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

Tag: Obedience (Page 1 of 11)

But Because He Says So, Will you?

January 25, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Elda Othello

My husband is a jack of all trades. He knows how to do many things. Paint, work on cars, fix a roof, and repair random stuff around the house. Even after all these years, the many things he knows how to do still surprise me. Believe me, I appreciate and love his many trades. That said, the saying goes, “jack of all trades and master of none”-unknown.

Now, you might be a master of a trade, a skill, or a profession. So was Peter (Simon). He was an expert fisherman who one day found himself amid the Master. In Luke chapter 5, we read: “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

As I read this passage, I couldn’t help but wonder if we are first letting Jesus in our boats.

You might be reading this and have never asked Jesus to come into your boat, your heart. As you read this today, I pray this will be the day!

The second thing that spoke to me so profoundly was when Jesus initially got into Simon’s boat. He asked Simon to “pull out a little from shore” –Luke 5:3. Naturally, that makes sense; there were a lot of people gathered, and Jesus needed to be able to project His voice so they’d hear what He was saying. But some questions hit my spirit as I read these scriptures, and they’re the same ones I want to ask you. “Are you still sitting in shallow waters?” And “Are you willing to push your boat away from the shore at Jesus’ command?”

As I continued to read these passages, I became excited when Jesus asked Peter to “put out into deep waters” –Luke 5:4.

Our walk with God is definitely a journey. And sometimes, because we’ve allowed Jesus into our boats and hearts, He will prompt us to do things and to go places that might initially seem unfamiliar to us, requiring us to do things differently.

These scriptures tell us that Jesus wanted Simon to let down his net. This made no sense to him because he had just been fishing and caught nothing!

Point three is that Simon recognized Jesus as His Master. He was willing to do what didn’t make sense because Jesus said do it! When you’re a professional and have been doing something one way for so long, it can be scary to do it differently. It might feel uncomfortable, especially if you are a master of a trade. That’s why I loved Simon’s response, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets” –Luke 5:5.

What are you fishing for this year? What are you believing in God for? I believe in 2025, God might be prompting us to go deeper. To go where He prompts us to go.

What was the outcome of Peter putting down his net? It landed Simon many fish! “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” –Luke 5:6-11.

Are you fishing in shallow waters, or are you willing to follow the guidance of the Master and move into deep waters? Are you willing to surrender to the deep things of God and be submerged into the unknown, the unfamiliar waters of His Word?

God is calling us to go deeper this year.

In Ezekiel 47, verses 4 to 6, Ezekiel has a vision of waters flowing from the temple in which the waters get deeper and deeper. They go from ankle to knee and waist deep, and then we are fully submerged in water. That river symbolizes God’s presence. He is Water, He is Life, and He is the Living Word. He is calling us to go deeper into His presence. Into those deeper places in Him where we have no choice but to trust Him, He wants us to grow and mature. He wants us to go deep.

Are you willing to take Jesus at His Word? Peter was willing to walk away from his “trade” to follow Jesus even after he had caught many fish!

Will you be willing to forget everything you know, just like Simon Peter did, to become fishers of men?

If you haven’t accepted the Lord Jesus in your life, invite him today by saying this prayer: Lord Jesus, I’m a sinner, and I invite you into my heart, my boat, this day. I make you my Master over every area of my life. In Jesus Name. Amen. “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.

All, In One.

January 18, 2025 / / 0 Comments

MaryEllen Montville

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” –2 Corinthians 5:14.

Reading just one sentence written in a daily devotional and then searching for the Truth of it in God’s inerrant Word can often usher in a whole new level of awe and understanding. It happens the instant His Logos, God’s written Word becomes Rhema, God’s Word made instantly alive and understood. Made personal by His Holy Spirit. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know precisely what I’m talking about.

I quickly recognized I was having an “I prayed, and God answered moment.” 

God responded to my prayer with just one click of His heavenly kaleidoscope, just as He promised us in Jeremiah 33:3.” “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”  You see, just moments before reading an incroyable sentence in my devotional, I had asked God to show me more. More of Him. Deeper things. More of His goodness, character, and heart—supernatural things, all the while knowing such revelation would be far beyond my purblind understanding. Still, I want more of God and fully believe He alone can open our understanding of who He is—His deeper recesses. So I asked. And God answered.

The sentence in the devotional I was reading: “Jesus was all people in one person.”

As I read and reread that one sentence, His Holy Spirit began opening the eyes of my understanding, leading me straight into His Word. “Yet look at you now! Everything is new! Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ! Our reconciling “Peace” is Jesus! He has made Jew and non-Jew one in Christ. By dying as our sacrifice, he has broken down every wall of prejudice that separated us and has now made us equal through our union with Christ. Ethnic hatred has been dissolved by the crucifixion of his precious body on the cross. The legal code that stood condemning every one of us has now been repealed by his command. His triune essence has made peace between us by starting over—forming one new race of humanity, Jews and non-Jews fused together in himself!” –Ephesians 2:13-15.

At first glance, I got it. Kind of—in part. We were all inside of Christ as He hung on His Cross—before really, in eternity past, while He was waiting to be born and die for us, in our place—so that we might one day live for or reject Him; Jew and Gentile alike, no division between us “For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.”  –Romans 8:29.

