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

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All In God’s Timing.

January 7, 2023 /
MaryEllen Montville

In God’s timing, Majesty was born in a manger. Jesus’s Divinity, hidden behind milk rags, revealed now, Emmanuel, God with us. The Pure and Perfect Light of God’s Bright Morning Star has pierced men’s hearts – “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” –Revelation 22:16.

It was God the shepherds beheld, lying in His manger.

A revelation so overwhelming and weighty it created a chasm in their hearts, life-altering. The old seeped away from them as they glanced upon a reality too great for their finite minds to take in fully; Living water was poured in its place, filling them afresh—old things made new! “Do not be afraid!” That’s what the angel Gabriel spoke to those shepherds while they stood in the field—bewildered, transfixed. Wise counsel when you think how an ordinary man might respond when a messenger of the Lord is sent to him with a Word from God. Awe and holy fear—reverence, cementing their feet to the very earth on which they stood.

The Prophet Isaiah describes a similar moment. He once beheld the Bright Morning Star dawning in his own heart while angels at the ready surrounded the Living God. Not in a manger, but in heaven. Isaiah saw God seated on His Throne. And he plainly details the flood of awe and reverence, the overwhelming emotions which overtook him as he beheld the Lord of All Creation, the Great I Am, Majesty, seated on High. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty. –Isaiah 6:5.

The shepherds keeping watch in the fields on the night Christ was born likely experienced comparable emotions. Holy awe and revelation running hand-in-hand through their hearts and minds when the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared to them from behind the night’s black curtain—brilliant, white light! And on his heels, a whole host of equally bright angels singing, Glory to God on high!

Shepherds, a man with a promise, and God’s divine timing. In other circles, this could be the opening line of a not-so-funny joke, but spoken here, it’s anything but. Instead, the shepherds and the man with a promise are recipients—central characters in today’s teaching.

If you open your Bible or bible app to the Gospel of Luke, Chapter Two, it will be far easier for you to follow their story. A story of revelation, of a long-awaited promise, fulfilled each in God’s perfect timing. A story stitched together with watchfulness, obedience, patience, and faithfulness – being at the right place at the right time.

What man calls coincidence are actual circumstances or details determined by God in eternity past being revealed now, in time as we understand it. Moments and events stitched together seamlessly, some needed piece of God’s way too big plan for our lives showing up just as God Himself does—right on time.

That’s how it was with the shepherds in the field the night God’s star appeared.

Those shepherds who tended the sheep and lambs used as living sacrifices and offered up for the people’s sins—the revelation from Gabriel, their having witnessed God’s Spotless Lamb as He lay wrapped in His manger, each, no coincidence. Each determined in eternity past, evidencing itself at the precise moment in time God had intended. And while these lowliest of men were tending these sheep, suddenly, that night sky was torn asunder, and a blazing heavenly light shone around them—the glory of the Lord arrested them. They would never be the same again. Sure, they may have remained lowly shepherds their whole lives, but now, because of this divine revelation. Because of this Babe, they’d leave their livelihoods behind to chase after something so much more valuable than sheep.

Now, in addition to whatever else they may have done or become, they’d spend their lives under the watchful care of the Great Shepherd Himself—Jesus, the Christ.

The shepherds are behind us now, their story told. Next in line is the man with a promise. His name, Simeon. Scripture gives us no historical details concerning Simeon—not his tribe, age, vocation, or marital status. But it does plainly inform us that the Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple courts on the exact day of Jesus’s circumcision—just in time to see the Babe in the arms of His mother as she and her husband were leaving the temple. The simple fact that the Holy Spirit led Simeon there tells us that Simeon had a close relationship with God. He’d been watching, waiting, looking out for, desiring the arrival of Israel’s Messiah. We would do well to follow Simeon’s lead—watching, anticipating, longing for Jesus to return.

That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” –Matthew 24:40-42.

Scripture also tells us that Simeon was a righteous and devout man. He longed for the Lord, and he lived to please him. And God promised him he would not die before he saw—laid eyes on “the consolation of Israel” –its long-awaited Messiah. Scripture also suggests that Simeon was an old man when he’d finally laid eyes on Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—indicating that Simeon had been watching and waiting for most, if not all, of his life for his Messiah. So again, we would be wise to follow Simeon’s example of faithfulness, perseverance, patient endurance, and watchfulness. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. –Galatians 6:9.

And as far as we know, Simeon didn’t live long enough to hear Jesus speak prophetically of His second coming. Still, the Lord had fulfilled the promise He’d made Simeon. God ensured he was among the privileged few who, at Jesus’ first coming, recognized Him as Israel’s long-awaited Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” –Luke 2:27-32.

Not only did Simeon hear from the Lord more, Simeon was compliant with His leading. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple court. Many Christians profess to hear from the Lord. God has given them a specific Word or promise, yet if it does not happen within a particular time frame—theirs, not God’s, unlike Simeon, they give up on it. Tarrying, watching, waiting, believing God despite the wait—taking God at His Word—trusting Him, regardless. Simeon did this. So did David, Joseph, Mary, Moses, and Abraham. Paul and Peter as well. How about you, friend? How long will you watch and wait for the Lord?

Before I close, in addition to all Simeon’s faithfulness teaches us, I would be remiss if I did not highlight his unwavering obedience. Simeon trusted God, taking Him at His Word. He believed he’d see the Messiah in the land of the living—just as God promised. Coupled with his obedience, Simeon was also sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit. Thus, he was in the right place at the exact time he needed to be to experience the fulfillment of the promise God had made him—Simeon did see Jesus, the Messiah, more; he held Jesus in his arms.

A promise fulfilled in God’s timing, one that originated in eternity past. What man calls coincidence are actual circumstances or details determined by God in eternity past being revealed now, in time as we understand it. Moments and events stitched together seamlessly, some needed piece of God’s way too big plan for our lives showing up just as God Himself does—right on time.

