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

Month: August 2026

Can I Die Twice?

August 29, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.”

Today’s title posits a twofold assurance, which begs the question: Can a man die twice? The short answer is yes; he can. And yet, this same man may live twice. The choice for each rest in his hands—life now, and eternally, or death now—and eternally.

Each man must choose one or the other.

To not choose is, by default, that man’s choice.

In today’s verse, Jesus is refuting Jewish leaders who, being willfully blind, would not recognize Who stood before them—nor would they acquiesce to the miracle they’d witnessed nor to Jesus’ claim of Sonship with the Father—and so they did what they knew to do: rise up in unbelief and verbally assail Jesus. “So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.” –John 5:16-18

The miracle they refused to acknowledge. The healing of a man bound for thirty-eight years. Instead, they called it a complete disregard for a law they themselves had stretched far beyond God’s intended purpose. “One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” –John 5-10.

No one knows how old this man was, or at what age he first lay down beside this pool—Scripture doesn’t tell us. It’s likely, however, that in his mind, this place was his last hope, having exhausted all other options available to him. If he could get into these waters he’d heard had curative powers when stirred up—he’d be healed; his hope was all he had left. Had he been in his 20s, 30s, 40s, even when he’d come to this point of desperation?

Had this man who’d spent thirty-eight years of his life languishing beside a pool of water, due to his own spiritual blindness, convinced himself his healing would come through them only, or not at all? Scripture seems to nod in that direction; we just read his reply to Jesus when asked if he’d like to get well: “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

How many today have been languishing beside some pool for years upon years, as well?

Not due to a physical malady, perhaps, as with this man; rather, they’ve been bound by drugs, alcohol, porn, a lying tongue, fornication, or idol worship or witchcraft. Maybe their malady is rebellion and unbelief? “For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), and disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king.” –1 Samuel 15:23

They’re bound by self-reliance or reliance on “other.” Parents, a spouse, some statue or medal, their own child, even—some “pool” that carries their answer; if they could get in when the waters are turning.

But alas, that never seems to pan out…

So they languish, then, having decided this “pool” is their only hope, and if it can’t help them, then neither can anyone else. They stay bound to it, day after day for years, growing more and more hopeless as they watch others get what they themselves so desperately need—healing, hope, restoration, a new beginning.

Failing to accept the Truth that hope and healing can be theirs, if they’d simply say yes and receive it…

This is the first death: spiritual death. It happens when men decide not to listen to or believe God’s Word, which can save them…

Instead, they make the choice, and it is their own to make, to put their faith in anyone or anything other than the One who gave them life through their natural birth, and Who offers them new life, life eternal, when they acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. “Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” –John 3:3

Jesus is man’s only hope—not some “pool” or person, not a priest or a religion—but the Person of Jesus Christ. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” –Acts 4:12.

Having seen the picture attached to today’s teaching, you may have noticed it’s of a branch snapped in two.

The result of its being broken is that this branch will not live; so too with every man. Sin snaps us in half, separating us from our Life Source, Jesus…

All men have been severed from Christ Jesus because of one man’s sin, so too have all men been afforded the Way to restoration and forgiveness of their sins. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” –Romans 5:12;17

Notice I didn’t say sin stopped anyone from knowing Jesus’ name, from going to church, from owning a Bible, or from knowing what Jesus has done for others…

But I am saying plainly that if you are not grafted into what gives your Life eternal, this will result in the second death, which Jesus makes plain a few verses later. Listen: “The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” –John 5:26-29

When Jesus sought out the man who’d been sitting by his “pool” for thirty-eight years, He did so to give him life now, in the form of hope, renewal, healing, and restoration, sure, but Jesus gave him so much more.

When that man jumped up after Jesus healed him, he didn’t do it in his own power. He did it by the power He’d just been given, the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead. The power of God’s Holy Spirit had entered him, giving him the start of a new life then and the promise of Life eternal in the age to come.

Jesus had sought him out to give him life and life abundant…

Today’s title poses a dual question: Can a man die twice? The short answer is yes; he can. And yet, this same man can also live twice. The choice for each rest in his hands—life now, and eternally, or death now—and eternally.

