Sonsofthesea.org

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

Tag: God (Page 4 of 15)

Reflectors…

May 27, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identity Shift

May 6, 2023 /

Kendra Santilli

“For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

Who have you decided to let give you an identity? Perhaps your parents helped shape you in a certain way. Maybe society has led you into a certain worldview. Maybe authors and books have caused you to think differently about yourself and the world around you. But have you ever considered God, the Creator of all things, created you with an intended identity that He alone can reveal to you?

We can search high and low, but only God can reveal our true identity to us and show us meaning.

In Galatians, Paul was writing to the church of Galatia (present-day Turkey), a mix of established followers of Jesus and new converts. Now, of course, these new converts were likely largely non-Jewish. Therefore, they brought with them the ideologies and philosophies they knew and identified with before knowing Christ. The Holy Spirit, living inside humanity, was a totally new concept for these people, a reality they had yet to experience. They began to blend their ways with the gospel of Jesus being presented to them. They were mixing salvation through faith with salvation through works, but that is not the gospel of Jesus. “If salvation could be obtained by works then Jesus didn’t need to die. … if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” – Galatians 2:21.

The premise of Jesus’ sacrifice is that there’s nothing we can do to enter God‘s presence on our own. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can access Heaven and receive a new identity.

When we come to Jesus, the identity we’ve always known is history.

It doesn’t matter who we were before; what matters is the work Jesus is doing in us right now and into eternity. “Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism…” – Galatians 2:6.

While Paul recognized the authority of those already prominent voices of the faith, their opinions of him carried no weight for Paul because He was convinced of who He was in Jesus. His identity was rooted firstly in God.

Galatians 1-2 have powerful lessons on finding peace in our God-given identities, and I encourage you to read each chapter for context. But there are two major keys to avoiding self-sabotaging disappointment. 1) We must rediscover our identity in Jesus, and 2) we must let go of the fear of man and exchange it for the fear of God. That is not to say these two keys are the way to avoid disappointment altogether, but they are two common mistakes many make when trying to pursue their purpose.

In Christ, our identity first is that we are children of God.

When we give our lives to Jesus, we surrender who we are and allow Him to shape us into who He created us to be. This one identity shift would be more than enough if God did nothing else.

Everybody wants to be “somebody.” It can become easy then to get so lost in striving to become that, that our true identity of being God’s child begins to vanish as we acquire the essence of whatever we’re striving after. It could be a new title at work, a certain status among friends, or even a certain position in ministry. Still, if our identity becomes your position instead of your being a child of God, we’ll be setting ourselves up for disappointment. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” –James 1:17.

When we don’t let God lead our lives, we will try to force our way instead of surrendering to His.

What looked to be a good thing, or the right thing can end up hurting us because we didn’t have the discernment to see that it wasn’t what God intended in the first place. As a child of God, you have been placed in a perfect position to do His work wherever you are. Using caution with what you attach “I am“ to is paramount. “I am sad.” “I am depressed.” ” I am anxious.” “I am lonely.” No, you are not those things. You may feel those things, but you are not those things. You are capable. You are joyful and filled with peace because you are made in the likeness of the one who is peace. You are a child of God.

Maybe your prayer needs to be, God, show me how you want to use me in my position. I don’t necessarily want to be here, but you have me here for a reason. Show me the reason and how to be joyful wherever you place me.

As children of God, the only opinion that matters is God’s.

Let me remind you of Galatians 1:10. “For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Striving for human approval is another misstep that brings incredible disappointment because we were meant to live in communion with our heavenly Father first and mankind second. Being secure in Christ puts us in a different frame of mind, leading us to be Heaven-focused. When we stand before God, the people we tried to impress won’t be there at the end of our lives. We are accountable to God alone for what we have done with whatever He gave us, including the opportunities right in front of us. Fear of man will not stand up in the presence of God. However, the steps of faith you took, afraid, nervous, and unsure, will stand because they were steps taken in obedience to God. God does not always place us where we want to be. Rather, where He wants us, it’s our job to pursue His purpose in every season of life.

If you have not yet received Jesus into your heart and want to rediscover your identity in Him, I invite you to ask Him into your heart. I was once so broken, and He made me whole when I received my identity as a child of God. If God can do it for me, He can do it for you! Ask Jesus into your heart today, and let Him begin His good work in you.

Veritas.

April 29, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Pilate said to Him, Then You are a King? Jesus answered, You say it! [You speak correctly!] For I am a King. [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice. “ –John 18:37.

