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

Category: Endurance (Page 3 of 3)

Right Before A Shift.

January 15, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you” –Genesis 12:1.

My walk with the Lord has taught me, and Scripture stands as my most noteworthy witness. That often, just before the Lord is about to open a new way before you—before He calls you to walk a bit further down the path of the “plan and purpose” He has for your life; a shifting of sorts must occur. And, sometimes, that shifting feels more like a typhoon than some gentle welcomed breeze. Suddenly, everything that was stable and ordered just moments before is somehow swirling wildly in the winds of change that just ripped the roof of your proverbial house!

And yet not every season is ushered in by such a cacophony of change. There are seasons where the shifting is gentle and slight, measured, almost imperceivable. Yet irrespective of its size, God’s purpose behind these seemingly sudden shifts is to shepherd you into releasing those things, those habits and defaults that no longer serve you. Nor will they work where God is taking you.

God is making room for Himself to usher in “a new thing.”

And newness often can make little or no sense—except in hindsight. Particularly when said newness in no way coincides with the plans, you have for yourself! What you had running with Swiss watch proficiency in your life starts falling apart, unraveling overnight. Where surface certainty once lived, safe and seemingly snug, you now find yourself living literally on a minute-by-minute prayer!

Some call it a season of crushing. Others still, all hell breaking loose in their lives.

It’s a series of events, sudden or lingering, meant to propel you to a new level of being and walking with the Lord—into a deeper faith. Of the greater revelation behind “the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” –Jeremiah 29:11. And though this typhoon of change may seem willy nilly, cause you pain and discomfort, separate you from friends, family members, ministry, the city or town in which you live, your job. Though it may upend life as you’ve known it, the Truth is, everything is falling into place. You are on the very precipice of a forward projection. The exact spot where God would have you to be—precisely positioned for your next leap of faith. God is changing your trajectory, just as He did Father Abraham’s.

God doesn’t always announce when He’s about to shift or shake our lives.

Ruth had no idea the plan—the new life, God had waiting for her on the other side of Moab. While standing on that crossroad of decision with Naomi, Ruth didn’t know that the path she was about to take would lead her to be King David’s great-grandmother—through whose line Messiah would come. And Esther, or Hadassah as she was known, certainly didn’t know when she was being rounded up with all the other beautiful young Jewish virgin girls in her province that she would become King Ahasuerus’s next queen—destined to be used of God to save a nation. Nor did David, that overlooked shepherd boy, know he’d be crowned Israel’s King while he was out protecting the sheep in his charge from a lion and a bear—then Nathan, the prophet, showed up. And suddenly the trajectory of David’s life was forever changed. And Moses couldn’t have known that some 40 years after he had traded in Pharaohs’ opulent palaces for the arid backside of the desert, God would choose him to deliver His people from Egypt, that once familiar cradle Moses had called home.

Beloved, Scripture is replete with evidence of God suddenly allowing the lives of those He’s chosen for Himself to be upended somehow.

God is ever building our character—our staying power, our faith. “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” –Hebrews 12:7-11.

Even Father Abraham experienced more than one of these “shifts” with the Lord; divine turnarounds each. Each projected him further and further into God’s plan for his life. Step upon unwavering step of faith eventually led each of these giants of the faith to be precisely positioned where God would have them to be.

One day, Abraham is working and resting at his family home, and the next, God tells him to pack it up and move away. Leave behind the familiar and go instead to a land where God would lead him. To drop the full weight of whatever faith Abraham possessed into His loving, Sovereign hands—then trust Him to use that faith to guide him to his purpose. “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you” –Genesis 12:1.

God had a plan for Abraham’s life. A future that would see trials and testing, separation and loss, a wealth of faith was being birthed in Abraham. After all, how unwavering a faith Abraham must have possessed to believe that even if God allowed him to take the life of Isaac, his only son, God would indeed restore Isaac—resurrecting him.

Nations and peoples would be born from Abraham’s loins, from his tenacious belief in the immutable faithfulness of God. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise]; to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your descendants shall be called.” For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking” –Hebrews 11:17-19.

Father Abraham, Ruth, Esther, Moses, and David. And beyond, to Peter, Paul, and so many stalwart brothers and sisters who share and shared this immutable faith. Not faith in self. They did not trust in their own abilities or intelligence, wealth, health, beauty, or even place confidence in their God-given abilities. Their faith was in Christ alone, as it must always be. In His strength and mercy. His abilities and Sovereignty. In His grace and justice and Truth—our Due North. Each knew God held their next breath in His Sovereign hands—a gift—as was their destiny and length of days. Dropping then, the full weight of their measure of faith squarely on Christ. No matter what happened, they lived and died for Him. Believing in Him alone—until their last, no turning back. No plan B in place.

And if we are to survive more, thrive, in the coming season of shifting’s and siftings that God will allow to touch our lives—testing us, refining our faith in the fires of affliction as with pure gold, we must be shackled, trussed, to Christ alone. To His Word. His Truth and strength.

Like the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us, we, too, must believe that God is. Minus this elemental belief, we cannot hope to please God. We must believe that His every Word is True, contrary to what we may see happening around us or feeling within. Willing to give up any-thing, even unto our very life, that we may hold tight to Christ. Otherwise, we might not survive the shifting and shakings that are happening now nor those to come.

Don’t believe me? Next time you’re in Church, notice the empty seats. Recall the missing faces—those there last year, who aren’t there now.

