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Tag: Endurance (Page 1 of 3)

Unwavering Faith: Trusting God’s Perfect Timing.

October 5, 2024 /

One of the greatest challenges in our spiritual journey is learning to trust God’s timing. We live in a world that celebrates speed. From instant communication to same-day deliveries, we’ve been conditioned to expect immediate results. Waiting has become something we dread, whether it’s waiting in line at a store or waiting for God to answer our prayers. But here’s the truth: God’s timing is never late. It’s always perfect—and that’s what we need to learn and hold on to as we walk by faith.

Today, let’s explore what it means to trust in God’s timing. How can we grow in patience, surrender, and strengthen our faith when it feels like nothing is moving? And what can we learn from the Bible about how God uses time to shape us and reveal His plans?

1. God’s Timing Is Not Our Timing

In Isaiah 55:8-9, God tells us plainly: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

God operates on a completely different level than we do.

We often live day-to-day, focused on immediate circumstances, but God sees the complete picture—from the beginning of time to eternity. While we might experience frustration in our current season, God knows exactly what needs to happen and when it needs to happen. What may seem like a delay to us is often God working behind the scenes, orchestrating something greater than we could ever imagine.

Think about the life of Abraham. In Genesis 12:1-3, God called Abraham (then Abram) to leave his home and go to a land He would show him. “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

God promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. But here’s the catch: Abraham was already 75 years old. Can you imagine how impossible that must have seemed? Yet, Abraham obeyed and trusted God. As the years passed and no child was born, Abraham’s faith wavered at times, but he continued to believe in God’s promise.

In Genesis 15, Abraham is now in his mid-80s, still without a child. He asks God, “What can you give me since I remain childless?” God reaffirms His promise to Abraham, telling him that his offspring will come from his own body and that his descendants will be as countless as the stars in the sky. Despite the delay, Abraham believed, and his faith was credited to him as righteousness.

Here’s a question: What promises are you holding onto today that seem impossible?

Are you waiting for healing, a financial breakthrough, a restored relationship, or the fulfillment of a dream God placed in your heart? Like Abraham, you might be tempted to doubt. You might wonder if God has forgotten. But just as God was faithful to Abraham, He will be faithful to you. His timing may not be yours, but His promises are sure.

2. Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands

Sometimes, when God’s timing doesn’t match our own, we’re tempted to take matters into our own hands. We think we can speed things up or force outcomes, but this usually leads to more problems than solutions.

In Genesis 16, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, grows tired of waiting. She’s now well past childbearing age, and the promise of a child seems more distant than ever. So, she decides to take control of the situation. She tells Abraham to have a child with her maidservant, Hagar. Abraham agrees, and Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. But this wasn’t part of God’s plan. Ishmael’s birth leads to conflict and tension within the family, and it creates a situation that still impacts the world today.

How many times have we acted out of impatience, thinking we knew better than God?

Maybe we’ve rushed into decisions because we felt like God wasn’t moving fast enough. Perhaps we’ve taken shortcuts in our careers, relationships, or personal lives because we were tired of waiting.

Taking control when we should trust God can lead to regret, unnecessary pain, and lasting consequences. Just as Sarah and Abraham’s impatience led to complications, we, too, experience consequences when we step outside of God’s will.

This is not to say we should sit passively, but there’s a difference between proactive obedience and forcing outcomes God hasn’t ordained.

God is not asking us to figure everything out on our own. He’s asking us to trust Him in the process. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

3. God’s Timing Requires Patience and Faith

Patience is not passive waiting—it’s active trust in God’s faithfulness. In Romans 8:24-25, Paul tells us: “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Waiting on God requires a posture of faith and trust, even when we don’t understand why things aren’t happening on our timeline. Patience isn’t easy, especially when facing difficult situations or seeing others around us receive the answers we’ve been praying for. But faith teaches us to trust God, knowing His timing is perfect.

In fact, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23.

It’s a characteristic that God develops in us as we grow in maturity. Patience is not something we can manufacture on our own; it comes from a deep place of trust in God’s goodness. The more we learn to rely on Him, the more we can wait with hope and expectation.

James 1:2-4 encourages us to “consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

God uses seasons of waiting to refine us, to develop our character, and to draw us closer to Him.

