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

Tag: relationship (Page 3 of 10)

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.

Life, Relationship, Authority.

November 4, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

In John 6:37, Jesus assures us: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”

We were created to be social beings, to be in relationships with one another. We possess a desire to share, laugh, cry, and learn from one another. We all seek acceptance in some way or another. We feel that tug on our hearts for acceptance because God created you and me to be in a relationship with Him. We are spirit beings living in a physical world, meaning God knew all of us before we were formed in your mother’s womb. “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” –Psalm 139:13-14.

Our soul knows that the One true God created us!

When He breathed life into you, He breathed in all you will ever be. Your giftings, personality, intelligence, all you are today, were brought into existence in that one breath. Such giftings are an amazing picture of intimacy between you and your Creator. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” –Genesis 2:7. No other creature in creation was afforded this relationship with God.Your Creator made you fearfully and wonderfully. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” –Psalm 139:14.

Your being alive now is no accident. And there is no other like you. There is no confusion or doubt in God. God formed you uniquely and perfectly. You are created in His image. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27.

Unlike you, God did not breathe life into a dog or koala bear. God created them, and they became living creatures.

We see in Genesis 2:18-20 that God did not want man to be alone, so He created every living creature and presented them to Adam. God could have named every animal and bird, but He gave Adam the authority to name them instead, and whatever Adam called them, that is their name.

Every animal was created in pairs, male and female.

Yet no animal created was a suitable mate for Adam. And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would name them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.” –Genesis 2:18-20.

God is the Giver of life, and He is the Giver of all authority. God could have named every animal and bird, but He gave Adam the authority to name all the animals because He loved Adam and had close fellowship with him. God loved walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day.

Remember, God created us to be in a loving relationship with Him. Still, man is man, and God is God. Man will never be God’s equal. When the fall of man happened, when Adam and Eve sinned against God, our relationship with Him was broken.

We will never be able to mend this relationship on our own merits.

No amount of good deeds will ever make what we did wrong right again. Jesus is the only way to restore man to God in a right relationship, and we are made to live in relationship with God. He loves His creation. Why else would He have set His plan for redemption into motion?

God knew we would mess up—sin, yet that did not stop Him from loving us. God looks at man and sees the apple of His eye. Meaning there is nothing that He will not do for you. In John 3:16-17, God’s Word is clear: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

This unchanging Truth clearly states that when we believe in the Son of God, placing our faith in Him as Lord as Savior, the key word being “believe,” we will not perish but have eternal life because we believe—putting our faith in Jesus alone. Christ stepped down from heaven to earth so you might have a relationship with God. There is no other way to be saved. God did not say for you to believe in any other person. Jesus stated that we must believe in Him to receive salvation. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” 

God’s saving mercy is poured out on us through His Son, Jesus, then His Holy Spirit comes and lives in us, empowering us. Without accepting Jesus as Lord of your life, His Holy Spirit cannot live in you. In John 16:7-8, speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus says, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

We are powerless to fight the battles of sin and temptation alone. I cannot speak for you, but without Our Lord Jesus, I would never have been able to break the chains of addiction in my own life. I praise Jesus every day that He alone set me free! 

My dear friends, the answer to becoming free is to abide in Christ Jesus, staying connected to Him. Because when we feel weak, our Lord’s strength is perfected in us. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Apostle Paul writes about having “a thorn in his flesh.” And Jesus addresses this weakness in him, saying, “My Grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness.”.

I do not know what Paul’s thorn was, but I do know that God helped him, and the Holy Spirit’s strength enabled Paul to endure.

What God did for Paul, He will do for all those who cry out to Him in times of distress. 

John 16:13-14 “However, when He, the spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”

Outside of Christ, we are all under the curse of sin and death and the distortion sin brings to each one of our lives. Sin is the enemy’s plan to keep you far away from God by deceiving and lying to you, presenting you with distractions and idols that only suck your life from you. In John 10:10, Jesus says of your enemy, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Jesus says In John 15:5, “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.” In Christ, there is life, relationship, and authority. You are one breath away from making Lord Jesus your Savior.

Lord, I pray the ones reading this will ask Jesus to come into their lives and repent of their sins. I pray that they ask, in faith believing, to be washed clean by the Blood that you, Jesus, shed for them on the Cross. May they walk in a new life given by you, Lord. Amen

Child of God

October 28, 2023 /

Pastor Maria Braga

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11.

