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Tag: hope (Page 3 of 11)

Help!

September 2, 2025 /

Elda Othello-Wrightington

HELP!

A four-letter word that is often used in tough moments, in times of testing, and moments of despair. It’s a word you use when you are at the end of yourself and you just don’t know what else to do or say. “Help!” can be an emotional cry for assistance or aid in almost any life circumstance.

Help, however, is often overlooked as one of the best kinds of prayers one can ever pray.

This has been a tough season for many people for varied reasons. Many things are happening in our personal lives, not to mention within our communities, cities, and nations. At times, I find myself at a loss for words, even when it comes to prayer.

Have you ever found yourself in that place?

You’re not even sure what to pray?

One day recently, I started praying, but I didn’t know where to begin. There were so many things I could pray for, and I had been praying for them. Their faces and situations flashed before my eyes, but all I could muster up to say was “Help.” Then, suddenly, this Scripture came to mind: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” –Psalm 121:1

In that instant, I realized that one Word. HELP is all over Scripture. Many prayed for it, both in the Old and New Testaments. It was this realization that caused me to cry out to God for help, because the straightforward word ‘help,’ cried out in faith, is a prayer you and I can pray at any time.

I began searching the Scriptures and found other “help” passages, such as Psalm 79:9, “Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.”

And Hebrews 4:16 says this about God’s desire to help His children, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” He wants us to come to him for help and more importantly to cry for help.” And do you know what? As I continued to read these passages on help, the revelation I received was that God responds, He can and wants to help us.

Listen to what God says in Isaiah 41:13: “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

I was blown away!

God responds to our cry.                                                                                          

Just a few verses before, in verse 10, Jesus says to us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Jesus knows how hard life can be and that we will, at some point, reach a place where we will need to cry out to Him for help. And He promises to respond by helping us and strengthening us, and, more importantly, to walk alongside us in those dark or difficult moments.

Oftentimes, it’s we who forget God wants to respond and that He has responded to our cry for help in times past.

 It was then that the Holy Spirit prompted me to remember that God is our Helper. Scripture is clear on that: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” –Psalm 124:8.

We sometimes forget that.

 I know I can get lost in life’s “emergencies”, and sometimes forget “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” –Psalm 46:1. But when that happens, Scripture reassures me that, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” –Psalm 54:4

Oh, what comfort it is to remember that God is with us and helps us.

I often tell some of my clients to create a memory jar, where they write down their wins of the week on pieces of paper, and then put them in the jar. I encourage you to write down moments of God’s faithfulness throughout your week. Write down those moments when Jesus heard your cry and answered your prayers. Start a “thank You, God, jar” of your own. Fill it with all those times God heard your cry and answered you. Then, if you find yourself forgetting His faithfulness, especially during those tough seasons, go back to your jar, tip it over, and read your wins.

Be reminded of what the Lord has done!

It will not only encourage you, but remembering can surely turn into praise and worship as you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past. That, too, friends, is a form of prayer and an aid in times of distress. Praise, thankfulness, and worship help soothe the heart.

But here is the best part of the revelation of the word ‘Help’: God promises to send you the Helper, the Holy Spirit. You may be reading this and have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I encourage you to do so right now. Say this prayer with me, “Lord, I need you. I confess that I need your help. I make you the Lord of my life today. I’m sorry for my sins. Come into my heart. Help me! If you just prayed that prayer and meant it, guess what? You now have the Helper! Don’t take my word for it, take God’s! “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.”

Jesus promises to send us His Holy Spirit. John 14:16 says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.” Your Helper advocates for you when you are in distress and when you don’t know what to pray for. It says in Romans 8:26, “in the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

Our Helper prays for us when we don’t know what to pray for.

Our Helper lives in us and gives us power. Acts 1:8 assures us that: “And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

The Holy Spirit also provides counsel and wisdom, helping you navigate every season. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” –John 14:26.

Friends, may I encourage you to call on God for help when you don’t know what else to pray? Do it today. He is near and ready to answer you.

Jesus wants you to remember to ask Him for His help.

He wants to walk alongside you.

May you cry help, today!

