Sonsofthesea.org

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

Category: Courage (Page 4 of 5)

“Walk Into It.”

September 17, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

What an amazing, loving God we serve! I am so excited to share the conclusion of “Crossroads” with you all. If you have not read Part One of this teaching, I encourage you to go back and read it now. The last time we met, we discussed the crossroads God sometimes brings us to. Those significant points in our Christian walk where we must decide to take that step of faith, walking our faith out with Him. God knows the heart of every one of His children. So I’m titling the close of this teaching “Walk into It.” Because when we walk in the anointing God has poured out on us, God will bring us to a place of honor. It’s all about that first step of faith. And after the first comes the second, the third, and so on. Next thing you know, you are walking on water with Jesus right in front of you!

Yet there will also be times of waiting, preparation, and equipping, times when it’s just you and the Lord.

Every child of God eventually finds themselves in those moments spent in the wilderness. Now I can almost hear the groaning! Many of you might say, “but I do not want to be in the wilderness! How is this a good place to be?!” And I agree. The wilderness is a place we don’t run and sign up for; however, the wilderness experience is necessary. “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end” –Ecclesiastes 3:11 (HCSB).

My brothers and sisters, we are all unfinished works. Be patient, then. God is still working. He has not forgotten you.

So, let’s dive into this lesson by looking at a young man who will be the greatest king Israel has ever seen. His name is David. A warrior and worshiper of God. This young man started out in a field caring for his father’s sheep, fighting off bears, lions, and other dangers that would harm the flock. But most importantly, David had a heart for God. He saw the importance of having a relationship centered on worship and time with Him. His heart was for the Lord.

I cannot stress strongly enough David’s heart for the Lord.

Yet David was overlooked by his very own father and brothers when the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. From the very beginning, God tells the prophet Samuel: “…Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart” –1 Samuel 16:7 (HCSB).

So why was David anointed king out of all Jesse’s sons?

A large part was David’s genuine heart for God. 1 Samuel 13:14 says David was a man after God’s own heart. David’s true love for the Lord was one of the things God used to bring David out of the fields and into the throne room, but not immediately. Now here comes that wilderness moment we all love. Not! First, Saul was already Israel’s king. Secondly, although Samuel anointed David King, David still had some growing up. He had to learn to walk in the anointing and what it was to run a kingdom. In part, which meant humbling himself under a very jealous king Saul.

David’s crossroads moment came only after being anointed king.

 Scripture tells us it happened when Israel battled an enemy known as the Philistines.

David’s older brothers had volunteered to battle the Philistines. They were on the front lines defending the land God had given them. Now, for those who know the story of David and Goliath, you may be saying, isn’t that the moment David went to face Goliath? Yes, but no. To defeat something, you first need to show up. And David was still tending his father’s sheep. Goliath’s defeat would soon follow. “One day Jesse had told his son David, “take this half-bushel of roasted grain along with these 10 loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to the camp. Also take these 10 portions of cheese to the field commander. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring conformation from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him” –1 Samuel 17:17-20 (HCSB).

David’s father had sent him to bring provisions to his brothers. David’s time of waiting had ended. He left behind the flock and the fields. Everything David had known, he now laid aside. It was time to go into the battle. As David arrives, he hands off the provisions he’d brought and runs to meet his brothers. Seeing all the men, he runs up to them. Scripture tells us that as David spoke to his brothers, the champion named Goliath came forward and started shouting and profaning the God of Israel. “David spoke to the men who were standing with him, “what will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” – 1 Samuel 17:26 (HCSB).

After David spoke these words, his older brother spoke out against him, claiming that David was arrogant, and his heart was evil. At that point, David could have said nothing. He could have just walked away and returned to his father’s house. Instead, it’s here, brothers and sisters, where we witness David step into what God had chosen him to do. But know this: whenever one of God’s chosen is walking in obedience to God, stepping into their calling, there will be resistance. Even from your very own family. Follow David’s lead. Do not be discouraged, my friends.

Like David, your time of waiting will end. And no man can stop what God has for you when it does! Just abide in Christ. John 15:5. Assures us of this. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” God’s Holy Spirit in you will lead you into all Truth, so remain in Him and, like David, chase after more of God!

When you get to those crossroads’ moments, know that the Father is right there with you. He wants the best for you. He wants nothing more than to have a relationship with you.

My brothers and sisters, as we close, let me remind you of the amazing, loving Father we have and serve. How He sent his Son into the battlefield called the world. And how Jesus went willingly and triumphantly to the Cross for you and me. By Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, we are forgiven of all our sins, and because of His resurrection, we too shall see eternal life. Call out to Him today if you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is standing at the door of your heart, ready to make his home in you. Amen. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” –Revelation 3:20.

Crossroads

August 27, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

Crossroads- A point at which a crucial decision must be made, having far-reaching consequences.

Think of all the faith heroes who lived ordinary lives. Many were farmers, shepherds, and fishermen. Every day people like you and me. Many had families to provide for, and most of them faced the same problems we face today. In Ecclesiastes, the teacher says there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 3:5 “Whatever is has already been, and whatever will be, already is, God repeats what has passed.”

Same problems. Same issues of righteousness and unrighteousness; the only difference being the sets of eyes seeing these same problems—they were from a different generation. As we all stand closer and closer to the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, I cannot help but think about what was going through their minds and hearts when God called them and spoke the words, “Follow Me?”

For example, take Moses. Exodus 2:11-15 says, “One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.”

At one time, Moses was a prince of Egypt. Then a severe circumstance occurred in his life, forcing him to ignore his station and act upon who he truly was. When his crossroads moment came, Moses chose to act. And as a result of that choice, Moses was exiled to the land of Midian. Yet all was not lost. God brought Moses to Jethro’s family. He was the priest of Midian. There, Moses ends up marrying Jethro’s daughter, Zipporah. “Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage” –Exodus 2:21.

Now, during his years in the wilderness, Moses cared for his father-in-law’s sheep; he was pretty content with the life he was living. Moses also had a family, a son named Gershom; Moses considered his life to be in order. Until the appointed day, God called him, setting him on a path that took him away from order and comfort and towards the extraordinary.

Instead of caring for sheep, God will now have Moses care for a different flock, His chosen people.

God was ready to deliver His people from 4oo years of oppression. And He’d chosen Moses for the job. “Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. “I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.” Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” –Exodus 3:7-10.

