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Category: Choice (Page 1 of 8)

All, In One.

January 18, 2025 / / 0 Comments

MaryEllen Montville

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” –2 Corinthians 5:14.

Reading just one sentence written in a daily devotional and then searching for the Truth of it in God’s inerrant Word can often usher in a whole new level of awe and understanding. It happens the instant His Logos, God’s written Word becomes Rhema, God’s Word made instantly alive and understood. Made personal by His Holy Spirit. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know precisely what I’m talking about.

I quickly recognized I was having an “I prayed, and God answered moment.” 

God responded to my prayer with just one click of His heavenly kaleidoscope, just as He promised us in Jeremiah 33:3.” “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”  You see, just moments before reading an incroyable sentence in my devotional, I had asked God to show me more. More of Him. Deeper things. More of His goodness, character, and heart—supernatural things, all the while knowing such revelation would be far beyond my purblind understanding. Still, I want more of God and fully believe He alone can open our understanding of who He is—His deeper recesses. So I asked. And God answered.

The sentence in the devotional I was reading: “Jesus was all people in one person.”

As I read and reread that one sentence, His Holy Spirit began opening the eyes of my understanding, leading me straight into His Word. “Yet look at you now! Everything is new! Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ! Our reconciling “Peace” is Jesus! He has made Jew and non-Jew one in Christ. By dying as our sacrifice, he has broken down every wall of prejudice that separated us and has now made us equal through our union with Christ. Ethnic hatred has been dissolved by the crucifixion of his precious body on the cross. The legal code that stood condemning every one of us has now been repealed by his command. His triune essence has made peace between us by starting over—forming one new race of humanity, Jews and non-Jews fused together in himself!” –Ephesians 2:13-15.

At first glance, I got it. Kind of—in part. We were all inside of Christ as He hung on His Cross—before really, in eternity past, while He was waiting to be born and die for us, in our place—so that we might one day live for or reject Him; Jew and Gentile alike, no division between us “For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.”  –Romans 8:29.

In the truest sense, Christ hung on His Cross, the Sinless substitute for every guilty man who was, is, or is yet to come; for you, me, Abraham, Moses, and that one who wants nothing to do with Him.

His sacrifice—the innocent in place of the guilty—is world-inclusive.

It’s Jesus’ “I’ll die so that every single one of them will have the opportunity to choose Me—to choose Life,” demonstration of love. According to John 19:30, every soul, saved and unsaved alike, has been caught in God’s eternal “It Is Finished” net.

That we, the guilty, should be offered such a choice as to accept or reject our Creator, our Pure and Sin-less Savior, is mind-boggling to me.

Jesus is the only atonement God would accept for every man’s sins—past, present, and future; His willingness to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world meant Jesus would be brutally beaten, crucified, and die, even for those He foreknew would reject, deny, and despise Him and His offer to experience new life in Him.

This part of the “Jesus was all people in one person.” I understood.

After all, Christ’s substitutionary atonement is a pillar of—a massive chunk of the very bedrock upon which our faith—my faith, is built. The other chunks? The fact that He was born of a Virgin, Fathered by God’s Holy Spirit, born fully God and fully man—sinless. And this same Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, defeated death and the grave, resurrecting on the third day, are some of the other massive chunks of the bedrock of our faith.

Transfixed, feeling more was yet to come, I sat meditating on that one sentence: “Jesus was all people in one person.”

Then, suddenly, the Holy Spirit opened it up a bit more.

Those seven words put parentheses around the Gospel message. Around those, Jesus foreknew would accept Him and those who never would. It put parentheses around God’s justice and His Love—His judgment and forgiveness.

Being fully God, Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. Yes, the tiny babe the angel Gabriel once proclaimed as the world’s Savior to some shepherds; being one in nature with God—being God, was all men in one man in the sense that Jesus knew those the Father had given Him before the foundation of the world. From eternity past, it has always been about far more than Jews and Gentiles, about there being no division between us. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” –Colossians 1:15-18.

The “all people” has always been about every man. “All men.” Period. Regardless. All men include the pedophile, the murderer, and rapist, the abortion doctor, the thief, the drug-addicted mom, the sloppy drunk dad, and that homeless guy begging for change on the corner—those “surely not that one, Lord!”

Those the sanctimonious have labeled unworthy and shady; Jesus foreknew each of them in heaven as they awaited their birth, just as He foreknew you.

Jesus foreknew those who would accept Him as Lord and Savior and live—and those who, like Satan, Judas, and countless others, would rebel against Him and die because, like their father, they have chosen to harden their hearts. Refusing to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father—the only way back to where they came from. “You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel” –Isaiah 48:8.

Just as surely as God foreknew every lash His only Begotten Son would take upon His sinless body, He also foreknew every soul who would despise and reject Him. He foreknew the very men He was sending Jesus into the world to save would savagely and quite literally beat the flesh off His sinless Body, maliciously press a crown of thorns into His head, spit on him, strike Him with their fist, and then taunt and demean Him. And at any time, God could have stopped it, but He didn’t.

Jesus, at any time, could have said, “Enough,” but He didn’t. Instead, He endured death on His Cross. Why? Because in the truest sense of the word, hanging on His Cross, Jesus was all people in one Person—knowing who will be with Him always and those who would choose to live apart from Him now and forever. And had God loved us so and decided to let the cup of suffering pass Jesus by, Had Jesus not drank that bitter cup down to its dregs, all men would die in their sin, having no righteousness of their own, no Way back to the Father. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6.