We must be rooted and grounded in Christ, my brothers, and sisters. Holding firm to Him alone, come what may. I’m encouraging you, in love, Beloved. Hold fast. A shift is coming. “Since he heard the sound of the horn but failed to heed the warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the horn to warn the people, and the sword comes and takes away a life, then that one will be taken away in his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood” –Ezekiel 33:5-6

And friend, if you have yet to give your life to Christ, I pray you’ll ask Him to show Himself real in your life this day. Time is short, and none of us are promised tomorrow. The times we are living in testify to what I’m sharing with you. Ask Jesus into your life. He loves you. “Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” –Revelation 3:19-21.

Jehovah Jireh—Yesterday, Today, Forever

September 25, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“He fed you manna in the wilderness, [a substance] which your fathers did not know, so that He might humble you [by dependence on Him] and that He might test you, to do good [things] for you at the end. Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth’ –Deut. 8:16-17.

Outwardly, their grumbling was directed at Moses and Aaron. In truth, however, the Israelites were grumbling against God. It was God’s abilities they were calling into question—not Moses’. God’s ability to provide for them. It had started at the edge of the Red Sea when the Egyptians, Israelite’s savage oppressors, had them hemmed in—in front, a wall of charging chariots and fierce soldiers in hot pursuit, and behind, an impassable sea. “Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this that you have done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?” –Exodus 14: 11. The Israelites’ persisted in their grumbling at Marah when the only water for miles was bitter. And the grumbling continued during their barren desert trek concerning what they’d be given to eat. Then again at Rephidim, also concerning water, “So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” –Exodus 17:2.

Until the time of His death, the Israelites were relentless in their tetchy grumbling against Moses.

As modern-day Christians, how like the Israelites of old many of us can be, waspish in our complaining—often petulant and unbelieving, even while professing our faith in the God who knit us together in mother’s womb. We complain about our jobs or our boss, or our lack thereof. We complain about the size of our house or the lack of desired clothing not hanging in our wardrobes. We complain about the weather—it’s too hot, too cold, too rainy, too dry. We complain about where we live. “Why couldn’t I have been born in Hawaii or Fiji or Spain instead of ________?” All the while, precious brothers and sisters are being martyred for their faith in Afghanistan.

And like the Israelites before us, we too forget, at times, that at the heart of our grumbling, at its core, is our professed dissatisfaction with God—our complaining aimed at Him. Our unrelenting questioning of His motives, intentions, those things He allows to touch, influence, or straight-up change life as we’ve known it, is, too often, tinged, not with honest questioning, but with lack of faith. As if we, His creation, somehow know better than God, our Creator, which experiences, and paths are best for us. As if we, in our overinflated sense of self-importance, feel, somehow, that we know better than God what will ultimately bring about His plan of our being fashioned into the image and likeness of His Son—our purpose.

Am I the only One who finds themselves murmuring of late?

Whispering complaints under my breath against any host of circumstances, people, or events—praying, in one instant, that God has His way in my life. That He builds-up or tears down whatever needs reworking in me, that I might draw closer to Him, serve Him with a pure heart? While in the next minute forgetting, momentarily, that my God is Sovereign. And His Words command me to give thanks in every circumstance in which I find myself—regardless of how I feel. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God” –1 Thessalonians 5:18.

There are no accidents in life, not even in those events our finite-limited minds define as such. In God’s economy, He has already made provision for our perceived losses before they could ever affect us. “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose” –Romans 8:28.

To believe otherwise flies in the face of God’s Sovereignty.

Our God is not caught off guard by where we find ourselves right now, whatever our circumstance—be that employed, unemployed, clothed in the finest, or in second-hand clothes. Belly full or empty, body toasty warm or bone-chilling cold, wet, dry, vaccinated, or not, joy-full, or in mourning. “I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation— to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” Philippians 4:12-13. El Roi, the God who sees me, the very same God who saw Hagar laying on a hot and dusty desert floor, knows where each of us is right now. And, He has already made a way out of this place in which we now find ourselves, though we can’t see it quite yet. For me personally, that’s day two of mourning the loss of my only brother—my beloved friend. The One I sat laughing with just two weeks ago as he recounted childhood tales of adventures we’d shared.

Though frail then, he bravely did all he could to shield my sister and me from the pain cancer was causing in his body. There is no way I could have put this teaching out today and not mentioned one of the most significant, most hard-hitting, darkest valleys I have experienced to date; witnessing my brother die.

To tell you that it was not difficult would be a bald-faced lie. It was agonizing, as anyone who has witnessed a loved one inch away daily can attest. But it’s not towards my brother’s struggle or pain or even his passing that I want to point you; instead, it’s towards God. Towards the One who provides for our every need, even the strength to let go when all we want to do is selfishly hold tight. I want to point you towards His waterfall of mercy, grace, peace, and provision—towards His faithfulness. Both towards my brother, in God never once leaving him to walk through the dark and unfamiliar valley of death alone, always ensuring that he had everything he needed right when he needed it, down to our being with him as he took his final breath, and towards us. Giving each of us His strength in place of our human weakness. This leads me to God’s faithfulness to me personally. To one of the greatest blessings of my life, indeed, one of the most bittersweet. The sure knowledge that the God of the 11th hour answered my prayers for my brother’s salvation and met him as he lay dying in his bed. And, in His great mercy, quenched my brother’s parched soul with Living Water, washing him white as snow.

