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

Tag: faith (Page 2 of 14)

Humblest Of Beginnings.

December 20, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” –Luke 2:14

As we approach Christmas, we are reminded of what makes us a Christian: We are sinners who have been saved by grace, washed clean, made new in Christ Jesus. We believe Christ is who He says He is, the only begotten Son of the Father, God in the flesh. That He was born of a virgin, was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, defeating sin, death, and the grave. All of this goes far beyond our being associated with Him in name alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” –Ephesians 2:8-9

 Without our having this relationship with Jesus, who is the only Way to the Father, we cannot rightfully call ourselves anything but His sinful and lawless creations.

Jesus Christ is not only the reason for the season—He is so much more. Jesus is our salvation. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” –Acts 4:12

So we give glory and praise to God for the amazing Gift He has bestowed on men.

All of humanity was plunged into sin and darkness after the fall of man. Sin had entered the world, and death reigned over all creation. But God, in His mercy, made a way for all humanity to escape sin and death by bringing His Son, Jesus, the Savior, into the world. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we behold His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” –John 1:14.

When it seemed there was no hope, God brought Light into this world, pushing back the darkness that overshadowed it. Jesus said, “I have come as a light unto the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” –John 12:46-47

This babe grew into a man who wore the mantle of a King. A King who would defeat death and sin forever, and the prophet Isaiah foretold of Jesus’ Lordship: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” –Isaiah 9:6

Seven hundred years after Isaiah prophesied, God set His plan in motion by sending the angel Gabriel to Mary in a little backwater town called Nazareth. Was there anything special about Nazareth? No. Was Mary a special girl? No. Yet God has a way of using the unlikeliest of persons and places to accomplish His will and plan.

Gabriel tells Mary, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” –John 2:28. The Bible tells us that Mary had found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” –Luke 1:31-33

God’s perfect timing for the soon arrival of His only begotten Son was falling into place. Mary, betrothed to Joseph and pregnant with Jesus, journeyed toward Bethlehem.

Scripture reminds us that a decree from Caesar Augustus had gone out, requiring everyone to return to their hometowns to be registered. While in Bethlehem, Joseph’s hometown, the time came for Mary to give birth. “And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city. So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was with child. While they were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth to her Son, her firstborn; and she wrapped Him in [swaddling] cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no [private] room for them in the inn.” –Luke 2:3-7

The fullness of God’s Divine timing had come; Jesus, the Light of the world, was born.

Right about this time, the Bible tells us of an encounter another group of people had. Those seen as nobody, the lowly shepherds, tending their flocks in the field.

Shepherds were considered the lowest of the low. Still, God intended them to be the first to witness this amazing miracle. “In the same region there were shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah)” –Luke 2:8-11.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, you may be seen as insignificant by the world, but not by God. He loves you deeply.

You may feel like no one sees you, but God does.

You are a masterpiece in His eyes, and He has a purpose for you, just as He did for those shepherds who could hardly believe what they had just witnessed.

Yet how incredible it must have been for them to be witnesses of God’s heralds as they announced the Saviour had come into the world. There may be times when God extends us an invitation that seems unreal, too big, too impossible, as He did to those lowly shepherds. The Bible tells us, “When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying one to another, ‘Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this [wonderful] thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the Baby as He lay in the manger. And when they had seen this, they made known what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were astounded and wondered at what the shepherds told them.” –Luke 2:15-18

It brings God joy when we tell others about Jesus. How can we keep this amazing gift of salvation to ourselves?

You may feel unnoticed, unqualified to share such an invitation. Still, you became a witness to God’s mercy the day Jesus came into your heart. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” –John 1:12

God’s invitation to salvation through Jesus is real. In fact, it is the most real thing anyone will ever receive, and it’s been extended to anyone who will call on Jesus. If you sense Jesus is calling you, do not walk away; instead, accept His invitation, His free gift of salvation. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” –Revelation 3:20

I pray your Christmas season be filled with the same joy and peace the angels proclaimed that night in Bethlehem. I pray that as you look at the lights on your tree, you remember the Light of the world who hung on the cross and took all your sins upon Himself. I pray you will share the invitation to know Jesus, and be a witness to all men; not every gift given this season will come wrapped and tied with a bow.

All of us at SonsoftheSea pray you experience the True gift of Christmas, the Joy of the Lord, and His salvation. Amen.

He Didn’t Stay In The Manger…

December 13, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

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 5:5

In The Chronicles of Narnia, there is a brief conversation between Mr. Beaver and Susan regarding Aslan. Quite matter-of-factly, Mr. Beaver states, “Aslan is a lion: the Lion, the great Lion.’ Ooh,’ said Susan. ‘I’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.’

‘Safe?’ said Mr. Beaver, ‘Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Like Susan, many today don’t know King Jesus.

Susan, a fictional character who traversed the made-up land of Narnia and questioned who Aslan was, is not unlike the very real people alive today in our real world, so-called. Those who question who Jesus really is still surprise me. Now, I don’t mean questioning in a sincere, searching-for-Truth way, to know Him or learn more about Him, we’ve all done that. No, I’m talking about those who flat out question anything and everything even remotely related to Jesus, just because it’s Jesus. I know, it shouldn’t bother me, I’ve read the Scriptures, about hearts that will be hardened toward Him, those who will literally shake their fist in His face! It all just hurts my heart. That’s my Husband, they’re belittling!

Is it because they can’t see past Him as a newborn, wrapped up and helpless—a baby like all the other babies they’ve seen in countless manger scenes, no different. “How could such a wee helpless thing possibly save me?” they think.

Some of these same souls point out that Mouhammad was a baby once, too, as were Buddha and Krishna—and each of them grew up and claimed to offer the same path to eternal life as Jesus. “Why does it have to be Jesus?” they think. “Maybe one of them will save me, why not?”