What will Jesus say of you, friend? “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” or “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  Concerning these choices, God Himself says this to you: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.” –Deuteronomy 30:19. Jesus loves you enough to have left heaven, been born as a man, lived, died, and conquered the grave, the firstborn of the dead so that you might choose Him, belong to Him, and live.

The Good Samaritan: Loving Beyond Boundaries

January 1, 2025 /

Pastor Samuel Cordeiro

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” –Luke 10:25-37.

In this passage of scripture, we encounter a profound and challenging parable that reveals the heart of God’s kingdom—a call to love beyond boundaries. An expert in the law approaches Jesus with a pivotal question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus, in His wisdom, redirects the question: “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” The expert in the law rightly recites the law: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” But then comes the follow-up: “And who is my neighbor?”

The man correctly understood that the law demanded total devotion to God and love for one’s neighbor. But the religious leader’s understanding of “neighbor” was missing. This question, meant to justify himself, sets the stage for one of the most powerful stories Jesus ever told—the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Radical Love of the Kingdom

The Good Samaritan’s story isn’t just about helping someone in need. It’s a call to break down barriers, love beyond boundaries, and risk our comfort for the sake of Christ-like compassion. Through this parable, Jesus challenges us to redefine who our “neighbor” is and what it means to love them.

Who Is My Neighbor?

The Samaritan’s story begins on a dangerous road from Jerusalem to Jericho, notorious for its robbers. When a man is attacked, left beaten, and half-dead, two individuals—respected in society—walk past him: a priest and a Levite. Both choose to avoid him, prioritizing their own status or safety. But then, a Samaritan—despised by Jews—steps in. Despite centuries of prejudice and hatred between Jews and Samaritans, he chooses compassion.

So, who is our neighbor?

Is it someone who doesn’t look, think, or worship like us?

Is it someone we’ve written off because of their past?

Is it the person who has hurt us or holds different political views? Who have we, perhaps unintentionally, labeled as unworthy of our time, attention, or mercy? The answer is clear:

My neighbor is everyone Jesus valued worth dying for on the cross at Calvary.

EVERYONE, NO EXCLUSIONS. That includes those we may find challenging tolove.

1 John 4: 19-21 19 “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While we don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, His grace supersedes our sins.

 Compassion Over Status and Self-Preservation

The priest and Levite’s failure to help the wounded man reminds us how easy it is to let status or fear hold us back. The priest likely feared becoming ceremonially unclean. The law required priests to remain ceremonially clean, especially if they were on their way to performing temple duties. In this context, touching a potentially dead body would have made the priest unclean, requiring a lengthy purification process. So, to maintain his religious “purity,” he chose to walk by.

Like the priest, this Levite may have been concerned with ritual cleanliness. Still, perhaps even more so, he might have been worried about his safety or social repercussions. In a sense, his decision to “pass by” may have been rational, but it showed a lack of trust in God’s calling to love others boldly.

Both missed the point of God’s law, which places mercy and justice above ritual or convenience. God emphasized this truth when He said, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6).

Compassion often costs us something—time, comfort, or resources.

But God calls us to move past our excuses and trust Him to work through our acts of love.

The Aroma of Christ

As followers of Jesus, our lives carry an aroma—a spiritual fragrance that points others to Christ. In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NLT), Paul writes, “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now, he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance

rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?”

When you walk into a room, the atmosphere changes.

Not because of you or anything special about you personally, but because the living God, the Holy Spirit, decided to take residence in you; we must remember the authority and privilege we have as believers of Christ Jesus that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us! And through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we can speak life to a dead situation, encourage a depressed soul, and be used to bring healing to a hurting body! God calls us to be the hands and feet of Jesus today in our generation.

What aroma are you spreading?

Does your life reflect the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control? Or does it reflect the world’s tendencies—bitterness, division, and self-interest? Jesus says it this way in John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I have heard it said this way… a plum tree doesn’t eat its own plums. A pear tree doesn’t eat its own pears. All it gets is water and sunlight. Because the fruit isn’t for themselves; they are for people who pass by (our neighbors). Why? Because your gifts aren’t for us or our pleasure –they’re for God to use to bless others.

What we need are rivers of Living Water (the Holy Spirit), Sunlight (Christ Jesus, the Son of God), and wisdom!

Be the Neighbor

Jesus ends the parable with a challenge: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replies, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus’ response is simple but profound: “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus calls us to not only identify our neighbor but to be a neighbor.

The focus shifts from “Who am I required to love?” to “How can I show God’s love to others?

The Samaritan’s actions went beyond a random act of kindness. He took the wounded man to an inn, paid for his care, and promised to return. His compassion was sacrificial, costing him time, money, and effort.

What does it look like for us to “be the neighbor”?

Helping those in need—from coworkers to strangers on the street.

Serving with humility—whether in our homes, communities, or churches.

Loving sacrificially—even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.

We have the incredible honor of being the hands and feet of Jesus and carrying Christ’s aroma everywhere we go. Let’s be bold enough and humble enough to serve our neighbors around us with Christ’s love, mercy, and compassion.

The Challenge for Us

Confronting the needs of others reveals our attitudes:

 The priest and Levite saw the wounded man as a problem to avoid.

The Samaritan saw him as a person worth loving.

And Jesus? He saw them all—and us—as worth dying for.