God had now led Moses to yet another crossroads moment. Moses had two paths before him. That’s part of the beauty and love of God; He’s given us free will. Yet, God knew the path Moses would take. Yes, Moses had doubts and fear. We see that in Exodus 3:11. “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” And we read more about those doubts and fears in Exodus 4:10. “But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

How quickly we disqualify ourselves, focusing on our bad qualities, what disqualifies us, instead of seeing what God has already given us—sees in us. God sees the heart. And God knew Moses’s heart.

In one way or another, every child of God has experienced their own crossroads moment in life—or soon will. These moments of decision will not stop until we see Jesus face to face.

Now, I could have mentioned many others in the Bible who’d also faced their crossroads, but we’ll save some of them for the next time we meet, so don’t forget to look for part two of this teaching on Saturday, September 17!

But for now, how you face your crossroads moments in life is what determines how things will work out in your life. As I stated earlier, God loves us and gave us free will. So, it all comes down to what you will or will not do when you stand at your own crossroads. Jesus said in John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I have chosen you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask in My name, He will give you.” God already knew your heart, just like He knew Moses’ heart. And He knew which way you’d go when faced with such a choice. Ecclesiastes 3:14 says, “He made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from the beginning to the end.”

My prayer is this: when you come to those crossroad moments, may God give you, His wisdom. May He speak clearly to your hearts and minds. May you walk in the patience and the love of Jesus Christ. May He reveal all these deep things you are searching for. And, when you hear Him, you do not harden your heart but be pliable, trusting God has appointed a specific time to meet with you. Amen.

2 Corinthians 6:2 “For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” I pray you felt the tug of our Lord Jesus as you were reading this. If you are at that crossroad moment, I pray that you heed His call over you. He is ready to lead you to that defining moment that will bring you out of the wilderness and into the promise. Call out to Him and declare that Jesus is Lord in your heart and every circumstance. Ask Him to wash you clean of your every sin by the precious Blood of our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

But I Thought…

August 20, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” –Isaiah 55:8-9.

We need God’s grace to surrender our wants, our ought to be’s, and should, into His Sovereign hands. God’s grace enables us to stop playing god and start trusting Him instead, putting legs beneath our professions. Without God’s grace, we are power-less. A dead branch disconnected from the Vine. “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” –Philippians 2:13.

We are called, instructed, commanded to surrender our fragile, ever-changing thoughts to God—all of us, in exchange for making room for, more of Him. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” –Philippians 4:8.

To “put on” the mind of Christ—is a choice we must make—daily. Over and over and over again. Sunup to sundown. A laying down that we might take up. Intentionally tearing down, destroying, every idol self has dared set up in opposition to God. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” –2Corinthians 10:5.

Yielding to God then, our desired outcomes and how we thought our lives were supposed to look and progress. Whether in our marriages, parenting choices, ministry, Christian walk, prayer life, or how we thought deliverance or transformation might look. Surrendering our every expectation on the “how or when,” God, in His Divine timing, will transform us—our hearts, lives, and attitudes; confidently trusting that He will never break His promise. He can’t. “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” –Numbers 23:19.

We are called to understand, recognize, surrender to the fact that He alone is God; we are not. He alone is Sovereign; too often, we are little more than a fly-by-night people.

Many of us love a person, place, or thing, even God’s blessings, today, yet lose our desire for any more of them tomorrow. We witness this Truth unfold before our very eyes when reading Exodus 16. In it, we read about a group of Israelites suddenly freed from their oppressor’s exacting grip. And we read of God’s miraculous power flowing through one man He’d been preparing in the Midian wilderness—his name, Moses. “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death” –Exodus 16:2-3.

Shortly after the dancing and rejoicing over freedom gained had stopped, the grumbling began in earnest. So did the suspicious glances and doubting. Seemingly gone from their memory that moment when Moses stood, lifting his shepherd’s staff high in obedience to God’s command. The water responded by standing erect, solid as any wall. Gone too, it seems, the memory of how they’d crossed between that wall of water from slavery into a land promised them by God on a bone-dry sea bottom no less! Talk about an oxymoron! Not so much as one person getting stuck or being left behind, nor did one cartwheel sink into what should have been little more than muck. The Israelites suffered no loss that day. Some scholars say more than half a million people stepped onto that dried-up seabed as slaves, yet every single one of them stepped out the other side free men—more, sons and daughters: a chosen people, God’s own.

And as incredible as all that is, I am not here today to exalt God’s ability to deliver a race of people from oppression—though He has and can, nor to tout that He is the God of miracles—though He is.

No, today I’m here to cast light on just how easy it was for the Israelites, is, for you and me, to forget not only who and Whose we are but also about our ignoring God’s great mercy. “Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.'” While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud. The Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God” –Exodus 16:9-12.

Brothers, God’s Sovereign Hand is covering us daily—a Pillar of fire by night and a Cloud by day, still: protection and provision.

Somehow, the Israelites soon forgot how Moses had “suddenly” shown up, used by God to deliver them from Pharaoh’s deadly grip, and how every plague sent upon Egypt failed to reach them, their livestock, or households. Having left the bloodied door posts from a Passover past far behind them, they forgot God had been shedding innocent blood since the Garden that He might save His people. In their grumbling, they forgot God was still in their midst. That He still loved them, was guiding them, and showed Himself faithful, that He might save them—despite their failing Him. “The [presence of the] LORD was going before them by day in a pillar (column) of cloud to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night” –Exodus 13:21.

Yet the Israelites just couldn’t see it.

But now, before you go thinking, “how could they have missed God? He was right there with them, for Pete’s sake!” Remember, child of God. He lives within you, and you still miss Him daily, too.

The Israelites missed God because He wasn’t their focus, “lack of” was their focus. Self, that little g god, was their focus. All of us will miss God. His presence in our lives. His instruction, mercy, His move. We’ll miss the blessing obedience offers as we submit ourselves to those Godly shepherds, He has placed over us as long as we are focused on our flesh. As long as we live in “, but I thought it should,” look like, come

package as, even feel a certain way, instead of living as Jesus taught us, in complete submission to God. “In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” –Ephesians 4:22-24.

Beloved, Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that our thoughts, how we think, life ought to go, look, and feel are not God’s thoughts or ways—far from it! They’re not the way God, who created and sealed us in Himself, has planned for our lives to go. “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” –1 Peter 1:17-19.

I encourage you to surrender yourself afresh to God, Beloved. Leaving behind your every, “but I thought….”