 No, blind soul! They cannot! They were counterfeits—all of them—mere men, all dead and buried now. There is but One True and Living King, Jesus, the Christ. He alone is eternal. He alone is the only Way to the Father. “Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” –John 14:6

Many have heard of Jesus, of course. In fact, they’ve used His name rather loosely after stubbing their toe or after experiencing some sudden fright. They don’t cry out, “Oh, Mouhammad!” Heartbreaking, really, that so holy a name as Jesus is so often used in the most unholy of ways. But I digress…

Even those who act deaf, deny Jesus’ existence, run from Him out of fear of letting go of the sins that so easily beset them, have all heard of Jesus. Of this, He’s made sure. Creation testifies to Him, His Majesty, Power, and nature, day after day. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” –Romans 1:20

Aside from hearing of Jesus, like Susan, most have heard stories about Him, especially at Christmastime.

Stories of a baby born in a manger to a young virgin girl named Mary. They’ve heard the story about the angel announcing His birth to the shepherds in the field. They’ve heard of the star and the wise men. Some have even heard the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ miracles, His healings, and of Him raising some guy named Lazarus from the dead.

Maybe these same souls who cannot reconcile Jesus within themselves have only heard Jesus’ tiny cry—spiritually speaking. A babe’s voice, making no demand on their lives, unlike the voice of the King we serve, the King who commands us, “Follow Me.”

There was a cry let loose from untried lungs, sending unformed Words out into that night long ago, a proclamation to all who had ears to hear. “The Savior of the world has been born.”  

That same cry echoes around the planet, still.

I pray, somewhere in the depths of their fleshly hearts, His Divine call will not, can not, go unheeded, and ears once able to hear only the sound of a wee babe in a manger will now hear the roar of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah calling out to them, “You are Mine!” “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” –Isaiah 43:1-2

There have always been voices.

Announcing. Proclaiming! Whispering. Rebuking. Judging. Thundering. Roaring voices that spoke and speak still, of the failures of God’s people, yet of hope and restoration, too.

The world was created by voices; Words spoken over the face of the deep by our Triune God, unheard by men, they roar still. God will have the final Word, and it will not return to Him void. It cannot. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.” –Revelation 1:7

Do you know Jesus? Or, like Susan in C.S. Lewis’ story, have you only heard tell of Him, unsure exactly who He is? Maybe you wonder if He is who He claims to be? Should you ever read his book, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, you’ll find that Susan not only comes to know Aslan (Jesus) for herself, but she serves Him all the days of her life. How wise she was. How I pray in all your wondering you’ll follow Susan’s example, and follow Jesus all the days of your life.

There have and will always be voices, dear friend.

The decision you’re faced with is the same all men have faced since that night in Bethlehem when Jesus’ untried lungs bellowed His unformed Words into the night sky, announcing what can never be unheard: “The Savior of the world has been born.”  

And having lived and died and conquered death and the grave, having resurrected, He’s coming back again. But not as a wee babe this time.

Jesus didn’t stay in the manger…“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” –Acts 4:12

Spirit and Truth.

November 29, 2025 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and Truth.” –John 4:23-24

When I first came to Jesus, I was paralyzed with fear in every area of my life. I felt like reading the Bible was just something every believer did, and I had to do it too, or else, but at the same time, I had such joy that I couldn’t wait to get to it daily. I read through those 66 books over and over. I couldn’t wait to finish so I could start over again. I would read the Scriptures whenever I had the chance. I even believed that if I didn’t read enough, God would be upset at me. Reading was a task I had to religiously complete in those days, maybe because of my background. All of this was great, and looking back, I realize that season was fantastic for enriching my knowledge of God’s history, His church history through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and my spiritual nourishment.

As I grew in Christ and the Holy Spirit, I came to a different understanding and realized that, for that season, I did what I was supposed to do; that was what my lifeline was in that season of my life. I will read my Bible continually till the day my eyes are too old to see, but I read with excitement and faith, not out of fear like I had in those early days. I understand that there may be times when I am unable to read. Still, God is Spirit who lives in me, and He ministers to me not only through the reading of His Word but also through His Holy Spirit. I now have this freedom, a place where I know I can receive from the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit wherever I am. When I seek my God in Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship, it brings my heart to a place of intimacy with God. I understand that my worship of Jesus is not dependent on a specific location or any other human demands, but comes from His word and the depths of my being where His Spirit abides.

Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth is my reality; it’s sincere from the depths of my heart, genuine, and like a river flowing from my depths into the heart of God. This happens when I read, I pray, worship to song, or sit at the feet of Jesus.

Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth draws me closer to my Lord through this intimacy, and my Lord draws closer to me. Oftentimes, when I have no words, my own Spirit within me cries out with groans as it says in Romans 8:26, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

Forty years later, I live free and believe God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet. I follow a daily step-by-step plan, along with my prayer life, fellowship, and intimate times with my Abba Father.

Now, when I read God’s Word, worship, pray, or engage in any other Christian activity, my head and my heart are both involved; it feels like my whole being is enthralled in the moment.

Those who worship Him worship in Spirit and in Truth, because He is “The Truth” we are desperate for. We might not see Him in person, but our Spirit knows how magnificent He is, how gentle and caring He is, and how kind He is to us.

Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth must be vital and genuine in our hearts, resting in an accurate perception of who God is to us personally. Spirit and Truth are inseparable in the life of the believer. Truth is associated with emotion, and Truth without emotion results in dead religion and artificial admirers. Equally, emotion without Truth produces empty frenzy, shallow people who don’t take discipline or reverence for God and His commands. This true worship comes from a deep, sound place within us, a deep love and sound doctrine. Our strong affection for our God when we worship in Spirit and in Truth is the bone and marrow of biblical worship.