In the truest sense, Christ hung on His Cross, the Sinless substitute for every guilty man who was, is, or is yet to come; for you, me, Abraham, Moses, and that one who wants nothing to do with Him.

His sacrifice—the innocent in place of the guilty—is world-inclusive.

It’s Jesus’ “I’ll die so that every single one of them will have the opportunity to choose Me—to choose Life,” demonstration of love. According to John 19:30, every soul, saved and unsaved alike, has been caught in God’s eternal “It Is Finished” net.

That we, the guilty, should be offered such a choice as to accept or reject our Creator, our Pure and Sin-less Savior, is mind-boggling to me.

Jesus is the only atonement God would accept for every man’s sins—past, present, and future; His willingness to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world meant Jesus would be brutally beaten, crucified, and die, even for those He foreknew would reject, deny, and despise Him and His offer to experience new life in Him.

This part of the “Jesus was all people in one person.” I understood.

After all, Christ’s substitutionary atonement is a pillar of—a massive chunk of the very bedrock upon which our faith—my faith, is built. The other chunks? The fact that He was born of a Virgin, Fathered by God’s Holy Spirit, born fully God and fully man—sinless. And this same Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, defeated death and the grave, resurrecting on the third day, are some of the other massive chunks of the bedrock of our faith.

Transfixed, feeling more was yet to come, I sat meditating on that one sentence: “Jesus was all people in one person.”

Then, suddenly, the Holy Spirit opened it up a bit more.

Those seven words put parentheses around the Gospel message. Around those, Jesus foreknew would accept Him and those who never would. It put parentheses around God’s justice and His Love—His judgment and forgiveness.

Being fully God, Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. Yes, the tiny babe the angel Gabriel once proclaimed as the world’s Savior to some shepherds; being one in nature with God—being God, was all men in one man in the sense that Jesus knew those the Father had given Him before the foundation of the world. From eternity past, it has always been about far more than Jews and Gentiles, about there being no division between us. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” –Colossians 1:15-18.

The “all people” has always been about every man. “All men.” Period. Regardless. All men include the pedophile, the murderer, and rapist, the abortion doctor, the thief, the drug-addicted mom, the sloppy drunk dad, and that homeless guy begging for change on the corner—those “surely not that one, Lord!”

Those the sanctimonious have labeled unworthy and shady; Jesus foreknew each of them in heaven as they awaited their birth, just as He foreknew you.

Jesus foreknew those who would accept Him as Lord and Savior and live—and those who, like Satan, Judas, and countless others, would rebel against Him and die because, like their father, they have chosen to harden their hearts. Refusing to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father—the only way back to where they came from. “You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel” –Isaiah 48:8.

Just as surely as God foreknew every lash His only Begotten Son would take upon His sinless body, He also foreknew every soul who would despise and reject Him. He foreknew the very men He was sending Jesus into the world to save would savagely and quite literally beat the flesh off His sinless Body, maliciously press a crown of thorns into His head, spit on him, strike Him with their fist, and then taunt and demean Him. And at any time, God could have stopped it, but He didn’t.

Jesus, at any time, could have said, “Enough,” but He didn’t. Instead, He endured death on His Cross. Why? Because in the truest sense of the word, hanging on His Cross, Jesus was all people in one Person—knowing who will be with Him always and those who would choose to live apart from Him now and forever. And had God loved us so and decided to let the cup of suffering pass Jesus by, Had Jesus not drank that bitter cup down to its dregs, all men would die in their sin, having no righteousness of their own, no Way back to the Father. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6.

What will Jesus say of you, friend? “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” or “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  Concerning these choices, God Himself says this to you: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.” –Deuteronomy 30:19. Jesus loves you enough to have left heaven, been born as a man, lived, died, and conquered the grave, the firstborn of the dead so that you might choose Him, belong to Him, and live.

 “What does it matter, Follow Me!”

January 11, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Matthew Botelho

Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” – John 21:22.

Blessings and happy 2025 to our Sonsofthesea family! I pray the lessons we learned in 2024 were used to help us grow and will be put to use in the new season God has blessed us with. I pray you encounter new opportunities to share the Gospel, dive deeper into God’s Word, learning more of God’s will for your lives. In case you’ve forgotten, You are all very special to God. Let me remind you of Jesus’ finished work on that cross. How He paid your sin debt with His life. How He shed His precious Blood for you, for each of us; your salvation, our salvation, is a gift, and what an amazing gift it is to be set free from sins icy, cold grip. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” –1 Corinthians 15:55.

“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” –1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Last year I posted a teaching here entitled “Follow Me.” Today, I felt a need to revisit it.

I love this small bit of scripture in John 21:21-23. There is so much going on in it. “When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

To give you context for the heart of today’s teaching, let’s briefly revisit John 21:15-19:

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Jesus restores Peter during this beautiful conversation. It is a reminder that even if you fall short, Jesus is there to restore you. Jesus knew Peter’s heart. That Peter was sorrowful and repentant after having denied Him. In verse 19, Jesus looks at Peter and says, “Follow Me.” After forgiving and restoring Peter,  Jesus and Peter continue talking when John suddenly walks up behind them.

Soon after seeing John, Peter asks Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” I love Jesus’ answer to Peter, and I pray that this hits home with you as well because it sure hit home with me, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” –John 21:23.