Put it In the Water…

August 23, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“When she could hide him no longer, she made a papyrus basket, coated it with tar and pitch, placed the baby inside, and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.” –Exodus 2:3.

There comes a time in every man’s life, many times, actually, where we have to put the basket in the water. We have to let go and trust the plan of the Father. –Elizabeth Elliott.

I pray God uses the above picture to remind us of two things: first, that what God placed on Amram and Jochebed’s hearts to entrust back into His Providential care was an actual baby, their precious, infant son.

God often asks His elect to do hard things—Father Abraham, Queen Esther, and each of Jesus’ Apostles would surely attest to this Truth.

Secondly, I pray God’s Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus does not ask us to do something He has not already given us the grace, strength, and ability to accomplish. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” –2 Peter 1:3.

But back to Amram and Jochebed.

Think of the level of faith it took for Jochebed to obey God.

Moses is the child referred to in Exodus 1:1 as a “goodly baby.” The term “goodly” or tov in Hebrew is a throwback to Genesis, where we first hear it used by God on the 6th day of Creation to describe the perfection, functionality, and completeness of all of His works. “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was (Tov) very good…”

God was now asking Jochebed to take her hands off of the very “goodly child” He had given them, and to trust Him that He would protect and care for Moses. Today’s scripture assures us that Jochebed did just that. She trusted God, put Moses in the basket, and released him to the Nile’s watery embrace.

“About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. The baby’s sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him.” —Exodus 2:1-4.

That “goodly” babe would grow into a man God had foreordained to help deliver His chosen people, Israel, from Pharaoh’s cruel, oppressive grip. Though Jochebed knew her baby was tov, destined even, for something great perhaps, still, circumstances dictated she had no choice other than to leave Moses’ fate in God’s hands; a fate, mind you, the Providence of God Himself had orchestrated.

What’s in your basket, child of God?

What precious promise, hope, ministry, child, partner, possession, what future dream have you been doing your best to keep hold of, beloved?

What precious thing is God asking you to entrust to His Providential care as He calls you to follow Him to the watery edge of surrender?

It’s from God, that much you know.

You’ve held it close to your heart, fed it, nurtured it for a season, and the peace of God that only He can give assures you it came from Him.

And yet, despite all of this, God’s Providence is, dare I say, bearing down on you, pressing you to release it back into His care. To trust Him, despite your knowing.

You sense His Holy Spirit pressing upon you to move in a direction so diametrically opposed to your own desire. Yet, His pull is so powerful it feels like some super magnet you cannot resist, drawing you in the utter opposite direction from where or how you thought you’d go.

Now all you can do is put your basket in the water, stand back, keep watch, and wait on God.

What will you do, beloved, when you can no longer “hide away” what God has given you? When you come face to face with having to know for certain if you genuinely believe that God will provide you with the grace to surrender all into His providential care?

An aside here for anyone who has never encountered the term “Providence” associated with God. Scripture explains God’s Providence rather simply: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” –Proverbs 16:33.

Or maybe you’d recognize God’s Providence explained this way: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” –Jeremiah 1:5.

As with Moses before him, God had predestined Jeremiah for the work and calling planned for him to do before the foundation of the world.  

So it is with you, too, beloved.

God has given you a “goodly promise,” and the peace that only He can provide a soul confirms it. And yet, if God is asking you to entrust what you “know that you know” He has given you, back into His Sovereign care, will you obey Him and put your basket in the water? Or do you want the gift God has given you more than you desire its Giver?

Each man must search his own heart; I pray that each of us follow Jochebed’s example.

I pray we’re all seeking to know and trust in the Giver far more than wanting to hold onto something we know He has given us.

Just as Jochebed could never lose Moses, regardless of God’s actions or how He might use him to accomplish His Kingdom purposes and plan, neither can you lose what God has entrusted to you.

“tov” doesn’t simply mean “good” as in God’s finished Creation, being perfect, functional, beautiful, and complete.

Tov also implies that something or someone fulfills the Divine purpose for which it was created.

With this in mind, I pray, like Amram, Jochebed, and Moses before you, that you might fulfill your true purpose in God: to trust Jesus, desiring Him and His Perfect, Providential will for your life more than anything else. Far above people, dreams, hopes, husbands, wives, children, relationships, even those heart’s desires, He’s entrusted into your care. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” –Exodus 20:3.

