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

Category: Salvation (Page 2 of 6)

God Remembered…

June 14, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.” –Genesis 8:1

Are you still waiting to be remembered? You know you heard the Lord; you’re sure of it. You felt it the instant His promise dropped in your belly, impregnating you with hope. But then, time wore down your resolve, like water dripping on a rock. Delay has taken its toll on hope. Caring little for the weeks, months, and even years you’ve been waiting. Thus, time is giving birth to moments of questioning instead of your promise. Did you really hear God speak, or, speaking proverbially, had you just eaten too much pizza? Proverbs 13:12 sums up waiting and delay this way: “When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.”

And then it happens. Confirmation and relief arrive, joyously welcomed as long-lost friends. God sends a powerful whiff of hope wafting through the air. Having smelled this before, you’d instantly recognize that scent anywhere. It’s the scent of God-sent hope as familiar to you as the long-ago smell of your favorite thing cooking in your mom’s kitchen, and, having caught its familiar aroma now, you’re instantly filled with new hope as the memory of God’s promise floods every fiber of your being as wholly and fresh as the day He first spoke it.

Noah had caught the familiar scent of God’s promise on the air the day the dove he’d released flew back to him with the fresh sprig of an Olive twig in its beak. “After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.” –Genesis 8:10-12.

Now, you might be saying, “Okay, not too bad. Noah only waited 2 weeks for his promise to come to pass.” But wait, there’s more.

“After 150 days, exactly five months from the time the flood began, the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Two and a half months later, as the waters continued to go down, other mountain peaks became visible. After another forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. He also released a dove to see if the water had receded and it could find dry ground. But the dove could find no place to land because the water still covered the ground. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.” –Genesis 8:3-12.

So, doing the math, it wasn’t 14 days, but some 279 days or roughly 9 months, but wait, again, there’s more to Noah’s story: “Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the new year, ten and a half months after the flood began, the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw that the surface of the ground was drying.”

Another two months passed before, at last, the earth was dry.

So, that means nearly a year had passed before Noah would witness the fulfillment of the covenant promise God had planted in his belly. “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives.” –Genesis 7:17-18.

So, what’s the point of my sharing all of this with you?

It’s simple, really.

Hope.

I’m here today to encourage you. Consider this a new line on which you can take a fresh grip with your tired hands. Then remind yourself God hasn’t forgotten you, beloved.

God is at work in your life, even amongst the flood waters.

If God has given you a promise, and He has, His Word is filled with His promises; you can rest assured that God will see that promise come to pass in your life. “People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” –Hebrews 6:16-20.

You know you heard the Lord; you’re sure of it. You felt it the instant His promise dropped in your belly, impregnating you with hope. Rejoice, beloved! You’re in good company. Noah heard the Lord’s promise as well. As did Father Abraham, Sarah, King David, Joseph, and the list goes on. Yet, despite their certainty of having heard God’s promise, it’s said that Abraham waited 25 years after hearing God’s promise before Isaac was born. Joseph had to wait some 13 years before he was released from prison and became the second in command over all of Egypt. And Moses waited for 80 years while God readied him for his calling.

Why the wait?

God was at work behind the scenes, working all things together for good—for His glory and the good of each of them, and He’s working things out for you as well.

In the end, each of those listed above beheld the fulfillment of God’s promise:

Sarah, once barren, bitter, and ashamed, held her newborn, Isaac—God’s promise to her and Abraham, in her arms. –Genesis 21:1-8 NLT.

King David, anointed by Samuel as a boy to be Israel’s next King, waited, some say, 22 years before he took the throne. –1 and 2 Samuel NLT.

Joseph played a crucial role in helping to save his people and many Egyptians from famine—to say nothing of the joyous reunion he experienced with his long-estranged family. –Genesis 45-47 NLT.

Yet each of them waited on God’s promise to be fulfilled in their lives—I know it’s been a long time, and you’re getting discouraged. That’s why I’ve been sent to you today—to say hang on! God Remembers you! “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” –Numbers 23:19.

And new friend, one of the most life-changing promises that will ever be made to you personally is found in the Word of God.