This new year, let’s ask God to soften our hearts and open our eyes to the neighbors around us.

Let’s be bold enough to step into uncomfortable places and humble enough to serve with the love, mercy, and compassion of Christ. Because in the end, loving our neighbor isn’t just a command—it’s a reflection of the One who loved us first.

As we reflect on the parable of the Good Samaritan, we see a clear picture of Christ’s love for us—His selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love for us when we were beaten, broken, and left for dead in our sin, Jesus didn’t pass us by.

He stepped down from heaven, took on the weight of our sin, and paid the ultimate price with His life so that we could be restored and made whole.

But just as the Samaritan’s compassion required a response, so does Christ’s love for us. The Bible says in Romans 10:9, “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.”

Perhaps you’ve been walking on the road of life, feeling beaten down by mistakes, guilt, or the weight of the past. Maybe you feel abandoned like no one cares or sees you. Let me assure you today:

Jesus sees you. He loves you. And He’s reaching out to you right now.

Don’t Look Back!

November 30, 2024 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” –Gen 19:26.

The Lord often gets our attention through difficult situations. He uses them, usually, to deliver us from stuff we have yet to learn. Once out of trouble, we quickly need to remember what He’s delivered us from. God knows our nature and how quickly we forget. He instructed us in many parts of Scripture to remember what He has done for his people then and us now!

The Bible mentions 170 women by name, but there is only one Jesus tells us to remember. We find her in Luke 17:32. She’s Lot’s wife. Amidst a speech about the end times, Jesus tells us: “Remember Lot’s wife.” Remember what she did. She looked back, disobeying God’s instructions, and turned into a pillar of salt. Just as the angel of the Lord told her not to look back to what was burning behind her, God also reminds us not to look back to where we’ve come from and what is burning behind us.

God wants us to let go! He doesn’t want us to look back to the things He is freeing us from.

Look ahead because Lot’s wife disobediently looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt in the place where she was only supposed to be passing by, not get stuck in, never going ahead. Looking back implies missing something behind us and the desire /longing to return to it. Our connection to the past must be healed through the Blood of Jesus, the only Blood that covers us—the Blood of the One who sets us free.

When God calls us out of any thing, we must leave it behind without hesitation; if we don’t, our hearts will desire the familiar. We will long for what we know. Even the good moments in Sodom were not worth looking back to. They are often only suitable for that season rather than the seasons ahead. God’s plan for our lives may change just as seasons change, and we must be willing to change with them, not holding tightly onto what is behind us.

Today’s Scripture clearly shows us how important it is to obey such a calling and to not look back.

Genesis 19:27-29 depicts Abraham’s attitude towards what he saw happening as He stood looking out over Sodom and Gomorrah. As he witnessed the smoke of that furnace going up! God had remembered Abraham and saved Lot for Abraham’s sake. “Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.”

These exemplary stories are a profound lesson in trusting God with all our hearts and leaning not on our understanding. Proverbs 3:5 advises us wisely to acknowledge God in all our ways. When we do this, we live in obedience, and we open ourselves to God’s divine guidance, direction, and longevity in the promise of our lives. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Genesis 19 is a powerful chapter that serves as a cautionary story, urging us not to follow in the footsteps of Lot’s wife. It vividly illustrates how disobedience can lead to severe consequences. Despite the angel’s warning not to look back, her longing for the past outweighed God’s command. She was given the chance to abandon everything and save her life, to leave and never return. Her refusal to let go of her past is her legacy. A fitting memorial to a rebellious unbeliever for coming generations to sadly witness.

Looking at Jesus’s New Testament stories, we find times when He expresses similar sentiments.

In Luke 9:62, Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”  What is Jesus talking about?

Many people want to follow Jesus but are hindered by their concern for what they must leave behind. Not only looking back but also having divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife.

In various verses throughout the Gospels, Jesus says, “Whoever wants to save his life shall lose it.” (Matt 10:39, 16:25; Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, 17:33.) Although the contexts may vary, one thing remains the same. Following Jesus requires turning our backs on the “life” this world offers, the life we once knew, and fully embracing our new life in Christ. Our attempts at keeping our old life are the same as our “looking back.”

Lot’s wife is an illustration and example that we must remember. In Luke 17:32, Jesus Himself commands us to remember. “Remember Lot’s wife.”

But why?

For the believer, our new life now rules over our old one, and we must remember to obey what Christ tells us. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:36. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” —2 Corinthians 5:17.

Jesus came to set you free. To make His children free indeed. To live in this freedom, we must detach from old memories, emotions, feelings, etc., and we must soar into the future fully sold out. Entirely believing in the commands of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Father, in Jesus’ name, I pray for freedom over anyone reading these words. I pray your Holy Spirit loses, binds, and delivers every soul longing to get closer to you. Touch and heal the soul, body, and spirit. Enter in and make this person a new creation in Jesus’ name. “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.” –Romans 10:9.

Living Counter To The World’s Culture.

October 19, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“The gentle are blessed, for they will inherit the earth. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled.” –Matthew 5:5-6.

Scripture does not say that the aggressive will inherit the earth, but the gentle will inherit the earth. God uses the meek things of the world to confuse those who are in offices of authority and power. “Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from human perspective, not many powerful, not many noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”– 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

According to most world standards, people are to step over one another and do whatever it takes to reach the front of the line.

I like to call this a “me first mentality.”