Jesus told Peter not to worry about what He had planned for John. All Peter needed to do was follow Jesus and do all Jesus had for him to do. In other words, don’t focus on who is around you and their actions. Stay in your own lane. Do the work Jesus has given you to do.

I pray YOU will follow Jesus the way He has called YOU to go this year.

I believe we are all looking for significance in our walk with Jesus. We are made for more than just sitting and waiting for Jesus to return. In John 6, the people asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” –John 6:28-29

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33 of what is most important in our daily walk with Him: To Seek first the kingdom of God. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

I pray fulfilling Jesus’ command to seek God’s Kingdom first will become your heart’s anthem throughout 2025. God wants you to follow Him as He has instructed you. Forget about what others are doing. Focus instead on what Jesus calls you to do. We can get so lost in our wants and desires, thinking, “I would love to teach like that one…” or “I would love to pray like they do…” yet that may not be the path God has chosen for you; God never called anyone ever, to walk in someone else’s anointing.

Yet you have no idea what it costs that brother or sister to walk in their anointing.

Jesus said, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it. Lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” – Luke 14:27-30.

Remember Jesus’ Words, my friends; carry your cross and count the cost of what it means to follow Him. Yes, there will be moments where you feel alone, but you are not alone. Jesus said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” –Matthew 28:20.

You may feel like what the Lord has asked of you is too much for you, and it is. Remember, it is Jesus who is doing the work through you. “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” –Philippians 2:13.

The work is finished.

In John 19:30, Jesus assured us of this Truth before He gave up His Spirit to the Father, “It is finished!” Jesus is faithful in bringing you through hard times. Remember, “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” –Philippines 1:6.  

The above Scriptures are only a few of the promises Jesus has given us to cling to in times of trials or weakness; there are so many more.

Friends, don’t let 2025 be filled with comparison. If we are Blood-bought believers in Jesus Christ, then we’re not competing with each other; we are One Body—His Body. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all.” –Ephesians 4:4-6.

Let 2025 be the year we walk in unity as we follow God’s path for our lives.

With all that said, the bottom line is this, will you follow Jesus into 2025?

The Season of Giving.

December 7, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“We then who are stronger ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” –Romans 15:1-2.

Greetings, SonsoftheSea family! I am humbled and thankful to be back with you and sharing this teaching our Lord Jesus has placed in my heart. As I read today’s scripture, it reminded me of the season we are in, the Christmas season. People who look at this season through worldly eyes see a holiday full of presents, decorations, and traditions. But for the believer, it is a time for us to celebrate the greatest Gift anyone could ever have given us, salvation in our Lord Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” –John 3:16-17.

I am “whosoever.” I will continue to be so until that glorious day when Jesus splits the sky and takes us home. Remember, my dear brothers and sisters, the Lord Himself reminds those who will not perish but have eternal life are the “whosoever believes.” To believe, we need to know the One—have a relationship with Jesus, sent to us by Almighty God. God gave us the greatest Gift, His only Son, Jesus.

My friends, we have entered the season of giving, but giving doesn’t always have to be done with our wallets.

I can think of other ways we can give of ourselves this season:

With time

With talents

And yes, with money

I placed money last because, in my opinion, cash is the most straightforward, common gift people give each other. It’s a tried-and-true go-to when it comes to giving. However, our time and talents are far more valuable than money.

Time is a precious gift, and how we spend it truly counts in the Kingdom of our God. Jesus points to the valuable use of time in the Gospel of John. “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not with him.” –John 11:9-10. Jesus is talking with His disciples about the time He has remaining on earth and about making precious use of the time afforded us.

If you know someone who needs your time, help with a project maybe, or to talk and pray, give them that time without hesitation. Start by first sharing time with your family.

Our kids need our time. As does that aunt or grandparent who has no one to talk to, that sister or brother who is having a rough time. Take the time out of your day and give it to the one in need.

As for your talents, given to you by Almighty God, use them in a way that honors the Giver.

They weren’t given to you to bless you alone but to bless the Kingdom of God and all those you meet. “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” –1 Peter 4:9-10.

I have heard people say, ” I don’t have any talents.” My answer is this: that dear friend is a lie from the pit of hell! You absolutely have talents. The truth is, maybe you don’t recognize them—ask God to reveal them to you. Do you like to talk with people? How about playing an instrument? Do you enjoy reading or writing? The list goes on and on. We have many untapped talents just waiting to be put to use to reach people—help others. But sometimes, we have to get out of our comfort zones to use them effectively. Remember the words of Solomon, “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” –Proverbs 18:16.

Lastly, let’s look at how we use the finances God has blessed us with.

We understand money is a much-needed tool in this world—a resource. A seed that will multiply when it’s planted in good soil. All wealth belongs to God, so what we do with it matters. Let the attitude of our heart be then, “I have money, but money doesn’t have me.” If God places it on your heart to pay for the person’s groceries while standing in line, do it. Do it if God tells you to pay a person’s gas or electric bill. The Apostle Paul writes the Corinthian church saying this about our resources, “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Giving your time, talents, and money is connected to your heart, dear friend.

