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

Month: November 2022

Level Up!

November 26, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

Hello, my dear brothers and sisters. I’m praying that this finds you well and filled with hope in our Lord Jesus. I hope that whatever it is we are crying out for, He hears us. I am also praying that this teaching will come as an encouragement for many. We are coming close to the end of the year. There has been much shifting and sifting in the body of Christ. Holy Spirit is replacing what was good in one season with something greater. With the refining of your faith, room is being made for the new.

 “You are being protected by God’s power through faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last days. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith-more valuable than gold, which perishes though, refined by fire- may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” –1 Peter 1:5-7.

My brothers and sisters, there is promotion coming for the Body of Christ, for the Body that wants to move forward. Who has an ear inclined to God’s Word. We must not harden our hearts to His voice or instructions. Let us be the Church that comes alive in the Word and Spirit; let there be unification in both, as Christ is not divided.

Dear friends, I am excited about what is taking place! Promotion is coming, or as the title states, the Church is about to Level Up! So many times, I have heard my kids yell that phrase while they play their video games. They get all excited and are blown away by what their character can do and how much stronger they are. This leveling up did not just happen, however. It took hours or even days to make this progress. Have you ever felt like that? You have been in faith, walking it out with our Lord for days. Then those days turn to months. The months to years. “When will this happen for me?” or better yet, “when will it happen for the Church?” Matthew 23:12 (Jesus’ speaking) “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Our posture should be one of submission to God and His Holy Spirit, for He is the head of the Body, The capital “C” Church. The body that keeps its eyes on Jesus will experience an outpouring from heaven. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” How can we, as an individual or a Church Body expect anything from God if we don’t seek Him first, more than anything else? Remember, God resists the proud and boastful. Let me remind you of what happened to king Saul. He was given specific instructions on battling the Amalekites, but Saul thought differently. Full of pride, Saul believed he knew better. His presumed knowing better would prove troublesome for Esther and her people later down the road.

“Then the Word of the Lord came to Samuel,” I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.” –1 Samuel 15:10-11.

In the same chapter, the prophet Samuel rebukes Saul for not following instructions and delivers a blow to his ego from the One who made him king, God! “Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” –1 Samuel 15:22-23.

Some of you might be thinking, “we live under grace, not under the law. God is not vengeful towards those who do not obey. He will still love us regardless.” To this, I say yes, absolutely, I agree, but. Yes, God does love you! He loves you WITHOUT A DOUBT! Jesus went to the Cross for you and gave His life so you might have an abundance of life! However, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8.

But our lifestyle needs to imitate that of our Lord. The kind of relationship we have with Jesus matters, and commitment and obedience are a large part of that relationship. Like every great marriage, you must work at it equally, 100/100. No marriage will last with 100/50. Where is that other 50 going? Look, my marriage would not work if I saw my wife one or two days out of the week. I am not meeting her needs or committing my time to her. The same with our Lord Jesus. How do we draw closer to our Lord when we only visit Him once or twice a week? He is always there, 100 percent in, but you’re walking in the world. Yet you complain that nothing is happening in your Christian walk. Where is that promotion that I was promised?!

My dear brother and sister, my friends, please, heed this scripture! “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord! Will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the One who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name? Then I will announce to them, I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!” –Matthew 7:21-23.

 God does not want to keep anything good from you, but if you are keeping yourself from Him, He will not exalt you and bring you to those moments of leveling up in the Kingdom. And if a particular Body is not remaining in His Word or preaching a different gospel, it will be like He never knew them. “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” –Revelation 2:5.

Jesus knows His flock. They are the ones that hear His voice and come running to him like sheep after their shepherd. They recognize the voice of the One who cares for them, feeds them, and has healed them. As we end this teaching, please know that you are all very dear to me. We have never met, but I pray you are on fire for our Lord Jesus. The blood spilled on the Cross was done out of love for you. God’s love is immeasurable. It has no end, my dear friends. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you this day and receive the fullness of the Kingdom only found in Jesus our Lord. Amen. “Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man come, will He find that faith on earth?” –Luke 18:8.

Brothers and sisters, let this be the day you have declared Jesus as Lord over your life, and every circumstance is brought to its knees. Run to Jesus, friend. Let this be the day Jesus makes His home in you by your confession of faith in Him. Ask Jesus into your heart as Lord, and He will answer. “Jesus, wash away my sins with Your precious Blood and forgive me of my sins. Today I surrender all of me to you. Amen.”

