After hearing about the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, Matthew tells us that Jesus withdrew to a solitary place, likely to grieve and pray. Jesus is fully human and fully God, and it shows us that he experienced times of sorrow and hurt just like us. Yet, when the crowds followed Him, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick. Jesus didn’t let His grief prevent Him from ministering to others. His compassion was active, even in His own time of need.

Compassion often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and respond to the needs of others, even when or if we are hurting. Ask yourself, how you can show compassion to those around you, especially in difficult times.  Always remembering that The Lord is always compassionate towards us.  “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy” (Psalm 145:8).

Say this prayer with me, Father, thank You for Your compassion towards me. Help me to extend that same compassion to others, even when I am going through difficult times. Use me as Your vessel of love and healing. In Jesus name, Amen.

And remember Jesus Loves you and so do I.

Pastor Will

This week our devotions are going to focus on living lives driven by faith and not fear, a series of devotionals I would like to call “Faith Over Fear”,  looking at Matthew 14:1-29 we will break down this passage of scripture daily and walk-through understanding what it looks like to live life from a fear-based reaction, and what it looks like to live life from a faith-based reaction and trusting in God’s provision along the way.  

The Power of Fear (Mathew 14:1-5)

14  1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

In this passage, we see Herod gripped by fear when he hears about the works of Jesus. His fear is not just about the physical threat but also about the truth that John the Baptist had spoken to him. Fear, when left unchecked, can lead us to make destructive decisions, just as it did for Herod. Fear of the truth, fear of loss, and fear of others’ opinions can drive us away from God and toward actions we later regret.

Have you ever allowed fear to influence your decisions? Are you allowing fear to dictate your actions, or are you choosing to trust God? Remember, “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

I pray that the Lord would help us to recognize the fears in our lives and bring them to Him. That he would give us the courage to face them with faith, knowing that he is with us.  May His truth guide our actions and not the fear of what others think or what might happen.

And Remember Jesus Love you and so do I.

Pastor Will

Do you have something in your life that is set-apart? Maybe a favorite song, shirt, dress, or a restaurant?

This morning I started reading the story of Abraham and how God called him out from the land of Ur to the land of Canaan. That must have been tough, leaving his friends, family, culture, and everything behind. I am sure you are asking, “why would God do that to Abraham?” Well, I believe that Abraham was set-apart, God had a special purpose for his people and he didn’t want to use anyone other than Abraham for this purpose.

But the word that describes Abraham is the word faith. It took faith for him to leave his life behind, to step into a new season, and worship the Lord when circumstances were tough. But the thing we can learn besides faith is that if you are set-apart, you are going to be going through a lot of change.

I believe as Christians, each and every one of us is set-apart, special, unique, and called to play a role in God’s kingdom just like Abraham. But because you are set-apart, God will call you into new things, areas, jobs, people, and circumstances because nothing increases our faith and dependence on the Lord more than change. Change can cripple us, make us vulnerable, and timid, but what God desires to build in us is the willingness to take the step of faith, especially when you are scared.

Change can be scary, but as Christians, we can understand that there is no strength without strain. Change empowers development, knowledge, experience, patience, and empathy towards others. It builds reliance upon the truth of God’s promises rather than the noise of doubts in this world.

Today, I encourage you to not see change as a bad thing, but a necessary thing. You can be filled with joy in knowing that we have a God who goes with us. We can rejoice that our circumstances are shaping us into who God has called us to be.

“The seasons change and you change, but the Lord abides evermore the same, and the streams of His love are as deep, as broad and as full as ever.” – Charles Spurgeon

Pastor Chance

Discipline is often seen in a negative light, but in God’s kingdom, it’s a sign of His love for us. Just as a loving parent corrects their child to guide them on the right path, God disciplines us to shape our character and bring us closer to Him. It’s a process of growth that, while sometimes painful, is ultimately for our good.

When we face God’s discipline, it’s easy to feel discouraged or even resentful. We might think, “Why is this happening to me?” or “God must be punishing me.” or “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed about it, it still didn’t turn out right I’m done trying.” Imagine if we had this attitude about anything else in life. It’s important to remember that God’s discipline is not about punishment but about transformation. It’s His way of refining us, helping us to let go of our old stubborn ways and embrace a new life in Christ.

Consider the story of Peter. He was a passionate follower of Jesus, but he often acted impulsively and made mistakes. When Peter denied Jesus three times, it was a moment of deep failure. Yet, Jesus didn’t abandon him. Instead, He lovingly restored Peter, guiding him through his mistakes and strengthening his faith. Peter’s experience of discipline and restoration prepared him to become a bold leader in the early church.

“God does not discipline us to subdue us but to condition us for a life of usefulness and blessedness. In His wisdom, He knows that an uncontrolled life is an unhappy life, so He puts reins on our wayward souls that they may be directed into the paths of righteousness.” – Billy Graham

Pastor Chance

Every year when the new school year approaches, I remember that gut-wrenching feeling that I had had when I was a kid. The feeling that the summer’s over and I will have to enter a new school and try to make new friends. Many of us may remember the times where as a kid we felt that weird mixture of excitement and anxiety. Now, I look back on all of those times and I am grateful for that feeling, because I now understand that without moving to several new schools, I wouldn’t be as good with people as I am, I wouldn’t know the boldness and strength that was within me, to be open to change and adapt and overcome, and I wouldn’t know that I could be placed in a new environment and not just survive but thrive.

It’s natural to feel nervous about the unknown, but it’s important to remember that growth often happens outside of our comfort zones. Just like Peter, who stepped out of the boat to walk on water towards Jesus, we are called to take bold steps of faith, even when we’re scared.

Peter’s story reminds us that even when we feel overwhelmed, Jesus is there to catch us. Similarly, David faced the giant Goliath with unwavering confidence, not because of his own strength, but because he knew God was with him. David’s faith and courage came from his trust in God’s presence and purpose for his life.

When we lean into him more, God grants us overwhelming inner confidence because He goes before us. When we step out in faith, we can be assured that we are not alone. We have a purpose, and we are deeply loved by God. So, as you face the new school year and any accompanying fears, remember that stepping out in faith is part of our journey. Great things rarely happen in the comfort of an easy life. Embrace the challenges, knowing that God is with you every step of the way.

“When you fear God you fear nothing else, but when you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” Oswald Chambers  

Where did Francis ever get the crazy idea for this unrealistic lifestyle? He simply heard the words of Jesus and decided to follow them faithfully. He was especially influenced by the story of the rich man who came to Jesus wanting to know how to gain eternal life. Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:21-22) Francis and his followers found freedom by letting go of the things of this world in order to bless and heal and preach to God’s children (and even birds!)

That was our worst road trip but it doesn’t compare to the nearly 10,000 miles road trip of St. Paul’s life:  … three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (2 Corinthians 11:25-27)

Like impatient and ungrateful children they complained the whole way. First, when they observe the oncoming army of Pharaoh chasing them they say, “What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?  It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Exodus 14:11-12) When they came to a water source that was too bitter to drink: …the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” (Exodus 15:24) When food became scarce they grumbled “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (Exodus 16:3) 

Genesis 12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.[a] 3  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

One of the first road trips in the Bible is the call of God to Abram to leave his homeland and head to the Promised Land. Abram was wealthy and comfortable in his home. But there was one thing he lacked-a family. God gave him a choice-stay and be safe or go and be fruitful. It’s amazing to me not only that God persuaded Abram but that Abram was able to get his wife, Sara, to go along based on such an impossible promise.