I WILL ....

 April 4, 2025

Letting go of the old to make room for resurrection and renewal.

This Week’s Theme Verse

John 12:24

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, 

it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

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Ezekiel 37:21-28

say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. “ ‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’ ”



Ezekiel 37 captures a beautiful picture of God’s ability to restore what seems lost forever. In a time when His people felt scattered and broken, God spoke of gathering them together and making them whole. He promised to be their God and to care for them as His own. In our reading today the vision presented is meant to remind you and me, that no matter how hopeless things may seem, God’s power can bring life and renewal where we see only brokenness and hopelessness. It’s an invitation to trust that God’s plans are always bigger than our struggles and that His love can restore even the most “lost” situations.

Take this teaching to heart today, we all know that sometimes life’s circumstances can feel so broken that it’s hard to imagine things ever getting any better. What would it mean to believe the message of Ezekiel 37, that even in the darkest moments, when we are longing for God’s restoration, that there is hope for renewal and healing?

Read God's promise again,

 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

That is a good GOSPEL for us today!

Take time to pray and ask God to bring new life where there has been brokenness, trusting that His power is greater than any loss.

 

 

 

 

NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING

 

April 3, 2025 

 

Letting go of the old 

to make room for resurrection and renewal.

This Week’s Theme Verse

John 12:24

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, 

it remains only a single seed. 

But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

______________________________________

Genesis 17:3-9

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.

 

In Genesis 17, God calls Abram into a new identity as Abraham, promising to make him the father of many nations. But this new covenant required Abraham to let go of his old identity and trust God’s plan, even when it seemed impossible. 

Now, we need to recall that when God delivered this message and call to Abram, his wife Sarai had not given birth to a child. A little further in Genesis 17:15-17 we read this, “God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” Do you see how impossible God’s promise seemed to Abraham.

Later in Genesis 18:12 Sarah’s response to God’s promise also elicited a chuckle. "So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” God asks in verse 14 the deeply searching question “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

The outcome of this account is that Abraham trusted God’s promise, like a seed falling to the ground, Abraham’s surrender opened the way for God’s promises to flourish.

Have you ever had to let go of an old dream or way of thinking to embrace something new, that seemed like it had an impossible outcome? We all know that change can be hard, we are reluctant to let go of parts of our life, however, this act of release is often the start of something beautiful.

Is there an area of your life where God might be asking you to let go of something old to embrace something new? Pray for the courage to trust His promises and take the next step of faith. We know the answer to the question, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Don’t we answer that in the words of the old Worship song, “Nothing, Nothing, Absolutely Nothing is Impossible for thee!!”

NOT GOING TO BOW

 

April 2, 2025 

 

Letting go of the old

to make room for resurrection and renewal.

This Week's Theme Verse

John 12:24

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, 

it remains only a single seed. 

But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

 ___________________________________________

Daniel 3:14-20

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

 

Standing up for what matters comes with a whole set of challenges. We often read about people who stand up against corporations for unsafe practices, politicians who cannot in good conscience carry out careless and harmful policies, or Christians whose faith foundations cannot remain silent over injustice in the workplace, or dishonesty toward clients. In all these situations the risk is high for those who take a stand, from job loss to character attacks, maybe even litigation against them.

What does it take to hold on to our values when the cost feels too high? Where do we find the strength to stay true to what we believe?

In the well-known story of Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a seemingly impossible choice: bow to the king’s idol or stay true to their faith and put their lives on the line. They chose to trust God, even though it meant being thrown into a blazing furnace. We read in our Bible account today that though they trusted God, this did not mean that they escaped the fiery furnace. Yet, we also note that God didn’t leave them alone. In the fire, in the blazing furnace, God’s presence surrounded them and protected them, and they walked out miraculously unharmed. God’s power and glory are overwhelmingly revealed so much so, that King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and declares him worthy of worship. It doesn’t end there, does it, no Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego actually receive a promotion in Babylon.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shows us that courage doesn’t come from being strong enough on our own. It comes from trusting that God is with us, no matter what happens. Even when life feels overwhelming, His power and goodness are greater than our fears. Remember, God walks with us through every “fiery” trial, and His presence is your strength.