Being the same yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus has come today, now, as you read this, to ask you, friend, the same question He once asked that man by the pool; a question each man must answer for himself: “Would you like to get well?”  

I’m praying you’ll answer with a decisive, “Yes, Jesus, I do!” “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” —John 5:19

The Lag…

August 22, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” –Psalm 27:14

It would be a gross understatement to say I’m not much of a sailor. Because I’ve sailed with someone who is a world-class sailor does not mean I’ve been afforded their firsthand knowledge or experience vicariously. Being a passenger on their boat does not mean that I am in any way qualified to sail it. Beloved, wisdom dictates that when one’s future is at stake, before you begin a thing, count the cost. “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.'” –Luke 14:28-30

Respect boundaries and heed the instructions and warnings of those who are far more experienced, trained, and capable of navigating the waters on which you find yourself sailing. Demonstrate humility by acknowledging your limitations and by remembering you are a passenger on this ship called life, not the Skipper… “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

That said, you’ve heard the Lord. As He did with Father Abraham, God has called you to leave behind all you know—home, family, friends, ministry, some possessions—or maybe all, and set sail with Him into your “next.” Where exactly? He’s given you the destination: the city, state, or town, just not the actual address. Now, you’re waiting on God to fill in the details and timing…

And though heavy-hearted in leaving behind those you love for a season, or maybe until you meet again in heaven, you feel honored God has called you; frail and fragile vessel that you are—the least qualified of His kids—to partner with Him for yet another new adventure; or perhaps this is your first?

Either way, you’ve been reenergized—reawakened.

Fresh air, you had no idea you needed, billowed in, reviving you and exposing what had become rote and repetitive in your life. You had no conscious awareness that your energy and vitality had waned until God opened up this new course before you. Was the season past a good one? Yes. Ordained by God, absolutely; it was a privilege and an honor. It was also part of God’s plan for you to bless others and meet their needs, all the while being trained and prepared for your next. “See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” –Isaiah 48:10

So why has what started as smooth sailing seemingly stalled?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Lag as follows: a noun referring to a delay, gap, or time difference between two related events.

The forward momentum gained after Jesus’ initial invitation to follow Him into this “new thing” feels sluggish now—stalled somehow, more like rowing through molasses than sailing open waters. Has God changed His mind? Did you eat too much pizza and confuse indigestion with God’s voice? Was it all wishful thinking on your part? Some subconscious longing you mistakenly labeled as a call from God. It’s possible, certainly. You would not be the first child of His to be led off course, mistaking His voice for your own. There is a reason God’s Word cautions us to test everything: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” –1 John 4:1.

And though John was speaking specifically of false prophets misleading and deceiving the people within his following verses, the spiritual principle itself is sound. It ought to be applied to any Word, so-called, given us by God directly or spoken over us by another. God will always confirm His Word by His Word and by the peace His Holy Spirit will provide your spirit, and through wise, Godly counsel—even when, especially when, what God is calling you to do is too big—a seemingly impossible feat for you to accomplish.

Yet, after weighing it all, dare I say nothing out of the ordinary has happened to you, my bewildered friend? What you are feeling is exactly that: your feelings. The angst, perhaps, that often comes from thwarted control; incomplete knowledge, our human, limited vision, and frustrated wrangling over our own self-imposed timelines or outcomes…

I posit the lag you’re experiencing isn’t, perhaps, you having mistakenly heard God’s call; rather, it is God Himself just being God.

Let me explain…

Oftentimes, when He calls us into that next assignment He has for us, it is not at all uncommon for Him to allow us to experience what “feels” like lags, delays, or us having lost sight of a shoreline that was clear and seemingly laid out plain before us, just a short time ago.

God will often allow such lags, as with so many other things He allows to touch our lives, to help build in us trust, humility, perseverance, endurance, and patience. Abraham experienced God’s lag. As did Moses, Daniel, David, Joseph, and so many other of His servants.

In what felt like silence, and even God’s absence, He was, in fact, at work on their behalf, fulfilling the promise and all that was in their lives. God is far more concerned with our character than with timing: “But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.” –James 1:4

God hasn’t forgotten you, or His call on your life, beloved; He is building your reliance on Him.