Embers

November 20, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

How do you start a fire with ashes?

Seasons come, and seasons go. And often, it feels like we have nothing left to give. Nothing left to offer on the altar. Our spirit is consumed, burnt out. Our fire has slowly subsided, and we cannot reignite it. Thankfully, we serve a God who makes beauty from ashes. And it is His Spirit that can reignite the embers of our souls. I’m not sure why some seasons are ripe with passion while others feel like a drag, but one thing I know is that Jesus is the one constant through it all. Whether mountain-high or valley-low, our circumstances will quickly begin to inform our perspectives if we’re not diligent about keeping our fire burning.

The fire of the Holy Spirit makes us come alive. It is all-consuming. He is an indicator of our spiritual health. And while He may ignite feelings of passion and vigor, He is not in and of Himself, a feeling. The Holy Spirit is the Living presence of God inside of us. Just as God was the Flame that met Moses at the burning bush, He is also the Flame that meets us within our hearts.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” –Romans 12:9-13.

“Be fervent in spirit.” In Latin, “fervent” comes from the word fervor, meaning “a boiling violent heat.” This language is clear. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to maintain a living boiling, “violent heat” within our hearts. Keeping our flame alive is not accomplished in ways that come naturally to the self-serving, self-absorbed human heart. It comes from total surrender to the Lord and His will, which is servitude. His heart is that the world may know Him, but it is also that He may have a relationship with His bride, who is His church.

Years ago, I felt myself slipping into laziness. I would have what seemed like an endless list of chores to be completed. I prayed that God would give me the energy to do what needed to be done in the mundane day-to-day tasks. In my prayer, He showed me two things: number one, I was giving in to laziness, and number two, I had the power to overcome laziness before it could overcome me. The word I got from the Lord during that prayer was this: whatever it is you don’t feel like doing, do it. I was expecting God to change my habits in a moment. I wanted Him to make me want to do all the chores and all the tasks. I was ready for Him to grant me my wish of instantly becoming a laundry lover. Instead, He reminded me that I also had a part to play in my prayers. I have never forgotten those words whispered to my spirit that day. I have carried them with me since.

You see, complacency leads to embers, not flames. When you don’t feel like showing up, it is when you need to show up. When you don’t feel like honoring the person you are doing life with, you need to show up and outdo them in showing honor. When you don’t feel like you have a fervent heart, you must go before the Lord and ask for a refill. Romans 12 is clear, serving the Lord will only ever increase your fervor.

“find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them… everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” –Ephesians 5:10-11; 13-14.

As we go about our lives, it is impossible to never be around nonbelievers. That is why it is of utmost importance to the believer that they stay close to the body of Christ. Our flame is kept alive there by the flame of the brother beside us. When we come to Jesus, His light exposes our wickedness. It makes us uncomfortable and causes us to live differently. Romans 12 doesn’t say to leave the people of God. It doesn’t say to stay around people who hate God. It instructs us that serving the saints (other believers) gives us life! Ask God for His Birdseye view when your circumstance seems to be guiding your perspective. If you feel hopeless, rejoice, knowing that you have hope even when you can’t feel it. If you’re suffering or facing tribulation, choose patience instead of complaining. Seek out the good instead of pointing out the bad. If you don’t feel like praying, pray anyway. If you don’t feel like serving, serve regardless. If you don’t feel like being hospitable, do it despite your feelings. Our faith is not based on emotions. It is to be laid down, an offering on the altar of our hearts for the Lord and others.

Of course, mentally, we must take time to reset and find our bearings, but we cannot live there. Complacency is a detrimental dwelling place for our souls. Reset and then press on!

Today, I pray that you are encouraged to find the flame that burns bright within your heart. If you feel down, I will echo the words in Ephesians 5:14. “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” I pray you find your zeal as you serve the Lord and His people and grow in generosity.

And if you read this today and said, this is me! I can relate to this. But have not asked Jesus to be Lord of your life. Then that is your starting block. The surest and only lasting way for the fire in your heart to begin burning brightly! “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6.

Awaken; Part Two.

November 12, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

“I assure you An hour is coming and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has Life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have Life in Himself” –John 5:25-26.

