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

Category: Relationship (Page 5 of 14)

Are You A Crowd Pleaser?

July 15, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, set Barabbas free for them; and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over [to his soldiers] to be crucified” –Mark 15:15.

You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it. –Paul Coelho.

As I listened to another vessel sharing what God had laid on his heart, Holy Spirit grabbed hold the wheel when I read Mark 15:15. What you’ll read today is the result of where He led me. Thank you, Pastor Mike Padgett, for being the vessel Holy Spirit used to get my attention. I trust He’ll use the Word He’s pulled out of our bellies to accomplish His good purpose.

Now at Shechem, Joshua had assembled all the tribes of Israel, then, standing before them, he ran through the litany of how the Lord had delivered them. How God had blessed, provided for, and protected them. Then, Joshua presented the people with the inescapable choice God set before them. “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.” –Joshua 24:14-15.

Those gathered before  Joshua had a choice to make. So do we.

We must choose between serving Jesus unashamedly, being so firmly planted in Christ that the fiercest winds of change may plummet us, but they’ll never uproot our faith in Him. Joshua made his choice. Pontus Pilot certainly made his. So did the high priests and their hastily assembled crowd who shouted, “Crucify Him!”

Give us Barabbas and put an end to this supposed king of the Jews!

A day is coming when no man will be allowed to play the “I didn’t know” card.

Scripture is clear: “When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. –Philippians 2:7-11.

Why wait until it’s too late, friend? Repent your sins and confess Jesus as Lord of your life today!

Now I understand how difficult that is to hear—and for some even to believe. But I love God and you too much not to obey Him and tell you the Truth—regardless.

For much of my adult life, I, too, wrestled with God—I knew of Him, that He was God. Still, I continued living life as usual despite that fact. I was a crowd pleaser—just like Pilot. But today, with a grateful heart surrendered to Jesus, I thank God, He pursued me until He won! God always wins, and I also thank Him for that. God’s plans for my life are so much bigger and better than mine could ever be.

But back to Pilot.

We’re focusing on him today because his choice, or lack thereof, is the mirror through which we might glimpse our own choice: choose Jesus or please the crowd. “So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” –Matthew 27:24.

God’s Word is clear: we can’t have it both ways. Our not choosing Jesus is, in fact, our choice. Just as it was for Pilot, no amount of hand washing will ever change this fact. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” –Matthew 6:24-26.

If left unguarded, friends, your ears will be accosted by the shouts of those clanging voices who would have you bow down to the gods of this world—as they did Pilot. He knew what these religious leaders and their motley mob were up to.

Scream loud enough to threaten a man’s livelihood, his position, pockets, or peace, and you might cause him to fall.

In Pilot’s case, this strategy worked. Pilot’s wife, even Jesus Himself, had told Pilot who it was that stood before him. His conscience bore witness to this man being different—and innocent.

So why did he cave? What made Pilot give in to the voices that bayed for Jesus’ Blood—denying His deity?

Likely for the same reason, many today cave and deny Jesus.

Most people don’t want to stand out—create a fuss, be ostracized, risk losing friends, family members or popularity—maybe even their jobs or business. They don’t want to be labeled a Jesus freak—one of those sold-out Bible believers. They’re afraid of going against the prevailing opinions of the world in which they live. Against a legion of voices telling them their children’s sex is not fixed, as God created it, but fluid.

A girl today, a boy tomorrow, and; if they don’t support these twisted lies, they are hateful, unsupportive, bigoted parents damaging their child’s self-esteem. These same voices will assail the ear of anyone who will listen. Falsely instructing them that a woman has the right to murder the unborn child in her womb—after all, it’s her body, they say, and that so-called child is nothing more than a blob of tissue. Don’t allow that to ruin the rest of your life.

Hear me, friend. These are lies from the pit of hell, bent on twisting and destroying what God Himself created. “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27.

Some of these same twisted voices shouted for Lot to send out the Angels God had sent to carry out His judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah so they might have sex with them. There truly is nothing new under the sun. Satan has always tried to pervert God’s Word, causing man to question His Truth and laws. It started in the most perfect place on earth, Eden, and continues still. “Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die!” –Genesis 3:1-4.

Governor Pilot fell sway of the legion of voices demanding He betray Jesus—go against what He knew to be little more than petty jealousy and manipulation—a power play, politics—not much different than today, is it?

So here’s my question to you, friend. “If Jesus were to stand before you as he did Pilot, whom would you choose? Jesus, or those who deny Him.”

I pray you choose Jesus. He loves you. God hates sin, all sin. Not just sin committed by the gay community or the woman who had the abortion. God hates adultery, lying, stealing, greed. He wants us all to love and choose Him, despite our sins. God can more than cleanse us of our sins if we choose Him.“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.” –Joshua 24:15-18.

Move, Now!

July 8, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”–Acts 8:29-30.

In “The Knowledge of The Holy,” A.W. Tozer said this concerning the Christian: “What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” So, let me ask you, beloved believer—when you think about God, does your being obedient to Him, His Word, Commandments, to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit—spring to the forefront of your mind?

Regarding obedience to God, would you agree that we, the modern-day Church, have lost our sense of urgency in obeying God? Some measure of reverent awe that accompanies the knowledge that a holy, righteous, perfect God deigns to speak to us at all?

Has the “yes, Lord” posture of our hearts been exchanged for, “Well, maybe, God didn’t really mean right now,” when we know He did?

Has our readiness to do whatever, whenever God says, “Move, now,” been usurped by the little g god of self? Have we forgotten the importance of obedience? And the possible danger to ourselves and others when we aren’t obedient?