Dear friend, this Truth applies to you as well. It’s no coincidence you’re here. It’s been ordained by God, mind-blowing, right? Still, it’s true. Perhaps you’ve been questioning God? Whether He’s real? Does He hear you, know or care about you? Yes, yes, yes, and absolutely! God loves you. So much that He sent Jesus, that Babe in the manger, the One the shepherds worshiped, the One Simeon waited and prayed for, the same Jesus who will return, soon and very soon. But will you be ready when He does? Have you invited Jesus into your life as Lord? I promise if you do and you mean it, He’ll come. God always keeps His promises—Simeon is living proof. And so am I.

Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. –Revelation 3:20.

But That’s Impossible.

December 31, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin. –Luke 1:35.

Christmas has passed. And as we prepare to walk into 2023, many of us will do so with expectations, doubts, with wondering. “What will this year bring? Will I have peace? Will my faith grow stronger, my service to God more steadfast? Will I lay aside, even for a season, what I know God is telling me to step away from, that I might pick up, make room for, what He’s calling me to take up? My obedience in exchange for my comfort—the familiar, the rote. The good even.

Many of us will come face to face with the seemingly impossible in this new season.

We’ll find ourselves asking the same question Mary asked. “How, Lord?” You know God is leading you in a new direction, asking something of you He’s not yet fully disclosed—and may never. And you know that only by faith and reliance on Jesus, trusting the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit, will what God is asking of you be accomplished. So turn away from rebellion, put on discipline, and allow God to cut away the fat from around your heart—hardening it. Whatever the state you find yourself in these final hours of 2022, Beloved, repent if sin is present. Refocus, and follow hard after Jesus. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” –Isaiah 30:21.

The Holy Spirit has already brought some of you face-to-face with your Mary moment, whether good or seemingly bad. Your reading this is confirmation. As with Mary, the only question remaining is how you’ll respond to what you’ve been told. Will it be with a simple, humble, heartfelt, “Thy Will be done,” or will you proffer a litany of reasons why whatever God has or will ask of you is impossible? “How can this be, Lord? I don’t have the education, know-how, resources, the connections. I’m not gifted in that area. I haven’t the intelligence. I’m single, financially challenged, I can’t have children.”

Take heart, Beloved. You are not alone in your questioning. Others have also questioned how it is God accomplishes the seemingly impossible.

And as only God could arrange it, their question was directly connected to a seemingly impossible birth, the re-birth of man. His salvation. Being born again. That instantaneous regeneration occurring the very second Holy Spirit comes and makes His home in the life of the one God has called out of darkness into His glorious Light. Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” –Mark 10:27.

Brother, sister, as surely as God unconcealed His will and plan to Mary and His disciple, He’ll do the same with you—in His own time and timing. Still, as it was with them, so too with us; God does not need to comply with our desire to know the ABCs of a thing before He brings it about. We must trust Him. Exercise faith in Him—in His Word—just as Mary and the disciples did. We must believe and have faith that whatever it is, God is birthing, salvation, a new ministry, marriage, a move, a book, or business, you having a child. However seemingly impossible, the thing may appear. If it is truly from God, He will bring it about. Hebrews 11:6 says this: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

So how will you respond to the Holy Spirit when He presents you with your “how will I ever take on such an undertaking” moment?

Mary asked, “How can this be” because she’d never known a man. Yet, for many of us, this same question will be asked in moments steeped in a lack of faith or fear of man, from coming face-to-face with our finite limitations or paralyzing unbelief. We will forget that the One who has overshadowed us, just as He did Mary—is calling into being that which has been in our belly from eternity past. Like so many before us, we’ll temporarily forget that the Sovereign Creator of this world is Omnipotent—He spoke, and it was finished. The world in a seed—perpetual. An orchard inside an apple—complete. We’ll fail to realize God is doing little more than manifesting an already-finished piece of His plan for our lives, some seed. That life-giving piece of the puzzle needed to make us complete in Christ Jesus is being birthed—bringing God glory. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. –John1:3.

How will you respond in your Mary moment, Beloved? Will you display belief and humility, knowing anything is possible with God, or question the same plans and purposes God Himself implanted within you, seed-like, in eternity past? In essence, saying there’s no way. Just look at me! That’s impossible!

We’re in a new season of, no, a new era of birthing.

Holy Spirit is about to overshadow many who are reading this—and some who are not—pulling from their depths the seemingly impossible. Those seeds, gifts, talents, ministries, marriages, a new level of boldness, and hunger for the things of God. It’s already begun. If you still yourself before the Lord, you may already feel the tiny flutters, the shifting of sorts that has already taken place within you—making room for the new—stretching you, making you Holy uncomfortable. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ –Isaiah 46:10.

You innately know this thing that’s about to happen—is happening, is going to cause you great discomfort, disrupting your status quo Christian walk in ways you would not have imagined just one short month ago. Welcome to the Mary club. The Apostles Peter, James, John, Paul, and even Gideon were members of the Mary club. The question walking into 2023 is, are you? Then Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” –Luke 1:38.

Friend, I can think of no more perfect way to ensure that you, like Mary, are open and welcoming of all that God has for you in 2023 and beyond than by asking God’s Son, Jesus, into your heart as your Lord and Savior. God has done His part. John 3:16 assures us of that. For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. And Mary did her part in partnering with God, scary as it may have been, by saying yes to God’s plan for her life. Won’t you ask Jesus into your heart today, now? Won’t you partner with God, allowing Him to birth all He has for you beginning in 2023?

Greater Love.

December 17, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we must love one another. –1 John 4:10-11.

Hello to all my dear brothers and sisters, and Merry Christmas to you! May our Lord bless you for taking the time to read what He has given me to share. This is the season of joy and peace on earth. It is the season God sent the Greatest Gift of all to show His love for us; Jesus, His only Son.

Yet humanity is slowly declining in the love department. Especially in the whole, love thy brother.

Those who run around with a me-first mentality can bring us down, discourage us, and, if we’re not guarding our hearts, potentially sow seeds that will spring up into a mindset of, what’s the point? And that’s not to mention how much division is happening in this great country. Everyone has an opinion. And everyone wants to be heard.

I wonder if the disciples thought about these things during their ministry.

Why? Because there is nothing hidden that will not be uncovered, my friends. Jesus knew then, as He knows now, what was in men’s hearts. That is why as Blood-Bought believers, we must adhere to the new command our Lord Jesus gave us. It is not a mere suggestion. It is a command from our King. I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. –John 13:34-35.