In a world where everyone’s truth is the truth, it should not take us by surprise that not even Jesus’ declaration of His being the Truth would escape questioning, as horrifying as that is for those of us who call Jesus Lord. The unremitting, centuries-old scrutiny of Jesus—the doubtfulness and disparity regarding the Truth concerning The Son of God, of His God’s inerrant Word, is nothing new; today’s scripture verse makes this plain. Solomon was right: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Since Christ entered this world, men have done their best to defame Jesus’ Holy name, His person and purpose, to deny His very existence. They’ve tried and failed to “bring Him down to size.” To make Jesus ordinary, pass Him off as some nice guy who once walked the earth like many other nice guys before and after Him. Countless people questioned Jesus’ legitimacy in days past, and many still question it today: Who is this Jesus, really? They’ve heard and seen evidence of who God is, yet they refuse to believe.

Still, Christ’s response to such questioning and doubt remains unremitting: “All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”  

So then, it seems the question each man must settle in his heart is that exact question Pilate once posed to Christ: “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. –John 18:38.

Why? Because their eternal soul is inextricably tied to how they answer this very straightforward question.

Did you catch what Jesus made clear to Pilate—to anyone with ears to hear?

He plainly stated that not only is He alone the Truth, equally, one reason He was born into this world was to testify, proclaim, and profess Truth. And if you receive Truth when it’s spoken, putting it into practice as a doer and not a hearer only, if, like Elizabeth, your belly leaps when Truth is near you, you have likely recognized your Master’s voice. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” –John 10:27.

If so, I pray you will remain faithful to the Truth, hunger and thirst for more and more of Jesus. I pray that you will follow God’s leading and guiding all the days of your life, living pure and holy lives before Him. “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!” John 14:15.

Because friends, there is no such thing as your or my truth—only The Truth. So then, how or if we receive said Truth—receive Jesus, will determine how we live our lives now and where we will spend eternity. Jesus has made Himself crystal clear: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6.

In a world where we’re told the truth is anything we say it is, where we play little g god over our lives, acting out and being whoever or whatever we say we are or choose to be. In a world where mere men—creation, not Creator- dare alter God’s original work, I am so grateful that Christ is still our Due North.

Every man needs that fixed point on his moral compass by which his life is governed—aligned… “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27.

And so I thank Jesus for keeping all those who believe in Him in our right minds—the mind of Christ, for safeguarding us from falling for the lies of the prince of this world. Lies that tell us if it feels right for you, then it is right for you; lies that would have anyone who heeds their treachery build their house on sand—the shifting sands of opinions, trends, and ever-changing feelings. “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” –Matthew 7:26-27.

God’s Holy Spirit is the only fixed point on life’s compass by which everything must align or realign if it has gone off course. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. –John 14:6.

Everything else you’ve been told, taught, believed, heard on the news or in the court of public opinion is a lie. Yet, to believe this, you must be delivered from the strongholds in your life.

Because behind every stronghold, there is a lie. But behind freedom in Christ, there is Truth. –Pastor Lino Braga, Highland City Church.

And Truth says, if I am a child of God, I am:

“A new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” –2 Corinthians 5:17.

“I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me.” –Philippians 4:13.

“In all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].” –Romans 8:37.

“I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.” –Ephesians 1:3-8.

“I am complete in Christ, lacking nothing.” –Colossians 2:9-10.

“In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.” –Epehians 3:12.

Soap and water are great for cleansing yourself, but not if they’re not used! –Pastor Lino Braga.

Sadly, No true and lasting change can be born in you. None of the above Truths will mean anything in your life; they’ll have no effect—if you choose not to believe. Perhaps strongholds have held your thinking captive for most of your life, blocking the Truth of God’s Word—His promises, from penetrating it. Friend, only a life in Christ Jesus—a relationship with Him, His Holy Spirit alive in you, offers you the sure hope and promise of such freedom and knowledge. “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:34-36.

It is not enough to hear the Truth—you must grab hold of it for yourself. Clinging, white-knuckled to it, like a drowning man to a life ring! Why? Because Truth is Who God’s Living Word is—Truth is Jesus Christ. “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.” –John 1:1.

And only through a relationship with Jesus, by placing the full weight of your trust in Him, can any man be restored to a right relationship with Father God. And this is Truth, believe it or not.

So please, don’t let one more day pass you by without knowing Jesus personally or inviting Him into your heart. Just talk to God, ask Him in, and He’ll come and begin a new work in your life. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. God is a Faithful God, He will never start something and not finish it.” –Philippians 1:6.

Yirah

April 1, 2023 /

Kendra Santilli

The English word for fear can carry with it negative connotations. While many unhealthy, paralyzing fears exist, we don’t always realize that fear can often be healthy. Fear of putting your hand on a hot stove is beneficial because it protects you from getting burned. The fear of falling protects you from falling off a building or a cliff to your demise.

Fear is a crucial survival instinct which helps keep us alive.

The Bible frequently speaks of the “fear of the Lord. “When hearing this phrase, there are two ways people initially react. They may retreat to some negative mental space, afraid of the man in the sky who can strike at any moment of weakness. Then there’s the interpretation that the “fear of the Lord” is a literary way of describing reverence.

