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

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Take A Stand.

March 21, 2026 /

Elda Othello-Wrightington

Life can feel like we are in the midst of a war—sometimes a battlefield—and we often don’t even know what we are fighting or how to fight it. Sometimes the fight is within us; other times, it’s outside ourselves. Outside of our control. I find that war from within can be one of the hardest to fight at times. Especially the war that happens in the mind. But the bible tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, it reads, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

In this season, the word “stronghold” has stood out as I navigate life and pray for others.

So, what are strongholds? This AI definition struck me. It reads: “In the Bible, a stronghold refers to deeply ingrained, deceptive thought patterns, lies, or sinful habits that hold a person captive and oppose God’s truth, often built from past experiences like trauma or rejection, acting as mental fortresses that block spiritual growth and obedience to Christ.”

When something is ingrained, it has deep roots.

And guess what: a person is held captive by these roots and sometimes doesn’t even realize it. I’ve learned over the years that only God’s Truth can untangle the lies one finds themselves in. As a counselor, the bigger question I find myself asking God is, “Then how do I help others break free from strongholds if they can’t see them and are so entangled in them?”

Wrestling with this question has been such a challenge for me, as one of my own loved ones is stuck in their own mental fortress as a result of past traumas and feelings of rejection. Dealing with that can feel debilitating at times because I all I want to do is help them, but I know I am not God (neither do I want to be God), and I know that they also must want to be helped!

They have to submit themselves, wanting to be free, via surrender to God, but what if they can’t see?

So I went back to the bible…

How do we help them break such strongholds?

Well, because they’re supernatural, helping break them must be done through the Holy Spirit.

You cannot fight supernatural strongholds in the flesh.

As Ephesians 6 says, we do not war according to the flesh, but through the weapons the Lord has given us. Those supernatural weapons are found in Ephesians 6:10-18: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

We need to STAND for that person via intercession.

I recently learned that intercession is likened to travail or labor. It has a feminine bent in that women push during labor, not that men can’t or don’t experience such; they do.

During labor, women push not just with their own strength, but with some form of supernatural strength. I have no children, but I do know what it means to labor. It’s hard work standing in the gap for someone else’s breakthrough. What is essential to stand is how the Word of God tells us to do it: But Stand in “His strength” and not in your own. Stand with God’s armor, and His armor entails: TRUTH, knowing what God says, it’s His Truth that will set the person free, and you too, in whatever situation you are in.

Standing in Truth means declaring the Word of God in prayer.

Stand in righteousness, which means being in right standing with God; possessing Godly character, not perfection, but His character, because feeling frustrated is a very real thing, and those feelings of frustration will try to bubble up.

But the next verse tells us to stand in peace, knowing the Lord will fight this battle. And that He’s ready to pour out His peace on the one struggling with the stronghold, even when it feels hard for them to receive it.

“We walk by faith and not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Standing in faith can be hard sometimes, especially when it’s so much easier to see things with natural eyes than with supernatural eyes. Scripture encourages us, “I will lift my eyes to the Hills from where comes my help, my help comes from the lord” –Psalm 121:1-2.

We have to keep our eyes focused on God, not on how the person is presenting.

We have to keep our eyes on the Lord to “Stand still, and know that we will see His Salvation” – Exodus 14:13 – and that is often the hardest part. But stand, with the Sword of the Spirit in hand, which is the word of God. Hold on to His Word and His promises as you do.

And lastly, stand by praying always, whether you fully understand what’s happening or not.

Don’t give up on praying. God hears the cries of his saints. The Word of God says, “the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous shall avail; it shall come forth.” –James 5:16. The Lord is fighting your battle; you are not fighting alone.

All you need to do is take a STAND.

You may have read this teaching through, yet may never have given your heart to the Lord. Today is your day! John 3:16 says: “God so loved the world that whoever shall believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Friend, make the decision today and by faith, take a stand; know and be assured that the Lord is in your midst. He will fight your battles.

You Give Them Something to Eat.

March 7, 2026 /

Pastor Samuel Cordeiro

Mark 6:30-44 30: “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to Heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.”

Jesus’ declaration to his disciples, “You give them something to eat,” comes from the familiar story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in Mark 6:30–44. But when we slow down and read it carefully, we realize something remarkable: this miracle is not just about multiplication—it’s about participation.

A Crowd Hungry for Hope

Jesus and His disciples were trying to get away for rest. Yet when the crowds heard where Jesus was headed, thousands ran to meet Him. These weren’t church people attending a conference. These were desperate people. Hungry people. Broken people. Sick people. People tired of religion and longing for real hope.

Does that sound familiar?

Our world today is filled with people just like that—hungry for truth, desperate for love, longing for something real. When Jesus saw them, Scripture says He was moved with compassion. The Greek word used there means His insides churned. His heart broke for them. Thank You, Jesus, for Your compassion toward us—when we were lost, lonely, and afraid like sheep without a shepherd.

The Disciples’ Logical Suggestion

As evening approached, the disciples came to Jesus with what sounded like a very reasonable idea: “Send the people away so they can go buy something to eat.”

Haven’t we all prayed prayers like that? Lord, send someone to help them. Lord, take care of that family. Lord, reach those people. Lord, heal that village. Well-meant prayers, but then Jesus responds in a way that must have shocked them:

“You give them something to eat.” In other words: You are My plan. You are My hands. You are My voice. You are My feet.