We must encourage one another in the most holy faith as we move forward, serving the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Each minute is a celebration of life. Each Sunday, around the world, we, who make up His Body, gather to host spiritual, family events called “Church.” How wonderful it is to journey from the day we are born-again, through our water baptism, through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and on to grow through His Word, and fellowship with other saints, celebrating the grace and spiritual life Jesus gave us. We are blessed and highly favored by the One who calls us his children and heirs of His kingdom, forever living in His Kingdom with Him.

Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth is the essence of our connection to Jesus.

We must be intentional in our daily walk and diligently seek this connection with God’s Holy Spirit in the depths of our Spirit!

Father, help me to dive deeper into the waters of your Holy Spirit, teach me your Ways, and create in me a pure heart to seek after intimacy with you, be my strength when I am weak, and my stronghold when I need a hiding place. Deepen my understanding of your depth, and rescue me from the areas I need to recover in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Father, draw near to the one who needs you, the one who is seeking Truth, fill them with your Spirit, that they might be one with you even as you and I are one, I pray, in Jesus’ name.

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” –Jeremiah 29:11-13

Amen.

He Is For You.

November 22, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.” –Psalm 27:13-14

From Genesis through Revelation, we see Jesus—God’s Love for you and me. Having once wrapped Himself in human flesh, out of obedience and love for the Father, Jesus chose to leave behind the fullness of His Deity —to understand, empirically, our plight and pain; to partake in our elementary human experiences, and, ultimately, to fulfill the Father’s plan for our redemption. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.” –Hebrews 4:15

Have you ever faced a test or trial, a loss so devastating it left you feeling dismantled? Hollow? Cavernous or afraid perhaps, to move too quickly, lest you collapse in on yourself? Have you ever felt as though just one slight misstep could cause the proverbial dominoes that have suddenly become your life to fall, ushering in the end of things? What things, you weren’t quite sure of—but of their end, you were certain.

I have.

After having walked through the back-to-back deaths of four inimitable people in my life in just a few short years: husband, mother, brother, and my “other” mother, I felt gutted, hollow, a mere shell of myself; utterly alone in my pain. Able to relate, in some watered-down way, to my Savior who had also cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” –Matthew 27:46.

I had temporarily forgotten that none of those who passed away, loved as they were, was my Due North, my Guide or moral compass. Still, I felt as though I no longer knew which way was up or what I was doing.

For a long period of time, of which I’d lost complete track, my life consisted of tiny breaths and even smaller steps—feeling as though the mere weight of a feather landing on me would, without exaggeration, topple me.

There were moments when it felt as though my toes had touched the line of “If just one more thing happens, my cheese is going to slip right off my cracker.” Looking back on those days today, I, too, sometimes wonder: “What, what would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!”

How I thank God that not one more thing did happen.

Equally, I thank Him that I didn’t have to bear any of what had happened, on my own, alone. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4

How I thanked Him then and still today, for hemming me in. “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” –Psalm 139:5

For binding up my gaping wounds, ensuring I would not ever, even on the worst of days and those dark, long nights, be left alone to collapse in on myself. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]”. –Psalm 147:3

So to answer the question David poses to us, flesh and blood men, we bruised and life-battered reeds: “Surely, minus the God who never left nor forsook me, the God who came and sat and held and strengthened and brought to my remembrance every Word of His I’d ever read; His every promise to me, a life line throw at just the right time. I would have sunk into dark despair.”

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations. I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised.” –Psalm 119:105-107

How I thank God for Jesus, who would not let me slip away into the deep abyss of sorrow and despair that threatened to pull me under. Without Jesus and His Holy Spirit at work in me, I would have wished for death to release me from so much life-exacting pain. Truth be told, even with Him, and, like Him, there were moments when I cried out, “Take this from me, Lord! It’s too much! It’s killing me!” “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” –Matthew 26:38.

And He did.

In His unplumbed, unfathomable, undeserved mercy—He did. Knowing firsthand the exacting weight of crosses, Jesus lifted the weight of my cross from my weak-as-water shoulder.

Oh, how I bless Him. I bow before Him in complete acknowledgement of my absolute need for Him, my utter dependence on Him. His strength and kindness. His full awareness of my weakness, of this dirt and molecules form. Because of Jesus’ strength in my hour of weakness, I learned this Life-affirming Truth, yet again. is strength in my eweakness, I learned, theHIs”So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” –Isaiah 41:10

This same Jesus had me pour out my heart here, to you. Sharing some small slice of my testimony just for you, beloved of God. Because He knew you’d need to hear these words right now. To be reminded of His faithfulness and promises to you. To remind you, you are no more alone than I was—and you will, you will, because He lives, you will come through your storm. “And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death.” –Revelation 12:11.

Hear me now. You won’t come out of such a storm the same, so don’t expect that; it’s okay, you weren’t supposed to.

Such powerful winds are meant to uproot and carry some things away. What God will do and bring next will be far greater, stronger, and better than you can hope for. “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials / so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” –1 Peter 1:6-7

But, if you’ll just trust Him, His plan, trust that, contrary to how it may feel right now, God is not trying to kill you but to refine, strengthen, and build you into something so deeply rooted in Him you’re unshakable, then I promise, you will come out the other side of your trial or loss better, stronger, made more perfect, more like Jesus. As one who survived the storm, I can attest to the validity of this Truth. “Now this expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” –Hebrews 12:27

He is for you, Beloved of the Lord. Hang on, not in your strength, that’s impossible, but in His. Knowing that your roots are growing deeper as a result of the storm. “God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he’ll have compassion on you”. –Deuteronomy 30:3

Friend, times of trial, loss, and testing fall upon us all, the saved and yet saved alike. You must decide for yourself how you will endure such testing: in your own strength, or will you rely on the strength of the One who created you? Jesus, the One who knows your end from your beginning. He is for you, friend. The question is: will you give yourself to Him? “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. / You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” –Jeremiah 29:12-13.

