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Category: Connection (Page 2 of 10)

Purpose and Faith

June 15, 2024 /

Pastor Maria Braga

Often, we wonder if God is hearing our prayers. We believe in His Word and promises but still wonder if He hears us when challenges present themselves. We begin to tell ourselves things, and we begin to think those things are true. These things often turn into mountains, and we feel overwhelmed and discouraged in our spiritual walk.

Scripture teaches us there was a time when famine struck Canaan, and the patriarch, Jacob (Israel), sent his eleven sons to get food from Egypt. When his sons arrived in Egypt, something unexpected was awaiting them that startled them. Joseph, the brother “they” had sold into slavery many years prior, had now become the second in command in all of Egypt and had been ordained by God to provide food for the brothers who had sold him into slavery years before. These brothers caused Joseph much anguish and pain. You can read Joseph’s complete story in Genesis, Chapters 37-50.

When jealousy caused these brothers to rid themselves of Joseph, they could never have imagined God’s plan for him—and them. The brothers had operated by what they felt and saw, but God was working it all together to fulfill the plan and purpose He had designed for Joseph’s life. As time passed, various Pharaohs came into power and died, and the Israelite people who had once journeyed from the land of Canaan into Egypt also faded into history. Their physical presence had vanished, but not their faith or traditions; they endured as a testament to the everlasting power of their trust in God’s Providence.

Four hundred years passed, and God’s people never heard His voice. God had been silent. There were no prophets, no signs, no direction.

What happened?

Where was God?

This great silence spanned the 400 years between the close of the Old Testament and the birth of the New Testament, known biblically as the Four Hundred Years of Silence.

God had promised His people that a Deliverer would come to liberate them, but He didn’t let them know when.

It was a promise to be believed by faith alone!

 After four hundred years of silence, faith thrived still among the people of God, people who had endured severe treatment and abuse under different Pharaohs, including the Pharaoh then in power—a Pharoh who was insecure and weak. He was fearful that God’s people were too great and had become more numerous than the Egyptians.

One couple, Amram and Jochebed, married and were about to have a child during Israel’s dark days. “Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.” –Exodus 2:1-2. The king of Egypt issued a decree that every baby boy born to a Hebrew woman was to be killed. You can read this tragic account in Exodus, Chapters 1-2. Imagine being pregnant in those days! Jochebed’s faith inspires us still, primarily because she handled her pregnancy and her child’s birth with such faith! She knew the son she’d given birth to was exceptional, anointed by God to do a particular work. By faith, scripture tells Jochebed weaved a basket, insulated it with papyrus grass, covered it in tar, and sent it down the Nile River. “When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank.” –Exodus 2:3.

Phew. Now what?

What great courage! As a mom, she must have had a million “terrifying thoughts” and “what ifs” running through her mind. She must have been horrified! But Jochebed had faith in God!

Jochebed’s story is one of grace and faith! Of how she trusted in the One she knew held the plan for her life and her sons! “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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” –Jer 29:11-12.

How long have you been in your challenge?

Sometimes, not even a month into the challenge, we start wondering, murmuring, and complaining.

There is a Scripture that many believers quote: “Be still and know that I AM God” –Psalm 46:10.

However, often, when push comes to shove, our minds stray, and, as many of God’s people did in those dark days of Israel, we begin to wonder what is happening to us and we say things like:

Was it really God’s promise?

Do I deserve God’s grace?

I am not good enough, etc.

We must be aware and hold tight to the fact, the Truth. God’s time and promises are perfect.

God often waits to fulfill His plan for our lives until we are ready because He has appointed and written its time according to His plan. God does not align with our plans. We must align with His. Like Jochebed, we need faith to deliver whatever promise God has put inside of us.

But it is the Lord who destines, the Lord who brings to pass, and the Lord alone who gets the glory in the end.

Even though four hundred years of God having been silent had gone before them, this couple still held tight to their faith in their God. Jochebed went through intense hardship, as did her husband. They had to hide their baby; they could lose their lives for not obeying the king, but they chose instead to obey God and hold onto the promise.

They believed God was on their side and He would somehow bring victory to this situation. They believed God was still in control. They had a promise, they held onto the promise, and they trusted the God who made the promise.

Do you know your promise? How do you hold onto your promise without wavering?

In Jochebed’s case, God used a heathen princess, a woman with a mother’s instinct, to nurture, care, and love Jochebed’s baby as only a mother can. God precisely positioned Pharaoh’s daughter at the right place at the right time to find Moses’ basket floating in the river; Miriam, Moses’ sister, was also at the right place at the right time. “Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.” –Exodus 2:3-6.

This Egyptian princess, now stepmom, pays the biological mother to nurture her baby. “Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.” –Exodus 2:7-9.

How awesome is our God!

When we choose to be still, know that He is God, and partner with His plan, God works out every detail.

We must have the kind of faith Jochebed had:

A) A FAITH THAT STANDS TRIALS

B) A FAITH THAT HAS A STRONG FOUNDATION

C) A FAITH THAT MUST BE EXERCISED AND GROW

D) A FAITH THAT GOD RESPONDS TO

E) A FAITH THAT GOD REWARDS

When it gets hard, don’t give up! Stand the trial. Stand on Christ’s foundation. Read God’s Word, serve in your local church, and have a community of believers to help you grow, a community that will encourage you in times of trouble—brothers and sisters who remind you that God answers prayers. And that God will bring your reward at the right time, His time.