Put it all in the water, beloved child of God, taking Him at His Word. Believing that you cannot lose what Christ has given you—even unto your very life if you’ll but trust Jesus enough to release it back into His care. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33.

In Romans 10:9-10, God has made a straightforward way for you to do just that: “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.”

Jireh Shalom; God of Peace.

August 16, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide, as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided’ –Genesis 22:14

Jesus is Omnipresent. He’s in tomorrow, just as He is today. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning, and the end. What comfort that brings as we go through different seasons throughout our lives, knowing God is always with us; in those seasons meant to grow us, times of refreshing, and our “be still and know” seasons.

During these times, if we find ourselves asking God, “I just need a Word from You,” that is when we need to open up our Bible more than ever. It is during those uncertain times that we need God to lead us and turn to Him. Jesus reminds us to, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33.

The answers you’re in search of will come as you seek God’s will.

It was this scripture that helped me and my family during our “season”. I pray that sharing a bit of my testimony will help edify and bring comfort to those going through a time of uncertainty.

Here’s what God has been doing in our lives:

In May of this year, I tore a tendon in my ankle outside of my workplace; it caused me a whole lot of pain and discomfort. So much so, I needed to take medical leave. The only problem was that the accident had happened outside of my workplace, so I wasn’t able to collect workers’ compensation. I had, however, accumulated vacation and sick time. After using up that option, I was able to take on subcontract work from home while waiting to hear from a doctor.

A few weeks later, I was scheduled for surgery to repair my tendon.

The doctor assured me that it would feel better in the end, but I would need to trust the healing process, which I am still going through. As of this writing, that subcontract work has dried up, but not my faith in God.

Why?

Because of God’s faithfulness.

You see, during all this time, my family and I lost nothing.

Our rent was paid, our bills were paid on time, and we had groceries in the fridge.

Nothing was lost. God has ensured ongoing provision for me and my family so that we have not lacked anything. “I have been young and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging for bread. He is merciful and lends; And his descendants are blessed “–Psalm 37:25-26

God alone sustains us, friends, not our jobs. Your career may be a vessel He uses, but He alone is your Supplier. There may well come a time when you’re laid off, fired, or retire from your job. The harsh reality is that someone else might, or one day will, take over where you left off.

The question then is, can you be at peace with this thought, or does losing your position, career identity, or salary stir up fear in you? In Ecclesiastes 2:18, King Solomon writes: “Then I hated all my labor which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.”

In our humanity, we fear the unknown.

Our faith in Christ overcomes the unknown.

The word of God says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” –Hebrews 11:6

Jobs will come and go.

Life will throw us curveballs.

It’s what we do in those moments that reveals our character.

My prayer today is that you will turn to the One who brings all peace and provision during times of uncertainty. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; Not as the world gives to do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” –John 14:27.

This same Jesus, the Giver of grace, peace, and mercy, announced to all, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28.

And if you don’t know Jesus yet, turn to Him now, during these uncertain times, and allow Him to minister to you, restoring you to a renewed relationship with the Father. As I said at the beginning of this teaching, the greatest gift that we will ever receive is the salvation God has given us through His son, Christ Jesus. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” –1 Timothy 2:1;3-6.

Amen

Skandalon.

August 9, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” –Luke 7:23

Oh! It is a great blessing to be put through the fire, if you come out purified. It is a sweet mercy to have to go through the floods, if some filthiness may thereby be removed. The children of Israel went down to Egypt to sojourn there, but after hard servitude and cruel oppression, they came up out of it with silver and gold, much enriched by their bondage. –Charles H. Spurgeon (MTP 15:657).

Skandalon: A Greek word meaning stumble, trapped, enticed to sin, or be caused to fall away.

In today’s verse, skandalon is used to mean: to be discouraged or put off. In modern speak, then, Jesus might say something to this effect, “God blesses those who don’t walk away from Me because they’re put off, discouraged, or disappointed by something I have or have not done or allowed to touch their life.”