What is this promise?

That a simple prayer said from a heart that believes Jesus is real—that He is the Living Son of God—even though you may not fully understand why you believe, will, in an instant, take you from the kingdom of darkness, this world, and make you an eternal citizen of heaven—God’s own child, made clean, new, you are forgiven now, of your every sin. That’s God’s promise to you and to whosoever will believe. And God cannot lie. “If you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.” –Romans 10:9-10.

They Were Given A Promise.

May 31, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you cannot be saved.” –Acts 27:3.

Roughly 2,000 years separated the time of Noah from that of the Apostle Paul. Yet God, being Omnipresent, gave each of these men this same, sure promise. “No harm will befall you or those who are with you.” And, despite the perilous circumstances in which they and their companions would find themselves, unsurprisingly, God did not break His promise to either Noah or Paul. Nor will Jesus break His promise to you, fellow believer. “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” –Numbers 23:19.

Let’s examine what the Scriptures say about how God fulfilled His promise to Noah and the Apostle Paul, and in doing so, discover how God’s keeping His promise to these two men relates to you and me, beloved.

Noah:

Knowing what would soon overtake the entire world, God promised Noah that neither he nor anyone with him would perish. “So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.” –Genesis 6:13.

But hear God’s sure promise to Noah and those who were with him: “But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the Ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them.” –Genesis 6:18; 7:16.

From the very beginning of God’s dealings with man, because He is long-suffering and the very definition of loving kindness itself, God has made a way for His chosen to escape His just judgments; that is, God fulfilling His Word—our part of that equation is our obeying His commands. Here’s what I mean: What good would God’s promise to save Noah and his family from what was to come if Noah had not obeyed God by building the very thing God would use to save them all?

Did God’s command to build a boat cause Noah to question momentarily? If so, surely it was not because Noah doubted God. Instead, perhaps such questioning came because neither Noah, his family, nor the rest of the world had ever seen nor felt a single raindrop touch their skin. Never mind experiencing the amount of rain it would take to destroy the world.

Yet even if Noah did have questions, he nonetheless not only did what God commanded—he followed God’s directions to the letter! The result? Read it for yourself:

“Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the new year, ten and a half months after the flood began, the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw that the surface of the ground was drying. Two more months went by, and at last the earth was dry! Then God said to Noah, “Leave the boat, all of you—you and your wife, and your sons and their wives. Release all the animals—the birds, the livestock, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth.” So Noah, his wife, and his sons and their wives left the boat.” –Genesis 8:13-18.

God promised Noah that he and all those with him would safely come through what many others would not—if he obeyed God by entering what was sure to save him and his family.

Little did Noah know that the Ark God had him build was little more than a king-sized wooden placeholder for His very flesh and blood Son, King Jesus, who would one day tell those with ears to hear to enter Him and be saved. “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” –John 10:9-10.

And though it is God’s heart that none should perish—if we choose not to heed His warnings that something never before seen by man is coming—how then can we hold God responsible when what He foretold would come “suddenly” overtakes us? “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.” –Matthew 24: 37-39.

The Apostle Paul: In Acts 23:11, God commanded Paul to go to Rome. “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.

And thus begins Paul’s journey towards Rome.

But not before we hear of a plot that had been brewing to kill Paul. How in Acts, Chapter 23, things were about to spill over as Paul stood before a crowd baying for his blood. Yet despite their visceral hatred and desire to kill him, Paul nonetheless dared to boldly declare that Jesus, the One True God who had appeared to him on the road to Damascus, had also commissioned him to reveal the Truth of who Jesus is to the Gentiles. “The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.” –Acts 23:12-15.

Still, God had charged Paul to go to Rome. Moreover, God had promised Paul that his journey would not end in death, neither his own nor that of any of those traveling aboard the ship on which he traveled.

God may a way of escape for Paul, as He always does for all of His children.

And so Paul boards the ship headed toward Rome, a ship destined to be ripped to shreds by a storm at sea, yet as promised, God saves all. “After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” –Acts 27:21-25.

There are times when God’s plans for our lives come with some pretty severe storms or trials. Storms and trials that may bring us to what surely looks like our end.

