One of the fruits of the Spirit is peace and when we came to know the Lord, His peace began to slowly fill our hearts. With each passing day as we learned more of our Lord, His peace settled deeper into our hearts and outlooks. Worry was subject to His peace, and so was fear and anxiety as our God made Himself known to His people. 

Peace is our heritage in the Lord. But the lost have no peace and as Paul wrote to the Romans (Romans 3:17) the “way of peace they have not known.” Today, ask the Lord to bring someone to you that has no peace so you might share with them what God has given you in His Son Jesus Christ.

Sharing His peace,

Pastor Jack Abeelen

David’s insights into the Lord, his dependence upon the Lord, and his passion for the Lord are revealed in the Psalms he wrote during the time he was fleeing from Saul. Saul, who had nothing but anger toward David, was God’s instrument to make him into the man he desired to be.

The same is true with us. “Lord, change me,” I pray. “I’m tired of the smallness of my soul, the hardness of my heart. Make me different than I am.”

“Okay,” the Lord says. “I’ll send you an anointed instrument to help accomplish this change.” “Good!” I say, thinking it will be an anointed teacher, a Christian book, or a close friend. But He sends a Saul or two throwing spears at me.

Who has the Lord allowed to be in your life who throws spears at you and brings grief to you? That person is the anointed instrument of God to work in you the love, kindness, and tenderness you long for. There’s no other way for the Lord to change you but to send a Saul or two your way. The question is, what will you do? Will you cut the fringe of his coat?

What about that person who breaks your heart? Are you going to take them down a peg or two or, like David, will you wisely choose not to touch the Lord’s anointed?

Pastor William Del Casale

Jesus is speaking to the 70 whom He had sent out into the cities where He Himself was about to go (Luke 10:1). He had commanded them to take no provisions for their journey and to heal the sick in the cities that received them in peace. These disciples experienced mind-blowing levels of God’s power as they experienced God providing for their physical needs while being used by Him to heal the sick. Now they have returned with joy to report all that they experienced, including the fact that they held power over demons.

Jesus knew they were blessed to have seen and experienced these things (Luke 10:23). However in our verse today, He wants to remind them of the eternal purpose of His ministry which is the salvation that is made available to all through His blood which He shed for us on the cross. God’s desire is for fellowship with all of mankind and that they spend eternity with Him. He calls all to repentance, not wanting that any should perish (2 Peter 2:9). As the Church, we are ministers of Christ and are part of Jesus’ “long game” to reach the lost in order to change their eternal destiny. Lord, may we be ever mindful of eternity as we share the hope of eternal life in Jesus to those around us.

Jeff Mericle

Jesus was often accused of breaking the Sabbath according to the religious elite of His day. They saw Him performing various miracles like giving sight to the blind, healing a withered hand, and probably many other healings not mentioned in the Gospel accounts. This upset the religious elite because there were rules and/or laws that forbid or limited Jews to certain activities and to overextend yourself in this area was to disrespect God and disrespect their way of life.

There is a tendency to fall in line with traditions or the majority at the expense of doing what is morally right. We so often will remain silent or still when there is obligation to speak or move because that is what our Lord Jesus would do. Jesus didn’t care what the religious leaders or the majority had to say when it came to doing the right thing.

May we always be reminded of this truth when confronted with a situation to do good or to do evil, especially when doing good might get us into some hot water.

Pastor Jason Witt

Esther was a woman chosen to be the wife of the king. There was some trouble that threatened the life of the Jews and her uncle Mordecai brought it to her attention. “Don’t think you’ll be safe there where you’re at,” he said. Esther was in a tough position. She had the opportunity to change the fate of her people by going to the king, but if she said something the king did not like, it could result in her death. Mordecai reminds her, what if God allowed you to be in the position you are in for this very reason? What if the favor you found in the king’s eyes was for this very specific moment in time?

Whatever place we find ourselves in, we have the unique ability to bring light to the situation. Sure we might be made fun of and ridiculed. Maybe fired from a job that we have. But what if for this very reason you are where you are to make a change? 

Take some time to think of how you can speak up. It could very well be the person listening and watching you gives their life to the Lord.

Joshua Navarro

Fear can be so crippling to our life’s journey. We must be aware of danger and we need to be wise in our approach to the dark circumstances that may come upon us, but being afraid is an empty option when the Lord offers a better way.

The significance of God promising to hold your right hand is important to consider. Throughout scripture, the right hand represents blessing, authority, and power. Though our innate abilities have considerable limitations when we find ourselves navigating the valleys of life, our Maker stands ready to help us and guide us. Realizing His loving strength in our lives begins when we reach out our hand to feel His grasp.

Do you need God’s help today? Me too. Call upon the Lord your God and let Him take your hand. He has something He wants to say to you.

Jeff Deal

If this message that Paul preached was given to him by a man, it would be a message that appealed to man’s nature and his flesh. Our flesh always wants some credit, we want to play some part in our salvation, but salvation through grace honors God and Him only. This message and Gospel came to Paul through direct revelation from Jesus Christ. God had grabbed ahold of Paul and made Himself known to him and it was the Lord who gave him a calling to preach salvation by grace to the Gentiles.

When we came to the Lord, salvation came to us in that same way, it came through revelation from God Himself. The truth of the Gospel and the leading of the Holy Spirit opened our eyes, allowing us to receive what Jesus had done for us. It was all God’s work.

So go out and share that same Gospel message, knowing that it is the only way of salvation to those who are lost.

Pastor Doug Hardin

Everybody wants to be content, but we want it to come through some divine revelation. We want to wake up one morning and, poof, we are content. Here we read that contentment is something that has to be learned.

One thing that God has been showing me throughout the last couple of months is to be content with the little things. Being thankful for toilet paper is not something I would have thought of a few months ago, but here I am thanking God for toilet paper. God has been showing me to be content with the little things like grocery stores, having dinner on the table, spending time face to face with the people I love. These times have been trying and frustrating, but it is in the midst of difficulty that we grow the most. Learning to be content with the little things is just one of the things that God has been teaching me in the midst of these past several months, what has He been teaching you?

For the King,

Pastor Daniel Batistelli

There’s a lot of division today and sadly, you don’t really have to look too far to see it. Chances are if there is a divide between you and someone else, you may not want to really go the extra mile for them.

There is a great divide between us and God because of sin. Sin is anything that we say, think, or do against God. God is perfect in every way imaginable. To approach Him, we have to be without sin. But, even when we were against God, He died for you. While you were against Him, He died for you. He died for the person you have a divide with. Because God’s love is so great, He bridged the divide between us and Him. He died for you at your worst so you could not only become better but be better through Jesus Christ. And best yet, you could be saved and have a relationship with God where there is no divide but communion with the One true God. Turn to Jesus. He knows you are literally to die for. And if you know Him, don’t allow a chasm to stop you from sharing and showing the love of Christ.

Resting in Him,

Pastor Sean Boehm

How many times have we said to our kids, “You need an attitude adjustment!” Attitude really is the key. We can neutralize dynamic events in our lives with the wrong attitude. Our perceptions or misconceptions, what we view as possible or impossible, and our prejudices or lack of them, make an awesome difference. Peter needed an attitude adjustment and God was helping him get one with the vision He gave of the unclean animals being lowered on a sheet. Peter still had the wrong attitude toward Gentiles and that could have strangled his ministry but God was helping him change that attitude toward ALL that were lost.

As Christians, we need to throw our preconceived notions out the window and let God direct us in ways we might not be used to but, if it’s His will, we can be used for the Kingdom in mighty ways.

Nothing common,

Pastor Gerard Deleeuw