“But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life” –John 14:4. God met my brother in his dry and solitary bed of suffering as assuredly as He’d met Hagar as she lay crying out to Him on that hot, arid desert floor.

That’s our God. The One who comes and provides those things we didn’t even realize we needed.

I have peace in the knowledge and the greatest of blessings knowing that in my brother’s darkest hour, the Light of the world came and did for him what none of us as his family could. He drew close to my brother and lit the way before him, leading him to the place He had prepared for him. I know this because our God is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Our God is faith full. Yesterday, today, and forever. A Pillar of Fire by night and a covering of Cloud by day—our Protector.

 My family and I may have been blessed in having had the great privilege to care for our brother in his final hours, but clearly, it is Christ Jesus alone who deserves all the glory. In His Sovereignty, God orchestrated all things to work together for the good of all involved—according to His will, and for His glory.

Friend, if you have yet to ask Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, do it today, please. No man is promised tomorrow. “But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart, you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved” –Romans 10:8-10.

In Loving Memory of Richard M. Murphy

A New Heart, a New Life.

September 18, 2021 /
Stephanie Montilla

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” – 1 Corinthians 1:18.

It was June of 2009, and every few minutes, I peeked through the auditorium to see if there were open seats available for when my family would arrive. Dominican families have struggled to be punctual for events, that at this point, it’s been accepted as a cultural norm. I was anxious about their arrival and worried they would miss most of the ceremony. Patiently waiting in an uncomfortably warm foyer while wearing a cap and gown sure didn’t help with my internalized bundle of nerves, especially since I was asked to deliver a speech. My mind was in disarray from reading over my speech lines, wrestling with my gown in the muggy air, engaging in sidebar conversations while anxiously waiting for my family’s arrival. From a distance, a few minutes shy from the start of the graduation ceremony, I recognized my family members walking towards the venue. “Yes!” I thought loudly inside my head. A few minutes after their arrival, the loud processional music played. As I walked into the auditorium, with the classical music in the background playing, what felt like a frozen, shrink of time, the faces of everyone in the crowd disappeared. I envisioned my future in a small window of my thoughts, standing behind a podium, like I was prepared to do, delivering a moving speech like a politician—end memory.

I asked, “Lord, why are you having my mind revisit this episode of my life, and so detailed for that matter?” The Lord responded, “To show you how much has changed. To show you how much you’ve grown.” I admit I had to sit with this memory for hours to reflect on my changes and growth. With more profound reflection, I realized how distant I felt from that version of myself. In high school, I became consumed with politics, and the envision of moving people’s emotions through political means was a pursuit I obsessed about. That high school version of me wanted grandiose plans to reform the world as a politician, and my family persuaded me to travel that dream path into college. In college was where my fiery passion for politics became dim in exchange for the study of theology. Unlike high school, my college setting introduced me to the gospel and the pursuit of new dreams. My political goals dried up like a raisin in the sun. While I still had a few more years ahead of me to understanding, developing, and committing a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, it became more precise in what God revealed to me in saying, “To show you how much you’ve grown.”

You see, before I truly knew about Jesus Christ, I was very self-absorbed and prideful. It was the love of my achievements and personal aggrandizement that controlled me. My daily bread was my success of traveling and speaking in various places, earning good grades, and being granted many awards. And while they were all great deeds, the pursuit of worldly pleasures never leaves you satisfied, for there is always a hunger for more. I relate to the bible passage that says, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was my reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” –Ecclesiastes 2:10-11.

The more I pondered the precise remembrance of speaking behind a podium as a future politician; it became ever so clear. The Holy Spirit revealed that “growth” had more to do with my heart behind the podium. Behind the podium of this vision was a 17-year-old heart plagued with selfishness, entitlement, and pride, and like a heart surgeon that grafts a healthy artery to a blocked one; since that time, it has been the grafting of the holy spirit that has brought fresh blood into my heart. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” –Ezekiel 36:26. Behind the podium was a heart that desired and lived in the pursuit for the applause of men. But the applause of men is short-lived, whereas the applause of God rings for all eternity! “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” –Galatians 1:10.

To put it simply, Christ in me changed me and continues to. My heart becomes tender when I think of how the Lord saw my prideful, 17-year-old heart, and yet in His faithful nature remained close for my heart’s return to Him. In the moments where my stone-cold, wintered heart abstained from anything related to Him, it was the extension of His unexplainable blessings over my life that summered my soul, one piece at a time. In the moments where my rebellious heart basked in the things that grieved God’s heart, it was to Him my heart searched for help when I didn’t want to confront the inevitable, uncomfortable consequences of my actions. And when my heavy tears cascaded down my cheeks, in a dark room of despair, it was the hearing that He keeps track of my sorrows that brought me comfort, even if it didn’t last for the entire day. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” Psalm 56:8.

He saw me, He heard me, and He lifted me out of the slimy pit I made and carried my heavy, orphaned body to shelter. It has been His presence that has stood as my fortress and the place my soul delights taking residence. It’s been His love and His rescue of myself where the posture and dreams of my heart changed. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” –Corinthians 5:17.