My brothers and sisters, there is still hope in all you see happening around you. The darkness shall not prevail because some two-thousand years ago, God did something beyond amazing! He gave this world the ultimate sign of His love. He sent His Son to die for our sins once and for all! Let’s read this together in one voice, my dear family! For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.—John 3:16.

Ok, so language, or specific words, catch my attention when I read different versions of the Bible.

Maybe it’s that way for some of you armchair theologians as well. For instance, in the King James Version of the Bible, John 3:16 uses “whosoever believes” rather than “everyone who believes,” as written in the New Living Translation. And though everyone and whosoever means the same thing (anyone who places their faith in Jesus will be saved), there is something about the word whosoever that catches me whenever I read it. For me, “whosoever” is enormous. It’s significant. It’s so substantial; it encompasses everyone. Whosoever means no one person’s sin is too big for God to forgive.

So whosoever is for the addict still stuck in their addiction. The prostitute, murderer, gang member, that person who thinks their sins are so great God could never forgive, nevermind love them. Whosoever speaks to the one who believes Jesus can only love those nice church people, but not someone like me. Maybe whosoever resonates with me because I was once whosoever before I fell in love with Jesus.

Are you whosoever, friend? If you are, Jesus does love you, died for you. Just as He did for everyone else, but you must believe He is who He says He is—that’s your part. That’s the part everyone who says Jesus is Lord must believe. So have you asked Jesus to be Lord over your life? Have you let Him into your heart?

Let’s look at John 3 a little closer. It says, “so that everyone or whosoever believes in Him.” Belief is key. If you do not believe in Jesus, that He is who He says He is, then your name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It takes a confession of faith and repentance of your sins to go from Whosoever to saved. I believe many miss this Truth.

God loves the world so much that He made a plan to save fallen man. A Way to save whosoever will accept Him. And the key that opens God’s plan is Jesus. Salvation is in Jesus alone. Jesus’s sacrificial Blood was always part of God’s plan. A plan first seen in the Garden of Eden—right under the enemy’s nose. Satan thought he had corrupted God’s ultimate design, but our God had a plan. The Lord God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them. –Genesis 1:21.

Now the skins God used to cover Adam and Eve are known as a type and shadow, which means we first catch a glimpse of Jesus and God’s plan of salvation in the Garden of Eden. Innocent blood shed to cover the guilty. How uncomfortable and undeserving we feel when we sin. Adam and Eve must have felt the same way, so they tried to cover up their mess with fig leaves. But they failed, as we all do when we take things into our own hands.

Can you think of times you’ve attempted to cover over your sins?

God knew what they had done, so He asked Adam a question. “Where are you?” –Genesis 3:9. My brothers and sisters, this is a selah moment! A time to pause here and reflect. Holy Spirit is asking that you take this opportunity to ask yourselves this same question. “Where are you?”

Moving on now…

In the Garden of Eden, God made coverings for Adam and Eve from some of His creations. Scripture does not say what type of animals were slain to cover them, but we know that Jesus is the Lamb that was slain for the sins of the world. So, could it have been lambs that were slain to cover Adam and Eve? We’ll find out someday. I raise this question because John’s gospel records the day John the Baptist sees Jesus walking towards him. He proclaims Him to be the Lamb of God who’s come to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29-31). And in Genesis 4:6, Adam and Eve’s son, Abel, presents a sacrifice of the firstborn lamb from his flock. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering. Had God remembered His act of slaying an innocent back in the garden to cover those who had sinned?

According to the law of Moses, almost everything is purified with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Throughout the Old Testament, an animal had to die. It’s blood shed for man’s sin to be covered. But the blood of these animals was only a temporary solution. Their blood could not fix man’s sin problem, and sin, my dear brothers and sisters, is death for us. God removes His presence where sin abounds because He cannot dwell where sin lives. God is Holy, forever (Hebrews 9:2). The Blood of Jesus is pure and undefiled because God is Holy, and His Blood is Holy. It’s what washes away our sins. The Blood of Jesus is not a covering for our sins; coverings will be removed. The Blood of Jesus washes away all our sins. Come let us discuss this, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool. –Isaiah 1:18.

Jesus has come as Light into a dark world. Whosoever receives Jesus as Lord is saved. God has come in the flesh. Emmanuel, God with us. He died in our place—a sacrifice for our sins, foreshadowing what God did in the Garden of Eden. As we end this teaching, brothers and sisters, be reminded of the Greatest Gift God has given us, His only Son, Jesus. Salvation is found in none other. We caught of peek at God’s plan for man’s redemption in the garden, but in Jesus, God’s plan was fulfilled. Jesus is the gift we do not deserve.

My dear friends, scripture tells us today is the day of salvation! So if you are reading about Jesus for the first time and feel some stirring inside of you. Let today be the day you say yes to Jesus and make Him Lord over your life. Turn away from your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Be washed clean of your sins by His precious blood. Let today be the day of new beginnings in our Lord Jesus. Amen. If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. –Romans 10:9-10.

He Will Prove Himself

December 10, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

With the faithful you prove yourself faithful, with the blameless you prove yourself blameless, with the pure you prove yourself pure, but with the crooked you prove yourself shrewd. For you rescue an oppressed people, but you humble those with haughty eyes.–Psalms 18:25-27

How you perceive God is a direct reflection of the position of your heart.

The heart that is in the position of hating God or believing that He doesn’t exist is the heart that has never met Him. If only they knew how good He is, how kind He is, how faithful He is. If only they knew Him as I do: Rescuer, Healer, Restorer, and Friend. He is always faithful to meet me in my need, but when I am not in need, it is easy to allow my heart to slip into the mode of thinking that convinces me that I can make it on my own. I forget His faithfulness to me when I don’t remain faithful to Him. I can easily forget that God’s ways are good and blameless if my eyes are fixed on the world’s injustices, but when I shift my gaze toward Him again, I see Jesus in His light, for who He is. As I draw near to Him, He draws near to me (James 4:8).

