May 8

According to Biblical sources, Eli was a good and pure man. He acted as priest and judge in Israel for over 40 years. Yet, what we read in 1 Samuel 2 is not the telling of such a man. It’s the ultimate undoing  of a weak and wavering man.  This is the story of man who had lost the fear of a God whom he once love and adored. It is very sobering and important to note what transpires in the heart of a man whose heart becomes void of the fear of God. Let’s read verses 22-29 again and see exactly what happens based on the life of Eli. #1 -We lose our love and concern for people. One of the primary functions of a priest is to act as the mediator between man and God. We see in verse one that although Eli knew of the harmful affect his son’s sin were having on the people, he didn’t feel it was necessary to remove them from their position of authority. Instead, he allowed the people to become vulnerable to the perverse ways of religious men. #2-We exploit people for our own pleasure and gain. We can see from verses twenty-two and twenty-nine that Eli and his sons personally profited from sincere sacrifices the people brought to God. They were stealing what was God’s and saw nothing wrong with it! #3-We begin to regard Christ’s sacrifice cheaply. You may say, “Lauryn, now that’s a bit harsh.” But, my friend, it’s the truth. In verse twenty-nine, God asks Eli, “Why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings?” Wow! Eli and his sons had literally come to a place where they regarded the sacrifices and offerings of God as worthless. God responds to Eli’s sin with just discipline. We can learn from the life of Eli that God will humble those who think “lightly” of Him and take advantage of His people. He will do whatever it takes to bring one in rebellion back to a place of wholeness. Wholeness in Christ and intimacy with him always requires a reverent fear of His glory and honor of His name. Ultimately, Eli’s compromise led to the forfeiting of his destiny, the aborting of his legacy and the loss of God’s provision for him and the generations that followed. May this text provide great encouragement to us as we continue to pursue the God we love and may it serve as a reminder of the great importance God put’s on His honor and house. Be blessed Antioch Church! -Lauryn *Historical information given on Eli was found using the Zondervan Bible Dictionary.

April 18

The Searching Sinner Luke 19:1-10

In verse 3 we notice that while Zacchaeus is very wealthy and successful by the world’s standards, he knew something was missing. Even people today, if they are honest, will eventually admit that there’s more to life than just trying to make money and obtain possessions.

Notice that it doesn’t say that Zacchaeus just wanted to see Jesus. No. He wanted to see who Jesus was. He was drawn to this man who had just given sight to the blind beggar. Zacchaeus had at least two problems that day. The first was that he was a short man. I picture him bouncing up and down on his toes, trying to see above the taller guys in front of him. His second problem was spiritual ­ his sins were keeping him from Jesus. Isaiah 59:2 says that “our iniquities have separated us from God.” Not only was Zacchaeus of short stature, he, like us, was not able to measure up to God’s standards. He came up far short in a spiritual sense of ever entering into a relationship with God. He was short on integrity and tall on sin. Good place to say amen :)

Zacchaeus did not allow anything, not the crowd or his condition, to stand between him and his desire to see the Lord. Jesus took note of Zacchaeus, although we are not told why. He stopped, looked up, called him by name, and told him that He must come to his house. Again we see that while Jesus has set his face toward the Cross, he stops and ministers to a searching sinner. He knew right where Zacchaeus was because He knew all about him­ and He was filled with compassion toward him.

This is how it always happens. Jesus makes the first move by coming to the dead sinner and offering life through Himself. We would never be able to come to Jesus unless He came to us first. The mission of Jesus is very clear: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Let this devotion today encourage your heart to keep praying for your loved ones that do not know Jesus as their Savior, or that person the Lord has you ministering too. . Jesus is still on a search and save mission.

His Servant,
Shaun Estrada

April 11

Jesus wants followers not fans
#teamJesus
Luke 14:7-35

Fans are finicky. When things are going good for the team we fill the stands and cheer them on. But, when the chips are down we criticize every play. We bad mouth the players and the coach. We talk about the way it used to be. Fans come in frenzies. They feed on the excitement and vanish when the difficult times come.

The sad truth is that many Christians today resemble football fans. They rally around the excitement and they run from the work. They encourage in the good times and criticize when things are not going so well. They fill the pew and wait to be entertained.

Jesus understood this. We find Him on His way to Jerusalem and a crowd has gathered around Him. In fact the Bible says that "great multitudes" were all around Him. When Jesus saw these multitudes He turned and said to them in essence, "I’m not looking for fans; I’m looking for followers."

Jesus is saying to us today what He said to those multitudes in His day. It’s easy to be a fan. Fans are here today and gone tomorrow. Following takes commitment. Following takes sacrifice. Unfortunately the church today is filled with fans rather than followers. We have people in our pews that are fans of the building they gather in. There are those in church today who are fans of the preacher or the worship leader. There are those who are even fans of Jesus, but they have never made the transition to become a follower of Jesus. It is time for us to declare our loyalty. It is time for us to decide if we are going to be a fan or a follower of Jesus Christ.

Shaun Estrada
#followerofChrist

April 10

Joshua 1-2:24

Recently, the underlying theme of my writings have to do with God bringing us into His place of promise. Perhaps the reason for this is because I cannot seem to step away from these passages without being inspired and challenged as I see the parallels in Israel’s struggles and my own. It’s so vital for us not only to read Scripture but to plant ourselves inside the story and try to become carefully acquainted with the each character.

Let’s get acquainted with Joshua.