Since that high school memory, a lot has changed besides my dreams. I changed, thankfully. My gratifying desires have been exchanged for a life devoted to magnifying the heart and life of Christ. My heart’s content is no longer amassed with rebellion and pride but instead with humility and selflessness. How can the Holy Spirit enter in me and yet, continue to live like the world? I live for the eternal gratification of pleasing the Lord, and it is His applause and standing ovation that remains fixed as my eternal reward. Evidently, the Lord did so much work in my life, and while it took years, He was patient and faithful, and I am thankful and joyful because of it. And, since you’re reading this, be assured that the Lord knows your life’s end from the beginning. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from the ancient times the things that are not yet done…” –Isaiah 46:10. The maker of heaven and earth, your creator, designed you with intention and purpose, according to His will. Surrendering your plans and dying off yourself may feel wild, but the satisfaction of that act is beyond anything the world has ever tried to offer. I pray that you open your heart up to God so that He may do “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” – 1 Corinthians 1:18

 “Even if we as clay are broken by the very hand of the Potter, know that you’re in good hands and you are His” –Jeremiah 18.

I found treasure in His heart more than my dreams. I chose the narrow way, and it has made all the difference. I pray for you to seek His heart above all things and allow it to wonderfully change the course of your life as it did with mine. And, if you have not invited Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do that today. Repent of your sins and ask God into your heart, and trust that He will make all things new in your life.

Living Prepared.

August 28, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut” –Matthew 25:4-5;10.

Preparedness: the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action; the quality or state of being prepared.

Staring out my window that morning, this is what I heard in my spirit: In the days to come, there will be no time to get ready; you must “be ready. On the tail of those two words came Matthew 25 and 2 Timothy 4. “Show me, Lord.” I opened my Bible and began reading. Now to say that no two words had ever reached their hand that far inside of me would be a lie; God had certainly done this before. Reached within me, pulling me out of myself somehow and to Him. But one never quite gets used to God “suddenly” speaking with us, do we? At least, I pray we shouldn’t. It has been my experience that when God speaks in this “suddenly” way, I need to give His Words my full attention. Firstly, because God is talking to me; secondly, experience reminds me something is about to happen/shift/manifest or change entirely. And that is what I shared with the church last Sunday.

A week has passed since that “be ready” Word was given to me, and this I know, I need to sit with His Word awhile longer as He continues to unfold its layers for me. Also, that a Word given in season is seldom for my ears only; sure, it first pours through me. Cleansing, realigning, correcting, convicting me, as only God’s Word can. Yet its other purpose, another reason it’s been entrusted to me, is to share it with you and you and that group of people gathered over there, like some warm, delectable tear-away loaf. Offering “whosoever will ” the opportunity to reach out and break off a piece for themselves. Allowing all of God’s goodness to do within them what only His Words can.

My foundation laid then; we’ll delve in today by looking into the first Scripture that dropped in my spirit, Matthew Chapter 25. Into our need as believers and those yet to believe for self-examination. And we’ll conclude next week by unpacking 2 Timothy 4 and our responsibility as believers towards those who have yet to receive God’s Word. I say “yet believer/s” because Scripture assures us that no one has drifted so far from God that He cannot draw them back to Himself. No one is too sin-full for God. “He did this so that they would look for him, and perhaps find him as they felt around for him. Yet God is actually not far from any one of us” –Acts 17:27.

As I read Matthew 25, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins caught my attention. Reading through these thirteen verses, I knew I was precisely where the Holy Spirit wanted me to be. “The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut” –Matthew 25:4-5;10. I understood these verses were speaking to the state of our relationship—or lack thereof, with Jesus. As I read, I immediately grasped Holy Spirit’s Words “Be Ready” to mean the one thing that separated these wise and foolish virgins had been their state of readiness. Sure, all ten had closed their eyes in the natural. Weariness had set in. The lateness of the hour had caught up with them all. I can relate, can’t you? Yet the five wise virgins had come prepared. Having with them everything they’d need to keep their lamps lit in the event the bridegroom was somehow delayed.

And so, the moment the Shofar blew, announcing the bridegroom’s arrival, the extra jar of oil they’d carried along with them was at the ready. Trimming their lamp’s wick, these five wise virgins were up on their feet, lamps ablaze, and following close behind the bridegroom the moment he appeared. These wise virgins represent those who sit daily at the feet of Jesus, drinking in His Word, His presence—filling up their lamps and their jars both. They always want more and more of Him. Offering up their bodies, living sacrifices, pouring out their very lives to Him again and again, their honor. Hearts postured before their Bridegroom as John the Baptist’s once was, in humility and deference, in love. “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” –John 3:30. And yet, like John, while these wise ones wait and keep watch, they are not idle; they continue to work while it is still day, putting hands and feet to their faith if you will, “He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was stranger and you took Me in” –Matthew 25:34.

These five wise ones represent those who know, in the very marrow of their bones, in their heart of hearts, as Peter did, as John did, only Jesus matters in this life. His will and plan—no distractions. In this world, there’s only Jesus and service to Him. Pointing everyone they know to Him. Living flat out, sold out, forsaking all else for Him—”no turning back” as the song so aptly directs us. “Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]” –John 6:68.

“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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” –Matthew 28:19-20.

Sadly, the five foolish virgins in our parable knew only enough of Jesus, gave only enough of themselves to Jesus and to those around them to keep the meager, barely alive flame on their wick, burning. Maybe it was distractions that overtook them? Selfishness, laziness, the cares of this world, or pride, perhaps? It could be they were so chuck full of religion—of knowing their Bible inside and out, there was no room left within to nurture a passionate and lasting relationship with its Author? They had no reserve from which to pour, no Resource to store from no ember to fan into flame. They had nothing available to them to burn when what little fire they did possess was dying out. These foolish virgins are much like that soil described by Jesus in Mark, Chapter 4. “But they don’t develop any roots. They last for a short time. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the Word, they immediately fall [from faith]” –Mark 4:17.

