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

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A Call To The Light.

March 23, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” –1 Thessalonians 4:7.

Often, as children of God, we are placed under a microscope. The Truth is that a true believer in Christ Jesus does not look at the world through the same lens as those who do not believe in Him. Jesus said that we, His children, are to live in this world but not to be part of it—not to take part in the things of this world. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” –John 15:9. And, in Romans 12:2, Paul reminds us: “…not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

In John 17:16-19, On the night Jesus was betrayed, He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers. For you, if you are His, and those that have yet come to Him. “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

As Jesus prayed for His disciples, He declared, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” Jesus claimed they were separated, new creations the world does not understand. We have also been declared sanctified, justified, and righteous by Jesus’ finished work on the cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, the apostle Paul writes, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

If you belong to Jesus and are one of His children, you have been made new by His death and glorious resurrection. Romans 6:4-5 reminds us all, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”

My dear friends, you have been set apart to do your Lord Jesus’s will.

To glorify God in everything you do.

He placed His Spirit within you the very moment you declared Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Just as the disciples before you were sanctified, so too are you. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” –Ephesians 1:13-14.

Someone once shared this analogy: the believer in Jesus Christ looks at the world through “rose-colored glasses.”

Hearing this brought me back to when I was a young kid, say, about ten years old. I remember my grammie wearing these big, giant, bug-eyed sunglasses with rose-colored lenses. When she placed them over my eyes, the color of her surroundings changed to match the tint of her glasses.

This change in our perception of our surroundings happens also, as we read God’s Word and grow in our faith. The world around us starts to change color. Said differently, darkness is exposed when the Light of the Gospel shows up.

Things that once looked normal to us when we were in the world are now exposed for what they truly are now. And the Light of God’s Word also exposes unclean spirits and darkness in people’s hearts. “And have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak those things which are done by them in secret. But all things are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” –Ephesians 5:12. 

Brothers and sisters, be the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Before knowing Jesus as Lord, there was a void within us all that we all tried to fill with earthly idols and addictions, but now you are filled with the Light and Love of Christ. Let His Words speak to your heart and into the inner depths of your soul, and trust that you are armed with the sword of His Spirit, His holy Word; it separates His Truth from the lies and deception of this world. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-sided sword, piercing the even to division of souls and spirit, of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.” –Hebrews 4:12.

Put on the whole armor of God, weapons fashioned by Almighty God for the believer to wield against the enemy’s attacks. “Stand therefore having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” –Ephesians 6:14-18.

We know that the enemy does not fight fairly. He lives in ambush mode, waiting for you to stumble.

He knows how to get you, and if he can isolate you from the Body of Christ, the brethren, he will destroy you. Satan knows what hurts you; he knows when you are weakest or most tired, it is then he will strike without mercy. “Be sober, be vigilant; becaus your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” –1 Peter 5:8.

Knowing who you are in Christ Jesus and declaring your King’s authority over every circumstance will bring you victory over darkness. You have been separated from the world to do the good works in Christ Jesus; you are sealed with His Holy Spirit. Jesus says in John 14:12-14 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father and whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

As I close this teaching, I am praying for each of you. I pray that those who do not know Jesus but genuinely want a relationship with Him will take that next step by repenting their sins. I pray you will trust in the power of the sinless Blood of Christ that washes away every sin, past, present, and future. I am believing for supernatural transformations in the hearts of many in this Holiest season of New Life and Hope. “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:5-6.

I am praying for you and all those who will call out to Jesus as Lord—and are saved. Amen

You Are Enough.

March 16, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,” There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number of five thousand.” –John 6:8-10.

I do not think this lad knew what type of day he was about to step into when his feet first hit the floor that morning. In hindsight, I believe that same thing of myself: most mornings, my feet first hit the floor. The thought of waking up to a brand-new day seems so small and ordinary at that point that I don’t even think about it as a blessing given to me by our loving Father in heaven. I got to wake up and rejoice in this brand-new day, and I have been given the choice to do whatever God has planned for me. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” –Lamentations 3:22-23.

The question is: Will I, will we, be obedient to whatever the Lord has given us today, using it to partner with and glorify Him?

I felt led to focus on the boy in today’s Scripture because, to me, this boy represents each one of us.

The Bible says little about this child except that he showed up with five barley loaves and two small fish and gave everything he had to others. Without his knowing it, the lad had stepped out of his house on yet another ordinary morning to become part of something great.

But what obstacles, if any, did he need to overcome to do this?

I genuinely believe they were no different from those you and I face daily.

Let’s reflect for a moment on how God will lead us to where we will end today and how it all started with our taking an ordinary small step out of bed. “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” –James 2:26.

I suppose the boy woke up thinking about the day before him—its demands.

He may have felt like, “Well, best get up and get moving.”

He started his day by doing chores around the house, then heard noises in the distance. The sound began to get louder and louder, and as he looked outside to see where the noise was coming from, he saw a crowd of people walking by, excited and talking about someone named Jesus. His heart stirred and filled with excitement at what he was witnessing. He ran to his parents and told them all he had just witnessed. Then, he told them how he wanted to follow those people and see Jesus for himself. His father told him, “I have heard of this Jesus; believe me, you do not need to know him. So the answer is no, go back to your chores now and forget this whole nonsense.”