Joshua was the son of Nun, an Ephraimite. His name means “Jehovah is salvation”. The meaning is a bit ironic when we consider his roots-he was born a slave in Egypt. It became the perfect fit however, because even though Moses led the Israelites to the Promise land, the Lord ordained Joshua to bring them into it. This man was literally the instrument through which God carried out the salvation of Israel! We know that Joshua was Moses’ assistant and that he represented the tribe of Ephraim in spying out the land of Cannaan. He and Caleb were the only men who came back with a good report. And Israelites wanted to stone them for it.

Let’s get inside the story.

1.

Joshua rallies the people together.

In verse 10 we read that Joshua commanded the officers to tell the people to get ready to move into the promise land.Perhaps Israel felt that because they were so close to Canaan that God would allow them to live there with His blessing. Instead, Joshua called them out of the place of compromise and into a place of action. He commanded that they leave behind the old and once again set their focus (and their feet!) towards the promise.

2.

Joshua called upon his brothers.

Joshua knew that the victory of Israel couldn’t happen without all of Israel. Sometimes, we foolishly believe we can overcome our struggles on our own. When we decide to go into battle alone, we leave ourselves exposed to the enemy’s blows. Then we are injured and have no one to cover us and carry us to safety. We must reach for ourbrother’s hand for victory. Joshua had no problem calling upon the “strong warriors” of the other tribes to help him fight.

3.

Joshua sent spies to scout out the land.

Joshua was a planner and strategist. Likewise, must also be strategic in our plan of attack. This strategy involves not only the help of brothers, but the eyes of the trained. We must allow wise believers to “scout” out the strongholds of our lives. Without their insight, our knowledge is limited and we may enter the enemy’s territory unprepared for what’s on the other side.

We know thanks to our Sunday school teachers and the wonders of the flannel board, that Israel conquered Jericho. What was once a fascinating story for a curious child is now a serious call to action. Let us rely on the wisdom and obedience of Joshua for the strength we need to march out of our compromise and into victory.

*All historical information given on Joshua was found using the Zondervan Bible Dictionary.

Warmly,

Lauryn Everett

April 4

Stressed or Blessed?

Luke 10:38-42

"Martha, Martha ," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Life has many distractions that can overwhelm us, even divert us from fully sensing Jesus’ peace and presence. Our scripture gives us a good example for facing life’s obstacles. We can either be Blessed or Stressed. That was the difference between Mary and Martha. Mary was occupied with Jesus and was Blessed, Martha was preoccupied with her situation and was stressed. She was worried and upset about many things, however worry accomplishes little. Proverbs 12:25 says "An anxious heart weighs a man down." That’s all worry accomplishes. It’s like sitting in a rocking chair. Lots of energy used, yet no forward progress.

No matter what our circumstances, we CAN be set free! We may need to adjust our priorities and eliminate some things, which consume our time and clutter our thoughts; but true worship at His feet is worth it ALL. What one thing is needed? The answer is found in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”.

Here is a little wisdom my Dad shared with me for days when I feel more like Martha....

If you want to be distressed -- look within.

If you want to be defeated -- look back.

If you want to be distracted -- look around.

If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead.

If you want to be delivered -- look up too Jesus!

Which will you be? Stressed, or Blessed? Our choice makes all the difference.

Lets be BLESSED!
Shaun Estrada

April 3

Recently, while having a discussion with a group of beautiful young ladies, it was mentioned that it’s very easy for a person to feel that their heart is in the right place. However, once put to the test, their heart’s true condition is revealed.

I was reminded of this truth when reading this story in Luketoday.

The story lists four different characters: a Jewish man, a priest, a temple assistant and a Samaritan. Let’s flip back to the part of passage where the Jewish man has been left for dead on the side of the road. The first man who discovers his condition is the priest. According to Zondervan’s Bible Dictionary, “a priest indicates one who is consecrated and engaged in holy matters.” Surely, this man assumed his heart was in right standing before God. However, when confronted with the filth of life’s harshrealities and the opportunity to make a wrong right, his heart remained unstirred. Instead, his response was to cover his eyes and remove himself from the situation all together by walking on the opposite side of the road.

The second man we see was a temple assistant. In one Bible translation, he is referred to as a “religious man”. In another, he is referred to as a “Levite”. Essentially, this was a man who accompanied the priests in matters that pertained to God’s house and his people. Notice that when this man saw the victim hewalked over to him. It appears that this man was curious and maybe even concerned over the state of the man lying in the road. But, instead of taking action, he withdrew to the opposite side of the road just as the first had.

The third man we read about was a Samaritan. I’m sure many of you have heard some history on the Samaritan. You probablyalready know that Samaritans were descendants of tribes who had intermarried with the Israelites. Let me share some information that I gathered from the Zondervan Bible Dictionary. Did you know that at the time when this story was told, enmity between the Jews and Samaritans was at its peak? In fact, since the post-exilic period the term “Samaritan” has often been used by Jews as an abusive term for “rebel”. Even so, this Samaritan’s heart was stirred for the enemy that layhelplessly before him.

Before I go further, I want to go back again and point out the response of the two men who came before the Samaritan. Remember that when these “good men” saw the disparaged man, they only saw inconvenience and social disgrace. Both men rejected what they saw because they couldn’t deal with the severity of their own heart’s condition. They couldn’t even bear to walk on the same side of the road because it reminded them of the man they had left behind!

On the other side, the Samaritan saw the man and “felt compassion for him.” He “soothed his wounds…and bandaged them.” Then, he delivered him out of the place of his defeat and into a place of restoration.

