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

Category: Preparation (Page 3 of 9)

But As For Us.

February 3, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But Peter and John replied to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must judge [for yourselves]; for we, on our part, cannot stop telling [people] about what we have seen and heard.” –Acts 4:19-20.

As I read chapter four, my spirit leapt when Holy Spirit shone His Light on today’s verses. I recognized that, like Peter and John, we, His Church, are standing on the precipice of this same type of insidious spiritual oppression. And, like them, we, too, must choose who we will obey. God or man? “How dare you speak that name!” “How dare you tell us that your Jesus is the only way to heaven? I’m a good person, and love is love!” Brothers, we are now being faced with, or soon will be, being silenced. “Deny Jesus!” “Cancel Him!” You’re one of those radical Jesus freaks! Go too far, and we’ll cancel you too!

The world will do its best to silence anyone who professes Jesus, His teachings, and the stabilizing Truth found only in His Inerrant Word. Jesus is the only way to the Father. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6.

Yes, we love all men, just as Jesus commands us to. But loving the yet saved ought to propel, not prevent, us from speaking the Truth in love, lest they not hear Truth and remain lost. “Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” –Matthew 15:10-14.

Beloved, we’re teetering on the crumbling edge of a world many have known and grown-up in.

A world that once felt seemingly firm beneath our feet is now giving way beneath us because, as it was then, so too today. Nothing will ever be the same. It can’t be. There is no going back. That’s not what Jesus intended—how He planned it, and He did plan it.

That’s hard for some to hear or accept; I get it.

Truth often is, but thankfully, our inability to reconcile Truth doesn’t stop it from being true.

Why? Because God’s Truth is fixed, not fluid. It will not be altered, weakened, or changed in any way by any man’s inability to make peace with it. “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” –Isaiah 55:11. Remember what Jesus told His disciples when they, like many today, experienced a shifting of the ground beneath them, when relative predictability was replaced by a sure knowledge that at any moment, once reliable things, will quickly turn unreliable—unrecognizable. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” –Matthew 10:34-36.

Use a sword against their Roman oppressors, yes, absolutely!

The disciples were expecting a King David moment from Jesus—planning, in fact, for its imminent arrival. But a man’s enemy being a beloved family member? That was hard for these men whose family and community were a large and stabilizing part of their culture and identity, the unifying backbone of their everyday lives.

Our brothers had no New Testament pages to turn to for hope—no Holy Spirit yet living within them, providing them with a peace that truly does surpass all understanding. No, these followers of Jesus were pioneering the faith. Yes, they walked with Jesus, but in many ways, what He was teaching them, this new Kingdom He was ushering in, was as foreign to them as the idea of His loving the Gentiles!

These New Testament believers had said yes to Jesus without knowing what would come from their following this not-quite-King David, Messiah.

Still, God had chosen them purposefully. He had called them to partner with Him to help create the map we’d one day use to follow Jesus as they did, one faith-filled step at a time.

So what do we do with this Truth, the sure knowledge we possess that persecution will come?

I ask this because, I’d say, and Scripture points towards our being at this same place of no return as our brothers once were —or a hairsbreadth away, at best. We, too, are standing upon some same precarious edge of a world many of us have known and grown up in, one whose once firm precipice is about to give way beneath us because, as it was then, so too, today. Nothing will ever be the same. We know what’s coming and what’s expected of us when it does. We are blessed to have the Holy Spirit and our Bible as our guide. Thankfully for us, our Father has given us a step-by-step detailed guide to follow. Jesus, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, placed it on the hearts of those who have gone before us, pioneers of the faith, stalwarts, each.

As for me, by God’s grace and in His strength, I have decided to follow Jesus. “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 3:13.

As the old hymn says, “No turning backing, no turning back.”

When asked by Jesus if he would turn away like so many others, Peter has the best answer I’ve heard concerning the decision we each must make. Do we follow Jesus, no matter what happens, or do we fall away?

” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].” –John 6:68-69.

Jesus assures those who follow Him that trials and persecution will come.

But to those who persevere, who’ll not deny Him, who’ll stand and fight, lifting His Banner of Righteousness, Love and Truth high above whatever tides of opinion or rejection may ebb and flow around us, to them, to us, He says: “But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.” –Matthew 24:13.

Friends, listen to what Joshua shared with those who, like us, were facing the same spiritual battles we are. “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” –Joshua 24:14-15.

Who will you fear? And by fear, I mean respect, reverence, serve, honor, and obey friends.

Who will you serve? You not choosing is your choice. So, if you’re still wavering between serving the world or the Lord, may I encourage you to cease delaying now and choose Jesus!

Expecting.

January 13, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“For while some are saying, “Finally we have peace and security,” sudden destruction will arrive at their doorstep, like labor pains seizing a pregnant woman—and with no chance of escape!” –1Thessalonians 5:3.

Sonsofthesea Family, please forgive the delay in this teaching being sent out. To err is human. I apologize.

Firstly, to my brothers in Christ, please, don’t let the image or title of this teaching cause you to turn away, thinking, “This is a woman’s message.” It’s not. It’s a message for us all. We are all expecting—regardless our gender. At least, we ought to be.

One of the many things I love about Jesus, His Word, is how He used everyday language. Imagery and references the average man could easily recognize. Old, young, man, woman, rich or poor, there was always something woven into His teachings for everyone—except, of course, for those who had zero interest in hearing it. But that is a message for a different day.