Point #1 — God Starts With What You Have

Jesus didn’t ask for what they didn’t possess. He asked: “How many loaves do you have?” The disciples responded as most of us would: “We don’t have enough.” It would cost too much. We’re not ready. Send them away. How often do we delay obedience while waiting for more money… more education…more influence… more confidence? But God says, “What’s in your hand?” God does not call the equipped—He equips the called.

In this story, the miracle didn’t begin when Jesus prayed. The miracle began when a boy let go.

Point #2 — Surrender Turns Scarcity into Supply

John’s Gospel tells us it was a young boy who surrendered his lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish.

He didn’t know he was holding a miracle—he just knew he brought lunch.

Scripture is full of people like that: Moses said, “I’m not eloquent.” God asked, “What is that in your hand?” –Exodus4:2. The widow said in 2 Kings 4:1–7, “I only have a small jar of oil.” Yet God multiplies the oil in all her and her neighbors’ jars; she was able to collect. David said in 1 Samuel 17, “I only have a sling.” Yet God used it to defeat a giant. God never asks for what you wish you had. He asks for what you already have. Your testimony. Your voice. Your business idea. Your time. Your gifts. Your experiences. Your resources. In your hands, it may look small. BUT In God’s hands, it becomes seed.

Point #3 — God Breaks What He Is About to Multiply

Before Jesus multiplied the bread, He broke it.

The loaves were broken before they were multiplied. God will often break what He plans to bless and multiply. Not to destroy it — but to distribute it. Brokenness is not failure – Brokenness is surrender under pressure.

Brokenness is not punishment – Brokenness is preparation.

Oil only comes from olives when they are crushed. The aroma of perfume only fills the house when the alabaster jar is shattered. Gold becomes pure only when heated in the fire. Some of you may be walking through a breaking season right now. That doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. It might mean He is preparing you for something greater, for distribution in His Kingdom.

God is the Potter. We are the clay.

Point #4 — The Disciples Had to Distribute the Miracle

Jesus could have rained bread from Heaven like God did to Moses and the Israelites when they left Egypt in the wilderness. But He chose to put the miracle into the hands of his disciples. The disciples didn’t create the bread. They carried it. Paul writes: “We are co-workers in God’s service.” –1 Corinthians 3:9

That is the Church – the delivery system of God’s provision. Jesus is the Source – We are the delivery system. Every time you serve, every time you pray, every time you give, every time you share Jesus – You are handing out Heaven’s bread to a hungry world.

And here’s what’s powerful: The bread didn’t multiply in Jesus’ hands. It multiplied as the disciples gave it away. Kingdom overflow doesn’t happen through hoarding. It happens through release.

Point #5 — Faithful Servants Are Rewarded

After everyone ate, the disciples gathered twelve baskets—one for each of them. They went in empty and yet walked out carrying provision.

God never forgets faithfulness.

“God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” — Hebrews 6:10

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” — Matthew 6:33

God cannot multiply what we cling to. He multiplies what we surrender.

What’s in Your Hands?

The same Jesus who had compassion on the crowd has compassion on our cities, our families, and our hearts. He still looks at His disciples today and says, “You give them something to eat.”

We live in a desperate world searching for hope. And we are not the Source — But we carry the Source. Maybe you are reading this today thinking: “I don’t have much. I’m not enough.” But God says: “Bring your little. Put it in My hands. And watch Me feed a generation with it.”

God is not waiting for perfect people. He’s waiting for available people.

So let that be our prayer: “Lord, here is my little—make it much.” What are you holding back? What are your five loaves and two fish? What miracle is waiting on your obedience? Let’s give Him what we have—and let God do what only God can do.

A Final Invitation — Say Yes to Jesus Today

Before you close this page, I want to speak directly to you. If you’re honest, maybe you feel like one of the people in that crowd that day—hungry for hope… tired… overwhelmed… searching for something real. That wasn’t an accident. Jesus saw that crowd long before they ever saw Him.

And He sees you right now.

The same compassion that moved His heart on that hillside is reaching toward you today. He isn’t asking you to fix yourself first. He isn’t waiting for you to become perfect. He is simply inviting you to come. The Bible tells us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16.

Jesus gave His life on the cross for your sins. He rose again so that you could walk in freedom, forgiveness, and new life. And today, He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus—or if you’ve drifted away and you’re ready to come home—this moment is for you. You don’t need special words. You just need a willing heart. “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. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10

If that’s you, pause right now and welcome Jesus into your heart with a simple prayer such as this one: “Lord Jesus, I come to You just as I am. I know that I have sinned and need Your forgiveness. Thank You for loving me and dying on the cross for me. I believe You rose again and defeated death. Today, I turn from my old life and place my trust in You. Forgive me. Cleanse me. Make me new. I surrender what I have into Your hands. Be my Savior. Be my Lord. From this day forward, I choose to follow You. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Broken, For You…

February 21, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” —Luke 22:1

Did Jesus’ disciples realize they were witnessing the ushering in of the New Covenant? Had they connected the dots of John the Baptist’s words concerning Jesus to what was happening at their Passover table? “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” –John 1:29.

Had they fully grasped that Jesus is God’s Perfect, Sinless Lamb?

Did they have “ears to hear “Jesus when He’d told them that soon, and very soon, His own Body would be broken, much like the pieces of Bread He’d handed them? Or, that His Blood would be poured out as freely as the wine He poured into that cup of the New Covenant—for the forgiveness of their sins—and those of the whole world? “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” –Luke 22:20.