His presence is made known to the heart that needs Him. He is so near to the broken-hearted and the oppressed. He can’t resist responding to a sincere cry for help because He’s that good. Conversely, there is the heart that believes they don’t need help. To this person, there’s never a sincere cry for help, preventing a sincere experience of His intervention. The pride of life and one’s own achievements can blind a person to their need for the Lord and His mercy. This pride boasts of self-sufficiency, convincing a person that they can do everything independently. It views God through the critical lens of self-righteousness. It makes the heart doubt the goodness of God and His faithfulness, taking matters into its own hands without realizing that His ways are better than ours. It fails to remember His goodness. In turn, these people can’t see through God’s perspective. These people perceive God as shrewd because of the pride that has kept their hearts closed to knowing Him as faithful, blameless, and pure. I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve. –Jeremiah 17:10.

So he will repay according to their deeds: fury to his enemies, retribution to his foes, and he will repay the coasts and islands. – Isaiah 59:18. The truth is the God of the Bible is faithful to His faithful ones, and His faithfulness is good. But to His enemies, He is just. What have your actions warranted? This life is our one chance at choosing Jesus. He is drawn to clean hands and a pure heart. It may seem contradictory because if you don’t have a pure heart, how can He be drawn to you? And, if everyone is a sinner, how can there be one pure enough in heart for Him to reciprocate purity? The beauty of our God is that even in your trespasses, He can purify your heart and cleanse your mind if only you would ask! Just realizing that your heart could use cleaning is enough for Him to begin His work within you. He repays all your work according to what you’ve done. I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve. –Jeremiah 17:10. The heart that generously does good by His grace, He repays richly. But to the selfish and prideful of heart, He proves Himself shrewd.

He takes care of His people, and we will see Him faithful, blameless, and pure. But for the tainted heart, He is absent and just. The good news is that for those who come to Him, He does not leave them the same way in which He found them. Jesus is the one who transforms hearts and renews minds. He can take a heart of stone and make it flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).

Today will you examine your heart and let Him into those pieces of you that otherwise feel unchangeable? He wants to make you a new creation, restoring your heart to His original design of fellowship with Him. It is in fellowship with our Creator that we become whole. If you don’t know Jesus, I invite you to ask Him to make your heart of stone, making it into a heart of flesh. Ask Him to help you become faithful to Him, and let Him prove Himself faithful to you in the process. Ask Him to open the eyes of your heart to see Him as blameless and pure, not shrewd. He is waiting.

Level Up!

November 26, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

Hello, my dear brothers and sisters. I’m praying that this finds you well and filled with hope in our Lord Jesus. I hope that whatever it is we are crying out for, He hears us. I am also praying that this teaching will come as an encouragement for many. We are coming close to the end of the year. There has been much shifting and sifting in the body of Christ. Holy Spirit is replacing what was good in one season with something greater. With the refining of your faith, room is being made for the new.

 “You are being protected by God’s power through faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last days. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith-more valuable than gold, which perishes though, refined by fire- may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” –1 Peter 1:5-7.

My brothers and sisters, there is promotion coming for the Body of Christ, for the Body that wants to move forward. Who has an ear inclined to God’s Word. We must not harden our hearts to His voice or instructions. Let us be the Church that comes alive in the Word and Spirit; let there be unification in both, as Christ is not divided.

Dear friends, I am excited about what is taking place! Promotion is coming, or as the title states, the Church is about to Level Up! So many times, I have heard my kids yell that phrase while they play their video games. They get all excited and are blown away by what their character can do and how much stronger they are. This leveling up did not just happen, however. It took hours or even days to make this progress. Have you ever felt like that? You have been in faith, walking it out with our Lord for days. Then those days turn to months. The months to years. “When will this happen for me?” or better yet, “when will it happen for the Church?” Matthew 23:12 (Jesus’ speaking) “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Our posture should be one of submission to God and His Holy Spirit, for He is the head of the Body, The capital “C” Church. The body that keeps its eyes on Jesus will experience an outpouring from heaven. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” How can we, as an individual or a Church Body expect anything from God if we don’t seek Him first, more than anything else? Remember, God resists the proud and boastful. Let me remind you of what happened to king Saul. He was given specific instructions on battling the Amalekites, but Saul thought differently. Full of pride, Saul believed he knew better. His presumed knowing better would prove troublesome for Esther and her people later down the road.

“Then the Word of the Lord came to Samuel,” I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.” –1 Samuel 15:10-11.

In the same chapter, the prophet Samuel rebukes Saul for not following instructions and delivers a blow to his ego from the One who made him king, God! “Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” –1 Samuel 15:22-23.

Some of you might be thinking, “we live under grace, not under the law. God is not vengeful towards those who do not obey. He will still love us regardless.” To this, I say yes, absolutely, I agree, but. Yes, God does love you! He loves you WITHOUT A DOUBT! Jesus went to the Cross for you and gave His life so you might have an abundance of life! However, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8.

But our lifestyle needs to imitate that of our Lord. The kind of relationship we have with Jesus matters, and commitment and obedience are a large part of that relationship. Like every great marriage, you must work at it equally, 100/100. No marriage will last with 100/50. Where is that other 50 going? Look, my marriage would not work if I saw my wife one or two days out of the week. I am not meeting her needs or committing my time to her. The same with our Lord Jesus. How do we draw closer to our Lord when we only visit Him once or twice a week? He is always there, 100 percent in, but you’re walking in the world. Yet you complain that nothing is happening in your Christian walk. Where is that promotion that I was promised?!

My dear brother and sister, my friends, please, heed this scripture! “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 in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name? Then I will announce to them, I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!” –Matthew 7:21-23.

 God does not want to keep anything good from you, but if you are keeping yourself from Him, He will not exalt you and bring you to those moments of leveling up in the Kingdom. And if a particular Body is not remaining in His Word or preaching a different gospel, it will be like He never knew them. “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” –Revelation 2:5.

Jesus knows His flock. They are the ones that hear His voice and come running to him like sheep after their shepherd. They recognize the voice of the One who cares for them, feeds them, and has healed them. As we end this teaching, please know that you are all very dear to me. We have never met, but I pray you are on fire for our Lord Jesus. The blood spilled on the Cross was done out of love for you. God’s love is immeasurable. It has no end, my dear friends. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you this day and receive the fullness of the Kingdom only found in Jesus our Lord. Amen. “Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man come, will He find that faith on earth?” –Luke 18:8.