Hello to all my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus. Since the last time you and I came together, there has been such an awesome move of God in our church! I can say with the utmost confidence the Holy Spirit is moving within our sanctuary, changing many people’s hearts. I have witnessed people coming to the Lord with a growing hunger within our church. Lives are being changed at the altar during times of prayer. The messages from the pulpit have been hitting their mark. People are awakening to the voice of our Lord Jesus! I will confess to you, my dear friends, that this has been something I have been praying for, and after years of asking God to be part of such a move, I am witnessing Him answer! I am seeing it come to pass here and now. What a blessing it is to witness these moments and share them with all of you.

As we open up part two of “Awaken,” let me ask you. Have you ever been reading a section of scripture you’ve read many times before, when suddenly the Holy Spirit grabs hold of you and says, “this, this right here. This is what I am doing”.

Holy Spirit did that very thing to me with today’s scripture. And that has me stirred up. I see people enter the sanctuary beaten down, saddened, depressed, and anxious. To see these strongholds on my brothers and sisters has brought me to tears. Being stuck in those dark places has made it difficult for them to see the Light of Christ and cry out to Him to direct their steps. But God, so rich in mercy, has sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, to be their Light. To awaken those who are dead in their sins. You can literally see the burdens of their week being lifted. Those having walked in downcast now raise holy hands in praise as joy fills their hearts.

This transformation is no mere coincidence. Only God can bring about such change. Our Lord says, “Come to Me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-30.

Do you want what Christ is offering?

Then let us not harden our hearts or ignore His voice. Instead, as you read this, I am praying that you desire this freedom and that a new hunger for God’s Word is being stirred up within you. “Come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under His care. Today if you hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts as at Massah in the wilderness where your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they had seen what I did” –Psalm 95: 7-9

This change first happens when Christ awakens His Spirit within us. The Light of Life dawning in our hearts.

When Light enters a dark room, the darkness leaves. When Light comes in the morning, we are awakened by it. In the same way, Jesus has come into your life as Light. His Spirit in you has made you aware that you no longer need to walk the way you once did. Then Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness” -–John 12:44-46.

The Light of our Lord Jesus will always overcome the darkness. You are set free of your sins; they have no hold on you. This change starts when we are born again.

In John’s gospel, Jesus is having an engaging conversation with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Nicodemus has witnessed signs and wonders that no man could do unless God were with him. Nicodemus knows that there is something different about Jesus. Nicodemus is awed by Jesus and wants desperately to understand how this, all he has heard about and witnessed firsthand, is possible.

Jesus gives Nicodemus the answer that will forever change how we approach God.

Listening in on Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus, we hear Jesus make plain this new way we must all come to God. Jesus said, “I assure you: unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” –John 3:3. It never has and will never be about how “good” we are or about the “good” works we do. We are awakened in our spirit man by our Lord Jesus. For God is spirit, and to have a relationship with God, it must be through our Lord Jesus; and that starts within the heart. Let’s repeat that; change begins in the heart! Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord how is it you’re going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” –John 14:22-23.

As we end, my dear brothers and sisters, I encourage you to seek God’s will daily. I pray you will seek Him earnestly and for a fresh revelation and infilling of His Holy Spirit. May God illuminate His Word as you take it in. “Life was in Him, and that Life was the Light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it” –John 1:4-5.

And friend, if you don’t yet know Jesus as Lord and Savior yet feel God tugging on your heart, don’t walk away from Him. Today is your day for salvation. Please, do not let Him pass you by. Hear God’s promise to you. “Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies” –John 11:25.

Trust, Me.

November 5, 2022 /
Maryellen Montville

“The Lord All-Powerful says, “Try this test. Bring one-tenth of your things to me. Put them in the treasury. Bring food to my house. Test me! If you do these things, I will surely bless you. Good things will come to you like rain falling from the sky. You will have more than enough of everything” –Malachi 3:10

If you’ve been attending church for any length of time, you’re likely familiar with today’s verse. It’s generally used in relation to tithes and offerings. And though we’ll touch on tithing today, there’s something else I’d like to share with you from this verse. A principle the Holy Spirit dropped in my spirit this morning as I was praying over this teaching concerning trust. He put His finger on two words from this familiar passage, “test Me.” And what God dropped in my spirit concerning those Words had little to do with money.

Let’s explore what He gave me, shall we?

Tithing involves obedience. It demands you meet God smack dab in the middle of His “test Me.” It means laying your tithe at His feet, walking away, and trusting God to keep His Word. Blessing you however He sees fit.