Jeremiah is a man who suffered profoundly and who speaks from his own experience. He is a man who had a calling from God to reach a rebellious people, his own people. He was ridiculed by the people he was assigned to lead and encouraged to return to their God. Jeremiah’s heart was broken over and over again by his own people. Sometimes, he wished he had never been born; Jeremiah wanted to escape, isolate himself in the desert, and, at times, he even questioned God and himself. In Jeremiah 2: 13:1-2, He speaks of two specific evils done. “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and They dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.”

The big question Jeremiah asked then is the same one many ask today: “Why is bad stuff happening to me?”

Naturally speaking, this question makes sense and has value. However, looking at it from a biblical/spiritual perspective, we understand it differently as a child of God. Every Blood-bought believer is a child of God, carrying God’s very nature in them, so it is up to each child “how” they’ll answer the question: “Why did God allow bad things happen to such a good man of God?”

Every person has moments of questioning, but from Jeremiah’s perspective, we see that he stood firm on the path God had called him, while these moments appeared eager to steal his calling.

Jerimiah’s example of steadfastness shows us, centuries later, how to handle tough times of discouragement and testing!

Jeremiah felt passionately about Jerusalem’s destruction and his people’s affliction.

In those moments, what do we see him do?

Jeremiah chose to seek God and pray for the people of Judah that they might turn back to their God. Deep in Jeremiah’s being was a knowledge far greater than his own. It spoke to him of God’s heart. What He wanted, what God was like—his Character.

After years of preaching and suffering, even his family turned against him and plotted to kill him. “I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.” Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands.” –Jeremiah 15:21. Over the years, Jeremiah was whipped and put in the stocks. He was attacked by mobs and threatened by the king. He was ridiculed in many ways, even thrown into cisterns where he sunk into the mud – yet regardless of what tried to come against him, Jeremiah stood firm!

Jeremiah knew deep within himself that God equipped him for these difficult situations, and he didn’t give up or stop whenever he was faced with one. He remained steadfast. Such deep knowledge of who God is, this supernatural knowing, fortifies the soul and body amidst the most difficult of trials a person can encounter.

 In His Sovereignty, our never-changing God is still calling us today—counting on us to stay steadfast to our calling! The question is, will we?

Jeremiah is just one example of how to walk out our faith and walk in the calling God has assigned each of His children.

Looking at Jeremiah’s life, we could reason and say that we don’t measure up or possess what he had, but the Truth is we do. It’s different, yet the same.

God puts inside each of us the calling He wants us to fulfill through us, just like He did with Jeremiah. Our calling is unique and personal. Spend time with the One who prepared your calling before you were born. Hear what He is saying to you specifically through His Word. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” –Jeremiah 1:5.

Jeremiah understood the weight of his call, and we must also understand the weightiness of our own. God Himself prepares us for our calling; we’re simply vessels in His Hands. Yet, we tend to shrink back and give up when things get tough. Yet God expects us to persevere daily, even when that call isn’t exactly how “we” want it to be or how we planned.

We must surrender to the Truth that our calling is being executed God’s Way, according to His plan. We must align with His strategy, not Him with ours.

Our faulty expectations often produce disappointment because we expect things in the natural, but we are Spirit beings and should handle our calling in the Spirit. We are to know that He is God, and we are not. We must accept whichever way God works in and through us to complete this calling; His will not ours be done, just like He did with Jeremiah.

God will also do with us; we must trust Him as Jeremiah did. In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus reminds us: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.”

This steadfastness is how Jerimiah demonstrated his faithfulness to God. Let’s be wise and follow Jeremiah’s steadfast obedience to the Lord in our unique callings and faith walk. Just like the men and women of God before us. “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” –1 Corinthians 11:1.

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I pray every person reading this word is encouraged and renewed of their faith. Bless each, bless their calling, and launch them to the next level in their faith, amen! And those that have yet to know You as we do, I believe You’re calling them here, now. If this is you, please, like Jeremiah, obey God’s calling you into a relationship with Himself. Just say yes and mean it, like Jeremiah did. Then trust God to do what only He can. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” –Psalm 51:10.

Shana Tov!

September 23, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” –Isaiah 40:31, emphasis my own.

“New.” As defined by the Oxford Dictionary: not existing before, recently made.