I believe my liberty in paraphrasing to be biblically sound because it echoes back to how Jesus answered those disciples John the Baptist had sent to ask Him this question: “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” –Luke 7:19

A bit of context: John was locked away in Herod’s prison; this much we know for sure.

But based on the question he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, we can only speculate that he may have been feeling discouraged or disheartened momentarily by the weight of the looming knowledge that he’d likely never see the outside of his prison cell again. Wondering maybe if this was the end of his days of “crying out” in the wilderness?

Perhaps, in succumbing transiently to his frail humanity, John might have started to wonder if someone other than Jesus would come and do even greater works?

John believed Jesus to be the Messiah. Knew He was. He’d confessed Jesus to be the Savior and had told others as much. Telling them that he wasn’t even worthy to untie Jesus’ sandal strap! “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” –John 1:29-31

John’s miraculous conception, his life and future calling, had been marked by God; from the womb, John had been anointed and called to prepare the way of the Lord. Listen to what John’s Father, Zechariah, a priest of God, a descendant of Aaron, prophesied over his son on his day of dedication: “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God…” –Luke 1:76-78.

And so this prophecy happened, as all true prophecy will…

“In the time of the high priest Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the surrounding region of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight! Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled, and the crooked will become straight, and the rough road will become smooth, and all flesh will see the salvation of God.'” –Luke 3:2-6

Yet now, having been locked up in his prison cell, as the days turned into weeks, perhaps John’s mind got the better of him and he began to wonder…

Could someone else be coming? One who looks more like how most think, expect, the Messiah to look, a Warrior King, more like King David before Him? Perhaps he’ll set me free from Herod’s prison? Free me to go back to preparing the way?

Was John’s discouragement, disheartenment, or possible disillusionment the reason Jesus responded to John’s disciples in the way that He did? Being Sovereign, surely Jesus knew John may have dropped a ball or two as he juggled his faith, his knowledge of Jesus, and his faulty, unfulfilled expectations. Hence, Jesus’ Words: “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”

In our quest for Truth—for Jesus, to know Him, we must humble ourselves and accept that Jesus may come looking, answering our prayers, or displaying His Sovereignty, differently than how we expect—He is, after all, God and can and often will do or show up—or not, however, whenever, and wherever He so pleases. More, who are we, to expect anything from God at all!

So it is not for God to explain Himself to us; rather, it is up to us to subject our faulty, fear-filled, pride-filled thoughts, feelings, or momentary weakness to Jesus’s Lordship. “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.” –Ephesians 1:19-22.

Beloved of the Father, let us not fall away, then, due to our immeritorious notions, our brazen expectations of how Jesus ought to show up, do, or not do something, concerning our life or world at large.

Let us take heed instead to what Jesus had to say to another of His servants who came with very human yet faulty questions of his own: read Job, Chapters 38-40, and, as you do, ask God, His Holy Spirit, to bring any correction needed to your heart: “The Lord said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him! “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” –Job 40:1-2; 38:4-7.

Now listen to Job’s response to his Lord’s questioning. “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer—twice, but I will say no more.” –Job 40:4-5. Though Scripture gives us no such exchange ever taking place between John the Baptist and Jesus, I have to wonder if an inner heartfelt confession similar to Job’s bubbled up within John. Surely, as the days clicked past and the oppressive weight of his dank, dark prison cell pressed in on him, because of God’s tender mercy, this crushing produced a precious oil that eased John’s burden and washed away all his questioning.

I can only imagine this man of God began to encourage himself in the Lord, as King David once did, by reminding himself of all he knew, had seen, heard and experienced, of Jesus, the One He once said of: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” –John 1: 32–34.

I have no doubt we, too, must humbly and sincerely confess the same statement in our hearts when, in our weak as water flesh, we become disappointed or disillusioned with what Jesus is or is not doing in our lives.

Friend, if you don’t know Jesus as John did and I do, you can. I encourage you to ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you today, believing that He will. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” –Acts 4:12.

Fan The Flame.

July 26, 2025 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” –Hebrews 10:24-25

Often, when a storm passes through our neighborhoods, we experience a loss of electricity. If it’s dark, we are unable to do all the things we do when we have power. We, believers everywhere, share a similar experience in our faith walk. We love Jesus and do our best to stay connected to Him throughout our lives. However, sometimes we fall out of fellowship with our Lord and Savior, and this connection is severed, leaving us without power.