Not in Philip’s case, certainly not in Father Abraham’s, nor with any of the twelve Apostles. In each instance, God called, and they obeyed.

Today, we’ll examine examples of their obedience—and its fruit.

We’ll look back for a moment, that we might use what we find there to propel us forward. My hope? What you’ll read will prompt you to ask this all-important question regarding obedience to God of yourself.

Let’s start with Father Abraham…

God called Abram, a pagan, to follow Him on an extraordinary, lifelong faith journey away from kin and everything familiar. “Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.” –Joshua 24:2-3.

Father Abraham’s faith walk was so sincere and steadfast, so steeped in holy reverence to God, that today, many are still experiencing the overflow of his unswerving obedience. “And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.” –Galatians 3:29.

Thank you, Father Abraham, for leaving us a legacy of faithful, Godly obedience we might follow. A lasting, multigenerational model. “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” –Romans 4:1-3.

And in Jesus’ Apostles, we see this exact “leave-it-all-behind” obedience.

Peter and Andrew left what they knew and loved to follow Jesus. “Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers. They were Simon (his other name was Peter) and Andrew, his brother. They were putting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me. I will make you fish for men!” At once they left their nets and followed Him.” –Matthew 4:18-20. So did James and John. “…They were sitting in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them. At once they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.” –Matthew 4:21-22.

Likewise, with Philip and Nathanael. You can read of their obedience in John 1:43-51. And of Matthew, the tax collector turned Apostle’s obedience. “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” –Matthew 9:9.

The Bible doesn’t give us much information on where the Lord found Thomas, Simon, and Jude, aka—Thaddues, James, son-of-Alphaeus, or the rest of His Apostles. According to Scripture, all we know for sure is they were obedient to the call of Jesus on their lives until they were martyred or, as with John, died. All of them, that is, except Judas, the son of perdition. He betrayed the Lord and then hung himself. “And our brothers defeated him by the blood of the Lamb’s death and by the truth they preached. They did not love their lives so much that they were afraid of death.” –Revelation 12:11.

And then there’s Philip. We find him in Samaria, where he’d been about the Lord’s work preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out demons. “Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.” –Acts 8:5-8.

Acts Eight tells us that an angel of the Lord told Philip to leave Samaria and head down a desert road. He obeyed immediately and met “the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia.” –Acts 8:27. The eunuch’s chariot had broken down. So, there he sat, reading aloud from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

Again, the Holy Spirit told Philip what to do, and Philip obeyed. “The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” –Acts 8: 29-31

I wonder what the eunuch may have missed out on had Philip not obeyed.

Verse thirty-five makes it clear he may have missed out on knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. Maybe the eunuch would have missed out on being baptized as well. And, looking beyond this Divine dessert assignment, who might the eunuch have told of his extraordinary encounter with Philip and God? What seeds may never have been planted had Philip not obeyed the Holy Spirit and ran to the eunuch’s side—sharing the Good News of Jesus with Him?

Will you be obedient, beloved believer, knowing that God desires your obedience over anything you could ever offer Him? Sacrifice for Him?

In closing, beloved, let me ask you again—when you think about God, does your obedience to Him, His Word, Commandments, and the leading of God’s Holy Spirit spring to the forefront of your mind? Or has your obedience been exchanged for a little g god who desires comfort over character?

That same god who whispers, “Well, maybe, God didn’t really mean right now.” Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.” –John 14:23.

And you, new friend. Perhaps you’re saying, what about me? I want to be obedient, but I don’t Jesus or this Holy Spirit you mentioned earlier.

To you, I say this: Let today be the first in a life-long series of steps of obedience by saying yes to Jesus, asking Him into your life as Lord, repenting of your sins and acknowledging that you need Jesus. If you obey that tugging on your heart, Jesus promises you will be born again today!

As for what happens after that, remain obedient, get connected to a solid Bible-believing Church, read your Bible daily, and do your absolute best to love God and His people. Jesus will do the rest. Only He can! “I know, God, that mere mortals can’t run their own lives, That men and women don’t have what it takes to take charge of life.” –Jeremiah 10:23.

Repent, The Kingdom Of God Is At Hand!

June 24, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Seek the Lord [search diligently for Him and regard Him as the foremost necessity of your life], All you humble of the land Who have practiced His ordinances and have kept His commandments; Seek righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital]. Perhaps you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued] In the day of the Lord’s anger.” –Zephaniah 2:3 AMP.

When my eyes hit verse 3 of Zephaniah, Chapter 2 this morning, I knew what I was being led to share this week. It’s definitely not a feel-good, popular message. It never has been. But it is needed. So thank God I care little about popularity…

Smack dab in the middle of foretelling of God’s impending judgement—Zephaniah reminds Israel that Love and mercy have always been the Father’s heart towards them—towards all His children. One of the most quoted and recognized Bible verses makes this Truth abundantly clear. “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” –John 3:16 AMP.

As I read Zephaniah’s third verse, almost instantly, my mind went to the Words Jesus spoke in the beginning of His earthly ministry. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” –Matthew 4:17 AMP. And these nearly verbatim Words echo back to John the Baptist, Jesus’s forerunner. Jesus and repentance are synonymous, after all. We can trace this foundational Truth all the back to Eden.