Scripture indicates they did not fully understand—at least not that night.

The disciples’ truer understanding of Who Jesus was and why His Body had to be broken for them—and for you—would come later, in an upper room, after His death and resurrection, 10 days, in fact, after His ascension—and beyond.

Their understanding would come after Jesus’s Body had been broken for them at the hands of Roman soldiers—His Blood, shed for their sins.

In hindsight, the twelve men who loved Jesus, walked with Him daily, and willingly laid down their very lives for Him, began to understand fully, and that’s how it is for many of us today. Like them, we don’t always get all of what Jesus is doing right before our eyes until after. John 4:26 explains it to us this way: “But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.”

God uses hindsight as a teacher…

Through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, time, experience, and reflection provide us, as they did Jesus’ earliest disciples, with gnōsis—knowledge of spiritual mysteries we often miss in the moment. John 4:26 explains it to us this way: “But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.”

Long before Jesus and His disciples shared their final Passover night, the Prophets of old had foretold everything they would experience—at God’s hand. “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” –Isaiah 52:10-12.

Did you catch that?

The breaking of the Bread at their Passover table, the night Jesus, through His wholehearted obedience and submission to the Father’s will, ushered in the New Covenant—a foreshadowing of God’s intention. God predestined to bring about His perfect will through the breaking of the Body of His One and only Son. Jesus’ Body would be broken for you and me, for the remission of our sins—Jesus was born sinless.

God intended that Jesus’ Body be broken for you and me. And Jesus intended to surrender to His Father’s will fully. Being Emmanuel, God with us—Jesus knew He must be broken—must die. By His dying, a Kernel would fall to ground, and an eternal harvest of many brothers and sisters would spring forth, New Life—starting with eleven of the twelve who sat around Him at His Passover table. “But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” –John 12:23-24.

Eleven? I thought there were 12 disciples.

There were.

Yet not all of Jesus’ disciples could accept the hard Truths Jesus had shared with them; thus, one turned away. No, far worse: he didn’t just turn away after walking with Jesus, eating with Him, and drinking in everything He had taught the others. No, this one so wanted things his own way, his heart, so unyielding to God’s will and Truth, that He sold Jesus to His enemies even after having eaten the Bread that had been broken, Bread Jesus claimed was His very Body—broken for him…

Judas had religion, sure. He was, it appears, searching for something.

There may even have been a moment when Judas really wanted to believe in Jesus, so it surprised him when he started to feel some way toward Jesus. Maybe it was when Judas realized that Jesus wasn’t calling His disciples to a life of ease and comfort, but to sacrifice, humility, and to consider others above themselves that Judas’s heart became open to Satan?

Twelve sat as witnesses to the New Covenant. Twelve watched on as Jesus explained why He had wanted—needed—to be together with them this set-apart Passover night. Eleven of them, though they did not yet fully understand all that Jesus was sharing with them in real time, knew enough, had seen and heard enough from Jesus, they trusted Him enough, had tasted and seen enough to believe—without having to fully understand to take and eat what was being offered up for them. They trusted that in time, Jesus would make all these things clear to them—everyone except one, that is. He refused to believe. “Jesus answered, “[The one who will betray me] is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” –John 13:26-27.

Jesus’ Body was broken for you. His sacrifice, being broken, once for all, is powerful enough to cover the sins of the whole world—but you must want what Jesus gave over His Body to be broken for: Jesus died and rose again to grant you access to His table—to partake of the New Covenant. Eleven accepted and ate unto eternal life. One would not. You have the same choice today as these twelve did on that final Passover night.

Will you accept New Life Jesus offers you through His Blood, shed for you, His Body, broken for you, or will you refuse Him, choosing empty religion or your own will instead? “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” –John 6:47-51

Creeks Before Crowns. Part 1 of a series.

February 7, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” –1 Kings 17:2-4

In the greatness of our troubles, there may often be space for the greater display of the goodness of God! –Charles H. Spurgeon

Seemingly, out of nowhere, no introduction or explanation for his explosive appearance on the scene, we meet Elijah, the Tishbite. No reason is given for Elijah’s blurting out a rather odd proclamation to King Ahab. We only get: “Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, ‘As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word.

That’s it.

Next thing we know, God tells Elijah to head to a brook to drink its water and be fed there by ravens.

What is happening here!

To explain this fully would take more time than we have. For the sake of time, then, I’ll share just two snippets of Elijah’s story—God’s calling on Elijah’s life and God’s hiding of this unusual character by a brook.

Spoiler alert: Today’s teaching is part one in a three-part series titled “Why God breaks us before using us.”

I’ll wrap up this series on Saturday, February 21st.

For today, parts of Elijah’s story will make up the crux of this teaching—a way for me to get us going in the direction God is calling us: into His “next,” but first—preparation.

In the following weeks, as we move through parts 2 and 3 of this series, we’ll meet others who share similar bits of Elijah’s story: a woman with an alabaster jar. Through her, we’ll learn our being broken is, at times, God’s best for us. Part 3 will bring us before Jesus, His disciples, and a King-sized crowd, which will teach us that there will be times when breaking is necessary to see multiplication, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Back to Elijah.

Elijah was audacious. A bold prophet, used by God to gather a nation back to Himself—much like God uses you and me, daily. Okay, maybe He doesn’t use us daily to draw a whole nation to Himself, we can only pray for such a privilege. Still, Jesus will use us to draw one soul to Himself, which, to God, is of extraordinary value.

