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

Tag: Forgiveness (Page 1 of 2)

Who Is Worthy?

August 10, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you. This is what I command you: Love one another.” – John 15:16-17.

I am so blessed to be back with you, my Sonsofthesea family! I truly have missed doing what our Lord has called me to do and connecting with all of you. God is very merciful and, like a good father, will chasten those He loves. We serve a God that will never leave you in a pit of doubt, loneliness, and depression. So, I need to be very transparent with you, brothers and sisters; I have been wrestling with the above in my heart these past few weeks away.

These very thorns in my flesh were slowly digging into my heart.

I felt that I was drowning in a sea of self-pity. Jealousy and strife were not only in my heart; they were taking root. These horrible works of the flesh were becoming manifest. Then, one day, as I was feeling sorry for myself, the Holy Spirit directed me to this Scripture, a checklist of my heart. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia:

“Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds,  strife,  jealousy,  outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar,  I tell you about these things in advance-as I told you before- that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” –Galatians 6:19-21

My heart sank as I read this, and I felt sick to my stomach.

As a Christian, having just one of these sinful works of the flesh at work in you is terrible, but I could check off at least seven of these sins in my spirit. I fell on my face with tears, “Lord, how can I worship You when I am such a mess right now? How could You ever see anything in me? How am I worthy to be called you child?”

As I write this, the question returns: who is worthy?

What human is worthy to be in the presence of the Holy and Righteous Sovereign God?

After reading those verses in Galatians 6, I thank God that scales fell from my eyes, and I saw no way any Christian could, I could, boldly stand in God’s presence with all of that junk in our hearts. No man can receive the Kingdom of God in such sinful flesh. They must be born again. They need the Spirit of the living God. Jesus makes this clear in John 3:3, “I assure you; unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

My brothers and sisters, we all need Jesus!

Please hear me, friends: if you think the enemy won’t fire his fiery arrows at you or that the dark night of the soul that overtook me could never overtake you, then you are truly letting your guard down. I once said the very same thing: “My eyes are always on Jesus. That won’t happen to me.” I’d forgotten the Truth I so love. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” –Proverbs 16:18.

Friends, as long as we live in these earthly vessels, we are prime targets for Satan’s attacks.

In 1 Peter 5:8-9, the apostle Peter warns us of this: “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary The devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.”

Are we worthy to receive the forgiveness of God?

Humanly speaking, the answer is no if we look at it through the lens of the flesh or human ability.

We are not worthy to receive anything from a Holy and Pure God. Jesus alone is worthy! “The Lord is great and worthy of our praise; no one can understand how great he is.” –Psalm 145:3.

By nature, humans are selfish and self-centered.

We are always thinking about getting ahead or getting that next best thing, keeping up with the worldly standards of “success.” Such striving causes us to walk in fear and doubt, asking ourselves what the next day will bring before the day ever comes. Yet God still proves Himself to be a loving Father! “But God proves His love for using that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” –Romans 5:8.

God will never stop loving us, loving you, brothers and sisters. He cannot. God is Love. 1 John 4:16 reminds us of this. “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” He wants a relationship even with His most stubborn creations, you and me. “Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” –1 John 4:10.

In today’s verse, Jesus reminds us: “you did not choose Me, but I chose you.”

 Let that sink in for a moment. God chose you—in your imperfections, in your anxiety, in your mess.

But, Jesus also tells us to repent our sins and believe He is God’s Son.

We’re able to stand righteous before God only by Jesus’ finished work—His life, death, and resurrection.

It wasn’t Matthew Botelho who solved his mess. If anything, I was making things worse for myself and my family. Not to mention all those who stood beside me during this challenging time. Only the love of the Father set this servant free from all that bitterness and selfishness. And though I am not worthy of such forgiveness, Jesus said, “For God loved the world in this way; He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16.

I am an “everyone” who believes. I have been set free by the One who sets His children “free indeed!”

Brothers and sisters, If you are going through a trying season, please know you are not going through it alone. We at Sonsofthesea are praying for all of you. We all walk through the desert at some time or another, that dry place where our enemy can take us out if we’re not careful. But with Jesus beside you every step of the way, you will leave your valley., just as I did.

And friend, if you are reading this and you feel the pull of the Holy Spirit moving you closer to God, follow His leading. Do not harden your heart, but allow the Presence of God to saturate every part of you. Repent and believe that Jesus washed away your sins with His precious Blood. Ask Him into heart and life as Lord of all. Amen. “As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” –Hebrews 3:15.

Repent! The King Is Coming.

June 8, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—.” –Ephesians 1:4-5.

Sporadically, over the past months, my team and I have shared teachings focusing on sin, sinning, and our need to repent. I believe God’s Holy Spirit birthed each of these teachings to remind us all of the effects and repercussions of sin and our need to repent daily. All to lead us to Truth—The Truth—His name, Jesus. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6.

So today, to bring these peppered teachings on sin full circle, to offer hope, and to prayerfully guide those whom Jesus is calling to follow Him into the fullness of Truth, where God’s Love and plan for such a Love has always existed—in Jesus. Through Scripture, we’ll witness that somewhere in the “eternal past,” God knew you; equally, He created you to fit purposefully and uniquely into the grand tapestry of His eternal plan.

God’s Inerrant Word speaks of the time “before the foundation of the world.” When all that existed—was Yahweh: “The Uncreated, Self-Existent One.”

That place where you, me, and everything in the seen and unseen worlds began. In God.

As finite beings, we recognize the abovementioned time as the eternal past or time everlasting. “Before the mountains were born Or before You had given birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are [the eternal] God.” –Psalm 90:2.

Notice that this Old Testament Scripture says of God, “You are,” present tense. Yet it also gives evidence of God’s eternal existence with its; “Before You had given birth to the earth and the world…”  

And in Revelation 1:8, God says of Himself. “I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God, “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].”

Brothers and sisters, I took pains to lay a sure foundation for God’s irrefutable, eternal existence for the primary reason of re-minding and confirming for you that you were indeed chosen in Jesus. Sealed untouchable in Christ—who is God and was with God before the foundation of the world; your eternal destiny secured in Jesus—for Jesus, in the everlasting past.

You are chosen, set apart, sealed in Christ, unlike those creations God foreknew and gave the same opportunity to grab hold of, cherish, and accept His free Gift of Love, yet they rejected Him.

And so you are not that one, friend, one who will reject Jesus; I’ll pause here a moment to remind you that the Author of Life, Christ Jesus, is extending His Hand of forgiveness and Life to you.

Continuing, listen to how the Apostle Paul explains our being chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. “For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.” –Romans 8:29.