Today, I’ve been assigned the task of sharing with you what  Holy Spirit shared with me.

Words like “expecting, labor, timing, pain, sacrifice, suffering and such will be used.” As you can imagine, there was little surprise for me when Holy Spirit started using the imagery and language of birth to get His point across. God is nothing if not consistent.

So we’ll jump in here, and I’ll share with you what He shared with me:

When a woman is expecting, ready to deliver her child, what initiates her labor?

What thing or things must happen before her labor can begin?

According to an article submitted by Johns Hopkins, science doesn’t really have an exact answer to this question. They can’t articulate precisely why the onset of labor pains happens when they do. They can tell us about statistics, variables, studies, and parameters. They can share their guidelines and methods used in determining when a woman’s labor will likely occur—some window of sorts based on age-old and irrefutable facts. Years and centuries worth of compiled, detailed accounts and studies. This data has enabled science and doctors to narrow a woman’s due date to within a two-week window.

So, somewhere between here and there, things will start progressing quickly, speeding up and bringing the expecting woman’s body to the very brink of birth.

Maybe here is where my brothers say, “I thought you said this wasn’t a woman’s message. So far, it’s been all about what happens to women!” But wait, hang on, please. We’re about to pivot. You’re about to start to see where you fit into this message.

Interestingly, the Bible compares the rapture of the Church to the onset of a woman’s labor pains.

In fact, It’s so specific in its comparison of the two that God’s Word assures us Jesus has no more idea when this blessed event will occur than a woman knows the day or hour her labor will begin. “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” –Matthew 24:36.

Imagine, Jesus, the One who was born, crucified, died, and resurrected on the third day to save us, has no idea the day or hour in which He’ll rapture His Bride. And a woman, though pregnant and able to calculate her approximate due date, has no clue, really, when her actual labor will start.

The reason for them both not knowing? In a word, God. “He answered, “The Father is the one who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that he has prepared by his own authority.” –Acts 1:7.

No one, not even His Beloved Son, Jesus, can move outside God’s expressed will, plan or Divine time. In the same way, nothing can live, move, or have its being outside of God’s expressed will. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.” –John 5:30.

Only God in His Sovereignty, holds all time and times in His hands.

Jesus has no idea the day or hour He’ll first meet the Bride He’s given His Life for, gone and prepared a place for her. This Bride He loves passionately—fed and nurtured, loved and sacrificed and was willing to endure much suffering for. The Bride Jesus gave up His Body to protect all that she might be with Him and the Father always. And yet, not even He knows the day or hour He’ll first be able to hold her in His arms. Those same arms once nailed to His Cross.  

As I pivot here one last time, let me say this:  this teaching, with its comparisons and conclusions, is intended to point us toward God and His Sovereign control over all things.

It’s to land us squarely on the Truth that, contrary to who we are, what we may be seeing happening around us. Whatever imminent brand of darkness is looming ever closer, something more ominous and pervasive than ever before. Despite all that we see—and may feel, as Christians, such things ought not move us. We must rely on God alone. His Word alone. We must keep our eyes fixed on things above, not the swirling chaos at our feet, barking at us like some ratcheted-up junkyard dog hellbent on frightening us.

In closing, Jesus told His disciples it was best for them if He went otherwise; He could not send them the Comforter—one who would come and take up residence within them. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.” –John 14:16-17.

Though neither knows the exact hour, Jesus and the woman know their hour is upon them.

That some gossamer-thin veil of time is about to tear, ending the preparations, anticipation, and expecting, ushering in their reward for having endured the fullness of time. For one, a baby. For the other, a Bride. Each starts as a seed within the other. “For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love.” –Ephesians 1:4.

Jesus, the Ultimate Sacrifice, will soon be made eternally One with His Beloved. “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.” –Mark 13:7.

If you’re a Christian, you’re also expecting. At least, you ought to be waiting, watching, making ready, preparing yourself and those in your family, workplace, classroom, at the market or gas station—for Jesus’ soon arrival. “Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” –Ephesians 5:16.

And you, friend, if you have yet to meet the One who is patiently waiting for you to call out—”Jesus, save me!” Now is the time. These are perilous times. And no man is promised tomorrow. I don’t say this to frighten you; watch the news for confirmation. But, if my telling you moves you to cry out to Jesus, I’ve done what I was sent to do. Point everyone who will listen toward Jesus, the Savior. “For while some are saying, “Finally we have peace and security,” sudden destruction will arrive at their doorstep, like labor pains seizing a pregnant woman—and with no chance of escape!” –1Thessalonians 5:3.

Walk It Out On The Sea Of Doubt.

May 20, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

 “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen, Even so, come Lord Jesus!—Revelation 22:20.

I was awakened to the above words early this morning, and what a wake-up call it is, my dear friends. My response to this Truth was precisely what the Apostle John had said after our Lord spoke this promise to him. I, too, found myself uttering these exact words with the most sincere amen. Knowing soon, they will come to pass. I do not know the hour, but soon our Lord Jesus is coming.

So, to my dear brothers and sisters who are taking the time to read this teaching, rest assured that soon and very soon, Jesus is coming back. Rest in the assurance that God finishes what He has started. He has finished the work of the Cross by paying our sin debt in full. We are washed clean by the Blood of Jesus of our past, present, and future sins. God is faithful to forgive us when we come to Him in repentance. Jesus said, “It is finished,” and His work, the finished work of the Cross, was done. As believers, what more assurance do we need to believe that Jesus never has and will never forget that promise? By faith, I know Jesus will come again!