One commentator expresses it this way: Jesus explains that the ground represents a shallow person who quickly accepts the gospel and seems to grow in faith very quickly. But their character is weak. They can’t absorb the spiritual truths they need to grow in faith. And so they “fall away.” To “fall away” doesn’t just mean to reject the gospel; it means to return to a life of sin. The parable of the bridesmaids serves as a call to self-examination. Are our priorities aligned with God’s priorities, or are we so distracted with secondary concerns that we risk missing what is most important — Jesus. And our living for Him?

And to these foolish ones who have neither time nor inclination to prepare for or pursue Jesus now, He speaks in such a way that makes the very blood of the wise run cold: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord …’ Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers” –Matthew 7: 21-23.

I thank God for His unfathomable mercy. Knowing, trusting, that while there is still breath in our lungs, there is hope. Why am I thankful? Because of family members and some friends who have yet to accept Jesus as Lord—because of you too, friend, if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Please, if this is you, don’t allow another moment to pass before asking Jesus to come into your heart. Repent of your sins, we all have them, and let Jesus do what only He can. Wash you completely clean of everything you’ve ever done, filling your lamp and jar to overflowing by placing His Holy Spirit within you, your assurance that you’ll not run out of oil. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” –Matthew 25:13.

Face it, Afraid.

August 14, 2021 /
Kendra Santilli

I found myself on the shoreline of the most beautiful beach I’d ever seen; one might call it by happy accident. With only one way in and one way out, you’d never know this beautiful beach was even there except fate lead you, as it did me, and, once discovered, it was truly a sight to behold. Encircling the steep shoreline were cliffs that hold back an ocean that seemed to come alive as the wonder of what lies beneath its surface beckons onlookers. Copper sand sifted between my toes while my curiosity led me down the steep coastline that continued to descend rapidly into the water, a swimmer’s dream. With its splintered walls and four decaying posts, a hut stood not too far in front of me. It served as a resting spot for tired surfers and swimmers. “There is no way that thing is safe,” I thought as I observed the veteran swimmers hop up onto its deck. I could sense the power of the ocean as its banks tried their best to hold all that power back just long enough for me to be able to absorb the beauty before me. But the feeble ability of the shoreline proved no match for the powerful might of the ocean. So, its efforts at holding back the more sea didn’t last awfully long.

The receding water was the ocean’s way of communicating that trouble was on the way, or so I thought. I sensed impending doom. A tsunami-type wave was approaching. Panicking, I RAN to try and get everyone to safety. To hurry them out towards the only tiny opening available for everyone to escape through. This once beautiful oasis quickly became my nightmare. And yet, no one else seemed phased by this enormous wave that was mounting up higher now than my eyes could see over. Then, just as that terrifying wave crashed, I woke up, heart pounding, gasping for air!

In my dreams, I found myself on this beach several more times. Each time I wondered what my being there meant. On one such night, I pushed the limits of my fear and feelings of doom and just stood on the shoreline. And this time, like everyone else in the dream, I didn’t move when the wave finally came. Yet the anxiety that stood with me in my dream felt as powerful as that tsunami-wave had looked, and it told me it had come to take me away. And just as I braced for its crash, nothing. Nothing happened to me. The wave crashed, and it didn’t take me out. It didn’t destroy the hut, and everyone else just continued with their day.

The once anxiety-inducing tsunami, which had become a regular occurrence in my dreams, lost its power once I faced it afraid.

I’ve shared this dream in-depth with you because it marked me. Since I was a child, I have found comfort in the Bible stories of Joseph of Samuel. If you read their stories, the former proves that God can speak to us in dreams, and the latter proves that His voice is not partial to adults. Yes, even children can hear His voice, just as young Samuel did in the Old Testament. Like Joseph, I believe God was teaching me something about bravery in my dream.

Anxiety can often feel as real, terrifying, and overwhelming, inescapable, and larger than life, as that wave in my dream felt to me. But alas, God is not surprised by our anxiety or stress. He is aware of this very human condition and gives us guidance on how to handle it—with Him. In Joshua, we find a young man who has suddenly been raised to power in the wake of his predecessor, Moses, death. God is about to lead His people (the Israelites) into the land He promised to them. But before Joshua can get his men ready for battle, the Lord God gives him explicit instructions and a directive: Be “strong and courageous.” In fact, God gives Joshua this same directive three times within Joshua, Chapter One. God knew that this would be a high anxiety situation for him. Any human heading into battle, weighing victory or defeat, would be anxious imagining what lies ahead.

I imagine God knew Joshua’s mental state of mind required one of the greatest pep talks we see in the Old Testament. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 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. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” -Joshua 1:7-9.

Culture tells us that we can’t help feeling anxious. We can’t do anything to help with our anxious thoughts. It tells us that we can’t control what we think or feel. But this verse says otherwise. Within it, God instructs Joshua to go against his anxious thoughts and feelings and choose strength and courage instead!

Now, I’m not saying we’ll never have moments of fear or anxiety, but I am saying this: God will always give us the power not to have live-in, stay stuck in our anxiety. Through His Word, He gives us the tools not to allow our emotions to cripple us. Instead, He empowers us to face our fears with courage and strength. It’s as if this passage is our “how-to” on living courageously.

Obedience is at the helm of God’s instruction.