He’s sharpening your abilities, your hearing, sight, and trust in His ability to “Captain” your ship—follow His voice, even if you hear it calling you to do what “feels” impossible. “But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].” –John 16:13

There is a reason you and I need an experienced Skipper at the helm of what we oft refer to as “our” ship, beloved, setting the pace and charting our course. Trained eyes that can, in an instant, scan the horizon of our lives, knowing not only where we are at any given moment, equally important, where it is He’d have us go; knowing precisely how to get us there safely.

Left on our own, however, we’d search and strain to see a shoreline that promised a destination to which God has called us, floundering and anxious, oars floating in the water, because we’d lost our way…

If what you heard was indeed from the Lord, friends, then I caution you to sit tight, and, as David reminds us in today’s Scripture verse: “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Remember: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it?” –Numbers 23:19

Father Abraham believed God even when the promise God had given seemed to have stalled, and then Isaac was born. “Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the exact time God had promised him.” –Genesis 21:1-2

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If He has called you, anointed you for some future work, to partner with Him in winning souls for His Kingdom, serving or strengthening His people, teaching, evangelizing—whatever His call on your life will be, if Jesus is truly calling you, then assuredly it will come to pass. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please'” –Isaiah 46:10

This same Jesus is calling you to be His today, new friend, to know and trust Him as your Lord and Savior. I encourage you to say yes to His will for your life. Let Jesus guide you through the turbulent seas and challenges of this life. “This is what the Scripture says: “Today ·listen to what he says [L if you hear his voice…]. Do not ·be stubborn [L harden your hearts] as in the past ·when you turned against God.”–Hebrews 3:15

The Lord Is My Shepherd…

August 15, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4.

The Lord has led me to this Psalm, a personal favorite, in times of trials, loss, pain, fear, or need: for wisdom, comfort, provision, direction, and as a reminder that Jesus is the same God in this season as He was in seasons past. Faithful to meet my every need then, and equally able to meet it now. He’s God, forever meeting me in my place of need. My Shepherd, who will comfort me, give me the wisdom, direction, and discernment I need—not necessarily the answer I want or am praying for.

For that, though challenging to take in at times, I am grateful nonetheless.

Jesus’ calling me to more, the uncomfortable, unforeseeable more, that affords me the opportunity to grow in Him, become more like Him.

To put the full weight of my trust in Him, above everyone, especially myself; having done that more times than I’d care to admit, with what I can say were less favorable outcomes. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

Jesus alone has seen my end from my beginning; He alone knows what’s best for me—on this one Truth I have bet my life…

Jesus is asking me to step out in faith for yet another Red Sea adventure with Him, to trust Him; maybe He’s asking the same of you in this season as well, beloved? Asking that we fix our eyes on Him. To encourage ourselves when what we see in front of us has yet to manifest into the fullness of what He has promised. To keep pressing into Him, moving forward by faith, trusting His leading by reminding ourselves of His unswerving faithfulness in every detail of our lives—how He’s met our every need—in times past. So let’s keep each other in prayer as we cast our nets out yet again, at our Master’s command.

Jesus alone has always been, and always will be, my Provider: I pray you can say the same. Jesus’ care of me—and you—is nothing if not personal. “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” –Emphasis my own.

Child of God, perhaps you too need a reminder of who Jesus has been to you in seasons past, in order to mount up in the strength you need today, and to keep pressing into Him for your right-now needs. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

New friend, if you have yet to meet Jesus for yourself, if you don’t have a loving, committed one-on-one relationship with Him, today is the day Jesus has ordained for the two of you to have such a relationship. Despite your age, your health, your financial standing—whether single, married, or divorced, man, woman, gay, straight, or a transgender young adult, despite your past, no matter how messed up and sinful it may have been; God’s not finished with you yet. How can I say this with certainty?

You’re still here.

So long as there is breath in your lungs, Jesus is reaching out to you—still, or yet again. “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life.”

Jesus is offering you all that you’ll ever need, in every season He’ll lead you through, and so much more—if you’ll let Him. How? It starts by inviting Him into your heart. Repenting of your sis and meaning it. Because at the end of the day, it’s your heart Jesus is after. A heart fully surrendered to Him—His will, into His care, and into His unfathomable love for you. Jesus desires your all-in trust. “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” –Proverbs 23:26.