Friends, let’s ask God to show us what’s really inside, even when it’s painful. Let’s ask Him to place people in our lives andgive us an opportunity to be stirred with compassion and ultimately deliver them into a place of restoration.

Blessings,

Lauryn Everett

March 27

I believe that most Christians are even familiar with the concept of God bringing them not only into saving grace, but a life of abundance while here on this earth. Even so, while reading this passage, parts of it penetrated my heart. I had a difficult time reading past verses one and two because they were so illuminating for me!

These two verses point out that God’s plan for Israel had to do with Him not only bringing them out of Egypt, a house of bondage, but into Canaan, the land of promise. We also see that the land of promise is occupied by Israel’s enemy and God commanded them to rise up and take the land.

As soon as you and I grasp God’s promise for our lives, a battle will quickly ensue. The enemy of our souls doesn’t want our hearts to abide in a place of fruitful abundance. The enemy of our souls doesn’t want to give up a single inch of territory.

Perhaps there are enemies in your own life that you feel are unshakeable. Is there territory that you feel you’ll never re-claim? Let’s go back to the pages of God’s word and see what God told Israel to do.

It may seem uncanny but God told His people to go into the land where their enemy’s dwelt and to take possession of it. They were weak and these nations were greater and stronger than them. However, the first thing we need to realize if we desire to live in the realm of God’s promise for our lives is that we must take action. Let’s be honest, you can’t be healed of depression by pretending it doesn’t exist! If you desire freedom, you must journey to the place of your bondage. And you don’t travel alone. His presence is with and He will keep you.

The enemy paralyzes us with fear because he knows that if we step into action, his demise within our lives is impending.

The second thing we must do is reframe from compromise. In verses two and three God commands, “You shall make no covenant with them or show mercy to them.” The enemy is great at convincing us that a little is enough. We walked around with a mindset where the concept of living completely victorious is unattainable. We are sadly content what little peace, joy, or freedom we have because we assume that heaven is the only place abundance is possible.

How does compromise happen? Here’s what I think: amidst the battle for victory, we get tired. We don’t “feel” like much progress is being made and we can’t see the finish line. So, we decide to rest. Now I’m not slamming rest by any means. God commands us to rest. However, the “rest” we often give ourselves can easily become laziness in our mindset towards the enemy.

We let up and so does he. This is the place where he wants you and I to remain.

We compromise when we doubt the outcome.

Imagine you are playing a game of chess and the prize for winning is a $50 gift card to your favorite store. Before the game starts, you are told that the entire game has been set up in such a way that you will be the winner. You are not told how long the game will last or given any information on your competitor. Now, since you are 100% certain you will win the game, there is absolutely no way at any point, that you would make a compromise with the other player. On the other hand, if the game goes longer than anticipated or becomes really difficult, you may start to doubt what you were told. At that point, a compromise may seem like a smart move.

If you do strike a deal, you will have essentially robbed yourself of two things: victory and reward.

We must not compromise!

Friend, Christ has assured you and me of victory in this life and He always rewards us for obedience!

Let’s move forward and take the land!

Victoriously,

Lauryn Everett

March 17

Good morning! My grandparents were missionaries to Indonesia over a period of 25-30 years. They also pastored a few churches in the panhandle and West territories of Texas. Once when my uncle was very young, he fell asleep under the pew during the service. Caught up in the business of pastoring this small town church, my grandparents and mom left church to go enjoy a delicious lunch. Only they forgot one small two year old detail. They left my uncle asleep, all alone, in the dark of the church. Unfortunately he woke up before they realized they missed him. Of course, they did miss him and immediately went back to retrieve their crying, distraught little boy. Could you imagine their horror as they realized what they'd done? Can you imagine what Jesus's parents must have felt like when suddenly they realized Jesus was not with their relatives and friends? Oh my goodness. This wasn't a simple 5 mt drive back to the church; it was a longgggg walk back to a very busy, full city that took days. It's no wonder that when the other people around Him were absolutely amazed at His wisdom Mom and Dad wanted to know why He stayed back and worried them so! Did He stay back on purpose or accidentally? Well, I'm sure His parents sure thought it was on purpose. Hmmm. Maybe so. And of course, His innocent response that He had to be about His Father's business must have floored them. What did He mean? About Joseph's carpentry? What did that have to do with staying back to teach and be taught in the Temple? I have a precious, sweet, beautiful 12 yr old daughter. If she had pulled a stunt like that, I would have been frantic and she would have been in hot, hot water. And yet Mary pondered the incident and His words in her heart. It's amazing to hear our children speak profound things. My own son talks of deep theological things at times, and I marvel to hear him. It's funny when I ask where he learned them, he simply says, "from you, Mommy." Beware! Our children really are listening to us. In one verse it says the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. In another one, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Could you imagine parenting the perfect child? I can't. I see too vividly my imperfections as a parent. It would be one tough job to parent a perfect child, let alone the Son of God! And could you imagine being His parent and loving Him so much and wanting to hang onto their little Boy just as we want to hang onto ours and keep them little just a little longer. But He grew and grew and grew in wisdom and stature. Where did He get His wisdom? From God of course. And you can bet God used His earthly parents, and His Sunday School Teachers, and Preacher. :) Just imagine that with me. God used common, ordinary man to download some of His wisdom into the King of kings and Lord of lords. I certainly believe God downloaded straight from heaven His fair share of thoughts. His thoughts are not mans and His ways higher than ours. But I can imagine that the people God surrounded Jesus with who loved Him and poured into His life were used of God as well to grow His only begotten Son. And to think that even now, God uses us, you and I, to download God's love and character into our children. Into other's children. Into the young in faith. How amazing to partner with our Heavenly Father to nurture His little ones both in stature and in faith?! Is there anyone in your life who you can find to mentor and teach and grow in God's wisdom? A wayward child w/o a father? A young girl who tries to dress like a woman? A young man who's about to become a dad? A business woman trying to balance raising a family and working full time? A group of boys needing a coach in soccer and in life? Opening your hands or home to a child needing a safe place? I had no idea this was the message God would give me today. But it must be for someone. I encourage you. Get with God. Get His eyes fastened on today and look for that very special life-changing opportunity that may be awaiting you this very day. It may be just around the corner. God bless you! Have a beautiful day. Rolanda Green