Approximately 1,950 years stand between the Apostle Paul and you, today’s believers, but, as it was with Noah and Paul, so it must be with you and me, child of God. We must wholeheartedly obey whatever God calls us to do in these last moments of time, standing boldly for what we know is the Truth, trusting that no storm, no sudden event that is not part of God’s plan for our lives, will ever overtake us.

Just as the Lord Himself sealed Noah and his family safely inside the Ark, and as surely as God’s Sovereign hand of protection was on Paul, so too will God seal all those who are His, ensuring their safety and safe passage home, no matter what happens.

Let me ask you, then, are you sealed in Christ?

Are you His—all His?

Have you welcomed Jesus into your life?

Will you?

“Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

Bread, Not Bunnies.

April 19, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reflections of Mephibosheth.

April 12, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chased is what David showed Mephibosheth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Faith That Makes You Whole.

March 22, 2025 /

Pastor Samuel Cordeiro

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

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

1. The Power of Crying Out

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

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

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

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

2. Obedience Precedes Breakthrough

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

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

Is there something God is calling you to obey today?

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

3. The Heart of Gratitude

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

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

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

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

4. Worship Leads to Wholeness

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

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

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

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

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

Do You Want to Be Made Whole?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bloodline.

March 8, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

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

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

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

Why hadn’t Moses circumcised his son?

How did the Lord confront Moses?

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

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

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

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

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

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

The shedding of blood.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bridge The Gap.

March 1, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.” –2 Kings 9:1.

I have a challenge for all who are reading this today. As I was reading this passage of Scripture, I was thinking about the relationships we share with others in the body of Christ. The question that came to me was, “Are we, the older generation, pouring into this younger generation?” This made me stop and think about all my relationships with the younger group, the Gen Z crew. I watch these groups of young adults, and I can see the hand of God moving in each one of them; what also amazes me is that half of their parents don’t attend Church with them, yet they have decided to lay it all down for the Gospel of Jesus Christ regardless. They are starting to wake up and seek the Truth. And what is Truth? “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6

This generation is so hungry for the Truth, seeking to be filled with Christ, something that is a void in their lives. It seems that nothing in this world is satisfying them. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My will find it” – Matthew 16:24-25.  

Then I started thinking about the older people coming into the Church who have never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What about them? Yes, those of us who have been walking with the Lord need to pour into the younger generation and the new believers arriving at our Churches for sure, but let’s not forget others among us need Jesus and direction.  

Throughout His ministry, Jesus saw the same types of people as we do, young and old, milk and meat believers. If we strive to follow Christ’s example, let us have the same compassion for all who come through our doors as He did. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest.” –Matthew 9:36-38

 What does any of this have to do with my opening scripture?

Discipleship. As with today’s Scripture, the older teaches, directs, and instructs the younger.

We are unsure about Elisha’s exact age when he gave these instructions to this younger prophet; I assume that Elisha is older and has gained some wisdom by this time. Biblical scholars believe Elisha was about 20 years old when God told Elijah, the prophet, to anoint Elisha. This can be found in 1 Kings 19. “So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle in him.” – 1 Kings 19:19. Just as we do not know Elisha’s exact age, a Biblical account in 2 Kings 2 suggests that Elijah was significantly older than Elisha.

Elijah leaves where he is to go and find Elisha. As he walks, he finds Elisha working hard to prepare the field for planting, breaking up the solid ground to bring up the good soil. As Elijah sees Elisha, he walks by him. Then, taking off his mantle (a covering or shawl), Elijah throws it over Elisha’s back, signifying that God has chosen Elisha to be Elijah’s disciple and successor. Did you catch that? Elisha is now to follow the man of God, Elijah, and learn from him. God has completely changed the direction of Elisha’s life, but he needs guidance.  

Everywhere Elijah went, Elisha followed, learning, and serving God.

Are we pouring into this next generation of believers and instructing them on how to carry out their own faith walk? Those of us older in our walk with Christ need to pour into those God is leading us to. Elisha tells the young prophet, “Get yourself ready.”  This is a mandate from Jesus for all of us.