As Christians, our lifestyle must be one of faith and obedience; of taking that first step of faith, the next, and then a third; until we walk in a way that is not common to what the world perceives as normal.

When all hell has broken loose, and people are searching for answers, be assured that God is still in control.

He is the one that controls the wind and the waves. Nothing is too difficult for our God! Jeremiah 32:17 confirms this. “‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” 

One of my favorite Scriptures is found in Matthew 14:22-33. It is a Scripture that has helped me during those times of doubt and not knowing which way to turn. After feeding the five thousand, which I highly recommend reading Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus tells the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side while He sent the multitudes away. And after sending them away, Jesus went up to a mountain to pray. “Now the evening came, and He was alone there.” –Matthew 14:22-23

The disciples did not question why Jesus was not coming with them. They just got in the boat and did what they were told.

 Now think about that for a moment. When God asks us to do something, are we often obedient to do the first thing he asks of us? Or do our little minds start racing and asking, “Why, Lord? Or,  “You want me to do what, Jesus?!”

Brothers and sisters, how will we make it to that second step if we get stuck on the first step—our being obedient?

Next is the word “immediately”—a strong word to put in there. There is an urgency attached to it. Some reason why Jesus is telling them to go at that very moment. Are we sensitive to the urgency in God’s promptings or Word? When He says, “Move’ or ‘Go now’?

God has a purpose in it. He wants to show you or bring you to what is next.

In verse 24, we read that the waves in the middle of the sea were tossing the boat the disciples were in. For the wind was contrary, and all hell was breaking loose. Do you think they had any doubts at that point? Scripture does not say anything to the contrary, but by human standards, I am sure they did. Now let’s be honest here. We all have had our doubts, my dear friends.

If you haven’t experienced one yet, live long enough, and you will.

We are frail, sinful humans, not perfect by any means. And yet, when we walk in obedience and do what God asks us to do, we will experience God stilling the waves of doubt and the negative thoughts blowing around us. How can we be sure? In verse 23, Jesus told His disciples to go before Him to the other side. That assures us we will get to the other side of our storm. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT!

Numbers 23:19 assures us, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

And in Hebrews 6:13: “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.”

Going back to Jesus and His disciples verses 25-26 tell us this: “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled saying, “it is a ghost!’ and they cried out for fear.”

So, in verse 24, we hear nothing about fear until they get into the middle of the sea. It is here where fear starts to grip them. There is nothing in sight due to the low visibility of the storm. Equally, fear can blind you and distort your vision. Example: The disciples saw Jesus and yelled, “It is a ghost!” they were so gripped with fear that they could not see it was Jesus. Yet it is so reassuring that God will make His presence known even in the middle of such chaos. For some of us, our issue, at one time or another, will be our need to see Jesus through the eyes of faith and not by what we see in front of us.

Hebrews 11:1 says about faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

And in Romans 8:24-25  we read: “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

Many of us have asked, “How will I get through this?”

Do not abandon ship when your flesh and impulses lead you, making it feel like there is no way out. Remember that God is for you! Remember why Jesus came; you have purpose. There is a reason why you are reading this right now. I do not know who this is for, but I believe someone is about to give up their walk as I write this. You have been praying and waiting for the answer, but it has not happened yet. You have repeatedly heard the same thing, “Be still and know I am God.”

Know that our Lord does not turn a deaf ear towards His children. Jesus is the mediator between us and the Father. Please, do not give up, my friend; you are so close to the other side! Philippians 1:6 promises you this: “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Next…

March 18, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.” –1 Kings 17:2-3.

As suddenly as summer rain, many of God’s children, myself included, are experiencing a season of change that fell upon us—seemingly unexpected. It’s like we’ve walked into an event already in progress and must catch up somehow—or so it feels. And yet, if truth be told, there were telltale signs that some-thing was coming. A shift in the atmosphere had occurred as with the suddenness of summer rain.

It was getting darker off in the distance if we were paying attention. But perhaps we were just too busy to have noticed? Maybe we were distracted? Or perhaps we thought we’d have more time before the sky opened and we got caught in a sudden downpour…

And yet, even with the rain causing everything to change on a dime, how thankful we are—or ought to be, that our Fixed, Un-Changing, Consistent and Loving God is at the epicenter of our suddenly. We ought to be grateful for God’s Sovereignty—that He reigns over every aspect of our lives. That no-thing is allowed to touch us which does not first pass through Jesus’ Providential Hands. “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” –Job 23:10.

And so it is in this epicenter of flux we find the Prophet Elijah—in God’s Providential will, nevertheless.

God was about to recalibrate Elijah’s trajectory, but He would not leave him directionless. Despite the changes he’ll soon experience, God gave Elijah clear directions for moving forward, pointing him toward provision, protection, rest, and safety. And God will do the same for you and me. Since God sent others, even the most unlikely of choices, to provide for Elijah, He’ll do it for us, Beloved. “You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there. The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the wadi. –1 Kings 17:4;6.

When God gets ready to transition us, He already has our “next” mapped out, already prepared for us.

The question is, will we trust God and follow the directions He’s giving us?