March 13

Luke 1:1-25

Zachariah means “Jehovah has remembered”. He was a priest of the line of Abijah. He was married to Elizabeth, whose name means, “God is my oath.” She was also of the priestly line being a descendant of Aaron. The Zondervan Bible Dictionary reveals that she was a woman of unusual piety, faith, and spiritual gifts. It’s obvious she was an encouragement to Mary, the mother of Jesus in that she confided in her upon finding out she would deliver the long awaited Messiah.

Luke also tells us that Zachariah and Elizabeth were ”righteous in God’s eyes” and that they were careful to walk faithfully before Him.

Although we read about their lives with a “Sunday-school” like fascination, Elizabeth and Zachariah lived in a time and among a people in which they were essentially insignificant and obscure.

Alfred Edersheim writes of the Zachariah’s priestly obscurity stating,

“In many respects he seemed different from those around. His home was not in either of the great priest-centres—the Ophel-quarter in Jerusalem, nor in Jericho—but in some small town in those uplands, south of Jerusalem: the historic ‘hill-country of Judaea.”

They were also childless. Barrenness not only caused deep sorrow for a woman in Elizabeth’s time, it also warranted great social disgrace. When one discovered a woman had no children, people would think, “Perhaps God is punishing her or her husband for some unknown sin.” It’s apparent from the text that their heart’s desire for many, many years was to have a baby.

There were many times in private Zachariah came before the Lord. Offering up the incense of his prayers. His cries for a son would rise and year after year, no answer would come. Elizabeth cried out too. Oh how she longed for little hands to brush across her face and to look into the eyes of one she could teach the ways of Adonai.

Amidst the silence, they remained faithful, the eyes of their hearts fixed on Him.

Eventually, they grew old. Far to old to have a child.

This is where we find Zachariah has been chosen by God to burn incense in the temple. I discovered upon reading Bob Deffinbauch’s article entitled, Silence is Shattered, that this honor was bestowed on a priest only once in his lifetime. What incredible anticipation and excitement arose within Zachariah’s heart once he discovered he had been chosen!

While burning incense before the Lord, the veil of silence that loomed over his heart was broken upon the frightening visitation of an angel of God. The angel told Zachariah that he would have a son and that he would be “great in the eyes of the Lord.” The angel also told him that his would be a ministry of preparation and reconciliation. For he would prepare the hearts of Israel for the Messiah’s coming and bring reconciliation to men and women so they could receive Him once he arrived.

I am so inspired as I ponder the amazing ways of God in this story. He chose a poor, nameless couple whose faith remained despite His delayed response. I see a God who cannot turn His ear from the cry of the righteous. A God who remembers the forgotten and who carries away their disgrace.

Blessings,

Lauryn Everett

March 10

Good morning, Wonderful Family! As I read today's daily Scriptures, I marvelled at God's goodness despite man's wickedness. God, being gracious and loving and providing a rich new home land for His people, led the children of Israel to the promised land. However, their hearts were hard and fearful and rebellious, and they refused to enter in and take what God was giving them. After Moses intercedes for them & God declares that only the children and grandchildren would enter in as a result of their rebellion, the people suddenly have a change of mind. Something that caught my attention in this reading was that in the opening verse 14 of Numbers 14, the congregation lifted up their voices and cried and wept ALL night. They must have been pretty distraught. And why? Because they didn't want to go in and take the land God promised them. They were afraid and didn't yet know and trust God to deliver. Hmmm. Then after God declares that only their children and grandchildren will enter in, they have a sudden change of mind (not heart just mind). They "mourn greatly" and express their sorrow, but the Word doesn't even say they mourn all night like they had over their selfish ambitions and stubborn rebelliousness. It seems to me like the mourning was superficial and merely a result of losing out on the promised land and not because they had grieved the heart of God by refusing His treasure for them. How often have we shed these types of tears ourselves? The children of Israel played a dangerous game that day with God and lost. How often do we play those games? How often do we struggle to obey and even then try to put stipulations on our obedience because really we don't want to do what He's requested of us? God, if you do this, then I will do this. Even Moses aroused God's anger against himself a time or two as he argued w/God refusing just to obey and trust Him. There was a boy in highschool that went to school w/my older brother. He was angry and one day decided to get his parent's attention by acting as if he was going to hang himself. He made the nuse in his closet and climbed up on a chair and put his head in it. Only the chair fell out from under him and he was not able to free himself from the nuse and died before his parents found him. It's a scary place to be in when we harden our heart to God and pursue our own selfish ambitions instead of going His way. If only we truly knew the goodness of God and character of God. If only we believe and trust God. Even towards the hard-hearted Israelites, God was gracious and generous to the people by sparing a remnant of their little sons and daughters and their sons and daughters to inherit the promised land. Why would He do that? Because God is LOVE. God is MERCY. It's not what He does. It's not what He gives. It's WHO He is! He loves us even when we are unlovable. I think more than anything else this year I am on a journey (and taking our children with me) to truly know and love God more than anything else. To be all about Him and not the things I want to do "for" Him. That's a HUGE switch for me. And if our children can learn now that being a Christian means knowing andloving the Lord instead of just following a bunch of rules and regulations or doing a bunch of good works in our own flesh, they will have a huge impact for generations to come on this dark world that desperately needs our Savior! I want to love God more. I want to know Him better. I want to spend a lifetime experiencing the joy of His presence. Will you join me on this journey today? Blessings, Rolanda Green