Really? Just one soul, why? As my pastor so aptly put it: “Jesus paid for that one soul with His very life.”

Read Elijah’s full story for yourself in 1 Kings, chapters 17–19 & 21, and 2 Kings, chapters 1–2. These scriptures remind us that, though mighty indeed, hand-picked by God, Elijah, like you and me, was just a man, possessing a measure of faith given to him by God to accomplish His will. “Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!” –James 5:17.

Elijah was a man who, on occasion, had a propensity for self-aggrandizement—a pitfall for some of God’s chosen vessels, for sure—this, taking oneself too seriously. Still, that didn’t prevent God from using Elijah to face off against and defeat 450 false prophets of Baal. Thankfully, our character flaws don’t prevent Jesus from using us.

Know this, however: as surely as God dealt with the unbecoming character flaws in Elijah, He’ll deal with us (1 Kings 19:10, 14). God has no problem putting those He loves, who are being shaped for greater use, into the smelter’s fire—it’s there where He removes our dross; the “yuck” of self that looks nothing like Jesus. “Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.” –Revelation 3:19

“So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your God, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” –1 Kings 18:20-24.

What’s my point in all of this?

To use snippets of Elijah’s life to help us gain insight into the necessity of God preparing us for future use.

Elijah means: “My God is Yahweh.” Elijah knew God. He trusted God.

Both His words and deeds affirm this, for the most part.

Remember, I said earlier that Elijah was a man just like us? Even the strongest of us — those with great faith, deeply rooted in a loving, intimate relationship with God — have these human moments of abject failure — Elijah was no different. I find this very comforting.

Seemingly, little time passed between Elijah’s bold proclamation to King Ahab and the Lord’s command for Elijah to go holed up beside the brook. What’s that all about?

Answer: preparation! A seeming anomaly, right? Why would a man with faith enough to make such a bold proclamation to a King on God’s behest need further preparation? This is a great enigma of our Christian faith: the more God entrusts to us, the deeper our relationship with God’s Holy Spirit becomes, the more preparation we’ll need—deeper pruning, greater obedience, ongoing refining, death to self/self-will—aka, preparation. Elijah was no different.

Some notable examples of the working of this mysterious Truth are the Twelve Disciples of Jesus: men hand-chosen by God who, like Elijah, needed refining and preparation both to continue and complete the work assigned to them—to build His Church. So if you say, as they did, as Samuel did: “Here I am, Lord, use me, send me,” then get ready. At some point, you too will be destined to enter the fiery furnace of affliction—and that, friend, is your safest place to be—yet another great, mysterious Truth! “Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hands of man.” –2 Samuel 24:14

Preparing Elijah for greater use was only one reason God had him make such a bold statement to King Ahab; God’s desire to restore His people to Himself was the other. Thus, God hid Elijah in a place of isolation beside the Kerith brook, where he would have to rely solely on God for everything—preparation.

By the way, Kerith means “cutting,” “separation.”

At Kerith, God would remove what no longer served Elijah; for his own good, there were things God had to deal with in Elijah before He’d release him to step into his greatest assignment—Mount Carmel. Out of a deep love for Elijah, God would burn away vestiges of his independence and self-will, reshaping Elijah into a more God-reliant, faithful vessel, fit for future use. Fitting, right? Since “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” –Galatians 5:9

Has God led you to Kerith?

If so, rejoice and be glad!

Creeks always precede crowns.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, be still and trust God in your season of preparation—of His breaking to remake you ready for your next. Receive with glad expectation the water and bread God will provide you—supernatural nourishment you’ll need to mount up renewed, refreshed, made ready to fulfill your next assignment. “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” –Isaiah 40:31

Friends, you, too, can experience renewal and refreshment—being made ready for all God has destined for you to do—by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you humble yourself before Him, He will raise you up a new creation! Jesus Himself said: “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” –John 5:24

When God Says No…

January 24, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“The king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” –2 Samuel 7:2–3

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve likely read or heard that King David was known as a man after God’s own heart. For those new to the faith or those who have not read a Bible, this truth can be found in 1 Samuel 13:14. Here, too,  in Acts 13:22, where the Apostle Paul quotes God: “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.”

I want us to focus on the last five words of this Scripture as they are central, the heart really, of this teaching: “I want him to do.” The idea being what God has determined versus our hearts’ plans and desires…

Though David was a man after God’s own heart, he belonged to God. He was God’s. Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, as Scripture reminds us, as surely as every other Blood-bought believer. “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.” –Ephesians 1:4

But wait, didn’t King David live and die long before Jesus stepped foot on the earth?

Then how can it be that he was chosen in Christ?

Indeed, David lived roughly 1000 years before Jesus. It had been longer still since Moses, Abraham, and Noah, chosen vessels all, went on to glory, again, long before Jesus’ finished work on the Cross; yet each of them is with Jesus this day.

How can this be?

Faith.

Salvation requires faith.

One must believe God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” –Ephesians 2:8-9

“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Hebrews 11:6-7

Each of these men believed God is who He claims to be.

Each trusted in God, His promises, and Person, as King David did, and Christ’s Righteousness was credited to them. “For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” “When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” –Romans 4:3-8

Now that we’ve established how David and the others belong to Jesus, how it is every Blood-bought believer belongs to Him, let’s get back to those five Words spoken by God at the beginning of this teaching: “I want him to do.”

