Category: Relationship (Page 16 of 17)

So Many Voices…

September 12, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” —John 10:28-29.

It was God’s word that made us; is it any wonder that His word should sustain us. Charles Spurgeon.

If we turn left, someone will have an opinion. The same will happen if we turn right. And if we stay the course, someone else will come along telling us we should have turned either left or right! We live in a world filled with talking heads. Some well-intentioned, others, not so much. So many folks just brimming with opinions on the topic de’ jour. So, who do you listen too? Whose voice rises above the kerfuffle—drowning out that great sea of voices vying for your attention, your heart, your peace? Speaking for myself, I listen to Jesus. In a world filled with people and their opinions—my own included, I am so grateful that I have Jesus to turn to for the Truth—as my due north. When all those voices that vie for my attention overwhelm or confuse me, His still small Voice comes, softly, and leads me back to the still waters. Back to that place of peace found in Him alone. Then, finally, my head laid against His chest once again, His lone heartbeat restoring me, the world then, with all its clamoring voices and opinions, melts away.

Within this Tenth Chapter of John’s Gospel, we learn that Jesus is our Good Shepherd—we also learn of the price He was willing to pay to be. “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep” –John 10:11. We hear Him talking about the thief, exposing him as the one whose sole mission is to steal, kill, and destroy Jesus’ sheep—that devil. “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]”—John 10:10. We hear Jesus explain the difference between hired hands who care little for the flock in their care—these Pharisees and teachers of the Law, and the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. There’s a certain irony here considering who Jesus is talking to, the Pharisees—most of them hired hands themselves. Some in it for the reward only, running then at the first sign of trouble, they are not invested in keeping the sheep in their care safe. “But the hired man [who merely serves for wages], who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The man runs because he is a hired hand [who serves only for wages] and is not concerned about the [safety of the] sheep” –John 10:12-13.

We hear Jesus explaining all these Truths to the spiritually blind. Those with their own opinions of who He is or isn’t—these Pharisees and some gathered around them. Continuing, Jesus reveals to this same crowd that He is their Good Shepherd. In the previous chapter, Jesus had just performed a miracle. He had restored physical sight to a man who had been born blind. Yet these teachers of the law (and others who stood with them) professing their ability to see did not recognize their long-awaited Messiah standing right in front of them, while this man who was born blind, saw and worshiped Him. And he said, “Lord, I believe [in You and Your word]!” And he worshiped Him [with reverence and awe]. Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me—to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain” –John 9:38-41.

Jesus went on to tell them about these other sheep He has. Sheep who’ve yet to meet Him, though they know His voice somehow; those who will become one with this flock. “I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become one flock with one Shepherd” –John 10:16. Jesus is on the verge here of stating plainly that not only is He their Messiah, but He is also God’s own Son. And, in being His Son, God has granted Him the ability to both lay down and pick up His own life. He states boldly that this is His Father’s command—His will. Listen: “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back. No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father” –John 10:17-18. And it’s here that some Pharisees and those who stood with them nearly lost their minds! You can just imagine their holy indignation! Hear their piercing, pious screams! Visualize them ripping open their outer robes in horror and outrage! These self-professed holy, hand-picked leaders, these teachers of all things lawful and God-like. They had to stand there now and listen to this nobody from Galilee tell them that He was God’s own Son, never! Blasphemy! “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others” –Matthew23:5-7.

Yet there were some gathered there that did not share in the Pharisee’s feelings—nor the condition of their heart. They had left some room within themselves for hope—to receive what they knew to be Truth. The Living Word that had taken root within them rose-up, pointing them towards what Moses had spoken. Towards the hope that God would send their Messiah soon. They knew their Word. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” –Numbers 23:19. They recognized this Voice within them speaking, even though they didn’t fully connect it just yet with the One standing right in front of them. So, it’s here then that we hear their determined voices having the final say. “There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” –John 10:19-21.

We’ll close the circle here. Connecting both my opening words with today’s Scripture verses—linking them then, to all you’ve just read. For as long as you live there will always be some voice or another vying for your attention. Voices that will do all in their power to persuade you that their way is best—and, if you’d just listen to them, you’d be happier, more fulfilled, at peace, living your best life if you will. As I said earlier, some of these voices come attached to familiar faces, loving faces. They are the voices of our parents and spouses, our children, family, and friends. Those who are near and dear to us. So how do we know just who and what to listen to in a world filled with so many varying opinions? Again, as I said earlier, I choose to listen to only One voice. Jesus’ voice. I choose for His Word to have the final say in my life. In every decision, over my thoughts and wants and opinions, over those opinions of the very ones, He’s placed in my life to love and do life with. His voice must reign over everyone else’s. He alone is my God. Do I get it wrong at times, sadly I do? I fail Him. Yet even there, in my failure, it’s those very moments often, that I am ever so thankful that I serve a God who knew that I would fail Him—and chose me to be His child despite my failures. It’s then, in those moments that I hear Him say, I know you’re afraid you blew it, that it’s too late. It’s not, just come back. Your safe with me. I’ll never turn you away. Neither will the Father—we love you. I died for you so that you could be with me always. So let me talk with you a while. Trust me, I’ll straighten this out. I love you. I forgive you. Rest in me now, and just listen…

Friend, hear the Word of the Lord: “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.

This is the only Voice that truly matters. You’d be wise to listen to it. Jesus’ Words, not my opinion…

If you don’t know this God yet, just the fact that you followed Him here tells me you soon might. Won’t you ask Him to speak clearly to you today? Now? To come into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior. He will if you’ll just ask Him.

Priests of God…

August 29, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“But you are His chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into His wonderful light –1 Peter 2:9

In our justification, God has declared us righteous in Christ through His blood. In our sanctification, God is working to make us righteous in what we do, say, think, and feel. As the Lord’s holy priesthood, we can be sure that His work to sanctify us is not in vain and that even though we might get discouraged at times, He will most certainly transform us into the holy priests He has designed us to be. –R.C. Sproul.

I hope you catch what Peter is saying to you here because it is deeply personal? Please, don’t just gloss over it. This is a love note addressed to you, written by the Holy Spirit. He has hand-picked you to receive it so that you’ll have no room to doubt who you are in Christ Jesus! You have been chosen friend, by the all-knowing, all-seeing Creator of the universe Himself! And His choosing you for Himself is neither random nor recent. Watch, I’ll prove it to you: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you a prophet to the nations” –Jeremiah 1:5. Did you catch that before part? It means that you have always been in Christ Jesus—just as He has always been One with the Father. I know, I know, who can fully understand such a mystery? Our finite minds can scarcely take it all in. Yet it’s true whether we can fully take it in, or not. Look to 1 John 5:20 for confirmation. God may not have appointed you to be a prophet to the nations, but He most certainly formed you in your mother’s womb and set you apart for His immense pleasure and use. As a child of God, election and purpose are a double portion blessing. You came into this world with their seeds planted deeply in your belly. And at the appointed time, God calls them forth. You have been chosen in Him, in part, for good works. Peter is revealing Truth here that will, should you grab hold of it, revolutionize your relationship with Jesus. Shifting you from being saved by grace alone, to being forever set afire for Christ!

Only then will you fully catch that you have been “brought out of darkness that you might proclaim—shout from the rooftop—the excellencies of Him who has called you out of that darkness, out of your sin, and into His marvelous Light.” Friend, God has chosen you to be a beacon of light in this dark world. Go forth and shine!