The delays we experience are not wasted time; they are growth opportunities. We may not see what God is doing behind the scenes, but we can trust that He is working all things for our good. We need to remind ourselves of Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

4. God’s Timing Brings Glory to His Name

Another key aspect of trusting God’s timing is recognizing that He often uses delays to set the stage for a greater demonstration of His power and glory.

Look at the story of Lazarus in John 11. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, falls gravely ill. His sisters, Mary, and Martha, send word to Jesus, expecting Him to come immediately to heal their brother. But what does Jesus do? He waits. By the time He arrives, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Mary and Martha are heartbroken, saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” –John 11:21.

What they didn’t realize was that Jesus had a greater miracle in store.

 Instead of simply healing Lazarus, Jesus calls him out of the tomb, raising him from the dead. This miracle was far more significant than a simple healing—it displayed Jesus’ power over life and death. Sometimes, God delays things because He is preparing to do something far greater than we could imagine. His timing not only fulfills His promises but also reveals His glory. What may seem like a setback is often a setup for a greater miracle that will point others to the power of God.

When God comes through in ways that defy human logic, it’s a testimony to His greatness.

It shows that His ways are higher than ours and that His power is limitless.

5. Surrendering to God’s Perfect Timing

Finally, trusting God’s timing requires surrender. Proverbs 19:21 tells us, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” We often have our own timelines and expectations, but we must recognize that God’s plan is always better.

Surrendering doesn’t mean giving up on what we’re believing for—it means trusting that God knows best and that He is in control. It means letting go of our need to control every detail and allowing God to lead the way.

We can have control, or we can have peace, but we can’t have both.

Peace comes when we relinquish control to our Sovereign God. As we surrender our desires, plans, and timelines to God, we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Surrendering to God’s timing frees us from anxiety. It allows us to live in the present, trusting that God is working for our good.

We may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.

Conclusion: Trust, Wait, Surrender

So, where does this leave us? It leaves us in a place of trust, waiting, and surrender.

We trust that God’s timing is perfect, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. We wait with patience and faith, knowing that He is working all things for our good.

We surrender our plans and our need for control.

When we align our hearts with His will, we find strength and courage, as Isaiah 40:31 reminds us: “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

Remain In Me.

September 28, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.” –1 John 2:24.

In his first Epistle, John the Apostle admonishes us four times within four verses to “remain” both faithful and in fellowship with Christ Jesus, and he adds our doing this is a sure sign of our love and obedience to God and His Word. “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.” –1John 2:3-5.

Perhaps, as John was writing this portion of his Epistle, he was reflecting on earlier times.

Those days when he and his brothers spent drinking in every Word that fell from Jesus’ lips as they walked, talked, worked, ministered, debated with, and questioned Him so as to know and learn everything Jesus had to teach them. I pose this question because, upon reflection, the heart of John’s words in his Epistles concerning remaining connected to Christ—obeying Him, abiding in Him, could easily be interchanged with those spoken directly to him by Jesus in his Gospel. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” –John 15:5;8.

At their core, each verse points to how crucial staying connected to Christ truly is.

This cardinal precept of “remaining,” of spiritual intimacy with God, was a point Jesus emphasized the importance of repeatedly with His friends—and through them, to us. This precept of abiding is repeated throughout the Gospels—particularly in John’s.

Yet how? How do we “remain” faithful to what we’ve been taught from the beginning when nearly every day we hear of some new theory, new doctrine, some new “Word from the Lord” splashed across YouTube or social media, from the pulpit or whispered in our ear from a “well-meaning” yet albeit naïve believer. How do we “abide” in Christ when we’re being pulled this way or that by family members who demand, we choose between being with them or following after “this Jesus of yours.” When that addiction we thought was long behind us, the habit that had all but destroyed us, seems to be calling to us. A vague yet familiar siren song emanating up from our memory.

When your marriage is in crisis and, no matter of counseling, prayer, or late-night raging at the pain of disappointment and betrayal seems to heal it. How? When your wayward child is drifting further and further away, duped by a culture filling their heads with lies and confusion. When that stinging church hurt, or the betrayal of a life-long friend threatens to grow roots of bitterness in your heart. When the boss says that you must work on Sunday or participate in some office practice, that goes against your faith and principles, or it’s your job.

Thankfully, as believers, the answer to these questions isn’t complicated.

The process of our overcoming may be muddy and challenging, but the answer itself is straightforward. “…remain in my love.” –John 15:9. Jesus assures us, the solace and strength we need to overcome any trial is not only readily available to us, but found only in Him.