After telling Joshua to be strong and courageous, the next thing God tells Joshua is to “obey all the law Moses gave” (v. 7). Remember, before his death, Moses, one of the most important prophets of all time, was Joshua’s mentor. The laws that Moses passed on were given to him directly from God himself. So when God tells Joshua to obey Moses’ law, God is, in fact, telling Joshua to obey His law. There is order. God didn’t give Joshua a new set of laws; He told him to honor what had already been set before him. Furthermore, God tells Joshua not to “turn to the left or the right” (v. 7), speaking of having a singular focus. If Joshua had allowed the many voices that I’m sure were clamoring for his attention to distract him, he wouldn’t have been able to fix his focus on God and was He was speaking to him. So what is the takeaway? First, we must obey the Word of the Lord. Not looking to the right or left, we must focus solely on Him, honoring His commands.

The next thing outlined in this passage; we find in verse 8. God reiterates His first point: “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.” In this world riddled with distraction, it is easy to forget what the Truth is. We hear numerous self-affirmations, motivational speakers’ thoughts and ideas, and good vibes sayings, and we almost believe those things to be the truth. Yet so much of what the world says is true does not align with God’s perfect Truth. To give one example, how many times do we hear, “do what makes you feel good?” But the Bible says this regarding the world’s truth: “the heart is deceitful above all things” -Jeremiah 17:9. This Truth is just one of the many such examples found in Scripture concerning our feelings. Yet, in this one verse, we learn that although something may “feel good,” that doesn’t always mean it’s the right thing to do. Truth is found only in God’s Word. So if you are searching for The Truth, not others’ opinions or some feel-good message, spend time learning the Truth found in the Word of God. Listen to Godly podcasts and read books that will help you to grow in your faith.

Spend time in prayer. It is there, and only there, where God promises you will be prosperous and successful.

Finally, God seals this segment by promising Joshua His presence. He’s not giving Joshua an ultimatum in it by saying, “only if you’re not afraid, will I be with you,” or “don’t be afraid, or else I won’t be with you.” I understand this instead to be a comforting saying, “I’m with you; therefore, you have nothing to be afraid of.”

When I was younger, the house I lived in with my parents was located within the woods. I was so afraid of the dark. I would not go outside by myself under any circumstance. Yet, whenever my dad was with me, my story changed. I had nothing to be afraid of if dad were with me because I knew he would take care of anything that might attack or harm me. I think this is the same sense of security that God was trying to instill in Joshua. God gives Joshua his instructions, and then God rewards Joshua’s obedience with His presence. A presence that did not and does not fail—any of us.

Maybe you’re in a place where you feel you can’t face the waves of anxiety that are coming at you in life. Yet if you’d dare to stand on the shore and allow yourself the experience that the wave won’t kill you, after all, you’d find that fear truly doesn’t have to own you. Maybe you’re like Joshua, and you need to be reminded several times over to be strong and courageous in your present circumstance? Whatever it is, the apostle Paul reminds you to “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” -Philippians 4:6.

So if you’re anxious or fearful today, I encourage you to respond to your fear with prayer. Respond by reading and meditating on the Word of God. Start by surrendering your heart, whether for the first or the hundredth time and humble yourself before God. Repent of your sins. Ask God for His forgiveness and that He leads you in His ways. Pray these verses to God. And as you dedicate time to learn His Word and commands, He will bless and prosper your faith. I pray your heart’s desire is for God to be with you all the days of your life. I pray that you find the courage to face your wave and fulfill the God-given purpose you were created to, even if it means you do it afraid.

And, if you have not yet asked Jesus into your heart and life as Lord and Savior, please “be strong and courageous ” and do it now. The same promises God made Joshua can be yours today. Why wait another day?

That’s It. One More Step Now.

July 31, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]” –Hebrews 10:23.

A brief recap: Back in January of this year, our church entered a 21-day corporate fast. Our pastors chose several leaders to oversee online mid-week prayer groups to encourage those who would join us in this fast. I had the great privilege of being selected as one of those leaders. I share this tidbit of history only to offer you a glimpse into some understanding of the heart and genesis of this teaching. And because last night was our final night of gathering as said prayer group.

In this season, at least, it was our final night to link arms, storming the gates of heaven, lifting up the needs and requests of the Body, covering our pastors and leaders, our teams, families, and encouraging each other to keep on going. To keep pressing into all that God has for us, come what may. Regardless of the times, the persecution, the rejection, the naysayers, or ridicule that comes our way, resulting from our faith in Jesus. To say that our hearts have been knit together in Christ as a result of these many months of praying and pressing in would be an understatement.

This teaching is the full version of the bite-sized bit of reminding and encouragement the Lord had me share with my church family on our last bitter-sweet night together. So, now that you’re all caught up, we can jump right in!

I pray this teaching blesses and encourages you.

What I was given to share with the group came out of John 17. As I said, Jesus’ “Farewell Prayer.” His High Priestly Prayer: what He prayed for the friends who had walked alongside Him during His earthy ministry—and, what He prayed for us, His Church. Those of us He has called to leave our proverbial nets behind us, pick up our cross and follow Him—as decidedly as Peter, Andrew, James, and John once did.

But before I get into the thick of this message, you may be asking why I used Hebrews as the Scripture verse if this teaching was taken from John 17? My answer? This verse in Hebrews is a confirmation. A witness to what Jesus prayed in John 17. It reminds us, fortifies within us, points us towards the surety and hope found within Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. In essence, it’s another layer of Truth and hope.