I am writing on the eve of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, meaning “head of the year.” And so, a changing of the guard is about to occur. Yet the old year would have given way to the new by the time you read this. Those who had been eyeing the perfect head of cabbage or garlic at market, the ideal fish or rooster or lamb for roasting—wanting to ensure the head of something extra-ordinary and satisfying was the centerpiece of a table ladened with hope, the companion of new beginnings, home now.

Their hope? That with its last breath, this year passed away peacefully; pray God, relinquishing all it held dear, having entrusted any loose ends, any unspoken goodbye, that remnant of heartbreak or suffering, into the Sovereign hands of God. And then, as with a baby’s first breath, the embryonic New Year would instinctively, joyfully announce its arrival, ushering in a new sound, as do all things the Lord ordains, if we have ears to hear. And, with its clean slate and new beginnings, Rosh Hashanah will cry out from the bottom of its hope-filled lungs, announcing its triumphal arrival. “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!” –Psalm 98:4.

And this New Year, original as it is, nevertheless follows an age-old pattern. Like its predecessors, contrary to the joys or pains it might hold, it will come and go. It has been this way since man began tracking time, one year following another, landing me here on the eve of yet another New Year. “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9.”What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Yet, in today’s verse, this “new strength” the Lord describes to His Prophet, Isaiah, this newness born of His Spirit, is unlike anything else. “Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.” –Isaiah 40:28.

This newness is uncreated, having no beginning. It mirrors its Creator; its end, known only to Him. “Now God himself will have his home with them—’God-with-them’ will be their God! He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and eliminate death entirely. No one will mourn or weep any longer. The pain of wounds will no longer exist, for the old order has ceased.” And God-Enthroned spoke to me and said, “Consider this! I am making everything to be new and fresh.” –Revelation 21:3-5.

With an all-in certainty, soon and very soon, God will fulfill the above Power-filled verses.

I am also unquestionably confident that Jesus is renewing the strength of His beloved children who trust in Him. In this New Year, I choose to take God at His Word. He is imparting His strength to those who place their trust in Him; new, uncreated, supernatural power flowing straight from the heart of God into His people.

Into you, whose body has been ravaged by cancer, beloved of the Father. And into you, whose faith is in tatters, a mere thread holding it together. And you, weary soul, bent over that grave, wetting its dug-up soil with your tears, leaving so many unspoken words and unfilled hopes of tomorrow in its cold depth. To you, husband, or wife, crying out night and day over your strained marriage as you seek God for answers—and dear parents, carving paths in the carpet from pacing to and fro. Praying, beseeching, wondering where your child may be this night; like the prodigals before them, having taken all they could fit in a bag, they have run after the illusive, shiny bobbles of the world.

Still, beloved, if you will but fix your sorrow-full eyes on heaven, lifting your bowed head, you will find yourself staring into the eyes of Love unsearchable. Jesus will have stooped down beside you and, in His strength, bid you drink deep and freely of Him until you are sated and restored. “…those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” –John 4:14.

But, you will not be restored to who or what you were before.

No, beloved, remember, old things have passed away. God is doing something new in you. Rest confidently in this Truth as you mount up on new wings, soaring to new heights in this a new season: “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” –Isaiah 40:29. Beloved, this singular, unifying nugget of Truth unearthed in Isaiah 40:29, upholds the believer from the beginning of any one year until its end.

It has been this way before time as we know it because this mysterious Truth exists in God, a sliver of His multifaceted, benevolent character.

And then, no longer weak nor weary after being lifted by God’s new strength, go, in the power of His Holy Spirit and encourage your brother, your neighbor. The soul who has yet looked into the eyes of Love unsearchable that they too may be made new this year. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he has anointed me to be hope for the poor, healing for the brokenhearted, and new eyes for the blind, and to preach to prisoners, ‘You are set free! ‘ I have come to share the message of Jubilee, for the time of God’s great acceptance has begun.” –Luke 4:18-19.

“Shana Tov,” beloved of God.

You dear friend, If the God I speak of, the God whose unsearchable Love for you, has called and kept you glued here, please, take a moment longer and say yes to what it is He is offering you: Love and a new beginning in Him—with Him. Start by telling Him you are sorry for everything you know you have done wrong—tell Him everything—and mean it. Then, tell Him you want Him, and His Holy Spirit will come and make His home in you. Don’t take my word for it. Read it for yourself: “…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 one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

Rebuild You Say?

September 9, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

In Loving memory of our Mother, Edna Dennis

“…Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” –Nehemiah 4:2

Rebuild? Move forward? How, Lord? My strength is gone. My thoughts are fractured and muddy. My heart is little more than rubble—pieces charred by this searing inferno of grief.

