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

Tag: God’s Promises

New Year’s Eve Blessings!

December 31, 2025 /

From: All Of Us!

Greetings, Sonsofthesea family

On the Eve of this New Year, before you take that first-fruits step into God’s next, have you prayed? Have you asked His Holy Spirit to show you what ought not go with you into the “new thing” He’s doing? What must be left at the altar, far behind you, so that you might have the strength, peace, courage, clean hands, heart, and constancy you will need to face whatever is ahead boldly, fiercely, bravely, with fresh determination?

To help us succeed in doing this, I pray, above all, that God’s Holy Spirit strengthen, uphold, lead, and guide us. And I also encourage you, and all of us, to heed Paul’s instructions, all of them, using them as our tried-and-true guide. “…throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

How can we continue to hold out hope for what may feel impossible and daunting, hope that our yet-unanswered prayer, our heartfelt plea, will be answered by God? You know the one. That prayer you’ve been praying for years now for true and lasting change: of heart, habits, thought patterns, or lifestyle choices, for more of God, so much more, and far less of you. “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

As the days grow darker and the love of many grows cold, we must trust God now more than ever before, beloved, remembering that apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value.

Paul also reminds us that, tired as we may be, as weary and worn out as we may feel at times, we’re not there yet; we must press on, beloved! We are still in this spiritual fight, yet we do not fight alone, ever! Remember that the next time you feel as though you’re standing toe to toe, just you and the enemy of your soul.

Remember, the God of Heaven’s Armies fights for you! Jesus stands with you, always! Hold tight to His promise, wrap it tightly around yourself, shelter and strength, whenever you feel weak or afraid: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” and “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

And so you must, we must, take a fresh grip with hands made weak maybe and weary by the challenges we faced and fought throughout 2025 and press forward in the strength Christ affords those who belong to Him, encouraged and determined never to turn back or away, but to fight, taking new ground in this New Year, for the Kingdom of our God: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.”

We are linking arms with you in the Spirit, joining our prayers to yours for the coming New Year.

Praying for your strength, courage, boldness, and constancy. For greater levels of humility, submission, surrender, and holiness. We pray, too, that the favor and blessings of God rest heavily upon you and your family.

Above all, we pray if you don’t know Jesus, personally, intimately, as Lord, Savior, Friend, the greatest miracle of all will be yours in 2026—your name will be found written in the Lamb’s book of Life! “Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.”

New Year’s Blessings from everyone here at Sonsofthesea!

We thank you for following us and pray you’ll continue to do so as we follow Jesus into 2026…

To My Battle Weary Bride…

October 11, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” –Psalm 56:8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God has not forgotten you, beloved.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen.

I Know.

February 17, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Still, I know that God lives – the One who gives me back my life – and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.” –Job 19:25.

How will you respond when, from seemingly nowhere, tragedy strikes? When you’re fired unexpectedly or a stroke, heart attack, or some dreaded diagnosis strikes? When your spouse leaves, or your child, parent, or beloved friend dies? Some will say that question can’t be answered until we face it. And yet, Job knew his answer well in advance. And so ought we. As Christians, we must determine in advance to cleave to Jesus when the familiar, everyday rhythm of our lives becomes abruptly unrecognizable, just as Job once did. Long before his world was ripped from beneath him, Job had decided never to turn away from the God He loved and served. Did Job have questions? Absolutely. Was he heartbroken and devastated? You bet. Yet Job had decided there’d never be a turning back to life before Jesus. A decision each of us must determine in our own heart.

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.” –Job 13:15.

God has every right to take anything back to fulfill His will in our lives, including the health, people, possessions, and prosperity He’s afforded us. His doing this will require us to “come up higher.” To operate in the Spirit, not the flesh. Our flesh is far too selfish and constantly warring with our Spirit. To remain steadfast in our faith and commitment to Christ, we must tether ourselves to unwavering trust in God. Be unswervingly committed to following, clinging to, honoring, obeying, running to Jesus long before adversity, loss, pain, suffering, or the unfathomable occurs. “Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” –Psalm 108:12-13.

Jesus never promised that our following Him would be easy.

All too often, we forget that—I know I have.

As followers of Christ Jesus, by faith, we believe what God says is Truth because we know we serve a God who cannot lie. Who foreknew how each of His children would act, react, or respond to every situation and circumstance He knit into His plan for their lives—just as He foreknew how Job would respond to His extending Satan the invitation to sift him. Remember, God drew Satan’s attention to a man scripture makes clear, loved, and followed Him. It wasn’t sin that had opened the door to Satan—God Himself did that. “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” –Job 1:1.

In those moments and seasons when, like Job, we feel confused, afraid, targeted, even forsaken or forgotten by God, it’s then that the surety of what we know of God’s character and heart toward us must be our only lifeline. All else but God must fall away, lest we fall. “I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” –Psalm 63:8.

We trust Jesus because we have tasted and seen that our God is a Good Father, even in the worst of times.

And because of who God is, His unfathomable love for us—for you, beloved, I’m here to remind you that surely, soon and very soon, you too will heal, live, and breathe again, restored with even greater levels of trust—looking more like Jesus not despite, but because of your trial. Like Job, you will emerge more unshakable. Your faith is more deeply rooted because you’ve walked through the refiner’s fire with the Lord, and something far greater than silver or gold was deposited in you.

So allow God’s sure promises to speak to your feelings, Beloved. Reminding them they are fleeting and untrustworthy, emotional responses that are all too often slaves to your circumstances.

Please understand me. Assuredly, there are moments in life, seasons even, when these feelings are valid—we’re not robots. The loss of a loved one, a life turned suddenly upside down by the words, “We’re going to have to let you go.”  “There’s been an accident, or we’re sorry to inform you that your husband, son, or daughter did not survive.” “I have your test results. You have cancer.”

Still, more than ever, especially in such moments, we must grab hold of God’s promises and become so one with His Truth; we allow nothing, no loss, trial, or pain, to separate us from our loving Father. “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”‘ –Romans 8:35-39.

The one sure thing I know, having experienced such desperate moments, is this: Everything must pass through God’s Sovereign Hand—Period. Are those things painful? Absolutely. They’re rip your heart out painful. You’ll never be the same again. As with Job’s losses, these sudden rippingaways are meant to leave us different than they found us—changed because they were allowed to touch us.

“Job answered God: “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” –Job 42:5 MSG.

Compared to the agony Jesus endured for you and me on His Cross, who are we to complain?

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” –2 Corinthians 4:17.

Soon and very soon, Jesus will return, wedding ring in hand, oh, glorious day when we’ll be forever One with Him, just as He promised His disciples as they watched Him ascend back to the Father, having conquered sin, death and the grave for you and me. Job believed it. Jesus’s disciples knew it. And so do we, those who have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb and are eagerly watching and waiting for His soon return. And so, I fix my eyes on Jesus, pain, and all.

Like Job, I know my Redeemer lives. And any moment now, I will meet Him.

How about you? Do you know Jesus? More importantly, does Jesus know you? If you’re uncertain, call out to Him now. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. Give Him your pain. He’ll carry what you were never meant to. He loves you. You’re the one He gave His life for. Grab hold of Jesus’s promise to you: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” –Revelation 3:20.

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