Scripture is clear, friend: there is no middle ground to stand safely upon. Either we’re all in, or we’re out. Unimaginably, God Himself has afforded us this unfathomable freedom of choice. Now, it’s up to us to choose wisely because God has made His choice clear: we choose Him, surrendering our will freely in exchange for His. “And just as Moses in the desert lifted up the brass replica of a venomous snake on a pole for all the people to see and be healed,  so the Son of Man is ready to be lifted up, so that those who truly believe in him will not perish but be given eternal life. For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.” –John 3:14-16.

Yet God is patient, knowing the hearts of each of His creations.

Perhaps, to build our faith in Him,  Jesus allows us to believe that He has forgotten us for a time—that He doesn’t see our great need for His strength and intervention to come swiftly and pull us out from the thick mire we’ve been wallowing in for so long that we’ve made our mess our home. Falsely believing there is nothing more for us than the crippling consequences of our sinful choices. “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.

Friend, the enemy of your soul, would like nothing more than for you to falsely believe that where you find yourself now is as good as it gets.

Please, don’t fall for his lies!

You were not created for sin; to live in sin. You, dear friend, were lovingly and purposefully created in the Image and Likeness of God—for God—to be loved and protected, cherished by God as a precious child of God. Scripture makes clear: “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”  

This Scripture alone demonstrates the Truth of Jesus’ Words shared with His doubters—those supposed wisest men of their time who stood poised to kill Him for making the assertion “I and the Father are one.” –John 10:30.

By Jesus saying this, these Jewish priests and scholars understood just enough to realize Jesus was claiming to be God—and they could not abide by what they assumed was a blasphemous claim. So, in hardening their hearts, these so-called wise men rejected Jesus—and sought to kill Him and anyone or anything associated with Him.

Sadly, not much has changed since then. “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” –John 10:33.

Jesus’ heart for His chosen people is Love.

In the eternal past I’ve spoken of today, the fullness of the Father’s love was continually poured out on His Son—Righteous, Holy, and Pure. According to God’s Inerrant Word, He is The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. “And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone whose name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain [in sacrifice] from the foundation of the world.” –Revelation 13:8.

This verse not only testifies to the Truth of God’s plan to save mankind somewhere in eternity past, before Adam and Eve or God’s earth were ever created, but equally, it makes clear God foreknew those who would reject His offer: His free Gift of salvation: His only Son’s Life given in exchange for theirs.

My prayer for you, for us all, today is this: that you are not like those who, being wise according to the world’s standards, become so like those so-called wise men before you that you reject Jesus, Savior of the world, to your eternal peril.

Although no sin is acceptable before our Holy God, Jesus Himself assures us there is one unpardonable sin—rejecting God’s Holy Spirit.

And since His Holy Spirit is God, those who reject Him reject the Triune God Himself. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” –Matthew 12:30-32.

Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!

Jesus proclaimed it. As did John the Baptist. And though not popular nor feel-good, now, concerning the deadly wages of sin, in obedience to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit, so too have me and my team. Friends, Jesus loves you. He is patiently waiting for you to accept His Love and forgiveness. If you haven’t done this, what are you waiting for? “Heaven’s kingdom is about to appear—so you’d better keep turning away from evil and turn back to God!”–Matthew 3:2.

Natural vs. Supernatural: Faith, Hope & Love.

January 20, 2024 /

Elda Othello Wrightington

Do you like to journal? I have always kept a yearly journal. My most recent entry reflected on the last three years of my life. Over the previous three years, I’ve had my faith tested in 2021 and experienced hopelessness in 2022. Last year, the sincerity of love was questioned due to hurt and disappointments in 2023. As I journaled and poured out my heart to the Lord about love, the last and greatest of the three things, I realized something. Faith, hope, and love can be seen with either the natural eye or with supernatural eyes. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” —1 Corinthians 13:13.

Let me explain.

Faith can be portrayed and publicized in the natural world on clothing, bumper stickers, jewelry, etc.; hope is often used loosely and casually.

For example, “I hope I win… (You fill in the blank).”

And, for the most part, in the natural, the word love is also often used by many like any other four-letter word.

“I love my car; I love these shoes; I love this song.”

Love is literally used to describe just about everything and any experience one can think of that brings pleasure. However, God helped me see that faith, hope and love are undeniably different in the supernatural. The Bible’s definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things Hope for and the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith is bold, brave and has substance.

It’s daring to believe in God no matter what, “even if,” because the truth is, in the Spirit, there is nothing too hard for God. Faith makes everything possible when we’re operating in the Spirit! Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” However, trying to walk by faith in your flesh is contradictory and impossible because you’re trying to do something supernatural in your own strength.

You might be going through a season where your faith is being tested, and you’re trying to encourage yourself in your own strength.

Maybe you’re using some method of motivation or positive self-help talk, i.e. “I can do this… this is the plan. Follow it.” And though you might start out with desired goals in mind, even some good ideas, to move forward in these goals, the truth is, in the natural, your perceived notion of having faith really has no substance. It’s just your futile efforts greasing the wheel that will only get you so far. I found that the more I tried to exercise faith in my natural strength and abilities, the more I took my eyes off of God. The more I did that, the more it affected how I thought.

I didn’t know what to believe because my eyes were reaching for everything except God.

However, when I remember faith comes by hearing the Word, everything changes. “Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.” –Galatians 3:2.

And hope sprung up within me when I remembered God’s Word is Truth. “Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.” –John 17:17.

And when I remembered that God is Good, I remembered His love for me. “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever!” –Ps. 107.1.

I can depend on God’s Word. His Word is the only sure place to find faith and hope. It’s there I found substance.

Faith and hope really do go together.

God’s Word is dependable. His Word has substance. God’s Word never lies. His Word gives hope and helps cultivate faith. But loving someone or something can honestly try your faith when that love is being tested—when love tests your hope.

I realized loving in the natural, eros-romantic love is very different from agape love, God’s unconditional love.

You may be struggling with a relationship issue with your partner, spouse, brother, or sibling. Maybe it’s with your children or friend (philia love). I have noticed that when we struggle with the natural forms of love, we question God’s Love. That is what happened to me. Sometimes, the enemy will try to use these natural forms of love to taint God’s agape love.

Agape love is constantly demonstrating itself. We see the ultimate evidence of this at the Cross. “For God demonstrated His love towards us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” –Romans 5:8.

“Us” entails everyone. You, me, and even that person who has caused your hurt or pain. It’s so easy to confuse and get hurt by natural love because it’s so easy for us to lose ourselves in it. Carnal love is tangible and attainable; it can be touched and felt, unlike God’s love, which can surely be felt, only differently. So I found myself asking the Lord to forgive me for confusing eros and philia with agape love. For expecting from others what only God can give me.