Giving out of love for Jesus, not to be seen by men, is giving from a heart of Christ-like love. I have watched YouTube videos of people “helping” homeless people or “helping” random people in the streets, and it makes me sad. Why? Because their giving appears boastful. These people might think they are doing something good, but I question their motives personally. Did they do it to get new subscribers? If so, that’s selfish, not selfless. Jesus speaks about this type of giving in Matthew’s Gospel: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” –Matthew 6:1-2.

My friends, be genuine in your giving. Giving our time, talents, and, yes, even money can be so powerful. I have seen people come to the Lord when these gifts were shared with others from a pure heart. Giving freely also opens doors for us to share the Gospel. In the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul says this when talking to the people in Ephesus, “I have shown you in everyway, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” –Acts 20:35.

Paul says he has given his life and labor to the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was not only preaching about Jesus, but he also showed the Ephesians how to walk as Jesus walked and love as Jesus did. In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes this Truth plain, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.” –John 15:13-14. Though it may not be easy, even inconvenient at times, we are called to forget about ourselves and help our neighbor or just help out where we see the need. That is the point Jesus makes in John 15:13.

In the end, if we are faithful, we shall see the reward of our labor in heaven and hear those Words we all long to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter in!”

We at Sonsofthesea are praying for you. To the one reading this, know that Jesus loves you. If you desire to encounter Jesus this season, I invite you to come to Him in full repentance of your sins, asking Him to be the Lord and Savior of your life. He is knocking. Will you open the door of your heart to Him? “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” –Revelation 3:20.

Amen.

Don’t Look Back!

November 30, 2024 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” –Gen 19:26.

The Lord often gets our attention through difficult situations. He uses them, usually, to deliver us from stuff we have yet to learn. Once out of trouble, we quickly need to remember what He’s delivered us from. God knows our nature and how quickly we forget. He instructed us in many parts of Scripture to remember what He has done for his people then and us now!

The Bible mentions 170 women by name, but there is only one Jesus tells us to remember. We find her in Luke 17:32. She’s Lot’s wife. Amidst a speech about the end times, Jesus tells us: “Remember Lot’s wife.” Remember what she did. She looked back, disobeying God’s instructions, and turned into a pillar of salt. Just as the angel of the Lord told her not to look back to what was burning behind her, God also reminds us not to look back to where we’ve come from and what is burning behind us.

God wants us to let go! He doesn’t want us to look back to the things He is freeing us from.

Look ahead because Lot’s wife disobediently looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt in the place where she was only supposed to be passing by, not get stuck in, never going ahead. Looking back implies missing something behind us and the desire /longing to return to it. Our connection to the past must be healed through the Blood of Jesus, the only Blood that covers us—the Blood of the One who sets us free.

When God calls us out of any thing, we must leave it behind without hesitation; if we don’t, our hearts will desire the familiar. We will long for what we know. Even the good moments in Sodom were not worth looking back to. They are often only suitable for that season rather than the seasons ahead. God’s plan for our lives may change just as seasons change, and we must be willing to change with them, not holding tightly onto what is behind us.

Today’s Scripture clearly shows us how important it is to obey such a calling and to not look back.

Genesis 19:27-29 depicts Abraham’s attitude towards what he saw happening as He stood looking out over Sodom and Gomorrah. As he witnessed the smoke of that furnace going up! God had remembered Abraham and saved Lot for Abraham’s sake. “Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.”

These exemplary stories are a profound lesson in trusting God with all our hearts and leaning not on our understanding. Proverbs 3:5 advises us wisely to acknowledge God in all our ways. When we do this, we live in obedience, and we open ourselves to God’s divine guidance, direction, and longevity in the promise of our lives. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Genesis 19 is a powerful chapter that serves as a cautionary story, urging us not to follow in the footsteps of Lot’s wife. It vividly illustrates how disobedience can lead to severe consequences. Despite the angel’s warning not to look back, her longing for the past outweighed God’s command. She was given the chance to abandon everything and save her life, to leave and never return. Her refusal to let go of her past is her legacy. A fitting memorial to a rebellious unbeliever for coming generations to sadly witness.

Looking at Jesus’s New Testament stories, we find times when He expresses similar sentiments.

In Luke 9:62, Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”  What is Jesus talking about?

Many people want to follow Jesus but are hindered by their concern for what they must leave behind. Not only looking back but also having divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife.

In various verses throughout the Gospels, Jesus says, “Whoever wants to save his life shall lose it.” (Matt 10:39, 16:25; Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, 17:33.) Although the contexts may vary, one thing remains the same. Following Jesus requires turning our backs on the “life” this world offers, the life we once knew, and fully embracing our new life in Christ. Our attempts at keeping our old life are the same as our “looking back.”

Lot’s wife is an illustration and example that we must remember. In Luke 17:32, Jesus Himself commands us to remember. “Remember Lot’s wife.”

But why?

For the believer, our new life now rules over our old one, and we must remember to obey what Christ tells us. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:36. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! “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.

Jesus came to set you free. To make His children free indeed. To live in this freedom, we must detach from old memories, emotions, feelings, etc., and we must soar into the future fully sold out. Entirely believing in the commands of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Father, in Jesus’ name, I pray for freedom over anyone reading these words. I pray your Holy Spirit loses, binds, and delivers every soul longing to get closer to you. Touch and heal the soul, body, and spirit. Enter in and make this person a new creation in Jesus’ name. “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.” –Romans 10:9.