“Worry only about yourself,” the world says. Some people have told me that it’s always been around and that there is nothing new under the sun. I say yes to that; however, it is more apparent now than it was four years ago.

We encounter it daily out in the world.

When we are in traffic or even walking in the grocery store. This “me first mentality” has taken over in the world. Lawlessness, people celebrating the sin of selfishness, is now considered a normal thing, and it’s the Word of God that says considering others as more important than ourselves, they say, is backward.

What was once considered evil is now good, and what was considered good is now evil. “Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.” – Matthew 24:12-13.

Here is Biblical Truth, my friends. Jesus tells us that we will be delivered if we continue to endure these hard times. How? By abiding in Him. “Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.” –John 15:4

My friends, Jesus is not addressing the people of the world in this scripture. He is addressing us—all who believe in Him.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be aware and have our spiritual eyes opened to what is going on in our jobs, our children’s schools, within our families, and other matters that are going on in the world.

In Matthew 10, before Jesus sent out His disciples, He tells them this:

“Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.” –Matthew 10:16.

Just as sheep are gentle, we must be gentle as well.

Being shrewd like a serpent means being wise in our decisions, not doormats, so we must speak the Truth in love instead of remaining silent. In a world of ravaging wolves, we must go boldly into our jobs and schools, declaring that Jesus is Lord and that salvation is found no other!

Some we will encounter there are the very ones who once believed in Jesus Christ, yet somehow, Satan got a hold of them, and now they are out there wandering, living like the world. They have been blinded to the Truth. The sad part is that when they had heard the truth, they did not receive it in their hearts!

In 1 John 2:19, the Apostle John writes: “They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belong to us.”

Still, there is time for those who have turned away my brothers and sisters—unless they have committed the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against God’s Holy Spirit—continually rejecting His calling them to repentance and into a relationship with Himself.“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” –Matthew 12:31.

So it’s the repentant heart, fully surrendered, having come back to God, asking Him to forgive their sins who are those who, having turned away, might be restored. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” –Luke 15:21-24.

It is not God’s will for anyone to miss out on His free gift of salvation, found only in His Son, Jesus. “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9.

My friends, we have been made righteous through Jesus Christ.

This means we can now stand in the presence of  God. The world may look dark and dry, but stay focused on the prize ahead: our eternal salvation with our Father in heaven. And if you have strayed from Him, return now. Don’t harden your heart; be gentle and submit to Him instead.

Believe in your heart, this day, that Jesus is the Son of God. Repent of your sins and be washed clean by Jesus’ Blood. “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.

Do you, brother or sister, thirst for more of Jesus?

In John 7:37,  Jesus reminds you, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink! The one who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”

Come and be filled afresh with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ!

We are truly a blessed people. Amen.

Have You Set Your Face?

August 31, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” –Hebrews 12:2.

It’s not that Jesus wasn’t aware of or chose to ignore whatever adversity or circumstance in which He found Himself—He is, after all, Omniscient. It’s more that, unlike Peter, Jesus emphatically refused to be distracted by waves of tumultuous feelings or the oft-roaring winds of adversity and descent that swirled about Him, doing their best to deter Him from His sole mission—doing His Father’s will.

Speaking prophetically in his third Servant Song, Isaiah describes the Source of Messiah’s determination and His purpose this way: “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame” –Isaiah 50:7.

And in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 9, verse 51, we hear  Isaiah’s words echoed this way: “Now when the time was approaching for Him to be taken up [to heaven], He was determined to go to Jerusalem [to fulfill His purpose].”

No amount of pushback or rejection, no personal loss or tragedy, no hunger, homelessness, opposition, nor any amount of physical or emotional pain, no betrayal at the hands of those He loved, would ever deter Jesus from ushering in the Father’s purpose for His coming: A New Covenant—making way for us to return to the Father. “Now as they were eating Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the [new and better] covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many [as a] substitutionary atonement] for the forgiveness of sins. –Matthew 26:26-28.

No temptation in or of this world did or will ever be strong enough to lure Jesus’s focus away from fulfilling the Father’s will. Remember, beloved. Christ will come again to rule and reign over His world. “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

From the beginning, God’s focus has been singular in its intent—to receive glory from—and have a loving, intimate relationship with—His children. “Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” –Revelation 4:9-11.

To fulfill this plan conceived between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in eternity past, Jesus took on flesh, becoming fully human while remaining fully God. So that, when He had finished the work, the Father had given Him, He would return to His rightful place of honor at the Father’s right hand. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 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 14:14-15.

Beloved, we have a high priest then—a heavenly Intercessor who fully understands all of what it is like to be human and yet, being fully God, is able to show us that through Him and by Him, we can be washed clean of our sin if we agree to clothe ourselves with the Holy, Blood-stained garments of Jesus’ Sinless Righteousness. “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” –Isaiah 61:10.

From His birth to His death and resurrection, because of the joy set before Him, the hope that you, friend, would one day say yes to His unfathomable gift of salvation, Jesus remained tunnel vision-focused on fulfilling His singular, yet multifaceted task: “I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.” –John 6:38.

What have you set before you, beloved?

 What are you laser-focused on, friend?

Like Jesus, are you determined to do the will of your Father?

Or, as Jesus pointed out to His friend, Peter, have you allowed the raging storms around you to draw your attention away from Him, His plan for your life, losing heart? “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” –Matthew 14:30-31.

Wars and rumors of wars, nation fighting against nation, and people group against people group. Perhaps it’s your siding with this political party or that one that’s distracting you? Is the rising food, gas, and cost of everything why you’ve lost focus?