The truth is, agape love, God’s love, is what remains after Philia and Eros leave. God’s Love is consistent. It doesn’t change. No matter what we have done. God’s love is quick to forgive and longs for reconciliation.

When my eyes were again opened to agape love, when I welcomed and embraced God’s love, only then could I walk in forgiveness. When hurt settles in the heart after experiencing rejection, upset and or trauma, agape love can heal, restore and help you believe in the goodness of God’s love again.

Friends, I encourage and remind you of Romans 8:28: “All things work together for the Good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”

There is purpose amid pain. Pain is a natural, tangible feeling that is hard to shake. It requires you to pursue faith, hope and love to help heal it because these three things, when chased after and seen through God’s lens of the supernatural, will bring healing, peace, and so much more! God has a plan and purpose for your pain, but unless you choose to align with His plan by agreeing with the healing power of faith, hope, and love, then the struggle in the natural will continue to be difficult and daunting. Friends, if you have not accepted Christ, today is the day. I invite you to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He will lead you in the ways of Faith, Hope and Love.

Walk It Out On The Sea of Doubt, Pt.3

August 26, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” –Isaiah 30:21.

The last teaching God gave me is still registering in my spirit, and if you have not read it, the teaching’s title is “Will You Follow Me?” I believe Jesus is speaking that so clearly to the body of Christ in this season. Hearing the words “Follow Me” still excites me as I pray it does you. My pastor read from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 during a time of edifying the church this past Sunday, and he touched on the timing of God and how all things work in His time.

There are seasons of life God places us to grow, prune, strengthen, and give us rest. To me, the Word the pastor shared was confirming. Be at peace, dear brothers and sisters, and walk in what God has specifically given you.

Because sometimes, in our walk with the Lord, we can get sidetracked by everyday life. The hustle and bustle of work and family can take us to a place where we lose sight. We can lose our focus on Jesus and try to follow Him in our own strength and time, And what comes as a result of trying to follow in our own strength can be a raging sea of doubt, anxiety, and disappointment.

You can say,” Oh, this would never happen to me. I would never walk it out on my own. Jesus is always my first and for most.” To that, I pray a season of doubt never overtakes you. As for me, I have fallen short; I will fall flat on my face if I rely on myself. I need Jesus to be my guiding light. I need Jesus in the hard times, I need Him in the good times, I need Him in my family, in my marriage, with my children, I need Jesus!

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” –Romans 3:23-24.

I want us to remember when the disciples were out on the sea of Galilee after feeding the five thousand. In Matthew 14:22-24 the disciples of Jesus are rowing to the other side, but a massive storm comes upon them. The waves are crashing, the wind is blowing, and fear and chaos surround them. They cannot see the other side but see something or someone approaching them in the distance. “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried in fear.” –Matthew 14:25-26.

As part 2 of “Walk It Out On The Sea of Doubt” states, fear can take so much from you. It is a thief of joy and of peace in you. It can cause you to do things you would never usually do. It distorts your vision to see clearly both physically and spiritually. But know this: fear is not your portion in life.

Fear is a weapon your enemy uses as a distraction to stop you from reaching the other side. He will not only use fear but, with it, the lying voice of condemnation to tell you God is not for you, that He has left you in this mess you created. Know now that voice is not God’s. God comes for you in the middle of your mess or the middle of the storm. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” –Matthew 14:27.

Notice when Jesus spoke to them.

It was immediately after they saw Him. God does not waste time in leaving you in doubt of whether it is Him or not. We are His sheep, and we hear the voice of the One who calls us. Jesus is that Shepard that will come for you in the middle of the storm you are going through. He knew where His disciples would be and precisely where you are now dearly beloved. Jesus says, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Though fear may have gripped you, Jesus sets you free from what holds you captive.

“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” –Matthew 14:28-29.

I may give Peter more credit than he deserves, but he does something unique here!

Yes, he walks on the water, but he says to the Lord, “If it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Is Peter testing God here? Peter knows the voice of his Lord, and he knows if that is Him, then nothing will go wrong. But stepping out onto the water will take a giant leap of faith if it’s not.

Peter places all of his faith in Jesus and then waits for Jesus’ next command. “Command me to come to You on the water.”

Tell me to step out in faith, step out with my family, ask me to start this ministry, and speak to that person about You. Just tell me what to do, Lord. You know Jesus spoke to you. You know it was His Word. You know it is Him saying, “Come, follow Me”. So, what stops you from jumping out of the boat you’re in?

Whose voice will you listen to?

You can almost hear the voices of the other disciples yelling at Peter. And their voices are no different than those you are hearing now. “Are you crazy!”, “This will never work!”, “Mark my words, Peter, you are going to drown!” You have heard these words before, these voices of doubt. But you have also heard God say, “Follow Me.” “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” –Matthew 14:30-32

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he started sinking. He became so focused on what was going on around him that he forgot all about what had gotten him out of the boat in the first place: his faith, entrusted entirely to Jesus. When Peter put his complete faith in Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. When Jesus told him to come, Peter could jump out of that boat. Scripture does not say Peter was hesitant about stepping out onto the water, only that he stepped out once Jesus bid him to come.

We cannot be hearers of the Word of God only. We must be doers, pliable enough to go when it is time to go.

At times, you will fall short. We all will. When you call on Jesus during those raging storms, He will immediately stretch out His hand and catch you. Will may get a rebuke as Peter did, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” But when you fix your eyes on Jesus again and allow Him to guide your steps, you will get to walk on that water again. Scripture says that they got into the boat. The boat did not come to them. They walked to it together. Hallelujah!

I pray this teaching blessed you because I know it truly blessed me.

So to anyone who feels like they are in the storm alone, I encourage you to focus instead on the One that brings calm to every storm. Jesus can and will be that Savior you have been searching for. He will deliver you. Cry out to Him and proclaim Him Lord of your life this day! Then watch as His outstretched hand saves you. Amen. “…May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!” –Psalm 20:1.

You Are Mine.

September 3, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out” –Ezekiel 34:11.

God knows them that are his and can call his own sheep by name; he knows the places where they are; for he has fixed the bounds of their habitation, and was delighting himself in the habitable parts of the earth, where he knew they would be, even before the world was. –Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible.

It started in the Garden. God’s searching out His own, that is. Draw to His image and likeness; He sought communion with His creation. He’s seeking fellowship with you now, Beloved, even as you read this. God has always desired to be one with you through Christ Jesus. That started way before the Garden. Somewhere in eternity past. When Eden was but a seed yet planted and you, a mere sketch, some faint intersecting lines in God’s mind, waiting to be created.

Yet be sure of this one thing, God knows where you are.

Nothing and no one are hidden from Him, even when we think we are, especially when we may want to be. “When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God” –Genesis 3:8.

