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

Tag: Salvation (Page 6 of 17)

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.

You Can Handle This.

October 21, 2023 /

Adam Nichols

Have you ever heard someone say, “I can’t handle this anymore?” or “This is just too much?” These are sayings we all use from time to time. The reason could be that we are going through a stressful time. You may have a monumental task to complete or even a hard decision to make. Many situations can cause this self-defeating attitude to rise to the surface. One of our most amazing blessings as sons and daughters of the Most High God is that we get to stand on God’s promises and trust His Word.

One of those promises is that God does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” –1 Corinthians 10:13.

Our Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows exactly where you and I are in our lives and what we go through in every season. God sees the beginning from the end. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “He knows the plans he has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When I reflect on past struggles or tragedies in my life, I realize the Lord was right there with me, and how He knew I could make it through that trial or situation and that I could do it with Him.

I recall about six years ago when I was in a bad motorcycle accident, which left me incapable of working for a few months. At that time, those few months felt like years. My wife had also lost her job a couple of months prior. With mouths to feed and bills to pay, we knew we were headed for a tough time.

I remember looking at my wife and saying, “We’ve got this because God’s got us!”

We get to choose to trust in Jesus. We knew we could handle this season and make it through with Him. We knew He would provide a way, and HE DID.

When we fix our eyes on Jesus and stand on His promises, we can weather the storms of this life.

Brothers and Sisters in the faith, we are overcomers in this world. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” –1 John 5:4.

We can stand whatever may come our way, just as Christ did. I pray that this Word encouraged you today. It reminded you that with Christ, you can take it, you can endure, by the power of the Spirit given to us by God. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” –2 Timothy 1:7.

Be blessed this day, and all Glory and Honor to Christ our Lord!

The Word of God says in Romans 10:9, “If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.” You can do that today if you are reading this and have yet to accept Christ into your heart. If you know, this is the day you want to give your life to Christ and to know, without a doubt, that you will spend eternity with the Father. Pray this short prayer with me:

Lord Jesus, I believe Your Word; I believe You are the Son of God who died for me, took away my sin upon Your Cross, and rose again, defeating death. Forgive me of my sins, Lord, and come into my heart, save me, Lord! I chose You to be my Lord and Savior, and I decided this day to serve and honor You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Creator and creations.

October 14, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set] so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” –Ephesians 2:10.

Michelangelo’s Statue of David, created between 1501 and 1504, is known for its remarkable details, particularly in the right hand. This iconic statue was carved from a single 6-ton slab of marble that two other sculptors had discarded due to flaws. The marble lay exposed to the elements for 26 years before a 26-year-old Michaelangelo was awarded the commission.

Today, we will endeavor to peer into the mind of our Creator God, skimming a finger across the surface of His plans and abilities, predestined works designed and assigned for us and to us—before God called us into being—these plans set in stone if you will, before the foundation of the world. Think of it: Our Father has afforded us the privilege of partnering with Him in good works.

The Sovereign God of the universe, our Creator, Jesus, allows us to carry such knowledge and treasure within our mere earthen vessels– mind-blowing!

Michelangelo, endowed by God with the vision and ability to coax delicate veins and whisper-thin fingernails out of unforgiving marble, God affords you and me our unique talents and giftings, some small glimmer of His distinct abilities splashed onto us—enabling us. Such awe-inspiring skills and attributes are partly shared, Creator to creation, witnessed in the fullness and potency of His Majestic imagination in creation.

Think of it: Before anything materialized in the natural world, any gift bestowed to a man—everything was first conceived in God—in the realm of the Spirit—then made manifest by Elohim, Creator God.

Omniscience and Omnipotence united in a single cause—creation. “Thus saith God the Lord (he that created the heavens and spread them abroad: he that stretched forth the earth, and the buds thereof: he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.” –Isaiah 42:5.Your skills, talents and abilities, eye color, lifespan, every breath, the planets, plants and trees, gifts from God, their genesis, a thought, originated in the mind of The Creator of all things. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” –Revelation 4:11.