David, having had this extraordinary relationship with God, was, above all, God’s own. Meaning, God, not David, determined which doors would open in David’s life, and which doors would not. In 2 Samuel 7, you’ll discover that out of a deep and abiding love for God, David had determined in his own heart that he’d be the one to build God a house—a place of worship, and that the Prophet Nathan sanctioned it as a “good plan,” but it was not God’s plan for David.

Before I go further, beloved, a word of caution:

Use wisdom by taking every “thus says the Lord” spoken over you by any man, prophet, so-called, any intercessor, or beloved brother or sister in Christ, captive, bringing it before the Lord. God alone owns the final Word over your life, and if that Word was from Him, He’ll confirm it; otherwise, spit it out before it causes a bitter root to spring up within you because what was spoken over you has not come to pass.

With this in mind, read and discover how God responded both to His Prophet Nathan and His beloved David for their well-intended yet erroneous ways, listen to what God says about them thinking they were free to do or speak what was in their heart’s to do or say: “Nathan replied to the king, ‘Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.” –2 Samuel 7:3-5;11-17.

Though David loved the Lord and earnestly desired to do nothing more than build God the best, most beautiful home, fit for the God he adored and served with his whole heart and life, the Lord made it plain that it was not what “I want him to do.”

What do you do, child of God, when God says no?

No, to the position, the pulpit you seek, that missionary position, job, marriage, or ministry your heart is set on.

Do you trust that God’s plans are far greater than your own?

Greater still than you could even imagine—eternal in scope and purpose.

My prayer for you, for me, for everyone of God’s own, is that we are not so blinded by the manifest blessings our gracious, merciful, loving God lavishes upon us, that we lose sight of the fact, though Jesus calls us friend, He is no less God! El Elohim, Supreme over all. Creator of our very breath and bones—our whole lives—with all their wants and hopes are subject to Him; Jesus “gets to” direct our dreams of serving and blessing Him and others. I pray we remain humble, pliable vessels worthy of continued use to our Master. Surrendered to the will and shaping of our Sovereign, Majestic King, Jesus, out of love and reverent fear—just as David was.

The works David desired to do were destined for another to accomplish.

I encourage you to read 2 Samuel 7 for yourself. And as you do, pay attention to the importance God places on humility and submission to His will.

Discover there too, the undeserved blessings God poured out on David’s obedience; this servant whose whole heart sought to love, serve, and obey His Lord. And, lastly, trust, beloved, that as you surrender your hopes to God, that dream and desire that’s been bubbling in your belly since you can remember, that God has a far better plan for you than you could ever dream or desire for yourself.

In the midst of your heartache or struggle today, be encouraged.

Take a fresh grip on God’s promise and never let go of it. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” –Jeremiah 29:11

Do you know Jesus, Who, as Scripture tells us, opens doors no man can close and closes doors no man can open?

If not, won’t you receive His personal promise to you: “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” –John 6:37

But Fear Not…

January 17, 2026 /

Matthew Botelho & MaryEllen Montville

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all evil against you falsely for My sake.” –Matthew 5:11-12.

Jesus assured us that in this life, we will have trouble. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33

 How we respond to that persecution is up to us.

We can let it hit us so hard that we fall and stay down, or we can persevere in the face of persecution and press forward, as King David and so many other brave soldiers in the faith have. Read Hebrews 11 for a full account of their faithfulness.

Jesus warned that there would come a time when His people would face intense persecution for their faith in Him. “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you”. –John 15:20

Even as this is being written, God placed those facing such persecution right now on our hearts. Brothers and sisters in countries like Egypt, Iraq, Somalia, China, and N. Korea. Countries where people are thrown into jail, beaten, or even killed for demonstrating their faith. As Americans, we have no real idea how truly blessed we are to have the freedom to express our faith and to worship Jesus openly. 

Ecclesiastes reminds us, “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun” –Ecclesiastes 1:9

Life has always and always will bring with it issues beyond your control.

Whether it be war, famine, or the enemy stirring up chaos, hatred, or confusion, as we see happening today. The Good News is, God is with us through it all. David reminds us of this Truth in his Psalm, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth” –Psalm 34:15-16. And talk about persecution: David wrote this Psalm as King Saul pursued him, a brother and man of God he loved and had served faithfully, who turned on him suddenly, wanting David dead. So David went into hiding in Gath, enemy territory.

If we read 1 Samuel 21:10-15, we’ll see why.

David hid because he feared for his life, and it showed. He was worried and fearful to the point that he literally started to act as if he were a madman to fake out those around him who sought to kill him, and he succeeded. The Bible says those who knew David said this of him: “And the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?” Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.” –1 Samuel 21:11-12

Yet David was indeed fearful and saddened because he had served King Saul faithfully, with love and loyalty, and now, that same man he once served was hunting him down to kill him, and all because God’s hand of favor was upon David. See, God had told the Prophet Samuel to go and anoint David as Israel’s new King, replacing Saul. “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” –1 Samuel 16:1

The apostle Peter reminds us: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which to try you, as though some strange things happened.” –1 Peter 4:12

Don’t be surprised when people recognize the call on your life, then try to kill your character by speaking against you. Sadly, a good portion of the time, it will come at the hands of someone close to you, someone you love, serve, or work with. “It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.” –Psalm 55:12-14.

Don’t let jealousy or envy stop you from pressing forward.