We serve a God whose very nature is Love. He is relational—desiring intimate communion with His children. To walk and talk with us, talk with you, friend. God’s love is personal. He knows you by name. And God loves you. Jesus lived as a man and died as one, just for you. The fact that the Sovereign God of the universe, Holy and blameless, desires to know us, be in a covenant relationship with us, with me, borders on incomprehensible. Something just too good to be true. Yet as mind-blowing as that is for this writer to take in at times. I know it to be true. God, Himself has told me so.

He is an intimate, personal Father. One who desires an open-door invitation into our hearts and lives that He might walk through them at will. Listen to how John Eldredge states this truth: Jesus came to reveal God to you. He is the defining Word on God—on what the heart of God is truly like, on what God is up to in the world, and on what God is up to in your life.

Tell me, friend, have you dared to ask God what He’s up to in your life?

Have you afforded God, His Son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit an open-door invitation?

Have you invited them in—made room for them?

Do you seek, want to know more of, or at all, this God who thought it not too great a sacrifice to send His only Son to die in your place?

Has it crossed your mind that no one else but Jesus ever made such a sacrifice just for you?

“Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for Love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD” –Ezekiel 16:8. As surely as God’s covenant with Israel stands—and it always will. So it will be with you, child of God. Having been grafted into His everlasting promise of Love and devotion, your loving Father will continually fight for you. Woo, you. Desire you only.

God wants, more; He chooses to be active in your life. He longs to be the center of your every waking moment, invited into and consulted about your dreams and decisions.

“Even those decisions I may consider far too dull, too trite to “trouble” God over. Isn’t it too much to ask of God that He help me make decisions? Listen as I talk about my dreams. Bring clarity to my confusion and doubt. After all, He’s God! Isn’t He too busy overseeing the entire planet, to say nothing of knowing the heart and thoughts of every single person—simultaneously? Doesn’t God have too much going on to be bothered with my thoughts and troubles,” you ask?

The answer, friend? Absolutely, emphatically, No! Nope. Not at all. Never.

Psalm 139 makes it plain God already knows everything about you. He’s just waiting on you to bid Him welcome into your life, heart, and your “boring” daily concerns. “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely” –Psalm 139:1-4.

You are not faceless, nameless, nor aimless in God’s eyes, Beloved. God created you on purpose, for a purpose. “As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything” –Ecclesiastes 11:5. You are no mistake. God sees you. God’s way is so much higher than our own. So far beyond our finite ability to take in, friend. You’ve been created to touch lives no one else can. Why? They don’t carry in them what God has placed in you alone. You are as unique as your fingerprint!

So regardless of what you’ve been told, think about yourself. Contrary to your feelings, God loves you and desires to have a relationship with you. Yes, you personally. He wants to make His home in you.

Now please hear my heart. I’m in no way trying to minimize your pain or any trauma you may have suffered at the hands of another. I remember the sting of such wounds all too well. I’m just speaking the Truth in love here, sharing something that can save you. The Truth that can and will heal your pain. With the full authority of one God has healed, I can say that healing from such wounds is possible—no matter how nasty or deep they are.

All things are possible with God.

Friend, God is so acutely attuned to His world. His creation, to you, personally, that even when a sparrow, some little chick somewhere, falls to the ground, it doesn’t escape His notice. “Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice” –Matthew 10:29.

God created you. He has a plan and purpose for your life. Still, despite the lengths this magnificent, Sovereign, Loving, relational God can and will go to reach you, the one thing God won’t do, can’t do, is violate the free will He’s given you, died to provide you. You must then choose to say yes and welcome a relationship with God.

The choice is yours. God has done His part. Ask Jesus into your heart today, as Lord, Father, and Friend. He’s waiting for you to say welcome, come in. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” –John 3:16-17.

The Cloud & The Spirit.

July 9, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“When he falls, he will not be hurled down, Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand and sustains him” –Psalm 37:24.

When the Israelites felt alone, weak, and weary, unable to help themselves, worn out from their seemingly endless wandering, God’s Word reminds us that He stood faithful and True. God was with them every step of the way—sustaining, guiding, and providing for their every need, despite their rebellion, murmuring, and hard-heartedness. These were His chosen ones—His beloved children, after all. “After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” –Exodus. 13: 20-22.

And despite their less-than-stellar attitude, right in the middle of the Israelite’s temper tantrum, God heard their cry, saw their need, and met it. “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death. “While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud,” The Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.'” –Exodus 16: 2-3; 10-12.

Beloved, this loving, long-suffering God of the Old Testament is the same loving, long-suffering God we serve today. He is our Father, so kind, merciful, and tender; even when we act abysmally, God never says, “now you’ve gone too far. My love and grace and mercy will not and cannot cover this one!” God is static. “The same, yesterday, today, and forever” –Hebrews 13:8.

And to say I am honored and joy-full to serve such a God would be a gross understatement. Because, as Paul said, I am chief among sinners. I’m in endless need of God’s mercy, grace, correction, His long-suffering patients.

My anemic words fail to express the slack-jawed awe I experience when the Lord pulls back the veil from before my eyes, affording me a clear peak at my ugliness, my murmuring, complaining, my selfishness, my not-so-Sunday-morning spit, and polished self. While simultaneously allowing me to experience His lavish mercy and grace. I know I don’t deserve any of it. None of us do—I can smell the stink of my own sin as surely as the prodigal would have smelled the pig filth that clung to him—carnality has its own foul stench. And yet, this Loving Lord I serve washes me in His Word. Cleansing me from my unrighteousness, my sin. I am still held and cared for by my Father, despite myself. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself” –2 Timothy 2:13.

Our relationship with God is nothing if not personal.

So, this faithfulness God demonstrates daily is not because of something I’ve done or deserve. It’s certainly nothing I’ve earned. Instead, it’s all about Jesus. My relationship with Him.

Said correctly, because God so loved the world, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to save “whosoever” will believe in Him. Jesus, having chosen me in Himself before the foundations of the world, through His life, death, and resurrection reconciled, made a way for me to be restored into right relationship with our Father. God’s Spirit alive in me now, having made His home in me. So now, when my Father looks at me, He no longer sees my sin. Instead, He sees His Son, Jesus. The Spotless Lamb, slain before the foundation of the world—Revelation 13:8.

Our God has never been caught off guard—

He has always had a ram in the bush.

While the Israelites experienced types and shadows of God’s glory, a Pillar of Fire by night and a Cloud by day, we who are in Christ Jesus have the undeserved, unearnable honor of having the Sovereign God of the universe reside in us—God’s Holy Spirit. “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever,  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” –John 14:16-17. This same Holy Spirit Jesus said would come and lead us into all Truth. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” –John 16:13.

