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

Category: Mercy (Page 1 of 6)

New, Not Renewed.

September 13, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” –Lamentations 3:22-23.

The global wake of destruction that has hit us, the likes of which would make a category five hurricane blush, has been savagely unleashed on our world, our emotions, and on countless poor souls’ lives. Leaving them in utter shambles. Gaza and Palestine. Africa and India. Russia and Ukraine. China, Taiwan, and the list goes on—wars and rumors of wars. Souls, lost, many eternally. Someone’s mom or dad. Husband, wife, and the children—children, dead now as they sat in prayer. An assassin’s bullet to the throat has seemingly silenced the voice of a young man in the prime of his life. But God!

A young wife and her children left now, without her devoted husband and adoring father. Then, there are the multiple school shootings that have resulted in the deaths of our most innocent, our children. All of this and so much more, every nameless faceless soul that has been killed, many with no one ever having so much as heard their names. Souls who, quite literally, have had the proverbial rug ripped right out from under their feet, believers and unbelievers alike. Leaving us all staggering and a bit numb in disbelief.

 Then, here I come, sharing a verse that reminds us all of God’s mercies. Mercies? Really?

Absolutely!

That’s the thing about God, He never changes. Never. Neither chaos nor death can cause God to change—to go against His very nature. James 1:17 says it like this: “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].”

This teaching isn’t intended to be insensitive or callous. Instead, a “just as shocking reminder of Truth.”

Because amid what certainly looks and feels like a world about to spin out of control, just when we think we’ve reached the point of not being able to hear of one more tragedy, one more death, God’s Holy Spirit steps in and redirects us. Recalibrates hearts and minds and families who have lost their sense of up and down, bringing peace and redirection where chaos and madness, where evil, are doing their level best to rob them of Truth and peace.

The early Church experienced such a moment when Stephen, the first martyr, was stoned to death. What the enemy thought would put an end to God’s Church—His Gospel message, His people—was instead used by God to galvanize His people and to spread His Word to the four winds!

Notice, beloved, that God’s mercies are plural, not singular. We serve a “Pressed down, shaken together, and running over” God whose mercies are fecund, original, unique, explicitly designed to more than meet today’s one-of-a-kind needs.

Mercies that are dewy, refreshing our weary, worn-out souls.

Mercies glistening with the love and care Jesus has for you and me.

A love and care that falls upon each of His beloved children, upon you, daily, regardless of what may be swirling around our feet or front door. Saturating your life and mine as specifically and purposefully as His tender mercies and care bathe each flower’s petals and every single blade of grass.

God knows we need refreshing. He knows we need what only He can give us, hope that His sure promises will stand, no matter what it looks like at the moment. Regardless of how much the enemy of our soul appears to be stealing from us—God is giving us so much more. “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.” –Matthew 6:30-31.

Jesus is infusing your life with newness and the resilient strength needed to face each new day—never forget that Truth, beloved. No assassin’s bullet, no bomb, war, or rumor of war will have the final say—that’s Gods. So even if standing is all you can do today, know that you’re doing it in God’s strength. His loving kindness towards you and me is enabling us to take tentative, baby steps forward. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” –Isaiah 40:29

God’s mercies are not like the transient things of this world, here one moment, needing to be replaced the next.

They’re not like that prescription bottle on your night table, something that needs renewing because it’s about to run out. God Himself has promised us, “for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” –Hebrews 13:5.

Nor are His mercies like the milk, bread, or cream for your coffee that needs to be replenished every few days or so. In a world where the words “renew” and “renewal” have become commonplace, the concept of anything new being afforded us daily has become almost obsolete.

Our parents, perhaps, and surely our grandparents, had a far better grasp of receiving new things daily than you or I ever will. We, the so-called more modern generation, must intentionally pause to make room for such a concept, allowing God’s Holy Spirit to unpack it for us. “The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” –1 Corinthians 2:14

Even then, until we come to know such newness—God’s plethora of mercies for ourselves, intimately: having kissed them on the mouth, eaten with, slept and woke beside them, belly-laughed til we cried with them, until, as with Jesus’ nearness, His “new” mercies has quickened the beating of our hearts, til we, parched and dizzied souls that we are, have had their dewy refreshing dripped onto our parched tongues, until God’s fresh mercies, like His Life-giving Word, our daily bread, has filled our bellies, we will never have truly experienced the newness God has awaiting us every-single-morning. His “new mercies” will remain some imagined experience, like a dream vacation on the bucket list map of life.

I know it’s hard to reach for hope right now, to keep putting one faith-full foot in front of the other, no turning back. I know it might be difficult even to hear the word mercy standing next to a child’s grave, a husband’s casket, but please, beloved, allow God’s Truth to rip you open right now. Let it pour new mercies, fresh hope in buckets full over your nearly dried-out, bone-weary faith. Let God do what only God can do in you and me. “But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” —John 3:12.

Leave room for God to cause faith to arise as you and me and them and they get mad at hell for its thievery, galvanizing us, uniting us just as it did the early Church, as we remember that Satan’s relentless barrage of hate and hurt, murder and death are no match for God’s unending love, mercies that are new every single morning, come what may, and a 3rd day power that raised Jesus from the dead. Hang on, beloved, soon, all of this pain, this feeling of being caught in the headlights of this life, will end. In peace and celebration—no more tears. No more death, wars, or assassins’ bullets. Just unending love and an eternity with Jesus, all because of God’s mercies. Soon, beloved, soon. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” –Revelation 21:4.

Lay Down Your Stones.

August 2, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” –Ephesians 2:8-9.

