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

Tag: Truth Triumphs

Unending Love, Amazing Grace.

July 16, 2022 /
MaryEllen Montville

“And raised-us-with Him and seated-us-with Him in the heavenly-places in Christ Jesus, in order that He might demonstrate in the coming age the surpassing riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” –Ephesians 2:6-7.

‘Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed. My chains are gone, I’ve been set free My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains, Unending love, Amazing Grace. The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. –Chris Tomlin.

Via His Word and various worship songs, the Holy Spirit has spoken to me throughout the day. Stirring up in me reminders of His Holiness, His Power, His Amazing Grace, and Love. God has been refreshing me. Re-minding me (returning to my remembrance); He is not finished with me yet. His ongoing work of sanctification, my being made new, constant. “ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” –2 Corinthians 3:18.

God has been reminding me of just how easily I forget what, said anemically, is the extra-ordinary privilege I have been afforded in having been chosen in Him. My having been saved by the finished work of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. My salvation, costing Jesus His life. I have been humbled today, brought low. Not in a bad way. That’s not the Holy Spirit’s style. Instead, I have been reminded that I am standing on Holy ground whenever God shows up as He has today; I’ve been in the very presence of my heavenly Father. My knees bent, hitting the floor in adoration and awe, feeling the weight of His glory all around me. Who am I that God would come to me?

Now, hear me here. I don’t say this lightly or with some false sense of humility.

I understand I am God’s child and that it is very natural for us to commune with each other. Yet, even knowing this; still, a holy reverence overcomes me whenever my Father shows Himself as plainly as He has today. And I pray that never changes. May I never lose my awe of such a Holy, Loving God.

In His infinite mercy and unfathomable love for us, His children, we who have been chosen in Christ Jesus from before the foundation of the world stand as living testaments, open letters, epistles of God’s unplumbed love. Both now and in the world to come. Irrefutable proof of the supernatural power of our God—to men and angels alike. In 2 Corinthians 3:3, the Apostle Paul says the following concerning your being a living testament to our God. “You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

Listen to how Angelica Duncan describes your being a living testament: “To be a living epistle means you are a living, breathing, walking letter of God’s goodness, glory, and grace!”

So for those whose memory of that precious sacred moment, the Sovereign God of the universe first revealed Himself to you, has dimmed. That very instant, God plucked you out of the kingdom of darkness, placing you safely, instead, into the Kingdom of His Marvelous Light. The Lord has sent me here today to lead you back. Back to the remembrance of the most wonder-full, life-changing miracle you have ever or will ever experience. The hour you first believed. To stir up a re-minder of the very precious gift of faith entrusted to you.

Hold tight to this Truth, child of God! Clinging to it as if to a lifeline, “your” lifeline. Salvation is nothing if not personal. Re-membering, Christ died for you.

No other gift, no matter how great, will ever have greater worth than the gift of your salvation. No healing or blessing, no ministry, spouse, no-thing will ever surpass you receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. Nothing. “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have” –2 Peter 1:10-12.

I pray you never forget the very second this unsearchable miracle occurred in your life, having been seared into your memory, indelible, until the Lord calls you back to Himself.

That very second when, like Paul, scales fell from your eyes. Then, for the first time in your life, you saw clearly. Not by human hands, mind you—no Ananias prayed over you. “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again” –John 3:5-7.

Instead, you were persuaded God had sent His Holy Spirit to visit you as surely as He visited Mary—depositing eternal life into your belly. Filling you with His eternal promises and sealing you in Himself for all time, birthing a new man from the old. You have been washed clean, prodigal. Never forget that Truth! “In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God]” –Ephesians 1:13.

Chains that had you bound for years, some for a lifetime, falling to the floor. You have been set free from sin, death, and the law; because of Christ Jesus. Because God so loved you that He sent His only Beloved Son into this world to die in your place. All that “whomsoever” might be reconciled to Him, now and forever. “He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2.

Remember, too, child of God, when your eyes close to this world, they will open to an eternity spent in the loving presence of your Lord. Never lose hope then. “Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” –Luke 23:43.

Beloved brothers and sisters, listening to Chris Tomlin’s Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) Holy Spirit reminded me of the Truth Paul shares with us in today’s Scripture. And so, I’m passing along this oft-needed reminder to you, too, wanting to stir up what the Holy Spirit stirred up in me. A reminder of who I am in Christ Jesus. Contrary to how I may feel in moments of weakness, doubt, or fear, Christ is not finished with me yet. And neither is He finished with you. Keep moving forward, child of God. Keep trusting in God alone. “Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints” –Ephesians 6:18.

Friend, if you’ve yet to ask Jesus, who sets us free from our past, into your life as Lord and Savior, do it now, please. Why stay bound to your sin, addiction, or pain for one more minute? Live free this instant! “A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” –John 8:35-36.