Bible: “By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” –Hebrews 11:3.

Now understand this beloved of God: This same Creator God, Sovereign in power and abilities, this Master Craftsman, Originator, Initiator, Sustainer, Author of your faith, gifts, and talents, fashioned you with great intention in Christ Jesus. Complete with a detailed plan for your life. Work for your hands to accomplish, hearts to mend and lives to minister to. So I’ll remind you, child of God, that you were created on purpose for a purpose, in Christ Jesus, and you are loved with a kind of love that is far too big and enveloping—too far-reaching and profound for us in our finite forms to embrace fully. “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works.”

God, the Master craftsman, the Originator of all things, crafted you with an eye and attention to detail galaxies beyond Michaelangelo’s preschool ability to carve David’s likeness from a marble slab.

God, whose capabilities make Rembrandt’s exquisite brushstrokes look like mere arts and crafts projects, spoke, and whole galaxies burst forth—vibrant and pulsing.

God, whose mind conceived an artery, sight, the complexity of the human heart, brain, and oceans, created you with everything you would ever need to do, everything He had mapped out for you to do—before the world’s foundation. “Which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set] so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].”

Hear God’s Words today, not mine. Cling to them as Living proof of Jesus’ Divine intention and purpose in creating you. You are God’s Masterpiece. Cherished and adored. God says it this way: “You are one who is precious in my eyes! You are glorious and I have loved you! I have given men in exchange for you, and peoples in exchange for your life!” – Isaiah 43:4.

A man may have called you a mistake, unwanted, unplanned, but not God.

Yet, you’re not alone if you wrestle with believing this Truth. Many of our brothers and sisters who love and serve the Lord struggle with wrapping the unhealed areas of their hurting hearts around this Truth. So if you are faltering in embracing the Truth that you are God’s Masterpiece, having been sealed in Christ Jesus on purpose for a purpose before the foundation of the world—know that I am praying God heal whatever broke your heart or trust.

I’m praying, too, that you will remember to live by faith and not according to your hurt feelings.

Please, don’t allow what others have done to you, their failures, cruelty, unthinking, uncaring actions to harden your heart against ever fully receiving God’s unplumbed, healing, enlivening, restorative, Pure and peaceable Love.

You are not an accident, Beloved of the Lord! Drink in God’s Truth: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!” –Psalm 139:13-17.

Beloved of God, our limitedness, our inability to fully conceive or take a thing in, does not negate God’s Truth, His Omniscience and Omnipotence, nor His ability to place such a thing within us—within our reach, the scope of our ability to interact or partake of it. The same Creator who gifted Michelangelo and Rembrandt, who poured the Psalms into David’s belly and then pulled them out that they might edify us, chose you—crafting you precisely as you are.

Suppose you belong to—have a relationship with Him who created you. In that case, the Infallible proof of the following bold declaration is possible because, paraphrasing Scripture, God told the Apostle Paul: “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”

Do you think that our Sovereign, Creator God, seeing your end from your beginning, would entrust you with carrying such Treasure as His Holy Spirit, who enables you to fulfill the good works God has predestined for you and has gifted you with the ability to co-create with Him, if He could not guard such eternal treasures, keeping them and you until His return? “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” –Philippians 1:6.

Dear friend, if you have your sight, you have seen evidence of this Creator God I’ve spoken of today. —God made sure of that. Father God wanted to ensure you do not miss Him.

Everything He created was done with you in mind, for your pleasure and benefit, because Jesus loves you. You may not know Him personally yet, so I invite you to do that now. Ask Jesus to be The Lord of your life. Tell Him you’re genuinely sorry for your sins and want a lifelong relationship with Him. He’ll do the rest. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” –Romans 1:20

Mountain View

October 7, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

“Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of the peoples, although all the earth is Mine, and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation. These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites. “–Exodus 19:5-6.