And by using the title royal priesthood, Peter is reminding you that as a child of God, you share in a sacred privilege that once was reserved solely for His firstborn, the nation of Israel. Those God has chosen to set aside as His special possession. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy ” –1 Peter 2:10. Having been grafted into this treasured branch then, you receive both the blessings and the benefits that flow through it. “For you [are] a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” –Deuteronomy 7:6. Yet, unlike the priests of old, you are no longer required to bring an animal sacrifice to God to be offered up in reparation for your sins. Because God so loved you, He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus, once for all, to atone for the sins of the entire world. Instead then, as royal priests, we offer ourselves, our lives, wills, our plans, hopes, and dreams as loving sacrifices unto our God. All the while imparting His grace to others and drawing nearer to Him ourselves. “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” –Hebrews 10:10–14. Peter is letting you know that because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, you are a royal priest who needs none but Him to stand between you and your Father as mediator. “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” –Romans 8:34.

The world needs us to take our mandate seriously and be a true priest of God so that we might rightly minister the things of His kingdom to all those He’s calling unto Himself, into His kingdom. –Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider.

Peter is also letting you know that you are a holy nation. “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners” –1 Peter 1:15-17. He is reminding you that you are not of this world. You’ve been called out of it, to live separate from all that it offers, that you might share in the eternal glory of the next—serving God nevertheless, while you’re still here. You are a citizen of a holy nation, robed in Christ’s Righteousness, washed clean in His shed Blood. Called to live a life that is pleasing to God. After all, being holy means: to be set apart, unique. “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” –Isaiah 61:10.

You are not like those who belong to this world—this nation. They have no desire to be set apart for God, be used by Him. They’ve chosen instead, to serve themselves. To have at best, a form of godliness. Making their own rules, living however they so choose. But not you friend. You have been hand-picked by God. Plucked from the dark influences of this world. Your standard then must be higher, purer, aimed exclusively at pleasing God alone. Everything you do lovingly brought before the One who searches and knows the motives of each man’s heart. Trusting that He is fashioning you daily to look more and more like His Son—like where you’re headed, not where you’ve been. All that you might spread the seeds of the Gospel wherever God plants you—be it in your home, your workplace, the grocery store, or the privileged platform of your ministry. You must—each of us must, do all that we can as people set apart for His use to bring glory to His name.

How unfathomable the honor to be used by God? A vessel that allows His Truth and Love and Light to so shine through our cracked and flawed humanness, that all matter of men are drawn to what it is we possess wanting to possess it for themselves. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body” –2 Corinthians 4:7-11.

Dear friend, know that your being here is no accident. God loves you with a mind-blowing, unplumbed love—He has purposefully led you here. He wants you to know how deeply you are cherished, even if you find that hard to believe. He will show you if you’ll just invite Jesus in.

Suddenly.

August 22, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive” –Matthew 25:13.

This teaching is dedicated to Jillian and Hayden. It’s their wedding day! Mazel Tov!

Today we’ll be exploring the marriage supper of the Lamb and, how in many ways, it mirrors a traditional Galilean wedding. Specifically, the suddenly of the Bridegroom’s return for his bride. We’ll do this by exploring the roles of both the bride and groom, as Jesus and His disciples would have understood them. Taking that understanding then, we can contrast it against our expectations for His imminent return for us, His bride, and see how the two line up. If you’re familiar with Scripture, you’ll recognize today’s verse as a final warning given by Jesus at the closing of the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids—fitting considering verses 1-13 address our need to be prepared for His return. To more fully appreciate this suddenly moment described in Matthews’s Gospel, we’ll take a more in-depth look into the Galilean wedding customs. After all, there’s a reason Jesus chose to use this familiar analogy when teaching His disciples more about the Kingdom of God and His future return…

First, comes the betrothal—the promise. It’s a pledge made between the father of the groom and the father of the bride— the “bride price” is settled here. This pledge is meant to recognize the value of the bride and the loss her family will experience once she leaves the familial home. This pledge is a fundamental part of the Galilean wedding custom. A negotiation that clearly outlines the rights and responsibilities of the bridegroom towards his bride—this pledge carries the full-weight and responsibility of his father’s assurance to fulfill it. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” –John 3:16.

Once an agreement for the “bride’s price” had been reached, the prospective couple is then brought together, face to face now, the groom pours a cup of wine. Then, taking the first sip from it, he offers it to his bride. This shared cup of wine symbolizing the new covenant he is choosing to enter into with her. “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me” –1 Corinthians 11:25; Luke 22:20. If she accepts his cup and drinks from it, she is stating in front of him, and those witnesses gathered around them, that she too wishes to enter into this marriage contract. Yet it’s here, before accepting his cup, that the bride may refuse the terms of the marriage proposal that’s been offered her—being free after all, to either accept or reject them. If she accepts his cup, she is then recognized by all as “the one who was bought with a price.” “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” –1 Corinthians 6:19-20. She’s an engaged woman now.

The gathering of the two families and their witnesses breaks up here. And immediately the groom returns to his insula—his father’s house. Here he begins preparing the place, the rooms he will eventually bring his bride to after their wedding feast is over. It’s here, in his father’s insula, where these newlyweds will live. Here in this cluster of buildings where his parents and aunts, uncles, and grandparents each live within the rooms, they added on at the time of their betrothals. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” –John 14:2-3.

And while it is the bridegroom’s responsibility to go and prepare the place that he and the bride will live, he is also responsible to ensure she has everything she will need within her future home as well. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him” –Matthew 7:11-12! And since only the father knows the hour, he’ll release his son to go and retrieve his bride, the son is free then to attend to the final preparations, all those finishing touches, for their insula. “But as for that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” –Mark 13:32. The father has spared no expense—no sacrifice to himself too great to ensure that his son’s bride has the absolute best he has to offer her. Remember, she is valuable to him. “This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven.” –Matthew 26:28.

While the bridegroom’s been away busying himself preparing the place for his future bride, the bride has kept busy as well. She has been diligently focused. Making certain she has been a good steward of all that’s been freely provided her. Ensuring then, she will be impeccably dressed in her pure, white wedding gown. Now, having done all that she can, she is ready—she waits patiently then for the sound of her bridegroom’s arrival. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. I do not consider myself yet to have laid 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 of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus” –Philippians 3:12-14. Much time has passed since the bridegroom vowed to return for his bride yet, she holds dear their pledge of fidelity. And while waiting she remembers—takes comfort that they drank from the one shared cup of their new covenant.

Now, suddenly, at long last, the father finally wakes his son, telling him it is time to go and take hold of his bride! Jumping up quickly, the bridegroom is off to gather her to himself! He’s been longing for this moment! The familiar blast of his shofar is heard by all. Those wise guests, the same ones who have been expecting this joyous moment, come running; dressed, and ready to meet the bridegroom on his way to gather his bride…! “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” –Matthew 25:6-7. And then he sees her—a vision in pure and sparkling white standing before Him. His bride, without spot or wrinkle. She has been dressed and ready to meet him, eagerly expecting his imminent arrival. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” –1 John 3:1-2.

Now friends, having gained a greater understanding of how Jesus and His disciples understood the allegories played out within the Galilean wedding tradition, (remember, it was at just such a wedding in Cana that Jesus performed His first miracle!) is it any wonder He used its example to emphasize the Father’s extravagant love for His children while teaching His disciples—teaching us about our need to be ready for His imminent return? About His willingness to lay down His own life for us—His Bride? Teaching us all then, what we must do to ensure our preparedness for His imminent return. And, the heart-wrenching state those who do not have a relationship with Jesus will find themselves in when He does suddenly return? “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’” –Matthew 25:7-13.