Is the Great Shepherd calling you into a new ministry, move, or a new position perhaps, in His Kingdom, child of God? Something that, in the natural, looks impossible. The finances don’t line up. You can’t see the end from the beginning—so you’re afraid to step or misstep, possibly?

Perhaps Jesus is asking you to let go completely of what you know is an answer to prayer, the very thing He alone is responsible for providing for you. That home, church family, that circle of brothers and sisters you’ve built bonds with—a rhythm that works and flows with ease, given to you for a season by God—but now, He’s asking you to release it, and to trust Him, sight unseen, for your next “God-thing.”

Or maybe you are walking through the valley of loss—the shadow of death has passed over you. Even now, darkening everything in front of you, making it impossible for you to see clearly. Are you mourning the passing of a loved one, a child you miscarried, or your closest friend—that one who was more of a brother or sister, really—and you’re feeling like the weight of such grief will surely crush you? Hold on! Run to Jesus. He is near, He is near! “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”

Hold fast to the Good Shepherd as you walk through your Red Sea moment with Jesus by your side, reminding yourself: “I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”

Beloved, if the Lord is asking you to take your hands off something He’s given you—entrusted to you for a time—even a long time, don’t hesitate—I know, easier said than done; I’ll remind you here, however, that everything and everyone you have or have had the privilege of “getting to” know—rightfully belongs to the Lord. Hard as it may be to see or understand right now—you must, must, walk by faith and not sight, lest you fall.

Asking “why” right now is asking the wrong question, beloved—even though you long for God to answer you, give you some reason to help make sense of things; still, Job taught us God owes us no such answers.

The correct question, in every season, loss or plenty, mountain or valley, is this: “What are you trying to teach me, Lord?” Because whatever you are experiencing had to first pass through God’s Sovereign hands; thus, He is using it to shape you into the image and likeness of His Son, Jesus. Whether that makes sense to you now or not.

Our Father always does what is best for us—not what we understand or feel comfortable with—and we do well to remember that by remembering He bought and paid for us with the spotless Blood of our Good Shepherd. “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

Friends, I encourage you to read Psalm 23 in its entirety; regardless of the season you’re in, it will bless you. As you read it, do so remembering Who this Psalm is speaking of; then, posture your hearts with the respect, deference, openness to His will, and the righteous fear due the name of Jesus. “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

Psalm 23 is all about Jesus, beloved: His heart toward you.

Line after line speaks to His very nature and Character. What He has done and is doing in your life and mine, every day, in every circumstance, because He first loved us. The Lord is our Shepherd; we shall not want, even when you and I walk through what can certainly feel in the moment like our darkest valley.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” –John 10:3-5;10

As with the Master, so with His students: will you lay down your life for Him, child of God—when you hear His voice calling you into unfamiliar pastures?

Joy and Sorrow…

August 14, 2026 /

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

Greetings, Sonsofthesea family!

We have exciting news to share with you, as well as sad news. Our much-loved brother in Christ, Wesley Mendes, married his beloved Crystal on August 8th. All of us here at Sonsofthesea extend every blessing to Wesley and Crystal as they walk together as one into their new “covenant adventure” as husband and wife, to which God has called them. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” –Genesis 2:24

Sadly, shortly after this most joyous occasion, Wesley’s beloved mom, Gail, went on to glory this past Wednesday. You’ll find a GoFundMe link on our Facebook homepage should you feel led to bless our brother and his family with covering funeral and burial costs. Please, Sonsofthesea family, keep our beloved brother and his family in your prayers as the Lord walks them through this valley and into all He has for them on the other side…

May God bless you and keep you always,

Maryellen.

You Have My Word On It…

August 8, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.” –Psalm 138:2

Today, we’re going to begin at the end—of this verse, that is. We’ll start with its result, the honor of God’s name, then we’ll move on to its effect, reverencing and worshiping of our Lord. Sometimes, to understand a thing better, you have to take a step back to see it more clearly. Today is one of those times. It was the final twelve Words of this psalm that caught my attention. “For your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.”  