As it did with this boy, life and others can put demands on us. These things can swallow us up and bog us down, causing us to forget to see the big picture if we allow them.

Now, it could have ended right there. The lad could have just accepted what his father told him, and that was that. But this young boy had a stirring in him. Something was different about seeing people walking around, speaking the name of Jesus. Deep down, he felt he needed to see Him for himself. Psalm 34:4-5 says: “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.”

How often have family members or friends told us not to seek Jesus or become part of a church? Saying we are crazy and being misled. The voice of others, of the world, yelling, “I know better! I know what you need!”

But, thank God you did not listen to the crowd; you decided not to obey the voices of others and stay back. And neither did this young man; instead, he followed another voice. That, Still, Small Voice, and he went out searching for Jesus.  He packed a small lunch of five barley loaves and two small fish; it was enough.

The cost of following Jesus is great. Maybe that is why people try to talk you out of going after the only One who gives Life; the name of Jesus has power and authority over the world. Jesus says in Matthew 10:34-36 “Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth, I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law cost of following Jesus.”

This lad knew within him that something great was about to happen, and he also knew that if he disobeyed his earthly father, there would be consequences. Yet the young boy does it anyway because he expects to see Jesus and witness something great. There are times when we will have to choose. Follow Jesus, or listen to man.

As the lad walks along with the crowd, finally, they reach their destination. There, he saw a great multitude of people, way too many to count. In John 6:1-14 the Bible calls this the feeding of the five thousand. This moment must have caused the lad to be awe-struck. He is about to become part of a moment, a miracle that will immortalize him in the New Testament. Yet, to him, he is just another body in a sea of people.

When we come to church, we are seemingly just another body in the crowd, but the truth is, our being there has purpose and significance. We are carrying something the Body of Christ needs.

You may not see or know it, but your heavenly Father has placed whatever it is in you for this exact moment.

“Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” –John 6:5-7.

God had predestined this moment in time.

He knew how He would feed the people.

His question was a test to see if His disciples would act in faith.

In verse seven, Philip answers Jesus: “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” The Bible does not detail how this young lad met the disciples. But, what is incredible to me is the timing of all—how it all works out. How a poor boy’s lunch, which was only enough for him, was multiplied to feed the multitudes.

And, had he listened to his father, he would have missed Jesus—missed having what little he had miraculously used to meet the needs of so many.

He gave what he had—from his first fruits, which was more than enough to bring glory to Jesus.

You may not feel significant or like you have nothing to offer, but in the eyes of God, you are loved.

What He has placed in your hands and your heart, your gifts, talents, and contributions, are significant. When we least expect it, God asks us, “What do you have in your hands, and will you allow Me to multiply it?”

No one knows what happened to this lad after he gave his loaves and fishes, but we know he witnessed the miracle Jesus had performed and likely gained the knowledge that God had chosen to partner with him—and that God alone is more than enough. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.” –Psalm 34:8-9.

I close with this, remember who you are in Christ. You, too, are chosen and loved and have a purpose.

If you are reading this and like the lad, feel the need to know Jesus, to receive His free gift of salvation, come, repent of all your sins, and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. Ask to be washed clean by His precious Blood and receive new life this day. Believe me, my friend, Jesus is more than enough. “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” –John 6:35;40.

The Living Bridge.

March 9, 2024 /

“And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” –Ezekiel 36:27.

Not all of us are called to be engineers, to build bridges, footbridges, or skywalks, structures that connect two fixed points and enable us to move freely between them. And because this isn’t our calling, we may not fully understand the purpose and intrinsic necessity of each component used in their construction. Not, certainly, to the same level of understanding as the engineer. For instance, do you know the purpose behind an engineer’s use of a cap or girder? What they are? How about a pile, arch, cantilever, or cutwater? What about tensile strength? Neither do I. But what you and I likely have in common with the one who does know the answers to these questions is this: we have driven across a bridge, walked across a footbridge, or skywalk—structures they’ve built to connect one fixed part of something to its other.

The Holy Spirit also pointed out how He uses visible, relatable examples, like bridges, to connect one fixed part of a thing to its other, first to get our attention and then connect it to some spiritual Truth. Much like Jesus did when using parables. He used what people were familiar with to help teach them greater spiritual Truths. “The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.” –Matthew 13:10-12.

Holy Spirit spoke about how no tonnage of adverse pressure heaped upon God’s Living Word has or will ever change or weaken it, causing it to buckle or lose strength. How nothing, no man’s opinion, no commentary or culture, no theologian’s best-intended musings, has, nor can negate the seamless, indestructible connection between the Old Testament and the New.

This made perfect sense to me as pointing to Jesus, God’s Living Word, is Holy Spirit’s primary purpose.

From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus is the Immutable Living Bridge, the Master Engineer who connects the two seamlessly. “Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8. And He is the only way for any of us to get back into right relationship with the Father. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6.

According to Great River Greenway, an abatement’s purpose is to connect the deck of a bridge (what we travel across) to the ground beneath it, helping support its weight horizontally and vertically. There’s so much theology lodged in these two simple sentences that it would take a whole other teaching on the Cross or the only way we get to the Father, salvation, and so much more.