“Do not remember the former things, Or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” –Isaiah 43:18-19.

A famine was about to strike the land. Chapter 17 of 1 Kings opens with Elijah telling King Ahab that it would not rain again until he, Elijah, said it would. “Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” –1 Kings 17:1.

What do you do when everything you’ve come to rely on is switched up on you suddenly?

When God shifts your revenue stream, your daily routine? When His Divine Hand of safety or safeguarding your health, your children, parents, or spouses is suddenly removed? Elijah was about to learn the answer.

It wasn’t only those God had sent Elijah to who’d be affected by the coming famine. It would affect Elijah as well. Remember, God never promised to exempt His children from the troubles besetting this world. But He did tell us to remain strong and confident. That despite all that may be whirling around us, despite the changes, sudden or not, despite your pain and doubt, your questioning, God’s got you. All is well. “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.” –John 16:33.

Yet before God blessed Elijah, He had to reshape him—ridding him of anything that might take Elijah’s focus and reliance off God. Little did Elijah know he was being prepared for so much more than he could imagine. That God was about to blow his mind!

God was preparing Elijah for his next assignment. And part of his preparation was God’s removing everything Elijah had come to rely on. From his daily bread delivery to the safe haven God had guided him to, all of it was taken away! The Bible doesn’t tell us how long it took for all this to happen, but we can imagine that for Elijah, whether overnight or days later, the world as he’d come to know it felt suddenly upended. But God had a plan! “Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” –1 Kings 17:7-9.

God closed the door behind Elijah so he couldn’t turn to the familiar, to what was. God was doing something new and needed Elijah not to miss it. So He stripped away the route, the comfortable, the familiar, anything that might distract Elijah from where He was leading him. “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” –Psalm 37:23.

God demands our undivided obedience. So when He says go, our only response ought to be, “yes, Abba.”

And Elijah said just that. He was obedient to God. And his obedience was rewarded with favor and provision. The widow did, in fact, supply him with food, just as God said she would. And all three of them ate and were filled. Oh, wait. I forgot to mention the widow had a son—he was the third person.

God used Elijah’s unwavering obedience and the unswerving faith of a widow who did not know Him to usher in the miracle that would save and sustain them each through their shared yet unique “suddenly.”

 “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ “She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” –1 Kings 17:14-16.

So for those who, like this widow, may not yet know God for themselves, would you consider following her example? Would you trust that as surely as God sent Elijah to her that she might receive her miracle and live, He has led you here today that you might receive yours? 2 Corinthians 6:2 says it this way: “For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

God may change your season suddenly. You go to bed thinking you’ll wake up to life as you lived it yesterday, last week, only to find you are in the middle of an event already in progress and must catch up somehow—or so it feels. Yet how thankful we are—or ought to be, that our Fixed, Un-Changing, Consistent and Loving God is at the epicenter of every suddenly. We ought to be grateful for God’s Sovereignty—that He reigns over every aspect of our lives.

That no-thing is allowed to touch us which does not first pass through Jesus’ Providential Hands. “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” –Job 23:10.

Sifted

March 4, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” –Luke 22:31-32.

Why does it feel like I am dying?

The short answer—you likely are. But that’s a good thing. Hear me out.

So long as we are here on earth, child of God, your Christian walk will be peppered with seasons when it will feel like you are dying. Why? God is pruning you, transforming and reshaping you into the image and likeness of Jesus, His Son. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. –Romans 8:29.

God is removing your dead wood—your fleshy bits. Those weak or unproductive areas in your life that siphon your precious time, attention, and focus away from Christ. Those fleshly parts of you that look nothing at all like Jesus. So if God is removing it, let it go! For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. –Philippians 2:13. Because even the so-called “good stuff” will be useless where God is preparing to take you, so off with it. Remember, God is far more concerned with your character and eternal good than your comfort

Having experienced this painful process, Peter had firsthand knowledge of this Truth. Yet he was not the first of Christ’s disciples to have been sifted. And he wouldn’t be the last. In fact, each of the Twelve had been—sifted. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. Within this month, or year, this very day, many of Jesus’s disciples have or will experience the crushing anguish experienced when God permits Satan to sift one of His children.

Will their inner cry and turmoil echo Peter’s, perhaps? “After all Jesus has done for me. All I have witnessed and know Him to be, how could my faith be so weak? How could I fail Him so miserably!?”

And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” –Luke 22:55-59.

“I was so sure I’d rather die than deny Jesus by demonstrating so little courage in my hour of testing.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” –Matthew 26:34-35.

Have you been experiencing a time of profound spiritual wrestling, hopelessness, or fear? A time so daunting that your toes, however briefly, drew dangerously close to the line labelled turning away? A moment when the literal fear of God ran through you, icy, jolting, one that left you crying out to God, repenting of your pridefulness and misplaced self-confidence? And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. –Luke 22:61-62.

Have you ever experienced a dark night of the soul?

Has the very earth beneath your feet suddenly upturned? Where everything you’ve believed and professed was tested, tried, and found wanting?

Or that startling moment of “I am not yet who I will be.” And you find yourself taken aback by the jarring realization you are still very human, contrary to your great faith in Christ. You’ve underestimated your vulnerability and are weak, susceptible to failing, to fall. Beloved friend, have you yet come face-to-face with that moment when it was Jesus, and only Jesus (as it always is), who held you back from a fall from which you’d never get up? I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. –John 10:28-29.