My friends, if you are a believer in Christ, I caution you to remember where we came from. Remember when you were lost, blind, and deaf to the Word of God. Having no direction except to follow what everyone else was saying and doing, whatever was acceptable to the world. We can easily forget where God has brought us from, that we are spiritual beings, yes, living in a vessel of fallen flesh, often far too quick to judge others’ sin.

Have we forgotten where we were when Christ Jesus came and pulled us out of our pit? Forgotten how others may have pointed fingers at us and said, “Well, you messed up again! Let judgment and the casting of stones begin!”

Have we forgotten somehow the very same grace we ought to be extending to others in the Body who are struggling or being accused is the same grace that was once, and is still, extended to us by Jesus Christ? The apostle Paul tells the church in Rome, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” –Romans 8:1

There is an example of this very thing in the Gospel of John. The scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery. This scripture highlights how quickly we can be to bring accusations against someone who has sinned. “Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say?” –John 8:2-5

Here is Jesus at the temple. He came to worship God and teach the people, when the Scribes and Pharisees, those who know the law, dragged a woman caught “in the very act of adultery” before Him.

When we are at our places of worship, ought we not be there for God and Him alone? Have we made God’s House a place of sin sniffing? It ought not become a place of backbiting or to gossip about so and so; our purpose in being there is to draw closer to Jesus, closer to the Father, and to learn how to love like Jesus loves us. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” –John 13:34-35

There is not one person in your church or mine, except for Jesus, who is a perfect person.

How disgusting of those scribes and Pharisees to spy on this woman, all in the hopes that they would catch her in her sin and make a public spectacle of her. Their actions reveal where their hearts truly lie. Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving others undone.” –Matthew 23:23

How does the attack on this woman caught in adultery end? As these Scribes and Pharisees are asking Jesus what should be done to the woman, “Jesus stoops down and starts writing on the ground with His finger as though He did not hear them”. –John 8:6 Scripture doesn’t tell us what was written. Still, some theologians think that Jesus was writing the sins of all the Pharisees and scribes. Jesus says to the mob that’s gathered, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” –John 8:7-9

What happens after they all walk away is a beautiful exchange in which Jesus asks the woman, “Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” She says, “no one my Lord.” And Jesus says to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” –John 8:10-11

We ought not be self-righteous and think ourselves better or holier than others.

It wasn’t anything that we did, but only Jesus’ death on the Cross, His Blood shed for our sin, which freed us and washed us clean, making a way for us to be restored into a right relationship with God the Father. Jesus said to His disciples, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” –Matthew 26:28

Without Jesus’ atoning work, His perfect sacrifice, brother, and sisters, you and I would still be found “guilty” of our sins. But Jesus says to us the same thing He once told the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Follow Jesus’s example when confronting a brother or sister caught in their sin. Go speak to them in private, pray for them, and cry with them. “If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.” —Matthew 18:15.

The Gate That Leads To Life.

May 24, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to Life, and there are few who find it.” –Matthew 7:13-14

In this opening scripture, Jesus teaches the people what it means to follow Him. I remember reading this passage when I first started walking with our Lord, and it puzzled me. “What gate am I supposed to walk through?” I thought to myself, looking around. I wonder if Jesus saw that same reaction from the people He taught and His disciples.

Now, after maturing some, I see and hear this scripture, and it brings me Life. Jesus is the Gate that leads to Life. He is the Narrow Way, and not many find it. Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” –John 10:9

There is a broad path that leads to destruction. I picture it as a bunch of people crammed together, leaping over one another, trying to get ahead of one another, doing whatever it takes to make it or to beat out another person, fueled by a destructive “me first mentality.” Allowing fleshly desires to overtake and consume them; that’s a dark place to be.

The apostle Paul writes to the Church in Galatia about these works of the flesh. What was happening then is still happening today; there’s nothing new. Paul writes, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultry, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” –Galatians 5:19-21

When we come to know Jesus, He changes our mindset from darkness into Light, from death to Life. Jesus has made the way! Darkness flees when the Light is present. Jesus says, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” –John 12:44-46

A believer’s lifestyle needs to be one of worship and prayer, not trying to gain an advantage over another to get ahead. Jesus says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33. We walk with Jesus down this narrow path, set apart from the “worldly” lifestyle. We are to be transformed into a new way of living.

Jesus even said this to the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees and Sadducees at the temple, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” –John 23:25-26.

I recall my pastor saying many times, “true salvation is not first seen from the outside. It starts from the inside, then it shows itself outwardly.” Thanks, pastor Lino! He always points us directly to the Word of God. “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,  he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” –Titus 3:4-5.

Your salvation is not based on what is on the outside, how good we look on the outside, but rather, salvation starts when you have been washed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which leads us to repentance. “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” –Romans 2:4

You can look all pristine and well put together on the outside, but be a total train wreck on the inside. This is why we must remember that works without faith in Jesus Christ will not save us.

Speaking to His Church, Jesus reminds us: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” –John 15:5-6

Later, Jesus says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.” –John 15:7-8

Let us abide together, Church. With Jesus as its Head and we as His Body.

There is no Life in the Body without The Head controlling or telling His Body how to move.

According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, to abide means: to accept or act in accordance with (a rule, a decision, or recommendation).

This means that when we decide to follow Jesus, we choose to follow Him fully. We follow Him fully by loving Him and following the statutes He laid down for us, His commandments. “If you love me, obey my commandments.” John 14:15.

Ask yourself, “If I am living for Jesus, am I truly walking this narrow path? Or have some things gotten in the way of my walk?” Did I allow anything to come in, causing me to stumble? Reading Galatians 5:19-21 reminds me to examine my heart and ask our Lord Jesus if anything needs to be repented and thrown away. As David writes in his psalm, “Search me, O Go, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” –Psalm 139:23-24

David knew he was human and susceptible to sin. We are all human, and we all fall short. May I suggest you take a moment today to ask God to examine your heart?