Friend, some things are true whether you believe them, or not. That Jesus was born a man, was crucified, died, was buried, and rose to life again on the third day is the Truth. So is the fact that His return will happen sooner than most think. The only way to ensure that you are ready to meet Him and spend eternity with Him is to have a relationship with Him. Do you have that? If you don’t, you can. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and be the Lord of your life. He will come to all those who sincerely want Him to. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief” –2 Peter 3:9.

New Gardens…

August 15, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Can you imagine never being able to look into a mirror but, instead, relying on the people around you for how you look? I would imagine we would be looking a lot different than we would expect. We might even have things about our appearance that may be ok for others, but not for ourselves. Well, reading the Word of God is a lot like looking into a mirror. When we crack it open, we begin to see ourselves differently. It has the power to expose both the beauty of our hearts and the parts that need adjustment in a way that only His Truth can. God knows parts of us that we didn’t even know were there! If we just give Him the chance, He uproots the weeds and plants new gardens within our hearts.

The great Gardner removes what inhibits flourishing and replaces it with life-giving substance. When the roots go deep, the storms can come but the core of who we are remains planted and rooted in Christ. There is just something about complete trust in Jesus that says, no matter what life looks like, He is still on the throne. He is still desiring to make beauty from ashes.

In Matthew 13, Jesus shares a parable that helps us to understand the impact humbling ourselves has on our being able to truly receive the deep Truths of God’s Word. The keys Jesus shares in this parable are so crucial He made sure to explain them plainly, that we all might understand them. “3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the Word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they can only follow Him so far. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out the Word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the Word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding thirty, sixty or one-hundred times what was sown.

When anyone hears… Catch that, ANYONE! The message of the gospel is available to ALL. But, without possessing an understanding of what we hear, there will be no lasting transformation…

When I read this, I thought of times when people would share valuable information with me, which I would immediately forget it! I’m sure you can relate. I believe Jesus wants to ensure we all get it! That we don’t immediately forget. Rather, that it takes deep root. Hearing the word will only get you so far. If there is no application, the seeds of the Gospel will be snatched up from your soul instead of being firmly planted within it. Jesus goes on to describe rocky ground, places where seeds cannot form strong roots. Initially, when someone comes to the Lord, they may be excited about getting to know Him, yet may fall away quickly nevertheless, when difficulties arise because they are not truly rooted/ determined enough to endure difficulties for Christ’s sake. Pay close attention here- spending time with the Father is the most important ministry that you can be a part of. It is in the secret place that God is able to care for your soul and refresh your heart. THIS is where your roots grow deep. Desire more of God then. Or desire Him for the first time.

Don’t allow your heart to be a poor environment for growth…

Something occurs within us as we learn to endure. Tarrying with Jesus allows Him to replace our infertile soil with His good soil. When I bought my house, I learned that the soil on my land was not very conducive to growing new anything. The soil had been overtaken with roots of old bushes and weeds. I mean, what I thought was “soil” was a literal clump of old roots. Sure, I could have planted seeds, but I’m not sure if they would have grown. So instead, I got to work and shook out those old roots to release the healthy soil back to the ground. Then it was ready for me to fertilize and plant my flowers in. I believe God does the same for our hearts. Sometimes we find our hearts are like that rocky soil, a place the Truth of God cannot take root. We can be excited about Him and even desire to live rightly, but without roots, it’s easy for us to fall by the wayside. But the more time we spend with the Lord cultivating a relationship with Him, the more He will transform the ground of our hearts into a thriving environment.

Are you anxious? Confused? Filled with worry? Know this: those are seeds are not of God! While God certainly plant seeds in your heart don’t be fooled, so does the enemy. It is essential to your growth to know the difference! The enemy’s seeds are where the thorns come from! Remember, whatever you feed your heart and mind will grow. So, what are you feeding it? Feeding yourself seeds of anxiety, doubt, worry, fear, or confusion, will only reproduce more of the same. As I said, what you feed, grows. And the more you feed those harmful seeds, the less the wholesome seeds from the spirit of God are nourished; conversely, the more you feed the seeds planted by God, the less nourishment the unhealthy seeds will receive.

Spending time in the word of God nourishes your soul with the good things that come from Him alone.

The result: eventually, His seeds mature and produce “the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” –Galatians 5:22-23. Fruit takes time to mature, ask any gardener, but you will eat of this fruit and, it is good!

Friends, God wants to know you and to be deeply known by you. My hope for you is this: that as you get to know Him, your roots will become more firmly grounded in His Life-giving Truth; His Truth will firmly establish your purpose and water your very souls. Spending time with Him in prayer and His Word brings about a greater understanding of God, and that understanding brings transforms. There is no end to our being able to be transformed in Christ; no end to knowing Him; our roots then becoming immovable.

I pray that as you read this, you found yourself in this parable.

If you feel that your heart is just not good, you are in good hands. Surrender to the Lord today and allow Him to transform your heart into a beautiful new garden. Choosing the Gospel shifts us from depending on our feelings and moves us to live by the understanding that Jesus is our joy in suffering. We are, after all, the joy set before Him at calvary. If you are here today and have never asked Jesus into the garden of your heart, ask Him in today and watch what He can create in you…

Radically Reoriented…

June 13, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

MaryEllen Montville

***“Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.”***

God often becomes manifest in the ordinary, even seemingly unnecessary events of a person’s life— events which nevertheless are in accord with some purpose that is or is not known. – Arland J. Hultgren

Jesus knew Peter was exhausted. Weary. Done. Knew he had spent a fruitless night pulling in empty nets. Scripture tells us that Jesus was there on that same shore standing among the great crowd that had gathered there to hear more about God—to hear Him preach. He was an eyewitness to Peter’s discouragement. “He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets”—Luke 5:2. If anyone is paying attention, what Jesus is doing on this shore is a nod to the new thing He’s is about to do. A shift. Until now, Jesus had always taught in the Temple (Luke 4:15;4:31).

But I digress…

Jesus was an eyewitness to Peter’s empty nets. And even if He had not been, standing there that is—He alone is Omniscient. Before He stood over the dark void this Triune God knew Peter would be found sitting there. Sitting on the very bank of this sea—discouraged. This experienced fisherman not having caught so much as a minnow. Having nothing but a sore back and some empty, tattered nets to show for his fruitless hours of laboring through the long watches of the night. He was ready to put this night behind him now. To have a bite and hit the bed. But here comes Jesus—doing what Jesus does. Asking that we trust Him. Asking that we push off just one more time. Even though we know it makes no rational sense to do so. Even though we know we just do not have the strength for yet one more “useless” attempt at catching what has eluded us thus far. Still, He is who He is. We know this. Believe it—at least we are beginning to…

What do you do when all that you know, all you have learned and relied on—fails you? Slipping away like water through your clasping fingers. When you are left staring at the needle of your compass as it spins wildly in circles? Your due north momentarily inaccessible. What happens when the systems you have had in place stop yielding up a catch?