March 6

Psalm 49: 1-20

Recently, I had a brief encounter with a friend from work. She walked into my office with her beaming face and luminous smile. I was sincerely happy to see her. She’s the type of person who makes you feel like you are one in a million. Yet, it didn’t take long for me to realize something was deeply wrong. I’m not sure what caused her to let down her guard, but when she did outcame an overflow of frustration and fear regarding her financial security. Not only that, she had been crying out to God to put her in a place where she could use her unique skill set and gifts to glorify Him. She didn’t need to verbalize how despondent she had become and how disgusted she was with where she was in life. Her eyes asked the question, “Has God forgotten me”?

We have all been in this place. Some of us are veterans! This is the place where we’re looking through the rear window of our lives, driving away from the fruition of our dreams. Perhaps for you, it came when the economy collapsed or through the loss of a job or spouse. Maybe your days were spent sowing into what felt like iron soil and your nights were void of rest. You may have tossed and turned wondering how you’d pay for the groceries or how you’d put your children through college. The answer to the sticky question, “Why me, God?” alludes us.

The writer of Psalm 49 asks this question instead, “Why should I fear when trouble comes, and when my enemies surround me?” The writer is making a bold statement. He is essentially saying, “I have absolutely no reason to doubt God. “ The obvious truth that we often lose grasp of is that there exists no intelligent reason to doubt God. And, there is no failure or trial great enough to rattle Him. Later on in the passage, the writer has become even more confident of his previous statement. He says, “But as for me, God will redeem my life, He will snatch me from the power of the grave.” Friend, He will always come through for you.

Blessings,

Lauryn

FEB 29

Proverbs 10:19

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
A wise old owl lived in an oak,
The more he heard, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard,
Why can’t we all be like the wise old bird?

How many of your words this last week were words of encouragement? How many sentences were devoted to helping lift anxious hearts? If you were paid 10 cents for every kind word you said and had to give away 5 cents for every critical comment, would you be rich or poor today? Do you realize that there are people all around you who are discouraged? God can use your words to breathe life into a person who is piled by life’s problems. Proverbs 15:4: “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life.”

Have you ever said, “Lord, my tongue now belongs to you?” That’s where Romans 6:13 comes in, which challenges us to “not offer the parts of our body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer ourselves to God…” God wants us to say something like this: “Lord, I’ve been using my tongue for myself but I now want to start using it for you. Here are my lips, let me speak for you. Here is my mouth, let my mouth speak the words that you want.”

Proverbs 16:1 says, “To a man belongs the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.” Your comments can be put under the Lord’s control. He can give you lips of life. He can give you a tender tongue. He can put words of wisdom in your mouth. He can sanctify your speech. All you need to do is surrender your tongue to Him. It’s not only impossible to be wise without the Word of God; our speech will only be changed through the Scriptures.

Wisdom in Proverbs,
Shaun Estrada

February 25

Good morning, Hillcrest Family!

Isn't this a beautiful day already? As I read today's Scriptures, God's Words, "the life is in the blood" kept jumping out at me. Life is in the blood. Immediately, I think about the blood of Jesus that was shed, that was poured out for you and me. Jesus didn't just shed a few droplets of blood. He was marred beyond recognition and lost a lot of blood. He was speared in the side and blood and water flowed. Jesus poured out His life for me. Jesus shed His life for you. He didn't for our remission of sins, for forgiveness, for our salvation and eternal life. He did it for our healing and wholeness. He did it for our peace. How often do we stress over things instead of resting in the peace of God that truly He will take care of it and us?! How often do we find things to stuff into the holes of our hearts instead of filling ourselves with more and more of Jesus?! I'm so guilty as charged. Nevertheless, God sent His one and only Son to pour out His blood, His life, on our behalf. And we are better for it. I remember being pregnant w/each of my three children and partaking in communion. What priceless, special moments those were to partake of the bread & juice, the body and blood of my blessed Lord and Savior, as I carried my babies. It was as if it was not just between God and me but each precious child growing inside of me. Do this in rememberance of Me. Have you taken communion lately? Think about that body, marred and bruised and aching, broken for you. Think about that blood, warm and so full of life - a lifeline straight to God Himself - poured out, drained of it's life for you. If we only fully understood the sacrifice the Lamb of God made for us, we'd walk in more freedom and more holiness and more of the Spirit of God instead of our flesh than you could possiby imagine. Dear children, God calls you His dearly loved and holy people of God, children of God. We are His. We were bought and paid for with a price. Rest in your Savior's arms today. Rest in His love. Rest in His eternal life. Rest in His wholeness. Rest in His forgiveness. Rest in His joy over you.

Have a blessed weekend. See you on Sunday!

Blessings,

Rolanda

February 21

“The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” Proverbs 10:8-9

Have you ever met anyone who couldn’t take instruction? Usually, this type of person will remain in the same place for many years. We will refer to this type of individual as “the foolish man” for the remainder of this written entry. The “foolish man’s” defensiveness often speaks of his refusal to embrace the painful process of growth. His refusal stems froman incorrect view of fruitfulness.