Regardless of his circumstances, and yours, brothers and sisters in Christ, God’s anointing remained on David. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”—Romans 11:29

God called David for a purpose.

God did not leave him to face any trial or persecution alone; the same is true for you, friend.

If you belong to Jesus, God will never leave you nor forsake you, “even if” you face persecution for His name’s sake. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” –John 15:16

God will, however, allow you to experience things that feel uncomfortable to build our trust in Him and strengthen our faith, just as gold placed in fire melts, and its impurities float to the top. Be reminded, though, that your inheritance in the Kingdom of God outweighs any trouble or persecution you may face in this life.

The apostle Peter writes, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” –1 Peter 1:6-7

As Jesus said, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” –Matthew 6:1

Worry will never grow your faith, friends.

Worry is the total opposite of faith. Worry is the impure dross that gets burned off us by Holy Spirit in the fire of affliction and persecution—in all our “fiery” trials, so that our faith in Jesus can remain and be made pure.

God wants you to grow in your faith, not carry the worries of the world. Jesus reminds us that when we seek Him, we are seeking the fullness of the Kingdom of heaven. And that He, being the Mediator between man and God, has already filled us with everything we need to overcome whatever will come. “For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” –2 Peter 1:3

When persecution comes, in any of its forms, I pray this single Truth rise in you and sustain you: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33.

Hey friends, Brother Matt speaking: I have dealt with fear and worry, as everyone has. But let me remind you, as I remind myself, to declare this Truth over worry: “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” –Psalm 118:6

I pray this teaching stirred something in you, as it did me.

Take heart, child of God. Jesus has overcome this world, and because He did, so will you!

Friends, if you do not know Jesus, call on Him right now, and repent of your sins today. Be washed by His redeeming blood that takes away your every sin. He is so faithful to forgive. “For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” –2 Corinthians 6:2

Amen

Tetelestai.

January 10, 2026 /

MaryEllen Montville

“And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.”—John 10:28

Do you believe this Scripture verse experientially? I mean, do you have personal knowledge of its Truth in the very bones of you?

Christmas is behind us; with it, everything that happened in 2025, the good and not-so-good. 2026 stretches out before us now, God’s “next.” We wonder what lies ahead, beyond this new door. Joy? Relief? Hope? Answers, finally, to our heartfelt, yet unanswered prayers? A new relationship, maybe, a new ministry? A move, or a baby? Marriage?

Will we even live to see the end of this New Year?

Not everyone will. What does 2026 hold for us?

And though I ask myself some of these same questions, of late I’ve felt led to ask this provocative question: “As you walk into 2026, are you truly confident in your relationship with Jesus, or can it be shaken?”

Do you even have a relationship with Him?

And if not, why not?

What’s holding you back?

It’s time!

Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10. Ask Jesus to lead you to the Bible-believing Church He’s chosen for you to attend. Get a Bible and start reading it. Ask God to teach you—to open His Word to you. Go after God with all you have in you…

Make Jesus your Everything.

Your beginning, and your end.

Your Lord and Savior.

Let His Blood, shed once for all, holy and acceptable to God the Father, payment in full for the sins of the whole world, cleanse you of your sins. Jesus has cleared your account, friend. His Blood, stamped across your sin debt, paid in full; Tetelestai.

Still, the heartbreaking reality is that some falsely believe they or their loved ones will somehow achieve salvation, see the Father, and attain heaven without ever accepting Jesus as Savior. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” – 1 Corinthians 1:18

What about you? Do you believe Jesus is the only way to the Father?

I ask because it’s a question each must answer in his own heart before his eyes close to this world for the final time; not answering it is your answer.

My last teaching was titled: “He Didn’t Stay In The Manger…”

And how I thank God He didn’t!

I thank Jesus, He left the manger and went to His Cross.

My heart breaks when I think it was my sin that led Him there, but I am thankful beyond all known words for His Sinless, Powerful Blood that washes away my guilt and shame. Jesus opened the Way for me to run back to my Father, to be with Him, today, and for eternity, through His perfect sacrifice.

His sinless Life, freely given in exchange for my sin-filled life.

So, this question of the surety of your confidence in Jesus, that you’re safe and sealed in Him for the day of salvation, is it truly settled in your heart?

Here’s why I ask: Your eternal life depends on your answer.

You’re standing at the threshold of a New Year. A year whose door of new beginnings has cracked open before you, not everyone was given this gift. Just beyond, Light. Some quick glimpse of hope, promise, and uncertainty stretches before you. God is allowing you yet another opportunity to choose life or death today, now.

At the same time, you’ve left behind a year that shook and challenged countless people to their core—maybe you were one of them? Perhaps you witnessed someone you were certain, or certainly hoped, was unshakable, fall away. Maybe it was you who fell away? Are you one who once professed their love, so-called, for Jesus, but walked away? “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” –2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Have you outright refused to acknowledge Jesus as Lord? Repent, turn around!

As difficult as this is for you to hear, and for me to say, I assure you, sadly, regardless of your outward appearance, church polished or not, you belong to this world. To the old covenant, to those who “can be shaken,” not having been made new, eternal, sealed with the Blood of the new covenant. “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” –Matthew 26:28

Paul speaks of such men, of their falling away, when he harkens back to the Words God gave the Prophet Haggai, then, does an about face, pointing them, and us, toward some yet future day: “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken — that is, things that have been made — in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.” –Hebrews 12:26-27

Yet there is hope!

