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

Tag: Holy Spirit (Page 3 of 14)

What Really Matters…

June 28, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” –Philippians 1:10.

Within one short verse, Paul uses “you” twice. He’s making it plain to each Philippian believer he’s addressing, and to us, that our relationship with Jesus is not only personal, more, that it matters to God how each of us walks out our faith. “I want you to understand.” Why? “So that you may live pure and blameless lives.”

Just because?

No!

Your Christian walk matters because you have been chosen in Christ, set apart, called to live a holy life, even as your Father is Holy. You are God’s Ambassador, beloved. You have been chosen both to carry and spread the Light of the World! “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” –2 Corinthians 5:19-20.

God is using Paul’s voice to speak His Truth, to His people—the Church.

Jesus, the Living Word of God, points anyone with ears to hear toward the Father. Directing them to emulate His own walk by doing His Father’s will. “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” –James 1:22-25.

Still, God knows that we, like our Philippian brothers to whom Paul was speaking, are incapable of living pure and righteous lives; that we, like they, cannot be filled with the fruit of the Spirit apart from the ongoing, sanctifying work of Jesus Christ. Apart from Him, you cannot talk, walk, think, or love like Jesus. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” –Philippians 2:13. God’s Holy Spirit is at work in us to shape, mold, and remove the dross of your sin, shame, brokenness, and guilt, so that as we cling to Him, we might look, walk, talk, and think more and more, like His Son, Jesus. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” –2 Corinthians 3:18.

In Malachi 3:3, God makes it clear that He is a Refiner. “He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.” As He was with Israel, His chosen people, so too with His Church—we’ve been grafted in after all, in Christ Jesus. “He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” –Galatians 3:14.

It is God’s Holy Spirit at work in us, smelting and purifying, forging, molding, and shaping.

In the fire of affliction, we’re made soft, pliable, usable—more Christ-like in our reliance on the Father. And so it’s there that God does His work of remaking us. In the Refiner’s fire, our lifelong journey of cycling through times of fire, forging, and water begins to burn off the dross of the world that has covered us over—encased us, really, like some molten shell—blinding us from seeing who we were created to be before time existed. Before, as His Word calls it, “The foundation of the earth,” hence, the need for our refining. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. 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 1:3-5.

God’s Word is Pure.

Thus, as we drink it in, it has the power to refine us—renewing our minds, imparting wisdom, depositing joy, and purifying our hearts. “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.” –Psalm 19:7-8.

Yet knowing holiness isn’t something we could ever achieve apart from Jesus, in one inconceivable act of love so pure and unfathomable, God sent His only Son into the world to die. Why? Because only a Holy, Perfect, Sinless God Himself could atone for your sins and mine. “For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.” –2 Corinthians 5:21.

Child of God, having sacrificed His only Son for you, remember, your salvation is personal. God wanted you to be restored into right relationship with Him through Jesus’s death and resurrection, able to receive New Life; is it any wonder then that God used Paul to remind you of ” what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.“

Still, the very God who created you knows your frailty, beloved, your inability to “remain in Him” apart from Him. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one abiding in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit. For apart from Me you are able to do nothing.” –John 15:5. Hence why, from that same pool of unplumbed love, God promised you this: “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.” –Isaiah 41:10.

If you have strayed from the narrow way, beloved, repent. Return to the Father who is waiting to receive you, arms wide open, eyes already watching the horizon to catch a first glimpse of you, and then. “…live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.”

Jesus is the only One who can enable you and me to live that pure and blameless life He requires of His children. He’s a good Father who gives His children the supernatural ability to do all things through Christ. “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]” –Philippians 4:13.

You dear friend, yes, you. The Lord has led you here today. It’s no accident that you’ve read this teaching all the way through. That stirring you feel in your belly, that’s God. It’s Him saying that He loves you and wants a relationship with you. Won’t you welcome Jesus into your life now by acknowledging your need for Him? Listen to what He promises if you do: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” –Matthew 7:7-8.

Present In His Peace

June 21, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” –John 14:27

Jesus says the above while meeting with His disciples the night before His crucifixion, during the Passover Supper. When Jesus spoke these Words to his disciples, they must have been wondering, “What do you mean ‘peace I leave with you?'” He had walked with them and taught them for three years, and now He was saying He was leaving “His peace” with them? What?! “Where’s He going?” must have been the question circling the table. Surely, none of the disciples felt very peaceful when Jesus spoke those words to them. His words were probably met with confusion, as the disciples did not understand what Jesus was talking about—yet.

I know I have felt like the disciples must have a few times in my walk with Jesus.

Not knowing what would happen or where to go when a problem arises. And in my humanity, I forget who I have with me, that I am never alone. The reason for that? I took my eyes off Jesus and focused instead on how big the problem in front of me looked. Has that ever happened to you, friend?