So then, child of God, pointing us back to today’s verse: Even though we stumble and sin, in those moments when we allow our carnal man to take the wheel, looking nothing at all like Christ, even then, God’s promises remain true. “When he falls, he will not be hurled down, Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand and sustains him” –Psalm 37:24.

As surely as God is with Israel, remaining faithful to His Word and covenant promise to this day, we who believe then are equally assured that God will also remain loyal to us, having been grafted into Israel’s vine. How? Through the new covenant. Jesus shed Blood—if we have a relationship with Jesus. “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.'” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances. Then you will live in the land that I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God” –Ezekiel 36:27.

In closing, have you asked Jesus, the One who loves and sustains us, into your life as your Lord and Savior? If you have not, I assure you He’ll come, making all things new, if you invite Him. No sin is too great, no rebellion so fierce that God’s mercy and grace cannot redeem it. His Blood, washing it away, white as snow. “The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.” And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God’s children” –Romans 8:14-16.

The Power of the Blood of Jesus.

April 16, 2022 /
Pastor Samuel Cordeiro

“In fact under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [neither release from sin and its guilt, nor cancellation of the merited punishment]”–Hebrews 9:22.

Each year millions of people worldwide celebrate Easter or what many refer to as “Resurrection Sunday.” Churches and home groups everywhere come together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christmas has no merit if not for Easter; it wasn’t the birth of Jesus that brought us salvation but Jesus’ death and resurrection. Through these, Jesus conquered sin and death. Some of my favorite worship songs are Easter Worship Songs, beautiful songs about the Blood of the lamb. Songs like: “Thank you, Jesus, for the Blood” by Charity Gayle; or the hymn “There is Power in the Blood”; and “Oh the Blood” by Kari Jobe. Those songs always remind me of the powerful Blood of Jesus.

Growing up in a Portuguese-American church, I remember countless instances when someone would share a prayer request during prayer meetings. Almost instantly, a brother or sister in the church would say “O Sangue de Jesus tem poder,” which translates to “There is power in the Blood of Jesus.” My church knew that the answer to that prayer would be found in the Blood of Jesus. They would plead the Blood of Jesus over a situation as part of their prayer, as a declaration. However, to truly understand the power of the Blood of Jesus, we need to start with the question, WHY BLOOD?

The Bible tells us that sin separates us from God.

However, in the book of Leviticus, we find God’s instructions to the Israelites. He makes plain that their sins would be forgiven after the priest offered the bloody sacrifice of an animal, which was a foreshadowing of the death of the Messiah—Jesus Christ, who would come to defeat sin once and for all. In both the Old Testament and New Testament, there would be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood.

There are six revelations about the Blood of Jesus God spoke to me over the past couple of months:

  1. There is forgiveness and salvation through the Blood of Jesus.

 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” – Matthew 26:28.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” – Ephesians 1:7.

“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary” – Hebrews 10:10;12-13; 18

The power of Jesus’ Blood is the basic, central message of true Christianity—that God the Father sent His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, down to earth in the flesh to physically die on a Cross to save us and give us total and permanent forgiveness for all of our sins. We are not saved by our good works, by going to church, not by donating to the poor; there is only one way you are guaranteed eternal life, and that is because you have placed your faith in Jesus and the power of His shed Blood on that Cross. In Isaiah 1:18, we see forgiveness described as the Blood of Jesus washing away our sins: “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”

I recently heard this quote “If you are looking only at the blood of Jesus for heaven, you are going to miss out on the power of the blood of Jesus here on earth.”

These words really encouraged me to use the Blood of Jesus as a weapon.

They made me realize that the Blood of Jesus is a weapon in our God-given arsenal. There is power, wonder-working, supernatural power when a Christian pleads the Blood of Jesus over their lives, families, and homes.

  1. The Blood of Jesus Redeems:

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” –1 Peter 1:18-19.

The definition of redeemed is: “to buy back” or “to save from captivity by paying a ransom.” In the days of slavery, a slave could be bought back by offering an equivalent or superior slave in their place. God chose to buy us back in this exact way – by offering his Son, Jesus, in exchange for us. When God sent His Jesus to Earth, He could have quickly taken him back; Jesus wouldn’t have had to suffer and shed His Blood on that Cross. Yet God literally exchanged His one and only Son, Jesus, so that mankind (you and me) can be freed from sins, slavery, and bondage. Jesus took our sin debt onto Himself. And God stamped it “paid in full.” So now we can sing: “Sin has lost its grip on me.” So if there is a lifestyle choice, bad habit, or any sin in your life that you need to get rid of – plead the Blood of Jesus. Jesus can set you free.

Through Jesus, we have redemption from sin, and we need to take hold of that freedom.

  • The Blood of Jesus Delivers:

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” – Colossians 1:13-14.

“…That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” – Hebrews 2:14.

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” –1 John 3:8.

The Bible makes plain that through Jesus’ physical death on the Cross, when His Blood was shed, Satan and his power were defeated.

So if there is something in your life that you need deliverance from, plead the Blood of Jesus over it. If there is a negative voice in your head speaking lies over you – plead the Blood of Jesus for deliverance from those lies. If something is tormenting you with fear – plead the Blood of Jesus for deliverance over that fear.

And if you are reading this and thinking you are too weak, you don’t have the strength, or perhaps your faith is too small, listen to this:

  • The Blood of Jesus Empowers:

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” –Revelation 12:11.

God has given us the power to overcome, not in our own strength, but by the Blood of the Lamb shed on that Cross and by the word of our testimony. We are empowered to overcome by pleading the Blood of Jesus and declaring our God’s goodness. God gives us authority and use of the spiritual weapon of the Blood of Jesus to deliver us once an attack has come. God also gives us the authority to plead the Blood of Jesus over situations before an attack ever happens.

  • The Blood of Jesus Protects:

In Exodus 12, we can read the story of the first Passover. God sent Moses to rescue the people of Israel from their captivity and slavery to the Egyptians. Since Pharaoh refused to set the Israelites free, God sent ten plagues over Egypt to punish them. These plagues included turning water into Blood, an infestation of frogs, lice, flies, locusts, disease on livestock, and so on. The 10th of these plagues was the death of the firstborn. God told Pharaoh He would allow an angel of death to come through their camp to kill all of their firstborn children. However, before God allowed this plague to come, God promised to protect the Israelites from this plague. God told the Israelites to kill a blemish-free lamb. Then, to put its Blood on the sides and tops of the doorframes of their homes. God told His people that when the angel of death passed by, if he saw the blood on their doorposts, the angel of death would “pass over” their houses, sparing the lives of their firstborns. In other words, the blood of this blemish-free lamb was being used as divine protection before an attack would ever touch their land.“The Blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the Blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” – Exodus 12:13.