Brothers and sisters, let this be the day you have declared Jesus as Lord over your life, and every circumstance is brought to its knees. Run to Jesus, friend. Let this be the day Jesus makes His home in you by your confession of faith in Him. Ask Jesus into your heart as Lord, and He will answer. “Jesus, wash away my sins with Your precious Blood and forgive me of my sins. Today I surrender all of me to you. Amen.”

Embers

November 20, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

How do you start a fire with ashes?

Seasons come, and seasons go. And often, it feels like we have nothing left to give. Nothing left to offer on the altar. Our spirit is consumed, burnt out. Our fire has slowly subsided, and we cannot reignite it. Thankfully, we serve a God who makes beauty from ashes. And it is His Spirit that can reignite the embers of our souls. I’m not sure why some seasons are ripe with passion while others feel like a drag, but one thing I know is that Jesus is the one constant through it all. Whether mountain-high or valley-low, our circumstances will quickly begin to inform our perspectives if we’re not diligent about keeping our fire burning.

The fire of the Holy Spirit makes us come alive. It is all-consuming. He is an indicator of our spiritual health. And while He may ignite feelings of passion and vigor, He is not in and of Himself, a feeling. The Holy Spirit is the Living presence of God inside of us. Just as God was the Flame that met Moses at the burning bush, He is also the Flame that meets us within our hearts.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” –Romans 12:9-13.

“Be fervent in spirit.” In Latin, “fervent” comes from the word fervor, meaning “a boiling violent heat.” This language is clear. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to maintain a living boiling, “violent heat” within our hearts. Keeping our flame alive is not accomplished in ways that come naturally to the self-serving, self-absorbed human heart. It comes from total surrender to the Lord and His will, which is servitude. His heart is that the world may know Him, but it is also that He may have a relationship with His bride, who is His church.

Years ago, I felt myself slipping into laziness. I would have what seemed like an endless list of chores to be completed. I prayed that God would give me the energy to do what needed to be done in the mundane day-to-day tasks. In my prayer, He showed me two things: number one, I was giving in to laziness, and number two, I had the power to overcome laziness before it could overcome me. The word I got from the Lord during that prayer was this: whatever it is you don’t feel like doing, do it. I was expecting God to change my habits in a moment. I wanted Him to make me want to do all the chores and all the tasks. I was ready for Him to grant me my wish of instantly becoming a laundry lover. Instead, He reminded me that I also had a part to play in my prayers. I have never forgotten those words whispered to my spirit that day. I have carried them with me since.

You see, complacency leads to embers, not flames. When you don’t feel like showing up, it is when you need to show up. When you don’t feel like honoring the person you are doing life with, you need to show up and outdo them in showing honor. When you don’t feel like you have a fervent heart, you must go before the Lord and ask for a refill. Romans 12 is clear, serving the Lord will only ever increase your fervor.

“find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them… everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” –Ephesians 5:10-11; 13-14.

As we go about our lives, it is impossible to never be around nonbelievers. That is why it is of utmost importance to the believer that they stay close to the body of Christ. Our flame is kept alive there by the flame of the brother beside us. When we come to Jesus, His light exposes our wickedness. It makes us uncomfortable and causes us to live differently. Romans 12 doesn’t say to leave the people of God. It doesn’t say to stay around people who hate God. It instructs us that serving the saints (other believers) gives us life! Ask God for His Birdseye view when your circumstance seems to be guiding your perspective. If you feel hopeless, rejoice, knowing that you have hope even when you can’t feel it. If you’re suffering or facing tribulation, choose patience instead of complaining. Seek out the good instead of pointing out the bad. If you don’t feel like praying, pray anyway. If you don’t feel like serving, serve regardless. If you don’t feel like being hospitable, do it despite your feelings. Our faith is not based on emotions. It is to be laid down, an offering on the altar of our hearts for the Lord and others.

Of course, mentally, we must take time to reset and find our bearings, but we cannot live there. Complacency is a detrimental dwelling place for our souls. Reset and then press on!

Today, I pray that you are encouraged to find the flame that burns bright within your heart. If you feel down, I will echo the words in Ephesians 5:14. “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” I pray you find your zeal as you serve the Lord and His people and grow in generosity.

And if you read this today and said, this is me! I can relate to this. But have not asked Jesus to be Lord of your life. Then that is your starting block. The surest and only lasting way for the fire in your heart to begin burning brightly! “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6.

Trust, Me.

November 5, 2022 /
Maryellen Montville

“The Lord All-Powerful says, “Try this test. Bring one-tenth of your things to me. Put them in the treasury. Bring food to my house. Test me! If you do these things, I will surely bless you. Good things will come to you like rain falling from the sky. You will have more than enough of everything” –Malachi 3:10

If you’ve been attending church for any length of time, you’re likely familiar with today’s verse. It’s generally used in relation to tithes and offerings. And though we’ll touch on tithing today, there’s something else I’d like to share with you from this verse. A principle the Holy Spirit dropped in my spirit this morning as I was praying over this teaching concerning trust. He put His finger on two words from this familiar passage, “test Me.” And what God dropped in my spirit concerning those Words had little to do with money.

Let’s explore what He gave me, shall we?

Tithing involves obedience. It demands you meet God smack dab in the middle of His “test Me.” It means laying your tithe at His feet, walking away, and trusting God to keep His Word. Blessing you however He sees fit.

Having that level of confidence, of faith, that joy of giving back, the thrill of “I get to” is born from having experienced God’s faithfulness in the past. It springs up from a deep well of trust fed by an ever-deeper well of intimacy. An intimacy developed within your relationship with Jesus. And it’s sustained there. It’s fed, made fat by a steady diet of God loving you and your wanting, chasing after the Giver far more than His gifts. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” –Matthew 6:33.