I love visiting the White Mountains in New Hampshire. There is something so inspiring about gazing upon God’s majestic creation. Even as a child, I felt a draw to it. I still do today. That same feeling of awe continues to come over me. As I grew, I noticed the mountain scenes changed as the seasons changed. I saw that the mountain would be bright green due to its abundance of trees in summer, while in Autumn, these same trees changed color—bright yellow, orange and red as if the mountain itself was on fire. Then, when winter came, and the trees were bare, brown bark and white snowfall became the color of the day. Still, each season is as beautiful as the next.

And though the appearance of my beloved mountain changes with the seasons, my steadfast God never will. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8.

Our God never changes. His word is and always will be eternal: “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you. Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed, Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” –Isaiah 54:10

Some may reject this Truth—reject God, while others, like you and me, have received the eternal gift of salvation that gave birth to our relationship with His son, Christ Jesus.

The God of the Old Testament is the same as in the New Testament. Jesus is the bridge connecting one to the other. It is His grace afforded us by His shed Blood having laid down His sinless Life, a Living sacrifice, on the Cross at Calvery.

If you have given your life to Jesus, you have been ransomed, washed clean of your sins. “The council of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.” –Psalm 33:11.

God of the Old Testament is loving, but punishment came when His people failed to listen and follow His instructions. Remember, though merciful and kind, God is also Holy and a Just Judge. God cannot dwell where sin exists. The Scriptures remind us that the wages of sin are death—eternal separation from God. And since His Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the same is true today.

So, if you choose not to live for God and instead live outside His will, your actions will have consequences. Maybe not in this life, but indeed in the life to come. 

Today’s Scripture verse is just one of the promises God made to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai.

God spoke to Moses in the wilderness and gave him charge over the Israelites. He instructed Moses on what His people needed to do to prepare to meet Him on Sanai. “And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.” – Exodus 19:9-10.   

Without being washed by His Word, outside of God’s covering, you and I are unclean in God’s sight—just as the Israelites were.

God told Moses His people needed to consecrate themselves.

Consecrate means to set apart, make holy, and dedicate to God. So Moses told the people to wash their clothes and clean themselves.

It had been a long journey from Egypt to the Sinai. Maybe the people were still covered in the dirt of Egypt, an unholy place. And perhaps that made these people God loved a stench in His nostrils. Remember, we serve a Holy God. There is no sin in Him. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” –1 John 1:5.

Being Holy, God has set impassable bounds for us. “You shall set bounds for the people all around saying, “Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.” –Exodus 19:12.

God has chosen the Israelites to be His chosen people, but He still sees sin in them.

And God sees the sin in our lives. We, too, must be washed in the Water of His Word, made clean by His shed Blood. Water alone is no substitute. It will not wash away our sins. It may clean our outer garments, but our souls will still be stainted. Only Jesus can rid us of our sins. Our merits or any good deed we might do cannot accomplish it.

Psalm 25:3-4 makes this clear: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.”

At first glance, there seems to be no way a man could ever approach such a Holy God.

The view up this mountain appears distorted. God has set boundaries. Without the washing away of our sins, we cannot have fellowship with Him. We will never be in right standing with God, yet He has set eternity before us.

God has made a way where there was no way. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” –Ecclesiastes 3:11.

The path ascending to Sinai was blocked, but God made a way for all men to follow Him. He made the Way long before Moses was ever born. God knew that only someone holy like Him could stand in His presence. Someone who knew Him and shared His heart and Blood. Someone who would go down to the earth and bring all men to Himself. “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.” –John 3:16.

In Matthew 4:23-25, Jesus starts His ministry in Galilee. He is healing every kind of sickness and disease.

He is preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Great multitudes of people follow Him across Galilee, from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. God is healing the people He loves. He is walking with them and teaching them. This unobstructed access to Himself was what was missing at Sinai. God is Holy, indeed, and His Word is Holy, yet this did not stop a Holy God from coming into a sinful world in the likeness of men. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we behold His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” –John 1:14.