We are to make disciples of all nations and make ready a people for the kingdom of God. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20

How will this next generation of believers get ready, or that older generation who needs the same guidance as the younger?

My friends, we are called to make ourselves available to spend time with those in need. Read the Bible together, pray, and meet them where they are. Remember what Paul writes to the Church in Rome: “How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” – Romans 10:14

Jesus is returning soon. There is more of an urgency now than ever for the Church to unite in one accord. “And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” – Revelation 22:12-14

Stand up and pour into someone today, friends. Amen!

If this message has genuinely pierced your heart and you want more of a relationship with Jesus, invite Him into your life now and repent of your sins. Ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior over your life. “If you confess with your mouth and the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” – Romans 10:9-10

Is Your Ear Pierced?

February 22, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.” –Exodus 21:5-6.

I read not only the above verse but the entire chapter, and I remember thinking. “Thank You, Jesus, that because of You, because of grace, we are no longer under the heavy burden of the Law.” Now hear me, I know and believe every Word of God brings Life—it is Life. It was spoken and inspired for a purpose—God’s Holy Spirit enlivens it: yesterday, today, and forever. Logos turned Rhema so that it may continue accomplishing all God sent it to do. On this one Truth, I stand firm. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  

I should not have been surprised when, while reading the prayer that accompanies my morning devotional, a prayer seemingly unrelated to Exodus 21—some of the very words I had read and foolishly thought so burdensome—”…take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl…” dropped in my spirit. On their heels, the words, “Is your ear pierced?”

Now, God does not ask us questions because He needs an answer.

So what is Jesus desiring to accomplish by questioning us? And what effect ought such questions have on our hearts? As His children, those who seek greater Oneness with Jesus, we ought to reflect on the reasons behind the more profound implications of His questions.

Being Omniscient (all-knowing), Jesus knows the answer before asking the question. Why, then, does Jesus ask rhetorical questions?

For Correction & Redemption:

“Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures, God loves us too much to leave us the way we are but His hands also heal” –Job 5:17-18.

 “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” –Galatians 4:5.

I am not the only child of God to be asked a question; Scripture assures me of that. A well-recognized example of God asking another of His children a rhetorical question is found in the Book of Genesis. God asked Adam, the first man, “Where are you?” –Genesis 3:9.

God knew precisely where Adam was and why he and Eve hid from Him. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” –Genesis 3:8.

God asked Adam, “Where are you?” for Adam’s benefit, not His own.

Perhaps in asking Adam this question, God wanted Adam to confess what had just happened to him and Eve, why they were hiding, and how they knew, suddenly, that they were naked. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” –Genesis 3:6-7.

The devil, that accuser of God’s children, will use unconfessed sin in our lives, anything we choose to hide from God, against us, accusing us before God night and day. “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom (dominion, reign) of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come; for the accuser of our [believing] brothers and sisters has been thrown down [at last], he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges [of sinful behavior] against them before our God day and night.” –Revelation 12:10.

God wanted to restore Adam and Eve, forgiving them of their sin.

So, did God ask Adam, “Where are you?”  to bring about Adam’s confession and repentance and usher in God’s redemptive plan? Remember, God had a far-reaching end game in mind, if you will. God was looking past the garden to the Cross and beyond, to a Bridegroom and His bride. Did God desire Adam, one small part in His inscrutable plan, to follow His lead and not miss the eternal lessons repentance and forgiveness teach and the blessings each brings?

Though God foreknew our every sin in His Omniscience, we must still choose to humble ourselves before Him, seeking His forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” –1 John 1:9.

To test us: That we might examine ourselves and know, with decided certainty, in Whom and what we believe. “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” –2 Corinthians 13:5.

Another well-recognized question Jesus asks of His children was once posed to His disciples—and through them, to each of us: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29).

There are a plethora of reasons for Jesus to ask this question of those who profess faith in Him, who claim Him to be the One True God—Savior of the world—of their world. Our faith and salvation are nothing if not personal. Amongst the greatest of reasons—being forgiven of our sin and guilt before God, and our ability to have a loving relationship with Jesus here and in the Life to come—in asking this question, was Jesus doing something a loving Father would do: protecting his child?