 I needed to be reminded that Jesus is and always has been with me during my times of trouble. And when we read John 14:26, Jesus says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom My Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things I said to you.” –John 14:26

At the moment of our salvation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit; He indwells us now. From that moment until God calls us home, His Holy Spirit helps us through every trial. Listen to how Jesus describes this indwelling. “If you love Me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide in you forever–the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you and will be in you.” –John 14:15-17

We know God’s Holy Spirit is forever with us, in us, because when Jesus told His disciples He had to leave them and return to the Father, He promised them this: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” –John 14:18

The Holy Spirit lives in us to empower us, lead and guide us, and remind us that God is always with those who believe in their heart and confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

The Holy Spirit is with us through every problem and in every storm we face.

He is the peace of God that reminds us that no matter what we face or whatever happens, God is always with us.

We’re the ones who need to remind ourselves,” God is with me!”

Even when you don’t see evidence of that unchanging Truth, “God is with you!”

Even when you don’t feel it, “God is with you!”

 I pray this Truth is a comfort to someone reading this today.

There is an account in the Gospel of Mark where this peace was tested in the hearts of all the disciples. At that time, they were all figuring this out through the teachings Jesus was sharing with them. They were trying to understand who Jesus was, really. In Mark 4:35-38, it reads: “On the same day when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the wind and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.” But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing!” –Mark 4:35-38

Ok, so there are at least four experienced fishermen in that boat who must have been through many storms, but this one seems to hit a little harder than the others. They were trying to do what came naturally to them by allowing their knowledge and experience of sailing and the sea to take over. Yet, no matter how much experience they or any of us may have with small storms, unknowable, more powerful storms will always rise up. It is in those moments that we tend to forget Jesus’ promise to be with us always, and so fear and anxiety “fill our boat.”

Jesus’ disciples forgot who was with them in their boat, that Jesus was sleeping peacefully, unbothered by what was going on around Him. I wonder, have you ever experienced the type of peace that allows you to sleep soundly when all hell is breaking loose? That was most certainly not the level of peace the disciples were experiencing. Instead, His disciples asked, “Don’t you even care, Jesus?!” How many of us have asked that very same question?

In our humanity, we yell, “Don’t you even care, God, that we are suffering?”

Yet, all is not lost, beloved in Christ Jesus.

Scripture continues this account. “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and the sea, “Peace be still.” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” –Mark 4:39

When God hears the cry of His children, He rises up and rebukes the wind, bringing us peace in the storm. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Philippi, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 4:6-7

God is not asleep as the world may believe.

He is fully aware of your present circumstances. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Are we present in His Presence?” If God is speaking during your storm, are you listening?

Be assured, beloved, that you can have peace in the storm. Jesus will give you this very peace to all who call Him Lord. He promised it to us. “My peace I leave with you, My peace I give you.”

Let this be the day you ask Jesus to give you peace in your storm by asking Him into your heart. Repent of your sins and be made new by His precious Blood shed for you. “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” –Isaiah 41:13.

We at Sonsofthesea are praying for you all. Amen.

Upsets To Setups.

June 7, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet our inward man is being renewed day by day.” –2 Corinthians 4:16

Paul reminds the church at Corinth not to lose heart when the “troubles of this world” arise. What our outward man, our fleshly self, sees may look overwhelming to us, but it may in no way be how our inner man, our spirit, sees things. Today’s Scripture reminds us that our inner man is renewed day by day, meaning that if you are in Christ, you are daily gaining more and more spiritual strength and insight. In verse 17, Paul continues by saying, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

What lies ahead of the believer in Jesus Christ is the exceeding and eternal weight of being in the Presence of Almighty God forever.

This means no more pain, no more suffering, no more sadness —all the physical pain and illness we experience in this world, all the emotional pain and abuse the world throws at us, will be gone forever. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” –Revelation 21:4

Whatever you are going through at this moment, God is working it out in your favor, so be encouraged! “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” –Romans 8:28.

That job you lost, or the relationship that ended, may look like a huge upset. But let me remind you today that God uses upsets for setups!

God used a devastating upset as a setup with Joseph when his brothers sold him into slavery.

Joseph endured it. He walked with God even when his immediate circumstances seemed hopeless and working against him. Joseph had this hope, a key in his heart, which would be taught a thousand years later to people listening to Jesus giving His sermon on the Mount. What is the key that gave Joseph and gives us hope? “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33

Through everything Joseph went through, the favor of God was with him. “The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.” –Genesis 39:2

Now, slaves did not stay in their master’s house; they had their own accommodations. They lived separately, but not Joseph. Joseph remained in his master’s home. How was this possible? “And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did prosper in his hand.” –Genesis 39:3

The favor of God far surpassed anything the world could throw at Joseph. Why? Above all, God had chosen Joseph and enabled him to do what was right in His sight. Joseph set his mind on obeying not only his earthly master but, more importantly, God, the One who had shown him such favor.

Just as Joseph had an enemy out to destroy him, we do too.

Satan wants nothing more than to derail your faith. He will always try to throw a wrench into the good works God has for you to do. He knows how to distract you and sidetrack you because he studies you. He patiently waits for the moment to strike you when you’re at your weakest, perhaps when you’re paying more attention to the “light affliction” happening around or to you instead of keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus despite it.