And Friend, I encourage you to ask this All-Knowing God, whose ways are far above your own, into your life as Lord. Know this: God can and will deliver you from any situation, bondage, addiction, from the exacting grip of any lie spoken over you or any lie you’ve believed about yourself. Trust that He knows what’s best for you. I know this to be Truth—because He did it for me. “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.

Unending Love, Amazing Grace.

July 16, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“And raised-us-with Him and seated-us-with Him in the heavenly-places in Christ Jesus, in order that He might demonstrate in the coming age the surpassing riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” –Ephesians 2:6-7.

‘Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed. My chains are gone, I’ve been set free My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains, Unending love, Amazing Grace. The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. –Chris Tomlin.

Via His Word and various worship songs, the Holy Spirit has spoken to me throughout the day. Stirring up in me reminders of His Holiness, His Power, His Amazing Grace, and Love. God has been refreshing me. Re-minding me (returning to my remembrance); He is not finished with me yet. His ongoing work of sanctification, my being made new, constant. “ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” –2 Corinthians 3:18.

God has been reminding me of just how easily I forget what, said anemically, is the extra-ordinary privilege I have been afforded in having been chosen in Him. My having been saved by the finished work of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. My salvation, costing Jesus His life. I have been humbled today, brought low. Not in a bad way. That’s not the Holy Spirit’s style. Instead, I have been reminded that I am standing on Holy ground whenever God shows up as He has today; I’ve been in the very presence of my heavenly Father. My knees bent, hitting the floor in adoration and awe, feeling the weight of His glory all around me. Who am I that God would come to me?

Now, hear me here. I don’t say this lightly or with some false sense of humility.

I understand I am God’s child and that it is very natural for us to commune with each other. Yet, even knowing this; still, a holy reverence overcomes me whenever my Father shows Himself as plainly as He has today. And I pray that never changes. May I never lose my awe of such a Holy, Loving God.

In His infinite mercy and unfathomable love for us, His children, we who have been chosen in Christ Jesus from before the foundation of the world stand as living testaments, open letters, epistles of God’s unplumbed love. Both now and in the world to come. Irrefutable proof of the supernatural power of our God—to men and angels alike. In 2 Corinthians 3:3, the Apostle Paul says the following concerning your being a living testament to our God. “You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

Listen to how Angelica Duncan describes your being a living testament: “To be a living epistle means you are a living, breathing, walking letter of God’s goodness, glory, and grace!”

So for those whose memory of that precious sacred moment, the Sovereign God of the universe first revealed Himself to you, has dimmed. That very instant, God plucked you out of the kingdom of darkness, placing you safely, instead, into the Kingdom of His Marvelous Light. The Lord has sent me here today to lead you back. Back to the remembrance of the most wonder-full, life-changing miracle you have ever or will ever experience. The hour you first believed. To stir up a re-minder of the very precious gift of faith entrusted to you.

Hold tight to this Truth, child of God! Clinging to it as if to a lifeline, “your” lifeline. Salvation is nothing if not personal. Re-membering, Christ died for you.

No other gift, no matter how great, will ever have greater worth than the gift of your salvation. No healing or blessing, no ministry, spouse, no-thing will ever surpass you receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. Nothing. “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have” –2 Peter 1:10-12.

I pray you never forget the very second this unsearchable miracle occurred in your life, having been seared into your memory, indelible, until the Lord calls you back to Himself.

That very second when, like Paul, scales fell from your eyes. Then, for the first time in your life, you saw clearly. Not by human hands, mind you—no Ananias prayed over you. “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again” –John 3:5-7.

Instead, you were persuaded God had sent His Holy Spirit to visit you as surely as He visited Mary—depositing eternal life into your belly. Filling you with His eternal promises and sealing you in Himself for all time, birthing a new man from the old. You have been washed clean, prodigal. Never forget that Truth! “In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God]” –Ephesians 1:13.

Chains that had you bound for years, some for a lifetime, falling to the floor. You have been set free from sin, death, and the law; because of Christ Jesus. Because God so loved you that He sent His only Beloved Son into this world to die in your place. All that “whomsoever” might be reconciled to Him, now and forever. “He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2.

Remember, too, child of God, when your eyes close to this world, they will open to an eternity spent in the loving presence of your Lord. Never lose hope then. “Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” –Luke 23:43.

Beloved brothers and sisters, listening to Chris Tomlin’s Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) Holy Spirit reminded me of the Truth Paul shares with us in today’s Scripture. And so, I’m passing along this oft-needed reminder to you, too, wanting to stir up what the Holy Spirit stirred up in me. A reminder of who I am in Christ Jesus. Contrary to how I may feel in moments of weakness, doubt, or fear, Christ is not finished with me yet. And neither is He finished with you. Keep moving forward, child of God. Keep trusting in God alone. “Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints” –Ephesians 6:18.

Friend, if you’ve yet to ask Jesus, who sets us free from our past, into your life as Lord and Savior, do it now, please. Why stay bound to your sin, addiction, or pain for one more minute? Live free this instant! “A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” –John 8:35-36.

We Must Choose.

June 25, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” –2 Timothy 1:7.

Amalgamation. For some Christians, it looks something like this: with one hand, we take the Hand of the One True God, confessing Him as our Lord, while with our other, we hold onto the god of our flesh, our habitual, sinful wants, and deeds; playing with dead things, we dip our hand back into our baptismal font, helping our “old man” step out to run amuck for a bit. “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” –Romans 7:18.

Yet Jesus made it abundantly clear that no man can serve two masters—this spiritual principle, as true today as the day the Lord taught us that we cannot serve Him and mammon—Matthew 6:24. The Spirit and flesh will always be at war. Listen to how the Apostle Paul describes this ongoing battle: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh” –Galatians 5:17.

So who wins this ongoing battle? Answer: Whomever we arm. And for this, I thank God for His amazing grace!

Beloved, we get to choose the victor; remember, Christ has already given us everything we need to win this ongoing war. So we defeat our flesh moment by moment, decision by painful decision; by choosing to put to death the old man with his sinful desires—its contrary-ness to the Most High God. We must be intentional, determined to choose Godliness. Being led, taught, and changed by God’s Holy Spirit, willingly surrendering our old man into God’s capable charge. The Potter then, spinning us afresh, reshaping and folding in, a new, pure, holy vessel birthed from the old. From an acorn, a mighty oak is born. “So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” –Jeremiah 18:3-4.

“But you don’t understand. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember.”

“I’m naturally a shy person.”

“I was born gay.”

“My father was an alcoholic. It’s in my genes.”