It’s in that place where we find Peter, here where many may find themselves today.

If this is you—If you’re experiencing a dark night of the soul, take heart, Beloved of God, He is still with you. But know this. God allows this crushing, questioning, this desperate time of falling and failing, of testing, to beset you. Just read the Book of Job. In fact, just read verses Eight thru Twelve for confirmation. “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” –Job 1:8-12.

And no, child of God, your Father has not stopped loving you. Neither has God forsaken you. Quite the opposite, His Holy Spirit is refining you. You’re about to level up.

Now notice how today’s scripture verse is so very personal, how God is interceding for you, specifically—as surely and personally as He did for your brother Peter. And though Jesus informed Peter that Satan had asked to sift them all, He also made clear that it was for Peter whom He was praying. Peter had much work to do— and he needed to be spiritually squared away to accomplish all that Jesus had called and equipped him to do. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

God is working out your fleshy bits, too, Beloved. Perhaps the sifting you’re experiencing is happening so that, like Peter, you too may be restored, transformed, made new, readied for the next leg of your journey with the Lord. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. –Jeremiah 18:4.

Holy Spirit will reveal your weak areas to you so that you might repent of any pridefulness, self-confidence, anything not of God. But, praise His Merciful name! As surely as the Holy Spirit convicts, He also intercedes in our great moments of weakness. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. –Romans 8:26-27.

Friend, if you are experiencing a time of change and trials, call out to Jesus. He will come, and with Him, His Holy Spirit, to help walk you through every valley. Romans 10:9-10 assures you of the eternal safety found only in Jesus. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Reset, Refocus.

January 14, 2023 /
Kendra Santilli

Entering a new year always comes with “the thrill of hope!” Yes! Just like in the Christmas carol.

It is only fitting as we just came out of the season of rejoicing in the advent of Jesus Christ and all that comes with it: joy, peace, love, and hope. The spirit of the season leaves us ripe with the hope of a fresh start. I mean, the natural succession of the Christmas season is the anticipation of new beginnings. They’re what Jesus came to do, after all. He came to give us a new name, a new start. He came to rewrite humanity’s story so that we could, once again, have a relationship with our Creator God, finally free from the spiritual bondage of sin.

At the beginning of every year, our church prepares for corporate fasting and prayer like many other churches worldwide. I felt at a standstill this time as I approached the fast, praying and searching for direction on what to pray. I felt the Spirit of God whisper to my heart, “get to know me.” It was a call to focus, once again, on Jesus. It was the gentle hand of the Father turning my head back toward Himself, knowing that I have all that I could ever need with Him.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. – Colossians 3:1-4

Following Jesus is the furthest thing from a passive lifestyle. It is an active choice to live by faith in Jesus. Not only for our spiritual freedom but also for the freedom of others.

Yet somehow, it is easy to get comfortable with our freedom. We slip into autopilot when we realize that what we have feels good. The result is a slow leak of faith. We move from seeking God’s heart to fitting His heart into our agendas. We become so consumed with the cares of this life- work, school, home life, family, volunteer work- that we forget to leave space for the One who is the very source of that life. Even when we are doing things for Him, our God-given purpose can turn our worship and affection toward our “calling” or “purpose” rather than God Himself.

As a believer, do you worship, worship, or worship the One you should be worshipping? For the one who is searching. Do you worship your accomplishments, or have you encountered the One who gifted you with those things?

 Throughout the Bible, a consistent re-invitation is offered to find fulfillment by following the Lord. Still, as human nature has it, we revert to our comfortable rhythms and patterns. Yet one of the very defining characteristics of a believer is the death to self. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! — 2 Corinthians 5:17

 But instead of living with eyes of faith that come with new life in Christ, we keep wearing blinders of complacency—doing what makes sense to our minds without ever considering His plan.

 Keeping our minds consumed with the things on earth shifts our hearts from heaven-focused to self-focused. Set your minds on things that are above. This is a daily discipline. How often do you think about the things of Heaven? Does God enter your thoughts regularly, or is He only considered after everything has taken place in your day, week, or month? Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. —Romans 12:2.

We renew our minds by meditating on the Word of God and by checking our thoughts regularly. Yet reading and remembering are two different things. We must read and digest, digest and remember, remember and meditate. That is the practice of mindfulness. It is living on purpose, not passively. This year, would you join me in resetting your focus on Jesus? Let us turn our gaze from trivial things that rob us of our affection for Jesus and shift our focus back to Him! As we do, He refines us, making us new over and over again. This year, I invite you to find your renewed identity and purpose as you seek the Lord.

If you don’t know Jesus, ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will renew your innermost being as you surrender your life to Him.

“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.

Are You Willing to Climb?

June 4, 2022 /

MaryEllen Montville

 “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully” –Luke 19:1-10.

Exactly when did Jesus know Zacchaeus, this chief tax collector, this marginalized, ostracized son of Abraham, would run through the thick of the crowd gathered in his village, climb up into a fig tree—just to get a look at Him?

Was it while Jesus was teaching another crowd on another day in some other village about the Parable of the lost—lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son? Was it during His time of teaching His disciples about forgiveness and faith? Maybe It was after He had entered a small village somewhere between Galilee and Samaria, and ten men covered in leprosy cried out to Him for healing? Or, perhaps, it was in a Nanosecond of what we call time, somewhere in eternity past? Was Jesus standing over the dark void when He planned to meet Zacchaeus under that Sycamore-fig tree?