If you were convicted after reading this teaching, I pray the Holy Spirit leads you to repent and ask for forgiveness. Repentance means to turn your mind and your heart away from that sin and worldly desires that lead to death, and ask Jesus to forgive you. “For godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.” –2 Corinthians 7:10.

Decide today to repent and walk no more in your sin. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” –Romans 10:9-10

We are praying for you all in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Hiding Place.

May 17, 2025 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4.

In life, there are times when we feel on top of the world, everything is going well, and the mountain top becomes comfortable and highly appealing, but it can also often become a place of forgetfulness. When we are there, we forget that there are places opposite the mountain tops called valleys; when something suddenly happens, and we see ourselves descending from this fantastic “mountain” to those “valleys,” we are not even sure what’s happening because we forget in those moments that valleys even exist. That can be scary!

The question is: How do we handle such complex challenges when we suddenly face them?

There’s an interesting story in the Bible that King David talks about—a place he probably traveled through many times as a shepherd. David uses this place as a metaphor for difficult times; it appears to be a place he is very familiar with and one He compares hard times to. We, too, can compare our difficulties to this lesson or this visual King David shares, remembering that, like him, many of us have gone through similar trials. The place is called “The Valley of the Shadow of Death,” located between Jerusalem and Jericho.

The only time you can see sunshine at the bottom of this valley is at noon, when the sun is straight overhead. Sources say that it is still there today. It is a steep, winding road made narrow by rocks, with a massive cliff on the right side, 800′ in depth. It is a place of danger! David chose this place as his place of suffering and endurance during many of his trials; it was his hiding place.

There are three things I want to point out about valleys:

1- Valleys are temporary but a part of life.

Deuteronomy 11:11 says, “But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.”

Valleys are a sure thing. Everyone goes through them at one point or another in a lifetime. As you read this text, you may either be coming out of a valley, entering a valley, being in the middle of a valley, or heading to another valley. These valleys are inevitable in life; they are part of it, and we know they are coming repeatedly through our journey. The best thing to do while in the valley is to pray and learn to listen to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit there, and know that despite the magnitude of the valley, you are never alone. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” –Heb 13:5. God’s love is with us as it was with David! Hold onto Him, and He will help you cross each valley.

Remember, you are never going to the valley; you are going through it, and that everyone encounters valleys: “The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in everyone” –Psalm 34:19.

2- Valleys are at times unpredictable but fruitful by divine design.

Valleys can be a consequence of something we did, didn’t do, or something that happened to us outside our control. Valleys appear in many forms – a loss, a disappointment, a setback, an illness, trouble within a marriage, or finances. All forms are valid, but the question for those of faith is: How will you go through those valleys and still hold onto your faith?

Remember, valleys happen to believers as well as unbelievers.

Being a believer doesn’t spare us from the troubles this world brings. The difference between the believer and the unbeliever is that the person of faith goes through the valleys with Jesus. The unbeliever doesn’t have Jesus to carry them through those difficult valley moments when they can’t stand alone.

In the hiding place, being alone with your Maker is crucial. Some valleys can really bring you to a place of losing your joy! “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” –Matt 28:20. For the believer, God intends some valleys to grow our faith. The Lord takes us there to stretch and increase our endurance; we bring other valleys on ourselves.

Every choice we make, whether believers or unbelievers, will have consequences.

3- Valleys feel lonely, but we are not alone; God is with us!

I feel lonely, abandoned, and sad in a valley. I’ve learned to accept by knowing in the depths of my soul that I am not alone. Jesus’ promises to me stand forever. Yes, it feels lonely because the work God is doing in me cannot be done in public by anyone else; God is doing it in secret, in the valley “Our Secret Place.” God is chiseling pieces off to make me look more like Him. He is transforming me from areas that have been formed in my life over the decades I’ve lived, and things I’ve learned. He reserved this time just for the two of us. In these valley moments, like David, I say: “Even though I walk through” the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2022.

Cancer was something I never thought would come to me. No one in my family has ever had this atrocious thing. At first, I was numb and couldn’t understand or accept what was happening. My first chemo treatment was a shocker. My hair falling out was a shocker. The pain I experienced was unbelievable. Amidst all of these valleys, God spoke to my heart at the very beginning. Thank you, Jesus. The day of my biopsy was tough for me. I was lying down, and so many student doctors were around me, poking me with needles, with the head doctor watching them. I couldn’t speak; I was in pain. Suddenly, in the depths of my spirit, I heard: “You shall live and not die.” My heart and my spirit leaped. The doctor noticed a sudden change in me and asked if I was ok. I said yes!

They continued the procedure, and I was now in my spirit, I believe – because I felt like God was right there with me, carrying me through this valley of agony. At another time, I took an injection within 24 hours of the first chemo, and I reacted horribly to it. My whole body felt like one big pulse, pulsing from head to toe. That entire day and the following night, I was literally in agony and felt like all my bones were being crushed. Amid it all, I kept calling Jesus. That was my prayer.

I heard the same voice I had heard before from the depths of my soul, but this time, His Words were “I AM.” These Words brought me such peace. I knew God was with me, and regardless of the suffering, He was carrying me, and I would be ok. Today, I share my healing story because He graciously and surely healed me in “My Hiding Place.”! Our Hiding Place can be the mountaintops of sweetness or the valleys of bitterness. Either way, we must stand firm and hold onto the promises of God for our lives.

Father God, I pray for every person reading these words today. Wherever they are in life, whatever valley they face, please give them the strength to endure it. To see You, and hear Your voice in their process. Touch their mind, body, and soul, and heal, encourage, bless, and carry them through their challenging valleys. I pray that if anyone doesn’t know You, Jesus, that person opens their heart and comes to salvation. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

A Cultivated Heart.