Equally, a prolific seed of Truth is found inside this simple verse: our unequivocal need for absolute Oneness with God. “Without me, you see, you can’t do anything. –John 15:5.

Sounds simplistic, I know. Maybe even trite to some.

However, absolute Oneness with God is what our relationship with Jesus must be built upon for us to flourish—to overcome and thrive spiritually.

We must have a resolute, watertight bond with our God. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” –Matthew 7:24-25.

And yet beloved, when we’re the ones facing the mountain before us, the death, terrifying diagnosis, betrayal, break-up, or loss, this simple Truth of abiding in Jesus, clinging to Him, placing a measure of faith we didn’t even know we possessed in Him, can feel not only daunting, but down-right impossible for some of us to swallow. And yet, swallow we must. Staying connected to Truth—to Jesus, we must.

Our feelings will fail us, so will our hearts, courage, and minds—our friends, too, as well intended as they may be. In times of trials, only Jesus can help us. Save, heal, deliver, strengthen, enable, make a way through or restore us.

Only Jesus.

Actually, this is true every day. For most of us, unfortunately, we only become aware of this when the winds and waves are threatening to take us out.

Each verse in today’s teaching is intended to harken us back to Jesus. To Remind us we can do nothing apart from Him—not even those things we so readily take for granted, like drawing our next breath.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly states that He came not to exercise His own will but to do the will of the Father who sent Him. To say what He’d heard the Father say only. “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does…” –John 5: 19-20.

At the core of all Jesus did was an ever-present determination to obey God and His Word to the utmost, even unto His death on the Cross.

It was this burning love for the Father, this fixed determination that was such a part of who Jesus is that nothing and no one could lure Him away from oneness with the Father. This absolute oneness caused and enabled Jesus to do what the “fully man” in Him momentarily stumbled over. “Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” –Mark 14:35-36.

We would do well to imatate Jesus by remaining in, trusting in, the love of the Father for His children.

Beloved, you have a Great High Priest who knows how hard it is for you right now. He not only sees you but that all but unbearable weight of pain you’re carrying—He’s been there. It’s why, in part, He sent me to remind you to stay connected to Him—your True and Only Source of Strength. Abide in Him. Trusting that the strength, healing, rescue, answers, or freedom you need—have been praying for— is found only in Jesus—that He has you.

Your trial, the “hour” that has come upon you, is safe in God’s Hands.

No matter what things look like, regardless of how dark it may get, trust God, beloved, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.  The Father and I are one.” –John 10: 28-30.

Friend, Jesus made connecting with Him simple. Here’s how: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10. I encourage you to call out to Jesus as your Lord and Savior today, become one with Him—abide in Him.

But As For Us.

February 3, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Expecting.

January 13, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appointed Times.

December 23, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there…” –Luke 2:27.

A fine thread is inextricably woven throughout the Old and New Testaments—seemlessly uniting the two into one Living Word. An unbreakable, unfaltering, infallible tenet—resilient and unchanging, from Genesis to Revelation and from generation to generation, it has been witnessed flowing effortlessly from the very fingertips of God. God, whose Words gave birth to whole planets, whose prophets foretold His birth, and whose Spirit overshadowed a virgin. His life having entered her womb—miraculous!

By the power of His Holy Spirit, this same God led Simeon to the Temple on a specific day and time so that Simeon might rejoice as he held the fulfillment of God’s promise in his arms, the eight-day-old King of kings. “At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.” –Luke 2: 25-26.

Meanwhile, on a distant pasture, under the canopy of a clear, starry night, shepherds tended their flocks in Bethlehem. These were no ordinary sheep—nor shepherds. And this was no typical night. These sheep were spotless, having been set apart as sin offerings for use in the Temple by the High Priest. And God Himself had handpicked these lowly shepherds to be messengers of His Good News. Now in the heavens above them, God’s angel, His herald, rent the night sky open, making room for the glory of God to flood this holy night in indescribable splendor while he announced the birth of their long-awaited Messiah!

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 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 2:8-12.

All the while, in a stable not far off, Mary, a newly betrothed, devout Jewish girl, was lying on the hay in a manger. She wasn’t surrounded by her mother and the women of her family. Not even a midwife was present. Only Joseph and the prying eyes of barnyard animals watched her every move as she pushed the God-child out of her body and into the world He was born to save. Mary, too, had also been chosen by God for this appointed hour. “She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” –Luke 2:7.