Heeding the Shepherds Voice.

November 15, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” –John 10:27

I watched this amazing video of a shepherd giving a tour of his land to some tourists, and in the distance, you could see his sheep grazing. He told the tourists it was time for his sheep to come home and asked one of them to call them in. He told them that his sheep responded to the word “come”. A young woman stepped out and yelled the word “come,” but not one sheep showed up.

The shepherd looked at her with a smile, then asked the gentleman next to her if he would try to call his sheep in. The shepherd told the man to really yell this time, and as the young man stepped up, he called loudly, “COME!!” “Surely, all those sheep must have heard me,” he thought. “I’m certain they’ll come running now.” Yet not one came.

“Why did they not come when we called them?” they asked.

You said to yell “come,” and we both did, “but not one of them came to either of us,” the young man said.

The shepherd answered by smiling, looking towards his flock, and yelling, “Come.”

No sooner did the shepherd call than the first few sheep came, baahing and making happy sheep noises. Then the rest of the flock followed. All in attendance were amazed and excited to see the sheep come to their shepherd. He looks at the crowd of people with a smile and says jokingly, “I guess they know me.”

From an early age, the shepherd is with his sheep.

He tends to them, paying special attention and care to the rejected baby lambs, known as bummer lambs. After a while, these sheep learn their shepherd’s voice, and, when hearing the voice of the one who cares for them, they answer only to his call. Jesus says, “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” –John 10:4

It was so beautiful to see how the sheep responded to their shepherd in that video, how they recognized his voice—the one who protects and cares for them —and how they ran to him when he called them to himself.

This is what Jesus did for all of His lambs: He died so we can live for all eternity with the Good Shepherd.

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door to the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” –John 10:7-9

What I found interesting was that when the first two people tried to call the sheep in but weren’t able to, not one sheep responded. It reminded me of the people who claim that all religions lead to God when Jesus clearly declares, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6

The sheep trust the shepherd to bring them to safe places to graze and to keep them out of harm’s way; there are many dangers out in the pastures.

There are wild animals, like wolves, who try —notice I said try —to come and snatch any sheep that has strayed, is alone, exposed. Others, known as thieves, try to steal a few sheep away for themselves. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” –John 10:29

Jesus warns us to be careful of false teachers and false prophets.

When you are rooted in Christ and know His word, listening only to your Shepherd’s voice, nothing can snatch you out of His hand. Your salvation is secure in Christ Jesus. In Psalm 23, the psalmist writes, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness For His name sake.” –Psalm 23:1-3

Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, be careful about what you watch on television and scroll through on social media. With the introduction of AI, many false teachers have been set loose, and deception is running rampant. Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, inwardly are ravenous wolves.” –Matthew 7:15

They may look like shepherds, but when they speak, they only mimic what they’ve heard their father speak: lies and deception. “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” –John 8:43-44.

The same kind of lies the serpent in the Garden of Eden told Adam and Eve: “You will not surely die.” –Genesis 3:4.

That one lie led to the fall of all mankind.

All those who follow wolves-in-sheep’s-clothing —those who claim their path is the right way —will sadly find out in the end that what they were told, believed, and followed was a lie. There is salvation in none other than Jesus Christ, not Buddha nor Mohammad, or Allah—only Jesus. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” –Acts 4:12.

Follow the thief, that counterfeiter, and you will remain unsaved, in your sin, because he cannot lead you to only One who can redeem you. Jesus promised that you will live for all eternity with the Father if you follow Him, the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” –John 10:10-11

Stay in the Word of God, my dear brothers in Christ. Stay close to the Shepherd, stay alert, and by the power of His Spirit at work in you, you’ll be able to distinguish lies from His Truth.

God’s Holy Spirit will expose those who teach lies and deceit. Jesus declared, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” –John 16:13

Jesus has sealed all who believe in the same Holy Spirit, He promised us. “In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God].” –Ephesians 1:13

My dear friends in Christ, I urge you to stay close to your Shepherd. I know I have said this many times in this teaching, but for your sake, I’ll repeat it: stay close to the shepherd.

It’s growing darker, brothers and sisters, and we need to be empowered by God’s Holy Spirit daily. But be encouraged: God is for you, my dear brothers, and as it says in scripture, “If God be for us then who can be against us?” –Romans 8:31

In closing, I’ll say we at Sons of the Sea are praying for each of you. So, to those of you who may be reading this blog for the very first time and want to know more about our Good Shepherd, Jesus, He desires to walk with you and so longs to have a relationship with you. Call on Jesus today and repent of your sins. Receive the free gift of salvation and believe that He is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life. “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.” –John 5:24

Amen.

The Grace To Let Go.

November 8, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—A time to be born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.” –Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Seasons are appointed by God, in nature, and in the lives of His children. If you’ve walked through a few of your own, you know seasons change, and that letting go of a season can be a challenge. Painful—at first, laden with goodbyes. Our natural eyes focus on what we’ve been asked to release, move on from. Our fleshly desire is to cling, to remain the same, to foster what’s become comfortable—consciously or not. Initially, we don’t see — maybe can’t see — what’s actually happening. Growth! God tapping into gifts and talents we didn’t even know we possessed.

Gideon can attest.

In Judges 6:11-40, read how God tapped into Gideon’s gifts, how He used them for His glory.

Beloved, as with Gideon, a new season is now upon us. God is tapping into us, desiring that we now produce new or different fruits.

Even the absolute best of seasons end.