May 3, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

Praise God! We finally made it through the wintery months here in New England. Spring is here, and the renewal of life has begun. Trees are budding, and birds are chirping in the early morning. Spring is also when my oldest son starts preparing to plant his garden. I can’t get him to clean his room, but when it comes time to prepare his garden, he’s all for it. My son loves to grow plants and has a real knack for it. To this day, I am still not sure where his love for gardening comes from. Neither his mom nor I has any experience growing plants. Yet, every mid-spring, my son goes out into his garden and starts tilling the soil, breaking up the hard ground from winter passed.

As I watched him last year, I noticed the dirt he was breaking up looked nothing like the hard, dried-out topsoil. The soil he was turning over was much darker and richer. My son told me that if he didn’t turn the soil over, he would be unable to sow any seeds in the ground because plants wouldn’t grow in the hard topsoil. So, he cultivates the ground to prepare it. It takes work to prepare the ground for sowing.

Seeing this made me start thanking God for His Son, His saving work on the Cross, and how He changed my once hard heart.

You see, spiritually speaking, the heart is not that fleshy muscle that pumps blood throughout our bodies; the heart is our mind, will, and emotions. Jesus desires to bring each of these under obedience to His life-changing power, softening them. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” –Proverbs 23:7

Everything changes for the better when we submit our hearts to Jesus; this happens only because of God’s grace. There is no other way to receive salvation and redemption (being saved from sin, error, or evil) but through Jesus. He alone knows what’s in men’s hearts, and like the rich soil my son exposed, only Jesus can turn a man from a life of sin and death to one made clean, new, ready to receive Him, rich in abundance.

Jesus is the only answer for a man’s deceitful heart; He is the Sower, and our heart is the ground He desires to till. “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn’t have deep soil. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have root, it withered. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. Still others fell on ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times that was sown. Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!” –Mark 4:3-9

This scripture says the sower went out and sowed seed, which fell on the rocky ground. After a while, tender little sprouts began to grow, but the soil was not suitable for them to thrive in. The roots needed to grow and get nutrients from the ground beneath that rocky soil had no place to sink into. So, too, the Word of God cannot take root if it’s sown in a man’s hard heart (mind, will, emotion). Perhaps some rocky soil is caused by heartache or words spoken in anger. As a result, the heart closes itself off from allowing anyone in. But God! Jesus is the only one who can change that heart of stone, turning it into a heart of flesh, making it whole again, ready to receive once more.

After Jesus was taken down from His Cross, He was laid to rest in a garden tomb, and a large stone was used to seal the tomb. “Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” –John 19:40-42

But that stone was supernaturally removed on the third day, and Jesus walked out alive!

Jesus is the Seed sown into the hearts of all who declare Jesus as Savior by God the Father. These hearts will not only have new life, but will also help to reproduce new life. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” –John 12:24

The thorns, those wicked thoughts or anxieties that whisper, “You don’t need God.” Or “Nothing will ever change; you’re just a hopeless case.”

Such thoughts will choke the Word of God out of you if you allow them to. “Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out.” –Matthew 13:7.

Jesus is the only Person who can remove these thorns from your life.

He alone bore a crown of thorns on His head for you. Those wicked thoughts, those lies people have told about you. Jesus’ Holy Blood covered His crown of thorns, freeing everyone who will receive Him as Lord and Savior from the curse of sin and death.

The fall of man took place in the Garden of Eden, where the human heart was forever changed the very second sin entered the world. Still, at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, in another garden, Jesus accepted a cup of suffering which contained the sins of the whole world.

Man’s salvation is made possible because Jesus died in our place, after drinking every drop of that bitter, sin-filled cup. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” –2 Corinthians 5:2.

But before Jesus was betrayed and taken away, He prayed to the Father, saying, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” –John 17:1-3

Jesus’ selfless sacrifice, my dear friend, proves His love for you.

Jesus was so determined to see you free that He came as a willing ransom, paying in full the price sin demands. He did this for anyone who would proclaim Him as Lord. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” –Romans 6:23.

I invite you to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior into your hearts. Let Him break up any hard ground He finds there—by repenting your sins. Invite Jesus to plant a new thing in the turned-over soil of your heart. Jesus loves you, and He is so willing to do this for you. “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.” –John 3:16 Amen.

Bread, Not Bunnies.

April 19, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“I alone am this living Bread that has come to you from heaven. Eat this Bread and you will live forever. The living Bread I give you is my body, which I will offer as a sacrifice so that all may live.” –John 6:51

Men might be willing for Christ to save them, but not for Him to reign over them—Charles Spurgeon.

Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday. A day when some will celebrate with their perhaps bi-yearly visit to church, wearing their new, or new-to-them, Easter outfits. Sadly, they’ll celebrate the day God defeated death and the grave as just a fun-filled day, complete with chocolatey treats instead of what it truly is: A Life-giving day that changed everything! The day Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took their sins and ours upon Himself, His once-for-all sacrifice, dying the criminal’s death we deserve so that all men might have New Life in Him and a restored relationship with the Father. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” –1 Peter 1:18-19.

Still, knowing this, many will give Jesus His 45 minutes tomorrow, then consider their duty done; sadly, they will go on to celebrate the Easter bunny’s arrival with their children. Celebrating how he brought them baskets filled with jellybeans, toys, and chocolate bunnies, sometimes real ones—making him the hero of the day. Perishable trinkets will take the place of the Pearl of Great Price. Heaven’s kingdom realm is also like a jewel merchant in search of rare pearls. When he discovered one very precious and exquisite pearl, he immediately gave up all he had in exchange for it” Matthew 13:45-46.