Just as Moses did once, Jesus, the Son of God, walked up a mountain and sat with His disciples.

Jesus did not place barriers between Him and them. He did not tell the people they could not follow Him because they were unclean. Jesus is 100 percent man and 100 percent God. Yet He sat with whosoever would draw near to Him and blessed them in hearing the most excellent sermon ever shared—the Sermon on the Mount.

What a beautiful, unobstructed view of God’s love and compassion for all of us who proclaim Jesus as Lord. 

Which mountain view do you want? I pray it is the one that allows you to ascend the mountain with Jesus and sit at His feet.

You are not too far gone, my friend. No one is. All it takes to become a child of God is one sincere confession of faith—asking Jesus to be Lord over your life. Draw close to Him and receive His salvation by repenting of your sins. If you have done this, get ready to catch some incredible views. Amen. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.

Fight The Good Fight!

September 30, 2023 /

Adam Nichols

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.” –2 Timothy 4:7.

Throughout the life of a believer, there will be hardships, struggles and pain. As Christians, we are called to persevere—keep moving forward. As difficult as that may be at times, we must remember we fight and push on from a place of Victory—through Jesus Christ.

The battles we face, we do not face alone.

Our Lord promises “…never to leave us nor forsake us.”—Deuteronomy 31:6.

We are called to fight the good fight and run our race in the power of the Greatest, most victorious Warrior ever, Jesus! God’s plans for us through these battles, their purpose often, is to strengthen us and our faith.

Last year, I stepped out in faith and bought my first truck. As a truck driver, I wanted to be more independent and create greater financial freedom for my family. But my business has experienced more valleys than mountain tops over the past year. It has been quite a fight and a long, gruelling race. Yet the Lord has been my Rock, the One holding it together. My faith has been shaken and tested at times. And many times, I’ve wondered if I would make it. If I could keep fighting? If I can continue the race?

In James 1:2-4 He writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters. Whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Through these trials and my various fights, I realized the Lord was doing a work in me.

God is stretching me and strengthening my resolve to keep the faith. To become more mature and complete, to serve Him better. So, today, I can testify because of my own perseverance, encouraging you to keep fighting and running your race. To tell you God is with you, He is for you, and He is doing mighty work in you in every season of your life.

My friends, be thankful on the mountain and in the valley. To God be the glory, Amen!

If you are reading this and have not given your life to Christ, beginning a genuine relationship with Him, then do it today while there is time. In Revelation 3:20, God’s Word says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” God will never force His way into your heart. So, will you open the door and welcome Him in today? If so, pray this simple but Life-changing prayer with me: Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart and change me from the inside out. I repent of my sins; make me into who You created me to be. I believe You are the Son of God, who died for me and rose again in victory, defeating death. Have Your way, Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.

Kingdom Builder.

September 16, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.” –1Corinthians 3:9-10.

One thing I love about our Lord Jesus is that first, He loves me and forgives me of all my sins! Secondly, I love how He speaks to one person in His Body and will confirm that Word through another within His Body.

A “rebuilding of hearts” and “reconciliation” is happening within the Body of Christ. Jesus is so powerful and awesome! Still, He does not favor one over the other. God looks at you in the pew with the same love as He looks at your pastor. The roles you each serve are different. Your assignment may not match what other brothers and sisters have been given, but God no less loves you. 

I pray that you will know how much our Lord Jesus loves you.

And I pray you know this also: God will not stop loving you when you fall. Because His Love enables us to pick up the broken pieces of our hearts and say, “Lord help me! Fix this heart that I am laying before You.” The Apostle Paul writes: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:37-39.

If you are Christ’s, then you are a conqueror in Christ Jesus. You are a coheir to the Kingdom of God and a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As ministers of His Word, we build on good ground—a sure foundation.