Summer must give way to Spring, who steps aside for Fall, who shelters itself from Winter’s frozen grip before each will come around, yet again: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9

The question facing us then becomes: will we have the grace to let go?

For me, this season changed suddenly—at least, that’s how it felt. I’ll admit it took me a second to get my bearings and take my feelings of loss, my desire to hang on, and my admitted questioning, before the Lord. The Lord, whom I know, from experience, gives and takes away.

I’ve walked with Him, through the valley of the shadow of death, several times, with both parents, my brother, and my husband. He’s asked me to sell the “treasures” I’ve accumulated and give the money to the church. To leave behind a cushy job, an apartment, and my beloved church family in Waikiki, Hawaii, and then move to the frozen Mainland of Massachusetts. Where, specifically? He didn’t say.

“Go back to Massachusetts.” I had a clue as to where, but that’s it.

I had to trust He’d show me exactly where when I got there. So, I and what I could fit into my two suitcases, a carry-on, and two cardboard boxes boarded the plane by faith.

I share this only to emphasize God’s faithfulness.

To help you and me remain faithful and steadfast when our season shifts again, suddenly, because it will. To encourage us both to be intentional about keeping a very loose grip on anything in this world—our loved ones, ministry, our finances, etc.

We never know when God may ask us to return His gift; we know, or should, that they are never ours, not for keeps. “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” –Job 1:21

Lastly, to remind you, it’s solely by God’s Holy Spirit at work in us that we’ll ever accomplish such a feat. “Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit” –Zechariah 4:6.

My true character—that is, the Godly character He has been faithfully, painstakingly cultivating within me over my 18-year walk with Him—was quickly revealed during this most recent “season.”

Truth be told, I’m thankful it was.

I learned a few things about myself—starting with the condition of my heart. Areas that need much more submission, obedience, and surrender.

Still, God, in His mercy, allowed me to see I’ve grown, and am growing, still. Learning just how low my King is willing to bow to maintain a relationship with the likes of me.

Spiritual growth is imperative to our faith walk—if we’re not growing and changing, something’s wrong; we’re likely regressing—or, God forbid, dying. “Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.” –John 15:2.

And yes, it is biblical to check ourselves. We’re supposed to. “So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].” –Philippians 2:12

Thus far, beloved, this season is definitely putting my growth and maturity in Christ to the test!

Yet, what guides me, no, Who it is that guides me, my Lord, assures me, change is of Him, it’s part of His plan.

He’s preparing me — preparing us, beloved — for His next.

The Holy Spirit is cultivating our environment, perhaps transplanting us, so that we might continue to grow. He’s nurturing our vineyard, pruning, and tilling our soil.

Keeping it agricultural, God is readying us to bear our next “crop.”

Anyone who has experienced this knows that, though necessary for continued growth, being pruned, prepared, and transplanted can be painful—even when “we know that we know God is at work in us. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” –Philippians 2:13

I choose Jesus. To follow Him. Hands down. Again today, and forever, I pray.

This peace I have, to release what He first placed in my hands, and trust Him with this new season: the changes, the yet unexplored territory, the new ground to be taken, the next mountain to be climbed, the valley I will walk through—is happening according to Jesus’ Perfect will for my life and all He’s entrusted to my care. And, though I know moving forward things are going to look and work differently, Peace whispers, “This is the Way, walk in it.”  –Isaiah 30:21

So I follow Him. And I encourage you to do the same, beloved of God.

I’m praying over your new season as if it were my own. If you belong to my Father, we’re family, and I want only God’s perfect will for your life—God knows my heart. And if we’re not yet family, we can be, if you want to be. Ask my Father to be yours, and mean it. He’s waiting for your return with open arms. “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” –Luke 15:20

One day, screens will no longer separate us, and how I long to one day hear you say, “God heard my prayer, and He came, just as He said He would. And though it was painful to let go, because I knew it was of Him, I did!”

Beloved, we must choose to follow God’s path, even when it narrows or becomes difficult to navigate. It’s the only sure Way to thrive in any season. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Burden Carriers.

November 1, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” –Romans 15:1

Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to help those who were looked down upon—the least of these. I always thought people should be treated the same, with the utmost respect and kindness. Some may disagree or call that naive, but that is my heart. These were the values my parents instilled in my kid sister and me as we were raised. We were taught to address older men as “sir” and women as “ma’am”.

We were also taught to help out our neighbors or play with the new kid on the block.

Yet no one in my family was saved—me included.

Sure, we had some Catholic upbringing and maybe went to church two Sundays out of the month, but it is the morals and values our parents instilled in us that went with us every single day. And now that I am older and truly walking with Jesus, I see how He used their foundation to help propel me to where He is taking me. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

I believe God placed specific values in my parents’ hearts to teach my sister and me. As a result, we walk a little more steadily now that we are older. Not perfectly, but we know the difference between right and wrong.

With the ground of my heart now tilled, it was time for the Holy Spirit to lay His foundation.

Jesus teaches us, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will like him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” –Matthew 7:24.

That solid foundation, the Rock, Jesus, is where and in Whom our unshakable faith needs to be planted, my dear brothers and sisters. God has positioned you to be a person who “gets to” share the Gospel of Jesus Christ—to help influence others to give their life to Christ.

As the opening scripture says: “We then who are strong ought to bear the scruples of the weak, and not please ourselves.”

Those whom we get to share the Gospel with are often broken, tired, seeking Truth, just as we were before we came to Christ. They are weakened, burdened by the weight of the world; the Holy Spirit that dwells in you gives you the wisdom and strength to help those in need carry their heavy load.

We are not to exalt ourselves, thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, because we know the Truth—that Christ is to be exalted, reigning on the Throne of our hearts. Remember what Jesus said?  “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” –Matthew 20:28

Jesus, the Son of God, came to serve.