Peter warns us about Satan’s stealthy attacks in his letter, saying, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” —1 Peter 5:6-8

In Joseph’s life, Satan used the wife of his master, Potiphar, to try and seduce him not once but twice. The Bible says, “That it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with Me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look my master does not know what is with me in the house, and has committed all that he has to my hand.” –Genesis 39:7-8

Joseph, a God-fearing man, being sober-minded, saw that it was not right even to consider such a wicked thing. He had dedicated himself to Potiphar as a servant, knowing that his position was granted to him by God. Knowing his great position and privilege, look what else Joseph says to his seductress, “There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.” –Genesis 39:9-10.

Joseph acknowledged that all favor had been given to him from God.

He makes that plain when he says, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

When you are tempted or at a low point, remember God’s promise found in 1 Corinthians 10:13 to provide a way of escape from the temptation or affliction you are facing. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Jesus had been led into the wilderness by God’s Holy Spirit, where he fasted and prayed and was tempted by Satan for 40 days and nights. “Again the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “all these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ –Matthew 4:8-10

Whoever Jesus spoke to, He pointed them back to the word of God, giving glory to the Father, even Satan himself. Jesus openly acknowledged all authority, and honor is due God the Father alone.

As believers in Christ Jesus, like Joseph, we are to seek the kingdom of God first.

How do we do this?

By acknowledging Jesus as Lord over our lives. We do it in our worship, in prayer, and in our quiet time reading God’s Inerrant Word. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6

If you are God’s child, when troubles come, remember that you have a God who truly cares for you. Jesus says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him “—John 14:23

We at Sonsofthesea are praying for you. Take a moment today to thank God for everything He has done and continues to do in your life. And if you have not yet asked Jesus into your heart, I invite you to repent of your sins, confess to God that you are sorry and mean it, and receive Jesus as the Lord of your life. Jesus will wash away your EVERY sin by the power found in His Precious Blood, shed for you. Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.” –2 Corinthians 5:17 Amen.

The Gate That Leads To Life.

May 24, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to Life, and there are few who find it.” –Matthew 7:13-14

In this opening scripture, Jesus teaches the people what it means to follow Him. I remember reading this passage when I first started walking with our Lord, and it puzzled me. “What gate am I supposed to walk through?” I thought to myself, looking around. I wonder if Jesus saw that same reaction from the people He taught and His disciples.

Now, after maturing some, I see and hear this scripture, and it brings me Life. Jesus is the Gate that leads to Life. He is the Narrow Way, and not many find it. Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” –John 10:9

There is a broad path that leads to destruction. I picture it as a bunch of people crammed together, leaping over one another, trying to get ahead of one another, doing whatever it takes to make it or to beat out another person, fueled by a destructive “me first mentality.” Allowing fleshly desires to overtake and consume them; that’s a dark place to be.

The apostle Paul writes to the Church in Galatia about these works of the flesh. What was happening then is still happening today; there’s nothing new. Paul writes, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultry, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” –Galatians 5:19-21

When we come to know Jesus, He changes our mindset from darkness into Light, from death to Life. Jesus has made the way! Darkness flees when the Light is present. Jesus says, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” –John 12:44-46

A believer’s lifestyle needs to be one of worship and prayer, not trying to gain an advantage over another to get ahead. Jesus says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33. We walk with Jesus down this narrow path, set apart from the “worldly” lifestyle. We are to be transformed into a new way of living.

Jesus even said this to the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees and Sadducees at the temple, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” –John 23:25-26.

I recall my pastor saying many times, “true salvation is not first seen from the outside. It starts from the inside, then it shows itself outwardly.” Thanks, pastor Lino! He always points us directly to the Word of God. “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,  he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” –Titus 3:4-5.

Your salvation is not based on what is on the outside, how good we look on the outside, but rather, salvation starts when you have been washed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which leads us to repentance. “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” –Romans 2:4

You can look all pristine and well put together on the outside, but be a total train wreck on the inside. This is why we must remember that works without faith in Jesus Christ will not save us.

Speaking to His Church, Jesus reminds us: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” –John 15:5-6

Later, Jesus says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.” –John 15:7-8

Let us abide together, Church. With Jesus as its Head and we as His Body.

There is no Life in the Body without The Head controlling or telling His Body how to move.

According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, to abide means: to accept or act in accordance with (a rule, a decision, or recommendation).

This means that when we decide to follow Jesus, we choose to follow Him fully. We follow Him fully by loving Him and following the statutes He laid down for us, His commandments. “If you love me, obey my commandments.” John 14:15.

Ask yourself, “If I am living for Jesus, am I truly walking this narrow path? Or have some things gotten in the way of my walk?” Did I allow anything to come in, causing me to stumble? Reading Galatians 5:19-21 reminds me to examine my heart and ask our Lord Jesus if anything needs to be repented and thrown away. As David writes in his psalm, “Search me, O Go, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” –Psalm 139:23-24

David knew he was human and susceptible to sin. We are all human, and we all fall short. May I suggest you take a moment today to ask God to examine your heart?