Building upon God’s Word assures us that as we build, so long as our works align with His Word, His Word will support our good works. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11.

Every building needs a strong foundation. Without it, the structure will fall. Our sure foundation is built upon our faith in Christ and our time spent worshiping Christ Jesus. We will never be able to support the things of God and the works He has assigned us without first knowing and obeying Him and keeping Him first in all things. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” –1 Corinthians 4: 12-14.

Everything man builds starts as a vision and is brought into existence.

As God spoke His vision, plan, and purpose for creation, they became manifest. God said, “Let there be,” and everything came into being. God creates. It is just one of His many Characteristics. He has also placed this ability to create—to partner with His will and plan into His children.

If you belong to Jesus, you have been given faith to speak life into that circumstance or over a family member. You can speak life into something you thought was dead, such as a dream or goal, mending relationships, and new beginnings. Whatever it is you declare, it will be done if it is according to the will of God within Christ Jesus. He is God. You are not. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, keep my commands.” –John 14:13-15.

The Holy Spirit that lives in you, child of God, will tell you how to pray when you are unsure what to speak. Romans 8:26 tells us this: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses, For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

When we lay the groundwork of worship and praise in Jesus Christ alone, we will see the vision of what God has for us come into focus.

Jesus is the Cornerstone the builders rejected. “Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” –Mark 12:10-11.

Yet, without a cornerstone, a structure will collapse. So, too, what we attempt to build without God.

The importance of a cornerstone is that it bears much of the weight of the building’s outer structure, and it connects and unites two of the walls. As a builder for God’s Kingdom, you need Jesus to be the Cornerstone of everything you build concerning life and ministry.

In other words, “Do not try to do what God must do first.” Put Jesus in the front of it. His name carries Authority. His Blood washes away our sins, and He sets the captive free!

Jesus teaches us about rock and sand, two very different types of foundations: It would be foolish on our part to dismiss God’s instructions for our lives.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that that house; and it did not fail, for it was founded on the rock.” –Matthew 7:24-25.

As we read and declare the words of Jesus, we must also apply them to our daily lives. Jesus says in the Scripture, “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, AND DOES THEM, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Proverbs 1:7 reminds us: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Now, fear of the Lord is not fear, as we understand it, being terrified or scared of something or someone; instead, fear of the Lord is a reverence for a deep and abiding love, respect, and awe of God.

“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell, And great was its fall.”

Jesus gave us the blueprint on how to walk out our faith, but if we choose not to adhere to the Word of God, the collapse, the storms of doubt and fear will rain on us and crush us just as they did the house built on sand. We who believe can and must rely on Truth: The Word of God is consistent and always will be. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” –Revelation 1:8.

As I close, dear friends, I pray the Holy Spirit speaks to anyone needing a firm foundation to stand on. Assuring you that to receive salvation, you need only confess and wholeheartedly repent your sins to the Lord Jesus, asking that He come into your heart.” for, 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.

Walk It Out On The Sea of Doubt, Pt.3

August 26, 2023 /

Matthew Botelho

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” –Isaiah 30:21.

The last teaching God gave me is still registering in my spirit, and if you have not read it, the teaching’s title is “Will You Follow Me?” I believe Jesus is speaking that so clearly to the body of Christ in this season. Hearing the words “Follow Me” still excites me as I pray it does you. My pastor read from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 during a time of edifying the church this past Sunday, and he touched on the timing of God and how all things work in His time.

There are seasons of life God places us to grow, prune, strengthen, and give us rest. To me, the Word the pastor shared was confirming. Be at peace, dear brothers and sisters, and walk in what God has specifically given you.

Because sometimes, in our walk with the Lord, we can get sidetracked by everyday life. The hustle and bustle of work and family can take us to a place where we lose sight. We can lose our focus on Jesus and try to follow Him in our own strength and time, And what comes as a result of trying to follow in our own strength can be a raging sea of doubt, anxiety, and disappointment.