But that will have to wait for another day. Right now, I’ll stay focused on today’s assignment instead.

In keeping with the engineering lingo, Jesus is the abutment seen in both the Old and New Testaments—starting in Eden, with the bloody skins God used to cover Adam and Eve, and ending in the Book of Revelation with His assuring the world of His return—He is both Alpha and Omega.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” –1 Corinthians 3:11. Jesus is the Immutable God who connects all happenings outside of time as we understand them to our earthly lives, then loops them and eventually us back into eternity again, completing the circle.

As I started typing, I began to understand where Holy Spirit was leading us today, straight to the seamless joining of the tenable Truth connecting today’s Old Testament Word to its New Testament other, Jesus. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” – Philippians 2:13.

Within two verses, we witness one seamless connection—a unifying footbridge affording us a panoramic view encompassing both perspectives. From Zechariah, found in the Old Testament, to Philippians, seen in the New, we witness the masterful merging of the whole counsel of God—just one of the many unifying connections spanning God’s Inerrant Word. From beginning to end, everything directs us towards Jesus.

Everything as we understand it, from our world to our faith, is found and held together in Him and by Him. “And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]” –Colossians 1:17.

As witnessed in today’s verse, Holy Spirit allowed the prophet a hint of His power and authority, an innate knowing that something more was yet to come. Unbeknownst to Zechariah, God was constructing a massive bridge that would begin with Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and then reach the ends of the world, wherever that is.

How? By the same power that enabled twelve ordinary men to take all Jesus shared with them and use it to continue to build a bridge that would allow countless many back to Him all that they too may have new life. “But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” –Acts 1:8.

These men were the first to receive and carry the full weight of what the Trinity had conceived and agreed upon somewhere outside of time as we understand it. Dead men being given new Life. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” –Matthew 13:16-17.

And, thanks be to God because He ensured they would be bastions of strength and tenable ability. Countless people still today are using the foundation they, following the example of their Master, laid down their lives to afford us—the ability to choose life in Christ Jesus. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.” –Ephesians 1:4.

Friend, if you have yet to cross the bridge that leads to Life—Jesus, I urge you to do it today. He is the only Way to the Father and life eternal. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6.

One Thing…

February 24, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-30.

In today’s world, my dear friends, we all need rest. I mean a deep rest. We need to shut out the world around us and focus instead on seeking God. For a long while now, I have felt in my spirit that many of us are battle-worn, tired, and needing replenishment. After all, a vessel cannot pour out if it is empty. Something must fill it first. Then, it can be used to pour out. And from what I see, many today are poured out, dry vessels needing a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. Needing to cry out to Jesus and pray for His fresh wine, His blessings, and His fullness to come in and fill us—quenching and replenishing our thirsty souls—me included.

And yet, as I am sure you know, shutting down the world around us long enough to hear from God can be difficult.

Why? Because it surrounds us. We walk out our doors, and it is our faces. We turn on our television, tablet, or computer, pick up our phones, and multimedia tries to tell us what to believe or listen to. Some of us have jobs that are void of the Light of Christ. We are the only ones working there who may know or share the Gospel of Christ. All this can be tiring and discouraging. But, my dear brothers and sisters, I have come to remind and encourage you today that despite how you may be feeling, you are the Light of Christ Jesus—a glory carrier.

There is so much noise and distraction in our world and minds that it can often make it nearly impossible to remember this Truth. So, I will remind you instead of what Paul writes: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” –Ephesians 6:12.

At our church, we are being reminded and encouraged by Psalm 24:7 by our pastors and elders. “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.”

Friends, you are the gates when you worship the King of Glory!

His Holy Spirit will open wide the gates of your heart to receive the fulness of what Jesus has for you as you worship. Worship is the posture of our hearts as we praise Jesus alone. When you are dry and tired, seek Him. When you need wisdom, seek Him! Come expecting God’s fullness to overtake you, filling you to overflowing whenever you realign your vision and reposition your heart to His—receiving from Him instead of pouring out into others.

In Luke 10, Jesus is at the home of Mary and Martha.

As Jesus is reclining at the table, Martha is preparing and running around getting things organized for dinner. All she wants to be is a good host for her company, which is good, but Martha is very distracted. Her heart is that of a “deliverer.” Being a deliverer means serving with everything in you—giving it your all, but Martha is not taking the time to be replenished. What ends up happening? She gets discouraged.

Her sister Mary, however, is found sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him teach, taking in His every Word. She is having an intimate moment with Jesus. Her heart is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world around her. All she wants is to be with Jesus. Mary’s heart has taken the posture of a “receiver,” taking in the fullness of what Jesus was teaching and speaking to her, being filled up and readied to pour out.

Friends, if we just stopped and listened, as Mary did, and let God be God. If we would stop and take a knee, I assure you the posture of our hearts will truly change, just as Luke 10 reminds us: “But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” –Luke 10:40-42.

Jesus says: “But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen the best part.” Did you catch that?

Jesus requires just one thing from us during our time with Him: To listen and receive. To be intimate and intentional in our time with Him.