He did not look to His own needs first; He cared only about doing the will of His Father, by laying down His life so that all humanity might be saved from their sin. He counted the cost and gave His own life for all who would believe in Him.

He paid the ransom for sin, which calls for the shedding of blood, and Jesus willingly shed His Sinless Blood to cover the sins of the whole world. “[In fact] under the Law almost everything is purified by means of blood, and without the shedding of blood there is neither release from sin and its guilt nor the remission of the due and merited punishment for sins.” –Hebrews 9:22.

A Divine exchange took place on His Cross, the Sinless died in place of the sinful.

Jesus hung in the place you and I belong, taking upon Himself all of our sin, shame, and guilt. Even knowing in advance that He would die a horrible death, Jesus did it anyway. Why? For you and me and them. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” –John 12:32

Jesus did this so that whosoever believes in Him as Lord and Savior will be saved.

In John 3:16-17, the Apostle reminds us of this powerful Truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

 Jesus’ example of how to love — His unwavering love — ought to be the aim, the pinnacle of our walk with Him; that place we press on to reach by denying ourselves and serving people, especially those in the church. “So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).” –Galatians 6:10.

Paul writes to the church in Galatia, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” –Galatians 6:1-2. So when we see that brother or sister overtaken by sin, we need to come alongside them and speak Truth and Life into them.

We don’t coddle sin; we call it what it is, but we love that brother or sister in need.

Remembering, above all, from what and where Jesus rescued us —and how —we too can fall into temptation and sin if we take our eyes off Jesus.

This is why we need to be accountable to each other and hold each other up when we’re hurting. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” –Hebrews 10:23-25

Too many times, people have walked away from the Body, believing, falsely, they can handle life on their own.

I plead with you, brothers and sisters in Christ, to carry each other’s burdens.

And remember, there should be no competition between God’s kids.

No comparing ourselves to each other.

That is a worldly mindset. It has no place in the Kingdom of our God. “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling; As each one received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God “ –1 Peter 4:9-10.

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, we get to do this!

That should bring our hearts joy unspeakable!

How can we even think of competing with each other if our hearts are fixed on serving Jesus and doing what God has called each one of us to do? “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” –Ephesians 5:19-21

How can you not be excited when sharing the Gospel with someone in need of the Good News! “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms; so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” –1 Peter 4:10-11.

We have been freely given this gift of grace to share freely, no turning back.

Ask yourself: where would you be today if someone had never shared the Gospel with you?

Today, if you want to know who Jesus is, I invite you to repent of your sins and ask Jesus for His free gift of salvation. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10

Today is the day to be filled and made new. Jesus said, “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 gentile and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-30

Amen.

Coming Clean…

October 25, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” –Psalm 139:7-8.

This isn’t my original message. While searching for the page in my devotional where the inspiration for my original message came from, the above verses caught my eye, and the Holy Spirit began speaking. He wants to use what He has chosen to set us free, if we’re willing to come clean with Him. To stop hiding our sins. Stop lying to Him, playing the blame game, and fess up!

The first 18 verses of Psalm 139 leave no doubt about how intimately God knows each of us. Verses like: “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” Or “you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Long before our earthly parents had a clue as to who we’d become, God knew.

He knew the day you’d come into the world, and God knows the day you’ll depart: “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

God knows how you think. “You perceive my thoughts from afar.” 

And He knows what you’ll say—before you do. “Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.”

So what makes any of us think we can hide anything from the God who knows us far better than our earthly parents? Better even than we know ourselves. And yet, that’s what we try to do. Hide. Cover up.

As if!

We think God doesn’t know what we’re hiding, yet His Word makes it clear as water that long before it ever happened, God knew we’d try to hide it from Him!

This tendency to try to hide things from Jesus isn’t new, beloved.

Our impulse to hide from an Omniscient (All-Knowing) God was inherited from our original parents, Adam and Eve, after they ate what God told them would kill them—ending their face-to-face communion with Jesus and ushering in the physical death of the body. “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” –Isiah 59:2. Created in the image of God and brought into a perfect world, these two got to commune with Him, face-to-face, physically. “And they heard the sound the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” –Genesis 3:8.

Some scholars believe it was Jesus, Christ’s pre-incarnate appearance to men, whom Adam and Eve saw in the Garden, not God the Father.

They came to this conclusion by comparing numerous verses of Scripture, such as John 6:46: “Not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.”  And Exodus 33:20, where, while speaking to Moses, God the Father said: “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” These, coupled with numerous other Scriptures and the fact that Jesus is referred to as the Father’s physical representative on earth, all point to Jesus being the One Adam and Eve walked with in the Garden. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being”. –Hebrews 1:3.

Now, Adam and Eve may have been the first to see Jesus face-to-face, but they weren’t the last. So did Father Abraham, Jacob & Moses, and others; each experienced a pre-incarnate visitation from Jesus. Read about these for yourself. (Genesis 18; 32:30 & Exodus 24).

Based on the certitude of Hebrews 1:3, and a variety of Scriptures, we know and believe Jesus, being fully God yet fully man, did walk this earth in physical form, and was seen by His disciples and many witnesses both before and after His Resurrection: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” –John 1:1

The Apostle Paul, referencing Jesus’ resurrection, tells us this: 1 Corinthians 15:6: “After that, Jesus was seen by more than five hundred of the believers at the same time. Most of them are still living today, but some have died.”

Okay. Got it! But wait. Isn’t Jesus God?

Correct!

How then could Jesus appear to both Adam and Eve, His disciples, and a multitude of others, and they all not drop dead before Him, “if no man can see God and live” – Exodus 33:20?