Just as a vine must be pruned in order to produce more fruit, so in a sense, our hearts must be “pruned”. More often times than not, this is a painful procedure and always causes somediscomfort. It’s funny because usually “the fool” is quick to give his or her “professional opinion”. They delight in rambling about their vast knowledge and unique experiences. However, most people don’t really want to listen to them. Here’s why: without realizing it, they have stunted their spiritual growth and they cannot produce fruit.

On the flip side, the “wise man” is glad to be instructed. Why? Because he has a healthy awareness of his weaknesses and asimple understanding that he cannot bear fruit without the pruning of others. God is so gracious to us in this way. He plants us in an environment where we are pulled and tugged by others. This pulling and tugging stimulates growth.

Verse 9 refers to those who walk in integrity. “Integrity”, according to Webster, means, “the quality or state of being complete or undivided.” Wikipedia also describes integrity as “internal consistency”. According to this verse, the result of integrity is security on the journey. You see, the man of integrity “walks” or lives consistently. His present path is firm because of his past decisions to live rightly. The “foolish man” lacks integrity and therefore even his judgments are crooked. He is never completely sure which path to walk because his heart isn’t anchored in truth. Ergo, he slips and falls.

May God give us fresh grace each day to embrace the miraculous process of growth and to walk faithfully before Him that our path may be firm.

Blessings,

Lauryn E.

February 18

Psalm 37: 3-7

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…

rest - to cease from action or motion : refrain from labor or exertion

to be free from anxiety or disturbance

to remain confident : trust rest on that assumption>

to be based or founded rested on several sound precedents>

to remain for action or accomplishment rests with you>

I’ve spent the past few years watching and listening to my parents. My step-dad spends his energy being angry with God for his hard life, the suicide of his first wife, and death of his first daughter. He doesn’t yell and rant and rave at God, but the anger is there underlying. His pain robs him of seeing the loving God that He truly isand of wanting to be with such a loving Father. My mother is so lost in herself and her current misery and loneliness that she can’t see her way straight to the Father. If she could only realize His intense love for her, that love would flow into every crevice of her being and make her whole and complete. I’ve prayed for them and agonized for them, then one day I realized just how little I too know the Father.

I’ve grown up as His precious little girl. I’ve known and loved Him my whole life ...and yet it’s amazing just how the world around us, our bringing up, and our own thoughts and preoccupations shape our view of God. God’s love impacted me as a small child. I felt it so real, so personal. And now so many years later when times get tough I question where did that love that I knew so real back then go and has my love grown cold? You see - even though I KNEW God loved me - as I grew older I always felt like I had to earn that love and that punishment and harshness and lack of blessings awaited me if I fell short which of course I did so often. I went from delighting in the Lord to working for Him and doing for Him and lost the delighting in Him and resting in Him part. And even though years ago the Lord graciously set me free from my works mentality, I find that I don’t rest in Him nearly enough.

Watchman Nee in his book Sit Walk Standwrites about the importance of sitting with Christ – resting with Him. You see when Christ was crucified and died on the cross that fateful day, we were crucified with Him. Our old man with all of its worldly and wicked desires was nailed to that cross and bore upon our Lord and Savior. God raised Him up from the dead and made Him to sit at His right hand and raised us up with him, making us to sit with Him in heavenly places. How often do we stop and rest in what God has done rather than what we can do for God? How often do we struggle in our sins or unrest or despair of heart when Christ did the work for our deliverance and forgiveness, for our peace, for our healing and wholeness? There’s not a thing in the world that we can do to earn them. Christ did it already.

Rest assured we serve a Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace who loves us more passionately than we can imagine and who already bore our pain and wretchedness upon Himself – a pure and holy Being. He is the Potter, and we are the clay. Imagine yourself resting in His mighty, skillful capable hands being fashioned and molded so beautifully and perfectly. Today I admonish you to join me in trusting, feeding, delighting in the Lord and resting in Him and waiting patiently for Him. While our hands work so busily may our spirits find rest seated with Christ, being free from exertion and anxiety and disturbance. God bless you. Have a wonderful weekend. See you on Sunday!

Blessings,

Rolanda Green

February 15

“Be Silent And Out Come Out” Mark 1:21-28

This case is unusual because of where it took place - in the very house of God! Why in the world would a man possessed by demons even be interested in going to the house of God? When I think about the fact that in Jesus’ time, Jews were taught to avoid that which was unclean at all cost. They would avoid people with leprosy who cried out “unclean, unclean” because they were deemed unclean. They would avoid women who were experiencing their monthly cycles because they were labeled unclean. Yet, here in their midst is one of their own-worshipping, serving, dressing right, and talking right and still unclean. The good news is that although the people tried to avoid the unclean - Jesus sought them out.

Hillcrest we serve a Jesus who likes to get up close and personal and have direct contact with those people and places that seem unclean. Jesus sought to make the filthy fit for the kingdom. Jesus was God’s detergent for a dirty humanity. He reached into the places that others could not and would not go. He would reach people that the prophets couldn’t get to, the priests couldn’t get to, and the kings couldn’t get to. And that is what he is calling the church today to do. We are to be the cleansing agents for a filthy world. He wants us to reach those who others will not touch because the world has deemed them unclean.