So if God has been tugging on your heart, beloved friend, it is likely for salvation. God is offering you a relationship with Himself. “Today [while there is still opportunity] if you hear His voice, Do not harden your heart, as when they provoked Me [in the rebellion in the desert at Meribah].” –Hebrews 3:15 AMP. If you will humble yourself, repent of your sins, and tell God you’re genuinely sorry for even the vilest sins you may have committed. Then by His Word, God is faithful to forgive, cleanse, and restore you to Himself. “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises] and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].” –1 John 1:9.

And to you, dear brother, beloved sister. Since you have tasted salvation freely given you, the goodness of God, I admonish you never to lose sight of your desire for your first Love. “But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].” –Revelation 2:4 AMP. As I hope you would me, I encourage you to do whatever you must to ensure God remains first in every aspect of your life, and, if your love has grown cold, your flame of love flickering, stoke that fire right now!

Humble yourself before your Lord, repent, and run back to the feet of your Lord. Take to heart what God’s Word has to say about your salvation: “So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].” –Philippians 2:12 AMP.

The Holy Spirit had led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. There, Jesus had fasted and prayed for forty days and forty nights. During that time, Satan came to Him on multiple occasions to do what He does best—kill, steal, destroy—and lie. But God always has a plan! Because through this same Jesus, the Father made possible the only Way for you and me to be restored to right relationship with Him. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.” –Acts 4:12.

This Truth, God’s intent to provide the Way back to Himself, has lived in the heart of our Father from the beginning—as we understand it.

How can I confidently state this without sounding as though I, His creation, would dare presume to know the mind of God, my Creator? Because of His Word, I trust the infallibility of God’s Word. In addition, I know my Father’s heart—experientially. I hear it beating loud and clear across every page of the Bible—God’s infallible, life-changing, Living heartbeat. “He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry and fed you with manna, [a substance] which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, so that He might make you understand [by personal experience] that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” –Deuteronomy 8:3 AMP.

God’s fierce and resounding “I love you” is the very Lifeblood and Bread of the Bible’s every syllable.

And so, it is towards Jesus’ finished work, towards salvation—that Zephaniah is pointing us. Light and Hope amid great darkness and sin.

It’s toward the Cross, the foreshadowing of Jesus’ finished work, the shedding of His Blood, that sinless, blameless sacrifice first witnessed in Eden. Where God put to death innocent animals to cover Adam and Eve’s sinful, fallen nakedness—sin separates us from God—yet another point Zephaniah makes clear for those with ears to hear. “…Seek righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital]. Perhaps you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued] In the day of the Lord’s anger.” –Zephaniah 2:3.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul said it this way concerning those who have come to know the Lord: “How will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]? For it was spoken at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved authentic by those who personally heard [Him speak].” –Hebrews 2:3.

In Christ Jesus, eternal Life and hope are offered in place of death and judgment.

Again, it is towards this Truth that Zephaniah points us. Most in Israel had abandoned God—His commandments and ways. Great apostasy had saturated the people’s hearts (the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief—Oxford Dictionary) indeed, in part, that had much to do with their time in Babylon in exile. Zephaniah reminds Israel—and through them you and me, to humble ourselves before God, remembering to live by His Word—His commands, to seek His heart and to enthrone Him on ours—it is His rightful place, after all. And do not delay!

Zephaniah calls us to repent our sins before God’s righteous judgement begins and the window of God’s grace closes. Remember, Beloved, God will not tarry with man forever. “But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.” –Matthew 24:43 AMP.

In these last days, I pray you’ll chase after Jesus with all that is in you, friends. “The Lord bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you]; The Lord make His face shine upon you [with favor], And be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness]; The Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval], And give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].’ –Numbers 6:24-26

Walk it Out On The Sea Of Doubt. Part 2.

June 17, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

As the title implies, doubt can be like a raging sea.

Thoughts can suddenly blow through our minds; waves of fear can crash and swell within them. And like all storms, our thoughts can be dark and foreboding, but God! Oh, hallelujah! Only God can calm those thoughts, those sudden, stormy waves, and winds. Only God can make the sea of our minds like glass, perfectly still. With just a Word from His mouth: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen”. -Ephesians 3:20-21. 

That, my dear friends, what our God can do and does, it’s straight from the Word.

No man can make up the workings of God. The Spirit testifies in each of us that God is who He says He is. Jesus came to give life and make it more abundant. Jesus came to give us peace, His peace. We need to cling to and pray for His peace daily—this “peace that surpasses all understanding.” The world does not understand this peace because it cannot. The kind of peace the world offers is a failed promise of peace, inconsistent, temporary. Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

In order to be conformed to something, you must be connected to, faithful, to whatever or whomever you are placing your faith in. If we put our faith in the world, we will reap what the world offers, the fruits of the flesh. You’ll draw your nourishment from the world if it is your source, your vine. And you’ll get its byproduct, an exact replica of what you’ve been drawing from. The world can only produce its own kind.

Instead of what this world has to offer, Jesus wants to be the Vine you draw from daily. He wants to be your Source.

His gift of salvation, His Spirit, will produce lasting fruit that will sustain you in times of trouble. When those waves of doubt crash into you, you can find the strength in Jesus, you never thought you had. The Helper, God’s Holy Spirit, can and desires to dwell within you. My pastor always says, “Transformation starts from the inside, then makes its way outward.” A person our Lord saves will be transformed from the inside, and all the world will see the fruit of their salvation. 

Do you believe that today?                                                                       

Do you believe that God can bring peace to your mind, healing to your body, and above all, salvation to those who cry out for the forgiveness of their sins?