Father, in the name of Jesus, Increase our faith in you. Bring us deeper and closer to you. Give us unwavering faith. A faith that stands the test of time and connects us to you so that we will not look to the left or the right. A faith that leads us to the well that is deeper than us. We love You and thank You for the gifts of faith and grace, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” –1 John 4:9. If you have not asked Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, follow the faithful example of Jochebed today and do it now.

Dear God (A Letter of Thanksgiving.)

June 1, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.” –Psalm 34:1-3.

Dear God,

 I must boast in You!

I thank You because I would not be where I am today without You. You have blessed me beyond measure; I have more than enough. You have done it all, and You alone are worthy of all my praise. You have blessed my marriage and my family. You have brought me to a place of plenty, and we grow richly in You. My family humbles itself under Your Mighty hand. When I was at my lowest, You were there and loved Me. You saw me in my blindness and removed the scales from my eyes. I was a mess, wallowing in the pit of my sin, but You reached down and grabbed me, pulling me out.

I was a lost sheep who had strayed, You left the others to rescue me. You said, “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find more it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”-Matthew 18:12-14

Jesus, You did not leave me desperate in my sin but forgave me.

I am reminded of Your prophet Isaiah. What You spoke through him regarding Judah’s wickedness, saying, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” –Isaiah 1:18.

As Your people once worshipped idols, so did I. Praise was kept only for me. I sought the approval of man, yet You loved me anyway. I am washed clean by Your Blood, Jesus; I can walk holy and set apart because You are holy.

In 1 Peter 1:13-16, You said: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but He who called you is holy, you also be holy in your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Your patience with humanity speaks volumes of Your love for us.

You know what’s in our hearts before we do. We are wicked when left unchecked by You, and yet Your eyes do not miss a thing. Proverbs 15:3 reminds us: “The eyes of the Lord are every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

 I asked You: “Why do you keep us around, God? Truthfully, we are often self-centred, prideful, ignorant, spoiled children. Yet, John 3:16-17 answered my question: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Your Words are the keys to setting us free from the darkness of this world.

Lord Jesus, help us burn brighter as the days get darker. Remind us that victory has already come for those who call You Lord and that death no longer holds us captive.

Jesus, thank you for remembering me in my times of distress.

You have promised that You would never leave nor forsake me. You have never failed me, Lord. You do what you say You will do, exactly, and accomplish what You set out to do, precisely. May my praise always be for You alone, my Lord Jesus. Amen.

Friends, there are times when we must stop and simply thank God for everything He has done—just as David once did. David took time to thank God for His Sovereignty and His protection. So today, be reminded to go before the Throne of God with a humble heart, seeking only His Presence. As His child, remember, you can enter boldly into His Throne room of grace, filled with awe at how genuinely Magnificent your God is. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne room of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” –Hebrews 4:14-16 

We have received our salvation through Jesus alone. The Blood of our Lord, Jesus, has washed our sins away, and we are free!

Jesus lived a sinless life yet died a sinner’s death. He did this for you, me, and for everyone in every generation after us who will believe that Jesus is the Son of God! That the Word became flesh and walked this earth. Having done this, Jesus can sympathize with us. He alone is God, able to save humanity from its sin. Having come in the flesh, Jesus knew what it felt like to be a living, breathing man. Still, Jesus also understood the heart and will of His Father because, throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus never lost Oneness with His Father. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.” –John 5:19-20.

Maybe you can see yourself and how you feel about Jesus in this letter.

We all come from diverse backgrounds, and our testimonies will be different. But what unites us, what we share, is this: we each have had an encounter with Jesus—if we are His, that moment when we came to the “end of ourselves.”  Amen?

How can we honestly look back at our past lives and not say, “How did I make it this far? How is it that I am still alive?” Because many of us can say, “I shouldn’t still be here because…” 

Our answer: But God!

Whatever the addiction or mindset was, in His Mercy, Jesus set you free, my brothers and sisters. It wasn’t by your own understanding or anything you did or could have done; your freedom came solely by the Spirit of Almighty God. He alone brought you through it. “Where can I go from Your spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold You are there; If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your right hand shall hold me.” –Psalm 139:7-10.

Friends, today, I hope you’ll praise the Lord Jesus. Worship Him with all that is in you; He is worthy of your praise. Get undignified! Dance around! Sing a new song to Jesus!

If you are reading this for the first time and want to know Jesus, experience this freedom and joy, then ask Jesus to come into your heart. Repent of your sins, be washed by Jesus’ Precious Blood, and receive His free gift of salvation. Friend, Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” -John 14:23.

Breath To Serve

April 6, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” –Colossians 3:17.

Whether serving in ministry in your local church or serving others every day at your job, give thanks that you get to serve an amazing, loving God—no matter where you serve. I can certainly attest to having experienced some rough days at the office. I have had my share of being ignored by coworkers or even by my brothers and sisters, whom I serve alongside within the ministry. In our flesh, we can step on each other’s toes and say the wrong thing to one another, and if we’re not quick to forgive, soon enough, offense rears its ugly head and can cause division. Many of you know what I am talking about because this can and does happen when people of diverse backgrounds and personalities come together.

Jesus even witnessed it among His disciples.