If you were convicted after reading this teaching, I pray the Holy Spirit leads you to repent and ask for forgiveness. Repentance means to turn your mind and your heart away from that sin and worldly desires that lead to death, and ask Jesus to forgive you. “For godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.” –2 Corinthians 7:10.

Decide today to repent and walk no more in your sin. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” –Romans 10:9-10

We are praying for you all in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Hiding Place.

May 17, 2025 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4.

In life, there are times when we feel on top of the world, everything is going well, and the mountain top becomes comfortable and highly appealing, but it can also often become a place of forgetfulness. When we are there, we forget that there are places opposite the mountain tops called valleys; when something suddenly happens, and we see ourselves descending from this fantastic “mountain” to those “valleys,” we are not even sure what’s happening because we forget in those moments that valleys even exist. That can be scary!

The question is: How do we handle such complex challenges when we suddenly face them?

There’s an interesting story in the Bible that King David talks about—a place he probably traveled through many times as a shepherd. David uses this place as a metaphor for difficult times; it appears to be a place he is very familiar with and one He compares hard times to. We, too, can compare our difficulties to this lesson or this visual King David shares, remembering that, like him, many of us have gone through similar trials. The place is called “The Valley of the Shadow of Death,” located between Jerusalem and Jericho.

The only time you can see sunshine at the bottom of this valley is at noon, when the sun is straight overhead. Sources say that it is still there today. It is a steep, winding road made narrow by rocks, with a massive cliff on the right side, 800′ in depth. It is a place of danger! David chose this place as his place of suffering and endurance during many of his trials; it was his hiding place.

There are three things I want to point out about valleys:

1- Valleys are temporary but a part of life.

Deuteronomy 11:11 says, “But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.”

Valleys are a sure thing. Everyone goes through them at one point or another in a lifetime. As you read this text, you may either be coming out of a valley, entering a valley, being in the middle of a valley, or heading to another valley. These valleys are inevitable in life; they are part of it, and we know they are coming repeatedly through our journey. The best thing to do while in the valley is to pray and learn to listen to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit there, and know that despite the magnitude of the valley, you are never alone. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” –Heb 13:5. God’s love is with us as it was with David! Hold onto Him, and He will help you cross each valley.

Remember, you are never going to the valley; you are going through it, and that everyone encounters valleys: “The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in everyone” –Psalm 34:19.

2- Valleys are at times unpredictable but fruitful by divine design.

Valleys can be a consequence of something we did, didn’t do, or something that happened to us outside our control. Valleys appear in many forms – a loss, a disappointment, a setback, an illness, trouble within a marriage, or finances. All forms are valid, but the question for those of faith is: How will you go through those valleys and still hold onto your faith?

Remember, valleys happen to believers as well as unbelievers.

Being a believer doesn’t spare us from the troubles this world brings. The difference between the believer and the unbeliever is that the person of faith goes through the valleys with Jesus. The unbeliever doesn’t have Jesus to carry them through those difficult valley moments when they can’t stand alone.

In the hiding place, being alone with your Maker is crucial. Some valleys can really bring you to a place of losing your joy! “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” –Matt 28:20. For the believer, God intends some valleys to grow our faith. The Lord takes us there to stretch and increase our endurance; we bring other valleys on ourselves.

Every choice we make, whether believers or unbelievers, will have consequences.

3- Valleys feel lonely, but we are not alone; God is with us!

I feel lonely, abandoned, and sad in a valley. I’ve learned to accept by knowing in the depths of my soul that I am not alone. Jesus’ promises to me stand forever. Yes, it feels lonely because the work God is doing in me cannot be done in public by anyone else; God is doing it in secret, in the valley “Our Secret Place.” God is chiseling pieces off to make me look more like Him. He is transforming me from areas that have been formed in my life over the decades I’ve lived, and things I’ve learned. He reserved this time just for the two of us. In these valley moments, like David, I say: “Even though I walk through” the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2022.

Cancer was something I never thought would come to me. No one in my family has ever had this atrocious thing. At first, I was numb and couldn’t understand or accept what was happening. My first chemo treatment was a shocker. My hair falling out was a shocker. The pain I experienced was unbelievable. Amidst all of these valleys, God spoke to my heart at the very beginning. Thank you, Jesus. The day of my biopsy was tough for me. I was lying down, and so many student doctors were around me, poking me with needles, with the head doctor watching them. I couldn’t speak; I was in pain. Suddenly, in the depths of my spirit, I heard: “You shall live and not die.” My heart and my spirit leaped. The doctor noticed a sudden change in me and asked if I was ok. I said yes!

They continued the procedure, and I was now in my spirit, I believe – because I felt like God was right there with me, carrying me through this valley of agony. At another time, I took an injection within 24 hours of the first chemo, and I reacted horribly to it. My whole body felt like one big pulse, pulsing from head to toe. That entire day and the following night, I was literally in agony and felt like all my bones were being crushed. Amid it all, I kept calling Jesus. That was my prayer.