I just spoke of a relationship with Jesus. Do you have one? If not, friend, before you read on, I ask that you stop and pray. I assure you; asking Jesus into your life as Lord of all is a choice with eternal consequence. There is no more important message in the world than this. Jesus loves you. He died in your place, making way for you to be restored into right relationship with the Father. A relationship broken in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for fall men” –Romans 5:17-18.

And If you don’t know how to pray, talk to Jesus; it’s really quite simple. Just ask Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior, tell Him you’re sorry for your sins, and mean it. I’m adding His Word to help guide you. “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.

Now, we can continue…

When you choose to believe God will do what He says He’d do, believe in the surety of His “test Me,” your measure of faith will be stretched. And over time, your faith in God as Promise Keeper will become rock solid, like that faith spoken of in the old hymn, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.” Though none go with me, I still will follow, no turning back, no turning back.

And yes, friend, you have the choice to obey God, to follow Him, or not.

Why? Because you have free will. Your salvation and free will are a gift from God; He has granted you the freedom, the weighty privilege, of choosing or denying Him. Life, or death.

Earlier, I spoke of the Holy Spirit, causing two Words in Malachi to stand out. I alluded the blessings you receive from God for the faithful, heartfelt surrender of your tithe aren’t invariably attached to some financial reward. And this is the truth. Because often, your blessing comes in the form of good health. It comes from having a warm, safe home or apartment or getting a new job. It’s God bringing that future husband or wife into your life. The blessings that flow from God’s “put Me to the test now in this” involves your eyes having opened this morning, Kissing your kids, your husband, wife, or parents, one more time. You can see and speak. You’re in your right mind.

Moving your limbs and having anything in your pocket to offer back to God is a blessing.

How about when your blessing is holding the child every doctor said you’d never be able to carry? Is that where God’s “test me on this” showed up in your life? Or was it in God’s answering that midnight prayer? When salvation was visited on your wild child, mom, or dad. Let’s talk about God’s greatest blessing. His having afforded you a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus.

Beloved, God’s “test me” really equates to His asking, “Do you indeed trust Me? Trust Me enough to accept that I know what is and isn’t best for you. Trust that I know when you need whatever you think you need right now.” Do you trust God’s character? That’s the real question here. That’s what the Holy Spirit dropped in my spirit. Because when God says, “test Me,” you can bet your life He’ll deliver. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” – Numbers 23:19.

Friends, nowhere in the Bible do you read God telling anyone to test Him—outside of Malachi. Actually, the very opposite is true.

Yet concerning your giving back to God a portion, a mere tenth of all you’ve been blessed to earn, here God instructs you to test Him. Actually, it’s a command; to give Him back a tenth of your earnings and watch how He’ll bless your life. In Malachi 3:10, God explicitly references money, yours, by which I mean whatever money He has afforded you. “You might say in your heart, “The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.” But you shall remember [with profound respect] the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day” –Deuteronomy 8:17-18.

A humble heart recognizes that had God not blessed you, be it with one dollar or one hundred thousand dollars, you’d have nothing. Go ahead and reread Deuteronomy 8:17-18 if you doubt that.

So let me ask you this? Do you trust God? Are you willing to lay down that dollar in your pocket, the one He afforded you, and do what He asked of you? Test Him and see that if done with a joyful, loving heart, He won’t throw open the windows of heaven and bless you—however He sees fit. I have tested God on this, and I can assure you, friend, that God has been faithful to me in ways that have both blown my mind and humbled me to my core. And neither had little to do with money. The fact that Jesus died for me, has forgiven my every sin; if His blessings had ended there, I’d have been given what I did not deserve. And yet, Love continues to give and give.

Before I close, I must clarify that I am not suggesting that if you tithe a tenth of your income, God will bless you with some significant monetary windfall. Is it possible? Indeed, it is. He is God and can bless you however He chooses. But don’t get it twisted. God is God—He’s Holy. God is not the Lotto—lay down a dollar to win back one hundred. Nor is God an investment banker. Tithing is not about; I give God a tenth and He doubles my investment. God’s “test Me” is not tied to money. It’s bound to your trust in Him.

“That religion which costs a man nothing is usually worth nothing.”― Charles H. Spurgeon.

HARVESTING HOPE: That Your Joy Maybe Fulfilled.

October 29, 2022 /
Elda Othello-Wrightington

There is time and a season for everything. The most challenging seasons bring a lot of weight, pain, and questions. Yet they also bring unforgettable moments of God’s Faithfulness. Psalm 126:5-6 reminds us, “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”

This has been a challenging season for me. In August, I had a miscarriage. Words cannot explain the utter emptiness I felt due to it. I actually felt numb. What made matters worse was how hard it was for me to worship. Anyone who knows me knows I love to worship and praise the Lord. Well, that first Sunday, when the worship team started playing, my hands went up, yet I felt absolutely nothing. For the very first time in my life, I couldn’t feel God. What I felt instead was numb and disconnected from my Daddy God.

Feeling disconnected from God scared me. It brought even more tears on top of that shed due to the trauma of my miscarriage. Hopelessness settled in my mind and slowly made its way into my broken heart. “Yet this I call to mind and there I have hope” –Lamentations 3:21. So one morning, I grabbed my bible, not really expecting anything but secretly hoping that maybe, just maybe, this would help me connect with God. And let me tell you, God spoke!

The Lord took me to the Book of Lamentations, Chapter Three. And did not my soul lament as the prophet Jerimiah’s did? It sure did. But the Truth of God’s faithfulness in this passage, for me, began the process of healing and gleaning. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” As believers, even during the most challenging moments in our lives, we can pull from God’s faithfulness, His Living Word, to help us cultivate hope. The passage goes on to say. “For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his love” –Lamentations 3:31-32.

God is a promise keeper. Despite the Israelite’s faithlessness and obedience, God still had a plan.

Someone reading this may be experiencing some level of grief. You’ve lost someone. Maybe something you were a part of for an awfully long time has ended. Things are changing, and you, too, find yourself lamenting. If you’re that person and haven’t accepted Jesus into your heart, I want to invite you to do so now. How? As always, your help, direction, the surety of every promise God has given you is found in His Living Word.