You can say,” Oh, this would never happen to me. I would never walk it out on my own. Jesus is always my first and for most.” To that, I pray a season of doubt never overtakes you. As for me, I have fallen short; I will fall flat on my face if I rely on myself. I need Jesus to be my guiding light. I need Jesus in the hard times, I need Him in the good times, I need Him in my family, in my marriage, with my children, I need Jesus!

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” –Romans 3:23-24.

I want us to remember when the disciples were out on the sea of Galilee after feeding the five thousand. In Matthew 14:22-24 the disciples of Jesus are rowing to the other side, but a massive storm comes upon them. The waves are crashing, the wind is blowing, and fear and chaos surround them. They cannot see the other side but see something or someone approaching them in the distance. “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried in fear.” –Matthew 14:25-26.

As part 2 of “Walk It Out On The Sea of Doubt” states, fear can take so much from you. It is a thief of joy and of peace in you. It can cause you to do things you would never usually do. It distorts your vision to see clearly both physically and spiritually. But know this: fear is not your portion in life.

Fear is a weapon your enemy uses as a distraction to stop you from reaching the other side. He will not only use fear but, with it, the lying voice of condemnation to tell you God is not for you, that He has left you in this mess you created. Know now that voice is not God’s. God comes for you in the middle of your mess or the middle of the storm. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” –Matthew 14:27.

Notice when Jesus spoke to them.

It was immediately after they saw Him. God does not waste time in leaving you in doubt of whether it is Him or not. We are His sheep, and we hear the voice of the One who calls us. Jesus is that Shepard that will come for you in the middle of the storm you are going through. He knew where His disciples would be and precisely where you are now dearly beloved. Jesus says, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Though fear may have gripped you, Jesus sets you free from what holds you captive.

“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” –Matthew 14:28-29.

I may give Peter more credit than he deserves, but he does something unique here!

Yes, he walks on the water, but he says to the Lord, “If it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Is Peter testing God here? Peter knows the voice of his Lord, and he knows if that is Him, then nothing will go wrong. But stepping out onto the water will take a giant leap of faith if it’s not.

Peter places all of his faith in Jesus and then waits for Jesus’ next command. “Command me to come to You on the water.”

Tell me to step out in faith, step out with my family, ask me to start this ministry, and speak to that person about You. Just tell me what to do, Lord. You know Jesus spoke to you. You know it was His Word. You know it is Him saying, “Come, follow Me”. So, what stops you from jumping out of the boat you’re in?

Whose voice will you listen to?

You can almost hear the voices of the other disciples yelling at Peter. And their voices are no different than those you are hearing now. “Are you crazy!”, “This will never work!”, “Mark my words, Peter, you are going to drown!” You have heard these words before, these voices of doubt. But you have also heard God say, “Follow Me.” “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” –Matthew 14:30-32

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he started sinking. He became so focused on what was going on around him that he forgot all about what had gotten him out of the boat in the first place: his faith, entrusted entirely to Jesus. When Peter put his complete faith in Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. When Jesus told him to come, Peter could jump out of that boat. Scripture does not say Peter was hesitant about stepping out onto the water, only that he stepped out once Jesus bid him to come.

We cannot be hearers of the Word of God only. We must be doers, pliable enough to go when it is time to go.

At times, you will fall short. We all will. When you call on Jesus during those raging storms, He will immediately stretch out His hand and catch you. Will may get a rebuke as Peter did, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” But when you fix your eyes on Jesus again and allow Him to guide your steps, you will get to walk on that water again. Scripture says that they got into the boat. The boat did not come to them. They walked to it together. Hallelujah!

I pray this teaching blessed you because I know it truly blessed me.

So to anyone who feels like they are in the storm alone, I encourage you to focus instead on the One that brings calm to every storm. Jesus can and will be that Savior you have been searching for. He will deliver you. Cry out to Him and proclaim Him Lord of your life this day! Then watch as His outstretched hand saves you. Amen. “…May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!” –Psalm 20:1.