Jesus can, and He will! He is coming back, friends, brothers, and sisters! It’s only a matter of time—I cling to this truth by faith, believing. Now there are moments, my dear friends, that I will have doubt wash over me. Does it make me a non-believer? Of course not! I am human, and there will be those moments when I fall short in faith. But God will prove Himself faithful when I am lacking. So, if my lack of faith is my thorn in the flesh, I will remember and cling to these words spoken to the apostle Paul:

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” –2 Corinthians 12:9.

A thorn in our flesh could be several things, whether it be fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, an actual sickness, as Scholars suggest it was with the Apostle Paul or a divorce; whatever it may be, a thorn in your side will make you feel weak, causing you to lose focus and fall. But in those moments especially, remember, hold tight to what Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for May strength is made perfect in weakness.”

 When you posture yourself in surrender to God, He will take over in whatever situation you may be going through. Submission is about our heart of worship and willingness to lay it all down at His feet; when you are tired, worship. When you cannot take another step, worship; when you have lost your job, worship, whatever the enemy is throwing at you, cast your ALL cares and worries on Jesus, and just worship the Lord!

Praise is one of the greatest weapons we have when we are facing trouble. God’s unmerited favor will get you through life’s storms and trials—God’s favor found in knowing His Son, Jesus, will see you through!

Child of God, you have the favor of the Father living inside you! What can this world do to you? Lift your eyes to heaven and know that God is for you.

He has not left you. The apostle Paul writes, “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” -Romans 8:31 

I genuinely feel that someone reading this is about to receive their breakthrough.

Doubt is not your portion, dear friend. The keys have been handed to you. Jesus has taken them back from the enemy and now holds all the authority. Move, in the authority you’ve been given, in Jesus’ name!

Friend, if you don’t know Him as Lord, Jesus is waiting for you to take that step and reach out by faith, grab hold of His gift of salvation by repenting your sins and asking Jesus to be Lord of your life. I pray that the Holy Spirit has spoken to you through His inspired teaching and that you will walk out what He’s asking you to do, my friend. Amen

Identity Shift

May 6, 2023 /

Kendra Santilli

“For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

Who have you decided to let give you an identity? Perhaps your parents helped shape you in a certain way. Maybe society has led you into a certain worldview. Maybe authors and books have caused you to think differently about yourself and the world around you. But have you ever considered God, the Creator of all things, created you with an intended identity that He alone can reveal to you?

We can search high and low, but only God can reveal our true identity to us and show us meaning.

In Galatians, Paul was writing to the church of Galatia (present-day Turkey), a mix of established followers of Jesus and new converts. Now, of course, these new converts were likely largely non-Jewish. Therefore, they brought with them the ideologies and philosophies they knew and identified with before knowing Christ. The Holy Spirit, living inside humanity, was a totally new concept for these people, a reality they had yet to experience. They began to blend their ways with the gospel of Jesus being presented to them. They were mixing salvation through faith with salvation through works, but that is not the gospel of Jesus. “If salvation could be obtained by works then Jesus didn’t need to die. … if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” – Galatians 2:21.

The premise of Jesus’ sacrifice is that there’s nothing we can do to enter God‘s presence on our own. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can access Heaven and receive a new identity.

When we come to Jesus, the identity we’ve always known is history.

It doesn’t matter who we were before; what matters is the work Jesus is doing in us right now and into eternity. “Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism…” – Galatians 2:6.

While Paul recognized the authority of those already prominent voices of the faith, their opinions of him carried no weight for Paul because He was convinced of who He was in Jesus. His identity was rooted firstly in God.

Galatians 1-2 have powerful lessons on finding peace in our God-given identities, and I encourage you to read each chapter for context. But there are two major keys to avoiding self-sabotaging disappointment. 1) We must rediscover our identity in Jesus, and 2) we must let go of the fear of man and exchange it for the fear of God. That is not to say these two keys are the way to avoid disappointment altogether, but they are two common mistakes many make when trying to pursue their purpose.

In Christ, our identity first is that we are children of God.

When we give our lives to Jesus, we surrender who we are and allow Him to shape us into who He created us to be. This one identity shift would be more than enough if God did nothing else.

Everybody wants to be “somebody.” It can become easy then to get so lost in striving to become that, that our true identity of being God’s child begins to vanish as we acquire the essence of whatever we’re striving after. It could be a new title at work, a certain status among friends, or even a certain position in ministry. Still, if our identity becomes your position instead of your being a child of God, we’ll be setting ourselves up for disappointment. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” –James 1:17.

When we don’t let God lead our lives, we will try to force our way instead of surrendering to His.

What looked to be a good thing, or the right thing can end up hurting us because we didn’t have the discernment to see that it wasn’t what God intended in the first place. As a child of God, you have been placed in a perfect position to do His work wherever you are. Using caution with what you attach “I am“ to is paramount. “I am sad.” “I am depressed.” ” I am anxious.” “I am lonely.” No, you are not those things. You may feel those things, but you are not those things. You are capable. You are joyful and filled with peace because you are made in the likeness of the one who is peace. You are a child of God.

Maybe your prayer needs to be, God, show me how you want to use me in my position. I don’t necessarily want to be here, but you have me here for a reason. Show me the reason and how to be joyful wherever you place me.

As children of God, the only opinion that matters is God’s.