They’ll give their children baskets full of candy but not share the unfathomable sacrifice Jesus made just for them. Instead of telling their children just how much Jesus loves them, or the immeasurable lengths He went to ensure they could be His, instead, they’ll take them on the hunt for that well-hidden golden egg—the prized egg, the reward for all their hunting efforts! The Apostle Paul had something to say about those who write Jesus out, replacing Him with idols, man’s thought-up imaginings, their “Easter best” efforts: “For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.” –1 Corinthians 1:18.

How thankful we are, dear Christian, that our hunt is over!

Jesus has risen, hallelujah! And so, too, shall we!

Our Prize is One we did not have to go in search of. Instead, He made His presence plain to us using His heavenly host to announce Himself that none could deny the most excellent Gift ever given to mankind: King Jesus, Bread of Life. “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. Don’t be afraid!” he said. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger” –Luke 2:9-12.

How fitting, beloved, that our King should be born in Bethlehem, known in Hebrew as the “House of Bread.” Jesus, Living Lechem (bread), declared of Himself: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” –John 6:35.

We see the foreshadowing of Jesus as the Bread of Life in the Book of Exodus.” Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.” –Exodus 25:23-24;30.

This bread was a sacred memorial offering, a reminder to God’s people of His Everlasting Covenant, Presence, and continual provision.

From the beginning, God’s heart towards His people has ensured that we are well-fed by His Word, sent first as life-sustaining manna in the wilderness. Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” –John 6:31.

Then, through Moses, God instructed His priests to place actual bread, a placeholder for Jesus, on a sulhan or table inside the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. Twelve loaves were to be baked and then arranged in piles of six each, made from the finest flour and covered with the finest incense laid out weekly before the Lord by His priests. His table and its Old Covenant bread foreshadowed a future table where the New Covenant Bread of Life would sit with His Apostles. And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.” –Luke 22:19-20.

Bread factored heavily in Israel’s history, including that of the early church.

Bread was a staple, even in the poorest homes. Something that all people, regardless of their wealth, poverty, Jewish or Gentile background, skin color, or background, could relate to. Is it any wonder that Jesus, our humble King, who came so all men might receive His free gift of salvation, likened Himself to such a Life-Giving staple? His Body and Blood, Bread and Wine, Jesus also said: “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink” –John 6:53-55.

Jesus is not a man that He can lie, beloved.

Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the grave, defeating sin and death. Let us never forget that the shedding of our Bridegroom’s Blood is what makes us a spotless bride—you were bought at a very high price.

Each of John’s passages assures us that Jesus, the Bread of Life, can and promises to give New Life to all those who come to Him hungry for God’s real Food, sent to us that we might have New Life in Him today and eternal life in the world to come. “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” –John 6:58

New friends don’t make tomorrow about chocolate bunnies, easter baskets, and a new outfit. Make it about the Bread that came down from heaven. Make it all about Jesus, the Bread of Life. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” –John 11:25-26.

Reflections of Mephibosheth.

April 12, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.” –2 Samuel 9:3.

You, child of God, are a type of Mephibosheth—as am I. Made lame by one man’s sin. We were born sinners, unable to save ourselves. “The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.” –1 Corinthians 15:45. Yet, for those who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, like Mephibosheth, we’ve been made whole; free to walk in fellowship with God again—because of Jesus.

As we prepare our hearts to celebrate Resurrection Sunday, I pray we call to mind the cost our Lord willingly paid for our sins and those of the whole world—His guiltless Life in exchange for our scarlet sin-stained lives. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” –1 John 2:2.

Apart from God’s unplumbed mercy, which offers to restore what we lost at the hands of Adam and Eve, guardians who dropped us and then hid in misplaced fear from God who, from eternity past, has wanted nothing more than to shower us with His love and bless us with every good thing, we are prisoners of Lo-debar, that hope-less place of long-dead dreams and even deader lives.

Like Mephibosheth, the hope-less are shackled to Lo-debar by the weighty chains that bind all who are Light-starved to dank, dark prisons of shame, guilt, and pride. Like him, they hid in fear, cowering in barren isolation in Lo-debar, a place that, when mentioned anywhere but there, is instantly associated with “the place where nothing thrives and the near-dead dog trembless cowering in constant fear of reprisal from their master’s tempestuous wrath.

Many of us knew Lo-debar; maybe we spent chunks of our childhood or some portion of our adult life there. Perhaps it was a family place, our neighborhood, or our town? Everyone you knew lived in Lo-debar, and those you came across who didn’t seem as unrelatable and alien to you as you imagined living in a foreign country might be. “In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope” –Ephesians 2:12.

I was made lame in Lo-debar by some version or another of shame and fear. I was crippled by depression and low self-esteem, made even lower by my own sin-full life choices.

I could say I was dropped shortly after having been born and not be wrong.

It’s fair to say all parties involved, me and them, contributed to my lameness; as far back as I can remember, all I ever knew was Lo-debar. That is why I can assure you with the confidence born only from one possessing firsthand experience that if not for Jesus, I can say with absolute certainty I’d never have changed addresses. Maybe you’d be the one God would have sent to minister to me? For sure, I didn’t have what it takes to walk out of Lo-debar on my own—being born lame, none of us did or do. “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” –Titus 3:5.

Like Mephibaseph, I’d never have known the blessing of being invited to eat at the King’s table or having “tasted and seen” such Goodness while living so-called, in Lo-debar; such unimaginable joy and unplumed hope does not exist there.

Only God can cause a man to shed his skin so completely that he is no longer recognizable even to himself. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” –Galatians 2:20.