This answer leads us to our final theological term of the day, Kenosis. Defined as “emptying,” the giving up of divine glory by the eternal Son of God when he became incarnate. And what better way than Scripture to answer “how” anyone could stand before Jesus and not be consumed: “Who, being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.r” Philippians 2:6-7.

So, now that we’ve tried to wrap our heads around God, unintelligible, so unsearchable as to be Triune in nature, and yet One, a mystery so great that not even the likes of Solomon could fully understand Him. So Mighty, He spoke, and a whole universe, with everything from unplumed galaxies to amoebas, appeared. How then can we think, after reading about God in Psalm 139 and every other Scripture offered up today, that we might conceivably hide anything from this Jesus, who, not even the darkest of nights can conceal anything from: “If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day for darkness is as light to you.” –Psalm 139:11-12

Yet, though Mighty, holding the power of Life and death in His hand, God is full of tender mercy, long-suffering, and Love. “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

 We need only go back to Genesis, to the Garden, to catch our first glimpse of this Truth.

There, we’ll read about the innocent blood of animals God shed to cover the sins of His guilty children, Adam and Eve, and, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, recognize His act for what it truly was: the foreshadowing of the innocent Blood Jesus, having been born in the flesh, would one day shed for the sins of every soul who’ll cry out to Him for forgiveness. “God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.” –Romans 3:25.

“And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for (the sins of all believers throughout) the whole world.”–1 John 2:2.

Don’t miss those last few Life-giving Words, friends: “but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.” To be forgiven of the sins Jesus foreknew you’d commit, Scripture says this: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10.

So, have you come clean with God?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Have you declared, believed, and professed to the One from whom not one thing you do, say, or think is hidden? “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” –Psalm 139:5-6.

To My Battle Weary Bride…

October 11, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“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

“While it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes, there is a God who has not surrendered authority.” –A. W. Towzer

Beloved of Jesus, despite the dark fractalness, the ever-increasing unruliness erupting around the world, though you’re bombarded daily by visual reminders of man’s bottom-of-the-barrel depravity, of the most monstrous, pure evil that, once seen, can never be unseen showing up on your television screens, or shamelessly spreading itself out across your news feeds, causing you perhaps, on your lowest of days, to feel as though Jesus has forgotten us; He has not!

The Lord has sent me today to remind you, His battle-weary Bride, that, despite however it may feel, Jesus is not far off; He is near. I’ve been sent to remind you, Jesus will never forget His promises to you: “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” –Deuteronomy 31:8.

You serve, or can serve, the One True God who is sternally near to His people, Immanuel, God with us.

This Jesus, who, having stepped out of time, wrapped Himself in human flesh to be born of a virgin, that He might know your pain, needs, joys, and sorrows, intimately, experientially, as a man alone knows, ginóskō, his wife. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.” –Hebrews 4:15.

 In Greek, Ginóskō is defined as the bond between close friends, God and his followers, or the sexual union between a husband and wife.

God gave Moses a promise to encourage and strengthen His people, Israel, and His same promise to Israel, and through them, to you, remains as fresh, sure, and steadfast today as it did the moment it left His mouth. What is this promise? “The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” –Deuteronomy 31:8

How can you know that what I’m telling you is true?

Simple. I didn’t say it. Jesus did. “Sky and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” –Matthew 24:35. The promise given to Moses to speak over God’s people, Israel, roughly 3.5 thousand years ago, carries the same weight today; God’s constant Presence and unfailing love remain unchanging. How? “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it?” –Numbers 23:19.

The same Jesus who knows the very number of hairs on your head is the same Jesus who has caught every tear you’ve shed in His bottle. “But [even] the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm…” –Luke 12:7.

He’s also the same Jesus who still knows when a sparrow falls to the ground dead. “Are not two little sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” –Matthew 10:29. Don’t miss the power of these closing, faith-testing, I trust You “even if” Words, beloved. “And yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”  

On this sentence hinges not only your sure, faithful footing for today, but also the sure foundation of hope and faith you’ll need to navigate everything happening around you, in the lives of others, and in the world at large in the days to come. You must, must, white-knuckle cling to the knowledge that God is Sovereign, contrary to what you may see happen, think, or feel. Period. Sure that nothing ever has or will happen in God’s world without His knowledge, outside of His “But God” way of bringing good from our pain and even the evil intentions of the enemy of our souls.

Yes, beloved, Jesus will bring good even from the death and destruction you see and hear of happening around the world today, viloent acts that shake you to your core, atrocities that cause even the most stalwart of believers to pause and pray for the strength to keep pressing forward despite what they’ve just witnessed, seen or read about. Choosing not to pretend it isn’t happening, but choosing instead to fix their eyes on Jesus and scream out if they must, “Jesus, I don’t understand any of this, but I trust you!”,

God has not forgotten you, beloved.

Jesus sees everything that’s happening to you and around you. And despite your inability to see it right now, He is making ALL things work together for your good.

Long before you were born, twelve men, much like yourself, willingly laid down their lives because they chose to hold fast, bulldog-like, to this one Truth. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” –1 John 1 1-4.

Their relationships with Jesus were so solid, so unshakable, that, even when they faced horrific, torturous forms of death, they did not deny Him. According to His Word, at the very hour of their earthly death, Jesus was somehow with them, steadying them, preparing them some way, to close their eyes to this world, only to open them again to the world He’d promised them would come. “For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death”. –Psalm 48:14.

If Jesus promises to guide us even unto death, and He does, how can you doubt that He’s not with you now?

Yes, it’s dark and getting darker, beloved, but remember, Jesus told you this would happen. So don’t panic, and don’t let fear or today’s headlines send you running to anyone other than Jesus.

Jesus is with you—and He’ll never leave you.

