did this by offering us His only Son, Jesus, all that we might be restored into right relationship with Him. Spending eternity then singing praises to His Holy name and serving Him). There is much more to share with you concerning this practice, but my purpose here is not to school you in Jewish wedding customs. Instead, it’s to bring us full circle and tie each of these individual strings into one final bow.

Let’s start then with faith and hope: Scripture assures us that we cannot please God without it, faith that is. And, it was both faith and hope that fueled Mary and Elizabeth. Hope that Messiah would come and save His people, and each saw that longing fulfilled. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” –Proverbs 13:12. God used these two unlikely women; one to birth to His only begotten Son, the other to birth the one who would herald His coming. Mary and Elizabeth each demonstrated steadfast faith in the promises of God, and we are reaping the fruit of that hope and faith, still. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” –Hebrews 11:6.

Now let’s tie in prophecy & the inerrant Word of God: God assures us that what He has declared will be. We’ve read account after account of this Truth today. And the Bible is full of both promises and prophecies yet fulfilled. So, we must remain fully confident then that the same God who overshadowed a young virgin girl somehow depositing His Only Son within her has indeed spread the hem of His garment over us—claiming us as His own, making us eternally one with Him. This God, who miraculously opened the womb of a barren old woman removing her shame, will remove our guilt and shame as well if we’ll but accept the free gift of His Son, Jesus. And trust that He will continue to perform His Word until His final prophecy is fulfilled. “Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do” –Isaiah 46:10-11.

Now we close, our final thread, fruit, faith’s byproduct: God chose Mary and Elizabeth for a specific purpose. A purpose spoke of by the prophets and fulfilled according to His will. Friends, God has chosen you for a particular purpose as well. And, just as Mary and Elizabeth, by the grace and strength and favor allotted them by God, birthed their promise, so shall you. Walk confidently then into this New Year, trusting that your faith in His promises will produce bountiful, good fruit for His glory. “And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord” –Luke 1:45.

Friend, if you have not asked this same promise-keeping Christ into your heart as Lord and Savior, what better time than now! Start your Year off with an eternal relationship with the God who so loves you; He gave His only Son to die in your place all that He might have you back! Won’t you accept His invitation today?

New Year’s Blessings!

January 1, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville. Kendra Santilli, Stephanie Montilla

On behalf of each of us here at Sonsofthesea, we pray blessings over your New Year. The very blessings the Apostle Paul speaks of in Ephesians 3. We thank God that He has drawn you here. And we pray that you continue to follow us into this New Year as we continue to follow after all that Jesus has for those of us who love Him and diligently seek after more of Him—Psalm. 42:1. Know that we are praying God’s best over you, your family, and your ministry. Part of that “best” is a greater understanding, a ginṓskō understanding—one that is intimate, experiential, and ever-deepening. That first-hand knowledge of the multidimensional love of God of which Paul speaks in Ephesians 3:17-19, listen: “And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].”

This is our Prayer for you on this first day of this New Year—and beyond. That you are ever-growing, ever-deepening in your intimate knowledge of our God. All that you might continue to bear more and more fruit for His glory! The fields are white friends; pray to Lord of the harvest…

In His Adventure,

MaryEllen Montville, Overseer.

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