So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a [a]jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.
1 Kings 17:12-15

True sacrifice is always out of survival, never out of surplus. We have a tendency to say, “Lord, if You bless me, then I’ll give. If You bless us, then we’ll move out.” That’s exactly backwards. You give first, then the blessing is released.

The Father is determined to make us men and women of faith. And He’ll put us in situation after situation where faith must be exercised. It takes no faith to give out of surplus. It takes tremendous faith to give out of survival – when you just don’t have it – whether it’s time, finances, or love.

The widow believed. She stepped out in faith, and God blessed. Her needs were met. The Lord will not be a debtor to any man. If you are giving, sharing, and sacrificing, He will never be in your debt. He’ll more than make it up.

Pastor William Del Casale

And with the blast of Your nostrils, the waters were gathered together: The floods stood upright like a heap, and the depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
Exodus 15:8

Have you ever tried to pile water in a heap? That would be about as futile as “grasping for the wind” as Solomon likes to say. The only way a human is going to accomplish piling water is if it is in the form of snow. To do otherwise requires the miraculous, and that is what this verse is describing.

The children of Israel were being pursued by the Egyptians and God parted the waters of the Red Sea so that Israel could escape, and then He released the waters once the Egyptians were in the middle of the sea. The first part of Exodus 15 is a song of praise that the people sang to the Lord for their deliverance. This passage paints a picture of just how effortless it was for God to deliver Israel. With a heavy exhale through His nose, millions upon millions of tons of water were moved to form an escape route.

When we face the trials and tribulations that life brings, remember the ease with which God delivered the children of Israel. Our God is mighty and all powerful, and what appears insurmountable to us is just an exhale to Him. Thank God that He is for us!

Jeff Mericle

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14

For one who is being drawn to God, there comes a time when the hearing of the word of truth ignites authentic faith deep in one’s soul. Paul wrote in Romans 10:17 that faith in God comes through hearing the word of God. It is amazing that God uses language—mere words that can be written on a page—to change the eternal destiny of the hearer if they are believed and received. Not just any words, mind you, but it is the words of the gospel that changes everything.

However, no matter how sincere one is when the gospel is understood and embraced by faith, one cannot grow in faith without supernatural help. Jesus told His disciples, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Therefore, when we believe the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, the Holy Spirit is given as a pledge of our future inheritance. It is by the Spirit of God that we are enabled to do the will of God in our lives.

Certainly it is possible that by sheer will power, one can do some very good things. There are obviously many ungodly people who have done many good things, and by receiving the praise of men they have their reward. Christians can also achieve great things in their own strength, but God is not glorified in self-achievement. God is glorified when His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

No matter how weak or inadequate or powerless you feel today, it is God’s Spirit who is in you, and He is your strength today.

Tom Day

Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.
Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah, a prophet to the remaining Jews in Judah, had a ministry no one would desire or envy. He was abused, hated, scorned, and mistreated.Why? Speaking God’s Word to the people who didn’t like what he had to say! You can see from the opening of the passage above, Jeremiah wanted to throw in the towel. No longer will he continue speaking for God, no longer will he even mention His name, it’s too much for him to bear, he can’t take it anymore. But… he could not stay quiet.

Why could Jeremiah not stay quiet about God and His message despite the devastating blows he was taking physically and emotionally from continually speaking God’s Word? Passion. The dictionary defines the word “passion” as a strong and barely controllable emotion. When God’s Word truly grabs hold of your life, it becomes something that you can’t ignore or force to be quiet. It is a fire inside your bones, a fuel for the soul comparable to high octane gas for a race car.

While I have never faced the degree of difficulty of Jeremiah, I can relate with him in regards to the passion he had to share God and His Word. There is not a passion stronger in my members than to speak and share God’s truth with a conviction that rivals no other. I pray the same for you as you grow in your wisdom and knowledge of God.

Pastor Jason Witt

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19

When someone offends you, what is your typical response? Usually I think of words to tell the offender. I come up with this script of what I will tell them when they are in front of me. I want them to feel the pain that I have gone through and I think of what I can do to get even with them.

Paul reminds us here what it says in Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance is Mine.” I have to be reminded that God is in control. God is just and His judgements are righteous. In verse 21, Paul goes on to say, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The best thing we can do in a time like this, is bless those who have offended us. We shouldn’t let this evil overcome us but overcome evil by doing good.

Joshua Navarro

“Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’? Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” ’ But say to them, ‘ “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.”
Ezekiel 12:22-23

As it was centuries ago, so it is now; the prophecies of God are often ridiculed as tall tales that deserve no place in the mind of an intelligent person.

For the honest seeker who takes the time to search God’s word, fulfilled prophecies come one after another with indisputable accuracy. Yet the world scoffs. The prophecies of God are still waiting for the time to reveal their fruition that will take place whether believed upon or not.

There are those who laugh at the idea that Jesus will come again. The follower of Christ longs to see that day; the rejector of His love shakes their head and inwardly hopes it never, ever happens. Oh, how the Lord yearns for every man and woman to hear His voice and be ready for His return! Today, let’s keep the Lord’s return in mind, ready by His grace for that day, eyes scanning the horizon for that sweet hour.

Jeff Deal

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:3-4

There has never lived a man who was a better example of righteous living than Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life, sinless in every way. He was giving, loving, compassionate, and caring. He served others with passion, He was selfless in every action, and relentless in pursuit of His goal — to show the love of the Father. In John 15:13, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

We read in the word that we should be following Jesus’ example, that we are to serve as He did and love with the love that He had. Is that calling way out of our reach? Our verse today tells us it is not!

When you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He started His work in you. Through the power of the Spirit, you can rise above the flesh and you can live out the example of Jesus. When you place the wants and needs of others before your own, you lay down your life for them, “Walking according to the Spirit, not the flesh.”

Pastor Doug Hardin

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Have you ever had an unexpected word of encouragement from someone? Do you remember how uplifting it was? Our words and actions have so much power. With them, we can build people up or tear them down. Paul reminds us that we are to be in the business of building people up. We live in a society that is quick to complain and point out error, but rarely points out the good. When we take the time to comfort people and encourage them, we reflect the love of Christ.

Take some time today and encourage someone in your life. Watch how it brightens their day and then remember that is the way Jesus has called us to live.

For the King,

Pastor Daniel Batistelli

They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt.
Psalm 106:21

If you have been a Christian long enough, you forget some things. I don’t mean the normal things like when you lock your car then forget whether you locked it after taking three steps. I mean the things in your life the Lord has done.

We tend to get comfortable in our lives where we are and forget that our God does wonderful things in the midst of trials. We know that God CAN do wonderful things, but live our lives as if we have never experienced it. Don’t live in the past, but live in remembrance of the great things God has done in your life so we can move out from complacency to courage and step out in faith.

Resting in Him,

Pastor Sean Boehm

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

Gaining entrance to heaven is not a high-jump contest. The current record for the high jump is 8’ ¼”. That’s pretty high standing here on earth but what would that look like from a jet flying at 30 thousand feet. It’s a crude example but that’s God’s perspective on human righteousness; we all fall short. We fall short of His glory by: our words, thoughts, and actions. We fail to qualify for the glory and reward He gives by refusing to be conformed into His image. Our only hope is the grace God has extended to us through His Son Jesus.

So the next time we might feel like we’ve arrived, remember that it’s a level playing field and that should prompt understanding and compassion in our hearts for our fellow man: non-believers and believers alike.

Grateful for His Grace,

Pastor Gerard Deleeuw