The Bible doesn’t fill in that particular blank for us.

Suffice it to say, however, God knew the exact second this man of small moral and physical stature would quite literally be found, “up a tree.” God had always been working in Zacchaeus, just below the surface. Unnoticed, unrecognized, yet ever-present in every-thing that had ever happened in Zacchaeus’ life. God had been using every joy, smile, every pain, hurt, and disappointment. Every rejection, each harsh word spoken, every bright ray of sun that had ever pierced the darkness of Zacchaeus’ isolation—his loneliness. God had used each moment—every choice, good or bad,, like so many stones. And God laid them one by one, paving a path that would eventually lead Zacchaeus to climb up that exact fig tree—at precisely the right time.

The Holy Spirit is stealth—and intentional. There are no accidents with God. No “almost.“

God had a plan for Zacchaeus’s life, just as surely as He did for Father Abraham’s. Different, certainly, just as each man’s life is different. God’s plans for you, you, and I are as unique as we are. Yet similar somehow, united in purpose in Christ Jesus, we are His Body after all. God had a plan for our salvation and our ongoing transformation. Just as God had a plan that would empower Zacchaeus to do,, in all probability, what he had not done since boyhood, climb a tree! God will drive us towards the most peculiar of places, and He’ll do it at the most inopportune of times—untimely for us, that is. God’s timing is always perfect. Always on time. “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.

Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus, about the miracles He’d performed. Maybe he’d climbed that tree hoping he’d get something from Jesus? And get something he did! Surely Zacchaeus never saw coming what it was he would receive from Jesus—newness of life. Unlike the blind beggar who had shouted out to Jesus from the gate of this same village, Zacchaeus had his sight, physically speaking, that is. But in fact, it was the blind man who had 20/20 vision compared to Zacchaeus and many others gathered there that day. The blind man recognized Jesus for who He was, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” –but that’s best left for us to explore another day.

That blind beggar knew he wanted to be healed, and he let everyone within earshot know about it. “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” –Luke 18:37-38. We never hear Zacchaeus crying out to Jesus for healing or forgiveness. Verse six plainly says that when Jesus called him down out of the tree that they might share lunch, “Zacchaeus climbed down quickly and with great joy and took Jesus into his house.” Where’s the shame? The downcast eyes, heart, and spirit? Where’s the wailing, gnashing of teeth, and tearing of his garments, evidence of Zacchaeus’ feeling the weight of his sins? Where were the sackcloth and ashes? The remorse?

Answer: God sees what mere men cannot. And I, for one, am so grateful that He does. “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” –1 Samuel16:7. In reading the account of Zacchaeus and Jesus, I was reminded of yet another wayward son of Abraham. A son separated from his family and community due to sin—and selfish choices.

We’re never told what drove Zacchaeus to become a chief tax collector—perhaps the vilest of jobs a Jew could have. Maybe we should look to the Apostle Matthew for our answer? Remember, he was a tax collector right up to the moment Jesus “just happened” to walk past him.

Although I’m a woman, and they’re tax collectors, I saw my own life staring back at me through the lens of Zacchaeus and Matthew’s choices. I, too, was broken and dead in my sin. Having lusted after the things of this world, I was once separated from family and friends due to my poor choices—sullied by the sins of my countless offenses. More, I was separated from God.

Yet unbeknownst to us, God was never far from us. His Holy Spirit knew precisely when and where He’d call us out of darkness, into His glorious Light. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” –1 Peter 2:9.

Unlike blind Bartimaeus, it had never occurred to me to call out to Jesus.

Sure, I knew of Him. I believed in Him even—at least I believed that He was. Yet I never opened my mouth. I never asked for what I most needed. How fortunate (such a pale expression of such an incredible blessing) I was that Jesus had determined to walk past me—just as He did Zacchaeus and Matthew, Paul too. How fortunate (such a pale expression of such an incredible blessing) I was that Jesus had determined to walk past me—just as He did Zacchaeus and Matthew, Paul too. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” –Romans 5:8.

God chose each of us in Himself long before we had a clue. “Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine” –Ezekiel 16:8.

While Zacchaeus and Matthew were swindling and cheating people out of their hard-earned money and goods, Paul’s heart was burning with murderous intentions to kill those who believed in this Jesus. Yet God had sealed each of these men in Himself—calling them His own. And He did the same for me. Scripture is clear that Zacchaeus never cried out to Jesus. Never shouted out to get God’s attention—Matthew either. In each of their cases—Paul’s also, God made sure that He was the One to get their attention. This Pure and Holy God came to each of these sin-soaked men—and to me, presenting Himself in such a way that to not follow after Him—not leave it all behind, not change our ways— repent, was not an option. “Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the Father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them” –Romans 4:10-11.

I certainly don’t profess to understand the depths of God. I see and understand in part. I’m a simple sheep following after a God that is far too big—too marvelous—too Brilliant, Creative, Deep, Holy, and Pure for me to comprehend fully—this side of eternity, nor would I want to. I am thankful for being me, knowing I serve a God who is far too big for me to get my arms—mind, knowing—heart around.