Be Loosed!

August 12, 2023 /

MaryEllen Montville

“Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” –John 11: 38-44.

I intended this week’s teaching to come out of the first chapter of Colossians and be titled “Doing your part.” But as you can see, that is not the case. Holy Spirit always has the final say here. When I picked up my Bible and read the account of Jesus’s resurrection of Lazarus within the margin, I read a long-ago notation I’d noted. It reads: “Jesus will handle the resurrection. You do your part.”

I don’t believe in coincidences. The fact was not lost on me that the exact words I’d intended to use to title this teaching were now staring back at me.

God was trying to get my attention. And He had it now.

“Doing your part” has been an ongoing theme of late. So It made me wonder if you’re also not hearing some rendition of these exact words in your Spirit.

I ask because my experience has been that the Word I receive from the Lord is first meant to minister to me, then flow outward to you. And so I pray that we submit our will, our wants, what may appear ‘right’—sound, to us, to the will and calling of Jesus—putting to death all internal chatter that clamors for answers to the why’s. Allowing God’s Word to mirror our true reflection back to us.

In so doing, may the exhale of our breath genuinely be, “Thy will be done.” Whether we understand God’s will—or not.

As I read today’s Scripture, several points stood out:

First was the opening sentence. It informs us that Jesus was deeply moved—but why? What had touched Him so that Scripture lets us know straightaway that Jesus was moved? I believe in answering this properly; we must go back a bit.

At the beginning of this same chapter, Jesus informs His disciples that Lazarus has died.

Yet, at first, His disciples don’t understand that Lazarus is physically dead because Jesus says Lazarus has fallen asleep.’ Naturally, their minds think of ordinary sleep–rest. This oxymoron is one of many instances found in Scripture. Knowing their confusion, Jesus spells it out for them. He emphatically states that Lazarus is dead. He tells them it’s good that He wasn’t there to intervene.

Jesus was about to perform a miracle in the lives of so many through this one act of obedience.

Yet Jesus commiserated with Mary and Martha’s friends and neighbors’ pain and outpouring of grief. Was this partly because, acting out of obedience to the Father, Jesus had to stay put and not go to Lazarus? Is this why in part, Jesus was so deeply moved? Because He could not intervene, not touch, and heal His friend as He had so many others? Jesus trusted His Father surely. And although Jesus is fully God, He was also fully human and felt the genuine pain we experience in such moments. “For we do not have a Great High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses…” –Hebrews 4:14.

Yet all of this—His pain and theirs, did not stop Jesus from obeying the Father’s will.

There was a greater good that was about to come of this. Jesus knew obedience to the will of the Father was more important than His or their feelings—obedience is always paramount. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” –John 15:10.

The second point that struck me was the barrier blocking Jesus’ entrance into the place He was sent to bring about the miracle He’d been sent to perform. Remember, Jesus tells us: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” –John 5:30.

Scripture points out Jesus’s saying, “Take away the stone.” Why?

Could it be that in addition to its natural use, attention is brought to this stone to illustrate that we place proverbial stones across our hearts, denying God unfettered access? Denying Jesus access to give us the same healing and restoration of life and life to the full that we see Him give Lazarus?

Friends, if we belong to Jesus, we have been chosen to partner with God. Our part—my part, your part—is to choose to listen to Jesus’ voice and allow whatever stone impeding His entrance into our dead places to be rolled away—so that fullness of life might come forth.

Jesus tells those present to roll the stone out of His way. (notice the stone can be moved!)

Martha’s response? To tell Jesus no—don’t do that. What are you thinking? He’s been dead for days, and it stinks in there!

Sounds reasonable, right? After all, isn’t that what we do when we hide ‘our flesh’ in places we think no one can see? When we choose to keep our tomb, those—shameful or painful—even prideful parts of ourselves sealed off—safe from view.