How Do I “Guard My Heart?”

June 11, 2022 /
Kendra Santilli

“Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life” — Proverbs 4:23.

There must be a good reason for this idea of guarding the heart to be laced throughout the Bible. We see it from the Old Testament through to Paul’s letters to the Churches in the New Testament. What does it even mean to guard my heart? I cannot see nor touch it; how then is it possible to protect it?

What I love about the Bible is that it doesn’t leave us stranded after giving us seemingly impossible instructions. We can find the key to guarding our hearts within the very pages on which Paul writes this statement. Philippians 4:4-7 reads, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Proverbs 4:23 alerts us to the importance of guarding the heart by identifying it as the source of life.

These practical steps outlined in Philippians 4 are stepping stones we have to carry out the instructions in Proverbs 4. While we are instructed to guard our hearts, the Bible also makes it clear that we can’t do it alone; we need God’s help. We see this paradox in contrast between Proverbs 4 and Philippians 4, where it seems that one scripture is telling us to guard our hearts, while the other teaches that it is the peace of God that guards our hearts. I believe this is a sort of a “push and pull ” in our relationship with our Father. We work to live rightly while pushing into God’s resources when we can no longer pull on our strength.

 “Rejoice in the Lord always.” It would be easier if this verse said, “rejoice in the Lord sometimes.”

Instead, it says always. Our rejoicing is so essential that Paul mentions it repeatedly! Why? Rejoicing does something to our minds. It puts us in a different state, inviting peace rather than anxiety. Rejoicing is giving thanks in every circumstance. Sometimes we are so consumed with what’s wrong that we no longer have the energy left to spend on searching for what’s right.

I remember a time in my life when I cried every day. I looked around and was filled with complaints and reminded myself of what was wrong, but slowly I was able to redirect my thoughts to think of what is good, as Philippians 4:8 says. At the time, most days, I had to think hard about what could be good, but as I made it a practice, good thinking became more natural. “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—think about such things” –Philippians 4:8.

Although challenging, changing our way of thinking is possible.

It is rewarding to learn to quit focusing on what’s wrong in life and REJOICE instead over what’s good. The word “gratitude” comes from the Latin word “gratia,” which translates to “grace, graciousness, or gratefulness.” Research shows that gratitude can result in increased happiness in one’s life! (Harvard Health, 2021). This research supports Philippians 4:7. “Let your graciousness be known to everyone.” By choosing gratitude and joy in all things, your countenance changes. As your gratitude and praise to God increase, God inhabits our praises (Psalm 22:3), and the Lord draws near (Phil 4:6). Over time, as gratitude becomes a lifestyle, your joy and “graciousness” will become known to everyone, including yourself.

2. Do not worry.

I know what you’re thinking: it’s easier said than done, but with the help of the Spirit of God, you can live in peace, despite the uncertainties that life brings. Worry often comes with “what ifs.” Worry is faith in the bad things that can happen rather than having faith in God that He will work it out for our good. I’m not saying that life won’t have moments of uncertainty, but there are several places in the Bible where we are instructed not to worry or be anxious. Instead, to have faith and courage, trusting that God is on our side.

When I read these verses, I often thought, “easy for you to say, Bible.” But in my walk with God, I have learned increasingly that this instruction is twofold, more like a cycle of His faithfulness. As we step out in faith, God answers prayers and makes a way, allowing us to experience His faithfulness firsthand. As the cycle continues, we gain the confidence to trust Him for the next hurdle—only to see His goodness repeatedly. The scripture instructs us to pray instead of worry. So, the next time you’re worried, share your problems with God and remind your soul that whatever the outcome may be, God has your best interest in mind.

When we read the following few verses of Philippians, we’ll find a “how-to guide” on having a healthy mindset. And with enough practice, I believe you can discipline your mind to change your thinking patterns. We touched on Philippians 4:8 earlier, but here it is again, including verse 9.

 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” —Philippians 4:8-9.

 Paul is reiterating the possibility of the presence of God’s peace in a very practical way. When you begin to feel panic, remember to pray. Then follow this guide in Philippians 4:8-9 and find something true, right, pure, lovely, or good, and think on that. Train your brain. I am confident that the Spirit of God will help you as He has done for me amid my darkest moments.

The key to God’s peace is trifold: prayer, trusting in Him, and doing our part to discipline our minds to believe God’s Word. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” –2 Corinthians 10:5.

This week, I pray you can find God in every situation. If you don’t yet know Him, He is available to you through Jesus. Jesus wants to give you peace today as you begin your journey with Him.

Citation: “Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health Publishing, 14 Aug. 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier.

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