“I’ve never been comfortable around a bunch of people.

“I couldn’t possibly speak/sing/teach in front of others.”

And the list goes on…

I’m confident you would have no problem plugging in your own “I’ve always been” into this list.

Yet, Scripture makes clear there comes a time in our walk with God when milk must be exchanged for meat—least we stay spiritual children, stunted, never maturing into the fullness of Godly adulthood. A time when we must determine, choose, change over comfort, habit, and the familiar.

As Peter was approaching the end of his life, he shared the following wisdom with us—a parting gift, a spiritual building block, a sure foundation upon which we can build. “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love” –2 Peter 1:5-7. Peter is reminding us God has given us everything we need to live Godly lives; now keep going. Press on. Desire more of what you’ve been freely given. Hunger for more, more of God and less of you, more holy boldness, obedience, power, more of what God has for you. Our desiring to live and walk out our faith as Christ commanded, outweighing everything else. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” –2 Corinthians 5:17.

Question is, will we choose to believe this? To put legs under it, walking it out day by day? It is, after all, our choice.

Remember, Christ Jesus has assured us everything we need to live out this “new life” in Him was accomplished on His Cross. Nothing else is necessary—on God’s part, that is. “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. –2 Peter 1:3-4. Any work left to do then is ours; it starts with our first believing in Christ Jesus and then agreeing with Him, allowing Him to change how we define ourselves—from the inside out. Taking God at His Word that we truly have been born anew, spiritually speaking—whether we feel new or not. Choice is the lifeblood of faith—believing in what we cannot see—trusting in it, partnering with the power and ability of the One who has called us out of darkness into His glorious Light. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”–Hebrews 1:1.

We must choose to trust that we have been set free from our “old man with its carnal lust” and are “free indeed” to begin our new life in Christ—with Christ. “For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death” –Romans 8:2.

Living a life of dependence on Jesus now, a life fueled by His every promise. Confident that Jesus cannot lie, we must choose to place the full weight of our trust in God, day by day, living as the new creations we are, or, conversely, we can choose to keep going back, dredging up our old man, dead in his watery grave. Placing our faith instead in “I’ve always been this way.” “My mother/father/ fill in the blank—told me I’ll never amount to anything more than this.”

Yet to mature spiritually, live, and move as God intended, we must allow God’s Holy Spirit unrestricted access to every inch of us.

And yet, amazingly, God has afforded us free will because of His great love for us. This means we can say no to Jesus or His Holy Spirit. Jesus has afforded us the choice to stay stuck in our pain, living fractured, half-lives while on our way to heaven, missing out on the whole, rich, depth of relationship His life, death, and resurrection has provided those who trust Him.

Remember, God’s Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He will not force Himself upon you (even though He is God and can do whatever He wishes). We must bid God welcome. Affording His Holy Spirit unrestricted freedom to walk in and out of the “chambers of our heart,” as jacked-up and messy as they may be. Bid Him welcome into our deepest hurt, that He might roll back that massive stone we placed over our hearts when we were four, twelve, twenty—or yesterday; that instant we swore to ourselves no one would ever hurt us/ have access to our hearts in that same way, ever again.

Yet, to walk in this fullness of Jesus Beloved, in all He has destined for us, to walk in love as He is love, we must choose to live holy, un-comfortable.

Will you join me today in saying yes for the first or maybe the hundredth time, choosing God over self?

And fear not! None of us are worthy of being chosen by God, friend. Isaiah, Job, the Apostle Peter, and Paul have each attested to this truth. Still, you must decide for yourself to choose Jesus over your “I’ve always been.” So, if Christ Jesus is bidding you to leave yourself behind, with all the comforts of the familiar, that you might live in the fullness of all He has for you, which will you choose?

Remember, the choice is yours to make. I encourage you, friend—choose Life. “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.

And if you have yet to ask Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, choose to do so today, friend. Scripture assures us no man is promised tomorrow—Truth remains Truth, even when it makes us uncomfortable. So please, don’t let today pass without choosing to ask God into your life.

How Do I “Guard My Heart?”

June 11, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

“Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life” — Proverbs 4:23.

There must be a good reason for this idea of guarding the heart to be laced throughout the Bible. We see it from the Old Testament through to Paul’s letters to the Churches in the New Testament. What does it even mean to guard my heart? I cannot see nor touch it; how then is it possible to protect it?

What I love about the Bible is that it doesn’t leave us stranded after giving us seemingly impossible instructions. We can find the key to guarding our hearts within the very pages on which Paul writes this statement. Philippians 4:4-7 reads, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Proverbs 4:23 alerts us to the importance of guarding the heart by identifying it as the source of life.

These practical steps outlined in Philippians 4 are stepping stones we have to carry out the instructions in Proverbs 4. While we are instructed to guard our hearts, the Bible also makes it clear that we can’t do it alone; we need God’s help. We see this paradox in contrast between Proverbs 4 and Philippians 4, where it seems that one scripture is telling us to guard our hearts, while the other teaches that it is the peace of God that guards our hearts. I believe this is a sort of a “push and pull ” in our relationship with our Father. We work to live rightly while pushing into God’s resources when we can no longer pull on our strength.

 “Rejoice in the Lord always.” It would be easier if this verse said, “rejoice in the Lord sometimes.”

Instead, it says always. Our rejoicing is so essential that Paul mentions it repeatedly! Why? Rejoicing does something to our minds. It puts us in a different state, inviting peace rather than anxiety. Rejoicing is giving thanks in every circumstance. Sometimes we are so consumed with what’s wrong that we no longer have the energy left to spend on searching for what’s right.

I remember a time in my life when I cried every day. I looked around and was filled with complaints and reminded myself of what was wrong, but slowly I was able to redirect my thoughts to think of what is good, as Philippians 4:8 says. At the time, most days, I had to think hard about what could be good, but as I made it a practice, good thinking became more natural. “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—think about such things” –Philippians 4:8.

Although challenging, changing our way of thinking is possible.

It is rewarding to learn to quit focusing on what’s wrong in life and REJOICE instead over what’s good. The word “gratitude” comes from the Latin word “gratia,” which translates to “grace, graciousness, or gratefulness.” Research shows that gratitude can result in increased happiness in one’s life! (Harvard Health, 2021). This research supports Philippians 4:7. “Let your graciousness be known to everyone.” By choosing gratitude and joy in all things, your countenance changes. As your gratitude and praise to God increase, God inhabits our praises (Psalm 22:3), and the Lord draws near (Phil 4:6). Over time, as gratitude becomes a lifestyle, your joy and “graciousness” will become known to everyone, including yourself.