Whatever You Will…

November 23, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” –Matthew 26:39.

Those cannot expect to prosper, who do not, by faith and prayer, take God with them in all their ways. –Matthew Henry.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus tells His disciples He has come, not to do His own will, but that of the Father who has sent Him. He’s come to be obedient even unto death—intent on being fully pleasing to God. “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” –Philippians 2:6-8.

Jesus is devoted to His Father, regarding Himself as His Father’s servant. Jesus’ will was, and is still, to wholly bring about the will of His Father. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.” –John 6:38.

In our saying yes to Christ, fellow Christians, Paul reminds us in Galatians 2:20 that we, being in Christ, have made the same vow to our Father as Christ has; to obey God in all things—to make Him Lord of every “nook and cranny” of our lives—withholding no thing from Him, even unto our very lives. “I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

We are, after all, His Bride, called to live in submission to His Lordship.

There is a reason Jesus tells us to check our hearts and search out the true motive behind our desire to follow Him—to be His disciple. The reason behind our choosing to follow Jesus matters most to God. Is it out of pure love or for personal gain? Because Christ assures us that following Him will cost us our lives.

Those who, like Him, desire to live and die wholly consecrated, set apart to do the will of God—no matter what happens. “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!'” –Luke 14:26-30.

These few then must tally up the costs of our losses, determining their grand total to be as nothing compared to the unplumbed wealth of knowing and serving our Lord and Savior. Leaving behind whatever we believe has been gained here, and now, we must follow Jesus’ example of outright surrender to the Father’s will and plan for our lives—no turning back. “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” –Philippians 3:8.

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died. / And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” –2 Corinthians 5:14-15. It was God’s will for Jesus to come face to face with His Gethsemane. Be convinced, then, you will face your own Gethsemane, repeatedly—until Christ takes you home.

Trials are part of the Christian’s life and walk, beloved. God uses them—dare I say, sent by Him, to refine our faith by affording us opportunities to die to vestiges of our flesh that, left un-surrendered, would otherwise pull our eyes and will away from God. “Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.” –James 1:2-4.

Knowing this, then, we each must choose to live fully in that place of final surrender, making friends with death to self, where flesh dies so that we, out true selves, may live in complete submission to God—doing His will, not our own. Choosing to love Him—not just chasing Him for His blessings or favor. Serving and loving Him because of who He is and what loving us—saving us—has cost him.

And yet, we can only do this, lay ourselves down on these “dying-daily” altars, these places of sacrifice, accepting every “we must choose” moment that spans our new life in Him because Christ’s strength alone enables us. Scripture reminds us not even the saintliest of us genuinely seek after God unless He first bids us to do so. “As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one. No one understands [no one intelligently discerns or comprehends]; no one seeks out God. All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one!” –Romans 3:10-12.

Friends, trials of various sorts will come in this life—Jesus Himself guaranteed it. “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.

So I’ll encourage you now, before the trial comes, or perhaps while it’s happening, either way, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus—your Living hope—who, by His example, when faced with a trial far too great for you and me to face, willingly handed over the last iota of His “fully man” flesh to His Loving Father, so that He might finish the saving work He’d have to die to accomplish; leading  Him out of Gethsemane and “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup [of divine wrath] from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.” And straight to “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” on Golgatha’s Cross.

Friend, if you’re crying out to God, asking Him why He has seemingly forsaken you, why He is allowing this dark trial to crush the very life from you, if you’re asking God to remove that cup of _________ from you, then, like Jesus, you must also be willing to hear God say, “This cup must stay.” Trusting Him—when even the greatest blessing of your life, that breakthrough, the return of your prodigal, the restoration of your marriage or family, your salvation, comes only through your willingness to swallow what is found in the very dregs of “death to self’s” bitter cup. “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” –Luke 9:25.

Trials will come, friends. Will you choose to love, serve, and obey God for who He is when they hit, or will your house fall?

Are you willing to tell God, “Not my will, but Thine be done,” and mean it? Regardless, the cup placed before you? This decision starts when Jesus becomes your Lord and Savior. “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.” –Deuteronomy 30:19.

Passports and Privledges.

November 9, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” –1 Peter 2:9.

Citizens must possess a passport, visa, or valid national identity card to travel to a country outside their country of origin. A legal document backed up by other documents proves, amongst other things, that they are who they claim to be. Otherwise, entrance into said country will be denied. By default, possessing said proof of citizenship implies these proofs have been accepted as valid by the authorities and are legal. The one presenting them is, in fact, who they claim to be. Such scrutiny is paramount. It aids countries in protecting their citizens from interlopers who would harm their land or fellow citizens.

But what if the one attempting to enter the said country cannot supply the proofs needed for entry?

Access is denied—they are turned away. They will also likely suffer some long-term penalty for their illicit attempt to sneak into somewhere they did not have permission to be.

If the kingdoms of this world have in place such stringent standards of entry into their countries—and strictly implement them. How much more will a Holy God, who gave His very life for everyone protect and require an even more excellent entry standard be met by the one attempting to gain access into His Kingdom? “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” –Matthew 22:11-14.