As we dive deeper into this phrase, I propose that the fear of the Lord is both/ and.

 It is both standing in awe and trembling at His greatness. It is both the desire to remain secure in His love and the hesitation to hurt the heart of God. They go hand in hand. The Hebrew word for fear in this context is Yirah.

While the English language loosely translates Yirahto mean reverence, Yirah carries far more weight to its meaning than our English word for “fear” can bear. Yirah is being overwhelmed by something that is so much greater than yourself. It is to behold something that is far beyond your understanding. This fear causes us to put the Lord first in everything because once we’ve beheld Him, He becomes the most extraordinary thing we’ve ever known. Not that God is a thing, mind you.

The fear of the Lord brings wisdom.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” — Proverbs 9:10

Do you find yourself trying to draw near to God but not understanding His Word and ways? Ask yourself this: do I fear the Lord? Our experience with our Creator starts with what the Psalmist describes as the Fear of the Lord. The covenantal language in this verse shows us the natural exchange that happens as our hearts turn toward the Father. Wisdom starts with this reverential awe of God. Wisdom’s foundation is the fear of God. If you don’t understand, keep seeking Him until you find Him; keep reading His Word until it moves you. Knowing God and actively turning away from evil leads you to understand.

He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding. — Job 28:28

While you cannot force yourself to “fear the Lord,” you can develop it through beholding Him.

To behold God in your everyday life, you don’t need some special event. If you’re looking for Him, God can be beheld through prayer, His beautiful works of nature, your family, and the blessings all around you. When you encounter the presence of God, Yirah comes over you as you dwell in His presence. Drawing near to God develops your ear for His voice as He whispers wisdom into your situations.

The fear of the Lord ignites awe and wonder deep within you.

The book of Job exemplifies this kind of awe and wonder. Job is the biblical account of a man who lost everything. Yet the Bible calls him a man who was blameless and upright. Job’s thoughts and affections were pointed towards the Lord in all things. Even when his friends mocked him for still trusting God after losing everything, Job maintained that the Lord is good. There is a moment in this biblical account where Job powerfully encounters God. The Lord speaks to Job while he’s experiencing this deep sorrow and reminds God reminds Job of who He is!

For four chapters, the Lord challenges Job as He lists His remarkable works, reminding Job of who He really is. Job’s response was that of awe and wonder. “I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; twice, but now I can add nothing. I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you.” — Job 40:4-5; 42:5

Job was left speechless. When we encounter the maker of the universe, our response is none other than awe and wonder, fear, and trembling. He is more than we could ever even begin to fathom in our hearts and minds.

When the fear of God comes over us, our lives are never the same.

The fear of the Lord initiates trembling.

“Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.” — Psalms 2:11

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” — Philippians 2:12

What good is striving to be good or righteous if it’s only done in front of others? It means nothing in the sight of God if our hearts intend to look good to those around us. God desires that our hearts are pure, that we genuinely live rightly before Him, and not just want to look like we live righteously to others. When our motive is to honor God above anything else, our behaviors naturally align in our public and private lives.

Our lives begin to match the Yirah of encountering the God of the universe.

I pray you’ll encounter God in a new way this week. If you have not yet met God in a life-changing way, I invite you to ask Him into your life. Let Him make you a new creation today as you make Jesus your Lord and Saviour. I believe the fear of God will come over you as you surrender to Him, and you will begin to live in the awareness of His awe-inspiring presence.

Kingdom Acceptance.

March 25, 2023 /
Matthew Botelho

Hello to all my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus. It is finally here. Spring has come! A new season is upon us, meaning new opportunities for those praying for breakthroughs in their families.

Spring is a time of rebirth, and those old habits and mindsets shall be put to rest. I pray, dear friends, that the renewing of your mind has begun. I pray that new ministries will be birthed through each of you and that I truly believe some “unfinished” works are being brought back into remembrance by our Lord Jesus. It was only for a season, my friends, that those works were laid down. It is time to pick it up again. Praise God! 

As I was reading my devotional this morning, the title struck me. The devotional was titled “Rejecting the Spirit of Rejection” and what a timely word it was—and is. My dear friends, so many of us have gone through times of rejection. Even in our Christian walk, we will go through times of rejection. At school or the workplace, there are moments when the world will try to make us believe that we are the “odd man looking in.” That is just not true.

Jesus told us it would be difficult, especially how the world views believers. But we are sanctified by the Blood of the Lamb and have been set apart to be holy and righteous, set apart, dear friends, to do good works. The apostle Paul makes this very bold statement:  Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. “ So as difficult as times or seasons may be, stand firm and do not be ashamed of Jesus—or His Word; God’s mercy has saved you in Christ Jesus.