Having that level of confidence, of faith, that joy of giving back, the thrill of “I get to” is born from having experienced God’s faithfulness in the past. It springs up from a deep well of trust fed by an ever-deeper well of intimacy. An intimacy developed within your relationship with Jesus. And it’s sustained there. It’s fed, made fat by a steady diet of God loving you and your wanting, chasing after the Giver far more than His gifts. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” –Matthew 6:33.

I just spoke of a relationship with Jesus. Do you have one? If not, friend, before you read on, I ask that you stop and pray. I assure you; asking Jesus into your life as Lord of all is a choice with eternal consequence. There is no more important message in the world than this. Jesus loves you. He died in your place, making way for you to be restored into right relationship with the Father. A relationship broken in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for fall men” –Romans 5:17-18.

And If you don’t know how to pray, talk to Jesus; it’s really quite simple. Just ask Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior, tell Him you’re sorry for your sins, and mean it. I’m adding His Word to help guide you. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” –Romans 10:9-10.

Now, we can continue…

When you choose to believe God will do what He says He’d do, believe in the surety of His “test Me,” your measure of faith will be stretched. And over time, your faith in God as Promise Keeper will become rock solid, like that faith spoken of in the old hymn, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.” Though none go with me, I still will follow, no turning back, no turning back.

And yes, friend, you have the choice to obey God, to follow Him, or not.

Why? Because you have free will. Your salvation and free will are a gift from God; He has granted you the freedom, the weighty privilege, of choosing or denying Him. Life, or death.

Earlier, I spoke of the Holy Spirit, causing two Words in Malachi to stand out. I alluded the blessings you receive from God for the faithful, heartfelt surrender of your tithe aren’t invariably attached to some financial reward. And this is the truth. Because often, your blessing comes in the form of good health. It comes from having a warm, safe home or apartment or getting a new job. It’s God bringing that future husband or wife into your life. The blessings that flow from God’s “put Me to the test now in this” involves your eyes having opened this morning, Kissing your kids, your husband, wife, or parents, one more time. You can see and speak. You’re in your right mind.

Moving your limbs and having anything in your pocket to offer back to God is a blessing.

How about when your blessing is holding the child every doctor said you’d never be able to carry? Is that where God’s “test me on this” showed up in your life? Or was it in God’s answering that midnight prayer? When salvation was visited on your wild child, mom, or dad. Let’s talk about God’s greatest blessing. His having afforded you a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus.

Beloved, God’s “test me” really equates to His asking, “Do you indeed trust Me? Trust Me enough to accept that I know what is and isn’t best for you. Trust that I know when you need whatever you think you need right now.” Do you trust God’s character? That’s the real question here. That’s what the Holy Spirit dropped in my spirit. Because when God says, “test Me,” you can bet your life He’ll deliver. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” – Numbers 23:19.

Friends, nowhere in the Bible do you read God telling anyone to test Him—outside of Malachi. Actually, the very opposite is true.

Yet concerning your giving back to God a portion, a mere tenth of all you’ve been blessed to earn, here God instructs you to test Him. Actually, it’s a command; to give Him back a tenth of your earnings and watch how He’ll bless your life. In Malachi 3:10, God explicitly references money, yours, by which I mean whatever money He has afforded you. “You might say in your heart, “The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.” But you shall remember [with profound respect] the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day” –Deuteronomy 8:17-18.

A humble heart recognizes that had God not blessed you, be it with one dollar or one hundred thousand dollars, you’d have nothing. Go ahead and reread Deuteronomy 8:17-18 if you doubt that.

So let me ask you this? Do you trust God? Are you willing to lay down that dollar in your pocket, the one He afforded you, and do what He asked of you? Test Him and see that if done with a joyful, loving heart, He won’t throw open the windows of heaven and bless you—however He sees fit. I have tested God on this, and I can assure you, friend, that God has been faithful to me in ways that have both blown my mind and humbled me to my core. And neither had little to do with money. The fact that Jesus died for me, has forgiven my every sin; if His blessings had ended there, I’d have been given what I did not deserve. And yet, Love continues to give and give.

Before I close, I must clarify that I am not suggesting that if you tithe a tenth of your income, God will bless you with some significant monetary windfall. Is it possible? Indeed, it is. He is God and can bless you however He chooses. But don’t get it twisted. God is God—He’s Holy. God is not the Lotto—lay down a dollar to win back one hundred. Nor is God an investment banker. Tithing is not about; I give God a tenth and He doubles my investment. God’s “test Me” is not tied to money. It’s bound to your trust in Him.

“That religion which costs a man nothing is usually worth nothing.”― Charles H. Spurgeon.

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