Scripture informs us that at midnight, when the angel of death came by, all the firstborn children died except those of the Israelites who obeyed God’s command. So what does this mean for us in 2022?

In simple words – Jesus is our PASSOVER. In John 1:29 – when John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching, he says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The same way the blood of a lamb was used to protect the Israelite families, the Blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, is our supernatural protection today. We no longer need to sacrifice animal blood to forgive our sins or for our protection.

Jesus’ Blood is the ultimate sacrifice, shed once, for all.

When the Blood of the Lamb forms a wall around you, it is difficult for the enemy to penetrate your life and home. Remember, you can plead the Blood of Jesus over your home, over your journey & your means of transportation; you can plead the Blood of Jesus over your children, and, if you are ever in a place you feel afraid or unsure – plead the Blood of Jesus!

  • There is Healing through the Blood of Jesus:

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” – Isaiah 53:5.

Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the crucifixion of Jesus was given him approximately 700 years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah declares that by his stripes, the bloody wounds on Jesus’ body, WE ARE HEALED. By faith, I encourage you to plead the Blood of Jesus over your body for healing. May it be done to you according to God’s will. When the doctor gives you a diagnosis, plead the Blood of Jesus—by His stripes, Jesus has the power to make you whole.

I am reminded of the chorus of the Hymn “There is Power in the Blood” that says, “There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.”

The lyrics of this song are written in the present tense, not the past; this can only mean one thing: When the Blood of Jesus was shed some 2,000 years ago, Jesus’ Blood’s saving, supernatural power was not a one-time work’s, it is still working today. The Blood of Jesus is for yesterday, today, and forever. God has given us this weapon, this tool for our spiritual life to be used by faith. When we begin to plead the Blood of Jesus for redemption, deliverance, power, protection, and healing, we declare that the struggles and situations we face are no match against the power of the Cross or Jesus’ resurrection.

As we approach Easter, let us be reminded that the Blood of Jesus shed on Calvary’s Cross has the power for salvation and gives us victory over every situation or trial we face today.

If you have not yet experienced the power of the Blood of Jesus, I encourage you to invite Jesus into your heart today. Ask Him to reveal His love to you. Ask God to forgive you of your sins, then receive the free gift of eternal life through Jesus.

Love With an Open Hand.

February 26, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

As time moves on, it appears we have been moving further and further away from caring for others. We are inching ever closer toward little more than meeting our own needs. It is said, A culture that advocates for doing whatever makes one happy is in direct opposition to our purpose as believers. While society says, “do whatever makes you feel good”, the Word of God says, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable– who can understand it?” – Jeremiah 17:9. The world says, put yourself first, while the Bible says, “Value others above yourselves, not looking to your interests but each of you to the interests of the others” – Phil 2:3-4.

While I believe that we must maintain a certain level of self-care, Western culture, in my opinion, has taken this to an extreme. Caring far more for “self” and far less for others.

This mindset has led some to believe that they will only be happy as they focus on little other than themselves. Yet God says the exact opposite is true. God’s Word declares that “it is better to give than to receive” – Acts 20:35. But some have become so obsessed with self-care that for them, giving in any capacity, be it financial, of their time, or energy, unless somehow directly benefitting them, is fast becoming unthinkable. Not for everyone—I hope certainty not for you, Christian! Because this idea is in direct contrast with what the Bible teaches us.

Amid one of the worst mental health crises in modern history, the Word of God holds the key to thriving as we learn, to love with an open heart.

While Jesus was bearing our sins on the cross, He hung, arms stretched wide, hands nailed open. And while that was His physical posture, it mimicked the posture of His heart as well. Jesus knew that the very people who had crucified Him—cried out for His death, were also the same ones who needed His forgiveness and love, and He did not withhold it. Jesus’ brave love allowed Him to maintain a posture of forgiveness. His heart responded not with disdain but forgiveness. “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” – Luke 23:34. Jesus knew that you and I could very well have been standing there as He was crucified, yet He still chose to love us.

The very people who favored Jesus’ death sentence were the ones whom Jesus had walked among His entire life. They were the same people who sat under His teaching and followed Him throughout His three years of ministry. These were the people who crucified Jesus. And as He carried the sins of the world, past, present, and future, we might as well have been there too. Yet if Jesus could love in such a way, let’s not forget that we’re commanded to do the same.

How many times have we experienced betrayal at the hands of a friend? Or encountered coworkers who have proven to be untrustworthy? Or maybe it’s a family member who is manipulative or selfish?

It is easy to love those who are kind to us. But with difficult people, not so much. Often, we convince ourselves that they somehow deserve our cold shoulder. I’ll go back to our contrasts of societal advice versus Biblical Truth on this one. “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also… You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” – Matthew 5:39b, 43-46a.

While society says to return the favor, give as good as you got, Jesus says choose humility, turn the other cheek. I do not take this to say let people walk all over you. I see it as a call to live in a posture of forgiveness and love. You can love someone without trusting them, forgive without trusting, and give without expecting a return on your investment.

It’s hard but possible to live that freely. In time, the Lord restores what was broken.

Sometimes, our love and generosity can be contingent upon what we’ll get in return. For instance, we will attend a wedding expecting that those getting married will one day attend our wedding. We give food in someone’s time of need with an expectation that they would do the very same for us in our hour of need. We donate to charity, walking away feeling satisfied knowing that we did something good.

But what happens when our expected outcome doesn’t happen?

Sadly, the answer is that many will hold a grudge, or they will determine in their heart to never again give to that one of their time or resources. Yet Jesus says, “turn the other cheek.” He challenges us to give of ourselves again and again. To love, again. Expecting nothing in return. He challenges us to love without holding so tightly to expectations. Instead, loving with an open hand, knowing that we made a difference in someone’s life, regardless of their response.

A couple of years ago, this revelation completely changed my life. I remember being so hurt by people I invested time, energy, and resources in. I gave and gave, expecting that if I ever needed their time, energy, or resources, they would have my back. But I learned that was not always so. It led to me feeling bitter, angry, hurt, and resentful. While praying about it, the Lord gave me this idea: Be a friend to people and be fully present today, knowing full well that that person may not be there tomorrow, and let them go. Praise God for the time you had with that person and that you had a genuine friendship with them for a time, and pray that they are blessed as they go on. Keep your eyes open for the new people I place in your life as you move forward and be present for them as well, knowing full well that tomorrow they also may not be there.