There is no greater assurance a man will ever be given in this life than God’s Word.

If God spoke it, promised it—it’s a done deal. “For when God made the promise to Abraham, He swore [an oath] by Himself, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” –Hebrews 6:13-14

I can personally attest to this biblical Truth. Never has there ever been an instance where God has spoken to me, called me to follow Him, assured me He’d lead me or provide for me, and then failed. Not once, ever, in my nearly twenty years of following Him.

Time will surely reveal what God’s Word accomplished in eternity past—regardless of how long it may take any of us to receive it and, if it be God’s will, witness its fruit. What more perfect example of this Truth is there than Jesus’ own final Words, this side of eternity: “It is finished.” –John 19:30.

God’s Living Word accomplishes everything God intended for Jesus to accomplish before Jesus ever left heaven for earth. Let that sink in…

King David understood this.

We witness this truth in the fruit produced throughout David’s life through God’s unwavering protection, provision, and guidance. And today, we’ll read how David white-knuckled clung to this truth in some of the final words he shared before he died.

David’s dynasty and life were ending.

Still, Scripture tells us of David’s indefatigable confidence, even as he faced death, that God would fulfill every Word and promise He had made David—though he himself would not be alive to witness their fulfillment. “Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success.” –2 Samuel 23:5

Daniel also understood this, Truth. “Then the king was greatly pleased and ordered that Daniel be taken out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in and relied on and trusted in his God.” –Daniel 6:23.

We’ll hear from Daniel again soon. He’ll teach us how God alone deserves all our praise, honor, all the glory and our worship…

But for now, let’s stay with David…

David had been chosen by God as the future King of Israel when he was still a young man. Some scholars suggest he was anywhere between 10 and 19 when Samuel chose him from among his brothers and anointed him as king, replacing the reigning king, Saul. At that time, men needed to be 20 years old or older to serve in the army; Samuel had found David tending his father’s sheep. “Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, ‘The LORD has not chosen any of these.'” And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.” –1 Samuel 16:10-12

Now you might be saying, okay, but what does this have to do with David honoring God, like in the last twelve words from today’s verse?

Through faithfully tending his father’s sheep and faithfully serving his father and brothers both, God was shaping David’s heart to one day serve a nation. Through service and obedience, trials and testing, David would learn to trust and defend the Lord His God and His every Promise in all matters, great and small.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” –Zechariah 4:10

David did not despise his “small” beginnings, and God saw how humble and pliable, yet valiant and devout David’s heart was in His Hand. “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand” –Jeremiah 18:6

Throughout David’s life—every trial, test, every “giant” he’d face—David held fast to God: “David answered, ‘You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he’s handing you to us on a platter!” –1 Samuel 17:45

David, like Moses and Noah, Father Abraham, and God’s prophets, who foretold Christ’s coming, suffering, and salvation—never witnessed it for themselves —yet held fast to God’s leading and guiding. His every Word of hope. His every Promise. Hence, David could come to the end of his life like so many of God’s servants before Him, ready to face the One he had loved and served, fully confident that everything the Lord had promised him would come to pass—not because David would be blessed to see it all; he wouldn’t, he believed, because God said it.

” This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.” –1 Peter 10-12

What a blessed assurance for us all, beloved. “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” –1 Peter 10:8-9

I didn’t forget about Daniel.

He’s going to teach us about the first part of today’s verse: bringing us back to the beginning so that we might end up doing what David and Moses, Abraham, the prophets, and Daniel did. What we’re called to do until the Lord returns, or should He tarry, and call us Home. That is to worship Jesus! King of kings and Lord of lords.

To bow before Him in reverence and humility, acknowledging His Lordship over our lives always, in everything we do. “May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. I offer thanks and praise to you, God of my ancestors, because you have given me wisdom and power. And now you have let me know what we asked of you, for you have let us know the king’s mystery.” –Daniel 2:19-23.

Beloved of God, as surely as God has kept His promises to our brothers before us —be encouraged: He’ll do the very same for us—for you.