After Jesus predicted His death and gave a warning in verses 44-45, the disciples started fighting. “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.” Jesus had chosen twelve unqualified men to come alongside Him to spread the Good News. But look what happened in Luke 9:46: “Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.” J

It must have saddened Jesus how quickly they had turned against each other after He had spoken this. Yet, at the same time, it did not catch Him off guard because He knew what was in the hearts of men. Without Jesus, man lives a sinful, prideful life, which causes our inflated egos to get the best of us. We see this clearly in Luke 16:14-15. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, those who followed the rules of the Law and considered themselves, above most others, holier, which is pride. In Luke 16:15, Jesus rebuked them, saying, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts, For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” 

Man’s wicked, carnal ways are an abomination in the sight of God. “The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves him who follows righteousness.” –Proverbs 15:9. Allowing pride, a sin of the flesh, to enter in when ministering to others, opens the door for God to bring a rebuke; however, if received, there is mercy and grace in the rebuke Jesus brings.

Remember that dispute between the disciples earlier? Jesus used it to show His mercy and grace during their prideful dispute. “And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” –Luke 9:47-48.

Jesus wants you and I to be willing to accept and show hospitality to those who cannot repay us. We are to be humble, expecting nothing in return like children, with nothing of material value to offer anyone. Children are unaware that they ought to offer anything in exchange for love and acceptance until it is taught to them. A child’s pure love is all they have or know to offer others.

Jesus went to His Cross, knowing that we could never repay Him. He died a death that we deserved.

Jesus served man humbly. He offers us salvation so that you and I might be called children of God.

Yet, in our eagerness to serve Jesus, we must never forget to put on humility and love first.We who get to serve the Lord must do all we can to remove pride from our serving and stop comparing how we serve to others, treating it like a competition. For us to do anything of eternal value in ministry, we need Jesus to be our Guide.

We cannot do this work in our own strength. Yes, we have been given gifts and talents, but what good are the gifts without the Giver, Jesus?

Just like He did with His disciples, Jesus placed in you whatever gifts and talents you possess when He knit you together in your mother’s womb. Then, like them, you were born again from above, and your gifts were called to life.

Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” He breathed on them to bring New Life so they might be born again. Jesus had spoken of this to Nicodemus in John 3:3. “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

And when we read further down, in verses 6-8, Jesus told him, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

All faithful ministry is born from intimacy with Jesus, from a relationship with Him.

We need Jesus’ Spirit in every part of our service to Him and to serve those He has given us.

We “get to” do this, my dear brothers, and sisters. We have been chosen. Serving the Body of Christ is our privilege and should never be taken lightly. Whether you are a pastor, worship leader, someone who cleans the church, gives out coffee and pastries or writes a blog, without Jesus, we can do nothing of eternal value.

As I end this teaching, I pray it somehow touched your heart. It stirs us to serve our Lord Jesus in humility, not for selfish gain or seeking popularity or position. Jesus came as a servant to all men. He carried the weight of His Cross and took all of our sins upon Himself. “And being found in appearance of man, he humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus shed His Blood for each of us so that we might be forgiven for all of our sins. I pray we serve each other with that same humble spirit.

Today, I pray and invite you to cry out to Jesus, repent of your sins, and believe in Him. Romans 10:13 promises that: “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Amen.

A Call To The Light.

March 23, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” –1 Thessalonians 4:7.

Often, as children of God, we are placed under a microscope. The Truth is that a true believer in Christ Jesus does not look at the world through the same lens as those who do not believe in Him. Jesus said that we, His children, are to live in this world but not to be part of it—not to take part in the things of this world. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” –John 15:9. And, in Romans 12:2, Paul reminds us: “…not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

In John 17:16-19, On the night Jesus was betrayed, He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers. For you, if you are His, and those that have yet come to Him. “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

As Jesus prayed for His disciples, He declared, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” Jesus claimed they were separated, new creations the world does not understand. We have also been declared sanctified, justified, and righteous by Jesus’ finished work on the cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, the apostle Paul writes, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

If you belong to Jesus and are one of His children, you have been made new by His death and glorious resurrection. Romans 6:4-5 reminds us all, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”

My dear friends, you have been set apart to do your Lord Jesus’s will.

To glorify God in everything you do.

He placed His Spirit within you the very moment you declared Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Just as the disciples before you were sanctified, so too are you. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” –Ephesians 1:13-14.

Someone once shared this analogy: the believer in Jesus Christ looks at the world through “rose-colored glasses.”

Hearing this brought me back to when I was a young kid, say, about ten years old. I remember my grammie wearing these big, giant, bug-eyed sunglasses with rose-colored lenses. When she placed them over my eyes, the color of her surroundings changed to match the tint of her glasses.

This change in our perception of our surroundings happens also, as we read God’s Word and grow in our faith. The world around us starts to change color. Said differently, darkness is exposed when the Light of the Gospel shows up.

Things that once looked normal to us when we were in the world are now exposed for what they truly are now. And the Light of God’s Word also exposes unclean spirits and darkness in people’s hearts. “And have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak those things which are done by them in secret. But all things are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” –Ephesians 5:12. 

Brothers and sisters, be the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Before knowing Jesus as Lord, there was a void within us all that we all tried to fill with earthly idols and addictions, but now you are filled with the Light and Love of Christ. Let His Words speak to your heart and into the inner depths of your soul, and trust that you are armed with the sword of His Spirit, His holy Word; it separates His Truth from the lies and deception of this world. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-sided sword, piercing the even to division of souls and spirit, of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.” –Hebrews 4:12.

Put on the whole armor of God, weapons fashioned by Almighty God for the believer to wield against the enemy’s attacks. “Stand therefore having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” –Ephesians 6:14-18.

We know that the enemy does not fight fairly. He lives in ambush mode, waiting for you to stumble.