Friends, I’m here to remind us:  We “get to” choose what we set before us.

I encourage you, then, to make wise use of your choice. To set righteous living before you—living to please God. To choose Jesus, living with a flint-like, sold-out faith, hope, and belief that Jesus is the only Way to the Father, letting nothing in this world distract you from hearing Jesus say to you, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!'” –Matthew 25:23.

Friends, the Father allowed Jesus a set time to accomplish His will. He’s allowed you a set time as well. Be a good steward of the time God has entrusted you and His plan for your life. Not sure what that is? Your finding out begins with you saying yes to Jesus—having a relationship with Him and saying yes to God’s will for your life. Then, set your face to follow Him wherever He made lead you. God is faithful. Trust Him to give you the grace and strength you need to fulfill His will. “He gives power to the faint, and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength.” –Isaiah 40:29.

Fading Light

August 17, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.” –John 12:35-36.

If we are paying attention, we’ve noticed it’s getting darker earlier than when the first light of summer stretched wide its arms, pushing back the cover of night ever so slightly at first. Then, widening its reach, it gradually offered us all an unkeepable promise: more time, and as humans do, we want that: more time. In our flesh, we long for the stretched-out days and longer nights of a never-ending summer. But beloved, if we are paying attention, then that check in our spirit, that something deep within us knows that it knows summer’s promise is deceptive—because the Light is in fact, fading.

As it is in the heavenly realm, so too on the earth.

At the same time, while there is Light, we must not allow ourselves to be lulled into the false promise of a never-ending summer—lazy days of all play and laughter. Instead, we must work and all the more while it is day. We must put our hands to the plow with a fresh grip and a new determination. We must consciously live holy and pleasing lives, faithfully doing the work God gave us, created us to do before the foundation of the world.

We must consecrate ourselves anew to Jesus while it is still day, beloved of God. Working with renewed diligence, knowing: “the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work; [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way.” –2 Thessalonians 2:7.

A lot of “musts,” I know. Still, we must—because the Light is fading. A mystery as wholly unknowable in totality as God Himself, yet equally real.

God uses His creation to speak to us, pointing us toward more profound Truth—facets of Himself, revealing slivers of His “It Is Finished” plan. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse–Romans 1:20.

As Christians, we get to watch God’s Word unfold before our very eyes: a Living message of hope and comfort pointing us toward our eternal reward. The Light of Christ and the radiance of God’s Glory. “But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word.” –Hebrews 1:2-3.

We are privy to God’s master plan—if we’ve chosen to open and study it—allowed it to lead and guide us as God intended. Our Creator ensured we would be prepared for all that would come—more, He ensured we’d have a survival guide that would help us navigate the fading of the Light and a sure promise that we would and will overcome darkness by placing His Spirit in us as our Guide. “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].” –John 16:13.

Friends, as the light God blesses us with recedes and the seasons change in obedience to their Creator, let’s follow their example of gracefully surrendering that which we were never meant to hang on to—created things. Things like the fading light of summer. Instead, as instructed, let us look to the City that will not need created light because the Uncreated, Self-Existent God Himself will be its eternal Light, forever banishing this current darkness. “And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light.” –Revelation 21:23.

Beloved, the world is getting darker and darker indeed, but fear not!

As we understand it, God has had a plan from before time. Every second, every event in time—across time, mysteriously interwoven into a glorious, majestic, Royal fabric far too tremendous and vast for our simple and finite minds to take in. His name? Jesus, Light of The World. Listen as the Prophet Isaiah shares with us a sliver of God’s plan. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14.

Immanuel: God with us.

God so wanted us to be with Him that He sent His only Son, Jesus, The Light of the world, into this world so that by Him, through Him—through a relationship with Him, we might one day soon and very soon once again behold the glory of God our Father with unveiled faces.

Summer has made us an unkeepable promise, friend, but not God.

Don’t mourn the passing of summer’s temporary light. Instead, as Jesus instructs us in today’s Scripture, run to, seize, grab hold of Him with both hands—while it’s still day.

Every man must choose for himself. Choose, then, to live in True Light.

Scripture assures us our ability to do this will end suddenly one day. So, I encourage you to—pray, that you will embrace, welcome, and drink in the Light of Life while He may be found.

Summer lasts for a season. Your life is eternal. Where you’ll spend it, in darkness or Light, is before you today. The choice is yours, friend. Choose the unfading Light. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:8-10.

Me, Lord?

July 13, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” –Ruth 2:8;10.



Like many redemption stories, Ruth’s started long before Boaz, her earthly kinsman redeemer, took notice of her gleaning grain in his field. Long before, he would waste no time hastening before the town elders and leaders to state his intentions concerning her. “Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife.” –Ruth 4:9-10.

As with all those Jesus calls His own, somewhere in the eternal past, a conversation occurred between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit concerning us; in this instance, Their discussion centered around Ruth and Their plan for her life. As with our own, Ruth’s story began so far back that as God recounted it, the earth was yet formless and void. “According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” –Ephesians 1:4-5.

Ruth, a Moabite, married Mahlon, a Judean immigrant from Bethlehem. Son of Elimelech and Naomi, Mahlon had accompanied his parents and brother to Moab due to a famine that had struck their land. Thus, Mahlon somehow lands in Ruth’s proverbial backyard and ever the story goes. Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl, yet after ten years of marriage, Ruth is not only left childless but a widow when Mahlon dies suddenly. Nonetheless, El Roi, the God of her husband’s people, saw Ruth’s plight. “The LORD protects foreigners; He sustains the fatherless and the widow, but the ways of the wicked He frustrates.” –Psalm 146:9.