Hold tight to that Truth, as David and Daniel, Moses and the prophets of old did, as you pray for your prodigal, that parent or friend, yourself, or anyone you’re believing, interceding for. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” –Numbers 23:19

This same Jesus, the God of David and Daniel, Moses, Abraham, and all the prophets, promises you today, new friend, that if you don’t know Him as Lord and Savior, you can: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10

Light Up The Darkness!

August 1, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” –Matthew 5:14

Jesus did not spill His precious Blood, paying the ultimate ransom—His life—for you to live small, hidden, or fearful of the judgment of mere men, beloved. To blend into a world that is not your home. To “hide” your Light, Christ alive in you, out of fear of what men may say or think about you. I can almost hear the Apostle Paul shouting to you across the ages even now, “God forbid!” He is reminding you, through his writings, doing all he could to save you from committing such a sin. “As far as the Law is concerned I may consider that I died on the cross with Christ. And my present life is not that of the old “I,” but the living Christ within me.” –Galatians 2:20.

Christ in you is your identity now; in case you’ve momentarily forgotten…

You are no longer your own, beloved. You no longer “get to” live hidden away; if indeed you belong to Jesus, that’s impossible. “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.” –Matthew 7:16-17

Hear me now: I haven’t come to condemn you, rather to remind you, and myself, of who we are and of the unfathomable cost our Lord and Savior paid, that we be afforded such a privilege as to be His Light-bearers in this ever-darkening world. “He alone possesses immortality [absolute exemption from death] and lives in unapproachable Light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal power and dominion! Amen.” –1 Timothy 6:16

Being offshoots of Jesus’ unapproachable Light, we “get to” shine for all to see, directing men then toward our Father; by following Jesus’ example, who lived His life on earth to draw all men to the Father. “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” –Matthew 5:16

Those who belong to this world, are and will continue to, demand you dim your Light, Christ in you, insisting even that a single Source of Light doesn’t exist, instead, that, there are multiple light sources at work in the world; they do their level best to extinguish the One True Light of Christ altogether—as if they held such power—not wanting their sin or rebellion against the One True God revealed. Like their father, they prefer to hide in the shadows, far from the Light of Christ. “You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths.” –John 8:44

But you, child of God, and you whose heart God is tugging on even now, you are, or are being called to carry a Light so Pure, so Holy and alive, it cannot be hidden; you cannot stay hidden.

I believe the Lord sent me to you today to remind you to Whom you belong—and that’s not yourself. You belong to Jesus, and He expects you to do what you were created, in part, to do. And that is to shine His Light into the utter darkness so that in seeing your Light, those in the world will be without excuse, having witnessed its Source. “For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification].” –Romans 1:20

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.” –2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Whatever has been holding you back from letting the Light of Christ in you burn ablaze, or from carrying the Light of Christ within you, I came to encourage you today to turn to, or return to, Christ.

Ask Jesus for the strength to push past the voices of those who call you a Jesus freak.

Those who reject you or who have abandoned you completely because of your devotion to Jesus. That husband, wife, or child, mother or father who has grown cold towards you. The boss who says he’ll fire you if you don’t stop talking to your coworkers about this Jesus, enough already! Stop it! We don’t want to hear about Jesus any more! Don’t you get it! Just go away already…

Take heart, beloved, keep pressing into Christ. He will strengthen you to finish the good works He has called you to do. “We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; 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.” –2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Weary soldier, fearful new friend, ask God’s Holy Spirit to fill you, or fill you afresh, if you’ve never asked, with the same fiery Light and power He freely gave those who first prayed in faith believing He would. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” –Acts 2: 1-3

Then, let Jesus’ Light, this same Magnificent, Pure, Holy Light that has been piercing the darkness of men’s hearts for millennia, burst forth out of you, like a bridegroom from his bedchamber, unashamed and undeniable. You are God’s messenger: A Light carrier for the King of Kings. You are partnering with heaven when your Light burns brightly and unashamedly before all men—especially those who reject you for His name’s sake. “I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God. / But whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” –Luke 12:8-9

Blaze on, beloved! In the power of His Might! “Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.” –Daniel 12:3

Friends, you can carry this Magnificent, saving Light of Christ Jesus in you, but first, you must ask Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life. Won’t you do that right now? Be freed from the darkness and walk in Pure Light… “because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.” –Romans 10:9-10

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