2. Do not worry.

I know what you’re thinking: it’s easier said than done, but with the help of the Spirit of God, you can live in peace, despite the uncertainties that life brings. Worry often comes with “what ifs.” Worry is faith in the bad things that can happen rather than having faith in God that He will work it out for our good. I’m not saying that life won’t have moments of uncertainty, but there are several places in the Bible where we are instructed not to worry or be anxious. Instead, to have faith and courage, trusting that God is on our side.

When I read these verses, I often thought, “easy for you to say, Bible.” But in my walk with God, I have learned increasingly that this instruction is twofold, more like a cycle of His faithfulness. As we step out in faith, God answers prayers and makes a way, allowing us to experience His faithfulness firsthand. As the cycle continues, we gain the confidence to trust Him for the next hurdle—only to see His goodness repeatedly. The scripture instructs us to pray instead of worry. So, the next time you’re worried, share your problems with God and remind your soul that whatever the outcome may be, God has your best interest in mind.

When we read the following few verses of Philippians, we’ll find a “how-to guide” on having a healthy mindset. And with enough practice, I believe you can discipline your mind to change your thinking patterns. We touched on Philippians 4:8 earlier, but here it is again, including verse 9.

 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” —Philippians 4:8-9.

 Paul is reiterating the possibility of the presence of God’s peace in a very practical way. When you begin to feel panic, remember to pray. Then follow this guide in Philippians 4:8-9 and find something true, right, pure, lovely, or good, and think on that. Train your brain. I am confident that the Spirit of God will help you as He has done for me amid my darkest moments.

The key to God’s peace is trifold: prayer, trusting in Him, and doing our part to discipline our minds to believe God’s Word. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” –2 Corinthians 10:5.

This week, I pray you can find God in every situation. If you don’t yet know Him, He is available to you through Jesus. Jesus wants to give you peace today as you begin your journey with Him.

Citation: “Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health Publishing, 14 Aug. 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier.

He’ll Make a Warrior Out of You.

April 9, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

“Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it” – Judges 8:4.

Today, we will follow the story of an unlikely hero in the Old Testament who restored his nation with God’s help. This story can’t just be cherry-picked, one verse and call it a day, so we are going on a bit of a storytelling journey. But trust me, it’s a good one! Judges six introduces us to a timid young man from the least of his tribe. He was also the youngest child in his family.

From the beginning of this story, it is evident that Gideon was far from strong and courageous.

We read many Bible stories of brave, valiant men and women who trusted God with all confidence, yet God’s choice of Gideon highlights someone who may not be a “typical hero.” Gideon was a fearful person, probably a bit anxious if I were to guess. Yet the beauty of his story is that God’s mercy sees past Gideon’s current circumstance and speaks into his destiny. One small blog post is not enough to cover Gideon’s whole story, yet there is much we can learn about what it means to walk in our God-given purpose, nevertheless.

 “The weakest tribe.” “The youngest in his family.”

You and I know these terms of inadequacy; there’s really nothing new under the sun. These terms of inadequacy were the exact words used to describe one of the greatest warriors of old. Often, we know what our end goal needs to be, yet we also have the sense we somehow don’t have what it takes to fill the shoes to make things happen.

Whether it’s our career, ministry, personal, or family-related, everyone knows the feeling of inadequacy. Thankfully, our Creator is not surprised by our self-perceived shortcomings. He anticipates them.

God knows exactly how we see ourselves. He also knows how to extract the absolute best from us—through His Holy Spirit at work in us. The Lord approached Gideon, He said, “the Lord is with you mighty warrior” – v. 12. Gideon’s response to being called a mighty warrior was riddled with fearful doubt, not faith. Gideon failed, initially, to recognize God was trying to inspire him by calling him a mighty warrior. “Pardon me, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” – Judges 6:15. Gideon affirmed two things in questioning God the way he did: his insignificance and lack of faith. He had heard of the God who delivered his people from Egypt years ago, but he didn’t believe the same God was still with them. Gideon felt helpless and abandoned. He didn’t realize that Israel’s Savior had come to lift Israel’s heads—yet again.

Gideon’s response sounded awfully familiar to me. I’ve heard many people respond in this same fashion. “If God is with me, why do I still not have a house?” ‘If God is with me, why am I still sick?’ “If God is with me, why don’t I have my dream job?” “If God is with me, why am I not married yet?”

If-then statements affirm our fears and doubts rather than decree God’s faithfulness.

God was trying to teach Gideon a lesson in steadfastness—and through him, us as well. You have to understand the background of this story to appreciate Gideon’s response to God. Moses had led the Israelites out of being enslaved people in Egypt just a few generations before. They were a free people now, but they had turned away from God, worshipping idols instead. They explicitly broke the command given them by God, to have “no other gods before the one true God- Yahweh”—Exodus 20:3. And because of their spiritual adultery, God allowed the Israelites to fall into the hands of their enemies, yet again. The Bible says the Midianites were like locusts, ravaging the land of the Israelites –Judges 6:5. The Israelites were afraid of Midianites after succumbing to the deception of giving their hearts to the pagan God, Baal. This makes Gideon’s fearful response to God’s sudden appearance make sense.

If Gideon were to re-establish Yahweh as Israel’s one true God, he knew he’d be doing so in opposition to the people around him. He’d be in the minority. The Israelites crafted false gods with their hands; today, many people hold their god in their hands—their phones. Remember, gods can come in the form of family members, significant others, nature, entertainment, possessions, careers—anything can become a god if we allow it. And while it may feel right at that moment, giving our hearts to other gods has long-term, devastating effects on our spirits. We were created to thrive when our heart, mind, soul, and strength are fixed on the one true God. “Jesus declared, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” –Matthew 22:37-38.

If our hearts are not purposefully committed to serving Jesus only, losing them to another god is easy.

Back to Gideon. He lived in a culture that had given its heart to idols and was oppressed by pagans. Then God shows up and calls Gideon a mighty warrior – Judges 6:12. Gideon could not see his worth because God was calling Gideon by his potential.

God has a way of showing us who He’s created us to be.