My mother is gone!

But You know that—You took her Home!

Yes, I know, in Your mercy, You answered my prayers—our prayers, that she might not suffer any longer, and I thank You for answering us, but if You will, answer me this as well:

What am I supposed to rebuild from this giant heap of pain? “Partner with Me,” You say. Give You my heart? Yes, that’s right! Rebuilding, reshaping, New Life, only You can do that. Only You breathe life into what’s dead—reviving it.

Only You know my end from my beginning.

But what can You build with charred rubble? “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” –Jeremiah 18:4.

These thoughts raced through my head as I read Nehemiah, Chapters Three and Four. I knew the Holy Spirit was telling me it was time to rebuild. After all, He was the One who had just spoken to my heart, nudging me to read His Words.

He said He would use all the broken pieces of the last season, things that appear defunct, to build a new foundation—start a new chapter, just as He did for those who have gone before me. Our Father is faithful like that. He doesn’t play favorites.

So what do you do when someone most dear to your heart is taken away?

When you feel feeble, raw, and exposed—at your most vulnerable?

When God takes back the very one He used to bring you into His world? To deliver you into the life He had mapped out for you from before the foundation of the world? When everything inside of you is silently screaming in pain so thick and exacting that breathing becomes a chore—as does everything else.

Like Job, you mourn, howl, question, sob, and then wait for God to rebuild: one trusting step at a time. “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” –Job 1:21.

You do the next thing.

In your own power? Not a chance. You have nothing left.

You rebuild by grabbing hold of God’s outstretched Hand so tightly that fusion happens, complete Oneness—absolute surrender. Then, from the bond forged between you, welded together by love and trust, you allow His Holy Spirit to lead, as is your privilege. You let Him place one of your feet in front of the other—in His good time, inching you closer and closer to your life’s purpose—reflecting the image and likeness of His Son, our Lord, Jesus. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” –2 Corinthians 3:18.

You allow God to use the rubble of your broken heart. Seared and scared by grief so deeply rooted in your bones, it feels as if any attempt at removing it might cause your foundation to collapse. And collapse it must—because God is doing a new thing. “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” –Romans 8:28.

Hear me, please. I do not profess to understand how God accomplishes all of this—that’s far beyond my ability to comprehend. Neither can I say that it feels good as He’s working things together for my good, but what I can say with absolute confidence is this: I serve a Good, Good Father whom I do not need to understand in full to know that He loves me—loves all those called by His Holy name. “So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” –1 Corinthians 9:26.

I trust Jesus.

I choose to place the total weight of my faith, every sliver of my now-broken heart, into His Omniscient, Omnipotent, nail-pierced Hands.

My faith in my Father, more, His overwhelming love for me demands that of me.“Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes!” –Romans 11:33-36.

When will this fog lift? I cannot say. Only God knows.

When will I see this new thing, the new version of myself Jesus is bringing forth, the beauty springing up from the ashy cinders of my heart? I don’t know. Soon. Whatever that means.

In the meantime, I will do the next thing while God rebuilds using whatever remains.

I will worship, pray, and praise God’s precious Name; I’ll serve Him because these are the fruits of a new creation. Byproducts birthed in me by His Holy Spirit. Because He lived, died and rose again on the third day my old man has passed away; my new man knows only Jesus, His amazing grace and mercy-full love. “For I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].” –1 Corinthians 2:2.

Still, I’ll ask your forgiveness for any scrape or bruise I may cause as God’s Holy Spirit continues His work in me, repairing the charred rubble in this season of new beginnings, and I’ll turn to Jesus, in faith knowing, “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” –Psalm 138:3;7-8.

Beloved of God, I know sharing the news of my mom’s passing with you is personal. But you’re family. You are my brothers and sisters in Christ. And so I trust because of this, you will pray for me and my family as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death—and we will. I, for one, have staked my life on this Truth.

And please say yes, you whom God is wooing, calling to Himself—to become His child—my new brother or sister. I need you; we, the Body of Christ, need you. We need what only you have to offer us all. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” –1 Corinthians 12:12;18-20.

“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 one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

A Living Fountain

September 2, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” –John 7:37-38.

One of my many joys is camping with my family, which goes back to when I was growing up in New Hampshire, and my dad would take us camping in the White Mountains. Sometimes, the days were bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky. But then there were days when dark clouds would form in the distance and roll in on us. This meant it was about to rain, and we needed to take cover in our tents and wait for the storm to pass. 