Yet, by His grace, I can follow Zacchaeus’ example and climb whatever tree necessary to get a better look at—a more intimate understanding of—a more profound revelation of the One I love as He passes by. My Triune One, who stood over the void and said, “This world will not be complete without my daughter.”

My Jesus, who left the Father’s side that He might walk before me, ensuring I forget my way back home.

How about you, friend? If you’ve only heard about Jesus, knowing Him from afar, are you willing to climb whatever tree you must to get closer to Him? I pray you do. “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” –Jeremiah 29:12-13.

The God of Suddenly.

May 21, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

Hagar called Him El Roi, The God who sees me. He is the God of those who feel insignificant or forgotten. God of the one who has drifted—gone astray, that wanderer, the pride-full one, the rebel, the backslider. He is the God of the one who has not picked up their bible in weeks. Jesus is “I Am,” the Triune God who has always been. “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”  He is God of the “suddenly.” Calling, reshaping, pruning, refining, purifying those that are His, called by His name, chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.

Personally, I take great comfort in knowing that God is both Alpha and Omega, knowing my end from my beginning. There is great comfort in the knowledge that God cannot change. He is steadfast, my Anchor. Holding me fast through the violent winds of adversity and trials, when “suddenly” winds threaten to uproot me from the very place I stand. He is my Rock, my Firm Foundation. Even though, whether intentionally or permissively, He sends these winds of change, reminders to loosen my grip on, not get too comfortable in, a world I’m just passing through.

God alone ensures we do not fall, that no enemy trap or snare overtakes us.

This great, vast, unplumbed God who refuses to fit into our small, finite imaginings of Him; this God we cannot fully comprehend, “I Am Who I Am,” has, inconceivably, deigned to take up residence within us. The burning Fire of His Spirit, groaning within! And, that He remains fully God, holy, pure, and Sovereign, still, while living in our fallen vessels makes my head swoon! It leaves me in slack-jawed, stupefied awe of the One who so loved us that He offered His only Son, Jesus, savagely beaten within inches of His Spotless life, nailed to His Cross—He hung there and died in our place.

Our God is so far beyond my ability to fully take Him in, and I am grateful for this. As God’s children, how blessed we are to rest the full weight of our trust, all of our hope in Him—in His every promise.

Friends, remember, we are the only ones caught by surprise when the “suddenly” of life happens. Every “suddenly” that changes the familiar trajectory of our lives, God saw coming.

Nothing ever catches our God off guard. In truth, He built these twists and turns into His plan for our lives somewhere in eternity past. Using them to build our faith and trust in Him, make it stronger. Being Sovereign, God certainly allowed them. “Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil” –Job 1:8. Yet as willy nilly, as random and wholly disruptive as “suddenly” as they may appear, be reminded today: these unexpected tests and trials are intentional, Beloved. Remember too: “…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” –Romans 8:58.

Your loving Father has allowed each “suddenly” into your life, being used to help bring about your purpose—to mold you into the image and likeness of His Son. Romans 8:29 makes plain this Truth, listen: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” And in 1 Corinthians 15:49, we read this promise: “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall, also bear the image of the man of heaven.” Beloved, God has a plan for your life. Like every brother and sister before you, you came into the world to be used by God. The very moment you gave your life to Jesus, you gave Him carte blanche to do with you whatever He sees fit. This, long before you had any idea what He may ask of you. Long before your first, “suddenly” appeared. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” –Isaiah 6:8. Read how Molly Law explains this complete surrender to God:

The use of “Here I am Lord” reveals purpose. Isaiah was saying he was here on earth for a specific purpose, and he wanted that purpose to be the Lord’s. As he immediately followed it with “send me,” he didn’t wait to hear what the Lord would say but wrote a blank check to the Lord, a universal yes to God’s plan for him.

Jesus says it this way in Luke 9:23: “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”  

This denying self and taking up whatever cross our Father requires of us, part of “counting the cost” Jesus spoke of in Luke 14. “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  Many who had followed Jesus because of the miracles they’d witnessed or the power-filled Words of Life they’d heard left Him when He spoke this.

From the beginning, well before Christ wrapped Himself in flesh and lived among us, Jesus knew those who would surrender all and those who would think the price of following Him too great, walking away. Only God knows whether they’ll ever reconsider their foolish choice. I pray they did and do return to God. This life is but a vapor. And eternity, a long time to be separated from Jesus.

So here’s the question each child of God must answer: Do you truly trust your Father? Are you willing to lay down your life and take up your cross?

When that whiplash-like suddenly comes, and it will surely come, will you trust God when you can’t see a conceivable way the pieces of your well-ordered life will ever fit back together now that God just upended it? Fitting you in where He’d have you go, doing what He’d have you to do, for a season or a lifetime—whether or not it makes any sense?

I mean, will you really trust God? Abraham, trust Him?  Ready to plunge that knife kind of trust Him? “And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” – Genesis 22:10. Leave everything familiar behind to go wherever God leads you, trust Him? “The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you” –Genesis 12:1. I know; it makes you a little nervous to think that God might ask any of this of you. Jesus understands that. “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” –Luke 22:42.

Yet, Beloved, these are the terms and conditions you agreed to.

The price you said you’d pay to belong to Jesus. This Truth is a hard thing, I know. I’m there myself right now. Standing, toes on the line of my next “suddenly” with God. Thankfully, because of His great mercy and grace, I know my Father well enough to know that, contrary to how I may feel about this, God is faithful—I’ve been here before.