Jesus’ prayer exposes some of what is hidden within His heart sometime before He broke bread with His friends, one last time; before He would take Peter, James and John, the sons of thunder, with Him to pray in Gethsemane’s Garden, one final time. Before, Jesus was beaten beyond recognition and unjustly condemned to die a criminal’s death having been nailed to a tree.

With its rich tones of unplumbed and eternal reverence, deep, abiding love, and a submissive foreknowledge, Jesus lifts His prayer, this confirmation, this eternal Truth, His request up before our Father. An aside: I wonder if Jesus had prayed this prayer, or something like it, on one of the many occasions when He would go off to some quiet place to pray and spend time with the Father? But that rabbit hole is for another day.

The heartbeat of this High Priestly prayer is Jesus’ Pure, sacrificial Love. Jesus is God’s guarantee to us that what binds us to Him can never be broken. “…Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” –Revelation 5:2-5.

This prayer is saturated in encouragement, full of promise and hope. And who doesn’t need the hope only Jesus offers to just pour over them, their family and ministry, their every dry and trembling place right now!

This prayer drips earnestly off Jesus’ tongue, drops lovingly, intentionally, into our parched places—breaking open the dry and barren places in our hearts. New hope then, a renewed exuberance is restored, made fresh. Bursting forth from us as sure and readily as closed-up bud’s spring open after the rains.

In His Sovereignty, Christ knows not only what we need but precisely when and where we need it.

So, as you read this, be re-minded that this same High Priest is interceding for you still—and always. And, be re-minded too, of the Life-giving, Resurrecting, Transforming Power of the Holy One who has taken up residence within your fragile, human frame—if, you have made Jesus the Lord of your life.

Hear and be encouraged then by what “Thus says the Lord” concerning you.

In John 17:6, we hear Jesus re-minding us that we have always been His. In Him, even as He is in the Father. “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

You were in Jesus as He stood over the dark void speaking suns and moons, plants, and planets into existence. As He separated one thing from another, you and I were in Him. A mystery far too great for this writer’s finite mind to take in. Yet how grateful I am to serve a God I cannot fully take in! We hear Paul echoing this Truth back to us in Ephesians 1:4-5. Listen: “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”

And in verse 12, Jesus re-minds us that we are protected and guarded in Him—by Him. Nothing can come to us, no accident or harm, no sickness, or loss, no “painful” thing, can touch our lives without Jesus’ permission. “You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said” –Job 2:10.

This is a hard Truth. But it is Truth, nevertheless. “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger” –Job 1:9-12.

Because you belong to the Living God, you will suffer in this world. Jesus Himself assured us of this. But He also re-mind us to have courage, stand firm, rejoice, be strong, and courageous when all manner of evil comes against us because you are His; He has overcome this world. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” –John 16:33.

We also hear Jesus re-mind us that we have been chosen and created to live holy lives. “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth” –John 17:17-18. Once again, Paul echoes this same Truth in 2 Corinthians 7:1. “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

To say the world we live in is divided would be a gross understatement. Yet in verse 21, we hear Jesus re-mind His children to live in unity—in oneness. We are God’s living Epistles. What kind of a message would we share with a lost and dying world if we act as disjointed and divided as it does? Hear Jesus’ heart for us: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” And I’ll turn to Paul yet again to help solidify this Truth in our hearts, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” –Romans 14:19.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul tells us that now we see in part, but soon and very soon, we’ll see fully and clearly. “Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We have Jesus’ assurance that those who are His will one day be with Him eternally. Jesus wants us for Himself. We are His Bride. He bought and paid for us with His Spotless Blood. “Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!” –verse 24.

This is your destiny, Beloved of God. To be where Jesus is, with Him, singing His praise, drinking in His beauty, His Majesty, eternally.

It’s getting darker by the day, friends. The Restrainer is pulling His hand back. Rejection and persecution are amping up in ways we’ve not witnessed in our lifetime. Church doors are closing daily, and the chaotic, confusing messages of the world are getting louder and louder. Wars and rumors of wars. Gender confusion. Plagues and masks, fear and isolation. Economic instability and social unrest—it all sounds like something out of a bad novel. Yet Jesus re-minds us in His Word not to be surprised by all these things we’re witnessing. Not to lose hope because of what we see happening around us. These things must happen. Instead, look up! Take courage and rejoice because your redemption, your long-awaited desire to see Jesus face-to-face, is about to be fulfilled!

Keep your lamps filled, child of God!

But until then, brothers and sisters, until He comes for us, keep loving each other—your neighbor as yourself. And don’t stop showing hospitality to those around you—give and give and give some more; you can never out-give God. Pray—always, for your loved ones, for that one in prison, and those behind bars. Pray for the one the Holy Spirit is calling in these final hours and minutes. Pray for yourself. Repent of your sins and turn to the only one who can save you. Jesus Christ. Eternity is a long time to have gotten it all wrong. So if you have yet to ask this Jesus into your heart and life as Lord and Savior, allow me to share this final reminder with you. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”—John 14:6.

Please, ask Jesus into your heart today. We are not promised tomorrow. This is not a scare tactic, friend; it is the Truth spoken in love. Listen! You who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this city and stay a year and make money.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? It is like fog. You see it and soon it is gone” –James 4:13-14.

Don’t Be A Drifter. Hebrews 10:29

November 11, 2018 /

 “But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.”