Martha got so busy that she may have forgotten who she was serving. Yes, we are to serve in our churches and communities, but we must never forget the One who gave us the gift of servanthood and salvation. Jesus first served us, so we need to follow His example. But we must never forget what Jesus commanded us: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33.

Mary realized that she was in the presence of God and showed humility by placing herself in a posture of worship as she gazed upon the King of Glory. I can only imagine what He must have been teaching at that moment and what it must have felt like to see, hear, and feel the fullness of God. 

My dear friends, as I close, do not harden your heart to what was shared here today, to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Your heart is what Jesus requires—service will naturally follow. When you are tired and need to be refreshed, seek Jesus first. When you seek Him, you also receive the fullness of His Kingdom. In Him alone, you will find rest.

Father God, I pray those reading this who have yet to call You Lord will today declare Your son Jesus as Lord over their lives by repenting their sins and asking for their lives to be washed clean by the Blood of our Lord Jesus. Let today be the day of salvation, and heaven rejoice over this one who has come in. Amen. In Jesus, you will find forgiveness and salvation for your souls, and His sinless Blood will wash away your every sin.

Scripture promises this: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

And Romans 10:13 makes clear: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I Know.

February 17, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Still, I know that God lives – the One who gives me back my life – and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.” –Job 19:25.

How will you respond when, from seemingly nowhere, tragedy strikes? When you’re fired unexpectedly or a stroke, heart attack, or some dreaded diagnosis strikes? When your spouse leaves, or your child, parent, or beloved friend dies? Some will say that question can’t be answered until we face it. And yet, Job knew his answer well in advance. And so ought we. As Christians, we must determine in advance to cleave to Jesus when the familiar, everyday rhythm of our lives becomes abruptly unrecognizable, just as Job once did. Long before his world was ripped from beneath him, Job had decided never to turn away from the God He loved and served. Did Job have questions? Absolutely. Was he heartbroken and devastated? You bet. Yet Job had decided there’d never be a turning back to life before Jesus. A decision each of us must determine in our own heart.

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.” –Job 13:15.

God has every right to take anything back to fulfill His will in our lives, including the health, people, possessions, and prosperity He’s afforded us. His doing this will require us to “come up higher.” To operate in the Spirit, not the flesh. Our flesh is far too selfish and constantly warring with our Spirit. To remain steadfast in our faith and commitment to Christ, we must tether ourselves to unwavering trust in God. Be unswervingly committed to following, clinging to, honoring, obeying, running to Jesus long before adversity, loss, pain, suffering, or the unfathomable occurs. “Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” –Psalm 108:12-13.

Jesus never promised that our following Him would be easy.

All too often, we forget that—I know I have.

As followers of Christ Jesus, by faith, we believe what God says is Truth because we know we serve a God who cannot lie. Who foreknew how each of His children would act, react, or respond to every situation and circumstance He knit into His plan for their lives—just as He foreknew how Job would respond to His extending Satan the invitation to sift him. Remember, God drew Satan’s attention to a man scripture makes clear, loved, and followed Him. It wasn’t sin that had opened the door to Satan—God Himself did that. “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” –Job 1:1.

In those moments and seasons when, like Job, we feel confused, afraid, targeted, even forsaken or forgotten by God, it’s then that the surety of what we know of God’s character and heart toward us must be our only lifeline. All else but God must fall away, lest we fall. “I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” –Psalm 63:8.

We trust Jesus because we have tasted and seen that our God is a Good Father, even in the worst of times.

And because of who God is, His unfathomable love for us—for you, beloved, I’m here to remind you that surely, soon and very soon, you too will heal, live, and breathe again, restored with even greater levels of trust—looking more like Jesus not despite, but because of your trial. Like Job, you will emerge more unshakable. Your faith is more deeply rooted because you’ve walked through the refiner’s fire with the Lord, and something far greater than silver or gold was deposited in you.

So allow God’s sure promises to speak to your feelings, Beloved. Reminding them they are fleeting and untrustworthy, emotional responses that are all too often slaves to your circumstances.

Please understand me. Assuredly, there are moments in life, seasons even, when these feelings are valid—we’re not robots. The loss of a loved one, a life turned suddenly upside down by the words, “We’re going to have to let you go.”  “There’s been an accident, or we’re sorry to inform you that your husband, son, or daughter did not survive.” “I have your test results. You have cancer.”

Still, more than ever, especially in such moments, we must grab hold of God’s promises and become so one with His Truth; we allow nothing, no loss, trial, or pain, to separate us from our loving Father. “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”‘ –Romans 8:35-39.

The one sure thing I know, having experienced such desperate moments, is this: Everything must pass through God’s Sovereign Hand—Period. Are those things painful? Absolutely. They’re rip your heart out painful. You’ll never be the same again. As with Job’s losses, these sudden rippingaways are meant to leave us different than they found us—changed because they were allowed to touch us.

“Job answered God: “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” –Job 42:5 MSG.

Compared to the agony Jesus endured for you and me on His Cross, who are we to complain?

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” –2 Corinthians 4:17.