What is so amazing to me about this man’s deliverance is no one was shocked that there was a man with an unclean spirit. No one was surprise at the presents of sin, even in the synagogue, the church. It was just the way things were. God has given us authority to confront evil in our life and around us. He has given us authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. The same risen Savior, who encountered those unclean spirits long ago with an authoritative word, is alive today. He still speaks such words to today’s bound people. The same authority is available today for us to declare to any unclean spirit, “Be silent, and come out.” Jesus was talking to those spirits of selfishness, jealousy, dissension, envy, doubt, fear, rebellion and the like “Be silent and come out” Every time Jesus met someone demon-possessed He kicked the demons out!

What A Mighty God We Serve!
Shaun Estrada

February 14

Psalm 34

A trial or a legacy?

In Psalm 34:11, the writer invites us to listen to his words. Probably because he felt he had something invaluable to share. David, the beloved king of Israel, had many successful years of walking intimately before of the Lord. Many of which, included fleeing for his life on the backside of the desert. It’s through these “trial times” recorded in scripture, we are able to get to know the “man after God’s own heart”. And it was during yet another affliction of David the words of Psalm 34 were birthed. In fact, when these words were written, David had just fled the presence of King Abimelech. Only this time he had acted like a crazy man. Once again, he was running for his life.
Heart pounding and out of breath, David found a place to hide. Tears burned as they rolled down his sun burnt cheeks and his body shook in exhaustion. His thoughts raced back to better times. Times in which he lie in a field, filling it with praises. He hadn’t asked to become king. Why him? Why this? Yet, amidst the racing torrent of questions, he drew near to God instead of shaking his fist at Him. And he prayed. His words went something like this, “ I know Your eyes are upon me and You are watching over me. I cry aloud to You, for You always rescue me. You are close to me in my brokenness and I know you will redeem my soul.”
Recently, I listened to a teaching from one of my favorite pastors. The premise of his message was that if we don’t draw near to God in our brokenness and pain, then we will never embrace Him in our successes. David knew God amidst his sucessess and clung to him in trial. He was the living example of a man who hungered for God in the wilderness, yet thought upon Him while lying on his bed inside of a palace.
Psalm 34 is the historical account of one of the many trials of David. A story of a broken man throwing himself into the arms of the God he knew would rescue him. For us who follow after him, it’s a legacy of enduring faithfulness and encouragement for the broken hearted.
Don’t give in amidst your trial, and whatever you do, don’t underestimate your faithfulness. You are writing your legacy.

Blessings,

Lauryn Everett

February 7

Psalm 31

“In you oh Lord, I put my trust…”

I don’t know how your day started off. Maybe you started late and feel as if you’re a hundred steps behind. Maybe it’s to early to tell. Either way, isn’t it encouraging to know that when things start to fall apart you can run a to mighty, loving God who will keep your world from caving in?

This is what His Word promises in Psalm 31. Psalm 31:1 says, “In you oh Lord I put my trust; never let me be ashamed; deliver me in your righteousness.”

I encourage you, wherever you are, to do as David did. Declare your trust in the Lord today. You may say, “ The Lord already knows I trust Him.” My response would be, “Then declare it.” This declaration of trust is not for the Lord’s hearing, but for your own. For He has endowed you, my friend, with great power and this power is released in your declaration!

Re-align your mind, will and emotions with the promise of His speedy rescue (Psalm 31: 2). Remind the enemy of his impending defeat and of your inherent victory. Let me remind you, your declaration shakes the darkness.

To every mother who reads this, know that as the nurturer of your home, you are literally a “life-giver” to your children. Your declaration breathes life!

To all fathers, know that as the priest and protector of your home, your declaration travels fast. It demands the response of the mighty angels of God and is heard in the enemy’s camp. Roar loudly.

To all young men and women of the faith, your declaration opens the doors to the path that God has called you to walk. It also reminds your flesh that the Spirit is in charge and not you!

Lord, I declare my trust in you today. You are the fortress for my heart and no enemy can penetrate what you have shielded.

I know that in You I will never be disappointed and You will never allow me to be put to shame.

Amen

Blessings,

Lauryn Everett

February 4

Good morning, Blessed Hillcrest Family!

During the prayer meeting Tuesday night, my 7 yr old son picked up a child's Bible that had been left at the church and began quietly reading Exodus 20 - the Ten Commandments. He loves to read the Ten Commandments over and over. One day while waiting for my car to be washed, Samuel pulled out his memorization folder from school and began reading Exodus 20 outloud. As he read verses 5 & 6, a lady nearby got up and moved away from us.

To some the Word of God and the Law of God are offensive. However, God instructed us through King David Proverbs 7:1-5 of our reading today to "treasure God's commands within you" and to "keep My commands and live." He says the law should be the "apple of your eye." Is the Word of God the apple of your eye? Do you treasure God's Word above all else? I read a lot to my children. I can read a good book to them for an hour straight with no trouble. And yet when it's time to pick up the Bible to read - how often do I quickly read through a passage, check it off my list, and close the Book. Of course we usually discuss what I read, but my point is that we don't hang on every Word saying, "Read more - Read more" like we do our story books.

Elsewhere, David admonishes us to hide God's Word in our hearts that we might not sin against Him. Isaiah tells us that God knows what's best for us. He loves us. In Colossians, God calls us His holy and dearly loved children. You are His holy and dearly loved child! Because He loves you and I, He gave us His Word - His Commands - His Living Water - to drink and be nourished & to grow strong in Him. We must make God's Word the apple of our eye and teach our children to treasure the Bible richly as well.

Have a blessed and beautiful day! Enjoy reading the Word aloud w/your family today. See you at church tomorrow!