So what proof must one possess—not merely claim to have—to enter the Kingdom of our God?

Our understanding of the distinct differences in these proofs involves our ability to recognize, practically and, more importantly, Biblically, the great distinction between our claiming to have a thing and our possessing it.

Why?

Because, both biblically and naturally speaking, an uncrossable chasm separates the heart of these two claims.

Let’s take a look:

Having: can be defined as: to hold in one’s use, service, regard, or at one’s disposal.

Having implies one may use something minus ownership—perhaps borrowing it for a time.

We can have a great many things. A pen in our hand, for instance. However, having a pen in our hand does not mean we possess it—it may not be our pen. Maybe we picked it up off a counter or a colleague’s desk? The same can be said for a car. We may have a car—yet it is not our possession—we may have borrowed or rented it temporarily. The same goes for the flats we live in. We pay rent to stay in them, but they are not ours. We may momentarily have use of things like the pen in our hand and the borrowed or rented car or apartment, yet none of them are our possessions.

Possession: indicates the legal right to use, possess, and give away a thing.

Possession implies ownership, unlike having implied temporary use.

Knowing this, let us examine the entry standard God requires into His Kingdom.

Must we keep all of God’s laws to enter His Kingdom? Impossible! No, entry into His Kingdom isn’t based on whether we can prove we have kept God’s laws—because not one of us is capable of such a feat. Break one, you’ve broken them all! “For the one who attempts to keep all of the law of Moses but fails in just one point has become guilty of breaking the law in every respect! For the same One who tells us, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you don’t commit adultery but do commit murder, you are still guilty as a law-breaker.” –James 2:10-11.

Instead, entry into the Kingdom of God is granted based on righteousness—Christ’s Righteousness.

Jesus Himself made this clear: no righteousness, no relationship—no entry into His Kingdom. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” –Matthew 7:21.

It doesn’t matter how “good” a person you are or how many rules you attempt to keep. Righteousness is the only acceptable proof positive required to enter the Kingdom of God. You must be in possession of said proof. But how? How do we, sin-full men, come to possess such righteousness and gain access to such proof?

Jesus Himself answers this question for us.

In John 3:1-6, while talking with the Pharisee, Nicodemus, Jesus made it plain to him, and through this saying to us, not just anyone can enter the Kingdom of God. Being a priest or professed follower of Jesus won’t cut it. Neither will you touting your parents’ professed religion of choice as your own or the cross hanging around your neck or above your bed gain you access to His Kingdom. As with a natural Kingdom or country, one cannot simply stroll into God’s Kingdom to merely assuage one’s curiosity, to “check it out” and see if it suits them before committing to live there.

Listen to what Jesus told Nicodemus regarding possessing the proof needed to gain access into His Kingdom: “Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

And yet, scripture makes plain that not one of us is righteous. “As it is written and forever remains written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS [none that meets God’s standard], NOT EVEN ONE.” –Romans 3:10.

So, how do we obtain the righteousness necessary to enter God’s Kingdom?

That’s where proof of our righteousness comes in: No righteousness, no entry into this Kingdom.

Righteousness is afforded us via our relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus told Nicodemus, we must be born again; this free, unplumbable privilege is only afforded us in Jesus Christ. His life, death, and defeat of the grave—His resurrection, a relationship with Him, makes having His Righteousness possible. “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” –1Corinthians 1:30-31.

Amazingly, God’s Holy Spirit is alive and at work in us now—if we are His. Jesus’ sinless Righteousness covers our sins. When God looks at us, He sees His Son—Pure. Holy. Without spot or wrinkle.

Jesus alone is the One living person—the only Person, who has ever possessed such righteousness and, equally, retains the right to bestow it on whosoever He chooses. “Just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love.” –Ephesians 1:4.

Beloved of God, you, who possess said proof God demands, will be granted legal entry into His Kingdom. Hallelujah! “He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].” –2 Corinthians 5:21.

What about you, friend? Should Christ come today, do you possess the proof necessary to enter the Kingdom of God?

Have you been born again?

If not, let today be the day salvation comes to you.

Jesus made accepting Him into your life as your Lord and Savior as simple as this: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

Living Counter To The World’s Culture.

October 19, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“The gentle are blessed, for they will inherit the earth. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled.” –Matthew 5:5-6.

Scripture does not say that the aggressive will inherit the earth, but the gentle will inherit the earth. God uses the meek things of the world to confuse those who are in offices of authority and power. “Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from human perspective, not many powerful, not many noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”– 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

According to most world standards, people are to step over one another and do whatever it takes to reach the front of the line.

I like to call this a “me first mentality.”

“Worry only about yourself,” the world says. Some people have told me that it’s always been around and that there is nothing new under the sun. I say yes to that; however, it is more apparent now than it was four years ago.

We encounter it daily out in the world.

When we are in traffic or even walking in the grocery store. This “me first mentality” has taken over in the world. Lawlessness, people celebrating the sin of selfishness, is now considered a normal thing, and it’s the Word of God that says considering others as more important than ourselves, they say, is backward.

What was once considered evil is now good, and what was considered good is now evil. “Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.” – Matthew 24:12-13.