He knows how to get you, and if he can isolate you from the Body of Christ, the brethren, he will destroy you. Satan knows what hurts you; he knows when you are weakest or most tired, it is then he will strike without mercy. “Be sober, be vigilant; becaus your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” –1 Peter 5:8.

Knowing who you are in Christ Jesus and declaring your King’s authority over every circumstance will bring you victory over darkness. You have been separated from the world to do the good works in Christ Jesus; you are sealed with His Holy Spirit. Jesus says in John 14:12-14 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father and whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

As I close this teaching, I am praying for each of you. I pray that those who do not know Jesus but genuinely want a relationship with Him will take that next step by repenting their sins. I pray you will trust in the power of the sinless Blood of Christ that washes away every sin, past, present, and future. I am believing for supernatural transformations in the hearts of many in this Holiest season of New Life and Hope. “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:5-6.

I am praying for you and all those who will call out to Jesus as Lord—and are saved. Amen

The Living Bridge.

March 9, 2024 /

“And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” –Ezekiel 36:27.

Not all of us are called to be engineers, to build bridges, footbridges, or skywalks, structures that connect two fixed points and enable us to move freely between them. And because this isn’t our calling, we may not fully understand the purpose and intrinsic necessity of each component used in their construction. Not, certainly, to the same level of understanding as the engineer. For instance, do you know the purpose behind an engineer’s use of a cap or girder? What they are? How about a pile, arch, cantilever, or cutwater? What about tensile strength? Neither do I. But what you and I likely have in common with the one who does know the answers to these questions is this: we have driven across a bridge, walked across a footbridge, or skywalk—structures they’ve built to connect one fixed part of something to its other.

The Holy Spirit also pointed out how He uses visible, relatable examples, like bridges, to connect one fixed part of a thing to its other, first to get our attention and then connect it to some spiritual Truth. Much like Jesus did when using parables. He used what people were familiar with to help teach them greater spiritual Truths. “The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.” –Matthew 13:10-12.

Holy Spirit spoke about how no tonnage of adverse pressure heaped upon God’s Living Word has or will ever change or weaken it, causing it to buckle or lose strength. How nothing, no man’s opinion, no commentary or culture, no theologian’s best-intended musings, has, nor can negate the seamless, indestructible connection between the Old Testament and the New.

This made perfect sense to me as pointing to Jesus, God’s Living Word, is Holy Spirit’s primary purpose.

From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus is the Immutable Living Bridge, the Master Engineer who connects the two seamlessly. “Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8. And He is the only way for any of us to get back into right relationship with the Father. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6.

According to Great River Greenway, an abatement’s purpose is to connect the deck of a bridge (what we travel across) to the ground beneath it, helping support its weight horizontally and vertically. There’s so much theology lodged in these two simple sentences that it would take a whole other teaching on the Cross or the only way we get to the Father, salvation, and so much more.

But that will have to wait for another day. Right now, I’ll stay focused on today’s assignment instead.

In keeping with the engineering lingo, Jesus is the abutment seen in both the Old and New Testaments—starting in Eden, with the bloody skins God used to cover Adam and Eve, and ending in the Book of Revelation with His assuring the world of His return—He is both Alpha and Omega.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” –1 Corinthians 3:11. Jesus is the Immutable God who connects all happenings outside of time as we understand them to our earthly lives, then loops them and eventually us back into eternity again, completing the circle.

As I started typing, I began to understand where Holy Spirit was leading us today, straight to the seamless joining of the tenable Truth connecting today’s Old Testament Word to its New Testament other, Jesus. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” – Philippians 2:13.

Within two verses, we witness one seamless connection—a unifying footbridge affording us a panoramic view encompassing both perspectives. From Zechariah, found in the Old Testament, to Philippians, seen in the New, we witness the masterful merging of the whole counsel of God—just one of the many unifying connections spanning God’s Inerrant Word. From beginning to end, everything directs us towards Jesus.

Everything as we understand it, from our world to our faith, is found and held together in Him and by Him. “And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]” –Colossians 1:17.

As witnessed in today’s verse, Holy Spirit allowed the prophet a hint of His power and authority, an innate knowing that something more was yet to come. Unbeknownst to Zechariah, God was constructing a massive bridge that would begin with Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and then reach the ends of the world, wherever that is.

How? By the same power that enabled twelve ordinary men to take all Jesus shared with them and use it to continue to build a bridge that would allow countless many back to Him all that they too may have new life. “But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” –Acts 1:8.

These men were the first to receive and carry the full weight of what the Trinity had conceived and agreed upon somewhere outside of time as we understand it. Dead men being given new Life. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” –Matthew 13:16-17.

And, thanks be to God because He ensured they would be bastions of strength and tenable ability. Countless people still today are using the foundation they, following the example of their Master, laid down their lives to afford us—the ability to choose life in Christ Jesus. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.” –Ephesians 1:4.

Friend, if you have yet to cross the bridge that leads to Life—Jesus, I urge you to do it today. He is the only Way to the Father and life eternal. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6.

One Thing…

February 24, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-30.

In today’s world, my dear friends, we all need rest. I mean a deep rest. We need to shut out the world around us and focus instead on seeking God. For a long while now, I have felt in my spirit that many of us are battle-worn, tired, and needing replenishment. After all, a vessel cannot pour out if it is empty. Something must fill it first. Then, it can be used to pour out. And from what I see, many today are poured out, dry vessels needing a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. Needing to cry out to Jesus and pray for His fresh wine, His blessings, and His fullness to come in and fill us—quenching and replenishing our thirsty souls—me included.