Ever watchful, El Roi, the God who saw Ruth, sees us. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” –Hebrews 13:8.

So even when we, the vulnerable and dispossessed, the seemingly unseen, unprotected, the foreigner, feel as Ruth did, wholly unworthy of receiving such unfathomable kindness and such incomprehensible love. Contrary to those feelings and far more than any man’s kindness toward us, God is far more willing, kinder, and more gracious than the best of us deserve. “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” –Isaiah 30:18.

“When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.” Ruth 1:6. But somewhere en route to Bethlehem, “the house of bread,” Naomi has second thoughts. She tells Ruth and her sister-in-law Orpha to head back to Moab, their families, their gods, and, hopefully, to future husbands.

After some tears and a long goodbye, Orpha concedes and heads back to Moab, but not Ruth.

Right there on a dusty road that will lead both women to a future they could not have imagined, Ruth upends her heart, spilling its contents at her mother-in-law’s feet. “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” –Ruth 1:16-17.

Only at the feet of Jesus, as Mary, Lazarus’ sister, cries tears born of eternal devotion and an inexpressible love while pouring spikenard over Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair, do we see a more moving example of such humble, pure and heartfelt devotion. But that’s a teaching for another day. Ruth’s humility, tender devotion to her mother-in-law, readiness, confidence, and courage to leave her family—and the only life she’s ever known; her emboldened plea and willingness to follow Naomi, come what may, were gifts from God.

Unrecognized at the moment, each trait was some piece of the whole she would need to walk out God’s plan for her life faithfully.

A destiny unfolding undecipherably before her as she walked beside Naomi on that dusty, one-way road that led to redemption. “So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” –Ruth 4:13-17.

And if we follow David’s genealogy, it leads us straight to our Eternal Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus: “Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.” Then, after skipping multiple generations, David’s natural lineage ends with “and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.”

Ruth could not have known where her obedient, submissive heart would lead her.

We know Ruth was overwhelmed with gratitude by the human kindness shown to her by Boaz; the scriptures make that clear. But what we can only imagine is how full of gratitude, how much more humbled and thunderstruck Ruth may have felt had she known standing on that dusty road that her one decision to leave a familiar world behind her to follow Naomi would one day lead to her having played some small part in ensuring her spiritual Redeemer and ours; Jesus,  Savior of the whole world, is born.

So, what does Jesus’ being born mean for you specifically?  

It means if, like Ruth, you are willing to humble yourself and follow after the One True God who has led you not to some dusty road but here, instead, you might meet and, like her, walk away following not some earthy redeemer who can offer you only temporary rewards, but your eternal, Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus Christ who offers you His Life.

Won’t you welcome His Life into your yours? Are you willing to leave behind this world’s old, familiar things and follow God more wholeheartedly, passionately, and tenderheartedly than even Ruth once followed Naomi? “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” –Psalm 32:8.

As scripture says, being born again must occur for you to have a relationship with God. A relationship Christ gave up all to have with you. “Me, Lord?” “Yes, you child.” “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” –John 3:3.

He Walks With Me.

June 29, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho & MaryEllen Montville

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” –Proverbs 16:9.

I love this proverb because, as Christians, it is something we have all dealt with and can relate to. We all have a dream or vision that we want to pursue, and dreams and visions are good to have. Often, they are a gift from God that gives us something to strive for and a purpose to get up every morning. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.” Having a plan to strive for is great, especially when you seek God first. God promises that it will be blessed and fulfilling; maybe not always exactly what you want or asked for, but blessed and fulfilling because He will always bring good and personal growth out of it. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus reminds us to keep God first in our hearts and everything we do. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

My dear friends, I’m here to remind you that you have a purpose, and God has a plan for your life.

If you belong to Him, do not think for one second that God has left you as orphans. He speaks to you daily through His Spirit that dwells inside you. So do not ignore what God is speaking to you. Be wise in understanding what God is showing you regarding how to walk out what He has placed in your heart. Because when you allow yourself to think you are wise in your own ways and feel you do not need the Lord’s help, you will always be wrong. Always hit avoidable roadblocks and pitfalls. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” –Hebrews 3:15.

God’s Holy Spirit gives you the knowledge and the peace to navigate whatever He has placed on your heart; you can confidently walk knowing that God and His promises are with you and for you. You will never hear the Lord say, “Well, got to go now! And oh, good luck, because you are going to need it! Remember God and all that good stuff. See ya!”

God forbid!

I can’t even imagine it!

I thank God we serve a faithful, kind, intentional, and loving God who created us on purpose—with a purpose.

Today, I cannot even think about what life would be without having Jesus as my Sustainer—the One who places His plans and purposes in my heart. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11.

Because there once was a time when I walked in rebellion, according to my plans and desires—walking in the way that seemed right in my heart. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.” –Proverbs 14:12. It was not until Jesus came and set me on the path of Life that forever changed me. He said, “Follow Me,” and directed my steps in a new direction. One from which, by His grace and in His strength, I will never turn. “For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” –2 Corinthians 6:2.