While there is still breath in your lungs, there is hope.

Please, hear me: I  say this in love and with all hope that you will turn back or to, Jesus: unless you repent of your sin, your end is an eternity away from the Light, peace, and safety found only in Jesus’ Presence; as was my own, and so many of my brothers and sisters, until we said yes to Him. 

So I am praying for you that God, in His mercy, might turn back and remember you —remember anyone who sincerely repents—starting with His church. “Change your Life, not just your clothes. Come back to GOD, your God. And here’s why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot. This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe. Who knows? Maybe he’ll do it now, maybe he’ll turn around and show pity. Maybe, when all’s said and done, there’ll be blessings full and robust for your GOD!” —Joel 213-14 MSG.

In closing, confidence in your salvation is profoundly personal. Because it’s your intimate, exclusive relationship with Jesus, likened to that of a husband and wife.

The “no one can take this away from me” Spirit of God Himself at work in you, anchoring you immovably to Jesus. “Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” –Hebrews 6:18-20

Dear friend, as you take steps into this New Year, search your heart: be confident of your salvation.

And, if you are His, beloved of God, go all in!

Stake your Life on what you profess to believe.

“Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).” –Philippians 2:12.

This sure knowledge that you belong to Jesus, and are eternally saved, can be the greatest gift you receive in 2026 if you ask for it with all sincerity.

Tetelestai; It Is Finished! Your debt has been paid in full.

I pray you believe this.

“Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.” –2 Peter 3:8-10

The New Year of Promise.

January 3, 2026 /

Matthew Botelho

“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.” –Psalm 47:1-2

After reflecting on everything that happened in 2025, no matter the issue, the truth is that God was in it all. I cannot stop praising Him for the amazing Father He is. When there was any negative thought, God was there. When the doctor’s report came in saying my dad had cancer, and as he went through chemo, God was there. When there was an injury to my ankle with a torn tendon that kept me out of work for 6 months as my amazing wife worked and took care of our family and me, God was there!

Men of God who are reading this, I encourage you to lead your families in holiness and in the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am reminded in scripture of when Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness, and having no water, they were thirsty. The people started to complain, yet God provided for them. Moses followed God’s instructions, and they were refreshed with fresh water from a rock. Scripture reads: “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock of Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. “And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” –Exodus 17:6-7

If you have been walking with the Lord for any length of time, then you’ve likely had a “God was there moment.” A time or times when things looked miserable and bleak, but God! When you and your family felt dry and parched. Moments where you didn’t pray, didn’t seek God because you were, well, plain exhausted.

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, I am here today to remind you that God is in it with you, for 2026. In what? In everything you do! So when He tells you to walk forward, follow Him in faith, knowing that He has your life in His hands. Obedience brings the blessing of God. The prophet Samuel said to Saul after he was disobedient to God, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” –1 Samuel 15:22

Jesus wants you to follow and trust in Him in greater measure than ever before.

He wants to remind you that He will always be there for you.

Praise You Jesus!

In 2 Timothy 2:11-13, Paul writes, “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Take your faith by the hand with an unyielding grip and run into 2026 knowing that if you serve Jesus, you have a great and Mighty God who will never fail you, even when you fail Him.

Be reminded too, that because you are in Christ, you are commanded to deny the desires of your flesh. Yes, you will get tempted, but that temptation does not have a hold on you. Why? Because God has given you a way out of such temptations.

We, believers in Christ Jesus, need only to cry out, “Jesus, help!” and our Mighty God who saved us will make a way out! Paul writes, “No temptation has overtaken you except such is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” –1 Corinthians 10:13

Many have been plagued with adultery or porn addiction, men and women.

The book of Proverbs tells us, “Can a man take fire to his blossom and not get burned? Can one walk on hot coals And his feet not be seared? So is he who goes into His neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.” –Proverbs 6:28-29.

Women, you are not exempt from this. Just because it says “man” does not mean you are in the clear. These same temptations come for you as well, and you bear the penalty of sin equally with men. Because no one is exempt, brothers and sisters in Christ, give what has been tempting you, plaguing you this past year, over to Jesus. Why would you want to revisit what Jesus has delivered you from? Remember in Proverbs it says, “As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” –Proverbs 26:11

There is no greater love than the love God has for all His children. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” –John 15:13

If you belong to Him, Jesus calls you friend, chosen, and heir to the kingdom of God.

In that same chapter of John 15, Jesus says, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” –John 15:15-16

Jesus laid His life down for you to restore you to right standing with the Father. This divine exchange, His death in exchange for your new Life in Him, that took place 2000 years ago, has saved you from ever experiencing the pit of hell. The apostle Peter writes, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9

God is a God of love, but He is also holy and righteous, and so sin separates us from Him.

Our sin has separated us from going boldly into His presence. So praise Jesus because He, the innocent, died in our place, the guilty ones; we now have redemption and life eternal, and because of Jesus, life with the Father has been restored to us. As scripture says, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 7:22-23

People choose their own final judgement. If Jesus life, death, and resurrection have afforded you such a precious gift as eternal life with Him and the Father, why then would you toss it back at Him like you don’t need it?

This world needs an awakening. The days, hours, and minutes keep ticking past as we grow closer and closer to the glorious day of Christ Jesus’ return! The greatest gift humanity has ever received is the Son of God. So I pray that if you have not said yes to Jesus but have been stirred by God as you read this, you will say yes to Jesus today, right now.