Waiting was never my strong suit when I was a kid, and I may struggle occasionally still as an adult. So, I would leave the tent with my sister and go out and play in the rain, jumping in puddles and getting all muddy, and my mom would tell my dad to get us back in the tent. But he would just let us run around and get wet and muddy. It was all about the experience and the memories we were making.

Why am I sharing this time with you? Because now I’m the dad. And I just took my family on a camping trip. And while I was there, the Lord shared a revelation.

I usually like to camp in a tent, but we decided to rent a little cabin on a hill this time. While camping, a huge rainstorm came over us, complete with winds. It stormed until the next day. When morning came, I walked out of the cabin and looked around. As we were on a hill, I could see some cranberry bogs about a mile away from the cabin. They were filled with the rain from the night before. 

Cranberry bogs are made to grow cranberries; some bogs are designed to collect and hold water. When the time comes to harvest the cranberries, the farmer will open the channels and let loose the water from one bog to flood the other, making it easier to gather the cranberries.

As I looked out over the bog, the revelation came to me: “Imagine if there was no rain.” Imagine if water never touched the surrounding land. What if the ground was dry and barren, and nothing would grow? That is when I heard God speak this clearly in my Spirit, “What if My Spirit was never poured out on you?”

Can you think of a time when you did not have the Holy Spirit with you?

Throughout the Bible, we read of droughts and famines. In 2 Kings 17:1, we read where the prophet Elijah says: “….As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, except at my word.” Scripture tells us King Ahab was married to Jezebel, A very evil priestess of the Baals. The land was in sin, and the prophet Elijah declared God’s hand; His presence over this land would be removed. God was not worshiped and loved there. The land was dry and barren as a result of God’s judgement upon it; the wages of sin is death. 

We can see in this what Jesus meant, beloved, “What if My Spirit was never poured out on you?”

This is the revelation the Holy Spirit shared concerning those who run to Jesus.

No longer are they dry and barren, but like that bog, they are full to overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit. Those who repent of their sins and declare that Jesus is Lord will no longer walk in the ways of the Baals but run to the only One that will give them eternal life. The only One who can bring them into right standing with the Father, the only One who died and rose again for the sins of all humanity. Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords!

At one point in our lives, we were all dry. We were living a life full of sin and fleshly desires. We were empty, cracked vessels, unable to hold or let anything Godly grow inside us. The water we drank could only quench our fleshly thirst. We were just like the woman at the well.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” –John 4:13-14:

Water helps things grow. When we sow a seed in the ground, we do not just plant it and leave. Seeds need to be watered as well.

And how do we water a spiritual seed? Through praise and worship, my dear friends. The Holy Spirit comes in power and will help you grow your relationship with God the Father. Knowing God’s Son, Jesus, is the only way for the Holy Spirit to live in you. “All things have been delivered to Me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” –Matthew 11:27

My dear brothers and sisters, If you have a relationship with Jesus, have repented of your sins and confessed Him as your Lord and Savior, then His Holy Spirit is living inside you.

Jesus is the Living Water who springs forth within you.

He is not still and stagnant. He is a Living, rushing, mighty river of Water bursting forth within you.

Think back to when the farmer opened the water channel to fill that bog I spoke of earlier. That water rushed throughout the bog, saturating it so the ripened fruit could be harvested. So, too, the Holy Spirit rushes in and helps harvest the fruit you will bear.

What fruit?   The fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23. A follower of Christ will display at least one, hopefully a few, of these fruits.

Do not worry if you still need to get all of them. Sometimes, it takes longer for some to grow than others. And if you feel you are not bearing fruit in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. But remember as you do this that you are the branch, Jesus is the vine, and God the Father is the Vinedresser. So you may be pruned to see that fruit come forth. Pruning is a necessary process. It rids us of dead things that are stopping our growth. Pruning is painful, but its harvest will be beautiful. 

As we end here, know that if Christ is in you, you are an overcomer. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –1 John 4:4.

If you are a child of God, Christ in you is a river of everlasting Life. The Potter Himself has changed you. The Fountain of Living Water has filled you with Himself.

And if He has not filled you, will you allow Jesus to bring you to a place of overflowing joy today, knowing that if you do, your name will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Jesus says in Matthew 7:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Declare today, “I choose You, Lord Jesus, and come fill me with You, Living Water!” Amen.

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