When asked what the signs of His coming would be, Jesus first tells His followers not to be deceived. Jesus knew how easy it could be to be deceived—swayed, drawn away from faith in the One True and Only God, Jesus Christ—if we do not know for ourselves who He is to us—in us.  Jesus, the Good Father He is, desires His children to know experientially the place He undeniably holds in their lives. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.” –John 15:5.

Because of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I can confidently answer the Holy Spirit’s question of me; “Yes, Lord, my ear is pierced!” I love my Master and choose to serve Him freely all the days of my life. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” –Psalm 73:25-26.

Having chosen me in Himself, God, in His unfathomable love and mercy, nailed my ear to the Door that is His Son, Jesus, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” –John 10:9. God granted me the privilege of calling Him Abba, Father, Lord and Savior, Comforter, Sustainer, my only Hope.

In closing, I’ll follow my Lord’s example in asking you the very question His Holy Spirit asked me: “Is your ear pierced?”

And if not, why not? Friends, today is the day of salvation or rededication, backslider. Invite the One who died that you might live into your heart and life. Today, Jesus is asking you the most important question of your life: “But who do you say that I am?”

“He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].” –2  Corinthians 5:21.

God of The 11th Hour?

February 8, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montvile

MaryEllen Montville

“The people of Israel had lived in Egypt 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that same day, all of the Lord’s people left Egypt. It was a night to be remembered for the Lord for having brought them out of the land of Egypt.” –Exodus 12: 40-42.

Many Christians believe they’ve experienced Jesus as God of the 11th hour. I, too, had often thought the same of Him, of Jesus showing up at what certainly felt like the last minute, or dare I say, when I thought the moment had passed me by when all hope appeared little more than a barely there dot on a gray horizon.

Perhaps that’s how the Israelites once felt.

Maybe—that’s how you’re feeling right now.

We, His children, are often guilty of seeing Jesus as the One who comes just in time.

Yet, I encourage you to allow the opening verse of today’s chapter to challenge what you may believe about God’s timing—maybe it’s time for a fresh perspective—more, for a proper Biblical perspective.

Why?

So that you might, we might rightly align our hearts and wills with God’s. Sinking it, like a weighty anchor to the sea floor, to become one with His will, His plan, total submission, and acceptance—come what may. Ceasing your striving, conscious or otherwise, to bend God’s will to meet your own. “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make” –Proverbs 3:5-6.

Throughout God’s Word, we are assured of one fundamental, unchanging Truth—God is never late as we think of lateness. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” –Ecclesiastes 3:11.

This plain Truth has existed since before time, as man understands it. We witness God exercise this Truth in His plan to deliver His chosen children, the Israelites, as He had foreordained, arranged for the Israelite’s deliverance and the utter eradication of their enemy in His appointed time. “While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron.” –Exodus 12:1.

This one verse challenges our finite understanding of time—God’s time, that is. It uncryptically details that while the Israelites were yet experiencing the tip of the taskmaster’s whip across their sun-scorched backs, God already had their deliverance mapped out. Did you catch that? Before one Israelite had so much as sniffed their impending freedom in the air, God had already made a way out of Egypt. The Israelite’s exodus from under Pharoh’s exacting grip was already mapped out and waiting in the wings to unfold in the form of two lowly servants—Moses and Aaron.

In God’s economy, His children were already free—their liberty a done deal.

Their shackles and hopelessness, though weighing them down still in the natural, had, in God’s Providence, already been left in the dust of an Egypt that had been bent on robbing His people of the now tattered vestiges of the “sure promise” God had made to their forefathers Abraham, Isacc, and Jacob. All of this was done before one person’s foot took its first step into freedom, already theirs. Again, concerning God’s timing, we must remember it is not our own. Still, the lot of us so long to captains of time. Thinking, foolishly, how we would do it, whatever the “it” may be, so much better, or at least far more expediently than God is!

I can hear the Apostle Paul screaming across time, “How foolish of you, you short-sighted fools! You possess no such vision!”

