February 2, 2025

Living A Committed Life - Matthew 16:25-26

Our commitment or lack of thereof to Jesus, reflect where we truly stand in our relationship with Him. So often when we hear the word "commitment", we may thing, what will it cost? What do I have to give up that I might not want to give up? How will that look? How will it feel? Will it be worth it? Jesus gives us a new perspective in today's verse: "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." He doesn't stop there, but pushes the point even further: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own should?" Words like deny, lose, sacrifice, and follow me, make us nervous. Jesus encourages us to stop focusing on what we may lose and to think about all we have to gained. Like the young boy who gave Jesus his lunch to feed the five thousand, he did not obsess about what he might lose. He willingly surrendered his all. And when he gave it to Jesus, it was out of his hands. Jesus took it, blessed it, and used it to meet not just his needs, but the needs of many. And then He have the boy twelve basketfuls of leftovers. That was quire a return on his investment! Hold nothing back from Jesus. He came to give us abundant life. He will not withhold any good thing from us. When we give our lives and all we value to Him, He will pour out blessings that we cannot contain. In Christ, we can love and live and give life we have nothing to lose because we don't.

February 9, 2025

Clear Expectations - Leviticus 26:1-42

Verses 3-4, "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit." God provided Israel with clean expectations, they did not have to wonder what He required of them. This gave them a sense of security and freedom in their relationship with God, yet, His instructions also came with consequences. If Israel obeyed the covenant, they would be richly blessed. They would have abundant harvest and safety from their enemies. Their greatest blessing would be the presence of God in the midst of His people. If Israel disobeyed, the consequences were just as clear. Disease, famine, and defeat by their enemies would come, they would be exiled from the land and from access to God's presence in the tabernacle. Even if they broke the covenant with Abraham. If the people repent, they would be restored. We worship a God who is both gracious and forgiving. Let's choose to obey and honor God in all that we do! In Him, we a hope and a future.

February 16, 2025

Guarding Our Heart - Proverbs 4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life." Have you ever said something or maybe a thought crossed your mind and wondered where did that come from? Or maybe you did something completely out of character and you ask yourself, what was I thinking? We read in Proverbs that everything - out words, our thoughts, our choices, our decisions, our priorities - come from our hearts. When a  heart is full of God's love, our words that we speak and thoughts that we think will reflect the very nature of God. The wise writer of Proverbs warns up to keep or guard our heart. We need to protect our hearts against bitterness, impatience, greed, pride, against jealousy, idolatry, and anger. We must almost be guarded against unsafe and evil influences, unhealthy relationships, and ungodly activities. As we grow in Christ and take on His characteristics, we will have a greater discipline to protect and keep our hearts for our good and for the glory of God. 

February 23, 2025

A Heart For God - Acts 13:16-22

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul tells us how God saw David—even in his failures and the many mistakes that he made, God looked at him as “a man after My heart, who shall fulfill all My will”. David wasn’t a perfect man, yet his many psalms attest to the fact that his relationship with the Lord was the most important aspect of his life. Even with his passion and pursuit of God, he was no different than you and me, he wasn’t always obedient! Who can forget his failure with Bathsheba? When he sinned by committing adultery and murder, the conviction he felt and his humble repentance afterward proved that his relationship with the Lord was still his top priority. Through his imperfections and constant battle with his flesh, David’s heart was turned toward God. He could have allowed all these issues to stall his walk with God, first, by listening to his own guilt and shame speak, secondly, by allowing the enemy of his soul to torment him, telling him that he was unworthy! He humbly repented and asked God to forgive him! This is the heart after God! This is the heart that God searches for today. One that knows when we fall short and we all do, that daily we humble ourselves before Him, desiring His forgiveness, His grace and mercy be bestowed upon us, so that we may pursue His perfect will!