Let me remind you of Galatians 1:10. “For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Striving for human approval is another misstep that brings incredible disappointment because we were meant to live in communion with our heavenly Father first and mankind second. Being secure in Christ puts us in a different frame of mind, leading us to be Heaven-focused. When we stand before God, the people we tried to impress won’t be there at the end of our lives. We are accountable to God alone for what we have done with whatever He gave us, including the opportunities right in front of us. Fear of man will not stand up in the presence of God. However, the steps of faith you took, afraid, nervous, and unsure, will stand because they were steps taken in obedience to God. God does not always place us where we want to be. Rather, where He wants us, it’s our job to pursue His purpose in every season of life.

If you have not yet received Jesus into your heart and want to rediscover your identity in Him, I invite you to ask Him into your heart. I was once so broken, and He made me whole when I received my identity as a child of God. If God can do it for me, He can do it for you! Ask Jesus into your heart today, and let Him begin His good work in you.

Veritas.

April 29, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Pilate said to Him, Then You are a King? Jesus answered, You say it! [You speak correctly!] For I am a King. [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice. “ –John 18:37.

In a world where everyone’s truth is the truth, it should not take us by surprise that not even Jesus’ declaration of His being the Truth would escape questioning, as horrifying as that is for those of us who call Jesus Lord. The unremitting, centuries-old scrutiny of Jesus—the doubtfulness and disparity regarding the Truth concerning The Son of God, of His God’s inerrant Word, is nothing new; today’s scripture verse makes this plain. Solomon was right: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Since Christ entered this world, men have done their best to defame Jesus’ Holy name, His person and purpose, to deny His very existence. They’ve tried and failed to “bring Him down to size.” To make Jesus ordinary, pass Him off as some nice guy who once walked the earth like many other nice guys before and after Him. Countless people questioned Jesus’ legitimacy in days past, and many still question it today: Who is this Jesus, really? They’ve heard and seen evidence of who God is, yet they refuse to believe.

Still, Christ’s response to such questioning and doubt remains unremitting: “All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”  

So then, it seems the question each man must settle in his heart is that exact question Pilate once posed to Christ: “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. –John 18:38.

Why? Because their eternal soul is inextricably tied to how they answer this very straightforward question.

Did you catch what Jesus made clear to Pilate—to anyone with ears to hear?

He plainly stated that not only is He alone the Truth, equally, one reason He was born into this world was to testify, proclaim, and profess Truth. And if you receive Truth when it’s spoken, putting it into practice as a doer and not a hearer only, if, like Elizabeth, your belly leaps when Truth is near you, you have likely recognized your Master’s voice. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” –John 10:27.

If so, I pray you will remain faithful to the Truth, hunger and thirst for more and more of Jesus. I pray that you will follow God’s leading and guiding all the days of your life, living pure and holy lives before Him. “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!” John 14:15.

Because friends, there is no such thing as your or my truth—only The Truth. So then, how or if we receive said Truth—receive Jesus, will determine how we live our lives now and where we will spend eternity. Jesus has made Himself crystal clear: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6.

In a world where we’re told the truth is anything we say it is, where we play little g god over our lives, acting out and being whoever or whatever we say we are or choose to be. In a world where mere men—creation, not Creator- dare alter God’s original work, I am so grateful that Christ is still our Due North.

Every man needs that fixed point on his moral compass by which his life is governed—aligned… “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27.

And so I thank Jesus for keeping all those who believe in Him in our right minds—the mind of Christ, for safeguarding us from falling for the lies of the prince of this world. Lies that tell us if it feels right for you, then it is right for you; lies that would have anyone who heeds their treachery build their house on sand—the shifting sands of opinions, trends, and ever-changing feelings. “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” –Matthew 7:26-27.

God’s Holy Spirit is the only fixed point on life’s compass by which everything must align or realign if it has gone off course. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. –John 14:6.

Everything else you’ve been told, taught, believed, heard on the news or in the court of public opinion is a lie. Yet, to believe this, you must be delivered from the strongholds in your life.

Because behind every stronghold, there is a lie. But behind freedom in Christ, there is Truth. –Pastor Lino Braga, Highland City Church.

And Truth says, if I am a child of God, I am:

“A new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” –2 Corinthians 5:17.

“I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me.” –Philippians 4:13.

“In all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].” –Romans 8:37.

“I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.” –Ephesians 1:3-8.

“I am complete in Christ, lacking nothing.” –Colossians 2:9-10.

“In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.” –Epehians 3:12.

Soap and water are great for cleansing yourself, but not if they’re not used! –Pastor Lino Braga.

Sadly, No true and lasting change can be born in you. None of the above Truths will mean anything in your life; they’ll have no effect—if you choose not to believe. Perhaps strongholds have held your thinking captive for most of your life, blocking the Truth of God’s Word—His promises, from penetrating it. Friend, only a life in Christ Jesus—a relationship with Him, His Holy Spirit alive in you, offers you the sure hope and promise of such freedom and knowledge. “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:34-36.

It is not enough to hear the Truth—you must grab hold of it for yourself. Clinging, white-knuckled to it, like a drowning man to a life ring! Why? Because Truth is Who God’s Living Word is—Truth is Jesus Christ. “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.” –John 1:1.

And only through a relationship with Jesus, by placing the full weight of your trust in Him, can any man be restored to a right relationship with Father God. And this is Truth, believe it or not.

So please, don’t let one more day pass you by without knowing Jesus personally or inviting Him into your heart. Just talk to God, ask Him in, and He’ll come and begin a new work in your life. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. God is a Faithful God, He will never start something and not finish it.” –Philippians 1:6.

Do You Believe?

April 8, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age.” –Titus 2:11-12.

Many of us will celebrate Resurrection Sunday tomorrow morning. Yet what Christ did—defeating death, sin and the grave, making it possible for “whosoever will” to be restored to right relationship with the Father, coming not to judge, but save, indeed supersedes a day, any day, on man’s calendar.