At that moment, God was teaching me a piece of what the love of Christ looks like. Even when I feel betrayed, I can pray that the seeds planted will grow, and, eventually, that person will be at peace. When I began to love these people with an open hand, nothing they could have said or done hurt me anymore. I began to bless them, and, as it says in Ephesians 4, I was able to forgive them as Christ forgives me, moving forward with peace and joy. What kind of bitterness could you be harboring in your heart today? What do you need freedom from? Who in your life needs your forgiveness so that you might live without the weight of that grudge? Who in your life needs a friend? Is it that one perhaps that you don’t consider worthy of your friendship? I encourage you to ask the Lord to show you what areas in your life need refreshing so that you, too, can love with an open hand.

If you don’t yet know Jesus in this way, I invite you to ask Him into your heart today. If you don’t know what to pray, you can start here. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to die for our sins. I know that I am a sinner and in need of your grace, so I ask you to forgive me today as I turn away from my sinful life. I ask that you help me to forgive those around me. I believe you are the Son of God, and I want to trust you as my Lord and my Savior. In Jesus’ name, amen. I believe that if you pray with a sincere heart, God will hear you, and your life will never be the same as you begin to walk by the Spirit and not by your understanding. I believe that today, Jesus can lead you in living life with an open hand and heart.

Create in Me A Pure Heart, O God.

December 12, 2020 /
Stephanie Montilla

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” –Psalm 51:10.

The posture of David’s heart in this Psalm, his simple plea before God for a clean heart is a beautiful, Godly example for us all. A humble, bold example to follow when we go before our God, who is full of grace, recognizing our sins.

That said, have you ever felt morally dirty after having sinned? Have you ever felt increasingly burdened by the shame, guilt, the regret sinning creates within you? Have you ever felt entangled, snared by a habitual sin? Have you ever distanced yourself from God because inflicting yourself with a mental flogging just felt safer than confessing your transgressions to your Holy, heavenly Father?

Being the deeply flawed and imperfect beings that we are, our natural man is bound to sin. Each of us was born with a sinful nature; inheriting the sinful fruit of our corrupt human nature from Adam – “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” –Romans 5:12. Scripture also states that even seemingly innocent children are born with this same sinful nature: “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child” –Proverbs 22:15. And David confirms this as well, listen: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” –Psalm 51:5.

In our natural state then, in our flesh, we cannot please God. Hence our desperate need for Him, for His mercy, grace, forgiveness—for His love!

2 Samuel 11:2 tells us, “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful.” David’s lust for this woman drove him to send his messenger to go and bring this woman to him. “She came to him, and he slept with her” –2 Samuel 11: 4. David’s lust (a mental and physical sexual appetite for a person) was the initial seed that moved him to sin. Then, after getting the woman pregnant, (11:5), that seed bloomed when David attempted to cover his original sin by ordering the woman’s husband to return from war—all with the hope that he might sleep with his wife. Making it appear then, that her husband, and not David, had gotten her pregnant. Unfortunately, David’s scheme did not work. So, David then proceeded to have the woman’s husband sent into the thick of a raging battle. Then, while standing on the frontlines of said battle, her husband was killed (11:15). What started as a seed of lust, led to the murder of an honest man. All this to cover-up David’s sin of having had an affair with another man’s wife!

And what happened with David, choosing sin over God, continues to this day. Our sinning begins with a thought—the seed. That thought then flourishes, spreading deeper into the appetites of our flesh. And, if not taken captive immediately, we will ultimately give sin a life of its own by operating outside of the fruit of self-control.

Mastery over our flesh requires mastery over our thought life.

“…What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness” –Mark 7:20-22. There is a reason the Lord reminds us in His word that the heart is deceitful. Also, that we ought to think on those things which are honorable, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy so that we may gratify the Spirit, and not the desires of our flesh (Paraphrased Philippians 4:8).

Like David, I remember giving into the sin of sexual immorality, and, while feeding the flesh provides temporary satisfaction, that same satisfaction has lasting consequences. We must, therefore, put to death those fleshly desires within us, how we used to live; this is a requirement for the born-again believer.

As we learn later on in David’s story, the Lord forgave Him. Yet, because of what he did, his sin, David lost the child born to that adulterous affair –2 Samuel 12:15. In Galatians 5:16-26, the Lord instructs us to walk by the Spirit, avoiding then, keeping far from, the sins of the flesh: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions…” –Galatians 5:16-26.

David penned Psalm 51 aware of his rebellion, of the wickedness in his heart. Then, he did what most would consider being counterintuitive – he knelt humbly before God in prayer with a sincere and contrite heart. At one of the lowest points of David’s life, he pleaded with God to renew a right spirit within him—creating in him a clean heart. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” –Psalm 51: 10-12. I love that within David’s prayer He asks God for newness, for a clean heart—not just for God forgiveness! In other words, David is saying “change my heart, God! Create in me a clean, pure heart because I do desire to live differently. I want to be made new because I want to change and love as you do, Lord!” David’s approach to flat-out run to the very God who he offended appears incongruous. Our initial human response oftentimes is to disconnect and hide from God, much like Adam and Eve did. We come to Jesus with the barest understanding that his grace is greater than any of our sins—yet with the greatest of hope that His forgiveness is transforming.

The enemy wants to keep you burdened, entangled, entrenched in the shame, guilt, and regret of your sin—in the lie of it, that you may keep your sin to yourself—hiding it, supposedly, from an Omniscient God. When the truth is, you cannot hide anything from God. And, in keeping sin to yourself, the burden of carrying it becomes heavier and heavier, and the root of glorifying self-hatred and the shame of your sin, deeper. While it may appear to make more sense to us to hide our sins from God, ultimate freedom and spiritual rest will only come from running toward God instead. Yes, the very same God who you’ve offended is the very same God you need to run to for freedom, in repentance, for newness. I encourage you – don’t allow your mind to get trapped in the perpetual cycle of guilt and shame. Like David, humbly, and wholeheartedly confess your sins before God. Make running towards God your disciplined, default cycle instead.

Oftentimes, we experience our greatest disconnect from God when our sins are left unconfessed.

A strong relationship with the Lord requires that we repent and confess our sins regularly. As Christians, we are being sanctified, made holy even as He is Holy, daily. So then Christian, don’t let your sins stop you from boldly approaching the Throne of God! When you confess and truly repent of your sins, God will give your weary spirit rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” –Matthew 11:28-30. A “sacrifice of the heart” is precious in the sight of God.

God delights in a surrendered, broken, and contrite heart—one that desires to be pure.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus Christ wants our hearts! I encourage you to neither wallow nor allow yourself to remain entrenched in your sins. Instead, go before The Throne of God, confess, repent, and ask Him for a pure heart, a renewed spirit. What does our confession do? It humbles us. It reminds us of our need for God’s grace, it sustains and renews our faith. Wherever you are, be honest, talk to God. Open Psalm 51, praying it out loud. Might the Holy Spirit expose the ugliness inside your heart? Yes – but only because God loves you, He wants to work on that area within you. His grace is so beautiful. It forgives, renews, transforms, and, further still, it promises this: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” –2 Corinthians 3:12.