That rejection you may experience from the world should not be something for you to be saddened over. God said through the prophet Isaiah, “The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and flower fades, But the Word of our God stands forever.” –Isaiah 40:7-8. Now we all have stories of how family members or some friends have stopped talking to us because of our faith in Jesus. I know I have. Still, we cannot give up on those loved ones because Jesus never gave up on us. Even while we were sinners, Christ died for us. But these trials and rejections still hurt dear friends. Oh, how they hurt. But In all things, we are to pray and petition our Lord that He will give us the strength to endure. 

Think about the night when Jesus was betrayed and turned over to the temple guards. He prayed to the Father for comfort. He cried to the Father, “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass over Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”—Matthew 25:39. What an earnest prayer He prayed. Do you think Jesus did not know rejection? His very own people did not recognize Him as the Messiah, and a few moments after He prayed a second time, His own disciples scattered and left Him. And Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”—Matthew 26:42

Even when we feel there is no hope, our heavenly Father is still in it with us.

So If God does not remove the rejection or fiery trial from you, He will go through it with you. He will be your strength and courage. Jesus endured everything He went through on this earth with you in mind. He did it all for you, so you will never face rejection or trials alone. He promised His Holy Spirit to be with you always.

Jesus said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” –John 15:26.

“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

You may not see or feel God, but Jesus is in your every circumstance or trial, and His promises are always there for you. You may have to drink this cup, but it will not last. Psalm 30:8  assures you of that! “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning” Oh, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice! Jesus assures us the world may reject you, but He never will: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who come to Me I will by no means cast out.” –John 6:37. 

God promises, through His son, we will never be forgotten or set aside. You are the apple of God’s Eye, dear friends.

No man can make this promise and keep it. For man, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible. His love for you is as wide as the east is from the west; there is no end to God’s love for you. As humans, we will always fall short. We will let our flesh get in the way, and we will let each other down; true story. We will never, ever know the type of rejection our Lord did. I mean, EVER! But, when rejection does come, and it will, we need to see it as an opportunity to pray, Oh heavenly Father, let this coming rejection pass from me, Lord, and let Your will be done during this trial.

Allow His will to be done during times of trials and discouragement. It’s during that time of rejection, and testing is when your faith will truly grow.

We may not recognize it immediately, but God always answers our prayers. Even His “no” is an answer or His “not right now.” It may not be the answer you seek, but we need to trust the process. Some pressing, crushing, and very uncomfortable moments may be attached to your faith being stretched, but trust the process. 

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

As I close my dear brothers and sisters, I invite anyone who is reading this and does not know our Lord Jesus to confess your sins to Jesus and allow Him to make His abode in your heart. Proclaim Him as Lord and Savior over your life. Be washed clean by His blood, and be renewed in your spirit. Jesus loves you with an everlasting love, and He wants nothing more than to be in a relationship with you. This day is your day for salvation! Amen.

Next…

March 18, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.” –1 Kings 17:2-3.

As suddenly as summer rain, many of God’s children, myself included, are experiencing a season of change that fell upon us—seemingly unexpected. It’s like we’ve walked into an event already in progress and must catch up somehow—or so it feels. And yet, if truth be told, there were telltale signs that some-thing was coming. A shift in the atmosphere had occurred as with the suddenness of summer rain.

It was getting darker off in the distance if we were paying attention. But perhaps we were just too busy to have noticed? Maybe we were distracted? Or perhaps we thought we’d have more time before the sky opened and we got caught in a sudden downpour…

And yet, even with the rain causing everything to change on a dime, how thankful we are—or ought to be, that our Fixed, Un-Changing, Consistent and Loving God is at the epicenter of our suddenly. We ought to be grateful for God’s Sovereignty—that He reigns over every aspect of our lives. That no-thing is allowed to touch us which does not first pass through Jesus’ Providential Hands. “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” –Job 23:10.

And so it is in this epicenter of flux we find the Prophet Elijah—in God’s Providential will, nevertheless.

God was about to recalibrate Elijah’s trajectory, but He would not leave him directionless. Despite the changes he’ll soon experience, God gave Elijah clear directions for moving forward, pointing him toward provision, protection, rest, and safety. And God will do the same for you and me. Since God sent others, even the most unlikely of choices, to provide for Elijah, He’ll do it for us, Beloved. “You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there. The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the wadi. –1 Kings 17:4;6.

When God gets ready to transition us, He already has our “next” mapped out, already prepared for us.

The question is, will we trust God and follow the directions He’s giving us?

“Do not remember the former things, Or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” –Isaiah 43:18-19.

A famine was about to strike the land. Chapter 17 of 1 Kings opens with Elijah telling King Ahab that it would not rain again until he, Elijah, said it would. “Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” –1 Kings 17:1.

What do you do when everything you’ve come to rely on is switched up on you suddenly?

