Ephesians 2:14

If we look back at the context of this verse, we see Paul talking about the Jews and the Gentiles becoming one in the body of Christ. These two groups did not like each other at all. But the Lord doesn’t care about our social norms or even what has happened to cause a hatred between groups of people. Why? Because Jesus is our peace. Not only internally, but externally with all people as well.

When we look back at all the greetings in the epistles we find the greeting, “grace and peace.” It is all from God because this peace amongst each other is not found in a situation or outside of anyone other than Christ as we grow closer to Him. Know that the Lord has broken down the barriers between people, even ones that seem unreconcilable, because HE is our peace. Is He yours?

Resting in Him,

Pastor Sean Boehm

Philippians 3:10a

Self-care has become an extremely trendy word in our culture. However, it is not the way to true joy. True joy does not come from treating yourself or from self-realization; rather it comes from knowing Jesus Christ. As Paul was penning this great letter about joy from a prison cell, he reflected on his greatest ambition in life, “that I may know Him.” Paul knew God in a way that we all hope to one day, but it was not enough, he wanted to know Him more!

It was Paul’s relationship with the Lord that allowed him to have an abundance of joy in his life. If you want true joy in your life, follow the example of the apostle Paul and make it your life’s ambition to know Him! Walk with the Lord daily, grow in your knowledge of Him and you will have an abundance of joy in your life.

For the King,

Pastor Daniel Batistelli

John 15:6

If we’re driving down the road and see a sign that says “Bridge Out,” it’s good to heed the warning. This verse is definitely one of those “Bridge Out” type of warnings. This is not a reference to salvation but refers to our earthly usefulness in bearing fruit. Jesus is giving us a simple formula: abide in Christ or we won’t be useful for the Kingdom. He gave a vivid illustration of this with the Parable of the Talents. Obviously the last servant who buried his one talent was not abiding or connected to the master. Jesus also warned in the Sermon on the Mount that as salt of the earth we could lose our flavor.

The solution is simple; walk in His steps, love as He loves, serve as He serves, go where He goes, and every road will have a solid bridge to cross.

Heeding the warning,

Pastor Gerard Deleeuw

Jeremiah 42:2-3

The above verses are spoken by Azariah, the son of Hoshaiah and other leaders. They certainly seemed sincere and genuinely seemed to want God’s guidance. Yet Jeremiah 43:2 says, And all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, “You speak falsely! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.’”

Chapters 42 and 43 are Jeremiah’s ministry in a nutshell. In Chapter 42, a group of leaders came to Jeremiah and said, “Whatever you tell us, we’ll do” and then after Jeremiah gave them instructions, including not to go to Egypt, this same group said, “You’re lying! The Lord would never say that!”

I’ve encountered the same thing counseling. I’ve listened to the situation and then given what God says about it in His word. Many times, the person or people I’m counseling will say something like “That doesn’t work for us, there must be another way” and like the leaders above, go off to Egypt, or the world, to look for answers.

If we’re going to live a blessed life, we have to take God’s word as truth and follow it even if it’s hard to do.

Keep me out of the world!

Pastor Ron Kitchell

Matthew 4:19-20

Matthew 4 records the calling of four of the apostles to following the Lord full-time and Luke 5 gives us further information about that day. These men were fishermen, successful ones. But on this morning, Jesus reveals Himself to Peter and the rest as the coming Messiah and each of them immediately left their businesses and fishing boats and nets behind to answer His call. He told them He would make them fishers of men!

In reality, that is truly the work of the Lord for the church today. We are called to make Him known, to go out into the world and talk about Jesus, Who He is and why He has come. Today see yourself as a fisher of men. Are you catching anything? Is your line in the water? Getting any nibbles? What kind of bait are you using? Praying that you might become a very successful fishermen as God sends you forth today for His glory!

Wanting to make a great catch!

Pastor Jack Abeelen

1 Samuel 17: 45- 46a

The question of purpose is one that David answered at a young age. You have heard the story of David and Goliath: the Israeli army was outmatched and taunted by a literal giant of a man. That’s when David, a young, inexperienced shepherd boy, showed up. It didn’t take long before he was so outraged and offended by Goliath’s taunting of the Israelite army, that he volunteered to fight.