I heard the same voice I had heard before from the depths of my soul, but this time, His Words were “I AM.” These Words brought me such peace. I knew God was with me, and regardless of the suffering, He was carrying me, and I would be ok. Today, I share my healing story because He graciously and surely healed me in “My Hiding Place.”! Our Hiding Place can be the mountaintops of sweetness or the valleys of bitterness. Either way, we must stand firm and hold onto the promises of God for our lives.

Father God, I pray for every person reading these words today. Wherever they are in life, whatever valley they face, please give them the strength to endure it. To see You, and hear Your voice in their process. Touch their mind, body, and soul, and heal, encourage, bless, and carry them through their challenging valleys. I pray that if anyone doesn’t know You, Jesus, that person opens their heart and comes to salvation. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

A Cultivated Heart.

May 3, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

Praise God! We finally made it through the wintery months here in New England. Spring is here, and the renewal of life has begun. Trees are budding, and birds are chirping in the early morning. Spring is also when my oldest son starts preparing to plant his garden. I can’t get him to clean his room, but when it comes time to prepare his garden, he’s all for it. My son loves to grow plants and has a real knack for it. To this day, I am still not sure where his love for gardening comes from. Neither his mom nor I has any experience growing plants. Yet, every mid-spring, my son goes out into his garden and starts tilling the soil, breaking up the hard ground from winter passed.

As I watched him last year, I noticed the dirt he was breaking up looked nothing like the hard, dried-out topsoil. The soil he was turning over was much darker and richer. My son told me that if he didn’t turn the soil over, he would be unable to sow any seeds in the ground because plants wouldn’t grow in the hard topsoil. So, he cultivates the ground to prepare it. It takes work to prepare the ground for sowing.

Seeing this made me start thanking God for His Son, His saving work on the Cross, and how He changed my once hard heart.

You see, spiritually speaking, the heart is not that fleshy muscle that pumps blood throughout our bodies; the heart is our mind, will, and emotions. Jesus desires to bring each of these under obedience to His life-changing power, softening them. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” –Proverbs 23:7

Everything changes for the better when we submit our hearts to Jesus; this happens only because of God’s grace. There is no other way to receive salvation and redemption (being saved from sin, error, or evil) but through Jesus. He alone knows what’s in men’s hearts, and like the rich soil my son exposed, only Jesus can turn a man from a life of sin and death to one made clean, new, ready to receive Him, rich in abundance.

Jesus is the only answer for a man’s deceitful heart; He is the Sower, and our heart is the ground He desires to till. “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn’t have deep soil. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have root, it withered. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. Still others fell on ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times that was sown. Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!” –Mark 4:3-9

This scripture says the sower went out and sowed seed, which fell on the rocky ground. After a while, tender little sprouts began to grow, but the soil was not suitable for them to thrive in. The roots needed to grow and get nutrients from the ground beneath that rocky soil had no place to sink into. So, too, the Word of God cannot take root if it’s sown in a man’s hard heart (mind, will, emotion). Perhaps some rocky soil is caused by heartache or words spoken in anger. As a result, the heart closes itself off from allowing anyone in. But God! Jesus is the only one who can change that heart of stone, turning it into a heart of flesh, making it whole again, ready to receive once more.

After Jesus was taken down from His Cross, He was laid to rest in a garden tomb, and a large stone was used to seal the tomb. “Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” –John 19:40-42

But that stone was supernaturally removed on the third day, and Jesus walked out alive!

Jesus is the Seed sown into the hearts of all who declare Jesus as Savior by God the Father. These hearts will not only have new life, but will also help to reproduce new life. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” –John 12:24

The thorns, those wicked thoughts or anxieties that whisper, “You don’t need God.” Or “Nothing will ever change; you’re just a hopeless case.”

Such thoughts will choke the Word of God out of you if you allow them to. “Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out.” –Matthew 13:7.

Jesus is the only Person who can remove these thorns from your life.

He alone bore a crown of thorns on His head for you. Those wicked thoughts, those lies people have told about you. Jesus’ Holy Blood covered His crown of thorns, freeing everyone who will receive Him as Lord and Savior from the curse of sin and death.

The fall of man took place in the Garden of Eden, where the human heart was forever changed the very second sin entered the world. Still, at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, in another garden, Jesus accepted a cup of suffering which contained the sins of the whole world.

Man’s salvation is made possible because Jesus died in our place, after drinking every drop of that bitter, sin-filled cup. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” –2 Corinthians 5:2.

But before Jesus was betrayed and taken away, He prayed to the Father, saying, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” –John 17:1-3

Jesus’ selfless sacrifice, my dear friend, proves His love for you.

Jesus was so determined to see you free that He came as a willing ransom, paying in full the price sin demands. He did this for anyone who would proclaim Him as Lord. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” –Romans 6:23.