When God shifts your revenue stream, your daily routine? When His Divine Hand of safety or safeguarding your health, your children, parents, or spouses is suddenly removed? Elijah was about to learn the answer.

It wasn’t only those God had sent Elijah to who’d be affected by the coming famine. It would affect Elijah as well. Remember, God never promised to exempt His children from the troubles besetting this world. But He did tell us to remain strong and confident. That despite all that may be whirling around us, despite the changes, sudden or not, despite your pain and doubt, your questioning, God’s got you. All is well. “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.” –John 16:33.

Yet before God blessed Elijah, He had to reshape him—ridding him of anything that might take Elijah’s focus and reliance off God. Little did Elijah know he was being prepared for so much more than he could imagine. That God was about to blow his mind!

God was preparing Elijah for his next assignment. And part of his preparation was God’s removing everything Elijah had come to rely on. From his daily bread delivery to the safe haven God had guided him to, all of it was taken away! The Bible doesn’t tell us how long it took for all this to happen, but we can imagine that for Elijah, whether overnight or days later, the world as he’d come to know it felt suddenly upended. But God had a plan! “Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” –1 Kings 17:7-9.

God closed the door behind Elijah so he couldn’t turn to the familiar, to what was. God was doing something new and needed Elijah not to miss it. So He stripped away the route, the comfortable, the familiar, anything that might distract Elijah from where He was leading him. “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” –Psalm 37:23.

God demands our undivided obedience. So when He says go, our only response ought to be, “yes, Abba.”

And Elijah said just that. He was obedient to God. And his obedience was rewarded with favor and provision. The widow did, in fact, supply him with food, just as God said she would. And all three of them ate and were filled. Oh, wait. I forgot to mention the widow had a son—he was the third person.

God used Elijah’s unwavering obedience and the unswerving faith of a widow who did not know Him to usher in the miracle that would save and sustain them each through their shared yet unique “suddenly.”

 “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ “She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” –1 Kings 17:14-16.

So for those who, like this widow, may not yet know God for themselves, would you consider following her example? Would you trust that as surely as God sent Elijah to her that she might receive her miracle and live, He has led you here today that you might receive yours? 2 Corinthians 6:2 says it this way: “For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

God may change your season suddenly. You go to bed thinking you’ll wake up to life as you lived it yesterday, last week, only to find you are in the middle of an event already in progress and must catch up somehow—or so it feels. Yet how thankful we are—or ought to be, that our Fixed, Un-Changing, Consistent and Loving God is at the epicenter of every suddenly. We ought to be grateful for God’s Sovereignty—that He reigns over every aspect of our lives.

That no-thing is allowed to touch us which does not first pass through Jesus’ Providential Hands. “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” –Job 23:10.

Hunger Again.

March 11, 2023 /
Kendra Santilli

Hunger. It’s a part of our human experience.

It is a healthy sign, a signal that our bodies need fuel. Hunger leads us to supply the proper nourishment that every cell of every organ needs. When we go for extended periods without feeling hungry, that is a sign that something is wrong. A decreased appetite is a classic sign of physical or mental sickness. In the same way, our spiritual hunger is a great gauge of our spiritual health. I am not saying that hunger is the gauge for our spiritual health. Rather, dwindling hunger can be a sign that something is wrong. If you feel tired or have lost your hunger for the things of God, you are not alone, and there are ways to get your hunger back!

“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” — Hebrews 5:11-14

Heavy as this passage may be, I am filled with encouragement as I read it with eyes of hope.

If we are not careful, life can get in the way, pulling us away from dwelling in the Truth of God’s Word, not the advice of His word, the Truth. There is such value in finding a church family who can help keep you grounded. While there is an ideology that states, “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian,” the truth found in the Word of God instructs us “not forsake gathering with other believers.” –Hebrews 10:25. Isolation yourself is a sure way to fade away from God, losing your spiritual hunger. Getting together with like-minded people helps us refocus on the Truth of the Gospel when we lose sight of what matters.

On the flip side, religiously attending church can breed complacency when you stop trying. Have you stopped trying to understand the things of God? Have you stopped trying to listen to His word with an open heart, allowing His transformative Word to penetrate deeply? A spiritual regression can happen when you begin to lose your hunger. You begin to lose your spiritual appetite, leading you to rely on others for sustenance. This is the milk that Hebrews is referring to. This milk is hand fed to you by others because you forgot how to feed yourself with the solid food that once fed your mature spirit. God wants you to feed yourself! “I am the bread of life; he who come to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” — John 6:35

What do you do when you’re not hungry?

How do you stir up that hunger again? First, you have to be consistent. Like that chicken soup that’s hard to stomach when you’re in the middle of a cold, seek Him when you don’t feel like it. Read His word daily. “…he may learn to fear the Lord his God by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes…” — Deuteronomy 17:19. You can learn to fear the Lord by reading and spending time with Him. The Bible is a beautiful teacher because it is breathed from His lungs.