God alone sees the end from the beginning as a masterful, finished piece of art. While we, short-sighted mortals, see it as some willy-nilly, nonsensical drawing-board scribblings. Is it any wonder that the Lord says to us: “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.” –Isiah 55:8-9.

Much like his descendants, the Israelites, their Father Abraham knew something about this God who provides “a ram in the bush”—an unseen, unknown, yet preplanned way out of afflictions for His own. Unnoticed and unknown until that is, the fullness of time is revealed. But Abraham’s story is for another day.

For today, suffice it to say, if you’re feeling stuck in your own version of Egypt, God has undoubtedly heard your cries, just as He did the Israelites before you. As with them, He has a plan to deliver you. “The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.” –Exodus 3:7.

So If you’re bent low in despair, feeling drained, beaten down—the joy of life and all hope seemingly little more than a memory, or if the enemy—or your seared conscience, is taking the whip to your back, then like the Israelites before you, you too must cry out to your Father—your God.

Trust that Jesus hears you and that He has a good and hope-filled plan for your life that will unfold in His time. How? According to His Word. Listen: “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless [he is forced] by a strong hand. So I will reach out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go. And I will grant this people favor and respect in the sight of the Egyptians; therefore, it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. In this way you are to plunder the Egyptians [leaving bondage with great possessions that are rightfully yours].” –Exodus 3:19-20;22.

This God who did not fail the Israelites in their seemingly forsaken wilderness will unquestionably not fail you, chosen and sealed in Christ. By His Spirit at work in you, you will emerge from your “captivity” stronger, more resilient, and better supplied than when your enemy first laid hold of you.

Just as Exodus 3:19-23 assures you of God’s faithfulness to His beloved, chosen Israel, there’s yet another promise from this same God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, made to the Israelites while they were yet in exile in Babylon and through them, ingrafted one, to you, if you are God’s child. It speaks to His yet future plans for them, good plans indeed, again, while they are, in their own eyes at least, still in bondage. “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper– Jeremiah 29: 4-7.

Here it is, beloved, the promise you must white-knuckle cling to come what may, by remembering God makes all things work together for your good and His glory—in His time. “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. “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.

According to Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” So here’s what that means if you have yet to ask Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior. Today can be the day of your exodus from whatever Egypt has been holding you enslaved. Is it drugs? Alcohol? Porn? Adultery?

 Whatever your personal Egypt, Jesus is waiting to set you free if you confess your need for Him and admit that you’ve sinned and need Him as your Savior. Then, according to His Word, Jesus will save and wash you clean. “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.

All, In One.

January 18, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” –2 Corinthians 5:14.

Reading just one sentence written in a daily devotional and then searching for the Truth of it in God’s inerrant Word can often usher in a whole new level of awe and understanding. It happens the instant His Logos, God’s written Word becomes Rhema, God’s Word made instantly alive and understood. Made personal by His Holy Spirit. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know precisely what I’m talking about.

I quickly recognized I was having an “I prayed, and God answered moment.” 

God responded to my prayer with just one click of His heavenly kaleidoscope, just as He promised us in Jeremiah 33:3.” “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”  You see, just moments before reading an incroyable sentence in my devotional, I had asked God to show me more. More of Him. Deeper things. More of His goodness, character, and heart—supernatural things, all the while knowing such revelation would be far beyond my purblind understanding. Still, I want more of God and fully believe He alone can open our understanding of who He is—His deeper recesses. So I asked. And God answered.

The sentence in the devotional I was reading: “Jesus was all people in one person.”

As I read and reread that one sentence, His Holy Spirit began opening the eyes of my understanding, leading me straight into His Word. “Yet look at you now! Everything is new! Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ! Our reconciling “Peace” is Jesus! He has made Jew and non-Jew one in Christ. By dying as our sacrifice, he has broken down every wall of prejudice that separated us and has now made us equal through our union with Christ. Ethnic hatred has been dissolved by the crucifixion of his precious body on the cross. The legal code that stood condemning every one of us has now been repealed by his command. His triune essence has made peace between us by starting over—forming one new race of humanity, Jews and non-Jews fused together in himself!” –Ephesians 2:13-15.