Don’t let your sins keep you away from God. Don’t allow them to keep you from knowing or accepting Jesus into your life. The Lord already knows your heart, nothing you’ve ever done—will ever confess can surprise Him. God is, after all, Omniscient; nothing takes Him by surprise. Pray sincerely from your heart then, confess it all, lay it all at his feet. I guarantee you that your Creator will meet there, renewing a right Spirit in you.

Proceed With Caution.

October 3, 2020 /
Kendra Santilli

Let’s face it. We’ve all been there. The coworker that knows exactly how to get under your skin; that kid in your class growing up who knew your weak spots and pulled the rug out from under your feet at just the right time; the family member who seems bent on sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong; and that friend who you thought would be there for you through thick and thin but who left when it mattered most. Disappointments happen to all of us at some point, they just may hit each of us a bit differently. These moments of great hurt often become our greatest teacher. I’m not talking about some single moment where the heavens opened to reveal a profound epiphany that changes the course of the future. I’m talking about the small moments in life that define us. Those moments when, consciously or subconsciously, habits and patterns begin to develop that will help to shape how we respond to life’s hurts and disappointments.

You see, when people hurt you, it’s easy to shut down, shut them out. It’s so easy to say “I forgive them” and yet with our next breath get angry at the mere mention of their name. The difficulty lies in matching actions with words. Time and experience are the teachers of those skills needed for living mindfully, not just reactively. Thankfully, the Word of God has practical guidance for us. So, let’s dig in!

Let’s start with the mind since we know that every action originates from it. In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul teaches us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The New Living Translation says it this way: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” And yes, you read that right. An old dog CAN learn new tricks! God can help us to change the way that we think and process! I don’t know if you can relate, but somewhere along the line, I developed this awful pattern of assuming the worst of people. It wasn’t until I got married and would express to my husband “they said that because…” or “they only did that because…” that he would ask me, “did they really say that? Or are you assuming that?” He helped me to learn a valuable lesson that I believe is a righteous one: thinking the worst of people only leads to anxiety within my own heart. I brought it to God in prayer and asked Him to help me to change this pattern, just like Romans 12 says, and I began catching myself mid-thought, remembering to think the best of people rather than the worst. Over time, I noticed that I no longer thought that way and, in turn, no longer spoke that way either. Maybe my struggle is familiar to you, or maybe yours is something else entirely? Either way, the mind is a powerful command center where you can either nurture life or choose to cultivate destruction. Thought patterns are formed from an early age. As humans, it’s easy to get stuck in the cyclical rut of these old patterns of thought and behaviors; they’re being dug deeper and deeper with every repetitive train of thought driving over them. Their tracks then setting up, and, left unchallenged, can easily misdirect us into believing that we’re always right; never stopping then, to question ourselves, our own thoughts, or motives. However, when we invite God into the equation, He begins to challenge those thoughts and behaviors, eliciting one of two responses from us: prideful stubbornness or humble change. As His creation, we are free to respond either way! God has blessed us with free will. My prayer is that you join me in choosing the humble response, the outcome is far more rewarding!

While Jesus was among us on earth, He set an example for us. An example that is quite contrary to the pattern of this world—often, one that’s self-serving. The culture of this world holds a “what’s in it for me” attitude; often manifesting in complaining and discontentment, arrogance, and greed. And, while these choices and emotions may “feel right” now, their presence in us will never lead to true fulfillment within us, or without. The Bible teaches just the opposite actually. We’re to “do everything without complaining so that you may become blameless and pure children of God” –Phil 2:14. When we live a life void of complaining (be it about things or people), we live a life of purity—one of a clear conscience. When we avoid complaining, we become blameless, no one can ever blame someone for not complaining.

This leads us to my main point… to walk humbly and love all men as Jesus wants us to. We can go through life placing veneers over certain areas of our lives that prohibit us from doing this, disguising the ugly truths laying just behind them but, these veneers are a cover at best; an illusion that only mask the impure thoughts and motives laying just behind their surface. What we cover-up, however, will eventually be revealed, no veneer lasts forever—the rot behind it then, exposed.

Our thoughts and actions must go through a refining process that only God can accomplish. If we think poorly of people and allow those thoughts to make ruts in our minds, we’ll eventually live a life devoid of any genuine expression of love for another. Instead, we must come to understand this: all people are precious to God. We were all valued at the Cross. “For God so loved the world…” –John 3:16. Being made in the image of God Himself, we’ve been afforded the often unplumbed capacity to love people with the love of Christ; the sort of love that carried Jesus all the way to Calvary’s peak; our sins nailed to that Cross that weighed on His shoulder.

There is a life-changing lesson afforded each of us the moment we come to understand that though we possess this unfathomable capacity to love—loves greatest power is often displayed not in how tightly we hold on to love, rather in how loosely we hold those we’ve come to love. Knowing they were a gift at best, and that nothing or no one will remain with us forever—save God. And so, we must learn to graciously release them when their time in our life is through, holding nothing against them in our hearts. It’s powerful when we can love people fully in the moment, all the while being fully aware that they may not be there tomorrow. Forgiving people from a place of understanding, knowing that perhaps they may have been working through their own struggles when they wronged you. In part, this is remaining in peace with all men—living in freedom. In Matthew 7:3, Jesus addressed the way we should view offenses when He said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” So our answer is simple then: before opening your mouth regarding someone else’s wrongs, let’s first take a deep look inward, searching out the offense that lives in us; we may just be surprised by what we find there. Also, by acknowledging our shortcomings, we’ll grow in compassion for others! Through this process of redirection through prayer, you will see that your perspective begins to change; firstly within yourself, then outwardly, towards others. Jesus said in John 13:35, “… by this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.” He didn’t say everyone would distinguish His followers by their wisdom, or by the way they pray. People would know us by our LOVE. Do you love well? Do you proceed with caution when you engage with people, knowing how precious they are to our creator? Can we stand before God one day and confidently say that we did our best? I pray your answer is, or becomes, a resounding yes! I pray, beginning with your heart and mind, that your perspective towards others continues to reflect more and more of God’s heart towards all men.

Friend, if you don’t know Jesus, I invite you today to ask Him into your heart and into your life. There is no sin too great that He can’t forgive, no life too lost that He can’t restore, no darkness too dark that He can’t illuminate, and no heart too broken that He can’t heal. Let Him lead you into a life of love for all those around you.

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