So, since He has permitted this “suddenly” to touch my life, though uncomfortable and trying certainly, I am confident it is for my good and God’s glory. Equally, God is faithful and, by faith, has already given me the grace, strength, wisdom, time, and all else I may need to carry out His latest plot twist. I’ve banked my life on this Truth. And if you’re saying, “me too, I’m also in the throes of a suddenly,” I pray your strength for this same certainty. I encourage you to re-mind yourself of God’s faithfulness in your last “suddenly.”

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” –Romans 15:13. “Suddenly” will come, brothers and sisters. That’s a guarantee. The question is, will you still pick up your cross and follow Him when it does?

Friend, if you have read this far yet have not asked this God I’ve spoken of, the Only True God, Jesus, into your heart and life as Lord and Savior, I pray you’ll do that now—understanding you are not here by accident, there is no such thing. Instead, this Loving, Sovereign God is calling you to Himself. He loves you. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” –Isaiah 55: 6-8.

Don’t Sleep On This.

April 30, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

Live every day as if Jesus can come back right now, but plan as if you still have another hundred years on this earth. –unknown

Certain moments in life mark you. Moments that latch on to your heart, periodically making their way back to memory. One of those moments came to me in a high school Bible class as my teacher gave us the quote mentioned above. As I wrestle with the mystery of the second coming of Christ spoken of in the scriptures, I often remember what he said. Live every day as if Jesus can come back right now…

While it is not gospel, its depth of meaning challenges me each time I think about it. The Bible is clear that Jesus is coming back, but it is also clear that not one person knows the day nor the hour of His return. “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son —except the Father alone”– Matt 24:36. Jesus, Himself doesn’t know when the Father will send Him. What makes anyone think they could make such an arrogant prediction? Some believers blindly believe the false teachers who claim to know one of the very things the Bible says we cannot know. Now, I am not here to berate the person who believes their words; instead, I hope to send out a call to action in this hour of waiting for our Lord’s second coming.

When I think of the coming of Christ, I am reminded of the parable of the ten virgins found in Matthew 25.

“At that time the kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.” “No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.” But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us!” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.” Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” – Matt 25:1-14

The “virgins” in this passage possibly refer to members of a bridal party waiting to greet the groom as he arrives; these represent followers of Jesus, while the bridegroom represents Jesus. In this parable, Jesus is cautioning people to prepare themselves while they await His coming. Do you identify with the foolish virgins who slept while they should have been preparing for the bridegroom? These are people who know Jesus is coming. They can be believers who say they love Jesus or know of Jesus but do not live righteous lives. The scary thing about this is that they are part of the bridal party – they prepared for this wedding with the bride, who is the church, but in those last hours, they slept instead of preparing their lamps (or hearts) for the coming of the bridegroom. I have heard believers say, “what’s the point of working or being ambitious? Jesus is about to come”. I’m not making this up. I have heard these words fr*om people who are believers. Jesus never called us to be lazy; in fact, the Bible refers to laziness as foolish. These lazy virgins who slept instead of preparing their lamps with oil are referred to as foolish. Instead, it is wise to continue to prepare both in body and spirit. First, you must prepare your heart. Jesus is more concerned about your heart than anything else, but He does not stop there. You must, secondly, continue to be good stewards of what the Lord has given you. Has He given you a home? Care for it. A family? Provide for them and leave them an inheritance. A business? Steward that well and continue to care for it as He blesses the work of your hands.

Continue to put God first, spend time with Him, and care for what He has given you. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” – Matthew 6:33. God created this earth for us to enjoy and to care for as we reside here until the day that He calls us home.

Maybe you identify with the wise virgins instead? Those who were vigilant in filling their lamps with oil before the bridegroom’s arrival. They, too, fell asleep. However, they could rest knowing that they were prepared for the wedding (or the kingdom of Heaven). These are people who prepare themselves by learning God’s word, even when their peers tell them it doesn’t matter. They go against the grain and prepare themselves for the groom’s coming. When He arrives, they can light their lamps with the oil they already have and join the wedding party while the others are locked out because they slept instead of being prepared.

… plan as if you still have another hundred years on this earth.

What are you doing with your time? Have you given up on any ambition? Have you lost hope? Have you given yourself to procrastination, saying you have time to figure it out? Or do you spend time filling your -*lamp with oil? The oil of the Holy Spirit and the Word that gives you that fills you with purpose, hope, and vision. As you fill your lamp with oil, you live with your eyes wide open, searching for the opportunity to obey God’s Word and live rightly. The word of God is hidden in your heart so that you can use it when you need it. Spending time with God in His Word and prayer fills your lamp with oil and gives you the passion for preparing yourself physically and spiritually for His coming.

This message is not one of sadness; this is a call to action!

If you have been following Jesus yet feel that you identify with the foolish virgins, it is not too late. Wake up, get up, and fill your lamps with oil. Seek Jesus with all your heart, and you will find Him. And if you don’t yet know Jesus as Lord, ask Him to come into your heart, to be your Savior. Repent of your sins, and God will lead you in the way you were created to go in. He is faithful and wants to have a relationship with you! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” –Jeremiah 29:11-13.

The Bible is clear that Jesus is coming again, but no one knows when, so I will echo the words I heard over ten years ago…

Live every day like He’s coming now, but plan as if you have another hundred years.

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