At first glance, I got it. Kind of—in part. We were all inside of Christ as He hung on His Cross—before really, in eternity past, while He was waiting to be born and die for us, in our place—so that we might one day live for or reject Him; Jew and Gentile alike, no division between us “For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.”  –Romans 8:29.

In the truest sense, Christ hung on His Cross, the Sinless substitute for every guilty man who was, is, or is yet to come; for you, me, Abraham, Moses, and that one who wants nothing to do with Him.

His sacrifice—the innocent in place of the guilty—is world-inclusive.

It’s Jesus’ “I’ll die so that every single one of them will have the opportunity to choose Me—to choose Life,” demonstration of love. According to John 19:30, every soul, saved and unsaved alike, has been caught in God’s eternal “It Is Finished” net.

That we, the guilty, should be offered such a choice as to accept or reject our Creator, our Pure and Sin-less Savior, is mind-boggling to me.

Jesus is the only atonement God would accept for every man’s sins—past, present, and future; His willingness to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world meant Jesus would be brutally beaten, crucified, and die, even for those He foreknew would reject, deny, and despise Him and His offer to experience new life in Him.

This part of the “Jesus was all people in one person.” I understood.

After all, Christ’s substitutionary atonement is a pillar of—a massive chunk of the very bedrock upon which our faith—my faith, is built. The other chunks? The fact that He was born of a Virgin, Fathered by God’s Holy Spirit, born fully God and fully man—sinless. And this same Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, defeated death and the grave, resurrecting on the third day, are some of the other massive chunks of the bedrock of our faith.

Transfixed, feeling more was yet to come, I sat meditating on that one sentence: “Jesus was all people in one person.”

Then, suddenly, the Holy Spirit opened it up a bit more.

Those seven words put parentheses around the Gospel message. Around those, Jesus foreknew would accept Him and those who never would. It put parentheses around God’s justice and His Love—His judgment and forgiveness.

Being fully God, Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. Yes, the tiny babe the angel Gabriel once proclaimed as the world’s Savior to some shepherds; being one in nature with God—being God, was all men in one man in the sense that Jesus knew those the Father had given Him before the foundation of the world. From eternity past, it has always been about far more than Jews and Gentiles, about there being no division between us. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” –Colossians 1:15-18.

The “all people” has always been about every man. “All men.” Period. Regardless. All men include the pedophile, the murderer, and rapist, the abortion doctor, the thief, the drug-addicted mom, the sloppy drunk dad, and that homeless guy begging for change on the corner—those “surely not that one, Lord!”

Those the sanctimonious have labeled unworthy and shady; Jesus foreknew each of them in heaven as they awaited their birth, just as He foreknew you.

Jesus foreknew those who would accept Him as Lord and Savior and live—and those who, like Satan, Judas, and countless others, would rebel against Him and die because, like their father, they have chosen to harden their hearts. Refusing to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father—the only way back to where they came from. “You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel” –Isaiah 48:8.

Just as surely as God foreknew every lash His only Begotten Son would take upon His sinless body, He also foreknew every soul who would despise and reject Him. He foreknew the very men He was sending Jesus into the world to save would savagely and quite literally beat the flesh off His sinless Body, maliciously press a crown of thorns into His head, spit on him, strike Him with their fist, and then taunt and demean Him. And at any time, God could have stopped it, but He didn’t.

Jesus, at any time, could have said, “Enough,” but He didn’t. Instead, He endured death on His Cross. Why? Because in the truest sense of the word, hanging on His Cross, Jesus was all people in one Person—knowing who will be with Him always and those who would choose to live apart from Him now and forever. And had God loved us so and decided to let the cup of suffering pass Jesus by, Had Jesus not drank that bitter cup down to its dregs, all men would die in their sin, having no righteousness of their own, no Way back to the Father. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6.

What will Jesus say of you, friend? “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” or “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  Concerning these choices, God Himself says this to you: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.” –Deuteronomy 30:19. Jesus loves you enough to have left heaven, been born as a man, lived, died, and conquered the grave, the firstborn of the dead so that you might choose Him, belong to Him, and live.

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