Jesus is about to answer that question. He will demonstrate for us—as we read through this account in Luke 5, what will happen to a man—a heart, that, contrary to all it knows, has learned, is willing to leave it all behind for a new way of doing things. He will show us in no uncertain terms that going out into ever deeper water is often what is needed to change us. To fulfill the plans He has for us—contrary to how we may feel about it. We were not created to sit idly on the shore. We are destined to be doers instead. “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish” –Luke 5:4.

Beloved, it is time to let go…

Typically, it is in these moments of hesitancy, of discouragement—some will call them the dark night of the soul. Moments when we are wresting and weary, worn down and feeling a million miles away from God that He, in fact, is the nearest to us. It is usually when we come to the end of ourselves that we find that single thread—the slim hope needed, the crack in the door that leaves in just enough Light to pierce our inner darkness. It is there, in that place, through that sliver of Light, that we emerge—somehow. No, not somehow. Only by God’s grace. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” –Philippians 2:13. This has been my Truth certainly. The very Cornerstone of what sustains me. Christ alone. No-thing else. Certainly, no person. Peter is about to experience this radical reorientation more fully. This new thing that happens in a soul when Jesus passes by and takes possession of all that we know—have come to rely on.

I say more fully because this is not Peter’s first encounter with Jesus. If you will turn back and read Chapter 4:38-39 of Luke’s Gospel, you will witness the first green bud of this nascent relationship—Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law. “Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was very sick. She had a high fever. They asked Jesus to do something to help her. He stood very close to her and ordered the sickness to go away. The sickness left her, and she got up and began serving them”. Knowing this—that Peter and Jesus had some modicum of a prior relationship, makes understanding why an exhausted and discouraged Peter obeyed Jesus’ request to push out into deep water at all. To throw his now clean nets back out into a sea he was certain would offer up no fish. He was, after all, the experienced fisherman in this boat. Yet in Peter’s eyes, Jesus was not only master—a term used in the Greek to describe a teacher or tutor, He was more. He was kyrosis—meaning Lord. Who but God can heal and restore? The miracle of Peter’s mother-in-law having been healed was a seed just waiting to be cracked open, taking deep root in the belly of this weary fisher-man. Not only were Peter’s nets about to burst, but His tiny mustard seed of faith was also about to miraculously be turned into a mighty faith. A faith that would be used by God to see many healed. More, this fisher of men’s faith would be used to advance the Gospel unto the ends of the earth, via his dogged witness. Luke shares this Truth with us in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Peter was one of the “you will…”

Peter obeyed the Lord. Even though he did not feel like it. Have you ever done that? Ashamedly, I know I have. “…Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets” Luke 5:5. You can almost hear the exasperation in his voice. Yet the reward for his obedience—the fulfillment of God’s plan. Remember—it is always about Jesus first. Peter’s nets are suddenly so full of fish—fish that had completely eluded this knowledgeable fisherman just hours before, that he must call his partners over to help bring in this massive catch. “And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking” –Luke 5:6-7.

This was part of God’s plan as well. Soon all three will leave everything behind to follow Jesus. A genuine encounter with Him will do that to you. It will drive you to your knees. It will cause you to forsake all others, cleaving only unto Him. “When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man”. For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed” –Luke 5:8-10. I get verse 8—I do. Many a time in my own walk with the Lord I have had this same moment. Being left dumbstruck by some awe-inspiring revelation of Christ’s Holiness. Of His being the Sovereign God of the universe! The weight of it dropping me to my knees. In an instant, literally, I knew I was standing in the presence of the King of the World. In that same instant too, I knew I was unworthy to be in the presence of Someone so Pure—filthy as I can get. I was humbled too. I had never witnessed such power before…

But now look at Jesus—God incarnate. The One who, leaving the glory and majesty of heaven behind, donned a suit made of flesh that He might be like Peter, you, me, and him, her, them too. In every way save one that is—sin. He wanted to know, firsthand, our fears, and our frailty. What drives us and frightens us, both. What our deepest need is. Just as He knew Peter’s. There is a deep mystery in this. “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. Jesus knew fishing for creatures that lived beneath the water was just a set-up for what was to come for Peter. A mean-time thing. A placeholder for his true calling. In the matter of a few short hours perhaps, out on a boat doing something Peter did not want to be doing, God radically changed Peter. Not merely his vocation, no. God changed His life! Yet Jesus knows just how frightening it can be for us mere mortals to have our world suddenly upended. Even when it is in the best possible way! To watch the needle on our compass spin wildly. He knows how disorienting having a genuine encounter with Him can be. He knows our frame.

As we close, we will witness Jesus speak lovingly, knowingly to that place deep within us. Patiently allowing us time to gain our footing. Time for our world to stop spinning. Time to settle down that we might step sure-footedly, once again, on somewhat familiar soil. Just as He did with our brother Peter. Remember the whole His being Omniscient thing? He knows exactly what we need in the exact nanosecond we need it. “Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus” –Luke 5:10-11.

New friend, this same Jesus knew you would be here today. It is no accident that you are reading this. Won’t you ask Jesus into your heart today so that He might make you a fisher of men, too? “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” –Romans 10:9-10.

Parousia. Luke 12:35-38.

May 30, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“Be ready for action, and have your lamps burning. Be like servants waiting to open the door at their master’s knock when he returns from a wedding. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I can guarantee this truth: He will change his clothes, make them sit down at the table, and serve them. They will be blessed if he comes in the middle of the night or toward morning and finds them awake.”

The Greek word Parousia (παρουσία) means “presence” or “arrival”. It is used as a technical term to refer to the return of Christ in glory at the end of this world. –Jesse Cragwall.

Words such as union, fusion, and symbiosis hint at the ineffable oneness with Jesus that the apostle Paul experienced: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). No human word is even remotely adequate to convey the mysterious and furious longing of Jesus for you and me to live in His smile and hang on His words. But union comes close, very close; it is a word pregnant with a reality that surpasses understanding, the only reality worth yearning for with love and patience, the only reality before which we should stay very quiet. CEASE STRIVING AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. (PS. 46:10 NASB) ― Brennan Manning.

Just last night I sat staring out of my window. The trees, dark, shadowy figures pressed up against an even darker night. I was calling out to You. “Abba, I’m here”. My face pushed against my window screen (I just wanted to get as close to you as I could) my heart full of longing. My words meant only for Your ears. I poured my heart out, and up to You—like Samuel’s mother did—with yearning. My lips barely moving. Lord, I long for this time with You. These few precious moments when I am not doing anything—nor am I asking you to. When I am not seeking after some-thing. Not asking that you provide this or that or answer this prayer or that one from earlier today. Neither am I bringing my questions—nor my concerns. Rather, I am simply just drinking-in this time of the day when I can just be alone with you. That is it. Just me and you alone in this sacred space. This dent in the screen my forehead made while pressing against it. Pressing into this moment. This deep longing to just be with You. And so, I sit here. Face pressed to the screen, talking to you. The night breeze carrying my every Word to your ears. You smile just to hear them. I can feel Your happiness in my belly. You testifying to Your nearness, Your promise. “…And lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age”. –Matthew 28:20. So, for the moment, I sit here. But not idly my Love. You gave me instructions to follow in your absence. The beginning of that same promise You left me, my charge. “teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you…” –Matthew 28:20. There is much work to do. I must be about Your business while I await Your return…

Even now, remembering that moment, the feeling of longing, of wanting to be where you are—with you. Equally aware too, that the barrier of this flesh of mine—the temporariness of this tent I am sitting in, prohibits that. Being wholly where You are, I mean. At least for a time. Your timing, not mine…