When God showed up, Gideon was by no means a mighty warrior; he was the timid, youngest child of his tribe, threshing wheat in a winepress—Judges 6:11. Little did Gideon know, God was about to make him one of His greatest warriors. To help accomplish this, the Lord selects a three-hundred-man army to fight alongside Gideon. Yet, for them to come away victorious from this battle with the Midianites would require a trained army of some tens of thousands! Surely, they were in for an impossible fight. Yet here they were, this unlikely army of just three hundred men hand-picked by the Lord. Their number, part of God’s plan. God jealously wanted the glory in freeing His people from their captors, and He still does.

So, if you feel like you’re in an impossible situation, you are in the prime position for a miraculous victory, which can only happen by the hand of God! Let the Spirit of God remind you who He is and who you are in Him. Even when you’ve walked away from the Lord, He sees you, still. He is still pursuing you, just as He did the Israelites, repeatedly. Jesus never fails to remind us of who He’s been in our lives, even when we didn’t realize it. When the time finally comes to fight for the vision in your heart, it may be scary, but you must remember that the Lord has already been working on your behalf behind the scenes. We see the Truth of this in Gideons’ story.

Gideon had gone through a series of events leading up to this battle, yet he still wasn’t the mighty warrior he would become. But the Lord wasn’t surprised by this. He expected Gideon to be afraid. Moments before this battle, the Lord leaks some intel to Gideon, telling him that he should eavesdrop on what his enemies are saying if he is still afraid. Sure enough, the princes of Midian were discussing a dream.

“This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.'”… While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords” – Judges 7:14-18; 21-22.

God went ahead of Gideon, weakening the hearts of his enemy. But I want us to pay attention to Gideon’s response to God’s actions. He bowed down and worshiped. Too many today receive their blessing and get up prideful, rather than humble—boastful, instead of praising the Lord, remembering the blessing came by His hand alone. God loves a humble heart and will continue to bless it—Proverbs 3:34.

But the story isn’t over yet. Gideon had one more battle to fight; they couldn’t give up just yet. In the middle of this passage, we read that Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. – Judges 8:4. They were exhausted but continued their pursuit.

I don’t know about you, but I deeply feel this verse. I get so tired of fighting sometimes I just want to stop and relax, taking some time for myself.

But God did not create us to live in comfort; He created us to live in Him, operate in His strength when we feel weak. To be bold and courageous. And our having such courage sometimes requires being uncomfortable. It requires faith and perseverance. “Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon…” –Judges 6:34. Gideon defied the ungodly culture he lived amongst by the power of God’s Spirit at work in him. By his choosing to obey and follow after the one true God.

When culture tells us to do what feels good, the Bible tells us to step out in faith even when it feels uncomfortable.

Like Gideon, I believe the Lord wants to make a mighty warrior out of you. Wherever you are in life, I pray you to have the courage to obey the Lord in everything. God knows what’s going on, whether in your work, family, or personal life. If you are willing to listen, He is ready to lead you. And as He leads you, trust that He is working behind the scenes in ways you could never imagine. You may be afraid and anxious, but Gideon’s story should inspire hope, ensuring that God is not afraid of your shortcomings. He expects them and prepares us, despite them. Keep fighting. Keep trusting the Lord. He moves in ways that you could never think or imagine. And when you see your victory, respond in worship. Not in pride.

If you don’t know the Lord who fights for you, I promise that He is available to you right here and now if you would humble yourself and pray to Him. If you seek Jesus with all your heart, He will meet you exactly where you are. Your need is not too small nor too big. Ask Jesus into your heart today. He will strengthen you to walk through this life in victory!

Love With an Open Hand.

February 26, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

As time moves on, it appears we have been moving further and further away from caring for others. We are inching ever closer toward little more than meeting our own needs. It is said, A culture that advocates for doing whatever makes one happy is in direct opposition to our purpose as believers. While society says, “do whatever makes you feel good”, the Word of God says, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable– who can understand it?” – Jeremiah 17:9. The world says, put yourself first, while the Bible says, “Value others above yourselves, not looking to your interests but each of you to the interests of the others” – Phil 2:3-4.

While I believe that we must maintain a certain level of self-care, Western culture, in my opinion, has taken this to an extreme. Caring far more for “self” and far less for others.

This mindset has led some to believe that they will only be happy as they focus on little other than themselves. Yet God says the exact opposite is true. God’s Word declares that “it is better to give than to receive” – Acts 20:35. But some have become so obsessed with self-care that for them, giving in any capacity, be it financial, of their time, or energy, unless somehow directly benefitting them, is fast becoming unthinkable. Not for everyone—I hope certainty not for you, Christian! Because this idea is in direct contrast with what the Bible teaches us.

Amid one of the worst mental health crises in modern history, the Word of God holds the key to thriving as we learn, to love with an open heart.

While Jesus was bearing our sins on the cross, He hung, arms stretched wide, hands nailed open. And while that was His physical posture, it mimicked the posture of His heart as well. Jesus knew that the very people who had crucified Him—cried out for His death, were also the same ones who needed His forgiveness and love, and He did not withhold it. Jesus’ brave love allowed Him to maintain a posture of forgiveness. His heart responded not with disdain but forgiveness. “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” – Luke 23:34. Jesus knew that you and I could very well have been standing there as He was crucified, yet He still chose to love us.

The very people who favored Jesus’ death sentence were the ones whom Jesus had walked among His entire life. They were the same people who sat under His teaching and followed Him throughout His three years of ministry. These were the people who crucified Jesus. And as He carried the sins of the world, past, present, and future, we might as well have been there too. Yet if Jesus could love in such a way, let’s not forget that we’re commanded to do the same.

How many times have we experienced betrayal at the hands of a friend? Or encountered coworkers who have proven to be untrustworthy? Or maybe it’s a family member who is manipulative or selfish?

It is easy to love those who are kind to us. But with difficult people, not so much. Often, we convince ourselves that they somehow deserve our cold shoulder. I’ll go back to our contrasts of societal advice versus Biblical Truth on this one. “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also… You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” – Matthew 5:39b, 43-46a.

While society says to return the favor, give as good as you got, Jesus says choose humility, turn the other cheek. I do not take this to say let people walk all over you. I see it as a call to live in a posture of forgiveness and love. You can love someone without trusting them, forgive without trusting, and give without expecting a return on your investment.

It’s hard but possible to live that freely. In time, the Lord restores what was broken.

Sometimes, our love and generosity can be contingent upon what we’ll get in return. For instance, we will attend a wedding expecting that those getting married will one day attend our wedding. We give food in someone’s time of need with an expectation that they would do the very same for us in our hour of need. We donate to charity, walking away feeling satisfied knowing that we did something good.

But what happens when our expected outcome doesn’t happen?