I invite you to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior into your hearts. Let Him break up any hard ground He finds there—by repenting your sins. Invite Jesus to plant a new thing in the turned-over soil of your heart. Jesus loves you, and He is so willing to do this for you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” –John 3:16 Amen.

Start With The Ending?

April 5, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” –Philippians 3:13-14.

It’s been said that if you want to see a thing to completion, don’t focus your attention on its beginning or what you see; instead, fix your eyes on the finished product or “the prize,” if you will. “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the haughty in spirit” –Ecclesiastes 7:8. Like Paul, we must remain hope-filled that our “heavenly prize,” our end, will far outweigh any challenges or setbacks we may encounter along the way. Believing whatever you put your hand to, your first step must be complete faith in God—believing in His desired end for your life, despite how things currently look. Fixing firmly in your mind and heart your desired result, the finished work. “For we live by faith, not by sight” –2 Corinthians 5:7.

Your unswerving faith in Jesus Christ, in His Spirit at work in us, sanctifying, renewing, strengthening, pruning us, completing what He alone started in you, is how we, like Paul and all those of the faith who went before us, will finish our race. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may seize the prize” –1 Corinthians 9:24.

This spiritual principle also applies to things you set your hand to do in the natural world.

Starting backward sounds all wrong, doesn’t it?

Seeing the finished product before you begin the work.

Yet this plan originated with God. We first witness it being implemented in eternity past so that you and I might be saved. “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun” –Romans 8:29-30.

By employing this same plan, Jesus, being God in the flesh, never once lost sight of His intended purpose: why He left heaven, took on flesh, and lived amongst us. “And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!” —Philippians 2:8.

Although Jesus healed many and performed numerous miracles so that faith might arise in those who witnessed them and the Father might be glorified, Jesus was born that He might die as the Perfect, Sinless Atonement for the sins of this world.

From the beginning, the Father’s intended end for Jesus was obedience unto death.

Jesus’ death and resurrection is the final victory over sin and death. “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” –1 Corinthians 15:54-57.

Being Alpha and Omega, God saw the end from the beginning, and in Jesus, He never once wavered. He never once took His eyes off His intended end. The result? God afforded us new life in Christ Jesus. “For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life” –John 3:16.

Now, you might say, “But that was Jesus; of course, He never wavered, never lost sight of why He began the work the Father had given Him to do. He is God; I am not God!”

And you’d be right.

And yet, Scripture informs us of Twelve other men like you and I, fishermen mostly, who, by never wavering in their determination to take God’s Word to the ends of the earth, telling anyone with ears to hear about Jesus—how He lived and died and rose again that they may have new life in Him. God used these twelve ordinary men mightily to turn the world upside down! And like you and me, they, too, were chosen to finish their work before the foundation of the world. Listen to how the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, explains this: “He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began” –2 Timothy 1:9.

Paul and all the Apostles understood this concept of finishing their race by keeping Jesus ever before them, preaching and teaching His Word, leading others to Him, and, equally, keeping the hope of their eternal reward at the forefront of all their hands touched. Their ultimate goal was to make Jesus known, bring Him glory, be obedient to Him, share His Word, and see Him face-to-face, yet again, spending eternity in adoration of their Lord and King. They achieved this by following the model laid out for them by Jesus Himself: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. ” Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” – Hebrews 12:2.

Jesus’ disciples emulated what they saw Jesus do: start something with a desired end in plain view and never waver. “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” –1 John 2:6. They learned by example how to plan this way, having walked, lived, and learned from Jesus firsthand, except for Paul, whom the Spirit taught after Christ’s resurrection. “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” –Galatians 1:11-12.

So you see, brothers and sisters, something can be said for starting a thing backward; it’s the way Jesus instructs His followers to live in His Sermon on the Mount. Perhaps backward is how we are to live our lives, with Jesus first and ever before us and everything else in this life coming after. “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success” –Proverbs 3:6.

Seeing the end of man’s state from its beginning, long before God scooped up some dirt and fashioned Adam, God saw how it would all end. Jesus, being God, also plainly saw the end from the beginning, all the while waiting in the wings to affirm and complete the plan of salvation God originated—long before the first sin had been committed. Backwards, right? But oh, how I, for one, thank God for backward! “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” –John 15:11.

Are you ready to begin living backward, friend?

If so, welcome Jesus into your life, the One True God who knew and loved you in eternity past. He’s been waiting for the fullness of time to come to pass in your life, to reveal Himself to you, and today is the day! Jesus longs to love you and offer you a new life in Him. You don’t need to do anything to earn His offer. Just say yes. For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!” –2 Corinthians 6:2.

Bridge The Gap.

March 1, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.” –2 Kings 9:1.

I have a challenge for all who are reading this today. As I was reading this passage of Scripture, I was thinking about the relationships we share with others in the body of Christ. The question that came to me was, “Are we, the older generation, pouring into this younger generation?” This made me stop and think about all my relationships with the younger group, the Gen Z crew. I watch these groups of young adults, and I can see the hand of God moving in each one of them; what also amazes me is that half of their parents don’t attend Church with them, yet they have decided to lay it all down for the Gospel of Jesus Christ regardless. They are starting to wake up and seek the Truth. And what is Truth? “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6

This generation is so hungry for the Truth, seeking to be filled with Christ, something that is a void in their lives. It seems that nothing in this world is satisfying them. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My will find it” – Matthew 16:24-25.  