Yes, new friend, I am offering you a glimpse of the letter I’ve just written my Lover, my God, my Beginning—and my End. Yes, I have unashamedly invited you into this, our private conversation. An exchange that happens between those who are intimate—or those who genuinely want to be. And not just physically intimate—though we are. We are so much more. We are spiritually One. One, even as He and the Father are One. My God and I. Mind-blowing, right? Him knowing the very number of every hair on my head. Him knowing my words before I speak them, my thoughts before I think them. His Word tells me that it was His hands that knit me together in my mother’s womb. He chose to have this intimacy with me even before the foundation of the world. Before He stood over the dark void and said, “Let there be” and there was. While He was yet covering Adam and Eve in the bloody skins of animals sacrificed to clothe them, His thoughts were on me. Were on the Blood of the One that would one day shed that Blood so that He and I might have this intimacy. Ours is so much more than just a physical knowing. And on my end, He has placed Himself in me. His Holy Spirit alive in me. My Teacher and Counselor and Guide. My guarantee of the future I will have with Him, soon and very soon. As He is, so too will I be. His Peace left as a gift for me now. His strength too. And His ways, should I allow them to overtake me, mine too.

This new lesson of Oneness offered me when I was invited to come into my Love’s presence. Only when, as Esther can testify, the King extended His royal scepter in my direction. To, “come up here”. Up to His Throne room. To sit with Him for even a moment, in heavenly places. And because I was made certain of our love, was I bold enough to share my heart with Him. My deep longing for Him—with Him. “When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king” –Esther 8:4. There is nothing outside this window now that thrills me nearly as much as His presence does. I choose then, daily, minute by minute often—to die to myself—that I might live with Him and in Him, more and more every day.

And so, as the servant in our Scripture sits, nose pressed to the glass, alert, watchful, waiting for their Master to return from His time away at the wedding feast. I too am waiting for my Lord. The Lover of my soul. Just as the father of the prodigal went out daily and stood to gaze out over the plains. Anticipating that at any moment he would catch a glimpse of his son there, just over that next crest returning home. I too look with longing at this night sky—hope-filled—that I might catch some glimpse of my God. Maybe in the song of the crickets or the verses the wind whistles as it passes through the trees? Will I catch some glimpse of His sweeping Kingly robe in that bold orange and violent pink of the sunset colors? Or perhaps it will be in the blinding gold of the setting sun? His Crown just might be made visible there, If I am watchful…

Remember, Jesus told us to always be ready. Always be on the lookout for His coming. To always be prepared. Wicks trimmed and lamps lit. Having more than enough oil. Staying alert and watchful. Storing up our treasure in places where the moths of this world cannot get it. Where thieves cannot break in and rob what we have been given. These days, I find myself at this window far more than I used to be—just looking up. Waiting. Expecting. Longing to see the face of my Beloved. It’s as if, from somewhere way over there, I can almost hear His footsteps nearing. And I am up and at the door! His promise now fulfilled. That when He returns, He will do again what He did before. Put on His apron and serve—me this time…

Brothers and sisters allow me to encourage you as you wait through this fourth and final watch of the night. I know your eyes are tired. I know the night has been long. I know it seems as though our Master will never return. I know many are whispering in your ear. Urging you to throw in the towel. Taunting you perhaps? Asking, “where is your God?” Remember the Truth now, weary one. What we know about our God. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it” –Numbers 23:19? Jesus promised that He would only be gone for a moment. He was going to prepare a place for us so that it would be ready when He returns to bring us home. Hold tight, fellow servants. He will be back any second now…

And you, new friend. You have read a part of my letter, read the rest of what is written here, too. Now you know that this same Jesus who came to earth as a man some two-thousand years ago is due back at any moment. It is not too late to get ready for His arrival. Won’t you keep watch with me too? Ask Him into your heart now, while there’s still time. “Of course, you realize that if the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let him break into his house. Be ready because the Son of Man will return when you least expect him”. –Luke 12:39-40.

Inextricable. Ephesians 2:10

May 23, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

**“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”**

Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. ~ G.K. Chesterton

Merriam Webster defines Inextricable this way: incapable of being disentangled or untied; not capable of being solved. We beloved, our life in Christ and the gifts born from it, a grand, vibrant, eternal visual of this very definition…

I recently read a quote by Charles Spurgeon that said this concerning Christians and what links us—past, present, and future. There are many chosen ones who have not yet believed in Christ, and the Church cannot be one till these are saved. These chosen ones are to believe — that is a work of grace, but they are to believe through our word. If you would promote the unity of Christ’s Church, look after His lost sheep. If you ask what is to be your word, the answer is in the text — it is to be concerning Christ. They are to believe in Him. Every soul that believes in Christ is built into the great gospel unity in its measure.

This is how I hear Jesus saying this in the Book of Revelation—His Revelation to us. “But they have gained the victory over him because of the blood of the Lamb and of the testimony which they have borne, and because they held their lives cheap and did not shrink even from death” –Revelation 12:11. Recognizing fully they would have no testimony—I wouldn’t either, neither, my Christian brother or sister, would you, except through our being chosen in Christ Jesus! Our testimony a direct result of our relationship. No Jesus—no salvation—no testimony! That is exactly what Paul is telling us in his two preceding verses, listen: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” –Ephesians 2:8-9. Equally then, we cannot boast of the “good things” we do as a result of this salvation—the two as inextricably linked as the mystical bond that exists between the Trinity from which they were born. One bible commentator had this to say concerning what Paul is telling us in these verses: It is here (in these verses) that we see the glorious power in the faith that He has given to us. Paul’s argument is straightforward. If we are saved, then we are saved to live out good works such as Christ would do. Paul is expanding the notion of what it means to be raised up together with Christ. Christ lives through our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have become, in Him—God’s poiēma, His artwork…

Today’s Scripture verse refers to us as God’s masterpiece—this is Truth, we are. Yet, it is only when we see ourselves through the eyes of Scripture, through the eyes of God’s Truth, that we’re able to see ourselves clearly. When we allow the Truth of who and what God says we are to overtake and fully silence our fleshly voice, that of the lying, life-stealing voice of the enemy of our soul, too—only then may we begin to see ourselves as that masterpiece our God sees each time He looks at us. Unless that is, we choose to continue seeing ourselves instead, as one of Picasso’s cubist portraits. A disjoined—distorted version of that which is beautifully and wonderfully made, in God’s eyes.“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” –Psalm 139:14-15. Since the Word, which cannot lie, tells us that we know this “very well”, our continuing to believe anything else makes Christ a liar…

“What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar…” Romans 3:3-4

Beloved, we are quite literally connected. You and me and him and her and them way over there on the opposite end of the globe. On the opposite end of the pew—in Christ Jesus. Both in our salvation and our common predestination to do these good works God has for us to do. Each of us chosen by God—saved in Christ—specifically for this purpose. In light of this, I lift you up today. I pray you will finish your course well.“So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:11-12.

If we share the same Father beloved than you are my brother. Period. Each of us using what we have been freely given, our testimony, gifts, and talents. Spending our energy, the entirety of the gift of time, to be used by God. These good works given us by God, no more our own than our salvation is. Neither can be accomplished simply because we will it or wish them to be. Paul makes this abundantly clear throughout this second chapter of Ephesians.“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us. “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward” –Mark 9:38-41.