If we are secure in Jesus, have a strong walk with God, surround our lives with God, and have this inexplicable excitement about our faith, how can we fall out of fellowship with Jesus? Is that even possible?

Yes.

And it can happen quicker than we think!

Here’s how: We stop stirring ourselves and one another in our faith through God’s Word, prayer, serving, and fellowship, and we disconnect from our spiritual practices. As time goes by, we become increasingly parched. We begin to slip away and fall into old routines, which quickly take our joy and rob us of the new life Christ has given us. We start to feel like we’re back in the old life—the life we once desperately despised and were so tired of.

What are we to do at this point in our walk of faith?

Can we return to Jesus?

Of course!

By quickly repenting, turning, and renewing our focus. By stepping back into the Life Christ offers, and progressing in our spiritual growth. By deciding to return to our Spiritual practices, which we found in Christ, having tasted and seen how good they are.

Hebrews teaches us to stir one another up in our faith.

To stir means to provoke or promote with intention and purpose.

Proverbs 27:17 teaches us: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The Scriptures encourage us to do this because it is essential to maintaining a vibrant faith and to keeping our walk with God as our top priority.

A continual stirring of our faith is necessary for our growth.

This “new life” we have been afforded is like a road leading us to a destiny. What destiny? Our ultimate destination, heaven. We are to be sure of who we are, believing the promises of God, and continually renewing our minds each day, to stay spiritually ablaze and unmovable.

A believer in Jesus Christ isn’t supposed to be an Island, alone, deserted. When we become isolated, it is like a coal that falls from a heap of burning coals. Left alone, it dies out. It needs the heat and flame generated by the other coals to continue burning hot.

John 15:1 tells us that Jesus is the true Vine and God is the gardener. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” When we come to this new life in Christ, we must connect to the Vine, continually bearing good fruit, and we must stay connected, thriving in the same faith.

As we read God’s Word, God speaks to us. As we pray, God sharpens us, and God quickens our spiritual understanding. As we serve, God strengthens our compassion for others. After all, God, being the Great Gardner, tills the soil of our hearts and produces a harvest as we avail ourselves of these faith principles. Whenever we position ourselves to connect with God in any of the above ways, He partners with us, filling us with all we need. Words are not enough to describe this at times; it truly is a heavenly experience.

Hebrews 10:14-16 says: “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them  after that time, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts and I will write them on their minds.”

As believers, the sacrifice witnessed at the Cross is always before us. We know there is a God who sent His only beloved Son to die, so that God’s children don’t perish, but instead, when we depart this earth, we live in heaven with Him forevermore; this is no small matter. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” -2 Cor 5:17

How wonderful to know that we are made new.

How wonderful to enjoy lives that are purified, sanctified, and set apart, because the Holy Spirit is living inside of us. Our sins God sees no more. Psalm 103:12 reminds us, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

We are now living new lives; our old life is gone.

To best experience this “new life,” the Apostle Paul instructs us, just as he did the 1st century church, on what steps to take: 1) As new creations, we must accept that our time zone has changed. We must understand the time in which we live: meaning, God’s timing is not the same as man’s time. So we learn to wait on God. 2) Being a new creation means living in a new community of Bible believing, with others who have been saved by grace and are now spiritually washed by the Blood of the Lamb. 3) As a new creation, we live in the freedom of the Spirit rather than by the laws of men. 4) As new creations, we live a transformed life. A life that reflects Christ. A life that has been changed by Love. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:35

As we navigate these exciting changes and experiences, not only in our natural person but also in the Spirit, we must stir ourselves up in the most holy faith to continue marching forward, assured of our heavenly destination, loving one another. We must look at those coming up behind us and encourage them to join us. We are to care for their souls because we now understand the value of the human soul. We know the price Jesus paid to save their soul, His precious Blood. And, we share the Gospel, inviting everyone with ears to hear into the Kingdom of heaven with us for all eternity.

We don’t forget to encourage one another.