And yet, as I am sure you know, shutting down the world around us long enough to hear from God can be difficult.

Why? Because it surrounds us. We walk out our doors, and it is our faces. We turn on our television, tablet, or computer, pick up our phones, and multimedia tries to tell us what to believe or listen to. Some of us have jobs that are void of the Light of Christ. We are the only ones working there who may know or share the Gospel of Christ. All this can be tiring and discouraging. But, my dear brothers and sisters, I have come to remind and encourage you today that despite how you may be feeling, you are the Light of Christ Jesus—a glory carrier.

There is so much noise and distraction in our world and minds that it can often make it nearly impossible to remember this Truth. So, I will remind you instead of what Paul writes: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” –Ephesians 6:12.

At our church, we are being reminded and encouraged by Psalm 24:7 by our pastors and elders. “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.”

Friends, you are the gates when you worship the King of Glory!

His Holy Spirit will open wide the gates of your heart to receive the fulness of what Jesus has for you as you worship. Worship is the posture of our hearts as we praise Jesus alone. When you are dry and tired, seek Him. When you need wisdom, seek Him! Come expecting God’s fullness to overtake you, filling you to overflowing whenever you realign your vision and reposition your heart to His—receiving from Him instead of pouring out into others.

In Luke 10, Jesus is at the home of Mary and Martha.

As Jesus is reclining at the table, Martha is preparing and running around getting things organized for dinner. All she wants to be is a good host for her company, which is good, but Martha is very distracted. Her heart is that of a “deliverer.” Being a deliverer means serving with everything in you—giving it your all, but Martha is not taking the time to be replenished. What ends up happening? She gets discouraged.

Her sister Mary, however, is found sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him teach, taking in His every Word. She is having an intimate moment with Jesus. Her heart is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world around her. All she wants is to be with Jesus. Mary’s heart has taken the posture of a “receiver,” taking in the fullness of what Jesus was teaching and speaking to her, being filled up and readied to pour out.

Friends, if we just stopped and listened, as Mary did, and let God be God. If we would stop and take a knee, I assure you the posture of our hearts will truly change, just as Luke 10 reminds us: “But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” –Luke 10:40-42.

Jesus says: “But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen the best part.” Did you catch that?

Jesus requires just one thing from us during our time with Him: To listen and receive. To be intimate and intentional in our time with Him.

Martha got so busy that she may have forgotten who she was serving. Yes, we are to serve in our churches and communities, but we must never forget the One who gave us the gift of servanthood and salvation. Jesus first served us, so we need to follow His example. But we must never forget what Jesus commanded us: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33.

Mary realized that she was in the presence of God and showed humility by placing herself in a posture of worship as she gazed upon the King of Glory. I can only imagine what He must have been teaching at that moment and what it must have felt like to see, hear, and feel the fullness of God. 

My dear friends, as I close, do not harden your heart to what was shared here today, to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Your heart is what Jesus requires—service will naturally follow. When you are tired and need to be refreshed, seek Jesus first. When you seek Him, you also receive the fullness of His Kingdom. In Him alone, you will find rest.

Father God, I pray those reading this who have yet to call You Lord will today declare Your son Jesus as Lord over their lives by repenting their sins and asking for their lives to be washed clean by the Blood of our Lord Jesus. Let today be the day of salvation, and heaven rejoice over this one who has come in. Amen. In Jesus, you will find forgiveness and salvation for your souls, and His sinless Blood will wash away your every sin.

Scripture promises this: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

And Romans 10:13 makes clear: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I Know.

February 17, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Still, I know that God lives – the One who gives me back my life – and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.” –Job 19:25.

How will you respond when, from seemingly nowhere, tragedy strikes? When you’re fired unexpectedly or a stroke, heart attack, or some dreaded diagnosis strikes? When your spouse leaves, or your child, parent, or beloved friend dies? Some will say that question can’t be answered until we face it. And yet, Job knew his answer well in advance. And so ought we. As Christians, we must determine in advance to cleave to Jesus when the familiar, everyday rhythm of our lives becomes abruptly unrecognizable, just as Job once did. Long before his world was ripped from beneath him, Job had decided never to turn away from the God He loved and served. Did Job have questions? Absolutely. Was he heartbroken and devastated? You bet. Yet Job had decided there’d never be a turning back to life before Jesus. A decision each of us must determine in our own heart.

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.” –Job 13:15.

God has every right to take anything back to fulfill His will in our lives, including the health, people, possessions, and prosperity He’s afforded us. His doing this will require us to “come up higher.” To operate in the Spirit, not the flesh. Our flesh is far too selfish and constantly warring with our Spirit. To remain steadfast in our faith and commitment to Christ, we must tether ourselves to unwavering trust in God. Be unswervingly committed to following, clinging to, honoring, obeying, running to Jesus long before adversity, loss, pain, suffering, or the unfathomable occurs. “Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” –Psalm 108:12-13.

Jesus never promised that our following Him would be easy.

All too often, we forget that—I know I have.

As followers of Christ Jesus, by faith, we believe what God says is Truth because we know we serve a God who cannot lie. Who foreknew how each of His children would act, react, or respond to every situation and circumstance He knit into His plan for their lives—just as He foreknew how Job would respond to His extending Satan the invitation to sift him. Remember, God drew Satan’s attention to a man scripture makes clear, loved, and followed Him. It wasn’t sin that had opened the door to Satan—God Himself did that. “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” –Job 1:1.