Because, somewhere in eternity past, in obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus deigned to leave God’s side temporarily, to step away from the Perfect and Holy Majesty on High. God’s saving grace wrapped Himself instead in humility and flesh. Born into obscurity, Jesus was laid in an animal trough. He tasted our temptations while remaining God’s only sin-less, sacrificial Lamb. “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” –1 Peter 1:20.

Jesus, who wrote the Book on self-sacrifice, God’s Living Word, died that you and I might live. “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.” –Hebrews 2:14.

Christ, the King of Kings, was born not to the royal, the high and mighty—though they are welcome at His table, in His heart.

No. Jesus chose to live amongst, be born to, poor people, according to the world’s standards, that is. Jesus came to serve, not to be served, to extend His Royal Scepter of grace and mercy to all those who only deserve death. To lay down His life for the least of us—the trainwreck, the sin-soaked addict and homosexual. The prostitute, the wife abuser, liar, the child killer, and the murderer.

And, dear Christian, since we have tasted so great a Love, been set free from the certain death sentence, that automatic guilty verdict rendered when we succumb to sins allure, as our Scripture instructs then, ought we not live sensibly? Choosing to deny our flesh, clinging instead to every Word that comes from the mouth of God? Denying ungodliness and worldly desires, living righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age.”

 You and I, dear believers in the Lord Jesus, have been called to a life counter to the world we live in—always remembering this world is not our home. Like Jesus, the Firstfruit of the resurrection to come, our heart’s desire, our earthly mission ought to be to do the will of the Father. To join Jesus in the death of our wills, wants, and fleshly desires that we might also join Him in the joyful celebration awaiting all those who, through Christ’s victory over sin and death, will soon, and very soon, live with Him forever and ever, amen!

And for anyone who thinks this is impossible, I will remind you that this is Ressurection season! A season of “suddenly” and of the unexpected!

Undoubtedly, many in Christ’s day, even some closest to Him, never expected to truly see Jesus rise from the grave on the third day—even though He had told them He would. And as it was then, so it is now, today. Many will not believe Jesus’ Word. Moreover, they refuse to believe Jesus is who He says He is and will do all He says He would do—was born, lived and died to do! And that includes His soon return to judge the living and the dead.

How I pray you will not be counted among those who refuse to believe.

Instead, you’d call out to Jesus today, taking Him at His Word on this Ressurection eve. That you’ll choose to accept, He is Mighty to save even the one who sinned so greatly that they’ve bought into their enemies lie hook, line, and sinker. The lie telling them Jesus couldn’t possibly want them, save them. The lie that says you’re too far gone, their sin too great for Jesus to remove.

Yet tomorrow’s celebration of our Lord’s victory over death and the grave truly is a new beginning—a next and not an end.

Let tomorrow’s dawn find you, find us all, those waiting on the return of our Lord, with eyes fixed on the horizon. “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” –Hebrews 12:2-3.

Because for every Blood-bought believer, tomorrow marks the rolling away of the stone; Life, not death. Revealing the next chapter of that abundant life Christ came to give all those who would believe in Him. His here-and-now life. And, His eternal life.

Tomorrow marks the season of revisiting, of resurrection if you will, of hopes and dreams deferred. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a time and times of new strength and vigor—a fresh grip on our sleepy faith. And, Oh, Beloved, how our “weary from well-doing hands “would benefit from a new grip.” So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” –Hebrews 12:12-13.

So I am not at all surprised that Holy Spirit led me to Titus Two for today’s teaching. For some, the end of a thing. For others, new beginnings. If you doubt me, the one who’ll be saved tomorrow will be sharing their testimony of how they felt hopeless this week, yesterday, last night, wanting to end their life. They’ll tell you how in desperation, not even sure if they genuinely believed God cared, they cried out to Jesus in despair nevertheless. And they’ll testify how, in His mercy, Jesus showed Himself real to them—alive. And because He did, they are still.

If I were you, I wouldn’t miss church tomorrow. More, starting today, I’d choose to take God at His Word because it is our choice. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

“The grace that has appeared,” the One Paul refers to in today’s Scripture, is, indeed, King Jesus!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” –John 11:25-26. Jesus was talking to Martha, Lazarus’ sister, beside Lazarus’s grave. Then this happened a few minutes after asking Martha if she believed Him: “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” –John 11:39-43.

If I were you, I wouldn’t miss church tomorrow. More, starting today, I’d choose to take God at His Word.

Yirah

April 1, 2023 /

Kendra Santilli

The English word for fear can carry with it negative connotations. While many unhealthy, paralyzing fears exist, we don’t always realize that fear can often be healthy. Fear of putting your hand on a hot stove is beneficial because it protects you from getting burned. The fear of falling protects you from falling off a building or a cliff to your demise.

Fear is a crucial survival instinct which helps keep us alive.

The Bible frequently speaks of the “fear of the Lord. “When hearing this phrase, there are two ways people initially react. They may retreat to some negative mental space, afraid of the man in the sky who can strike at any moment of weakness. Then there’s the interpretation that the “fear of the Lord” is a literary way of describing reverence.

As we dive deeper into this phrase, I propose that the fear of the Lord is both/ and.

 It is both standing in awe and trembling at His greatness. It is both the desire to remain secure in His love and the hesitation to hurt the heart of God. They go hand in hand. The Hebrew word for fear in this context is Yirah.