There’s a Hebrew concept known as Chesed; it has a multifaceted meaning. It speaks of lovingkindness, mercy, steadfast love, and loyalty. Sound familiar, child of God?

Chased is what David showed Mephibosheth.

Rather than killing anyone who may potentially lay claim to the throne, as was the custom when a new king was crowned, David, Jesus’ placeholder, instead shows Mephibosheth, God’s own mercy and loving-kindness.

For one who had been living in fear of the day the new King might catch wind that he was alive in Lo-debar, being shown such unimaginable mercy came right out of left field! Mephibosheth thought that if the day ever came when King David found him out, surely David would exact his revenge—ending his life, not blessing it! “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” –2 Samuel 9:7.

How like Mephibosheth those of us who lived in Lo-debar were once.Crippled by shame and fear of being found by God. Accustomed to living small and hidden in a world where sin, shame, and the knowledge, so-called, of what we believe we deserve would, if we’re careful, hunt us down and destroy us. Living misguided and so far from the Truth that God loves us and desires an intimate “sit at the King’s table” relationship with us. A “I will restore all you’ve missed out on while foolishly hiding from what you thought would be My wrath” kind of Love.

From the beginning, beloved, God created you to have intimate fellowship with Him. He has always wanted you to be with Him, not languishing in Lo-debar. It never even occurred to Him that one of His children would live in a place that, when mentioned, is automatically associated with “the place where nothing thrives, where the near-dead dog trembles, cowering in constant fear of their master’s tempestuous wrath.”

God who loves you. He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die in your place. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” –John 3:16. He didn’t send Jesus to kill you but to offer you a new life now and for all time, along with the sure knowledge that the crumbling kingdom of this world, Lo-debar, has lost its power over you.

Trust in Jesus, the One God sent to seek you out and save you. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” –John 3:17. Hear the Father’s heart toward you, Mephibosheth.

Dear child, don’t be afraid. If you feel Me knocking on the door of your heart right now, trust that My Holy Spirit is doing My will; if you say yes to My invitation to be one with Me, you will eat at My table forevermore. I will not deceive you. In this world, you will still suffer hardships, but take heart, I will be with you, and I assure you that soon, and very soon, you will suffer lameness no more. “And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.” –2 Samuel 9:13.

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” –Revelation 19:7-9

We’re Not So Different.

March 29, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” –Acts 5:3-4.

There are many ways in which men try to cover their sin. By pretext and presence, apology and self-vindication, they acquit themselves of all criminality, and put a fine gloss upon every foul delinquency. Excuse-making is the commonest trade under heaven. –Charles H. Spurgeon. (An excerpt from a sermon entitled “Two Coverings and Two Consequences.”)

From the beginning, it has never been about “stuff” or our having it—God loves to bless His children. Instead, it has always been about the condition of our hearts: allowing ourselves to be possessed by our possessions. Our putting created things above the One who created all things; allowing this to happen means we have broken God’s First Commandment. “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me.” –Exodus 20:2-3.

Regarding His 2nd Commandment, God spoke explicitly to Moses about idols of any kind, our not making, possessing, or worshipping any carved or graven images. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.” –Exodus 20:4-5.

We can trace these two foundational Truths to the Ten Commandments God gave Moses.

The first, if not heeded and obeyed, leads directly to the breaking of the second.

With this in mind, let’s examine a couple we meet in Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira. Through their deliberate actions of lying and lack of faith in God, we’ll witness a perfect example of how breaking God’s First Commandment opens us up to breaking His Second Commandment.

How?

When anything other than God is given first place in our hearts—the moment we put anyone or anything above God—that act is the very definition of idolatry. Ananias and his wife were guilty of idolatry and lying to the Holy Spirit. By holding back some of the proceeds they’d received from selling their land “for a rainy day,” Ananias and Sapphira deliberately put faith in money above their faith in God—worshiping the created thing over their Creator. “Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s full knowledge [and complicity] he kept back some of the proceeds, bringing only a portion of it, and set it at the apostles’ feet.” –Acts 5:1-2.

With this one duplicitous act, they lied to God. Essentially, they said, “Lord, we’re saying we believe in You and Your ability to care for us and meet our needs, but in case we’re wrong, we’re holding back a bit to look after ourselves.” 

They also lied to Peter and all those within the community of faith by deliberately putting their needs above everyone else’s and the newly agreed-upon ethos established for the benefit of the nascent Church community: “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.”  –Acts 4:32;34-35.

Hence, Ananias and Sapphira broke not only the First but also the Second Commandment, demonstrating that money was not only their God but, by definition, their idol. “And Peter said, ‘How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this?” –Acts 5:9.

Some may say, “But wait, money is not a graven image.” Their assertion would be wrong.

Both then and now, currency has borne the engraver’s mark. Whether the face of an animal, the depiction of a city or ruler such as Ceasar, or, in the case of more modern currency, Presidents such as Washington, Lincoln, or Frankin. Each image was carved or etched to produce its ancient or modern likeness. As King Solomon assured us: “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Others may say, “But wait, Ananias and Sapphira didn’t have the full council of God like we do. Will God blame us for being prudent?”

Ananias and Sapphira were not prudent. Saving money is not a sin, but that’s a teaching for another day.

They were liars who bet against God. They were part of the New Testament Church and, like the Apostles and all their brothers and sisters within this new community of believers, had heard the Gospel preached. Moreover, the Spirit of the Living God was at work in them. They knew that lying and deceit were wrong. “The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.” –Acts 4:33.

But let us not think more highly of ourselves than we ought, saying, “That was then and this now, we have God’s Word. We know better!” Unlike Ananias and Sapphira, we would never do such a thing!