Then I started thinking about the older people coming into the Church who have never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What about them? Yes, those of us who have been walking with the Lord need to pour into the younger generation and the new believers arriving at our Churches for sure, but let’s not forget others among us need Jesus and direction.  

Throughout His ministry, Jesus saw the same types of people as we do, young and old, milk and meat believers. If we strive to follow Christ’s example, let us have the same compassion for all who come through our doors as He did. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest.” –Matthew 9:36-38

 What does any of this have to do with my opening scripture?

Discipleship. As with today’s Scripture, the older teaches, directs, and instructs the younger.

We are unsure about Elisha’s exact age when he gave these instructions to this younger prophet; I assume that Elisha is older and has gained some wisdom by this time. Biblical scholars believe Elisha was about 20 years old when God told Elijah, the prophet, to anoint Elisha. This can be found in 1 Kings 19. “So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle in him.” – 1 Kings 19:19. Just as we do not know Elisha’s exact age, a Biblical account in 2 Kings 2 suggests that Elijah was significantly older than Elisha.

Elijah leaves where he is to go and find Elisha. As he walks, he finds Elisha working hard to prepare the field for planting, breaking up the solid ground to bring up the good soil. As Elijah sees Elisha, he walks by him. Then, taking off his mantle (a covering or shawl), Elijah throws it over Elisha’s back, signifying that God has chosen Elisha to be Elijah’s disciple and successor. Did you catch that? Elisha is now to follow the man of God, Elijah, and learn from him. God has completely changed the direction of Elisha’s life, but he needs guidance.  

Everywhere Elijah went, Elisha followed, learning, and serving God.

Are we pouring into this next generation of believers and instructing them on how to carry out their own faith walk? Those of us older in our walk with Christ need to pour into those God is leading us to. Elisha tells the young prophet, “Get yourself ready.”  This is a mandate from Jesus for all of us.

We are to make disciples of all nations and make ready a people for the kingdom of God. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20

How will this next generation of believers get ready, or that older generation who needs the same guidance as the younger?

My friends, we are called to make ourselves available to spend time with those in need. Read the Bible together, pray, and meet them where they are. Remember what Paul writes to the Church in Rome: “How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” – Romans 10:14

Jesus is returning soon. There is more of an urgency now than ever for the Church to unite in one accord. “And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” – Revelation 22:12-14

Stand up and pour into someone today, friends. Amen!

If this message has genuinely pierced your heart and you want more of a relationship with Jesus, invite Him into your life now and repent of your sins. Ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior over your life. “If you confess with your mouth and the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” – Romans 10:9-10

Wake Up Call.

February 15, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

Every morning at 5:30, my very annoying alarm clock goes off, letting me know it’s time to get up! Now, if you’re anything like me, you hit that snooze button and go back to sleep for another 10 minutes. Yet it feels like no sooner I close my eyes, the alarm is going off again. “Seriously, I say to myself as I stumble over to turn off the alarm. 10 minutes, already!?”

Now I have no choice but to get up because my wife will see to it; there’s trouble ahead if I wake her up again! And to all the men reading this, remember this proverb: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” –Proverbs 18:22.

Still, it’s good that my alarm clock goes off every morning because if it didn’t, I might miss out on what the day would bring. I could always go back to bed and ignore it, but that would mean my kids and I getting a late start—them to school, me to work—not to mention my wife being unhappy with me. My day would quickly unravel before it fully began, leaving us all a bit frayed—and all because I chose to ignore the alarm!

I don’t think anyone wants to start their day that way, yet it happens daily.

Like with life, for instance. It’s easy to hit the snooze button on life. To become complacent and drift off, thinking all is well and that we have time, even when it comes to our salvation and relationship with God. (And for those who are not followers of Jesus, there’s eternal danger involved in their being complacent, drifting back off).

Yet we are not called to serve God or each other half asleep but fully awake and engaged.  

Like that blessed alarm I was talking about, it’s time for us to wake up, friends, to stop hitting the proverbial snooze button on life and allow the Light of Christ to shine on us, waking us from our slumber! Jesus did not call His disciples or us so we might lay around; He called us all laborers; to rise up and take action. “Then Jesus went about the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” –Matthew 9:35-38.

Though Jesus’ disciples were few in number, they were called to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. And so are we. People were waiting for Truth and in need of hope and a purpose. If we lie around, assuming we have all the time in the world, then the work we’ve been assigned will not get accomplished.

Our work lives starts with us getting out of bed to answer the alarm clock.

Our Kingdom work starts with our first step of faith and obedience.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”  –Romans 10:14-15.

If Jesu has called you, you are His chosen. Called to carry the Light of Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit, into this dark world. “You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:14-16.