Soon and very soon, Jesus will return, wedding ring in hand, oh, glorious day when we’ll be forever One with Him, just as He promised His disciples as they watched Him ascend back to the Father, having conquered sin, death and the grave for you and me. Job believed it. Jesus’s disciples knew it. And so do we, those who have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb and are eagerly watching and waiting for His soon return. And so, I fix my eyes on Jesus, pain, and all.

Like Job, I know my Redeemer lives. And any moment now, I will meet Him.

How about you? Do you know Jesus? More importantly, does Jesus know you? If you’re uncertain, call out to Him now. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. Give Him your pain. He’ll carry what you were never meant to. He loves you. You’re the one He gave His life for. Grab hold of Jesus’s promise to you: “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. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” –Revelation 3:20.

But As For Us.

February 3, 2024 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But Peter and John replied to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must judge [for yourselves]; for we, on our part, cannot stop telling [people] about what we have seen and heard.” –Acts 4:19-20.

As I read chapter four, my spirit leapt when Holy Spirit shone His Light on today’s verses. I recognized that, like Peter and John, we, His Church, are standing on the precipice of this same type of insidious spiritual oppression. And, like them, we, too, must choose who we will obey. God or man? “How dare you speak that name!” “How dare you tell us that your Jesus is the only way to heaven? I’m a good person, and love is love!” Brothers, we are now being faced with, or soon will be, being silenced. “Deny Jesus!” “Cancel Him!” You’re one of those radical Jesus freaks! Go too far, and we’ll cancel you too!

The world will do its best to silence anyone who professes Jesus, His teachings, and the stabilizing Truth found only in His Inerrant Word. Jesus is the only way to the Father. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6.

Yes, we love all men, just as Jesus commands us to. But loving the yet saved ought to propel, not prevent, us from speaking the Truth in love, lest they not hear Truth and remain lost. “Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” –Matthew 15:10-14.

Beloved, we’re teetering on the crumbling edge of a world many have known and grown-up in.

A world that once felt seemingly firm beneath our feet is now giving way beneath us because, as it was then, so too today. Nothing will ever be the same. It can’t be. There is no going back. That’s not what Jesus intended—how He planned it, and He did plan it.

That’s hard for some to hear or accept; I get it.

Truth often is, but thankfully, our inability to reconcile Truth doesn’t stop it from being true.

Why? Because God’s Truth is fixed, not fluid. It will not be altered, weakened, or changed in any way by any man’s inability to make peace with it. “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” –Isaiah 55:11. Remember what Jesus told His disciples when they, like many today, experienced a shifting of the ground beneath them, when relative predictability was replaced by a sure knowledge that at any moment, once reliable things, will quickly turn unreliable—unrecognizable. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” –Matthew 10:34-36.

Use a sword against their Roman oppressors, yes, absolutely!

The disciples were expecting a King David moment from Jesus—planning, in fact, for its imminent arrival. But a man’s enemy being a beloved family member? That was hard for these men whose family and community were a large and stabilizing part of their culture and identity, the unifying backbone of their everyday lives.

Our brothers had no New Testament pages to turn to for hope—no Holy Spirit yet living within them, providing them with a peace that truly does surpass all understanding. No, these followers of Jesus were pioneering the faith. Yes, they walked with Jesus, but in many ways, what He was teaching them, this new Kingdom He was ushering in, was as foreign to them as the idea of His loving the Gentiles!

These New Testament believers had said yes to Jesus without knowing what would come from their following this not-quite-King David, Messiah.

Still, God had chosen them purposefully. He had called them to partner with Him to help create the map we’d one day use to follow Jesus as they did, one faith-filled step at a time.

So what do we do with this Truth, the sure knowledge we possess that persecution will come?

I ask this because, I’d say, and Scripture points towards our being at this same place of no return as our brothers once were —or a hairsbreadth away, at best. We, too, are standing upon some same precarious edge of a world many of us have known and grown up in, one whose once firm precipice is about to give way beneath us because, as it was then, so too, today. Nothing will ever be the same. We know what’s coming and what’s expected of us when it does. We are blessed to have the Holy Spirit and our Bible as our guide. Thankfully for us, our Father has given us a step-by-step detailed guide to follow. Jesus, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, placed it on the hearts of those who have gone before us, pioneers of the faith, stalwarts, each.

As for me, by God’s grace and in His strength, I have decided to follow Jesus. “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 3:13.

As the old hymn says, “No turning backing, no turning back.”

When asked by Jesus if he would turn away like so many others, Peter has the best answer I’ve heard concerning the decision we each must make. Do we follow Jesus, no matter what happens, or do we fall away?

” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].” –John 6:68-69.

Jesus assures those who follow Him that trials and persecution will come.

But to those who persevere, who’ll not deny Him, who’ll stand and fight, lifting His Banner of Righteousness, Love and Truth high above whatever tides of opinion or rejection may ebb and flow around us, to them, to us, He says: “But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.” –Matthew 24:13.

Friends, listen to what Joshua shared with those who, like us, were facing the same spiritual battles we are. “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” –Joshua 24:14-15.

Who will you fear? And by fear, I mean respect, reverence, serve, honor, and obey friends.

Who will you serve? You not choosing is your choice. So, if you’re still wavering between serving the world or the Lord, may I encourage you to cease delaying now and choose Jesus!