Then, let me ask you: When was the last time you held something back from God, or, more to the point, put something or someone ahead of Him? Yourself included?

I ask this not to bring condemnation but rather conviction.

I ask that it might cause you, as it did me, to pause for a moment and seek the Holy Spirit’s answer, not our own. We can’t trust our heart to answer this rightly because it will always oppose God’s Spirit by its very nature. “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” –Galatians 5:17.

Truth be told, beloved, we are not so unlike Ananias and Sapphira.

Not fully surrendering to God whatever we have pledged to give Him means that we have robbed God just as surely as they did. Being a covenant people, made one in Jesus in the New Covenant relationship, means we have agreed to put God first in all things. Surrendering even our very lives to Jesus, having claimed they are no longer our own. And the moment we break God’s First Commandment, we also break His Second.

Knowing this about ourselves, that selfishness that lurks within us, has lurked within our brothers and sisters before us, how grateful and thankful we ought to be to our Bridegroom, Jesus, for being the atonement for our sins. And to our Father, who washes us clean of them all, remembering them no more because of Jesus and the Sinless Blood He shed to wash us clean from all our unrighteousness.

And we know and rejoice in the Truth that Jesus’ Blood is no match for our sins, beloved, even when we let Satan into our hearts, breaking God’s Commandments—just as Ananias and Sapphira did. “But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” –Romans 5:8-9.

God’s Word assures us that all men have sinned and fall short of God’s Perfect Standard, but He also assures us that His heart is that none perish—that means you, dear friend. Like me and the rest of those who call Jesus Lord, you too can be saved by repenting your sins and asking Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life. Don’t follow Ananias and Sapphira’s example by betting against God; they lost their lives! Today, God asks that you call out to Him that He might save you. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9.

Faith That Makes You Whole.

March 22, 2025 /

Pastor Samuel Cordeiro

“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” [KJV says, “thy faith hath made thee whole.”] –Luke 17:11-19.

In Luke 17:11-19, we encounter a powerful story of ten lepers who cried out to Jesus for mercy. These men, outcasts of society, were desperate for healing. Yet, out of the ten who were miraculously healed, only one returned to give thanks—and Jesus declared that his faith had made him whole. This passage is more than a historical account; it is a call to deeper faith, obedience, gratitude, and worship.

1. The Power of Crying Out

“Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” –Luke 17:13.

The lepers knew they had no hope apart from Jesus. They cried out in desperation, recognizing Jesus’ power to heal. How often do we hesitate to cry out to Jesus in our struggles? Whether it’s physical illness, emotional pain, or spiritual bondage, our wholeness begins with acknowledging our need for Him. Jeremiah 32:27 reminds us, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

No matter what we face, no situation is beyond God’s reach. He desires for us to call upon Him in faith, trusting in His power and love.

Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Have you cried out to Him today?

2. Obedience Precedes Breakthrough

“When He saw them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.” –Luke 17:14.

Jesus told the lepers to act in faith before they saw their healing. They obeyed, and as they went, they were made clean. Many times, God calls us to step out in faith before we see the evidence of His work. Imagine their situation. They could have doubted, “What if we walk and nothing happens? What if this is just another disappointment?” instead, they chose faith over doubt. In the same way, our obedience often unlocks our miracle.

Is there something God is calling you to obey today?

Is He asking you to trust Him in a new way? Your obedience may be the key to unlocking your miracle.

3. The Heart of Gratitude

Only one of the ten lepers returned to thank Jesus. This act of gratitude set him apart. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” –Luke 17:17-18.

How often do we receive blessings and forget to return thanks?

A heart of gratitude acknowledges God as the source of all blessings. It shifts our focus from what we lack to the abundance of His grace. Gratitude keeps our hearts aligned with God and guards us against complacency.

Many times, we become so focused on the next thing we want that we forget to appreciate what God has already done. But gratitude is more than a feeling—it’s a lifestyle. It shapes how we pray, how we worship, and how we live daily. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

4. Worship Leads to Wholeness

The one leper who returned didn’t just thank Jesus—he fell at His feet in worship. Jesus told

him, “Thy faith hath made thee whole” –Luke 17:19, KJV. Wholeness is more than physical healing; it is the restoration of the soul. Many seek miracles, but few seek the Miracle Worker.

 Are we pursuing Jesus only for what He can do, or are we seeking a relationship with Him?

True wholeness means more than just getting our prayers answered. It means being transformed from the inside out, having peace beyond understanding, and living a life surrendered to Christ. John 10:10 says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

 True wholeness is found in surrendering to Christ completely. Worship is not just singing songs on Sunday. Worship is a posture of the heart—one that acknowledges God’s goodness, submits to His will, and delights in His presence. When we worship, we shift our focus from our problems to the One who holds all things in His hands.

Do You Want to Be Made Whole?

This passage challenges us to evaluate our own faith. Are we crying out to Jesus? Are we stepping out in obedience? Do we live with a heart of gratitude? Are we seeking Jesus for who He is, not just for what He can give?

Wholeness begins with a cry for mercy, moves through obedience, overflows in gratitude, and is sustained through worship. Will you be like the one who returned to Jesus? Will you seek not just the blessing but the Blesser? Today, Jesus offers more than a temporary fix—He offers complete restoration. The question is: will you receive it?

Let this be the day that you fully surrender. Let this be the day you choose wholeness over temporary relief. Let this be the day you stop chasing quick fixes and start pursuing the One who makes all things new. Perhaps you’ve been searching for healing, peace, or fulfillment, but nothing seems to satisfy you. The truth is true wholeness begins with Jesus. He didn’t just come to heal your body; He came to save your soul.

If you’ve never given your life to Jesus or drifted away, He is waiting for you with open arms. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But the good news is, Romans 6:23 assures us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus died on the Cross for your sins and rose again so that you could have eternal life.