“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary. When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you. The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus. He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High.” –Luke 2:27-28; 30-32.

How will you respond when God’s appointed times aren’t wrapped up in the pretty packages you imagined? Dare I say, expected? When the absolute best God offers looks nothing like the Hallmark moments most 21st-century Christians have grown to expect?

Starting in Genesis, with God’s first recorded utterance and before, unquestionably, no single thing, no life, death, circumstance, trial, test, dream fulfilled, or birth, has, or will come before God’s appointed time. In fact, they’ll often come in ways we least expect, through people we least expect and at the most unexpected times.

Then again, since Jesus’s arrival, before, actually, God has been turning the world upside down.

Virgin births. A King, born as a servant, not in a palace, but in a stable. A King who hailed from a town most laughed at when its name was mentioned. “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” –John 1:46. But that wasn’t the case with Simeon. This devout, righteous man didn’t concern himself with where or how God would fulfill the promise He’d made him. Simeon knew that God would do what He said He would do at the appointed time.

And so, Simeon waited.

How long? Scripture doesn’t tell us.

Was it five years, ten, twenty-five? It’s irrelevant. What is relevant is that God’s Holy Spirit led Simeon to the Temple on the exact day a portal connecting heaven and earth had been opened—an appointed time. When God Most High, El Elyon, showed Himself to be inscrutable. And Jesus, a newborn babe, awaited Simeon’s arrival. Jesus, the Messiah, a promise foretold by the prophets, held now, finally, in an old man’s arms. “That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God…” –Luke 2:27.

But what if Simeon had decided to pass on going to Temple that day? Choose not to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. Think of the consequences!

God had made Simeon a promise—Mary, too. Yet each waited on God while enduring trials and testing, the taunts of those who said, “God did what?” “Said what!”

Each had no clue just how God’s promise would change their lives, only that in the best way possible—it would.

How did they know this?

They trusted God.

They loved and knew Him experientially.

They understood Jesus as a person of His Word.

Each wholeheartedly believed God would bring to fruition what He had promised them.

Has God given you a Word?

Has He promised you that you would see something? Move somewhere? Marry someone, have a child, start that ministry, that He’d restore a relationship, yet here it is years later, and still, you’re waiting? If this is you, Beloved of God, you’re in good company. Take patient hope from Simeon’s story.

Or take a lesson from Mary’s unwavering faith. Just think of the souls that have been and will be saved because she dared to believe the God of the impossible—and do the same. “For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.” –Habakkuk 2:3.

Friends, Jesus assures us that He will return at a time predestined and known only to the Father. Like Simeon, we don’t know when God will fulfill His promise, only that He will. Today, maybe, or tonight? Five days, weeks, or years from now, twenty-five perhaps—who knows when? Timing is not the point—Truth is. Don’t allow the times to distract you from the Truth. Jesus will return. Are you ready to receive Him? That’s all that matters. “The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9.

A Servant’s Heart

December 2, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” –Mark 10:45.

One of the greatest honors of being a part of the Body of Christ is servanthood. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another brother or sister. I am not speaking of literally dying or sacrificing yourself for someone, but of taking time out of your life and committing to serve a fellow church member or neighbor.

Each of us plays a unique role in the Kingdom of God.We were not born without purpose. YOU, FRIEND, HAVE PURPOSE!

If we are members of the Body of Christ, then today’s Scripture verse is a model of how we all ought to participate in service to each other. It may be a short Scripture; however, it is weighty.

Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Living Word of God.

Scripture tells us the Word became flesh and dwelt with man for a time. Here on earth, Jesus took on the role of a servant rather than a King. And instead of lording His Majesty over us, He chose to have a relationship with us. Jesus went to the Cross, knowing that all the Father had sent Him to do had been accomplished. He stepped down from heaven and took on the form of a man, knowing what He would endure would result in the salvation of many. Jesus endured the Cross, taking on our punishment. He who knew no sin freely took your sin upon Himself, a divine exchange.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it to be robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the Cross.” –Philippians 6:5-8.

Jesus did not consider Himself equal to God the Father, and He did not act on His own behalf.

Jesus saw Himself as a reflection of the Creator of heaven and earth, and in John 5:19, He says as much: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

Jesus constantly communicated with His Father, demonstrating true communion and relationship. From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the Father was always with Him. Scripture tells us Jesus came out of the water of His baptism, and the heavens opened, and in that moment, we get to witness the relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17.