Nothing of Kingdom value will be gained by our being envious of each other’s giftings either. Rather, God’s will is accomplished through our gifts as we support, uphold each other, encouraging and rejoicing over them as the incredibly unique and essential treasures they are. Blessings each to His Universal Body. These seeds, placed in our belly, your belly—before the foundation of the world. That at just the right moment—God might have His Holy Spirit hover over them as surely as He hovered over Mary. Calling forth life He alone intended to birth through us. “Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.… Genesis 1:1-3. Let Him who has ears hear what the Spirit is saying here…

This free, incomprehensible gift of salvation was not given us to keep to ourselves—God forbid! Some bag of treasure we bury so as not to lose track of it. Having been entrusted with it at all, it empowers us to be the very hands and feet of Jesus, thus aiding in its multiplication. Affording us then, the divine privilege of investing every ounce of what we’ve been given, in another. Listen to how Jesus says it in the Parable of the Talents. “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” –Matthew 25:29.

Beloved, as God’s masterpieces, we are called to imitate Him. To love this world as our great TeacherJesus did. As God did. Both willing to lay down their absolute best for, “whosoever will.” Since we carry some spark of this Divine within us, let us then lay down our best. hat which Jesus died to give us and that which God weaved into us for such a time as this. Pouring the very last drop of them both out—in love, for the sake of our God, and those He has called us to reach. “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” –2 Timothy 4:1-2.

Friend, if you have read this far and do not know this Jesus personally, know this: There are no coincidences. You are not here by accident—God is holding His hand out to you. Take it, please… “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” John 1:12.

Never Alone. Psalm 23:4

April 4, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

***“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”***

Have you ever found yourself feeling so alone? The heaviness of a loneliness that declares itself your only companion is a weight we were never meant to carry. King David seems to have understood this side of our humanity. Throughout the Psalms, we get a glimpse into some of his deepest, most emotional experiences, as we are taken on a journey through this one man’s life…

Just chapters before this faith-filled passage, in Psalm 13, we find King David crying out to God because he felt incredibly abandoned. But what caused him to come out of his crisis still trusting in God, the Good Shepherd? How could someone in such distress turn their weeping into a song of praise? King David seems to have responded to emotional turmoil with faith and praise.

Responding to despair with faith can only stem from a deep-rooted relationship with God. There must be an understanding that God is constant. He never changes. He is good, regardless of life’s circumstances, and He is with us in all circumstances. There is a reason why we are reminded, several times, throughout the scriptures, that God will never leave us nor forsake us. He will never abandon us. (Deut. 31:8; Josh. 1:9; Isa. 41:10; Matt. 28:20, to name but a few). It has been said that it is not God who leaves us, rather, it is we who tend to walk away from God. As we spend time with the Lord daily, we develop an awareness of His presence in our lives. Reminding ourselves of who God is, is essential to remaining steadfast on Him, as the Solid Rock. When we remind ourselves of who He is in the midst of the trial, we put to death our flesh that would rather complain and wallow in self-pity. As we remember who the Father is, it becomes more natural for us to respond to the valleys with prayer rather than doubt. This lifestyle of prayer inherently causes us to remember that we are not merely talking to the air but to an extremely near God who cares for us more than we’ll ever know.

Psalm 23 is an excellent example of what it means to edify our souls…

In this passage, it seems as though King David was not in the midst of a trial; he was simply reflecting on the goodness and faithfulness of God. For believers today, this means that it is important to make a habit of praising God in the good times so that in the ‘not-so-good times’ we can remember who He is and what He has done for us. If our attention is never brought to His faithfulness, we will be shaken in those moments when we need to remember it most. Praise is like a muscle; the more we exercise it, the stronger it becomes. As we spend time in praise daily, we’ll learn to exercise our praise muscle so that, when we don’t feel like praising, praise will, nevertheless, become our natural response to whatever we’re feeling. Praise will have become part of our muscle memory.

There are 5 principles that we can take away from this passage in which David acknowledged the hand of God on his life: v. 1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures…” Jesus provides rest for our souls. In the peaceful seasons, acknowledging the rest that we have in our communion with Him helps us to live in awareness of His goodness.

v. 2-3 “… he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” I love the peace oozing out of this passage. Our God is a God of restoration. As we walk with Him and trust Him, He brings us to a place of complete peace that surpasses all understanding. In this process, we grow in trust and confidence in Him that we can’t explain. It is an understanding that He is in control.

v.4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” It’s easy to see God’s hand in hindsight when we’re standing on the victorious side of a trial. There are times when we know we couldn’t make it through a certain situation on our own. May we never forget His kindness in those moments! He is our strength and protection. Draw your strength from the One in whom the wind and waves obey. The God who created the entire universe is not just with us because he has to be, but because he desires to be! He is near. The valley does not always look the same in every season. Sometimes, it can present itself as a trial in your emotions or it can be a conflict in relationships. Whatever it is, you are not alone. He is with you. It is a promise!

v. 5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” In the middle of the trial, whatever that may be, God is our provision. He wants to bless us. According to Webster’s dictionary, the word blessing means; “imploring happiness on another.” God does not want us to be miserable. He wants to bless us beyond measure. Often when we hear blessing it’s easy to think of material things, but by definition, a blessing is a prayer of happiness. What will bring happiness in this season? Is it something physical, or is it peace, joy, or favor? God knows our needs even better than we do! When we abide in His presence and yield our lives to Him, He will bless us far more than we could have ever imagined!

v. 6 “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” God’s favor is afforded to us when we rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This verse highlights some of the trade-offs for submitting our lives to the Lord. Like King David, we must be confident that the goodness and love of God will be our portion. His favor follows us wherever we go. As children of God, we are never alone. He is with us always. He knew that in this life we would have our fair share of highs and lows, but He promised we wouldn’t have to walk it alone.

Rest, restoration, strength and protection, provision and blessing, and favor are all available to us as we allow Him to walk with us. Is He enough for you today? If not, I’d

challenge you to dig deep and ask yourself why not? When we get to a place where He is enough for us, we begin to journey through life with unwavering confidence that He is who He says he is, and we are who He says we are. I pray that you will begin to exercise your praise muscle so that you will respond to the dark valleys in praise, knowing that He is right there with you. As you draw near to God He will draw near to you. Then, now fortified, you’ll lift your eyes and be able to say with confidence, “God is good, even when life is not.” If you are reading this and feel that this is not for you because you don’t “follow Jesus” I want you to know that the opportunity to follow Him is available to you today. God so loved THE WORLD (me and you), that He gave His Son (John 3:16). He came for you before you even knew of Him. If you want to walk with this Jesus who will never leave or abandon you, the Bible says to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Call on His name, for He is near.

Take Courage, Beloved! 2 Corinthians 1:4.

March 7, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Now here we have a very peculiar source of consolation in suffering. The thought that the apostle’s suffering benefited others soothed him in his afflictions, and this is a consolation which is essentially Christian. Consider how the old Stoicism groped in the dark to solve the mystery of grief, telling you it must be, and that it benefits and perfects you. Yes, that is true enough. But Christianity says much more; it says, Your suffering blesses others; it gives them firmness. Here is the law of the Cross: “No man dieth to himself”; for his pain and loss is for others and brings with it to others joy and gain. –F. W. Robertson, M. A.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Look at this young girl’s face. Her countenance speaks volumes. Her face a billboard for one who came hoping to hear one thing, but instead, heard something quite the contrary. Her hope snatched out from under her just as quickly as a magician makes a quarter disappear. She is downcast. Questioning. Searching. Disheartened. Dare I say fearful? I have seen this same expression all too often as of late. Many in the Body of Christ have been wearing this very same face. God has sent me to you, beloved brother, dearest sister, to re-mind you that your loving Father is right by your side. His all-powerful right hand holding yours—lending you His strength in your time of weakness. Take Courage, beloved. El Roi, “the God who sees me” is with you. “We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives!” –2 Corinthians 4:8 MSG.