After all, Jesus couldn’t possibly love us if He sees all that, right?

Wrong!

Jesus knows that to have True Life; we must let Him into our stinking—rotten fleshly places. We must agree to have any stone moved away that might deny Him full access—to every yucky—stinking part of us! Why? Because the Truth is this: whatever Jesus does to us—in us, through us, is not just for us.

“Lazarus, come out!” And He did. And we will, too—all those called by His name must leave our dead things behind.

We, still wrapped in our grave clothes—still carrying the scent of things long since dead within us—are just waiting, as Lazarus was, to be released into the Fullness of Life. “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Jesus will always have the final Word.

Though salvation is a free gift from God, one based not on our good works that any of us might foolishly think we could earn such a gift, we do have a part to play in working out our salvation. Paul clarifies this in Phil.2:12. “So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

Plainly put: We must do our part, must agree—desire, want, our stone be rolled away.

Do you, friend? I pray you do. Won’t you ask Jesus to roll away everything blocking you from asking Him to come into your heart? To be your Lord and Savior, He’ll roll away anything standing between you and Him if you genuinely want it gone. Jesus says it this way: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” –Revelation 3:20

Jehovah Sabaoth: The God of Host and His POSSIBLE POWER

July 29, 2023 /

Elda Othello-Wrightington

Recently, while on vacation visiting my sister in Florida, I received a phone call about things happening back home that were absolutely out of my control. It appeared that the outcome of our situation would be impossible to redeem. At that moment, I had two choices: to believe things were impossible or that all things are possible with God.

Now I can’t get into the legality of it, but I can say it was a life-or-death situation for my marriage. At that moment, I chose to cry out for help and spent that morning praying and fasting. And if you’re in the middle of a storm right now and do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, I want to invite you to accept Him in your heart.

In doing so, you will find that even in whatever testing or trial you face, God is the God of the impossible!

Not only that, but if you call on His name, you will be saved. “for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” –Romans 10:13.

You will be saved eternally and perhaps from whatever trail, storm or testing you may be facing.

You might be wondering what the outcome of that morning I spoke of earlier was. Well, it was a victory. God stepped in and fought the battle. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble” –Psalms. 46:1. It wasn’t until I was led to share the testimony of what transpired that I learned that He is Jehovah Sabaoth, one of the names of God, which signifies God’s Power and authority over all the forces of heaven and earth. This name is often associated with spiritual warfare. It reminds us that God is our Protector and Deliverer in times of trouble.

God stepped into my situation when first, I chose to believe He could do what I was asking of Him, and secondly, when I invited Him in.

In the bible, David fixed his eyes on the Lord when he stood before a giant no one could defeat. He remembered who his God was. David remembered who it was that had helped him fight his battle with the lion and the bear, and that is why he declared to King Saul, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” –1 Samuel 17:37.

Most of us know the story, Goliath was covered with armor from head to toe, and it seemed that no one could defeat him, but David remembered who his God was and all that He’d already done, so David invited the God of Host to step in and fight for him. “David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” –1 Samuel 17:45-47.

And God defied gravity. Instead of Goliath falling backward when David’s stone hit its mark, he fell forward. The presence of God was truly in that battle. And Goliath’s being flat on his face at the end of the battle was proof!

Friends, can I tell you what I have experienced firsthand? If you invite Him, God will and can step into your battle or situation. In my recent valley experience, I learned that the God of Host means God fights and inhabits that particular situation for His Glory.

I don’t know what giant you’re facing, but David called on the God of Host, and God and His army stepped in. David learned to fix his eyes on God, and I encourage you to do the same. Friends, keep your eyes fixed on God, not others. Not the situation, yourself, or even what you may be struggling with. I encourage you to fix your eyes on God. Psalm 121: 1-2 says, “I will lift my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Friends, I leave you with this. The battle belongs to the Lord. “Be still, and know that I am God I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. ” The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” –Psalm 46:10-11.

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