Adrift is just that—adrift. You’re not lost.  Wake up! And be righted…

While the storm was raging all around him, Jonah was asleep. Above him, on deck, a prayer meeting was in full swing. Every pagan god was being called upon to stop the raging storm that threatened to kill them all. Yet Jonah, a child of the Most High God, slept on. Oblivious to the danger that surrounded both himself and everyone on board that ship…

Such a danger is swirling around our world today. Such a storm is brewing now my brothers and sisters!

An alarm  has gone off in heaven. A clarion call has gone out.  Here is what I heard in the Spirit: Wake-up, wake-up, says the God of Angel Armies. Wipe the sleep from your eyes and darn your battle gear. A war is raging all about you. The enemy of your soul is waging a full-on assault that he might devour souls as the locust devour field and leaf. Blood is flowing and will soon reach the bridle. Prepare says the Lord of Angel Armies, heed the alarm heaven has sent to awaken those that are asleep. Time is short.

Sleeping Christian, there is much work to be done! We, like Peter, John, and James before us have all fallen asleep. Some of us more soundly than others. I don’t say this to condemn, who am I? I say this instead to convict as I was convicted. I place myself at the forefront of those who have drifted off. There are times when your whole soul seems on fire. If anybody had spoken of you then, they would have said, “What a fine man that is! What love he has for Christ! What concern for the souls of men! He ought to be sent forth as a missionary at once.” Wait till you see him asleep! He can sleep very soundly! In fact, he is as great at sleeping as at waking. He can descend into depths of stupidity and indifference as naturally as he just now rose into heights of fervor and enthusiasm. Yes, there are many such, and I would say to any brothers and sisters who are conscious of a propensity in that direction—is it not high time that you, that I, that any, that all of us should awake out of sleep? —Charles Spurgeon

God asked each of us, called each of us, as He did our brothers before us—to follow Him and complete a specific task. And we did, follow that is, joyfully! We started out strong—we started off awe-struck and in earnest, wanting nothing more than to give all that we had—everything that we are, to the One we love. The One who invited us to follow Him. To be His witnesses to these key moments; these intimate moments where human vulnerability is eternally overcome by divine will. Yet somehow, we’ve drifted. And now, we’re being called to wake up and right ourselves! Remove the sleep that blinds our eyes to our sin as well as to the needs of those God has placed before us.

As it was in the garden, so it is on the battlefield. Jesus has crushed the serpent and reigns victorious—this day. Yet, we’re called to fight a war that has already been won. And, to fight it even unto our deaths. Just as surely as we’ve been called to work out a salvation that we’ve freely received—one that also demands our death. But, what a privilege to have been chosen to be a soldier in the army of our God! To be entrusted with being used to go—under the cover of the Holy Spirit, into enemy territory snatching souls from the grip of the one who is intent on their destruction! A great responsibility has been entrusted to us—we were born for such a time as this. For such a battle.

Is it any wonder then, that to faithfully serve our God in this battle we first must be fully alert?

How can we hear the voice of God—His instructions for us, if we’re half asleep? How will we know His plan if we’re not fully engaged with Him? If we’ve allowed the cares of this world—complacency, insensitivity, detachment, schisms, selfish pursuits, to have robbed us of our ability to justly do battle with our true enemy, and not the soul which stands before us wounded, bloodied, and in need of God?

But I digress, an alarm has been sounded in heaven!

A Clarion call has gone forth! (A very clear message or instruction about what action is needed; a shrill alarm issued from a trumpet used in war)

Those of us that have drifted off must wake up! We must right our course towards the grounding shore once again. The hand of God is shaking each of His children from their comfortable slumber. Vigilance is in order. We whose fervor has waned must pray and seek God. Souls are on the line. We have been chosen and appointed for such a time as this. As surely as Peter, James, and John were chosen to follow Jesus into the garden. It’s why the accident didn’t kill us. Why your mom walked out of the abortion clinic. Why we were delivered from drugs—booze—sex—porn—and all those chains that had us in bondage. It’s why the beatings didn’t kill you—the disease didn’t ravage your body. It’s why you’ve never fit in—you weren’t created to.

Warriors were created for the battlefields—not to hang out in the mall. You were carefully crafted for such a time as this. Deliberately placed exactly where you are for Gods greater purpose. You’ve heard it said, “God doesn’t make mistakes.” Trust that in due time you will understand in full what you now only understand in part.

Yet, above all else that I’ve shared here today, my purpose is to share with you this sense of urgency I feel in my Spirit. To rouse you from your nap! Wake up dear brother! Shake the sleep from your tired mind my sister! Don’t fall asleep! Though you’re weary from pressing forward—your arms tired from the constant resistance you meet daily, right yourself! Wipe the sleep from your eyes and fix them towards the shore. You’ve been saved that you might be used to save another. That’s not something you can do if you’ve drifted off yourself. Be re-minded of whose you are—now. You were not created to shrink back. You were created as a vessel. Sturdy. Steadfast. Leak-proof. A vessel designed to secure the safe passage of others…

“And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” Hebrews 12:27.

There are outgoing lines of life that bind us not only with some men, but, in fact, with all humanity, so that if we did but know it, the thought of one brain, the utterance of one mouth, the movement of one pair of hands does in its measure influence the whole human race to some degree and will do so till time shall be no more. –Charles Spurgeon

Friend, if you’ve read through this message know that God has a purpose and a plan for your life. If you’ve not yet invited Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior today is the day! Take a moment  and ask Jesus into your heart. You need Him, and He wants to be with you. Why wait? We’re not promised another opportunity…

 

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