We see the love of the Father physically expressed when the heavens opened, and immediately, God stated how pleased He was with his Son.

A genuine relationship with God starts when we say yes to our Lord Jesus and surrender all to Him—denying our flesh daily. Ridding ourselves of a “me first” mindset means looking to God in every circumstance and humbling ourselves as servants. “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 sake will find it.” –Matthew 16:24-25.

We deny ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom that God may get the glory, not us. I am not sure about you, but that can be a humbling undertaking for me. One I cannot do in my own power or will.

Our shoulders are too small to carry such a load. But with Jesus and the Holy Spirit at work in us, our work gets lighter and is not burdensome. In John 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, for you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Now, some people hear the word yoke and instantly think of the yellow of the egg, but Jesus is talking about a heavy piece of wood or leather placed on an ox team to plow the fields in preparation for seeding. The hard ground must be broken up so that the Sower can sow his seed—so, too, in a man’s heart.

When we go out to do Kingdom work wearing the yoke of “self,” whatever we put our hand to will become an incredible burden. Often, we will end up burning out and eventually giving up. This happens to so many brothers and sisters. They become weary in well-doing, forgetting the true purpose of service. We must focus on Christ when doing anything for our church, community, or brothers and sisters. Our hearts must be aligned with His heart. His yoke, strength, and Spirit at work in us are more than enough to finish whatever good works He had us begin.

Are you at peace when serving where God has planted you, or are you serving to be seen by those in leadership? Remember, dear friend, even those in leadership are accountable to Christ. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.” Your leaders may possess their roles, yet even they must remember from Whom their authority comes. 

Jesus continues in John 15:6, saying, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he will be cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

Are you feeling a bit dry and withered? My friend, if you continue trying to serve in your own strength, you will get sick in your mind and heart. Your feeling burned out is a red flag. Holy Spirit is saying, “Come back to Me and be filled; you are tired and dry.”

Run to the Word of God, sit at Jesus’ feet, and be replenished.

As for me, I do not want to serve as dry as a stick, and I pray that you do not either. 

My friends, I pray this has edified and stirred up something inside you. Know that Jesus can bring you the peace and strength you need to endure in every storm and every circumstance. Know that you are made for a purpose. To serve with joy!

Heavenly Father, I believe anyone reading this who has yet to know You as Savior feels You tugging on their heart and enters into a relationship with You. I pray they invite Jesus into their hearts and confess their sins before You. I pray that Your Holy Spirit brings peace to their minds as they confess Jesus as Lord over their lives because the Blood of Jesus is enough to wash away their sins. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray, Amen.

Choosing Sides.

November 18, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” –Philippians 4:4.

While in prison, Paul wrote to the church in Phillipi. Within His letter, he reminds them—and us—to rejoice. Did you catch that? While in prison himself, Paul reminds his brothers and sisters to rejoice.While in prison? Yes.

While going through our own trials? Yes. Every Blood-bought believer will one day face having to choose sides. Faith or fear?

Even at the bedside of your ailing child? When you lose your job, husband, wife, or home? When the doctor’s report is less than favorable? Yes, yes, emphatically, yes! As Christians, we can rejoice always, and, like Paul, we can do it despite the circumstances we find ourselves.

How?

Let’s start with the Truth—it’s not easy. We must be determined. But it is possible because God’s Holy Spirit at work in us affords us the ability to choose rejoicing over sadness or despair, allowing God to dress us in garments of praise rather than our walking alone, clothed in rags of sorrow. Contrary to how we may feel, choosing to rejoice at all times, in every circumstance, will anchor us to God and bolster our trust in Him as we walk by faith. “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].” –1 John 5:4.

1 John 5:4 and Philippians 4:4, along with countless other scriptures found throughout the Bible, point us to the Source of our ability to “rejoice in the Lord always.” As with anything of eternal value, Jesus, by the power of His Holy Spirit at work in us, gives us the ability we do not possess apart from Him to overcome, to choose to rise above our trials.

Like love and forgiveness—right and wrong, following the narrow or wide paths, character over comfort—we must intentionally choose to rejoice. Each of the above is a by-product of our will, forged by our obedience to God, His will, and Word.

Do you remember pick-up? When you and your friends would choose teams to play some schoolyard game? Two captains would be selected while everyone else lined up and waited for their names to be called. “I choose John.” “I choose Sarah.” On and on it went until everyone had been picked. Regardless of the game, those chosen to play knew there’d only be one winner, yet that knowledge never stopped them from hoping they’d win and giving it their all.