In those moments and seasons when, like Job, we feel confused, afraid, targeted, even forsaken or forgotten by God, it’s then that the surety of what we know of God’s character and heart toward us must be our only lifeline. All else but God must fall away, lest we fall. “I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” –Psalm 63:8.

We trust Jesus because we have tasted and seen that our God is a Good Father, even in the worst of times.

And because of who God is, His unfathomable love for us—for you, beloved, I’m here to remind you that surely, soon and very soon, you too will heal, live, and breathe again, restored with even greater levels of trust—looking more like Jesus not despite, but because of your trial. Like Job, you will emerge more unshakable. Your faith is more deeply rooted because you’ve walked through the refiner’s fire with the Lord, and something far greater than silver or gold was deposited in you.

So allow God’s sure promises to speak to your feelings, Beloved. Reminding them they are fleeting and untrustworthy, emotional responses that are all too often slaves to your circumstances.

Please understand me. Assuredly, there are moments in life, seasons even, when these feelings are valid—we’re not robots. The loss of a loved one, a life turned suddenly upside down by the words, “We’re going to have to let you go.”  “There’s been an accident, or we’re sorry to inform you that your husband, son, or daughter did not survive.” “I have your test results. You have cancer.”

Still, more than ever, especially in such moments, we must grab hold of God’s promises and become so one with His Truth; we allow nothing, no loss, trial, or pain, to separate us from our loving Father. “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”‘ –Romans 8:35-39.

The one sure thing I know, having experienced such desperate moments, is this: Everything must pass through God’s Sovereign Hand—Period. Are those things painful? Absolutely. They’re rip your heart out painful. You’ll never be the same again. As with Job’s losses, these sudden rippingaways are meant to leave us different than they found us—changed because they were allowed to touch us.

“Job answered God: “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” –Job 42:5 MSG.

Compared to the agony Jesus endured for you and me on His Cross, who are we to complain?

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” –2 Corinthians 4:17.

Soon and very soon, Jesus will return, wedding ring in hand, oh, glorious day when we’ll be forever One with Him, just as He promised His disciples as they watched Him ascend back to the Father, having conquered sin, death and the grave for you and me. Job believed it. Jesus’s disciples knew it. And so do we, those who have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb and are eagerly watching and waiting for His soon return. And so, I fix my eyes on Jesus, pain, and all.

Like Job, I know my Redeemer lives. And any moment now, I will meet Him.

How about you? Do you know Jesus? More importantly, does Jesus know you? If you’re uncertain, call out to Him now. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. Give Him your pain. He’ll carry what you were never meant to. He loves you. You’re the one He gave His life for. Grab hold of Jesus’s promise to you: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” –Revelation 3:20.

The Ultimate Treasure.

January 27, 2024 /

Kendra Santilli

Reward.

A mechanism so deeply embedded into the fabric of human functioning, reward is what fires off dopamine in our brains to make us move forward. Did you make a good meal? That is the reward for the labor of love that is meal preparation. Did you get a paycheck? That is the reward for the work which you so diligently put your hand to the plow. The relaxation of a clean house is the reward for the effort it took to clean up. A garden’s harvest is the reward for spring sowing. The list can go on, but you get my point. Perhaps this was a psychological system carefully placed within us with great intention by our Creator, God. It is the vehicle that drives us deeper into our pursuit of Him, and this deep dive is only discoverable to those who seek Him.

“… the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them… Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.” – Matthew 13:11, 16.

You see, the more you know in Christ, the more you want to know.

The reward is the privilege of going deeper in Him. In fact, according to this verse, understanding the “secrets of the kingdom” is a gift. God has given them for us to know. In verse 13, Jesus says, “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” – Matthew 13:13. On our own, we can neither see nor hear the things of the spirit. We can certainly try, but without God opening the ears and eyes of our hearts, we cannot understand the things of The Spirit. We cannot see the reward of knowing Him without His blessing of understanding.

I believe that God wanted our relationship to be so rich from creation, knowing that He was our delight and reward. The reward is not merely in what He gives. Rather, it is simply in who He is. The Psalmist, David, is described as “a man after God’s own heart.” – 1 Samuel 13:14. If we look to him as an example of what it means to be after God’s heart, then we know that The Lord was David’s delight. He was David’s reward. “Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing” – Psalm 16:5. David knew that the things of this world are easy distractions from the Kingdom of God. He knew that seeking the Lord took diligence and was worth it.

The key to knowing the blessing of seeking the Lord is repentance.

To live in His blessing is to bear a broken and contrite heart before Him (Psalm 51:17). Consider this beautiful promise found in the book of Job: “If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will remove iniquity far from your tents. Then you will lay your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver; for then you will have your delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.” – Job 22:23-26

If you return to the Almighty…

It is easy to leave all the other parts of this Scripture out and skip to the part where you will be built up. It is clear in Scripture that God works in covenant- contracts of sorts with mankind. Returning to the Almighty requires humility. The condition of the human heart makes it difficult to confess sin. Our pride builds walls between us and God that only humility and the Blood of Jesus can take down. This Scripture makes it clear that redirecting the object of our affection from material wealth to Almighty God moves us into favor with Him.

When we take that step towards returning to the Lord, we begin the journey into discovering more of Him.

The more we seek Him, the more we want to know Him. He simply becomes The Reward. Maturity teaches us that nothing is more satisfying than the joy of knowing Jesus. “My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalms 73:26. Our hearts and minds consistently lead us in the wrong direction without the wisdom of God to guide us, but, with pursuing Jesus comes the wisdom to make our every decision.