The Ultimate Treasure.

January 27, 2024 /

Kendra Santilli

Reward.

A mechanism so deeply embedded into the fabric of human functioning, reward is what fires off dopamine in our brains to make us move forward. Did you make a good meal? That is the reward for the labor of love that is meal preparation. Did you get a paycheck? That is the reward for the work which you so diligently put your hand to the plow. The relaxation of a clean house is the reward for the effort it took to clean up. A garden’s harvest is the reward for spring sowing. The list can go on, but you get my point. Perhaps this was a psychological system carefully placed within us with great intention by our Creator, God. It is the vehicle that drives us deeper into our pursuit of Him, and this deep dive is only discoverable to those who seek Him.

“… the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them… Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.” – Matthew 13:11, 16.

You see, the more you know in Christ, the more you want to know.

The reward is the privilege of going deeper in Him. In fact, according to this verse, understanding the “secrets of the kingdom” is a gift. God has given them for us to know. In verse 13, Jesus says, “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” – Matthew 13:13. On our own, we can neither see nor hear the things of the spirit. We can certainly try, but without God opening the ears and eyes of our hearts, we cannot understand the things of The Spirit. We cannot see the reward of knowing Him without His blessing of understanding.

I believe that God wanted our relationship to be so rich from creation, knowing that He was our delight and reward. The reward is not merely in what He gives. Rather, it is simply in who He is. The Psalmist, David, is described as “a man after God’s own heart.” – 1 Samuel 13:14. If we look to him as an example of what it means to be after God’s heart, then we know that The Lord was David’s delight. He was David’s reward. “Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing” – Psalm 16:5. David knew that the things of this world are easy distractions from the Kingdom of God. He knew that seeking the Lord took diligence and was worth it.

The key to knowing the blessing of seeking the Lord is repentance.

To live in His blessing is to bear a broken and contrite heart before Him (Psalm 51:17). Consider this beautiful promise found in the book of Job: “If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will remove iniquity far from your tents. Then you will lay your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver; for then you will have your delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.” – Job 22:23-26

If you return to the Almighty…

It is easy to leave all the other parts of this Scripture out and skip to the part where you will be built up. It is clear in Scripture that God works in covenant- contracts of sorts with mankind. Returning to the Almighty requires humility. The condition of the human heart makes it difficult to confess sin. Our pride builds walls between us and God that only humility and the Blood of Jesus can take down. This Scripture makes it clear that redirecting the object of our affection from material wealth to Almighty God moves us into favor with Him.

When we take that step towards returning to the Lord, we begin the journey into discovering more of Him.

The more we seek Him, the more we want to know Him. He simply becomes The Reward. Maturity teaches us that nothing is more satisfying than the joy of knowing Jesus. “My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalms 73:26. Our hearts and minds consistently lead us in the wrong direction without the wisdom of God to guide us, but, with pursuing Jesus comes the wisdom to make our every decision.

While we often search for fulfillment in our families, friends, or occupations (although all good things), we fail to realize He is it. Jesus is the Treasure. The treasure lies in the steadfastness of His character. Jesus is constant- He always provides, always protects, always restores, and always fills every need. Jesus is the treasure not necessarily measurable by what we can see with our physical eyes.

If you don’t know Jesus, I have good news for you. He is alive, and He loves you more than you can fathom. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior and begin to discover the treasure that is knowing Him. “But those who embraced him and took hold of his name he gave authority to become the children of God! He was not born by the joining of human parents or from natural means, or by a man’s desire, but he was born of God.” –John 1:12-13.

Natural vs. Supernatural: Faith, Hope & Love.

January 20, 2024 /

Elda Othello Wrightington

Do you like to journal? I have always kept a yearly journal. My most recent entry reflected on the last three years of my life. Over the previous three years, I’ve had my faith tested in 2021 and experienced hopelessness in 2022. Last year, the sincerity of love was questioned due to hurt and disappointments in 2023. As I journaled and poured out my heart to the Lord about love, the last and greatest of the three things, I realized something. Faith, hope, and love can be seen with either the natural eye or with supernatural eyes. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” —1 Corinthians 13:13.

Let me explain.

Faith can be portrayed and publicized in the natural world on clothing, bumper stickers, jewelry, etc.; hope is often used loosely and casually.

For example, “I hope I win… (You fill in the blank).”

And, for the most part, in the natural, the word love is also often used by many like any other four-letter word.

“I love my car; I love these shoes; I love this song.”

Love is literally used to describe just about everything and any experience one can think of that brings pleasure. However, God helped me see that faith, hope and love are undeniably different in the supernatural. The Bible’s definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things Hope for and the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith is bold, brave and has substance.

It’s daring to believe in God no matter what, “even if,” because the truth is, in the Spirit, there is nothing too hard for God. Faith makes everything possible when we’re operating in the Spirit! Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” However, trying to walk by faith in your flesh is contradictory and impossible because you’re trying to do something supernatural in your own strength.

You might be going through a season where your faith is being tested, and you’re trying to encourage yourself in your own strength.