The enemy of our God—our soul, is keeping busy. We have been lulled, however temporarily, into forgetting that we live in a fallen world. Eden no more…

One in which we both reap what we sow and, are suddenly seized by the inevitable end-result of having lived at all. A world in which God never promised us a trouble-free existence. “I have spoken these things to you so that you shall have peace in me. You shall have suffering in the world, but take heart, I have overcome the world” –John 16:33. A world that is filled with people who will one-day leave their mortal coils in the very dust from which they were created. He, our enemy, wants us to forget about this part. Conning us into believing we’ll live forever. That death is for others, not for us. He does everything possible to shift our focus away from God, from pursuing a life in Christ, a relationship with Him. From beginning to prepare ourselves for those things God has clearly foretold will come to all mankind. The saved and unsaved alike. No race or social class left exempt. As with death, disease and trials, tribulations, and hardships are among the great equalizers of this, our one human race. It is a sure sign of Grace when a man can trust in his God, for the natural man, when afraid, falls back on some human trust, or he thinks that he will be able to laugh at the occasion of fear. He gives himself up to jollity and forgetful-ness, or perhaps he braces himself up with a natural resolution—”To take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them.” He goes anywhere but to his God. –Charles Spurgeon.

I’ve received reports of loved ones being suddenly struck ill. One minute healthy and smiling, the next in peril or pain. Cancers being diagnosed, brain tumors and shingles attacking bodies, strokes leaving once strong and virile men at the mercy of bodies they can no longer control. Being washed now, dressed too, and fed by the very woman they once took pride in gallantly protecting—providing for. Minds once sharp and quick now muddled, processing as slowly as molasses pours. Others still whose memories are being wiped clean by Alzheimer’s. So frustrating! Such heartbreak. And yet, it is to these very souls that we must go fellow Christian, and, with a touch as tender as a child’s, hearts bursting with compassion and the love of Christ, uphold these words we find in today’s scripture verse.

For us as Christians, tribulation, trials, and sudden hardships should be expected; a thing we know with certainty will come. Christ made it clear to us that they would. And He cannot lie. The only unknown is the ‘when’ of it. That is for God alone to know. Yet, as I’ve stated, Christ expects us to go to, sends us to, these very souls hip-deep in sorrow, shredded by recent loss, dazed by the 1-2 sucker punch of their child’s, son’s, brother’s diagnosis, and encourage them to fear not. To re-mind them that God sees them, knows what has just happened to them and that He has a plan to bring some-thing, some future good, from this seemingly rotten, pain-full, confusing circumstance—if, they’ll but trust Him. If they’ll but leave the door of hope cracked just enough that He might come into this, their worst nightmare, and flood them with, overtake them with hope. Comforting them, offering His strength to endure, press on and into Him…

But how? How do I go to one so raw, so exposed? What can I possibly say to them to help ease their pain or return to them just a glimmer of the hope they just lost? How do you and I go and comfort, bolster, build-up, offer peace to the one whose world just got turned on its head? We can only do this, offer this because we have first experienced it for ourselves. More, because the Spirit of the Living God lives in us, enabling us. He alone gives us the words, His Words. His peace. We can do this because we have experienced it first-hand. We know it to be real. We simply offer our Truth. His Truth. As tenderly and surely and deeply, yet as confidently and powerfully as Jesus Himself would! Is doing through us. We who have felt Christ come and wrap us in a peace that should not exist amongst the chaos of the moment. Strength to stand and take the next step and the one after that, after leaving the last ounce of the strength we possessed discarded, at the feet of that terminal diagnosis.

Have you been here Brother? Sister? Church mother? Pastor? Friend? Is it you I was sent back to encourage today? You whose hand I might hold and say, “fear not, beloved one, God is nearer to you than you could ever imagine. Closer to you than your skin and breath…”

Is it you that I was sent to share my survival story with? My, suddenly-that-day-when-the-bottom-fell-out-of-my-world-too, testimony? Because I have one, I do. One where I not only survived but thrived and grew and, as a result of my suddenly moment, God stepped into the very center of it and saved so much more than this my mere flesh, this temporary tent I call me. Jesus walked right into the messy middle of my fractured mind and commanded it to reroute. He commanded the clot in my brain to cease from doing any further damage, and He then lavishly, lovingly, poured healing balm over every area of my brain, restoring it. Jesus saved the real me, His child; safe. He saved my immortal soul; healing my mind and emotions, and a brain fractured and failing as the result of a massive stroke. He came calming that fear that that would well up inside of me each time I so wanted to move the left side of a body, a side I could no longer control. In those instants, God came with His peace, His strength, and re-minded me that there was never a moment, not one second of my life as I’d known it, including that very second a blood clot ripped through my brain, that I’d ever been in control of, could stop from happening, what could happen to this earthly tent I call my-self. None of us has that ability. That is His alone. He alone is Sovereign.

But what we can do, are called to do, must do, is come to you and her and him amid your trials, your dis-eases, your crisis, whatever they may be and, right there in the messy middle of them, share the love of this same Jesus who met us, met me, dead center in my crisis. Assuring you, as only one who has experience, has a relationship with God, can. God is for you, beloved. He is right where you are, right now. He sees you and knows your fears and feels your pain. He once felt it all Himself. Remember, He is fully God, but Jesus when He walked this earth was also fully man. “He knows our pain all too well. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” –Hebrews 2:14-18.

Fear not beloved, all things, even those we label as, feel are, the worst possible things; our parents or children or loved ones becoming ill, must pass through the Sovereign hands of our loving, kind, just and mercy-full Father. And, know this: if He permits a thing, even some bitter thing, some circumstance or illness to touch our lives, their life, it is this same God who also holds your life, their life, in His hands. Whatever may come your way, God’s got you. Nothing. No-thing, no sickness, trial nor adversity can ever, nor ever will, separate you from God’s love for you. Ever. He has promised that to each of His children. If you are His today, then this promise is surely yours. You say, “I feel so dead and cold, I have not the spiritual vivacity and warmth and life that I used to possess. I used to come up to the Tabernacle and feel such joy and rejoicing in worshipping on God’s Holy Day, but now I feel flat and dull.” Oh, but do not be tempted to get away from Christ because of this! Who runs away from the fire because he is cold? Who, in summer, runs away from the cooling rook because he is hot? Should not my deadness be the reason why I should come to Jesus Christ?” – Charles Spurgeon.

Friend, if you or a loved one is experiencing a time of fiery affliction and you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, please, do not let today pass you by without asking Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior. Invite Him into the middle of your pain-filled, messy circumstance, and then watch God do what only He can!