While we often search for fulfillment in our families, friends, or occupations (although all good things), we fail to realize He is it. Jesus is the Treasure. The treasure lies in the steadfastness of His character. Jesus is constant- He always provides, always protects, always restores, and always fills every need. Jesus is the treasure not necessarily measurable by what we can see with our physical eyes.

If you don’t know Jesus, I have good news for you. He is alive, and He loves you more than you can fathom. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior and begin to discover the treasure that is knowing Him. “But those who embraced him and took hold of his name he gave authority to become the children of God! He was not born by the joining of human parents or from natural means, or by a man’s desire, but he was born of God.” –John 1:12-13.

Natural vs. Supernatural: Faith, Hope & Love.

January 20, 2024 /

Elda Othello Wrightington

Do you like to journal? I have always kept a yearly journal. My most recent entry reflected on the last three years of my life. Over the previous three years, I’ve had my faith tested in 2021 and experienced hopelessness in 2022. Last year, the sincerity of love was questioned due to hurt and disappointments in 2023. As I journaled and poured out my heart to the Lord about love, the last and greatest of the three things, I realized something. Faith, hope, and love can be seen with either the natural eye or with supernatural eyes. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” —1 Corinthians 13:13.

Let me explain.

Faith can be portrayed and publicized in the natural world on clothing, bumper stickers, jewelry, etc.; hope is often used loosely and casually.

For example, “I hope I win… (You fill in the blank).”

And, for the most part, in the natural, the word love is also often used by many like any other four-letter word.

“I love my car; I love these shoes; I love this song.”

Love is literally used to describe just about everything and any experience one can think of that brings pleasure. However, God helped me see that faith, hope and love are undeniably different in the supernatural. The Bible’s definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things Hope for and the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith is bold, brave and has substance.

It’s daring to believe in God no matter what, “even if,” because the truth is, in the Spirit, there is nothing too hard for God. Faith makes everything possible when we’re operating in the Spirit! Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” However, trying to walk by faith in your flesh is contradictory and impossible because you’re trying to do something supernatural in your own strength.

You might be going through a season where your faith is being tested, and you’re trying to encourage yourself in your own strength.

Maybe you’re using some method of motivation or positive self-help talk, i.e. “I can do this… this is the plan. Follow it.” And though you might start out with desired goals in mind, even some good ideas, to move forward in these goals, the truth is, in the natural, your perceived notion of having faith really has no substance. It’s just your futile efforts greasing the wheel that will only get you so far. I found that the more I tried to exercise faith in my natural strength and abilities, the more I took my eyes off of God. The more I did that, the more it affected how I thought.

I didn’t know what to believe because my eyes were reaching for everything except God.

However, when I remember faith comes by hearing the Word, everything changes. “Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.” –Galatians 3:2.

And hope sprung up within me when I remembered God’s Word is Truth. “Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.” –John 17:17.

And when I remembered that God is Good, I remembered His love for me. “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever!” –Ps. 107.1.

I can depend on God’s Word. His Word is the only sure place to find faith and hope. It’s there I found substance.

Faith and hope really do go together.

God’s Word is dependable. His Word has substance. God’s Word never lies. His Word gives hope and helps cultivate faith. But loving someone or something can honestly try your faith when that love is being tested—when love tests your hope.

I realized loving in the natural, eros-romantic love is very different from agape love, God’s unconditional love.

You may be struggling with a relationship issue with your partner, spouse, brother, or sibling. Maybe it’s with your children or friend (philia love). I have noticed that when we struggle with the natural forms of love, we question God’s Love. That is what happened to me. Sometimes, the enemy will try to use these natural forms of love to taint God’s agape love.

Agape love is constantly demonstrating itself. We see the ultimate evidence of this at the Cross. “For God demonstrated His love towards us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” –Romans 5:8.

“Us” entails everyone. You, me, and even that person who has caused your hurt or pain. It’s so easy to confuse and get hurt by natural love because it’s so easy for us to lose ourselves in it. Carnal love is tangible and attainable; it can be touched and felt, unlike God’s love, which can surely be felt, only differently. So I found myself asking the Lord to forgive me for confusing eros and philia with agape love. For expecting from others what only God can give me.

The truth is, agape love, God’s love, is what remains after Philia and Eros leave. God’s Love is consistent. It doesn’t change. No matter what we have done. God’s love is quick to forgive and longs for reconciliation.

When my eyes were again opened to agape love, when I welcomed and embraced God’s love, only then could I walk in forgiveness. When hurt settles in the heart after experiencing rejection, upset and or trauma, agape love can heal, restore and help you believe in the goodness of God’s love again.

Friends, I encourage and remind you of Romans 8:28: “All things work together for the Good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”

There is purpose amid pain. Pain is a natural, tangible feeling that is hard to shake. It requires you to pursue faith, hope and love to help heal it because these three things, when chased after and seen through God’s lens of the supernatural, will bring healing, peace, and so much more! God has a plan and purpose for your pain, but unless you choose to align with His plan by agreeing with the healing power of faith, hope, and love, then the struggle in the natural will continue to be difficult and daunting. Friends, if you have not accepted Christ, today is the day. I invite you to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He will lead you in the ways of Faith, Hope and Love.

Saturation Point.