While the English language loosely translates Yirahto mean reverence, Yirah carries far more weight to its meaning than our English word for “fear” can bear. Yirah is being overwhelmed by something that is so much greater than yourself. It is to behold something that is far beyond your understanding. This fear causes us to put the Lord first in everything because once we’ve beheld Him, He becomes the most extraordinary thing we’ve ever known. Not that God is a thing, mind you.

The fear of the Lord brings wisdom.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” — Proverbs 9:10

Do you find yourself trying to draw near to God but not understanding His Word and ways? Ask yourself this: do I fear the Lord? Our experience with our Creator starts with what the Psalmist describes as the Fear of the Lord. The covenantal language in this verse shows us the natural exchange that happens as our hearts turn toward the Father. Wisdom starts with this reverential awe of God. Wisdom’s foundation is the fear of God. If you don’t understand, keep seeking Him until you find Him; keep reading His Word until it moves you. Knowing God and actively turning away from evil leads you to understand.

He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding. — Job 28:28

While you cannot force yourself to “fear the Lord,” you can develop it through beholding Him.

To behold God in your everyday life, you don’t need some special event. If you’re looking for Him, God can be beheld through prayer, His beautiful works of nature, your family, and the blessings all around you. When you encounter the presence of God, Yirah comes over you as you dwell in His presence. Drawing near to God develops your ear for His voice as He whispers wisdom into your situations.

The fear of the Lord ignites awe and wonder deep within you.

The book of Job exemplifies this kind of awe and wonder. Job is the biblical account of a man who lost everything. Yet the Bible calls him a man who was blameless and upright. Job’s thoughts and affections were pointed towards the Lord in all things. Even when his friends mocked him for still trusting God after losing everything, Job maintained that the Lord is good. There is a moment in this biblical account where Job powerfully encounters God. The Lord speaks to Job while he’s experiencing this deep sorrow and reminds God reminds Job of who He is!

For four chapters, the Lord challenges Job as He lists His remarkable works, reminding Job of who He really is. Job’s response was that of awe and wonder. “I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; twice, but now I can add nothing. I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you.” — Job 40:4-5; 42:5

Job was left speechless. When we encounter the maker of the universe, our response is none other than awe and wonder, fear, and trembling. He is more than we could ever even begin to fathom in our hearts and minds.

When the fear of God comes over us, our lives are never the same.

The fear of the Lord initiates trembling.

“Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.” — Psalms 2:11

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” — Philippians 2:12

What good is striving to be good or righteous if it’s only done in front of others? It means nothing in the sight of God if our hearts intend to look good to those around us. God desires that our hearts are pure, that we genuinely live rightly before Him, and not just want to look like we live righteously to others. When our motive is to honor God above anything else, our behaviors naturally align in our public and private lives.

Our lives begin to match the Yirah of encountering the God of the universe.

I pray you’ll encounter God in a new way this week. If you have not yet met God in a life-changing way, I invite you to ask Him into your life. Let Him make you a new creation today as you make Jesus your Lord and Saviour. I believe the fear of God will come over you as you surrender to Him, and you will begin to live in the awareness of His awe-inspiring presence.

Kingdom Acceptance.

March 25, 2023 /
Matthew Botelho

Hello to all my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus. It is finally here. Spring has come! A new season is upon us, meaning new opportunities for those praying for breakthroughs in their families.

Spring is a time of rebirth, and those old habits and mindsets shall be put to rest. I pray, dear friends, that the renewing of your mind has begun. I pray that new ministries will be birthed through each of you and that I truly believe some “unfinished” works are being brought back into remembrance by our Lord Jesus. It was only for a season, my friends, that those works were laid down. It is time to pick it up again. Praise God! 

As I was reading my devotional this morning, the title struck me. The devotional was titled “Rejecting the Spirit of Rejection” and what a timely word it was—and is. My dear friends, so many of us have gone through times of rejection. Even in our Christian walk, we will go through times of rejection. At school or the workplace, there are moments when the world will try to make us believe that we are the “odd man looking in.” That is just not true.

Jesus told us it would be difficult, especially how the world views believers. But we are sanctified by the Blood of the Lamb and have been set apart to be holy and righteous, set apart, dear friends, to do good works. The apostle Paul makes this very bold statement:  Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. “ So as difficult as times or seasons may be, stand firm and do not be ashamed of Jesus—or His Word; God’s mercy has saved you in Christ Jesus.

That rejection you may experience from the world should not be something for you to be saddened over. God said through the prophet Isaiah, “The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and flower fades, But the Word of our God stands forever.” –Isaiah 40:7-8. Now we all have stories of how family members or some friends have stopped talking to us because of our faith in Jesus. I know I have. Still, we cannot give up on those loved ones because Jesus never gave up on us. Even while we were sinners, Christ died for us. But these trials and rejections still hurt dear friends. Oh, how they hurt. But In all things, we are to pray and petition our Lord that He will give us the strength to endure. 

Think about the night when Jesus was betrayed and turned over to the temple guards. He prayed to the Father for comfort. He cried to the Father, “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass over Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”—Matthew 25:39. What an earnest prayer He prayed. Do you think Jesus did not know rejection? His very own people did not recognize Him as the Messiah, and a few moments after He prayed a second time, His own disciples scattered and left Him. And Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”—Matthew 26:42

Even when we feel there is no hope, our heavenly Father is still in it with us.

So If God does not remove the rejection or fiery trial from you, He will go through it with you. He will be your strength and courage. Jesus endured everything He went through on this earth with you in mind. He did it all for you, so you will never face rejection or trials alone. He promised His Holy Spirit to be with you always.