Maybe you’re using some method of motivation or positive self-help talk, i.e. “I can do this… this is the plan. Follow it.” And though you might start out with desired goals in mind, even some good ideas, to move forward in these goals, the truth is, in the natural, your perceived notion of having faith really has no substance. It’s just your futile efforts greasing the wheel that will only get you so far. I found that the more I tried to exercise faith in my natural strength and abilities, the more I took my eyes off of God. The more I did that, the more it affected how I thought.

I didn’t know what to believe because my eyes were reaching for everything except God.

However, when I remember faith comes by hearing the Word, everything changes. “Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.” –Galatians 3:2.

And hope sprung up within me when I remembered God’s Word is Truth. “Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.” –John 17:17.

And when I remembered that God is Good, I remembered His love for me. “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever!” –Ps. 107.1.

I can depend on God’s Word. His Word is the only sure place to find faith and hope. It’s there I found substance.

Faith and hope really do go together.

God’s Word is dependable. His Word has substance. God’s Word never lies. His Word gives hope and helps cultivate faith. But loving someone or something can honestly try your faith when that love is being tested—when love tests your hope.

I realized loving in the natural, eros-romantic love is very different from agape love, God’s unconditional love.

You may be struggling with a relationship issue with your partner, spouse, brother, or sibling. Maybe it’s with your children or friend (philia love). I have noticed that when we struggle with the natural forms of love, we question God’s Love. That is what happened to me. Sometimes, the enemy will try to use these natural forms of love to taint God’s agape love.

Agape love is constantly demonstrating itself. We see the ultimate evidence of this at the Cross. “For God demonstrated His love towards us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” –Romans 5:8.

“Us” entails everyone. You, me, and even that person who has caused your hurt or pain. It’s so easy to confuse and get hurt by natural love because it’s so easy for us to lose ourselves in it. Carnal love is tangible and attainable; it can be touched and felt, unlike God’s love, which can surely be felt, only differently. So I found myself asking the Lord to forgive me for confusing eros and philia with agape love. For expecting from others what only God can give me.

The truth is, agape love, God’s love, is what remains after Philia and Eros leave. God’s Love is consistent. It doesn’t change. No matter what we have done. God’s love is quick to forgive and longs for reconciliation.

When my eyes were again opened to agape love, when I welcomed and embraced God’s love, only then could I walk in forgiveness. When hurt settles in the heart after experiencing rejection, upset and or trauma, agape love can heal, restore and help you believe in the goodness of God’s love again.

Friends, I encourage and remind you of Romans 8:28: “All things work together for the Good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”

There is purpose amid pain. Pain is a natural, tangible feeling that is hard to shake. It requires you to pursue faith, hope and love to help heal it because these three things, when chased after and seen through God’s lens of the supernatural, will bring healing, peace, and so much more! God has a plan and purpose for your pain, but unless you choose to align with His plan by agreeing with the healing power of faith, hope, and love, then the struggle in the natural will continue to be difficult and daunting. Friends, if you have not accepted Christ, today is the day. I invite you to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He will lead you in the ways of Faith, Hope and Love.

Keep It Simple, Saint.

January 6, 2024 /

Matthew Botelho

“Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.” –Deuteronomy 33:3.

Happy 2024, my dear friends. We all look forward to a fresh start, a clean slate for the coming year. Some might even say, “Thank You, God, this year is over!” I am sure there are many reading this with that mindset. However, may I suggest that we reflect on the accomplishments  God led you into in 2023? Remember always to thank God for those victories and to reflect on the lessons they taught us. Maybe these lessons help you in 2024.

One thing is sure: trials build us up in our faith and bring into focus how much we need to rely on God in all parts of our lives.

I am reminded of the Apostle Peter and what he wrote:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” –1 Peter 1:3-5.  

In this Scripture, first and foremost, Peter remembers God, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Then, Peter points us to Jesus, who offers us His abundant mercy and Living hope.

My dear friends, if you have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, you have this incorruptible inheritance. The incorruptible seed of salvation has been placed in you, making you a coheir with Christ, a child of the Most High God. Your inheritance cannot fade away because the Blood of Christ Jesus has sealed you as His own; God’s mercy is over you. Again, Peter focuses first on the Kingdom of God in this Scripture. He is reminding us that God must be first in our lives. Then, without having a relationship with His Son, we should expect no inheritance from God; only children receive a parent’s inheritance.

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

Peter is saying we will go through some stuff, maybe like some of the same stuff that made you glad that 2023 is over. But, he’s also telling us that as we go through these trials, we are to rejoice, knowing that our salvation is being worked out in fear and trembling, in awe and wonder of God’s goodness, kindness and mercy towards us.

Friends, as I stated before, if you are God’s child, God’s mercy is on you!

As Peter reminds us, we, as His children, can cast our cares and worries onto Him, who is greater than all of our problems. “casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” –1 Peter 5:7.

But how do we do it, you may ask? I am glad you asked that question. The answer is found in verse seven, where Peter says. “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Our worshipping Jesus is the key to our being overcomers, dear friends.

Accepting trials with thanksgiving because we trust God is at work in us, our situations, and our lives. Seeking God first during the trials. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus reminds us, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

When we honor God and praise Him with all our heart, Holy Spirit will, as with gold, refine and strengthen our faith; when gold is smelted, impurities are purged, but only when the gold is put into extreme heat. Only then can its impurities be removed by the smelter.