Friends, we are both team captains and those waiting to be chosen. Each is afforded the free will to choose who and what we will serve daily. Fear or faith? The Spirit or the flesh? Like those waiting to be picked, we who stand in line know that one day, perhaps two, our names will be called. Eventually, we’ll hear:

“I’m so sorry to inform you that your mom, dad, husband, wife, childhood friend has just passed away.”

“I’m going to have to let you go. I’m so sorry this comes at such a bad time.”

“Your test results didn’t come back quite as we’d hoped.”

Jesus never promised our lives would be easy—free from heartache, loss, pain, or difficult choices—quite the opposite. He assures us that if we are His, if we smell like sheep, then, like our Shephard, our name will eventually be called to come pick up some cross whose weight we’d fall under, if not for the One helping us to shoulder it—the One, in Truth, who carries its weighty load for us. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” –2 Corinthians 12:9.

Notice how the above Scripture assures us of God’s help “each time” He chooses us to carry such a cross.

It reminds us, too, that we have a choice to make. We’re free to go it alone—kicking the dirt, head down, focusing on everything that’s gone awry—or we can look up! At any moment, we can decide to accept God’s Truth and the sure hope that weeping over our loss of anyone or anything—any circumstance or “suddenly” allowed to touch us, may endure for a night, but joy will come again.

In this knowledge, we take comfort in and are kept afloat by the fact that nothing can touch our lives without first having passed through the hand of our Sovereign God. “Then he broke through and transformed all my wailing into a whirling dance of ecstatic praise! He has torn the veil and lifted from me the sad heaviness of mourning. He wrapped me in the glory-garments of gladness.” –Psalm 30:11. This knowing—coupled with our understanding that our God is good, loving, kind, merciful, ever-present and will always bring good from even the darkest, most difficult of days, weeks, months, out of every trail, whose intended end is to refine us—causing us to look more like Jesus.

Still, Jesus will not allow evil, injustice, or any trial we might face—those He sends or allows to strengthen and refine us—to overcome us. “As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.” –Ezekiel 34:13;16-17.

As captains, or those waiting to be chosen, we must decide how we’ll respond one day when our “suddenly” shows up. Will we walk in the flesh—kicking the dirt, looking ever downward? Or look up by faith, daring to believe God. Daring to be transparent and with a trembling humble, voice cry aloud, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief,”

So here it is, friends, the how-to and the why of it. “Let joy be your continual feast. Make your life a prayer. And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus.” –1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Dear friend, if you’re here today, doing your best to keep your head above water without Jesus, I would encourage you to invite Him into your heart and circumstances. Even if you need to be sure He’s listening or cares. He is, and He does. Jesus is big enough to handle your doubts and fears. Just pray, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” If you sincerely seek Him, I assure you He will answer you. “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.” –Matthew 7:7.

Fight The Good Fight!

September 30, 2023 /

Adam Nichols

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.” –2 Timothy 4:7.

Throughout the life of a believer, there will be hardships, struggles and pain. As Christians, we are called to persevere—keep moving forward. As difficult as that may be at times, we must remember we fight and push on from a place of Victory—through Jesus Christ.

The battles we face, we do not face alone.

Our Lord promises “…never to leave us nor forsake us.”—Deuteronomy 31:6.

We are called to fight the good fight and run our race in the power of the Greatest, most victorious Warrior ever, Jesus! God’s plans for us through these battles, their purpose often, is to strengthen us and our faith.

Last year, I stepped out in faith and bought my first truck. As a truck driver, I wanted to be more independent and create greater financial freedom for my family. But my business has experienced more valleys than mountain tops over the past year. It has been quite a fight and a long, gruelling race. Yet the Lord has been my Rock, the One holding it together. My faith has been shaken and tested at times. And many times, I’ve wondered if I would make it. If I could keep fighting? If I can continue the race?

In James 1:2-4 He writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters. Whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Through these trials and my various fights, I realized the Lord was doing a work in me.

God is stretching me and strengthening my resolve to keep the faith. To become more mature and complete, to serve Him better. So, today, I can testify because of my own perseverance, encouraging you to keep fighting and running your race. To tell you God is with you, He is for you, and He is doing mighty work in you in every season of your life.