Romans 10:9-10 are the Words you’ll need to start your walk with the Lord today. They assure you of this simple Truth: “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.” I encourage you to open your mouth and declare Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Believe in your heart; honestly believe, with child-like faith, that if what you just prayed was sincere, you have been saved, freed from sin and eternal death. Galatians 3:22 reads, “But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”

We have to have faith to have access to the promises of God. And that faith allows us to cultivate hope (and I’m not talking about faith in ourselves because, let’s be honest, sometimes faith in ourselves or others is not enough).

We must be connected to Jesus, for he is the author and finisher of our faith. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” –Hebrews 12:2.

If you just decided to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, I’ll let you in on more good news!

You are now carrying something inside of you. And that something is God’s seed, His Living Word. It lives inside of you now! “Galatians 3:22 reads, “But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.” Hold on to God’s faithfulness. It will help you have hope, even in your tears and waiting. How? By remembering what God has done for you in the past. Remembering what His Word says about you.

There is hope, even if it is as small as a mustard seed, for the Word of God says, “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” –Matthew 13:32.

You might wonder, how can I continue cultivating hope for the harvest? To me, sowing in tears means never giving up on God, even when you want to give up on yourself, your future, or others. God’s plans are better than we can imagine simply because He is. He knows our beginning from our end, and His plan for us is good. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope” –Jeremiah 29:11.

So, one of the first ways to cultivate hope is to sow God’s Word into your heart.

May your heart be the tender ground where Its seeds are sown. Then, as a result, I hope you become grounded in God’s Word and His promises.

Even in our weeping, it is possible to harvest hope. We can weep and read the Word. We can weep and trust his promises. We can weep and know that every tear will reap joy in its season.Seed time and harvest are inevitable. However, what we produce results from how much hope we have and how we choose to respond to God.

So I leave you with this love note written to me from God. I’ll share it as a word of encouragement to you all.

I’m here. Stop doubting me. I know how much you care for me, and I know so many things don’t make sense. I am working in you, and I am not punishing you for anything. No one can understand the mystery of my ways because it’s designed that way. Giving up is never the answer. There is no death in my world. Your loss is not a loss to me. I am touching you with my love even if you don’t feel my touch. Be anxious for nothing. You can’t feel me because you need to relax. I can, and I will do what is best for you. Stop doubting if I am with you or if I hear you. Things are not always what they seem. —God.

John 15:11 NLT “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

We Do It By Remembering.

September 24, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised” –Hebrews 10:36.

I know, I know, Christian Soldier, you’re weary. Battle fatigued.

“My arms are tired from the seemingly endless fight.”

I’ve heard this same statement from many brothers and sisters of late. A few weeks back, in her teaching entitled “Fading Out,” Kendra briefly touched on the effects of weariness. She said, and I quote: The cycle of living can feel exhausting. Wake up, eat, work, take care of the house, sleep, repeat. I think we can agree that at one time or another, we have all understood, related to this reference from Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Utterly meaningless, everything is meaningless.” We try our best to be good people. Yet leaving a mark on the world feels like a futile effort many days.

If you haven’t read this teaching in its entirety, I encourage you to do so.

I understand feeling weary; I do. Recently, I’ve been wrestling with the spirit of discouragement. Yet by God’s grace and in His strength, that thing has not been allowed to win the fight—try as it might. I thank God that we, as Blood-bought believers in Jesus Christ, are called, equipped, and sustained to live by faith, not by our flighty, one-minute-up-the-next-down, feelings. And when we forget this fact, I thank God for His eternal Word—our sure foundation. “But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'” –Matthew 4:4.

Being God, and like any good father, Jesus knows not only what to say to us but equally how to speak to each of His children effectively.

Jesus, the Living Word, in the Person of His Holy Spirit, shows up in what sometimes feels like the very last second of our midnight hour. Yet, faithful Father that He is, He always comes as promised. “…and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be)” –Matthew 28:20.

And most often, God speaks to His children through His inerrant, eternal, written Word; yet at other times, He speaks just as plainly through His creation. I love both, each an ever-present reminder of God’s faithfulness. From Genesis through Revelation, I find peace and security, assured that God is indeed the same today, in my life, as He was in Adams or Moses’, Miriam’s, or the Apostle John’s. He is the same God who shows Himself anew every Spring, as nascent buds take over bare winter branches. Giving us a foretaste of what’s to come in the fullness of time. “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” –Revelation 21:5.

God is always speaking to us. The question is, are we listening?

Know this, child of God. The Holy Spirit can and will speak volumes through sunbeams flashing across treetops, making each leaf appear lit from within—afire somehow. He’ll change every leaf’s color in season to catch our attention, taking our breath away. When we witness thousands of sparking, tiny, diamond-like bits of that same Sun dancing wildly atop the surface of some pond, lake, or sea, God is essentially saying, “Here, look over here, at Me. Marvel over how I can make sunlight dance!” Listen to how King David described this same Sun. “It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course” –Psalm 19: 5.

I Am here, brilliant and captivating. I cause everything I touch to pulse with life. I AM ever consistent yet ever-changing, both Alpha and Omega, yet all the while able to show Myself uniquely to each of my children through every thing I have created.

God speaks of His character and love through His creation. He shares glimpses of His person, beauty, brilliance, and consistent nature with us. With His rainbow, God demonstrates He’s a promise keeper—throughout the generations. God will speak to us of change and changing through tides, both in their ebbing and flowing. He’ll talk of trusting Him—even as the seasons change. In winter’s stark, cold barrenness, God teaches us to draw near to Him for comfort and warmth. And with Spring’s promises of newness, God reminds us that hope never fails. Summers heat seeping into our pores reminds us that our God is in us, closer to us than our own breath, help in our hour of need. “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” –Psalm 46:1.

God uses such moments found in nature to arrest our attention.

Redirecting us, resurrecting what has been lost, our focus, back towards Him—imbibing us with new hope, we are refreshed, made new. I love that God is so diverse! How He uses a sunbeam or leaf, some dizzying sight, to capture our attention, arresting it. God speaks through these as loudly and with the surety of His written, Thus Says the Lord. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” –Psalm 19:1-4.