All you need to do is believe in Him, confess your sins, and invite Him into your life. Your journey to wholeness begins with a heart of surrender to Jesus Christ with a simple prayer like this: “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of Your grace. I believe You died for my sins and rose again to give me new life. I surrender my heart to You today. Forgive me, change me, and make me whole. I choose to follow You from this day forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God! I encourage you to get connected with a local church, read God’s Word daily, and seek Him in prayer. Your journey to wholeness has just begun!

Bloodline.

March 8, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision. ) After that, the Lord left him alone.” –Exodus 4:24-26.

On the biblical timeline, Moses followed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and was aware of the Lord’s command that every Hebrew male must be circumcised. So, though the placement of today’s Scripture reads as odd, like an aside, the fact that God was wrathful and confronted Moses shouldn’t surprise us. Why? Moses knew better. He knew all male children were to be circumcised. Yet, this man God had chosen to lead His people to freedom—into the land He’d promised Father Abraham—had not obeyed the command of the Lord by circumcising his own son.

So much of today’s passage of Scripture leaves me scratching my head. It takes someone far more versed than I am in biblical history and its rites and rituals to more fully understand these “say what!” verses.

Why hadn’t Moses circumcised his son?

How did the Lord confront Moses?

And what are we meant to take away from God wanting to kill Moses but not following through with it? Scripture doesn’t give us much to go on, so we must be good Bereans and find the corner pieces to this puzzle before attempting to fill it in.

Our first and most noteworthy corner piece is obedience—or the lack thereof. Today’s verses make it abundantly clear Moses had not circumcised Gershom, his son. “But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son.”

 Why did Moses disobey a command He knew was from God?

Had Moses considered acquiescing to the Midianite, pagan tradition of circumcision to appease his wife or father-in-law, perhaps, neglecting entirely the command of God given to Father Abraham? The Midianite tradition of circumcision had likely been explained to Moses or was one he may have seen carried out by Jethro, his father-in-law, a priest of Midian. A tradition apparently well known to his Midianite wife, Zipporah, as she was the one who broke with this tradition and circumcised their son, to assuage the Lord’s anger by touching Gershom’s bloodied foreskin to Moses, marking him as not only her husband but as a bridegroom of blood. “But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.”

With all its question marks, one thing we know for sure is this: Had God wanted Moses dead, he’d have killed him. So, was God’s confronting Moses meant to scare him straight, so to speak? Zipporah too? Since these two were now one flesh in marriage, was this threat by God a wake-up call for Moses, making no bones about Moses needing to obey Him above everyone—his wife and wife’s family included? “Be faithful in obeying the Lord your God. Be careful to keep all His Laws which I tell you today.” –Deuteronomy 28:1.

So much is seemingly lost to us in this ostensibly placed verse. And yet, if we search the Books of the Bible, we’ll see a pattern emerge surrounding the shedding of blood and circumcision.

The shedding of blood.

This same Moses, who Zipporah smears with the fresh blood from their son’s circumcised foreskin, was commanded by God to smear the blood of a sacrificial lamb on the doorposts and lintel of every home the Hebrews would stand inside while eating its roasted meat along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. “That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover. “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord” –Exodus 12:8-12.

They ate poised and at the ready as the angel of death passed over their homes, sparing the firstborn of every Hebrew family. “Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin, and brush the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway; so He will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. And you are to keep this command as a permanent statute for you and your descendants.” –Exodus 12:22-24.

There are times when looking back is necessary. It helps us connect past events to those yet to come; Hebrews 9:22 is a prime example of the connection between the old and the new. “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Some scholars say between 1000, and 1500 years separated Moses and Jesus’s lives. No one knows with absolute certainty the exact times between the end of Moses’ ministry and the beginning of Jesus’, but what they all seem to agree on is the blood of that slain Passover lamb whose blood was smeared over the doorposts and upon the lintel of every Hebrew home, was the foreshadowing of the coming Messiah, Jesus. Emmanuel, God with us, who, being fully God yet fully man, was Himself circumcised on the 8th day, according to the law. “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” –Luke 2:21.

This sinless Lamb of God, willingly slain to atone for the sins of the world, whose Blood washes the most sin-stained of hearts white as snow; it’s through this Bridegroom of Blood—our Kinsman Redeemer—that we, His Bride, are saved. Our lives are spared from the wrath of God that will be poured out on a God-rejecting, sinful world.

Now, in order to trace this atoning Blood, you’d have to return to the Garden of Eden. Because if, as you read, you’re paying attention, you’d recognize Jesus’ sacrificial death foreshadowed there. Adam and Eve have sinned. So we read in Genesis 3:21, God kills some innocent animals and uses their bloodied skins to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness. “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” In contrast, the shedding of the blood of these innocent animals foreshadows the shedding of Jesus’s Innocent Blood to atone not only for Adam and Eve’s sins but for the sins of the whole world. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2.

Yet if we truly want to trace Jesus Bloodline, we’d have to go back to a time that stands outside of time as we understand it—back to the place where our Triune God has always existed, because it’s there, in that timeless place, where we first read about the Spotless Lamb who’d be slain for the sins of the world. “And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone whose name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain [in sacrifice] from the foundation of the world.” –Revelation 13:8.

How blessed are we, His Bride, to have been washed in the Spotless Blood of Jesus—our sins, removed from us and remembered by God no more, made right with God by Jesus. “Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Romans 5:9.

Are you of Jesus’ Bloodline, friend? Have you invited the One who died to give you New Life into your heart? Jesus loves you and is waiting for just such an invitation. Won’t you invite Him into your life as Lord and Savior today?

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