Second, ask the Holy Spirit for help. “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” — John 14:26.

As our helper, the Holy Spirit is our teacher and reminds us of what we study from the Bible. When you read your Bible with a heart-seeking understanding, your appetite will grow again. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you will begin to grow out of milk and back into the solid food found at the table of the Lord. This solid food provides sustenance that will mature your spirit again. He will help you train yourself to distinguish good from evil, so you’re not lukewarm.

If you’ve lost your hunger, pick up your sword again today.

If you feel that you have no desire for the things of God, I invite you to ask Jesus into your life and begin to grow in the Spirit and find belonging in the family of God! He cares for you and wants your spirit to be healthy and fed. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” — Matthew 5:6

Sifted

March 4, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” –Luke 22:31-32.

Why does it feel like I am dying?

The short answer—you likely are. But that’s a good thing. Hear me out.

So long as we are here on earth, child of God, your Christian walk will be peppered with seasons when it will feel like you are dying. Why? God is pruning you, transforming and reshaping you into the image and likeness of Jesus, His Son. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. –Romans 8:29.

God is removing your dead wood—your fleshy bits. Those weak or unproductive areas in your life that siphon your precious time, attention, and focus away from Christ. Those fleshly parts of you that look nothing at all like Jesus. So if God is removing it, let it go! For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. –Philippians 2:13. Because even the so-called “good stuff” will be useless where God is preparing to take you, so off with it. Remember, God is far more concerned with your character and eternal good than your comfort

Having experienced this painful process, Peter had firsthand knowledge of this Truth. Yet he was not the first of Christ’s disciples to have been sifted. And he wouldn’t be the last. In fact, each of the Twelve had been—sifted. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. Within this month, or year, this very day, many of Jesus’s disciples have or will experience the crushing anguish experienced when God permits Satan to sift one of His children.

Will their inner cry and turmoil echo Peter’s, perhaps? “After all Jesus has done for me. All I have witnessed and know Him to be, how could my faith be so weak? How could I fail Him so miserably!?”

And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” –Luke 22:55-59.

“I was so sure I’d rather die than deny Jesus by demonstrating so little courage in my hour of testing.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” –Matthew 26:34-35.

Have you been experiencing a time of profound spiritual wrestling, hopelessness, or fear? A time so daunting that your toes, however briefly, drew dangerously close to the line labelled turning away? A moment when the literal fear of God ran through you, icy, jolting, one that left you crying out to God, repenting of your pridefulness and misplaced self-confidence? And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. –Luke 22:61-62.

Have you ever experienced a dark night of the soul?

Has the very earth beneath your feet suddenly upturned? Where everything you’ve believed and professed was tested, tried, and found wanting?

Or that startling moment of “I am not yet who I will be.” And you find yourself taken aback by the jarring realization you are still very human, contrary to your great faith in Christ. You’ve underestimated your vulnerability and are weak, susceptible to failing, to fall. Beloved friend, have you yet come face-to-face with that moment when it was Jesus, and only Jesus (as it always is), who held you back from a fall from which you’d never get up? I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. –John 10:28-29.

It’s in that place where we find Peter, here where many may find themselves today.

If this is you—If you’re experiencing a dark night of the soul, take heart, Beloved of God, He is still with you. But know this. God allows this crushing, questioning, this desperate time of falling and failing, of testing, to beset you. Just read the Book of Job. In fact, just read verses Eight thru Twelve for confirmation. “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” –Job 1:8-12.

And no, child of God, your Father has not stopped loving you. Neither has God forsaken you. Quite the opposite, His Holy Spirit is refining you. You’re about to level up.

Now notice how today’s scripture verse is so very personal, how God is interceding for you, specifically—as surely and personally as He did for your brother Peter. And though Jesus informed Peter that Satan had asked to sift them all, He also made clear that it was for Peter whom He was praying. Peter had much work to do— and he needed to be spiritually squared away to accomplish all that Jesus had called and equipped him to do. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

God is working out your fleshy bits, too, Beloved. Perhaps the sifting you’re experiencing is happening so that, like Peter, you too may be restored, transformed, made new, readied for the next leg of your journey with the Lord. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. –Jeremiah 18:4.

Holy Spirit will reveal your weak areas to you so that you might repent of any pridefulness, self-confidence, anything not of God. But, praise His Merciful name! As surely as the Holy Spirit convicts, He also intercedes in our great moments of weakness. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. –Romans 8:26-27.

Friend, if you are experiencing a time of change and trials, call out to Jesus. He will come, and with Him, His Holy Spirit, to help walk you through every valley. Romans 10:9-10 assures you of the eternal safety found only in Jesus. 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.

In Between.

February 25, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high. –Luke 24:49.