What moved David to act in such a way to risk his life? David knew the freedom and liberty of his people were at stake. He probably also thought about the impact a loss would have on the people he loved. But there was something more – something greater that moved David from the sidelines to the front line. The final straw was hearing Goliath taunt and shame the One True Living God. The honor and name of God were at stake and that was what moved David to action.

Where are you headed and why? What motivates you to get up in the morning? Is it wealth, career, accomplishment, family? I challenge you to put all that second to pursuing God. Put God before work, hobbies, friends, and even family, and ask Him for clarity. Ask God for direction. Ask Him for purpose. Imagine what would happen if this next generation pursued God’s passions before all else – it could be world-changing in American history.

Pastor William Del Casale

2 Corinthians 4:16

Paul experienced many things that could have caused him to lose his motivation for ministry, but didn’t give up because of the certainty of his own future resurrection (2 Corinthians 4:14). Here he acknowledges the temporal and finite nature of all human flesh, and the hard life that he has lived has most likely accelerated the breakdown of his own body.

While the outward man, our physical nature, is on the decline, the inward man, our spiritual nature, is not. Our spiritual nature lasts an eternity due to His daily renewal. It is not going to decay like the outward physical being. In 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, we are told that we are a new creation and that we are to no longer regard anyone according to the flesh. All things have become new and this “newness” is renewed continually. Our sinful selves, as long as we are clothed with our flesh, fights against the newness. Therefore we must choose to live the newness by putting on the new man (Ephesians 4:23-24). God’s mercies and renewing are new every day. When we have stumbled, we can get up and start afresh, and as we submit daily to His sanctification of our lives, He will build us into the men and women that He desires us to be.

Jeff Mericle

Acts 4:36

As the apostles were ministering, they gave this brother Joses a nickname, and it wasn’t “Hot Shot” or “Skippy.” His nickname was given as a description of his heart, the kind of man that the apostles saw him as, he was an encourager.

People get nicknamed for various reasons, maybe because of their physical attributes or their personalities. And based on what the apostles visibly saw in Barnabas in the way he treated his family and others, the words that he chose to use in conversations between services, the faith that was manifested during the tough times, they called him the encourager.

You might ask yourself….”I wonder what my nickname would be if the people at Morningstar were to pick one?” What do you think? Would it be flattering or not?

When it comes down to it, to be nicknamed “the encourager” is way up there. That’s what the apostles saw in his life and that is what I hope others see in our lives.

Seeking to glorify Him,

Rich Kikuchi

Psalm 119:116

When the Word of God is your authority and passion, your prayers will start to resemble King David’s in Psalm 119. The Word was never intended by God to be merely supplemental to the betterment of your life or just another resource that provides helpful guidance. The Word of God is everything to our understanding of God and how we approach all of life.

There were people that were out to get David, and that’s a scary place to live, especially when what they don’t like about you is your adherence to God, His Word, and His will. I believe that is why David coupled this prayer with, “Do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” Despite knowing that the truth is our life, there is a temptation at times to break from the truth when we know it will cost us. It doesn’t always feel safe to follow God’s Word, hence there is a temptation at times to break from the truth when we know it will cost us.

But we must redefine what safety means as a believer. Safety is not always physical protection, although at times it can provide that, but true safety is being united with God. As those who claim the truth, may we never be ashamed of the truth because it is our hope, it is our safety, it is our Savior (John 1:1-5,14).

Pastor Jason Witt

Proverbs 28:13

Confessing your sin is a big deal. You do not want to be walking around pretending that everything is fine. When you are in sin, you need to come clean before God. Sometimes you need to come clean with someone else so that they can love you and hold you accountable. Someone that will pray for you and encourage you to walk in holiness. This sometimes can feel like shame and you would rather just cover it up, but sin when it is full grown brings forth death (James 1:15).

In 1 John 1:9, it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Do not wait, get right with God today!

Joshua Navarro