Sadly, the answer is that many will hold a grudge, or they will determine in their heart to never again give to that one of their time or resources. Yet Jesus says, “turn the other cheek.” He challenges us to give of ourselves again and again. To love, again. Expecting nothing in return. He challenges us to love without holding so tightly to expectations. Instead, loving with an open hand, knowing that we made a difference in someone’s life, regardless of their response.

A couple of years ago, this revelation completely changed my life. I remember being so hurt by people I invested time, energy, and resources in. I gave and gave, expecting that if I ever needed their time, energy, or resources, they would have my back. But I learned that was not always so. It led to me feeling bitter, angry, hurt, and resentful. While praying about it, the Lord gave me this idea: Be a friend to people and be fully present today, knowing full well that that person may not be there tomorrow, and let them go. Praise God for the time you had with that person and that you had a genuine friendship with them for a time, and pray that they are blessed as they go on. Keep your eyes open for the new people I place in your life as you move forward and be present for them as well, knowing full well that tomorrow they also may not be there.

At that moment, God was teaching me a piece of what the love of Christ looks like. Even when I feel betrayed, I can pray that the seeds planted will grow, and, eventually, that person will be at peace. When I began to love these people with an open hand, nothing they could have said or done hurt me anymore. I began to bless them, and, as it says in Ephesians 4, I was able to forgive them as Christ forgives me, moving forward with peace and joy. What kind of bitterness could you be harboring in your heart today? What do you need freedom from? Who in your life needs your forgiveness so that you might live without the weight of that grudge? Who in your life needs a friend? Is it that one perhaps that you don’t consider worthy of your friendship? I encourage you to ask the Lord to show you what areas in your life need refreshing so that you, too, can love with an open hand.

If you don’t yet know Jesus in this way, I invite you to ask Him into your heart today. If you don’t know what to pray, you can start here. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to die for our sins. I know that I am a sinner and in need of your grace, so I ask you to forgive me today as I turn away from my sinful life. I ask that you help me to forgive those around me. I believe you are the Son of God, and I want to trust you as my Lord and my Savior. In Jesus’ name, amen. I believe that if you pray with a sincere heart, God will hear you, and your life will never be the same as you begin to walk by the Spirit and not by your understanding. I believe that today, Jesus can lead you in living life with an open hand and heart.

Fulfilled.

January 8, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

New Year. New hope. New future.

Often, that is the mantra for an ambitious person stepping into a new year. New Year’s resolutions brim over with eager plans for lifestyle changes, new habits, and new goals. Along with completing these resolutions comes the pleasure of feeling brand new! For the believer, however, fulfillment of vision only feels complete when our vision is in line with the will of God. If you are anything like me, you are great at producing ideas and starting things. Whether we want to do something as simple as reading more books or completing house projects, we are great at beginning tasks but not so great at finishing them. My house has plenty of half-finished projects, half-read books, and half-completed meal plans.

So I thank God that although inconsistency may be a part of my human condition, that less-than-stellar trait God is working out in me, my flaws are in no way reflective of God’s character. He is not a halfway God. He always finished what He started. He leaves no page unturned. “The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does” – Psalm 145:13.

As we look forward to this New Year, let us pause for a moment and invite God into our plans. “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps” – Proverbs 16:9. Throughout Scripture, we witness God keeping His promises to His children. And there is no greater satisfaction than living and walking in our God-given purpose. We can set goals in and of ourselves and then complete them certainly. But when we do it with God, He multiplies the return on our efforts.

As I read Joshua and saw the words “fulfilled promise,” two things hit my Spirit. First, a promise fulfilled is a vow that has already come to pass, whether it comes from personal efforts or through a gift we’ve received. Second, fulfillment is a feeling of satisfaction—the pleasure of knowing that what has been achieved is a good thing indeed. “Not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed” –Joshua 23:14

Inviting God to be Lord over our goal-setting opens up a way for us to grow in Him. Asking God for His vision enables us to see what He wants us to accomplish. It is beautiful to live out His vision for our lives because, in His vision, we thrive—growing in passion and vigor. When our vision is void of God, it is only self-serving. But in living out His vision for our lives, we do not just come alive within our hearts, but we help build His kingdom in the process. In part, living out God’s vision for our lives means that it will have both internal and external effects in our here and now.

In reading Joshua 23, I found it interesting that there are reminders throughout the text to “be strong and obey the commands of God.” It starts in verse six and echo’s back to the chapter one. Joshua reminds himself, and his people of all the Lord has promised them.

Moses, that great prophet and father of the faith, is long dead, having never entered the land promised him and his people—instead Joshua is the one God had chosen to step into it, leading the Israelites to take possession of the land. The Lord had to appoint a new servant to lead His people into the land He had promised them years prior. And while Moses did not see Israel’s promise happen, God had not forgotten His promise. This promised land, however, was no move-in-ready situation. There were strong enemies in the land who needed evicting.

In Joshua, Chapter One, we read, “Be strong and courageous… do not be afraid.” My favorite reiteration of this command is Joshua 1:8-9. “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Have you ever been let down because someone broke a promise they made but did not keep? Have you ever felt the weight of not being able to carry out what you intended to do?

Be encouraged today that when God makes a promise, He never breaks it. He is always faithful to fulfill what He says. Ask Him what He has for you and trust Him to lead you in His divine purpose for your life.

So, why did God have to remind Joshua to keep the book of the law on his lips? It is because God knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows that man will go his own way, deviating from God and His Word at the slightest inkling of success or the moment we think we can do things on our own. God also knows that it is in our wandering where sin creeps in. And sin deprives us of the plans and purpose God intended for us, robbing the fruit that comes along with knowing Him. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”– Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of God working in our lives.

God knows that mans human nature tends to slip into self-serving ambitions rather than maintain a life-giving lifestyle. Be strong, but also remember His word. Remember the way of righteous living that is taught throughout scripture.

As you realize what God has for you in this new year, be it physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally, walk with confidence that He will not fail you. Even if it means you are quivering at the knees a little bit, do what you are called with faith in Him, knowing that He will never let you down. And, if things do not happen according to your plan, do not be discouraged. Keep pressing on, knowing that God has never failed, and He never will. It is not in His nature. Remember also that God’s timing and our own often differ. Trust God’s over your own.

Our God will supply every one of your needs. He is in the smallest of details and will leave no page unturned in your story.

In this time of looking ahead to the new year, be open to wild visions and scary dreams. Do not close the door on things that make you say, “not me.”