God’s Word, written or spoken through a sunbeam, renews us—in the twinkling of an eye. The needle of our compass ceases to spin wildly at will. God has restored True North. And with it, a heavy dose of much-needed encouragement. Encouragement is, after all, that spiritual elixir Jesus uses to refresh us along our long trek back Home. A font of Living Water bubbling up afresh from within, washing away our battle weary-ness. And, just like that, season after season, day after long day, we are reminded that we serve a loving, kind mercy-full Father. More, this same God who caused the Sun He created to light up the leaves He created—desires fellowship with us—with you. God is nothing if not personal. Jesus loves you. Mind-blowing, right?

The Sovereign God of the universe, Creator of heaven and earth, wants to be the Lover of your soul—your One and only True Love.

Jesus assured us He would stick by us until the very end. And we know that He is not a man that He can lie. “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint” –Isaiah 40:30-31.

We must hold tight then to His every promise, His every Word. We must fix our eyes on Christ alone and keep them there. We must battle weariness head-on. And we do this by remembering God’s faithfulness, paying attention when He sends some ray of light our way, causing it to glimmer and shine just so. By trusting that if God did what He said He’d do in days past, He’ll surely do it now, today, and in the coming days. Life is not rinse and repeat, Beloved. Life is Christ, in us. Never forget that.

Friend, if you have yet to ask Jesus, the One who sticks closer than a brother, into your heart as Lord, please, do it today. To those who are faithful, God shows Himself faithful. And, unlike those who may have left you, Jesus never will. It’s His promise, and He cannot lie. “He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” – 1 Corinthians 1: 8-9.

“Walk Into It.”

September 17, 2022 /
Matthew Botelho

What an amazing, loving God we serve! I am so excited to share the conclusion of “Crossroads” with you all. If you have not read Part One of this teaching, I encourage you to go back and read it now. The last time we met, we discussed the crossroads God sometimes brings us to. Those significant points in our Christian walk where we must decide to take that step of faith, walking our faith out with Him. God knows the heart of every one of His children. So I’m titling the close of this teaching “Walk into It.” Because when we walk in the anointing God has poured out on us, God will bring us to a place of honor. It’s all about that first step of faith. And after the first comes the second, the third, and so on. Next thing you know, you are walking on water with Jesus right in front of you!

Yet there will also be times of waiting, preparation, and equipping, times when it’s just you and the Lord.

Every child of God eventually finds themselves in those moments spent in the wilderness. Now I can almost hear the groaning! Many of you might say, “but I do not want to be in the wilderness! How is this a good place to be?!” And I agree. The wilderness is a place we don’t run and sign up for; however, the wilderness experience is necessary. “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end” –Ecclesiastes 3:11 (HCSB).

My brothers and sisters, we are all unfinished works. Be patient, then. God is still working. He has not forgotten you.

So, let’s dive into this lesson by looking at a young man who will be the greatest king Israel has ever seen. His name is David. A warrior and worshiper of God. This young man started out in a field caring for his father’s sheep, fighting off bears, lions, and other dangers that would harm the flock. But most importantly, David had a heart for God. He saw the importance of having a relationship centered on worship and time with Him. His heart was for the Lord.

I cannot stress strongly enough David’s heart for the Lord.

Yet David was overlooked by his very own father and brothers when the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. From the very beginning, God tells the prophet Samuel: “…Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart” –1 Samuel 16:7 (HCSB).

So why was David anointed king out of all Jesse’s sons?

A large part was David’s genuine heart for God. 1 Samuel 13:14 says David was a man after God’s own heart. David’s true love for the Lord was one of the things God used to bring David out of the fields and into the throne room, but not immediately. Now here comes that wilderness moment we all love. Not! First, Saul was already Israel’s king. Secondly, although Samuel anointed David King, David still had some growing up. He had to learn to walk in the anointing and what it was to run a kingdom. In part, which meant humbling himself under a very jealous king Saul.

David’s crossroads moment came only after being anointed king.

 Scripture tells us it happened when Israel battled an enemy known as the Philistines.

David’s older brothers had volunteered to battle the Philistines. They were on the front lines defending the land God had given them. Now, for those who know the story of David and Goliath, you may be saying, isn’t that the moment David went to face Goliath? Yes, but no. To defeat something, you first need to show up. And David was still tending his father’s sheep. Goliath’s defeat would soon follow. “One day Jesse had told his son David, “take this half-bushel of roasted grain along with these 10 loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to the camp. Also take these 10 portions of cheese to the field commander. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring conformation from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him” –1 Samuel 17:17-20 (HCSB).

David’s father had sent him to bring provisions to his brothers. David’s time of waiting had ended. He left behind the flock and the fields. Everything David had known, he now laid aside. It was time to go into the battle. As David arrives, he hands off the provisions he’d brought and runs to meet his brothers. Seeing all the men, he runs up to them. Scripture tells us that as David spoke to his brothers, the champion named Goliath came forward and started shouting and profaning the God of Israel. “David spoke to the men who were standing with him, “what will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” – 1 Samuel 17:26 (HCSB).

After David spoke these words, his older brother spoke out against him, claiming that David was arrogant, and his heart was evil. At that point, David could have said nothing. He could have just walked away and returned to his father’s house. Instead, it’s here, brothers and sisters, where we witness David step into what God had chosen him to do. But know this: whenever one of God’s chosen is walking in obedience to God, stepping into their calling, there will be resistance. Even from your very own family. Follow David’s lead. Do not be discouraged, my friends.

Like David, your time of waiting will end. And no man can stop what God has for you when it does! Just abide in Christ. John 15:5. Assures us of this. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” God’s Holy Spirit in you will lead you into all Truth, so remain in Him and, like David, chase after more of God!

When you get to those crossroads’ moments, know that the Father is right there with you. He wants the best for you. He wants nothing more than to have a relationship with you.

My brothers and sisters, as we close, let me remind you of the amazing, loving Father we have and serve. How He sent his Son into the battlefield called the world. And how Jesus went willingly and triumphantly to the Cross for you and me. By Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, we are forgiven of all our sins, and because of His resurrection, we too shall see eternal life. Call out to Him today if you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is standing at the door of your heart, ready to make his home in you. Amen. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” –Revelation 3:20.

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