Brothers and sisters, I pray that before you begin to set goals and make life plans for yourself, you first go before our Lord in prayer, wholeheartedly seeking Him and submitting yourself and your plans to God, allowing His Holy Spirit to guide your every step. “Commit your works to the LORD [submit and trust them to Him], And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].” –Proverbs 16:3.

So many right now do not know that the love of God is found in no one other than Christ Jesus. Jesus alone is the only way back into a loving Father-child relationship with God. “Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” –John 14:6.

For those who are reading this for the first time and don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus but want one, who want to know what it truly means to walk in a new direction, to have your sins forgiven and your plans firmly established and blessed by God, I invite you first to repent of your sins—ask Jesus to forgive you, then, ask Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior believing He is truly the Son of God. God promises, “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.

Lifter of My Head.

May 25, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her; “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” – Luke 13:10-13

I pray this is a timely word for someone out there because it hit me right between the eyes when I read this Scripture. Why? It is the All-Powerful Word of God. It’s not just another bunch of writings or some book you may pick up off the shelf. It is God’s Living Word! You may have read the above passage many times and not thought about it much. But then, one day, as you read it, the Holy Spirit will make it come alive, and you can’t help but see it afresh. That is what happened to me.

As I was reading this passage of Scripture, Holy Spirit started to reveal things we go through in this life, as this poor woman did. She had spent eighteen years hunched over, bent under the weight of the spirit of infirmity. Some weakness, whether physical or mental, the Bible doesn’t specify which, had caused the ground around her feet to become her view daily. She was missing the beauty of life surrounding her—God’s beautiful creations.

Infirmity is not always the result of some physical illness.

It can also manifest by way of emotional trauma. Sometimes, when we are hurting or battling depression, anxiety, or anger, our bodies will suffer physically as a result of our emotional experiences. Let me explain.

We do not know this woman’s exact age, but we do know she was not born with this “infirmity.” However, Scripture does say, “She could in no way raise herself up.” Perhaps being in this state for so long had caused her to live in a mindset of defeat. Gradually becoming incapable of raising herself physically and, maybe equally, of speaking life into herself.

Maybe something unexpected had happened to her, and it left behind the weight of so much doubt and sadness that she could not even bring herself to praise God.

Or perhaps she just gave up. One day, she decided to stop fighting and allowed her body to give in to the weight of her infirmity, and before she knew it, the ground became the only thing she could see.

Had her heart been so broken and her confidence so shaken, she could only mutter, “What is the point, God?”

I really do wonder what happened to this poor woman. What caused this to happen to her? Her downcast spirit reminds me of the psalmist’s words in Psalm 42:5: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.”

Friends, the Scriptures remind us that our worship of God is our weapon during our times of difficulties. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” –Hebrews 4:16

As believers, we hope in God. We praise God. We cry out to Jesus, yet in our trials, how often do we forget to “come boldly to the throne of grace,” focusing instead on our problems?

Are we only to seek Jesus when the wind and the waves threaten us? Shouldn’t our worship and adoration of His mercy and goodness be our default lifestyle?

I can speak from the experiences I have had where I had no strength in me to worship or pray. I have felt defeated and lost, not knowing what else to do. Be real with me here. Surely, I am not the only one here admitting to this. 

I need a Big God. A Father who will lovingly remind me when I am weak, He is strong and able to do exceedingly above anything  I could ever do without Him. When troubles come, I need Jesus to remind me that He is right there with me, going before me and leading me and my family out of whatever storm we are facing.

In 2 Corinthians 12:10, the Apostle Paul writes, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I pray when distress comes, and it will, that you will stand knowing God is for you, child of God, and if He is for you, then who can be against you? 

My dear friends, all hope is not lost, for we have a loving God who will move mountains for His kids. He will not leave us to see only the ground beneath our feet. Scripture tells us, “But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him.” Get that into your hearts, my friends. El Roi saw her, and He sees you and is calling you to Himself, just as He did with this poor woman.

I can picture her as she heard Jesus’ voice, slowly following, hunched over, and looking at the ground. Only this time, when she heard Jesus’ voice, her faith was stirred up. This wounded sheep now followed her Shepards voice. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they know Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” –John 10:27-30

You are His Beloved sheep if you have placed your faith in Jesus. And you shall never perish, nor can anything hold you back from Him reaching you. Jesus is Greater than the sadness that keeps you up at night. He is far stronger than that fear causing you to walk, head down.

As this poor woman finally reached Jesus, laying His hands on her, He said, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” –Luke 13:12. “… And immediately she straightened up and praised God.” –Luke 13:13.

Can you see the picture? I can see her looking at the ground, and then Jesus places His hand under her chin, and she looks up to Him. “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.” –Psalm 3:3-4

No more is she focused on her bondage or the ground beneath her; now she is eye to eye with God, and as He lays His hand on her shoulders, she starts to feel strength where there was weakness. The weight is removed from her as she stands up straight.

What an image of victory over the enemy! She stands glorifying God in His Presence, knowing her life will never be the same.

This holds true for you, dear friend. God wants you free from your infirmity, to be loosed, in Jesus’ name.

I pray this teaching spoke to you today. I pray the Holy Spirit touched you in a way that brought you comfort and peace, knowing no matter what is going on around you, Jesus is right there with you. Choose this day to make Jesus your Lord and Savior. Be washed by the Blood of Jesus and ask for forgiveness of your sins. Jesus is faithful to forgive. 1 John 1:9 assures you, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Amen.