My friends, be thankful on the mountain and in the valley. To God be the glory, Amen!

If you are reading this and have not given your life to Christ, beginning a genuine relationship with Him, then do it today while there is time. In Revelation 3:20, God’s Word says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” God will never force His way into your heart. So, will you open the door and welcome Him in today? If so, pray this simple but Life-changing prayer with me: Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart and change me from the inside out. I repent of my sins; make me into who You created me to be. I believe You are the Son of God, who died for me and rose again in victory, defeating death. Have Your way, Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.

Rebuild You Say?

September 9, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

In Loving memory of our Mother, Edna Dennis

“…Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” –Nehemiah 4:2

Rebuild? Move forward? How, Lord? My strength is gone. My thoughts are fractured and muddy. My heart is little more than rubble—pieces charred by this searing inferno of grief.

My mother is gone!

But You know that—You took her Home!

Yes, I know, in Your mercy, You answered my prayers—our prayers, that she might not suffer any longer, and I thank You for answering us, but if You will, answer me this as well:

What am I supposed to rebuild from this giant heap of pain? “Partner with Me,” You say. Give You my heart? Yes, that’s right! Rebuilding, reshaping, New Life, only You can do that. Only You breathe life into what’s dead—reviving it.

Only You know my end from my beginning.

But what can You build with charred rubble? “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” –Jeremiah 18:4.

These thoughts raced through my head as I read Nehemiah, Chapters Three and Four. I knew the Holy Spirit was telling me it was time to rebuild. After all, He was the One who had just spoken to my heart, nudging me to read His Words.

He said He would use all the broken pieces of the last season, things that appear defunct, to build a new foundation—start a new chapter, just as He did for those who have gone before me. Our Father is faithful like that. He doesn’t play favorites.

So what do you do when someone most dear to your heart is taken away?

When you feel feeble, raw, and exposed—at your most vulnerable?

When God takes back the very one He used to bring you into His world? To deliver you into the life He had mapped out for you from before the foundation of the world? When everything inside of you is silently screaming in pain so thick and exacting that breathing becomes a chore—as does everything else.

Like Job, you mourn, howl, question, sob, and then wait for God to rebuild: one trusting step at a time. “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” –Job 1:21.

You do the next thing.

In your own power? Not a chance. You have nothing left.

You rebuild by grabbing hold of God’s outstretched Hand so tightly that fusion happens, complete Oneness—absolute surrender. Then, from the bond forged between you, welded together by love and trust, you allow His Holy Spirit to lead, as is your privilege. You let Him place one of your feet in front of the other—in His good time, inching you closer and closer to your life’s purpose—reflecting the image and likeness of His Son, our Lord, Jesus. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” –2 Corinthians 3:18.

You allow God to use the rubble of your broken heart. Seared and scared by grief so deeply rooted in your bones, it feels as if any attempt at removing it might cause your foundation to collapse. And collapse it must—because God is doing a new thing. “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” –Romans 8:28.

Hear me, please. I do not profess to understand how God accomplishes all of this—that’s far beyond my ability to comprehend. Neither can I say that it feels good as He’s working things together for my good, but what I can say with absolute confidence is this: I serve a Good, Good Father whom I do not need to understand in full to know that He loves me—loves all those called by His Holy name. “So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” –1 Corinthians 9:26.

I trust Jesus.

I choose to place the total weight of my faith, every sliver of my now-broken heart, into His Omniscient, Omnipotent, nail-pierced Hands.

My faith in my Father, more, His overwhelming love for me demands that of me.“Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes!” –Romans 11:33-36.

When will this fog lift? I cannot say. Only God knows.

When will I see this new thing, the new version of myself Jesus is bringing forth, the beauty springing up from the ashy cinders of my heart? I don’t know. Soon. Whatever that means.

In the meantime, I will do the next thing while God rebuilds using whatever remains.

I will worship, pray, and praise God’s precious Name; I’ll serve Him because these are the fruits of a new creation. Byproducts birthed in me by His Holy Spirit. Because He lived, died and rose again on the third day my old man has passed away; my new man knows only Jesus, His amazing grace and mercy-full love. “For I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].” –1 Corinthians 2:2.

Still, I’ll ask your forgiveness for any scrape or bruise I may cause as God’s Holy Spirit continues His work in me, repairing the charred rubble in this season of new beginnings, and I’ll turn to Jesus, in faith knowing, “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” –Psalm 138:3;7-8.