To stay the course of our calling by reminding each other of this journey we are on: one of the Word, prayer, fellowship, and service to Jesus, our Lord and Savior, until He calls us home. When it gets tough, we never quit, we never give up, and we never stop following the One who loves us unconditionally, because He holds us through our valleys and is beside us on our mountaintops.

We are never alone. We are walking in victory, even when we don’t feel like it.

Father, today, I pray You touch my heart in a new way. Please give me the courage to continue this walk of faith and give me the desires of your heart. I align my heart to yours and surrender my will to yours. Please remind me to stir myself spiritually and to encourage those around me to do the same. Let my heart reflect yours, my Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name, amen.

“God again designated a certain day as ‘Today,’ when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” –Hebrews 3:15.

Nikoa: Continously…

July 19, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].” –1 John 5:4.

What’s with the title of this teaching, MaryEllen? What is Nikoa, and what does it mean? Glad you asked. Nikoa is a present-tense Greek Word that John was led to use in today’s verse. It denotes continuous, ongoing action rather than a one-off event. Now, if you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll have figured out that I’m no English major. I’m sure some of you may have even cringed from time to time while reading some of my blatant linguistic blunders; thank you for your grace and for continuing to follow us despite my glaring grammatical deficiencies.

So, since I have not yet mastered basic English, what’s with my stab at Greek all about?

That’s a question only the Holy Spirit can answer, as it is He who caused today’s Scripture to jump off the page and Him who caused me to ask: “How does this Scripture apply to believers today, Lord. Help me understand better so that I might share your heart.”  

Then, in true Holy Spirit fashion, He used what I do know—to do research—to then lead me to what I did not know: tense usage in the Greek language; hence, Nikoa; the epitome of 1 Corinthians 1:27 on unabashed display, “God uses the foolish things to confound the wise.”

But it wasn’t for a lesson in Greek tense usage that the Holy Spirit chose today’s verse; no, He chose it to encourage you specifically with its life-giving promise and real-time Truth—a solid foundation on which you personally can stand, unmovable. Holy Spirit picked it because He knew that with all the uncertainty swirling around you like some ominous, doom-soaked, dark cloud, you need (present-tense) to be re-minded that God is continually empowering you to overcome this world; re-minding you that you’re in, not of it. “The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.” –John 15:19.

All that you might overcome your enemy, by taking your God-given authority over every dark, demonic thing that is trying to distract, derail, and discourage you, via God’s Holy Spirit at work in you, right now. Equally, the Holy Spirit lets you know that He’ll do the same again tomorrow and the next day, Nikoa, continually. Jesus will empower you to overcome this world until He returns or takes you home. The rest of today’s verse assures you of this, child of God, listen: “and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].”

You can and will be victorious, but not because you are a super-Christian. Not because you’re sinless or perfect or because you’ve gotten it all right; you never could. That’s why God sent Jesus into the world—and why Jesus came willingly. He alone is Perfect, and He alone is victorious over sin, death, and the grave. “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” –1 Corinthians 15:57.

Your victory over whatever may be trying to overtake you, rob, distract, or cause you to give up—is assured, beloved—it is yours, now, Nokia, because of Jesus. Because Jesus has secured it for you—has promised it to you. And God cannot lie. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” –Numbers 23:19.

The same powerful Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave now lives within you if you are God’s child. “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” –Romans 8:11.

Satan knows if you truly belong to God, have confessed and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and Savior; he cannot rob you of your salvation. “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.

Satan also knows that if he can get in your head and cause you to believe, somehow, that God’s Word isn’t True, that your receiving salvation couldn’t possibly be as straightforward as believing God—taking Him at His Word—that He is who He says He is and that He can and will do all that He has promised—then Satan has succeeded in the greatest heist known to mankind, to rob you of salvation; the eternal security and safety Jesus gave His very life to afford you. Jesus paid the ultimate price to ensure your victory over your enemy, beloved.

Your faith in Jesus is a personal, precious, and costly gift.

So don’t you dare give up. Don’t you dare say that you can’t walk this Christian Walk any longer. Don’t you dare be deceived by Satan—that liar and thief who is making one last massive attempt to break into your house, and mine—into the home of any believer he can, with only one thing in mind. To rob us.