Move forward, in things you want to accomplish and those things God wants you to do. In the end, I promise you that you will come away both feeling and being, fulfilled. Having not only the evidence of your dreams realized; you will also have the satisfaction of looking back and knowing that God blessed what He called you to do. This level of satisfaction is not solely for your gratification; it also allows for God’s glory to shine in your life. Your faith will increase as you behold with your own eyes the faithfulness of God at work in your life. Let your faith precede the evidence. As God comes through for you, you will have the surmounting proof that gives you the confidence to know that the Lord has never failed you, and He will not start failing you now.

Today, I invite you to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Let Him be the author and finisher of your faith. Wherever you find yourself today, He is faithful to meet you where you are. He is omnipresent, meaning He can be everywhere at any time. He saw you and knew you before you were born, and He died for you so that you may be saved and live an abundant life. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and help you find a new purpose in this new year.

“When Gods Best Is, “No.”

October 9, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire” –Matthew 26:39.

God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus. –Max Lucado

God’s answer to the anguished tone of Christ’s impassioned plea to be loosed from having to drink deeply of the bitter dregs of Golgotha’s cup; was a life-exacting “no.” God knew that part of Christ, His  “fully man,” needed to hand over its will at that moment—dying there in Golgatha to what it wanted—making Jesus’ Cross possible to bear then as “fully God.” What needed to be accomplished only God could achieve.

It appears that it was in His flesh, His humanity, that Christ pleaded with God to save Him from that hour, sparing Him from the inscrutable trial He was about to face. Remember, Jesus was both fully God and fully man. Privy to feeling everything that we mere mortals can feel—all pleasures and pain; yet Jesus was without sin. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin” –Hebrews 4:15. But God!

Again, In His Sovereignty, God knew Jesus’ flesh had to die. Why? Our only hope of being restored to right relationship with God—now, and in the world to come, hinged on Jesus’ obedience.

Ever wonder what hinges on your obedience? We’ll touch on that in a bit. But for now…

Three times, Jesus pleaded with the Father that if there be any other way around what He knew was coming, to let His cup of brutal suffering pass over Him. Let pass; what He knew would be a gut-wrenching betrayal, a savage, near-fatal beating at the hands of His ruthless Roman oppressors, to say nothing of His pain-full, shame-filled, very public crucifixion. We need only read what God says about any man hung on a tree to recognize the implication of Christs’ guilt and the shame Jews would have associated with His crucifixion. “His body shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall most certainly bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is cursed by God) …” –Deuteronomy 21:23.

And yet, God never intended for Jesus’ cup of suffering to pass over His Passover Lamb.

“Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS [crucified] ON A TREE (cross)”—Galatians 3:13.

So intense were Christ’s pleas to be delivered from the death He knew was imminent; the Bible informs us that as He knelt pleading with God, droplets of His blood mixed with sweat and stained the ground just beneath His slumped frame. “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing” –Matthew 26:44.

The blood shed by God to cover Adam and Eve after their fall—a foreshadowing of Jesus’ Blood, attests to this Truth. “The LORD God made tunics of [animal] skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them” –Genesis 3:21. The blood the Israelites painted on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, yet another foreshadowing of Jesus’ Blood. “Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel [above the door] of the houses in which they eat it. The blood shall be a sign for you on [the doorposts of] the houses where you live; when I see the blood I shall pass over you, and no affliction shall happen to you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” Exodus 12:7;13.

Now if you’re wondering, “why is she telling me that God’s best for me right now, may be His saying “no” in answer to my fervent prayers? Doesn’t she know how much I need hope! To be encouraged. Is she living in some corner of the globe where people aren’t living in fear? Fear of losing their jobs for noncompliance. Fear of being ostracized. Of being shunned by family or friends because they’ve chosen to exercise their freedom in Christ, saying yes and amen to what God has impressed on their heart. Fear they won’t have enough money to pay the rent or mortgage, buy groceries, and put gas in their car?

So why this? And why now?

I’ll pass your questions over to Jesus to answer…

Listen to what Jesus taught His disciples as He stooped low to wash their feet. What He’s teaching us today about obedience, humility, and preparedness. “I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.….” –John 13:15-17.

Much like God knew the hour had come for the “fully man” in Jesus to die, He also knows that time has come for us as well. The days of lukewarm half-stepping have long passed. God is calling those who are His to surrender their whole life to Him while it is still today. Dying to whatever their flesh may be tugging to hang on to—or avoid. Jobs, family, friends, feeling accepted, “fitting in,” running away from Jesus—and not wholly surrendering. Why? In part, for the same underline reason, Jesus had to submit. The reason God asked Father Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, “obedience.” We must be willing to give God whatever it is He may ask of us—even unto our very lives. He alone is God. Above Him, there is no other. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” –Genesis 22:12, emphasis added.

Jesus needed to lay down His life so that He could take it up again in three days, having defeated sin, death, and the grave then, once, for us all. Father Abraham needed to know there was nothing he’d hold back from God. So do you and me. We’re in that season of learning now—a season of preparation. Of our garments being scrubbed with a more powerful cleanser, a new strength of bleach being applied to those stains that have stubbornly clung to our garments—being made whiter than snow, without spot or wrinkle. The Bridegroom is coming!

So why this? And why now? Because it’s time, and you need to be ready.

Because like Jesus, our most excellent example, we must submit and submit and go back and submit again, until it’s finished, until our whole heart, all of it, can say, “not my will, but Thine will be done,” and mean it. And if it took Jesus thrice to surrender His whole will to God, then you must keep going back as many times as you need to. He is faithful to receive the humble and contrite in heart. “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]” –1John 1:9.

We each are in our own Gethsemane, Beloved.

In these final hours, minutes, perhaps, of the world as we’ve known it, we’re being made ready for the Bridegrooms return. That’s why I’m telling you all of this now. To point you towards a future and the hope that so many are desperately seeking. A future and hope found only in obedience to God in this hour. Not in striving or sinless perfection, that’s impossible; John 1:8 makes that clear, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” It’s by God’s grace alone, our unwavering desire to be obedient to Him, no matter what happens, that we are made whole and ready for our Bridegroom’s return.

So if God is moving on your heart today to give up something or someone or to stand firm in a God-given conviction, obey God. And, if you feel God tugging on your heart, know that you’re in Gethsemane too. That it’s now your time to say, “not my will, but yours be done, God,” and mean it.

“And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” –Revelation 19:8

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 Sonsofthesea.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