Here is Biblical Truth, my friends. Jesus tells us that we will be delivered if we continue to endure these hard times. How? By abiding in Him. “Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.” –John 15:4

My friends, Jesus is not addressing the people of the world in this scripture. He is addressing us—all who believe in Him.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be aware and have our spiritual eyes opened to what is going on in our jobs, our children’s schools, within our families, and other matters that are going on in the world.

In Matthew 10, before Jesus sent out His disciples, He tells them this:

“Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.” –Matthew 10:16.

Just as sheep are gentle, we must be gentle as well.

Being shrewd like a serpent means being wise in our decisions, not doormats, so we must speak the Truth in love instead of remaining silent. In a world of ravaging wolves, we must go boldly into our jobs and schools, declaring that Jesus is Lord and that salvation is found no other!

Some we will encounter there are the very ones who once believed in Jesus Christ, yet somehow, Satan got a hold of them, and now they are out there wandering, living like the world. They have been blinded to the Truth. The sad part is that when they had heard the truth, they did not receive it in their hearts!

In 1 John 2:19, the Apostle John writes: “They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belong to us.”

Still, there is time for those who have turned away my brothers and sisters—unless they have committed the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against God’s Holy Spirit—continually rejecting His calling them to repentance and into a relationship with Himself.“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” –Matthew 12:31.

So it’s the repentant heart, fully surrendered, having come back to God, asking Him to forgive their sins who are those who, having turned away, might be restored. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” –Luke 15:21-24.

It is not God’s will for anyone to miss out on His free gift of salvation, found only in His Son, Jesus. “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9.

My friends, we have been made righteous through Jesus Christ.

This means we can now stand in the presence of  God. The world may look dark and dry, but stay focused on the prize ahead: our eternal salvation with our Father in heaven. And if you have strayed from Him, return now. Don’t harden your heart; be gentle and submit to Him instead.

Believe in your heart, this day, that Jesus is the Son of God. Repent of your sins and be washed clean by Jesus’ Blood. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

Do you, brother or sister, thirst for more of Jesus?

In John 7:37,  Jesus reminds you, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink! The one who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”

Come and be filled afresh with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ!

We are truly a blessed people. Amen.

How the Poor Man Became Rich and Mourned No More.

September 21, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“The poor in spirit are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted.” –Matthew 5:3-4.

If we are saved, we have a testimony of where we were when we met Jesus. That very place of despair, trapped. We were feeling like we were in a cage. Pacing back and forth, unable to set ourselves free. Our very souls were crying out, “Is there any hope for my suffering, my lust, my addiction!”

Think about this for a moment: The moment you said, “My suffering” or “My addiction,” you claimed something that is no longer your portion in this life. Because when you became Christ’s own, you were born again, washed clean of the sins that once held you captive and led you into states of depression and self-loathing. “Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it’s fruit.” –Proverbs 18:21

Everything changed when we received revelation, and the Light of Christ pierced our hearts. Only then could we truly see.

Many of us did not see or understand what we were speaking over ourselves before we accepted Jesus because we were blind, walking in darkness. “There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” –Luke 12:2-3

Friends, we will not see the Kingdom of God as long as we stay in our sins. “Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be deceived; No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s Kingdom.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Reading the above scripture made me wonder how anyone can live a “carefree life.”

Have you ever heard someone say, “Oh, they are such a free spirit?” But they’re not really a free spirit if that freedom will cost them their soul. If any of the sins listed above are present in their “carefree” lifestyle, then I assure you they’re not living so carefree. Jesus is the only one who can bring life, not some “carefree” counterfeit spirit. “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”- John 14:6

The person’s life may look good from the outside, but looks are deceiving.

Such people are living a lie—just as we all once did before Christ. We all tried to fill a space within ourselves that made us feel good. That eased our pain or loneliness. But it was just a placebo. Something that made us think we felt better, at least for a while. The truth is, we were still sick.

In my last teaching, “Cleansing A Leprous Heart,” I said sin was a sickness. And I likened sin to leprosy. Sin is a spiritual sickness that starts on the inside and works its way out. “Summoning the crowd, He told them, “Listen and understand: It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”– Matthew 15:10-11

Though only God knows a man’s heart, you can see how a person thinks, what they live by, and their morals and beliefs by observing their life. Be still and listen to them talk. You will know them by their words and how they speak to others. Watch their walk. Scripture says: “You will know them by their fruits…” –Matthew 7:16.

We all carried the sickness of unrepentant sin with us at one point.

Jesus is the great physician who cured our sickness by separating our sins from us as far as the East is from the West, never to remember it again. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” –Psalm 103:12.

Listen to how Jesus explained why He’d come to the Pharisees. “When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was sitting with sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do need one. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Mark 2:16-17

Jesus used the word “righteous” to make evident to the Scribes that their “righteousness” came only by knowing the law and then pointing out what other people cannot or should not do. The Scribes couldn’t see that these people were lost in their sins with no one to help them. They couldn’t understand that these people were the very reason Jesus came.

My friends, don’t fall into a place where you claim yourself to be so righteous you won’t help out a brother or sister when they are having a tough time, afraid you’ll dirty yourself. Instead, remember Who showed you mercy and love when you were at your lowest. Lest we forget what the apostle Paul wrote: “Carry one anothers burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” – Galatians 6:2-3

Jesus told the Pharisees, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.” –Matthew 23:23.