You are never alone, never unprotected, beloved. God is always with you, whatever your circumstances. Whether you’re standing beneath swirling, doom-soaked clouds or under the brightest rays of mountain-top sunlight, you are assured victory in every circumstance in this life because of Jesus. Because He has overcome the world (completed action). “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.

That doesn’t mean you should leave your doors unlocked; this world is still under Satan’s influence, so be wise. Partner with God, regardless of the season you’re in, doing your part to protect this mind-blowing victory Jesus has afforded you. “But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.” –Matthew 24:43.

Your victory is assured because of Jesus, beloved. But your hope, your joy, the peace you have as a believer, those things Satan can and will rob you of—if you allow him. How? By leaving your house unguarded. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.” –1 Peter 5:8-11.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” –Mark 1:15

Are You Known By Jesus?

July 12, 2025 /

Matthew Botelho

“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” –Matthew 7:16

No one knows the heart of man better than his Creator. Today’s teaching looks at the heart of a man. It helps us distinguish between those who do evil and those who do good, using Jesus’ Words as our guide: “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” –Matthew 7:16

Thorn bushes and thistles produce only dry, thick thorns, which can cause harm. They are not “good fruit”; they will hurt rather than sustain a man. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia about such “fruits”. “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” –Galatians 5:19-21

None of these “fruits of the flesh” will sustain a believer in Christ Jesus. Each of them will lead to separation from God as well as spiritual and, potentially, physical death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 6:23. Therefore, every branch that does not produce good fruit is removed. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” –John 15:1-2

When we come to Christ, branches that once produced the fruit of the flesh in our lives are cut off. Meaning, Christ makes our old heart new as the fruit of the True Vine, Jesus, being rooted in love of the Father, begins to produce the fruit of the Spirit within us. “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” –Galatians 5:22-23

Yet to bear good fruit and to be in right standing with God, we need to abide in Jesus. We can do this by reading His Word daily, through worship, and by being intentional about carving out time to be with Him. “If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.” –John 15:6-8

Brothers, we need to be washed daily in the Word of God and to pray daily, asking Jesus to examine our hearts. And then repent and pray for God’s forgiveness over whatever His Holy Spirit might reveal. As the apostle Paul writes, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2

Do not allow worldly desires to take root in your heart.

Every day, we wage war against our flesh —a spiritual battle for those who are in Christ Jesus. Some days this war may feel like a minor clash, and other days, a full-blown battle raging between your spirit man and your flesh, filled with thoughts hell bent on obliterating your walk with Christ. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” –Galatians 5:17-18.

Before David fought Goliath, he says, “Then the assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” –1 Samuel 17:47.

How does this apply to you?

The same God who fought for David fights for you.

So you can rest assured that whatever battle you’re facing, God is already in it, and your enemy will be defeated. Even when it comes to your struggle with temptation, God will deliver you from its grip. The apostle Paul reminds us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For our weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting 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.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, no one said it would be easy, not even Jesus.

Yet what good is your faith, how strong, if it’s not firmly rooted in God’s Word? “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” –Romans 10:16-17.

As new believers, we are excited about our faith and about Jesus, but that excitement starts to die as we stop reading our Bibles and our time of worship and prayer falls away. We let the fire that once burned so white-hot within us die out because we fell back into our old lifestyle, or got comfortable and complacent, all while still trying to live a life for Christ.

Jesus calls this “lukewarm,” and it’s not a good place to be. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth “–Revelation 3:15-16

My brothers and sisters in Christ. We are bought by the Blood of Jesus; your sins are forgiven. Do not let this be a license to do what you want to do. Don’t harm yourself by reaching for the thorns instead; go for the good fruit. Jesus said, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” –Matthew 7:22. If your hands are cut up because you’ve been playing around the thorns, repent, turn back today. Jesus is calling you back to Himself that you might heal and go in search of good fruit yet again. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” –Mark 1:15

Amen.

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.

God Remembered…

June 14, 2025 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.” –Genesis 8:1

Are you still waiting to be remembered? You know you heard the Lord; you’re sure of it. You felt it the instant His promise dropped in your belly, impregnating you with hope. But then, time wore down your resolve, like water dripping on a rock. Delay has taken its toll on hope. Caring little for the weeks, months, and even years you’ve been waiting. Thus, time is giving birth to moments of questioning instead of your promise. Did you really hear God speak, or, speaking proverbially, had you just eaten too much pizza? Proverbs 13:12 sums up waiting and delay this way: “When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.”