Your faith, as it gets burning hot for Jesus, will grow and become pure if you allow it to stay in the fire.

Do not let that fire burn out, my friends. In Philippians 1:6, the Apostle Paul writes, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God’s Holy Spirit removes our dross, those things that only hinder our faith, so allow Him to rid you of every impurity still clinging to you from 2023; you no longer need it. 

Keep It Simple, Saints.

Love God and surrender fully to Him. Trust Jesus, sit at His feet, and receive from Him. Let Him who began a good work in you do what only He can as you offer more and more of yourself to Him in worship. “He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” –1 Corinthians 1:6.

If you are reading this for the first time and feel a tug on your heart, please know it is the Lord Jesus knocking. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him. And he with Me,” I pray you will receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior today. I pray you will repent of your sins and ask Jesus to come into your life. Today is the day of salvation! Do not let this moment go by. Receiving the Lord’s salvation will be the most incredible way to start your New Year. Amen

A Servant’s Heart

December 2, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” –Mark 10:45.

One of the greatest honors of being a part of the Body of Christ is servanthood. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another brother or sister. I am not speaking of literally dying or sacrificing yourself for someone, but of taking time out of your life and committing to serve a fellow church member or neighbor.

Each of us plays a unique role in the Kingdom of God.We were not born without purpose. YOU, FRIEND, HAVE PURPOSE!

If we are members of the Body of Christ, then today’s Scripture verse is a model of how we all ought to participate in service to each other. It may be a short Scripture; however, it is weighty.

Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Living Word of God.

Scripture tells us the Word became flesh and dwelt with man for a time. Here on earth, Jesus took on the role of a servant rather than a King. And instead of lording His Majesty over us, He chose to have a relationship with us. Jesus went to the Cross, knowing that all the Father had sent Him to do had been accomplished. He stepped down from heaven and took on the form of a man, knowing what He would endure would result in the salvation of many. Jesus endured the Cross, taking on our punishment. He who knew no sin freely took your sin upon Himself, a divine exchange.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it to be robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the Cross.” –Philippians 6:5-8.

Jesus did not consider Himself equal to God the Father, and He did not act on His own behalf.

Jesus saw Himself as a reflection of the Creator of heaven and earth, and in John 5:19, He says as much: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

Jesus constantly communicated with His Father, demonstrating true communion and relationship. From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the Father was always with Him. Scripture tells us Jesus came out of the water of His baptism, and the heavens opened, and in that moment, we get to witness the relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17.

We see the love of the Father physically expressed when the heavens opened, and immediately, God stated how pleased He was with his Son.

A genuine relationship with God starts when we say yes to our Lord Jesus and surrender all to Him—denying our flesh daily. Ridding ourselves of a “me first” mindset means looking to God in every circumstance and humbling ourselves as servants. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” –Matthew 16:24-25.

We deny ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom that God may get the glory, not us. I am not sure about you, but that can be a humbling undertaking for me. One I cannot do in my own power or will.

Our shoulders are too small to carry such a load. But with Jesus and the Holy Spirit at work in us, our work gets lighter and is not burdensome. In John 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, for you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Now, some people hear the word yoke and instantly think of the yellow of the egg, but Jesus is talking about a heavy piece of wood or leather placed on an ox team to plow the fields in preparation for seeding. The hard ground must be broken up so that the Sower can sow his seed—so, too, in a man’s heart.

When we go out to do Kingdom work wearing the yoke of “self,” whatever we put our hand to will become an incredible burden. Often, we will end up burning out and eventually giving up. This happens to so many brothers and sisters. They become weary in well-doing, forgetting the true purpose of service. We must focus on Christ when doing anything for our church, community, or brothers and sisters. Our hearts must be aligned with His heart. His yoke, strength, and Spirit at work in us are more than enough to finish whatever good works He had us begin.

Are you at peace when serving where God has planted you, or are you serving to be seen by those in leadership? Remember, dear friend, even those in leadership are accountable to Christ. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.” Your leaders may possess their roles, yet even they must remember from Whom their authority comes. 

Jesus continues in John 15:6, saying, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he will be cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

Are you feeling a bit dry and withered? My friend, if you continue trying to serve in your own strength, you will get sick in your mind and heart. Your feeling burned out is a red flag. Holy Spirit is saying, “Come back to Me and be filled; you are tired and dry.”

Run to the Word of God, sit at Jesus’ feet, and be replenished.

As for me, I do not want to serve as dry as a stick, and I pray that you do not either. 

My friends, I pray this has edified and stirred up something inside you. Know that Jesus can bring you the peace and strength you need to endure in every storm and every circumstance. Know that you are made for a purpose. To serve with joy!

Heavenly Father, I believe anyone reading this who has yet to know You as Savior feels You tugging on their heart and enters into a relationship with You. I pray they invite Jesus into their hearts and confess their sins before You. I pray that Your Holy Spirit brings peace to their minds as they confess Jesus as Lord over their lives because the Blood of Jesus is enough to wash away their sins. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray, Amen.

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