In-betweens, life is full of them, and so is the Bible. The in-betweens are times when God often births transformation, prunes, exacting newness, refining our faith. Father Abraham understood in-betweens. As did Moses, David, Joshua, and Esther. The Apostle Paul indeed did. It is fair to say all those listed in Hebrews, Chapter Eleven, understood the uncertainty and discomfort experienced while being in between. Days, months, sometimes years between what was— the familiar, comfortable, dare I say predictable, and God’s “what is to come.” An unfamiliar, new, and often uncomfortable season. Living in-between is where we find the disciples in today’s Scripture verse.

For now, we’ll call these in-betweens new shoe seasons.

Why new shoes? Because most people, whether believers or not, can relate to the discomfort felt when breaking in a pair of new shoes. And yet regardless of the pain, contrary to how they feel, you, dear brother, precious sister, must persevere in the oft-painful, awkward uncertainty new things bring with them. You must trust and have faith that the hesitancy and pain the in-between brings will one day cease. Said Scripturally: 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 3:18.

Transformation can be painful—the olive and grape understand this fully. At the hand of the One controlling the press, each endures the painful process necessary to exact their precious fluid.

From when Jesus called them to Himself, Christ’s disciples spent almost every waking moment with Him. Except, of course, those moments when a man, for obvious reasons, requires privacy. And when Jesus would slip away to be alone with the Father. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. –Luke 5:16. They’d eaten with, laughed, cried, and slept beside Jesus. And by the power of His Holy Spirit, He’d given each of them authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach repentance.

But now, standing before His In disciples in His resurrected Body, in His final moments on earth, Jesus gave His disciples one last gift—and a promise. His parting gift to them? Jesus opened their minds to understand all Scripture. Finally, all that Jesus had shared concerning Himself—His birth, life, death, and resurrection, became clear to them. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. –Luke 24:45.

Beloved, regardless of how long we’ve walked with the Lord. Irrespective of the hours spent in Bible study, quiet contemplation, or worship, we are still being perfected—sanctified. For as long as we draw breath, God will continue to take us from faith to faith. Stretching and refining us, God requires us to step out of the well-used shoes we’ve outgrown. They’ve served you well, don’t get it twisted, and yes, God gave them to you. But now it’s time for the new—your next assignment. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven. –Luke 24:49.

God is teaching His children to walk on their own two feet and take the next step. To navigate and gain strength while in the in-between. Perseverance is being built. Character shaped—folded in, reshaped. And just as God did this with His disciples, so too with you and I, Beloved. God is equipping us for our moment. His “never-letting-go-letting-go moment.” Stay with me here…

Of course, God will always be with you—He’s promised you that. And God is not a man that He should lie. Still, there comes a time in the life of every believer when God will momentarily withdraw His hand so that you might stand, if you will,  on your own two feet. It’s a testing of sorts—a mirror. Allowing us to see what is or isn’t inside of us. Some of us needed coarse correction, perhaps. Or maybe encouragement to carry on, to keep going. Remember, in His Sovereignty, God sees and knows how you’ll respond when He withdraws His hand.

So it’s your faith—or lack thereof; God is allowing you to glimpse—your legs; God’s steadying.

How will we ever know, have confidence in, the strength of our faith, the certainty of our love and obedience to God, if our faith is never tested? If God never lets go of our hand? If He never places us in situations where we must dig deep to keep walking out our faith, to use the gifts He’s placed within us? Especially when we can’t sense His nearness and the ever-present, steadying Hand we’ve relied upon moves suddenly. Still, knowing God to be the Loving Father He is, our experiencing the in-between must be for our good—regardless of how we feel there. And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. –Romans 8:28.

In closing, parents, siblings, aunty, or uncle, remember when you taught that child to ride a bike?

Their training wheels had been removed, and they were about to experience the exhilarating terror of riding solo firsthand. Remember how they kept looking back at you, their safety net? And how you kept reassuring them they wouldn’t fall? That you wouldn’t take your steading hand from their seat, yet knowing you’d have to? That’s where the disciples find themselves at the end of Luke, Chapter Twenty-Four. Jesus was about to remove His hand from the back of the proverbial seat. Christ, no longer with them but alive now, in them, empowering them to do all things. Just for a time, they’d be in between. But in this moment, and until Holy Spirit invaded the Upper Room, indwelling them, they were still working off training wheel memories of the temporary power given them in the past. Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases. –Luke 9:1.

Today, many of us are doing the same. We’re working off yesterday’s power. Whether in uncomfortable shoes or sitting on bikes, we are in between. Afraid, not wanting the One we trust to take their steadying hand from our seat. So how do we navigate the in-between? We take our direction or coarse correction when we’ve failed to listen from the only sure place there is—God’s Word.

Earlier, I spoke of two things Jesus left His disciples right before He returned to the Father: a gift and a promise. We read about His gift earlier, how Jesus opened the disciple’s minds to understand the Scriptures.