Jesus said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” –John 15:26.

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” – John 16:13

You may not see or feel God, but Jesus is in your every circumstance or trial, and His promises are always there for you. You may have to drink this cup, but it will not last. Psalm 30:8  assures you of that! “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning” Oh, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice! Jesus assures us the world may reject you, but He never will: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who come to Me I will by no means cast out.” –John 6:37. 

God promises, through His son, we will never be forgotten or set aside. You are the apple of God’s Eye, dear friends.

No man can make this promise and keep it. For man, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible. His love for you is as wide as the east is from the west; there is no end to God’s love for you. As humans, we will always fall short. We will let our flesh get in the way, and we will let each other down; true story. We will never, ever know the type of rejection our Lord did. I mean, EVER! But, when rejection does come, and it will, we need to see it as an opportunity to pray, Oh heavenly Father, let this coming rejection pass from me, Lord, and let Your will be done during this trial.

Allow His will to be done during times of trials and discouragement. It’s during that time of rejection, and testing is when your faith will truly grow.

We may not recognize it immediately, but God always answers our prayers. Even His “no” is an answer or His “not right now.” It may not be the answer you seek, but we need to trust the process. Some pressing, crushing, and very uncomfortable moments may be attached to your faith being stretched, but trust the process. 

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

As I close my dear brothers and sisters, I invite anyone who is reading this and does not know our Lord Jesus to confess your sins to Jesus and allow Him to make His abode in your heart. Proclaim Him as Lord and Savior over your life. Be washed clean by His blood, and be renewed in your spirit. Jesus loves you with an everlasting love, and He wants nothing more than to be in a relationship with you. This day is your day for salvation! Amen.

The Meditation of Your Heart.

February 11, 2023 /
Kendra Santilli

God is still speaking.

The daytime often proves itself a cluttered space for our souls. Identifying the voice of God in the midst of our mess becomes a challenge the busier our schedules get.

It was about three o’clock in the morning when a thought awoke me. I say “thought” because I am wary of labeling my ideas and thoughts as “the voice of God.” Our own thoughts and perceptions can often lead us to believe that they are the voice of God if we’re not cautious. This thought that woke me up was, “read Joshua 1:8.” In my tired haze, I said, “I already know what that verse says. I don’t need to read that right now; at three am. What I need now is sleep.” Although getting up at that moment was the last thing I wanted to do, it was as if that thought had awoken me with a megaphone.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not fall back asleep until I read Joshua 1:8. So, I got up and read the verse that I thought said, “be strong and courageous.”  My own arrogance had caught me. I realized right then that it wasn’t a mere thought that woke me up. It really was God trying to teach me something. He gently woke me up in the still of the night when I was void of distraction to tell me something that I otherwise would not have heard through the noise of a busy day.

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. –Joshua 1:8

You see, I already knew what the surrounding verse said, “be strong and courageous,” but God was showing me the “how-to.” It was right there in the adjacent verse! It’s easy to declare, “do not fear,” “be brave,” and “be strong and courageous.” These phrases are much easier said than done and are not helpful in and of themselves. But thankfully, God is so gracious to give us direction and answers, the “how to’s” found in His Word.

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips.

As the Lord of Armies (Isaiah 47:4), courage is in God’s nature. Studying and knowing His Word often bring with it the spirit of courage. We are confident in God’s abilities when we are secure in what He says. Surely we can all say that the more we study and become proficient in something, whether our jobs or roles at home, the more confidence we gain in that particular area. As a nurse, I become more confident in my practice as I study and learn about the human body and its healing processes. The same goes for the things of the spirit. When we are well acquainted with what Jesus says in His Word, we can live courageously and confidently, knowing that we abide by His instructions.

Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

What do you meditate on? In the middle of the night, are you kept awake by anxiety? Or do you choose to fix your thoughts on God’s goodness? The promises He has set in His Word?

Because what you meditate on will eventually lead to your actions. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he….” –Proverbs 23:7. Simply put, if you meditate on worldly thoughts, and are guided by them, then you will begin to live as the world tells you. But, if you meditate on the Lord’s instructions, you will start to live as His Word teaches. Meditating on God’s Word will lead you to be obedient.

God wants our hearts. Jesus said, “if you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.” –John 14:15.

When our hearts delight in Jesus, obeying Him, His Word brings us joy. Although it may not always be easy, the believer knows that the reward is living with clean hands and a pure heart, and ultimately, the greatest reward is communion with God. His Word branded on our lips cultivates wisdom to live rightly before God. Living in obedience brings a far greater reward than surrendering to fear repeatedly. There is, after all, nothing to fear when we are living for the Lord because His perfect love casts out all fear. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. –1 John 4:18.

As we strive to do everything in love, there is no room for fear, only courage. Have faith. God will pave the way before you.

And this type of courage comes from abiding in Jesus. Obedience to God brings with it the blessing of prosperity and success, according to God’s will. Be it spiritual, physical, financial, or in our interpersonal goals. God will go before you, strengthening and guiding you as you prioritize His statutes.

So if you don’t know God, I invite you to ask Him to show Himself to you in a real way. Ask Him into your life today. He will make your crooked paths straight when you surrender your ways to Him. Start by first praying and asking God for understanding. Then, read the Bible and meditate on the Words written on the pages. Remember them and ask Jesus to help you apply them to your life. As you open your heart to Him, He will become faithful to you. He will prove Himself real in your life. The True and faithful God! Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. –John 14:6.

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