Sticking with the alarm clock metaphor, when the Light of Christ, His Holy Spirit, fills you up, it’s time for you to get up and go! “But all things are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” –Ephesians 5:13-14.

If we are abiding in Jesus, we ought to be fully awake, not living in some half-asleep darkness. ”I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” –John 12:46.

We are getting closer and closer to the time of Jesus’ soon return, my brothers and sisters.

As He promised, Jesus is coming back.

No one knows when except the Father in Heaven. And so I pray all of us are awake, alert, and paying attention to what is happening in the world around us. In Peter’s Second Epistle, he writes, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9.

Let’s shake off our slumbering, roll up our sleeves, and run headlong into the harvest.

The alarm is sounding! It’s time to wake up, plant your feet on the floor, and know the salvation of God, which is found only in Jesus Christ. Come, repent, and ask for Jesus to be Lord over your life, then watch how the Lord of the harvest changes your heart so that you can be used to help change others. The alarm is sounding. Will you get up and start after Christ, or will you be the one who hits the snooze button? The choice is yours. Amen. “For He says, “At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you, And I helped you on the day of salvation.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation” –2 Corinthians 6:2.

His Peace In Rejection.

February 1, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” –Matthew 13:53-56.

We all want to feel valued and loved by our families and friends, not to mention our brothers and sisters in the church. So let me ask you, have you ever been rejected or laughed at for your belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Have your friends and loved ones ever looked at you in such a way that made you feel like you are an outsider looking in? Or have family and friends just stopped talking to you because your love for the Lord Jesus has superseded the love you have for them?

My dear brothers and sisters, if any of this is the case, you are in good company because Jesus also went through rejection when He was teaching and doing miracles in His hometown of Nazareth. His own people, even His own blood brothers, rejected Him. Can you believe that? Not only the townspeople but His own brothers!

They all, family, and townspeople, remembered Jesus as the son of a carpenter, a mere man. They could not see Him as He truly was, the Son of God, their Messiah. Their focus was on the Jesus they knew or had known. However, the Jesus who stood before them taught and preached with power and authority; He knew His true identity. He was from the Father, and nothing, or no one, would stop Him from doing what He was called to do. Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” –John 12:32

Jesus reminds us that even within households and intimate relationships, division will arise because of Him.

There is always a cost to be paid, my dear friends, when following God’s ways. In Matthew 10, Jesus reminds us of this heavy truth: “I did not come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” –Matthew 10:34-36. Wow.

Think about the life you once lived, your BC life (Before Christ), and how friends and family viewed you.

Maybe you partied a lot with drinking and drugs, etc. Then, one day, your BC self-had an encounter with Jesus, and everything you knew totally changed. Your heart changed, and your mind was renewed. You became a new creation. The apostle Paul writes about this very thing to the church in Corinth, “Therefore, if any is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” –2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul also writes to the Romans, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” –Romans 12:2

My dear friends, some people in the world are uncomfortable with change. They expect people to stay the same, never changing or growing. This can even happen within the church if God calls you to do something specific, become a missionary, write a book, be called to preach, and teach God’s Word or lead a ministry. Some will look at you and say, “Wait, isn’t that… and wasn’t he/she just doing ____________, but now they’re teaching a Bible study? Who do they think they are!” To that, I say let them talk and for you remember what Jesus told Peter, “You follow Me.” –John 21:21. My dear friends, even if the rejection comes from those you serve alongside and love, remember you are first and always in the hands of Jesus—obedient to Him above all others.

Who’s to say that God’s not preparing you for the work of the ministry? Jesus says, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” –Luke 14:11.

Friends you have known for years will eventually see the transformation Jesus has made in you and question, “What happened to you?” Then one of two things will happen: They will either accept the change—the new you or reject you, maybe altogether. But a faithful friend will stick with you no matter what, and a really loyal friend will rejoice with you that God has chosen you to grow into the someone He destined you to be, to fulfill His call and purpose in your life. “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” –Proverbs 17:17.

Some friendships will remain rooted, but the sad reality for the believer in Jesus is that some friends will reject you.

Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” –John 15:18-20. Just because you are rejected by men, hold tight to the fact that you are always seen and accepted by your All-Loving, Omnipotent, and Ever-Present God who saved and loves you. Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come to that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” –John 10:10-11.

We may lose what is temporary, but we gain what is eternal in Christ Jesus.

If you are experiencing rejection right now, know that Jesus is with you. Rejection is a heartbreaking experience. Jesus, I believe, may have felt that heartbreak when the very ones He loved were offended by Him and His message. “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” –Matthew 13:57.

Sadly, we are not always accepted where we should feel the most comfortable.

I pray this teaching will encourage you to stay strong in your faith even when all others reject you. How? By clinging to the Truth. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” –1 John 4:4

Be renewed this day by receiving Jesus as Lord over your life. Be washed and cleansed by His precious Blood, which was shed for you. “For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” –2 Corinthians 6:2. Let today be that day of salvation. The day you’re made new in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

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