In closing, the Apostle Peter knew, like himself, you would have moments of doubt and questioning when fiery trials tested your faith. And so, to encourage you to hold fast to your faith and continue pressing on regardless, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, He wrote these Words to you, me, and all those who read them and will believe in Jesus, just how real and present He truly is—still.

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” –1 Peter 4:12-19. Emphasis mine.

Amen.

Undeniable Faith In Uncertainty.

September 6, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:5-6

I have asked this same question of Jesus a few times myself in my walk with Him, “Alright Lord, I have done what You’ve asked of me. I don’t know where we’re going next, but I trust You.”

Does this sound familiar to anyone? You know you heard God correctly and that you did what He asked of you; now for the “what’s next” part.

The moments of uncertainty God allows to help us grow in our faith and reliance on Him.

Just as muscles in the body need daily exercise and resistance for them to get stronger, our faith needs to meet resistance to grow as well. “Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” –2 Peter 1:5-8.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” –Hebrews 11:6.

We read of the disciples’ trust in Jesus throughout scripture. How they have left their homes, families, and places of employment when He called them to follow Him; everything they found safe and familiar was left behind to follow Him for three plus years.

God began directing their paths, and they all followed by faith, not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

Are you willing to do the same?

To “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not in your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

I love reading the New Testament scriptures and learning how Jesus called some of the disciples to follow Him.

Each of them had that one moment, that very personal, unique encounter with Jesus that changed their lives forever. And their encounter with Jesus continues to impact and change lives, still.

Jesus started His His ministry—to spread the Gospel and build His Church, with four fishermen from Galilee, Peter, Andrew, James, and James’s brother, John. When Jesus saw them, He said of them each, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

And you know what they did?

They left everything behind and followed Jesus.

Fishing was how they all made a living; yet when Jesus asked them to follow Him, they immediately dropped everything they knew and followed Him. Scripture doesn’t say they asked Jesus where they were going. These men had no agenda. By faith, they dropped their nets when He called them, quit what they knew, and went with Jesus. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” –Matthew 4:20

And then there’s Matthew.

How Jesus called Matthew is truly amazing to me. It shows me that no matter what people think of you, God will always have the final say.

Matthew was a tax collector for Rome before He encountered Jesus. During Jesus’ day, if you were a Jew and a tax collector, you were hated by your own people. Considered a sellout to their Roman oppressors. They were also hated because many tax collectors would overcharge the people and keep some of that money for themselves, lining their own pockets with money that had been hard earned by their Jewish brothers. But Jesus saw something more than what others saw in Matthew’s heart. “As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.” –Matthew 9:9

 Jesus knew Matthew’s occupation, sure, but He saw his heart—something valuable in him.

Your career will never outweigh the purpose God has for you.

Your job doesn’t define you.

Your true identity is revealed to you by Jesus once you have a genuine encounter with Him. Then, He will call you saying, “Follow Me, ” wherever He may lead you.

When I read how Jesus called Nathanael, I chuckled.

Nathaneal meets Jesus and is blown away by what Jesus says to him. They have never met, yet somehow Jesus knows all about Nathanael. “Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, and Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” –John 1:47

Jesus sees Nathaneal and knows how much he loves God.

There is no lie or deceit in him. That sounds to me like Nathanael keeps the Word of God close to his heart and has spent his life putting it into practice. Now, Nathanael gets to speak and serve Jesus, the very Word made flesh. “Nathanael said to Him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” –John 1:48

When you least expect Him to, God sees you.

 When you are at your happiest or at your lowest, God is there.

Jesus is present during times of uncertainty and He is also present when you’re feeling confident.

Scripture does not say why Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree. It simply states that God saw him there. How truly comforting this is for you and me. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:38-39

Nathanael knew God. Had been searching for Him. Yearning to see Him.  Nathanael didn’t need to see Jesus do miracles or teach the multitudes. What Jesus spoke to him was enough for him. So, when Jesus asked Nathanael to follow, Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree’, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” –John 1:50

I wonder if Jesus smiled when Nathanael answered Him? Why? Because in that one moment,  by Jesus just speaking to him, Nathanael believed Jesus was the Son of God. May we, the believers in Christ Jesus,  witness the “greater things” Jesus talked about with Nathanael.

Who is Jesus to you?

Jesus asked this same question of His disciples, and Simon Peter responded with this:

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” –Matthew 16:15-16

What a powerful declaration of faith.

Jesus is the Christ!

He is Lord!

Every Blood-bought believer will say, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior.” Yes, Jesus is your Savior, and yes, your sins have been washed away by Jesus’ Blood shed for you. And yes, Jesus gave His life for you so that you can live eternal life with the Father.

But is He your Lord and master? Or is He just a man who has good moral teachings? Is He one way to get to heaven? Or is Jesus your Lord and Savior? Does His Holy Spirit live in your heart, guiding you, calling you, as He did His disciples? Is Jesus Lord of your family? Your finances, job, and your decisions?

Do you obey His Word, or is your guide other people’s opinions?

Are you trying to please man or God? Does God have your full attention?

The apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I still please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” –Galatians 1:10

We don’t have all the answers. But because we have God’s Word, we do know this: All Jesus ever asked of His disciples was to “follow and obey Him.”

It’s no different for us; just follow Jesus, even if you don’t understand where He’s leading you yet, just be obedient and follow Him. It will all be made clear. As His follower, I can promise you that. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” –Galatians 6:9.

My prayer to my brothers and sisters is that, whatever the circumstances, God has the final say in your life. Be rooted in your faith and know that whenever storms come, Jesus has you. Amen. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will like him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” –Matthew 7:24-25

And for you, friend: Such undeniable faith can be yours. How? It starts with Jesus. He made it so simple for us to have a genuine relationship with Him that even a child can do it. Invite Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior. He promises He will come to anyone who sincerely invites Him into their life—no matter their past. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” –John 5:24

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