December 9, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired.” –Luke 21:24

Saturation Point. Dictionary.com defines it this way: A point at which some capacity is at its fullest; limit:

As I read today’s Scripture, its last nine words came alive. God’s Logos, His written Word, became Rhema, a Living Word. I couldn’t help but think of everything happening in Israel right now. Let me explain: the Holy Spirit mostly speaks a Rhema Word into our spirit as we read His Written Word. It’s made alive and often applies to a right-now situation in our lives or the world around us. A Rhema Word is the Holy Spirit drawing our attention to or confirming something of importance. In every case, God’s Rhema Word must align with His written Word—His Logos. Holy Spirit is a God of order, not confusion. He will not “share” something with any of His children that does not align with what He has already spoken in His inerrant Scriptures.

“When, Lord? “When will the fullness of the Gentiles be complete?”

“When will You rapture Your Church?”

Those questions were burning in my heart as I read today’s Scripture. Like many brothers and sisters, I, too, am “watching and waiting” for our Lord’s return.

A greater sense of expectation has gripped me lately—an even deeper longing has been awakened.

Today, that growing expectation made me ask: “When will You call us Home, Lord?”

This world is not our home, and it’s undoubtedly nearing its saturation point. How much further will You allow things to deteriorate before You say, “Come on Home?

Abba, I’m not questioning You. I’m asking You a question, putting to words the recurring thoughts in so many of Your children’s hearts, Lord. “Are we one drop, five, ten drops even from this world having reached its absolute ability to contain the sin, hatred, hardheartedness, rebellion and rejection of You and most anything to do with You?

Will my brothers, sisters, and I live to be raptured?”

Mind you, either way, we won’t stand idly by, just watching the sky or the news for signs—concerning the rapture, they’ve been fulfilled. Still, while we watch, wait, trust, and pray to the Lord of the harvest, we’ll fish for men.

Yet I’m hoping that today, no, before this sentence is finished…

“It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.” –1 Corinthians 15:52.

Still, I wanted to know more about those nine words Holy Spirit brought to life to answer my question.

I’ll pause here to clarify that Scripture clearly states no man knows the day or hour the rapture will occur, so, straightaway, what this teaching is not, is a false prophetic word concerning the Church being raptured. Given today’s climate, I choose to leave nothing open for interpretation.

As I said, I wanted to know the meaning behind today’s Scripture, so I went digging.

I read more concerning the historical background of Jerusalem and the Jewish people. That led me back to the Bible, to Jesus and today’s verse, then to the Apostle Paul and his teaching on the meaning of the fullness of the Gentiles. “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.” –Romans 11:25-26.

At the end of the day, Jesus and the Apostle Paul confirm that a divinely set number of Gentile believers must first accept Jesus as Lord and Savior before every living Jew will be saved, having finally accepted the Truth that Jesus is the Messiah.

In roughly A.D. 70, Jerusalem received its fatal blow at the hands of Rome, its oppressor, where, it’s said, some 1.1 million Jews had been murdered and where approximately 100,000 others were enslaved, used to feed Rome’s insatiable appetite for dominance. Of this horrific atrocity, Johannes Norval Geldenhuys, a South African minister and Bible Commentator, writes: From the commencement of the history of the Jewish nation, God, through His servants, warned them clearly that if they behaved unfaithfully and wickedly, they would reap disastrous retribution. Especially the striking words of Deuteronomy 28:15-68. There is almost no form of calamity that visited the Jews during the Roman-Jewish war, not mentioned here in Deuteronomy.

I strongly recommend you pick up your Bible and read what the Lord warned would happen to His chosen people should they disobey Him. And then, ask yourself, if God did not allow His firstborn to escape the consequences of their deliberate sin and rebellion, what makes anyone today think that they will escape God’s judgement if they refuse to repent of their intentional, flagrant sins?

I share this Truth in love, not to frighten you but to remind us all, starting with myself, that we serve a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Full of mercy, longsuffering, and whose heart it is certainly, that not one should perish, yet He’s also a just God who will not allow his creations to reject Him forever. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9.

God’s heart is that no one tastes destruction—that which was created for Satan and his followers.

Some commentators say that when Rome had sated its savage appetite, having devoured Jerusalem and its people, not one Jew was left alive. In addition, no Jew was allowed to enter Jerusalem save one day a year—when they were allowed to enter and mourn the ravaging of their people, Jerusalem’s utter destruction, and its renaming at the hand of its Roman conquerors.

Even then, to ensure nothing of the Jews remained, Rome renamed and rebuilt a city atop Jerusalem’s ruins, calling it Aelia Capitolina.

Antisemitism is nothing new.

Knowing that He had forewarned His people of the inescapable destruction to come upon them and their land should they choose not to obey Him, is it any wonder that as Jesus drew near Jerusalem and, seeing into its near future, the utter pain and destruction yet to come, He wept? “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things [that make] for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. “For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, “and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” –Luke 19:41-44.

In 1948, a Jewish state was established by what can only be described as the Sovereign Hand of God after thousands of years of its people having been scattered, existing in exile. Yet it wasn’t until 1967 that Israel took control of the Old City in the Six-Day War with Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. And yet, even to this very day, Arab Gentiles continue to reign over the most contested site in all of Jerusalem – the Temple Mount.

And so, we wait and watch while we continue to work—knowing that, at least for today, the fullness of the Gentiles has yet to occur.

Unless, suddenly…

Friends, the fullness of the Gentiles is about God not wanting any man—Jew or Gentile, to perish. So, if you have yet to accept Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, please do it today. Listen to Jesus’ Words concerning the hour we find ourselves: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Matthew 24: 36-37; 42:44.

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