Jesus said, “Repent and believe in the gospel” –Mark 1:15

I pray that as you walk boldly into 2026, you will “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” – Matthew 6:33.

Seek Jesus in your everyday life.

Walk in obedience, serving others in humility.

Be stirred up and be available.

And welcome, new brother or sister, to this New Year of promise! Amen

He Didn’t Stay In The Manger.

December 27, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” –Revelation 5:5

In The Chronicles of Narnia, a brief conversation between Mr. Beaver and Susan concerns Aslan. Mr. Beaver states quite matter-of-factly, “Aslan is a lion: the Lion, the great Lion.’ Ooh,’ said Susan. ‘I’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.’ ‘Safe?’ said Mr. Beaver, ‘Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Like Susan, many today don’t know King Jesus; they’re confused as to who He truly is. A fictional character who traversed the made-up land of Narnia, Susan questioned who Aslan is; she is not unlike those very real people in our so-called real world who still question Jesus.

Now, I don’t mean those like Susan, whose questions were sincere. Those searching for Truth, to know Jesus more intimately, learn more about Him, His character. All who follow Him have done that, and, hopefully, continue to do so.

No, by “questioning” I mean those who flat-out resist Truth.

Those who question anything and everything even remotely related to Jesus. Those whose motives are to call Jesus and anything associated with Him into question that they might disparage, cast a shadow over, or besmirch His holy name. “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new [fermenting] wine will [expand and] burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’” –Luke 5:37-39

Those who literally shake their fist in His face both hurt my heart and anger me.

That’s my Husband!

Still, I pray God sends someone, uses anything, perhaps even this teaching, to soften their hearts towards Him, that they may, soon and very soon, proclaim Him as their Lord and Savior. “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” / On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” / Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” –Romans 12:19-21

Do they rail against Him because they can’t see past Him as the newborn babe, wrapped up and helpless—a baby like all the other babies they’ve seen in countless manger scenes? “How could such a wee, helpless thing possibly harm or ever save me?” they think.

Some of these same souls point out that Mouhammad was a baby once, as well, as were Buddha and Krishna—and that each of them grew up and claimed to offer the same path to eternal life as Jesus. “They have never harmed me. Maybe one of them will save me. Why not?”

No, blind soul! They cannot! They were counterfeits—all of them—mere men, dead and buried now. There is but One true and living King, the God-man whose miraculous birth we just celebrated, Jesus, the Christ.

He alone is the eternal One.

He alone is the only Way to the Father. “Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” –John 14:6

Across the globe, many have heard of Jesus. In fact, some use His name daily and rather loosely, perhaps after stubbing their toe or experiencing a sudden fright. It’s not Mouhammad’s name they’re crying out…

Heartbreaking, really, that so holy a name is used so often in the most unholy of ways.

But I digress…

Even those who act deaf, who deny Jesus’ existence, have heard of Him; God made sure of this. Those who run from Him out of fear, maybe, of letting go of the sins that so easily beset them, are left without excuse. Creation itself testifies of Jesus day after day, His Majesty, Intelligence, Power, of His nature. Even the blind are without excuse. They can hear the wind, sounds made by ocean waves, birds, and a baby’s cry, His creations, all.“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” –Romans 1:20

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

Stories of the baby born in a manger to a young virgin girl named Mary.

They’ve heard the story about the angel announcing His birth to the shepherds in a field.

They’ve heard of His star and the three wise men.

Some have even heard the Gospel preached, accounts of Jesus’ miracles, His healings, that He came to earth as God in the flesh, and that He raised a man named Lazarus from the dead. That He, too, was raised from the dead on the third day.

So maybe these same souls who cannot reconcile Jesus within themselves have only heard Jesus’ tiny cry—spiritually speaking. A babe’s voice only, making no demand on their lives, they turn a deaf ear. Still, having heard at all, they are without excuse. Jesus let loose a cry from His untried lungs into the night sky, proclaiming what can never be unheard: “The Savior of the world has been born.” 

And soI pray, somewhere in the depths of those fleshly hearts who deny Him still, Jesus’ cry will not go unheeded. Open their ears, Lord, to hear the roar of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah calling out to them, “I have called you by name, You are Mine!” “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” –Isaiah 43:1-2

There have always been voices.

Announcing. Proclaiming! Whispering. Rebuking. Judging.

Roaring voices that spoke and speak still, of the failures of God’s people, yet of hope and restoration, too.

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

Do you know Jesus? Or, like Susan in Lewis’ story, are you unsure exactly of who Jesus really is to you?

Maybe you wonder, “Is He who He claims to be?

Should you ever read “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” you’ll find Susan not only comes to know Aslan for herself, but she serves Him all the days of her life. Spoiler alert: In Lewis’s books, Aslan represents Jesus.

How wise Susan was. How I pray in all your wondering you’ll follow her example, all the days of your life.

There will always be voices, dear friend.

The decision you’re faced with today is one all men have faced since that night in Bethlehem when Jesus let loose a cry from His untried lungs into the night sky, proclaiming what can never be unheard: “The Savior of the world has been born.” 

Do you believe Him?

In Him? Will you heed His voice and follow Him? “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.” –John 1:2.

Having lived, died, and been resurrected, Jesus will return. But this time, it won’t be as a wee babe. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. So it is to be. Amen.” –Revelation 1:7.

Jesus didn’t stay in that manger…

Humblest Of Beginnings.

December 20, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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