Jesus came for sinners. The “Whosoever’s.”  “And then, whoever calls out to the Lord for help will be saved.” –Acts 2:21. He dined with them that night because He was about His Father’s business, to meet the poor in spirit and to show them the way into the Kingdom of heaven.

Friends, we no longer need to mourn our sins, but we can rejoice because Christ Jesus’ has clothed us in His Righteousness. He has comforted us in our time of need. “And when you were dead in trespasses and in uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespass. He erased the certificate of debt, with it’s obligations that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross.” –Colossians 2:13-14

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”

 We were once poor in spirit, but God made us rich. We were prisoners of our sins, but God set us free. We mourned in our trespasses, but God filled our hearts with joy. Jesus died so that you and I will live for all eternity and be coheirs in the Kingdom of God. Jesus loves you so much.

We at the SonsoftheSea ministry are continually praying for every one of you. I invite all who feel the stirring of the Holy Spirit to open their heart and come to Jesus in complete repentance. Repent and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” – Romans 10:9-10.

I pray you receive Him and His gift of salvation that cost Jesus His life. Be washed by His precious Blood, and your every sin will be washed away in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

“Cleansing A Leperous Heart”

September 7, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going they were healed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” –Luke 17:11-19.

As stated, these ten men had a severe skin disease, which Scripture hints at being leprosy, a chronic but now curable infectious disease mainly causing skin lesions and nerve damage. The Law of Moses stated: “The person afflicted with an infectious skin disease is to have his clothes torn and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out ‘unclean, unclean!’ He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.” –Leviticus 13:45-46

To make a point, I’ll use this metaphor. Just as leprosy deteriorates the flesh, unrepented sin will deteriorate your soul, causing you to live removed from God. It may even cause your death.

Brothers and sisters, before we came to Christ, we were as unclean spiritually as these poor men were physically.

Our hearts were diseased and riddled with sin.

Our minds were saturated with the things of this world, the lusts of the eyes. “For the mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” –Romans 8:7-8

And we know that the longer a person chooses to live a sinful life, the more the evidence of their sins radiates outward. Their outward man becomes a reflection of their inward sins. “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable–who can understand it?” –Jeremiah 17:9.

As with the ten lepers in today’s Scripture, your sin will cause you to live apart from God.

Man cannot rid himself of sin, but God made a way for all men to be free and be cleansed of all inequities through His son, Jesus. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 6:23.

Concerning the lepers: “He told them, Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going they were healed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan.” –Luke 17:14-15.

These lepers cried out to Jesus, “Have mercy on us!”  and a repentant heart is what God wants. You may have been cast out, friend, but know that God still sees you, even though your sin has distorted your heart. Jesus still knows you and loves you.

They cried out for mercy and acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Master over their sickness and hearts. God does not want you to remain in your sin. He wants you to be all He created you to be: holy and full of purpose. In Mark, Jesus reminds us of this: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!” –Mark 1:15.

 When these ten lepers heard Jesus say, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Something stirred inside them. Having lived as cast-outs, it must have been a while since they had felt this stirring of hope inside themselves.

Their disease had plagued them for so long they had forgotten what it felt like to have hope and faith. But because of Jesus, their faith had been stirred up, and, in obedience to His command, they ran to show themselves to the priests.

But why did they have to show themselves to the priests?

Showing yourself to the priest was written in the Law of Moses, and Jesus never contradicted His Father’s Word. “But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, the priest must pronounce the infected person clean; he is clean. “–Leviticus 13:16-17. Also, the local priests must have known about these ten men and their condition. Their all being healed together was Jesus’ way of sending a message to these priests that the Messiah had come. Surely, they would remember what the prophet Isaiah had said about Him: “He Himself bore our sicknesses, and carried out pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.” –Isaiah 53:4.

Ten men received healing from something that had taken everything away from them, and then, each man was restored because of their encounter with Jesus—there must have been some head-scratching happening by those local priests.

Friends, instead of sorrow and living as cast out from God because of your sin, you too can come to Jesus in complete repentance and cry out, “Jesus, save me! Have mercy on me!” Because of His mercy and great love for you, Jesus will change your heart and heal your inner man. He’ll redeem you, making you holy and clean by forgiving your sins and giving you new life! “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” –John 3:3.

Once restored, Jesus, our high priest, declares us clean and in right standing with the Father!

We read only one leper returned to Jesus and gave glory to God, a Samaritan, which the Jews hated. He was that one who needed a touch of God; the others got what they came for and then went their way. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” –Luke 17:17-19.

We should not take God’s blessings for granted, especially His gift of grace. “Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” –Psalm 2:12.

Friends don’t be like the nine who got what they came for and then forgot to thank Jesus for what He had done for them. Instead, raise your hands in joyous admiration and thank Jesus for His true gift of salvation! The Blood of our Lord Jesus has cleansed our leprous hearts.

Like the ten lepers, Jesus has made us new creations.

As I close this week’s teaching, know that we at Sonsofthesea are praying you know God’s love and the Truth that salvation is found in no one but in His Son, Jesus.

Do not harden your heart or turn away if you hear His voice calling you. Today is the day of salvation. Repent of your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Believe His promise to you: “Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him and he with Me.” –Revelation 3:20.

Amen.

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