Sin And Dinosaurs

May 11, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” –Romans 6:14.

You may ask, “What’s the connection between sin and dinosaurs?” Bear with me. We’ll get there. Holy Spirit birthed this title and teaching after reading a morning devotional about how, in today’s world, many have drifted away from or ignored altogether—the concept and consequences of sin and sinning—even some professing Christians.

There is physical and scientific proof that dinosaurs roamed planet Earth for some 165 million years, but there is also proof those same dinosaurs became extinct approximately 65 million years ago. Categorically speaking, no one in our modern world can realistically live in fear of being overpowered by a dinosaur. Conversely, sin predates dinosaurs. It has been with us since the fall of Adam and Eve. “Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.” –Romans 5:12.

Yet, unlike dinosaurs, sin is very much alive and overpowers many in today’s world.

If you doubt this, watch the news. Daily, you’ll witness evidence of sin and its dire effects on the lives of so many men, women, children, teens, and young adults; those who come face to face with sin’s deadly presence—robbing them of hope, joy, peace, family, relational stability and, ultimately, both natural and eternal life.

So, in answer to the question: “What’s the connection between sin and dinosaurs?”

Simply put, one no longer has the lethal power to destroy lives, while the other very much does. Unapologetically, sin is often incognito, an unrelenting tyrant.“But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death.” –James 1:14-15.

To find the only True explanation of how sin can and does rob us both in this life and the life to come, we must go to the only Source of Truth: God’s Innerant Word. “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.” –Romans 5:17.

From the beginning, sin has gleefully robbed the saved of God’s blessings.

More tragically, whether acknowledged or not, sin is daily robbing the unsaved of eternal life.

Sin blinds them to the opportunity to experience intimate fellowship—a one-on-one relationship with Jesus, now and in the life to come. “But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death.” –James 1:14-15.

Through his admonition, James intends to instill this Biblical Truth in both the believer and those yet to believe.

For the believer, James is warning us to stay alert! To follow Joseph’s example and not entertain nor linger in sin’s presence. To literally run from sin! “ so she grabbed Joseph by his outer garment and demanded “Let’s have some sex!” Instead, Joseph ran outside, leaving his outer garment still in her hand..” –Genesis 39:12.

James also reminds believers: so long as we live in these natural bodies, both our intrinsic sinful nature —and the enemy of our soul—can and will, without warning, rear their ugly heads, determined to entice us to reach back and dredge up, make excuses for, give mouth-to-mouth to, those sins meant to stay dead.

To go dumpster diving—pulling out long discarded sins that reek of death and ruination.

In Hebrews 12:1, the Apostle Paul also admonishes us regarding ridding ourselves of sin so that we might run our race unencumbered by sins’ exacting weight: “…let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed curse of the race that is set before us.”

For the unbeliever, sadly, sin will always have its way so long as the person continues to attempt to do life minus, the only Source of Life. To be set free from the grip of sin and death, one must be born again. These are not my words. They’re the Living Truth Jesus shared with Nicodemus—is sharing with you today. “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” –John 3:3.

Another reason being born again is necessary is for a person to receive and understand the spiritual things God chooses to share with them.

Being spiritually dead, the natural man is incapable of receiving these gifts. “But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].” –1Corinthians 2:14.

James and Paul, speaking to believers, remind us that we, though saved, are still sinners. We are still prone to falling back into old habits, picking up once-discarded sins. Jesus, too, shares this same Truth in John 5.

After finding and healing a man who had been lying beside the pool of Bethesda for some thirty-eight years, Jesus admonishes him not to return to his past sin lest his next affliction may be worse than his last. “But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” –John 5:14.

 Though not stated plainly in Scripture, some theologians agree this man may have ended up crippled as the result of an untreated sexually transmitted disease.

Was sexual sin the sin that had so easily entangled this man?

Only he and the Lord know for sure. I use him as an example, as he is one of the only people in Scripture who we read about Jesus saying, “Something worse may happen to him.”

Typically, after having healed someone, such as a woman caught in adultery, Jesus tells those He heals to sin no more.“Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” –John 8:10-11.

So, was Jesus’ telling this man that there is a far greater devastation that could overtake him than having once been a cripple for thirty-eight years—of his having reaped a thirty-eight-year harvest of crippling consequences for the sinful seeds he had once sowed?

Or, is Jesus warning this unnamed man, as He did His disciples, and through them, us—of the greater eternal penalties of our unrepentant sins?

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will point out to you whom you should fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority and power to hurl [you] into hell; yes, I say to you, [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him!” –Luke 12:4-5.

To recap, I asked: “What is the connection between sin and dinosaurs?”

And in answer, I said: “Simply put, one no longer has the deadly power to destroy lives, while the other very much does.”

So then, is there hope for us? Can anyone be saved from the deadly consequences of their sins?

The answer: Absolutely!

How? By repenting of our sins.

By not pretending that, like dinosaurs, sin is prehistoric.

Satan loves nothing more than for you to believe the same lie he once got Eve to believe—doubt God’s Word. “Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the LORD God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” –Genesis 3:1.

Yet Satan’s ploys and recycled tactics are no match for God’s Immutable power.

So if you genuinely want every sin you have, or ever will commit, washed away, then, as Jesus assured Nicodemus. “You must be born again.”

Sure, you can choose to ignore the words I was sent to share with you with little consequence, but I pray instead you’ll ask Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior because ignoring His Words will have eternal consequences. “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.

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