Blessings,

Rolanda Green

Hillcrest Children's Minister

January 28

Hello, Precious Hillcrest Church Family!

Oh, I love reading the Word with you and sharing my heart and thoughts through these simple devotions. Today's reading captivated my heart from the very beginning. We start in Exodus 5:22 where Moses returned to God probably a little bewildered and frustrated demands to know why God has brought more trouble on the people instead of setting them free like He promised. Things aren't going like Moses thought they would. Now he's questioning why God sent him in the first place. And he actually accusses God of not doing anything. Can you imagine talking to God like that?

I imagine that despite himself this assignment that God gave Moses must have filled his heart w/pride. Moses was going to be somebody. He was going to set the Israelites free. But wait! That's not how things were going. He didn't look like somebody special to the Pharoah and he sure didn't look like someone special to the Israelites who's hero he was supposed to become. Now he stood before God humiliated and confused. And what's worse - God Almighty did not look too good either.

Instead of yelling back at Moses or pleading with him to just hang in there, the Word simply says, "Then the Lord said to Moses..." God spoke to Moses and revealed Himself in a whole new amazing way. He declared to Moses, "I am the LORD." God spoke w/Moses and shared how Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew Him as God Almighty but that now Moses and the people of Israel would know God as the LORD. From Genesis5:22-7:25, God mentions over 28 times that He is the LORD. Obviously God wanted Moses to understand something new.

I did a little reseach. The original Hebrew words for the LORD is "Jehovah" or "Yaweh." I know what those names bring to my mind, but I wanted to probe further to know exactly what God was saying to Moses. God Almighty implied God as ruler of all creation. He revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others as a BIG and Grandious kind of a God who ruled all. But God didn't refer to Himself as God Almighty to Moses. He distinctly called Himself the LORD - Jehovah. Wow. Think of these names of God - Jehovah Jireh - MY Provider. Jehovah Shalom - MY Peace. Jehovah Rapha - MY Healer. What God was revealing to His precious, bound children and their leader that day is that He is a personal God who wants to rule their hearts and lives. He revealed that He isn't some big, mystical God of the past who loves them from afar. He revealed through His name that He was not only the God but their God right then and there...and that He had plans to set them free from the bondage they were under.

Exodus 6:7 God declared, "I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD who brings you out from under burdens..." Our great heavenly Father, chose that day to declare His personal Lordship over His people and to claim their lives for His rulership and not that of this world. Aren't you so thankful that you serve a God Who is certainly mighty and powerful but Who is personal and Who pursues your heart now in 2012? The LORD, Jehovah, loves you so deeply, so amazingly much. He is after hearts set upon Him, who know Him, and love Him and take on His burden in place of the many, many burdens and snares of this world. May He reveal Himself to you in a special new, fresh, real way this day just as He did so long ago to Moses and the people of Israel! May we cast all our cares and burdens and bondages on Him and walk in His Lordship and care this day. He is the LORD! He is Jehovah!

Have a great weekend! I'll see you tomorrow.

Blessings,

Rolanda

Hillcrest Children's Minister

January 24

Matthew 15: 29-39

There are five truths we discover when reading this passage.

Obviously, one of the first truths we find in this passage is Jesus’ compassion for the crowd who followed Him into the wilderness. I think it’s safe to assume that when Jesus retreated to the Sea of Galilee, it was probably an attempt to get some much needed rest. Yet, shortly thereafter, the desperate multitude pushed through to see Him. And He didn’t turn them away. Even though He was no doubt tired, Jesus healed them. Sometimes, in order to meet with Him, we must go into the wilderness. There, secluded from all the distractions of our I-phones and emails, Jesus has our full attention. When we follow Him into the wilderness, He is there waiting. He is eager to renew, rebuild and restore our lives, just as He was for the multitude.
The second truth we uncover as we read on is Jesus’ response to our needs is never aggravation, but deep-seated compassion. This truth is emitted in Jesus’ character throughout Scripture. Jesus said, “All whom the Father gives to me will come to Me and he who comes to Me, I will never cast away. “ Matthew 15:32 is so revealing in this facet of Christ’s nature. Let’s read it again together, “Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry or they will faint along the way.” That verse sums up perfectly the third truth revealed in this passage. Jesus will never send us away hungry. In fact, not only will He meet our present needs, but He will equip us for the journey! When we come to Him, whatever we receive from Him will always be enough to sustain and strengthen us.
The fourth truth we see is Jesus uses the little we give to Him in faith to meet to the needs of those surrounding us. Jesus asked the disciples, “How much do you have?” They replied, “Seven loaves and a few small fish.” They didn’t sound to confident in what they had to give. Yet once given to Jesus, He took it and blessed it. What “little” do you have to offer Him? He cannot bless it until you hand it over.
One of the last and most powerful truths disclosed in this passage is that Jesus uses our hands and feet to accomplish miracles.
We read in verse 35 that Jesus called upon the disciples to distribute the food. Can you imagine how nervous they must have been?! They might have been thinking, “What if there isn’t enough for everyone?” They may have even formulated an exit strategy just in case the crowd of thousands became hostile in their hunger! But what happened? “They all ate as much as they wanted…”, Matthew 15:37.
Jesus is so, so good. His heart is towards you and He sees the multitudes that you will touch thoughout your life. I encourage you to come to Him with an unveiled face. He will meet all of your needs, yes there will even be overflow in your life. I also exhort you to give what little you have and when asked to distribute, do not be afraid.

In awe of Him,

Lauryn Everett