Beloved of God, I know sharing the news of my mom’s passing with you is personal. But you’re family. You are my brothers and sisters in Christ. And so I trust because of this, you will pray for me and my family as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death—and we will. I, for one, have staked my life on this Truth.

And please say yes, you whom God is wooing, calling to Himself—to become His child—my new brother or sister. I need you; we, the Body of Christ, need you. We need what only you have to offer us all. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” –1 Corinthians 12:12;18-20.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

Reflectors…

May 27, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night.” Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence.” –Isaiah 62:6.

A restless Saviour calls upon his people to be restless, and to make the Lord himself restless – to give him no rest till his chosen city is in full splendour, his chosen church complete and glorious. –Charles Spurgeon.

Reflectors are not a light source; they contain no light of their own. Instead, they catch and release light already present, reflecting it outwardly. So, the job of the reflector is singular and simple: to consistently reflect light in the darkness. Thus, in many instances, their presence alone helps to avert potential bodily harm or even death.

Think of their job this way: You’re driving down a poorly lit side street at night, and the only thing standing between your hitting and possibly killing the pedestrian or cyclist on the side of the road with your car is your headlights catching the reflectors on their bicycle or safety vest. Just in the nick of time, you’re able to swerve—crisis averted. At that moment, you’d more fully appreciate and understand the importance of a reflector.

You, dear Christian brother, or sister, are that reflector.

You are called to catch the love of Christ: His mercy, humility, kindness, and generosity, reflecting it outwardly into a dark and dying world. By faithfully staying in your proverbial lane, pedestrian as that may feel or seem at times, God will use you to pierce the darkness surrounding that one who may have otherwise been hurt or killed. “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” –Jude 1:22-23.

In this world’s thick, ever-increasing, thick darkness, God has chosen you, beloved, to first catch and then reflect the Light of His presence to everyone you meet. “Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” –John 12:44-46.

As with the Prophets of old, those who carry the Light of Christ within are called to pray without ceasing—to intercede, then intercede some more. To be a faithful and true witness of God’s Love, Truth, Mercy, and Righteousness that is in Christ Jesus. To faithfully share the Truth of the Gospel while standing in line at the grocery store, sitting in the doctor’s office, the airport, whenever and wherever the opportunity affords. They are to consider others—and their needs, above our own—hard, I know.

In and of ourselves, even the saintliest of us does not possess the ability to live wholly selflessly. And, though Christ lives in us, a mystery too great to grasp, our sinful flesh perpetually prohibits us from fully living and loving as Jesus did—commands us to.

The Apostle Paul knew and grappled with this ugly Truth. His conclusion?

Only by God residing in us, empowering us to do what we, in and of ourselves, never could, is even having the desire to love selflessly possible. Even then, our very best attempt at such love is flawed, anemic, and flaccid. Why? There are two natures at war within us. Christ, alive in us, our Spirit man, our true self wars against our carnal flesh, the body and soul we possess still, while we await the day when we will fully be as Christ is.

“For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent). So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.” –Romans 7:15-20.

Our carnal man is self-serving. Hence, why we must die daily to this flesh that wants what it wants when it wants it, and instead, pick up our cross, following Christ’s example of Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests] and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].” –Matthew 16:24.

Reflectors warn the world, one soul at a time, of the danger of walking in darkness, of the coming judgment that will soon visit this world and all who reject Jesus and His free gift of salvation.

We demonstrate God’s love, mercy, and great desire that not one person perish.

We share our testimony—making clear that it was in a pit of filth, despair, and depression, in a church pew or the throws of addiction, where Christ may have found us. And how, because of His great love, grace and mercy, Jesus stepped in and pulled us out of that pit, shining His Light into our darkness, on our addictions, saving us from sin and death’s grip on us. Then He stood us firmly and safely in His Kingdom of Light instead. “This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins.” –1 John 4:9-10.

And so, fellow reflectors, we must, have been commanded—to bring the Light of God’s Love, a Light we have been freely given, into this “poorly lit side street” of a world. One that is losing hope and faith in ever finding such a Love. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” –Matthew 10:8.

Dear friend, if you’ve never experienced such Love or felt sought after, protected, or cared for, I encourage you to consider this God’s way of ensuring you are Loved and sought after, that Jesus wants to care for you, if you’ll let Him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16.

Won’t you ask Jesus to come into your heart, confess your sins, and begin to reflect His love into the world?

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