Rescued. Zechariah 3:2

February 8, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

**“The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”**

You beloved are that burning stick that has been snatched from the fire. A sinner saved by His amazing grace! Like Joshua before you, you have been washed clean—made new by the sacrificial shedding of Blood. The Blood of the Spotless Lamb, Jesus, shed on your behalf. If that is, you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior…

Entering into any meaningful and lasting relationship requires our being intentional; a deep consideration of our willingness to commit. It is a deliberate and highly personal choice born from a wanting to share and grow, exchange and receive, with another. It’s one built on a foundation of sacrifice and service to another or others; come what may. It’s a conscious laying down of one’s life, born out of genuine love for the well-being of the other. In this same sense, entering into a relationship with Jesus is no different. However, it, above all other relationships, must be birthed from a deep desire to connect with this God more intimately than with any other person. Understanding this: once that relationship has been established, you’re then set apart to serve God and His people. And, then, to spend a joy-filled eternity with Him. You, beloved, though your sins demanded it, will not spend an eternity in hell; that place of separation and torment that was neither created nor intended for you or any man. It was created for Satan, and all those fallen angels who followed him in his rebellion against God—Matthew 25:41.

You, my fellow believers, are now ministers of the Most High God. Those chosen to be royal priests. And, yet, even though you are the King’s kid still, His ownership of you stands above your service to Him. Your priesthood—your role in ministering before the Lord exists solely because He alone has bestowed its use and service, its privilege and anointing, upon you.

Ah! I have my filthy garments on. I cannot pray to Him. I cannot praise Him as I would.” I know what it is to come and preach to you sometimes, and to feel such an overwhelming sense of my own unworthiness, that, were it not, “Woe unto me if I do not preach the gospel,” I would not come on this platform again, for it is hard to feel that your garments are defiled even while endeavoring to be God’s mouth to men—Charles Spurgeon.

Friends, we cannot curry the favor of God. There’s not one thing we can do to “earn our spot.” Earn His love for us. His forgiveness. Not-one-single-thing. Without God’s mercy and His election of us, take away His unfathomable love for us; our sins demanded that we spend eternity in the hell created for Satan and his band of fallen angels; separated eternally from God. As all those who deliberately chose to rebel against Him—deny Him, will. Not popular, I know. But it’s the Truth, nonetheless. “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” —1 Peter 4:17. Now, with that knowledge ever before us, may we be about working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Never forgetting the very heart of the words cried out by our brother, Paul. “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death…? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” —Romans 7:24. May this be our cry too, brothers and sisters. May we, like Joshua and Paul, and a remnant of the nation of Israel before us—like every saint that has been or is yet to come, never lose sight of how—by whose power it is, we either stand or fall; least we begin to think too highly of ourselves and risk being humbled by our Lord. My true position, as a Christian, is to be always ministering to God, always standing before His altar. –Charles Spurgeon.

Satan stood at the right hand of the Angel of the Lord accusing Joshua of every sin he and his people had committed. And Satan stands there still, pointing out our sins as well. Accusing all those who dare to believe in The Name above all names! Jesus!

But, here’s the good news, beloved: Jesus Christ has the final Word! He is our great and powerful Intercessor, a priest like Melchizedek. “He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through him, because he always lives to make intercession for them” –Hebrews 7:25. There is nothing that Satan can say or do to change the way God sees you. We stand witness to this Truth not only within our Scripture verse today, but this very same Truth permeates the Word of God. Jesus knows everything Satan will use in His attempt to destroy you—to kill you and, He’s got you covered. He’s covered your every sin with His precious Blood. You are now the righteousness of Christ Jesus! Let that sink in for a moment…

When God spoke to Zechariah concerning the forgiveness of Joshua’s sin, the stain on the priesthood, and the sins of the Israelites—you were right there in the center of His heart also; represented in the person of Joshua. You stood there before the Lord in all your sin, with all of your faults and flaws, and, you too were covered by God’s intentions towards you. Your filthy clothes were also removed, you were washed clean and, the raiment of Christ’s righteousness was placed upon you. Covering your guilt and shame, you were cleansed and redressed from head to toe!

Beloved, now, when God looks at you, it is His Son—The Spotless Lamb slain for your sins that He sees.

The rebuke is forcibly applicable to the case in hand. He says, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire.” Satan says, “The man’s garments are filthy…” “Well,” says Jesus, “how do you expect them to be otherwise? When you pull a brand out of the fire, do you expect to find it milk-white or polished?” No, it had begun to crack and burn, and though you have plucked it out of the fire, it is in itself still black and charred. So it is with the child of God. What is he at his best? Till he is taken up to heaven, he is nothing, but a brand plucked out of the fire—Charles Spurgeon.

Can you even fathom so great a love, my friends? Whether or not we can wrap our heads around this great Truth, God’s love stands fixed, nonetheless. It ever remains our firm foundation on which to build. “God loves you and He gave His only begotten Son to die for you that you might be restored into right relationship with Him”—John 3:16.

That is the very heart of the Father’s love towards you, beloved.

The Apostle Paul says it this way: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us so that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit —Galatians 3:13-15.

You have been snatched from the fire to have a relationship with the Father. That you might spend your remaining days running after Him. Seeking Him out. Loving Him and spending time with Him. Desiring Him above all else. Above everyone and every-thing—placing even yourself at the very top of that list of those you are willing to sacrifice up to Jesus. Understanding, somehow, that you are no longer your own. You have been purchased at an exceedingly high price—1 Corinthians 7:23. So, then, be re-minded beloved: Just as Joshua was lovingly and thoroughly cleansed and prepared, so too have you been cleansed. You too are being prepared for something unimaginable beloved; to become the bride of this Christ who came and gave His life in exchange for yours. That’s Good News! The very One who reached into that all-consuming fire and said, “Not this one. This one is my own.” Accordingly, as it was with Joshua and Peter and Noah and Mary, with Paul and John and Father Abraham, brides each, made ready for their wedding day; so too has every detail of your life been, and will forever remain in, the All-Knowing and capable hands of the Father.

He has spared no expense on preparing you for that day that will rival no other. The day you meet Him face to face. That day when your fullness of joy spills out at His feet in loving gratitude, a crown. One of praise and thanksgiving…

I believe each of us needs to stop, from time to time, and reflect on this enormous Truth. To recalibrate, realigning ourselves with our True North. Therefore beloved, if you have forgotten, as we sometimes do, just how deeply you are loved and cherished by God, then please, ask the Holy Spirit to re-mind you. To fill you, once again, with the fullness of His Word concerning His great love for you. May you experience renewal, being re-united with the One it is you belong to; have been betrothed to. The One in whose name you have been called to minister…

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end”—Hebrews 3:12-14.

I like that closing sentence, “And the angel of the LORD stood by.” Oh, yes, we want Him always to stand by. When you have your new garments on, when you wear your mitre, you still want His presence. “Abide with us,” must be our daily prayer. We want still His strength, His comfort, His smile, the help of His arm, the light of His countenance—for if we have Him not, we shall soon slip from our steadfastness, and have reason to stand again, like Joshua, with filthy garments on—Charles Spurgeon.

Friend, if you are here today and have not asked Jesus into your heart know this; God Himself has called you here. These words should be little more than a confirmation. A quickening inside of you that says, “I believe this is God. I believe this is Him answering my question: “God, would you truly love someone like me?” He says yes. Yes, I love you. Yes, I led you here. And no, there is nothing that you have ever done that is so filthy that my Sons Spotless Blood will not wash it clean. Just ask me in and let us begin the journey I have planned for you…

“The Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Israelites, concerning you and me: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”—Jeremiah 29:11.

Category: Relationship (Page 16 of 17)

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Take Courage, Beloved! 2 Corinthians 1:4.

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Rescued. Zechariah 3:2

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