But what about His promise?

In a separate conversation with His disciples, while preparing them for His inevitable death and resurrection, Jesus promised them that no matter what happened to Him, He would not leave them alone. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. –John 14:16-18.

Jesus fulfilled this promise, first to His disciples and then to us.

You are not alone in your in-between, Beloved. Your feet may be weary. Sore from walking around in new shoes. You may feel a bit shaky thinking God has removed His steadying hand from the proverbial seat of your bike. I get that. I’m experiencing an in-between myself. But despite all that, let’s thank God we do not have to live as the world does by our fickle feelings. Instead, we have the Sure Foundation of God’s Word to guide us as we pass through the in-between. Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. –Psalm20:6-7.

Dear friend, why wait? If you have not asked Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, call on Him now, He will answer you! He will walk with you, leading you with His strong, right hand through every in-between you’ll ever face. In my alarm I said, I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help. –Psalm 31:22.

RSVP

February 18, 2023 /
Matthew Botelho

Hello to all my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord. I am praying that His mercies are covering you and that His peace comforts you in all situations you may be going through in this season. And to all those who have yet to accept Jesus as Lord, welcome, and I pray that you ask Jesus into your heart today. I do need to start this on a serious note, however. Today, in my city,  many parents received an email stating that the local public schools were in lockdown due to a threat of sorts. As it turns out, it was merely a hoax, a cruel joke played by someone lost in the dark. I hear these stories of public schools being raided by a gunman, and I think about how horrible this act truly is. These attacks are direct assaults from the pits of hell. My heart cries out for every student, parent, and teacher involved.

I praise our Lord that nothing came from this, and everyone is safe.

Yet I would never have thought this would happen so close to home. I am sure many of you reading this can relate on some level. Some of you may have similar stories, and if you do, please, know that I am standing in the gap for you. This twisted, nightmare-like fright results from God being banished from our schools. Other idols and gods have been allowed to set up residence. Baals, these false gods, have come for our children. And as this present darkness has settled in, people have become increasingly blind to it.

Now, any invitation or initiative to allow God’s Light into the many social systems and structures that once allowed Him free access, to be first and foremost in the classrooms and courthouses across this great land, has, for the most part, been rescinded.

But, my brothers and sisters, there is still hope for Christ to be restored to His rightful place in our land. As parents, pastors, leaders, and teachers, we must teach and raise the next generation of giant slayers to live full out for Christ.

Proverbs 22:6  instructs us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not part from it.”

Psalm 33:12 tells us, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. “ This passage of scripture speaks of the covenant God made not with the United States but with the nation of Israel. However, America was established, likened to a blueprint of Israel. How? Judeo-Christian values founded America. Yet as a nation, much like Israel, how far we have strayed from God, His Word, and statues. In his “City on a Hill” speech, John Winthrop said:  “But if our hearts shall turn away, so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced, and worship and serve other gods, our pleasure and profits, and serve them…we shall surely perish.”

But if we adhere to the promise God gives to the nation of Israel, we will see the fruit of that promise in our lives. When we as a people submit to God, He watches and leads His people. In Deuteronomy 7:12-13, God gives this amazing promise to Moses and the entire nation of Israel.

“Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you.”

Only through Jesus shall we share in that inheritance promised from the very beginning. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. And His Love sets us free from the Law. “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” –Romans 8:2.

The blood of Jesus is the atonement for our sins. So to receive this forgiveness for our sins, we need to accept Jesus as Lord by acknowledging we are sinners, sincerely asking God for His forgiveness, and then living our lives submitted to Jesus. “Be fruitful,” says God. Live in abundance because Jesus has come to give you life and make it more abundant! “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” –Genesis 1:28.

Take dominion of the land that God has given you. Take authority of your household and let the enemy know that the battle is the Lord’s and he, your enemy, is defeated! Raise up your children on the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ that they will go into these schools and proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come! Repent! and believe in the Good News!

The night that Jesus was betrayed, He spoke to His disciples and said, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” –John 14:30.

Satan has no authority over Jesus because He is God’s Son, meaning that all authority has been given to Jesus by God the Father. “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” –Matthew 11:27

So then, the invitations have been sent out, dear family. How will you respond? If you’ve already said yes to Jesus, continue to extend His invitation by sharing the Good News that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Remember, we are to deliver these invitations throughout the world. “I am the vine, you are the branches, He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” –John 15:5.

And if you are reading this, dear friend, and do not know Jesus as Lord, this is your invitation. Today is the day of salvation. Do not cast this moment away! This invitation is one you want to take advantage of. Ask Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, then allow Him to wash them all away with His precious Blood. Ask Him to come into your heart and make His home in you. “As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” –Hebrews 3:15.

Welcome to the wedding feast! Now, your seat is ready. Amen

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 Sonsofthesea.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