And then it happens. Confirmation and relief arrive, joyously welcomed as long-lost friends. God sends a powerful whiff of hope wafting through the air. Having smelled this before, you’d instantly recognize that scent anywhere. It’s the scent of God-sent hope as familiar to you as the long-ago smell of your favorite thing cooking in your mom’s kitchen, and, having caught its familiar aroma now, you’re instantly filled with new hope as the memory of God’s promise floods every fiber of your being as wholly and fresh as the day He first spoke it.

Noah had caught the familiar scent of God’s promise on the air the day the dove he’d released flew back to him with the fresh sprig of an Olive twig in its beak. “After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.” –Genesis 8:10-12.

Now, you might be saying, “Okay, not too bad. Noah only waited 2 weeks for his promise to come to pass.” But wait, there’s more.

“After 150 days, exactly five months from the time the flood began, the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Two and a half months later, as the waters continued to go down, other mountain peaks became visible. After another forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. He also released a dove to see if the water had receded and it could find dry ground. But the dove could find no place to land because the water still covered the ground. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.” –Genesis 8:3-12.

So, doing the math, it wasn’t 14 days, but some 279 days or roughly 9 months, but wait, again, there’s more to Noah’s story: “Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the new year, ten and a half months after the flood began, the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw that the surface of the ground was drying.”

Another two months passed before, at last, the earth was dry.

So, that means nearly a year had passed before Noah would witness the fulfillment of the covenant promise God had planted in his belly. “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives.” –Genesis 7:17-18.

So, what’s the point of my sharing all of this with you?

It’s simple, really.

Hope.

I’m here today to encourage you. Consider this a new line on which you can take a fresh grip with your tired hands. Then remind yourself God hasn’t forgotten you, beloved.

God is at work in your life, even amongst the flood waters.

If God has given you a promise, and He has, His Word is filled with His promises; you can rest assured that God will see that promise come to pass in your life. “People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, 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 greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” –Hebrews 6:16-20.

You know you heard the Lord; you’re sure of it. You felt it the instant His promise dropped in your belly, impregnating you with hope. Rejoice, beloved! You’re in good company. Noah heard the Lord’s promise as well. As did Father Abraham, Sarah, King David, Joseph, and the list goes on. Yet, despite their certainty of having heard God’s promise, it’s said that Abraham waited 25 years after hearing God’s promise before Isaac was born. Joseph had to wait some 13 years before he was released from prison and became the second in command over all of Egypt. And Moses waited for 80 years while God readied him for his calling.

Why the wait?

God was at work behind the scenes, working all things together for good—for His glory and the good of each of them, and He’s working things out for you as well.

In the end, each of those listed above beheld the fulfillment of God’s promise:

Sarah, once barren, bitter, and ashamed, held her newborn, Isaac—God’s promise to her and Abraham, in her arms. –Genesis 21:1-8 NLT.

King David, anointed by Samuel as a boy to be Israel’s next King, waited, some say, 22 years before he took the throne. –1 and 2 Samuel NLT.

Joseph played a crucial role in helping to save his people and many Egyptians from famine—to say nothing of the joyous reunion he experienced with his long-estranged family. –Genesis 45-47 NLT.

Yet each of them waited on God’s promise to be fulfilled in their lives—I know it’s been a long time, and you’re getting discouraged. That’s why I’ve been sent to you today—to say hang on! God Remembers you! “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” –Numbers 23:19.

And new friend, one of the most life-changing promises that will ever be made to you personally is found in the Word of God.

What is this promise?

That a simple prayer said from a heart that believes Jesus is real—that He is the Living Son of God—even though you may not fully understand why you believe, will, in an instant, take you from the kingdom of darkness, this world, and make you an eternal citizen of heaven—God’s own child, made clean, new, you are forgiven now, of your every sin. That’s God’s promise to you and to whosoever will believe. And God cannot lie. “If you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.” –Romans 10:9-10.

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